Improvements in Single-trigger Double-barrelled Guns.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Feb.,
1898
Improvements in Single-trigger Double-barrelled Guns.
I, FREDERIC THOMAS KERSLAKE BAKER, of 88, Fleet Street, in the County of
London, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of the locks of that class of double-
barrelled guns wherein the barrels are fired in succession by means of a single
trigger.
In such guns, as is well known, there is a possibility of the second barrel being
unintentionally fired, practically simultaneously with the first barrel, because
the recoil of the gun, on firing the first barrel, causes the finger to relax its pressure
on the trigger, and then pull a second time; during such relaxation the trigger
may move into position to operate the sear of the second barrel, and the second pull,
which is quite involuntary, in that case discharges such second barrel. Various
arrangements have been proposed for preventing this contingency, and the object
of my invention is to effect such novel improvements in gun locks of this class,
as will, in a simple and practical manner, absolutely prevent the possibility of this
unintentional discharge of the second barrel.
In order to clearly explain and illustrate the nature of my invention, I will
describe its construction as applied to an ordinary drop-down double-barrelled gun
with internal hammers.
Upon the trigger I provide what is known as a "swinging trigger," consisting of
an arm pivoted at one end on the trigger and capable of a certain amount of
swinging or horizontal motion thereon, so that its free end can come under the tail
of the sear of either the right or left-hand barrel.
.
A light spring presses against this swinging arm, in such manner as to tend
always to bring its free end under the left-hand sear. The movement of the lock-
ing bolt lever, which enables the gun to be opened, is utilised, through the medium
of any suitable mechanism, to push the swinging trigger over to the right-hand
against the pressure of the aforesaid spring, till it is under the sear tail on that side,
and consequently in position to discharge the right-hand barrel when the trigger is
pulled. A light spring affixed to the trigger proper, presses on the top of the
swinging trigger, and when the latter is pushed over to the right, as above described,
it permits the said spring to drop just below its edge, and thus hold it in such
position. The free end of the swinging trigger is provided with a small outwardly
projecting vertical plate, and the sliding safety-catch, which is pushed back by the
locking bolt on opening the gun, in the usual way, to prevent the gun being fired,
is furnished on its lower part with three small plates, or projections, which acting
in conjunction with the aforesaid plate on the swinging trigger, prevent the acci-
dental discharge of the second barrel on firing the first. The action of the
mechanism is as follows:-When it is desired to fire the gun, the safety-catch is
pushed forward to release the trigger in the usual way, and the plate on the swinging

page_text: trigger is then situated between the right-hand and central plates on the safety-
catch. The said right-hand plate is fixed, or formed at a slope or angle, so that
when the trigger is pulled, the plate on the swinging part, as it rises to lift the
right-hand sear, to discharge the barrel on that side, slides along the said sloping
plate, which action forces the swinging trigger sufficiently to the left to free its
edge from and so bring it again under the light spring aforesaid, which locked it
in the right-hand position and thus free it from such locking action. The plate
on the swinging-trigger having at the same time risen clear above the central plate
on the safety-catch, the said trigger automatically moves over to the left till stopped
by its plate coming against the left-hand, or third plate on the safety-catch, then the
involuntary relaxation of the finger pull on the trigger, due to the recoil of the gun,
allows it to drop down between such central and third plates under the action of
the ordinary trigger spring, but the said third plate is of such depth that it pre-
vents the swinging trigger moving over sufficiently to get under the tail of the
left-hand sear, so that the involuntary pull on the trigger, which follows instantly
on the said relaxation, simply lifts the swinging trigger, so that its plate clears the
third plate, without the possibility of affecting the left-hand sear. On now releasing
the trigger, the swinging-trigger drops again, and is pushed by its spring under the
left-hand sear, ready to discharge the barrel on that side when required.
If the gun be cocked, but not loaded, three distinct voluntary pulls of the trigger
are required to discharge the hammers, the first discharges the right-hand hammer,
the second brings the swinging trigger into position to discharge the left-hand
hammer, and the third discharges it. but when the gun is loaded the recoil causes
the second pull to occur involuntarily, as above described.
After both barrels are discharged the plates on the safety-catch prevent the
swinging trigger being moved over to the right, but the movement of the locking
bolt in opening the gun, first pushes the safety-catch back out of the way, and then
moves the swinging-trigger over, as before described.
If preferred, the act of opening or closing the gun may be arranged to move
over the swinging-trigger, instead of utilising the locking-bolt lever for that
purpose.
Although I have described my invention as applied to an internally hammered
drop-down gun, it is equally applicable to externally hammered, or other forms of
double-barrelled guns, suitable modifications being made, when necessary, to adapt
it to the requirements of any particular case.
1000
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Single-trigger Double-barrelled Guns.
I, FREDERIC THOMAS KERSLAKE BAKER, of 88, Fleet Street, in the County of
London, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to the construction of the locks of that class of double-
barrelled guns wherein the barrels are fired in succession by means of a single
trigger.
In such guns, as is well known, there is a possibility of the second barrel being
unintentionally fired practically simultaneously with the first barrel, because
the recoil of the gun, on firing the first barrel, causes the finger to relax its pressure

page_text: on the trigger and then pull a second time; during such relaxation the trigger
may move into position to operate the sear of the second barrel, and the second pull,
which is quite involuntary, in that case discharges such second barrel. Various
arrangements have been proposed for preventing this contingency, and the object
of my invention is to effect such novel improvements in gun locks of this class,
as will, in a simple and practical manner, absolutely prevent the possibility of this
unintentional discharge of the second barrel.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, which forms part of this specification,
and illustrates the construction of my invention as applied to an ordinary drop-
down, double-barrelled gun with internal hammers,
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the upper and lower plates of the lock, with the
parts connected thereto, the side plates with the hammers and sears being removed.
Figure 2, is a cross-section through A, A, in Figs. 1 and 4.
Figure 3, is an elevation of the other side of the safety catch to that shewn in
Fig. 1.
Figure 4, is a plan of the trigger plate and the parts thereon, also the safety-
catch in section through B, B, Fig. 1.
Figures 5, 6 and 7, in combination with Fig. 4, shew the progressive action of
parts of the apparatus.
Figures 8, 9 and 10, in combination with Fig. 2, shew the corresponding position
of the said parts in cross-sectional elevation.
Figure 11, is an elevation of part of Fig. 1, shewing the safety-catch in the locking
position, and
Figure 12 is a cross-section through C, C, in Figs. 1 and 4.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Upon the trigger D, which moves about the pin E, I provide what is known as a
swinging trigger," consisting of an arm F, pivoted at one end by the pin H on
the trigger, and capable of a certain amount of swinging, or horizontal motion
thereon, as shewn in Figs. 2 and 4 to 10, so that its free end can come under the
tail J or K of the sear of either the right or left-hand barrel.
The vertical plate or projection F1 on the outer end of the arm F is formed with
a concave upper edge, see Figs. 1 and 11, to engage with the said sear tails. A light
spring L presses against the arm F, in such manner as to tend always to bring its
free end under the left-hand sear tail K, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 10.
The movement of the locking bolt lever M, which enables the gun to be opened, is
utilised, through the medium of any suitable mechanism, such for example as a
sliding bar (not shewn in the drawings) impinging upon the projection, or lug F³,
to push the swinging trigger over to the right-hand, against the pressure of the
spring L, till it is under the sear tail J on that side, and consequently in position to
discharge the right-hand barrel when the trigger is pulled.
A light spring N, held in place by the screw pin H, presses on the top of the
swinging trigger F, and when the latter is pushed over to the right, as above
described, it holds it in such position, by reason of the chamfered upper edge of F
being pushed under a little tooth N1 on the downwardly projecting edge of the
spring. This arrangement is shewn clearly in the cross-section Fig. 12.
The upper part of the free end F¹, of the swinging trigger is provided with a
small prolongation, or vertical plate P, and the sliding safety-catch Q is furnished
on its lower part with three small vertical plates, or projections Q1, Q, Q³, which
acting in conjunction with the aforesaid plate P on the swinging trigger, prevent
the accidental discharge of the second barrel, on firing the first.
The safety-catch Q is pushed back by the locking bolt, through the medium of
the bar R, on opening the gun, in the usual way, to prevent the gun being fired,
because the lower end of Q is then over the vertical post D¹ on the end of the
trigger, and the trigger cannot then be raised. This position of the parts is shewn
in Fig. 11.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-When it is desired to fire the gun,
the safety-catch Q is pushed forward by means of the plate S, into the position

page_text: shewn in Figs. 1 to 10, to release the trigger in the usual way, and the plate P on
the swinging trigger F is then situated just under the first plate Q₁ on the safety-
catch, see Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The said plate Q¹ is chamfered on its left-hand lower
edge, as shewn clearly in Figs. 2, 8, 9 and 10, or it may be fixed at an angle, so that
when the trigger is pulled, the plate P, as it rises with the trigger to lift the sear J
to discharge the right-hand barrel, is forced by the said chamfer on the plate Q'
sufficiently towards the left to free the swinging trigger F from the tooth N¹ on
the spring N, and so release it from the locking action of the said spring. The
plate P then rises between the plates Q1 and Q to the position shewn in Figs. 5
and 8 and discharges the sear J, the plate Q³ preventing the swinging trigger being
pushed over to the left by the action of the spring L, which but for this plate would
occur, the lock of the spring N having been released, as above described, and such
release does not take place until the upper edge of the plate P has risen past the lower
edge of the plate Q³.
The involuntary relaxation of the finger pull on the trigger due to the recoil of
the gun, allows the trigger to fall under the action of the ordinary trigger spring,
and the plate P drops from between the plates Q and Q³, and as soon as the plate P
is clear of the plate Q³, the swinging trigger is forced to the left by the spring L
until stopped by the plate l' coming against the plate Q3, which projects below the
plate Q³.
This position is shewn in Figs. 6 and 9, and the plate Q³ has prevented_the
swinging trigger moving sufficiently far to the left to get under the sear K of
the lett-hand barrel, as shewn clearly in Fig. 6, so that the involuntary pull on the
trigger, which tollows instantly on the said relaxation, simply lifts the winging-
trigger, so that the plate P merely rises clear above the plate Q, without the
possibility of affecting the left-hand sear K. While the plate P is thus raised, the
swinging trigger is moved a little more to the left by the spring L, till stopped by
the plate Fabutting against the end of the sear tail K. On now releasing the
trigger, it drops again, and the plate P, having passed over the top of the plate Q³,
descends on its left side, and as soon as the plate F¹ has dropped below the tail K,
the swinging trigger is pushed by the spring L still further to the left, and under
the sear tail K, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 10, ready to discharge the barrel on that
side when required.
If the gun be cocked, but not loaded, three distinct voluntary pulls of the trigger
are required to discharge the hammers, the first discharges the right-hand hammer,
the second brings the swinging trigger into position to discharge the left-hand
hammer, and the third discharges it, but when the gun is loaded, the recoil causes
the second pull to occur involuntarily, as above described.
After both barrels are discharged the deep plate Q³ on the safety-catch prevents
the swinging trigger being moved over to the right-hand position, but on opening
the gun to reload, the movement of the locking bolt first pushes the safety catch
back out of the way, see Fig. 11, and then moves the swinging trigger over, as
before described.
If preferred, the act of opening or closing the gun may be arranged to move over
the swinging-trigger, instead of utilising the locking-bolt lever for that purpose.
When the action has become much worn, the jar caused by the sudden closing
of the gun, may sometimes cause the swinging trigger to slip from under the locking
tooth on the spring N and fly over to the position shewn in Figs. 7 and 10, so that
when the trigger is pulled the left-hand barrel will be discharged instead of the
right-hand one, and a second pull on the trigger will consequently produce no effect.
When it is desired to prevent the possibility of this occurring, I employ another
locking device for the swinging trigger, in addition to the spring N.
Such device, shewn in Figs. 1 and 11, consists of a lever T, pivoted on the right
side of the end of the trigger D by the screw stud V. Formed in one piece there-
with is a spring arm W terminating in a tooth X, chamfered on its upper edge.
The lever T has also an extended base part T. Now when the safety-catch Q has
been moved back clear of the plate P, the swinging-trigger is pushed over to the

page_text: right and locked by the spring N, as before described, and then the safety-catch at
the last portion of its said backward movement comes in contact with the top of
the lever T and forces it slightly back, as shewn in Fig. 11, so that the chamfered
top of the tooth X rises between the trigger D and the plate F¹, and is held in such
position by the safety-catch, thereby rendering it impossible for the swinging trigger
to be displaced by any jar or shock. When the safety-catch is pushed forward to
permit the gun to be fired, the lever T is released, and as the previous action of
moving it had caused the extension T to bear upon the trigger plate Y, and so
slightly raise the trigger, the action of the trigger spring immediately returns the
lever to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby withdrawing the locking tooth X
from behind the plate F¹, and so leaving the swinging trigger free to act in the
manner previously described.
Although I have described my invention as applied to an internally hammered
drop-down gun, it is equally applicable to externally hammered, or other forms of
double barrelled guns, suitable modifications being made, when necessary, to adapt
it to the requirements of any particular case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1. In a single trigger double-barrelled gun, in combination, a swinging trigger F,
a locking spring N, a plate P on said swinging trigger, and three plates Q¹, Q², Q³
on the sliding safety-catch Q, all constructed and acting substantially in the manner
and for the purposes as herein set forth.
2. In a single trigger double-barrelled gun, in combination, a swinging trigger F,
a locking spring N, a plate P on said swinging trigger, three plates Q¹, Q³, Q³ on
the sliding safety-catch Q, and a lover T with extension T, spring arm W and
locking tooth X, all constructed and acting substantially in the manner and for the
purposes, as herein set forth.
J
10 dow of January 1898.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.