IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Deeley, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, and James Simeon Edge, the younger, of Yardley, in the
County of Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 13th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Deeley and James
Simeon Edge at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March
1878.
JOHN DEELEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer,
and JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Our Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in breech-
loading small-arms, in which the breech is opened and closed by a vertically sliding
block; and our said Invention has reference in part to the sliding block guns
described, represented, and claimed in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to us on the 19th day of April 1873, No. 1422.
In the sliding block guns described and represented in the Specification of the
Patent referred to the breech block is raised and lowered by a trigger guard lever,
which lever is jointed at its middle to the sliding block, and at one end to the shoe
or body of the gun, the trigger being situated within the guard of the trigger guard
lever, and carried by the sliding block.
According to one part of our present Invention we dispense with the trigger
guard lever, and use in place thereof a hand lever, which is jointed to the body of
the gun and to the sliding breech block in the manner described with respect to the
trigger guard lever, and we arrange the trigger guard and the trigger at the rear of
the shoe or body in which the sliding block works, the trigger guard being fixed to
a guard plate-forming a prolongation of the shoe or body of the gun. This change
of position of the trigger with respect to the sliding block necessitates the following

page_text: modification in the arrangement of parts for discharging the gun:-The short arm
of the trigger is made to work in and project through a slot in the rear end of the
shoe, and the sear which engages with the bent in the hammer to hold the suid
hammer in its cocked position is made in the form of a lever having nearly equal
arms, the said sear lever being jointed at the middle of the sliding block and near
the lower edge thereof. The extreme end of the rear arm of the sear lever works
in a slot or opening at the back of the breech block, in a position to be operated
upon by the short arm of the trigger when the latter is pulled. The front arm of
the sear lever engages when the hammer is cocked with the bent in the said hammer
in the usual way.
These improvements may be applied to sliding block guns in which a tumbler is
used instead of a hammer, as described in the Specification of the Patent before
referred to.
By constructing and arranging the parts of sliding block guns in the manner
described the manipulation of the breech mechanism is simplified, and there is a less
number of projecting parts on the under side of the block for the dress of the user
of the gun to engage with or catch in.
Our Invention consists further of the following improvement in the cocking
mechanism of vertically sliding block guns:-Instead of making the mainspring
of the hammer bear against the back of the hammer, as usual, we make the main-
spring act upon the hammer at the side thereof. For this purpose we make at the
side of the hammer a projection, upon which one of the limbs of the mainspring
bears. When the hammer is cocked, on the descent of the sliding block, the said
hammer descends on the side of the compressed mainspring, instead of compressing
the limb of the mainspring before it as it descends, as in the ordinary arrangement.
.By this means we are enabled to use a much shorter block and shoe than when
.the mainspring bears against the back of the hammer as usual.
Our Invention consists further of the following improvements in constructing and
working the extractors of vertically sliding block guns:-The forked extracting
levers of the said guns are ordinarily worked by the bottom of the sliding block,
when it has fully descended in the shoe, striking the said lever and turning it on
its joint. In constructing the said forked extracting levers according to our Inven-
tion we provide the said levers with an additional arm situated nearly in the saine
plane as one of the forked arms of the lever, and having nearly the same length.
The additional or rear arm of the extracting lever is situated within the hollow
sliding block of the gun, the front of the said block being furnished with a slot,
which works upon the said additional arm on the rising and falling of the block.
When the block has been depressed in its shoe sufficiently far to open the breech,
the top of the block strikes against the top of the additional rear arm of the
extracting lever and turns the said lever on its centre, and causes its fork to
extract the empty cartridge case in the usual way.
Instead of operating the extracting lever described by the action of the top of
the block on the additional arm, the said extracting lever may be operated by a pin
or stud on the inside or outside of the block acting upon the additional arm of the
extracting lever.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Deeley and James Simeon Edge in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th September 1878.
JOHN DEELEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer,
and JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Our Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in breech-
loading small-arms, in which the breech is opened and closed by a vertically sliding
block; and our said Invention has reference in part to the sliding block guns
described, represented, and claimed in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to us on the 19th day of April, 1873, No. 1422.
In the sliding block guns described and represented in the Specification of the
Patent referred to the breech block is raised and lowered by a trigger guard lever,
which lever is jointed at its middle to the sliding block, and at one end to the shoe
or body of the gun, the trigger being situated within the guard of the trigger guard
lever, and carried by the sliding block.
According to one part of our present Invention we dispense with the trigger
guard lever, and use in place thereof a hand lever, which is jointed to the body of
the gun and to the sliding breech block in the manner described with respect to the
trigger guard lever, and we arrange the trigger guard and the trigger at the rear of
the shoe or body in which the sliding block works, the trigger guard being fixed to
a guard plate forming a prolongation of the shoe or body of the gun. This change
of position of the trigger with respect to the sliding block necessitates the following
modification in the arrangement of parts for discharging the gun:-The short arın
of the trigger is made to work in and project through a slot in the rear end of the
shoe, and the sear which engages with the bent in the hammer to hold the said
hammer in its cocked position is made in the form of a lever having nearly equal
arms, the said sear lever being jointed at the middle of the sliding block and near
the lower edge thereof. The extreme end of the rear arm of the sear lever works
in a slot or opening at the back of the breech block, in a position to be operated
upon by the short arm of the trigger when the latter is pulled. The front arm of
the sear lever engages, when the hammer is cocked, with the bent in the said hammer
in the usual way.
These improvements may be applied to sliding block guns in which a tumbler or
tumbler lever is used instead of a hammer, as described in the Specification of the
Patent before referred to.
By constructing and arranging the parts of sliding block guns in the manner
described the manipulation of the breech mechanism is simplified, and there is a less
number of projecting parts on the under side of the block for the dress of the user
of the gun to engage with or catch in.
Our Invention consists further of the following improvement in the cocking
mechanism of vertically sliding block guns:-Instead of making the mainspring
of the hammer bear against the back of the hammer, as usual, we make the main-
spring act upon the hammer at the side thereof. For this purpose we make at the
side of the hammer a projection, upon which one of the limbs of the mainspring
bears. When the hammer is cocked, on the descent of the sliding block, the said
hammer descends on the side of the compressed mainspring, instead of compressing
the limb of the mainspring before it as it descends, as in the ordinary arrangement.
By this means we are enabled to use a much shorter block and shoe than when the
mainspring bears against the back of the hammer, as usual.
Our Invention consists further of the following improvements in constructing and
working the extractors of vertically sliding block guns:-The forked extracting
levers of the said guns are ordinarily worked by the bottom of the sliding block,
when it has fully descended in the shoe, striking the said lever and turning it on

page_text: its joint. In constructing the said forked extracting levers according to our Inven-
tion we provide the said levers with an additional arm, situated nearly in the same
plane as one of the forked arms of the lever, and having nearly the same length.
The additional or rear arın of the extracting lever is situated within the hollow
sliding block of the gun, the front of the said block being furnished with a slot,
which works upon the said additional arm on the rising and falling of the block.
When the block has been depressed in its shoe sufficiently far to open the breech,
the top of the block strikes against the top of the additional rear arın of the
extracting lever and turns the said lever on its centre, and causes its fork to extract
the empty cartridge case in the usual way.
Instead of operating the extracting lever described by the action of the top of
the block on the additional arm, the said extracting lever may be operated by a pin
or stud on the inside or outside of the block acting upon the additional arm of the
extracting lever.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represents side elevations (with a portion of the breechi shoe
removed) of a vertically sliding block gun constructed according to the first part
of our Invention,―
Figure 1 representing the sliding breech block raised in its shoe, and the gun
ready for discharge; and Figure 2 representing the said breech block depressed in
its shoe, and the breech open for loading and the hammer cocked.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of the gun, Figure 2, taken through
the breech block.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
a is the barrel of the gun, and b is the body or shoe in a mortice or opening in
which the hollow breech block cslides. The said breech block c contains or
encloses the hammer d, its mainspring ², and the sear lever e, e², and its spring e³.
The breech block c is raised and lowered in the shoe b, and the hammer à cocked
by the hand lever f, jointed at f to the front end of the block c, and also at ƒ³ to
the swivelling arm or link g, the latter being jointed at g² to the body or shoe b of
the gun. The hammer d is carried by the hand lever f, the said hammer turning
on the same joint pin or centre f*, as that by which the breech block c is jointed to
the said hand lever f (see Figure 3).
When the hand lever f is depressed for lowering the block c and opening the
breech, the hammer & by the descent of the hand lever is brought into its cocked
position and held in that position by the sear lever e engaging, with the bent in the
said hammer, the parts remaining in the relative positions described until the '
breech is fully opened, as seen in Figure 3.
On lifting the hand leverf fór closing the breech, the cocked hammer is carried
with it and is liberated by the action of the trigger in the manner herein-after
described. The trigger guard h and trigger i aro situated at the rear of the body,
or shoe b, the said trigger guard h. being fixed to the guard plate k.
The short arm of the trigger i has the form represented in Figure 3, and
works in a slot Z in the rear of the breech shoe.
The sear lever e, e², upon which the trigger acts to discharge the gun is carried by,
and has the position in the block c represented in Figure 3. Its short arm e
engages with the bent in the hammer d, and its other and longer arm e² passes to
the rear end of the breech block c, and its end works in a slot m in the said rear
end of the block.
When the block c is raised in the shoe b for closing the breech preparatory to the
discharge of the gun, the end of the arm c² of the scar lever e, e, is situated
immediately in front of the short arm of the trigger i, and when the trigger i is
pulled, its short arm raises the long arm e² of the sear lever, thereby disengaging
its short arm e from the bent in the hammer d, and the latter falls by the action of
its mainspring and discharges the gun. is the extracting lever operated by
the falling block c when the latter has descended sufficiently far to open the breech.
!

page_text: A safety bolt at q on the side of the hand lever f, the acting part of which bolt is
situated under the short arm e of the sear lever, is used for preventing the lifting of
the sear lever and the accidental discharge of the gun. The hand lever f is fastened
in its raised position against the under side of the breech block c by the spring
catch r, taking into a notch s at the rear end of the block (see Figure 3).
The gun open for charging by depressing the band lever finto the position
represented in Figures 2 and 3; the breech is thereby opened, the hammer cocked,
and the empty cartridge case extracted.
After a fresh cartridge has been introduced into the barrel, the band lever fis
raised into the position represented in Figure 1. The breech block containing the
cocked hammer is thereby raised in the breech shoe and the breech closed, and the
gun is ready for discharge.
The construction and arrangements of parts described and represented in Figures
1, 2, and 3 may be applied to sliding block guns, in which a tumbler or tumbler
lever is used instead of a hammer.
Figure 4 represents in longitudinal section, and Figure 5 in elevation partly in
section, the breech end of a vertically sliding block gun of the kind described and
represented, provided with the cocking and extracting mechanisms herein-before
described as constituting the second and third parts of our Invention.
In Figure 4, the gun is represented ready for firing; and in Figure 5 the breech
opened for charging.
Figure 6 represents the hammer separately, and Figure 7 represents the extracting
lever separately.
Instead of making the mainspring t bear against the hammer d at the back
thereof, as in the previously described arrangement, we give the mainspring the
position in the breech block represented, and we make one of the limbs of the said
mainspring bear upon a projection at the side of the hammer. When the
hammer d is cocked, and the breech opened by the depression of the hand lever f,
the said hammer descends on the side of the said mainspring t, compressing the
said spring by the action of the side projection u upon it, as will be understood by
an examination of Figure 4 of the Drawing. By thus arranging the mainspring
with respect to the hammer, a shorter block and shoe can be used than when the
mainspring bears against the back of the hammer. v is the forked extracting lever
turning on the centre v², and situated at the mouth of the barrel as usual. The
said extracting lever is represented separately in Figure 7; it has at its rear end
an additional arm w, the position of which with respect to the fork vis best seen
in Figure 7. The additional arm w of the extracting lever vis situated within the
hollow sliding block c, as seen in Figure 5, the front of the said block being
furnished with a vertical slot which works upon the said additional arm won the
rising and falling of the said block. When the breech block c is depressed in its
shoe sufficiently far to open the breech, the top of the said block strikes against
the top of the additional rear arm w of the extracting lever, as illustrated in
Figure 5, and turns the said lever on its contre ³, and causes its fork v to start the
empty case. As the block further descends the top of the slot in the front of the
said block strikes the arm wat w near the centre on which the extractor turns,
and thereby causes the extracting fork v to complete the extraction of the empty
cartridge case from the barrel.
The additional rear arm w of the extracting lever may be operated by a pin or
stud on the inside of the breech block instead of by the top; or the additional rear
armi w may be situated outside the breech block, and be operated on the descent of
the said block by pins or studs on the outside of said block.
The parts of the gun, Figures 4 and 5, which we have not described, are con-
structed, worked, and act in the manner described with respect to the gun, Figures
1, 2, and 3, and corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Although we have shewn our arrangements for compressing the mainspring of
the hammer, and for extracting the empty cartridge case in combination with a

page_text: vertically sliding block gun constructed according to our Invention, yet we wish it
to be understood that the said arrangements may be applied to vertically sliding
block guns generally.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be perforined, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention
of improvements in breech-loading small-arms of the kind called vertically sliding
block guns,
First. Working the breech blocks of vertically sliding block guns of the kind
described by means of a hand lever which carries the hammer or tumbler, or tumbler
lever of the gun, the said hand lever being jointed to the sliding block and to the
body or shoe of the gun, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Arranging the trigger guard and trigger at the rear of the body or
shoe, and the combination with the said trigger of a sear lever arranged in the ver-
tically sliding block, and being operated upon by the trigger, substantially as
herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Thirdly. The improvements in the cocking mechanism of vertically sliding block
guns herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, arranging the mainspring at the side of the
hammer, and providing the side of the hammer with a projection for acting upon
one of the limbs of the said mainspring, so that on the descent of the sliding block
to open the breech the hammer descends on the side of the mainspring and com-
presses it, substantially as described and illustrated.
Lastly. The improvements in constructing and working the extracting levers of
vertically sliding block guns herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 5
and 7 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, providing the extracting lever
with an additional or rear arm, which on the descent of the block for opening the
breech is operated upon by the said block, or by a pin or pins, or stud or studs
on the said block, and the extracting part of the lever thereby brought into action,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Decley and James Simeon Edge, the
younger, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of Sep-
tember, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN DEELEY.
(L.S).
JAMES SIMEON EDGE. (LS.)