IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lang, of Cockspur Street, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 2nd April 1878, and dated the 9th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lang at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1878.
JAMES LANG, of Cockspur Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
My Invention relates to that description of breech-loading fire-arms known as
"drop-down" guns, and has for its object rendering the gun self-cocking, that is to
say, ready for firing by the action of opening the gun for the insertion of the
cartridge without any furth er trouble t the user. I accomplish this object by
causing a lever to act upon the tumblers of the locks and the lump of the barrels.
By opening the gun the lever acts upon the tumblers and causes the gun to be
ready for firing.
The lever may be disengaged at will so as to admit of the gun being cocked in
the ordinary manner by raising the hammer by hand.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Lang in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
1878.
JAMES LANG, of Cockspur Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
My said Invention relates to that description of breech-loading fire-arms known
as "drop-down" guns, and has for its object rendering the gun self-cocking, that is
to say, ready for firing by the action of opening it for the insertion of the cartridge
without any further trouble to the user. This object I accomplish by the employ-
ment of an arm or lever actuated by the lamp on the barrel, and caused to act
upon the tumbler of the lock, so that by the action of opening the gun by turning
the barrel on its hinge the tumbler, and consequently the hammer, are turned on
their centre, and the gun is thus cocked ready for firing.
When my Invention is applied to guns having ordinary locks and external
hammers the arm or lever for actuating the tumbler may be disengaged at will so
as to admit of the gun being cocked in the ordinary manner by raising the hammer
by hand.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a longitudinal
section of a portion of a breech-loading gun constructed according to my Invention,
and Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the application of my said Invention to
gun locks of the ordinary construction.
Referring to Figure 1, A is the barrel of the gun represented in its drop-down or
open position for the reception of the cartridge; B is the lump on the under side of
the barrel fitted to turn upon the pin C as a hinge. On this lump I form or fit a
hook D, which when the barrel is dropping or is being opened engages with and
elevates the end a of an arm or lever E, which may be either formed in one with
the tumbler F, or made separate therefrom and fitted upon the same centre, as
shewn in Figure 1.
The lever E is provided with projections f (shown clearly in the detail view,
Figure 3), which when the end a of the lever is raised engages with a notch g
formed in the tumbler F, causing the said tumbler, to be rotated on its axis so as
to bring the bent b into position to engage with the sear G, whilst at the same
time the haminer or striker H (which may be either made in one with the tumbler,
as shown (in the detail, Figure 4 or separate therefrom and mounted on the same
axis) is caused to rise and compress the main spring I, the gun being thus cocked
ready to be fired by the simple act of opening the barrel for the reception of the
cartridge. After the cartridge has been inserted in the breech chamber the barrel
is closed and secured in the ordinary manner by the lever K. The gun is now
ready to be fired; which is effected in the ordinary way by pulling the trigger L,
thereby releasing the sear G from the bent b, when the hammer under the action of
the mainspring I will strike the pin M and explode the cartridge, and at the same
time return the lever E into position to be acted upon by the hook D, when the
barrel A is again opened for the reception of a fresh cartridge.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 2, which illustrates the application of my
Invention to gun locks of the ordinary construction, the arm or lever E for
actuating the tumbler F instead of being formed in one therewith or mounted
upon the same centre, as described with reference to Figure 1, is made separate
and mounted upon a centre c of its own. This lever, which is actuated at a by the
hook D on the lump B in a similar manner to the lever E in the arrangement
Figure 1, is provided near its upper end with a projection d, which by acting
upon a stud e carried by the tumbler F causes the said tumbler to turn upon its

page_text: axis until the bent b becomes engaged with the sear G, the gun being thus cocked
by the opening of the barrel, as in the arrangement Figure 1.
I prefer to arrange the hammer or striker inside the stock of the gun, as shewn
in my Drawings, but if desired it may be placed on the outside, in which case the
gun may be cocked in the ordinary manner by means of the hammer, the lever E
for actuating the tumbler being then removed or thrown out of action.
"
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that I am aware that it has previously been proposed
to construct breech-loading small-arms of the description known as drop-down'
guns, so that they shall be self-cocking, that is to say, rendered ready for firing by
the action of opening the gun for the insertion of the cartridge, and therefore to
this arrangement in itself I lay no claim, but what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the system or mode of rendering a "drop-down" gun
self-cocking by the employment of an arm or lever operated by the lump on the
barrel so as to act upon the tumbler of the lock in such a manner that by the act
of opening the breech for the introduction of the cartridge the gun will be cocked
ready for firing, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lang, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Second day of August; One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES LANG. (L.S.)