Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1888
Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1889
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings; in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms and more especially to those
wherein firing-pins or hammers are employed.
In the use of breech-loading fire-arms, serious accidents are sometimes caused by
reason of a cartridge hanging fire and exploding after the breech is opened or during
the opening thereof.
The main object of the present invention is to obviate the liability to accidents from
this cause, by preventing the opening of the breech before the cartridge has been
discharged. For this purpose, I provide a catch or locking device which, when a
cartridge hangs fire, holds the breech-block in its closed position. I utilize the recoil
or backward movement of the detonating cap of a cartridge, which takes place when
the powder-charge thereof is exploded, for effecting the disengagement of the said
catch or locking device or preventing the engagement thereof. It has been ascertained
by a long series of experiments that this recoil movement is sufficient to permit of its
being practically utilized for the purpose above mentioned.
When the detonating cap explodes without firing the powder-charge of the cartridge,
the said cap, by reason of the small amount of explosive force thus produced, performs
a smaller retrograde movement than it does when the entire charge of the said
cartridge is exploded, and it is the difference between these two movements that is
utilized for the purpose above mentioned.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the breech-portion of a gun,
with the present improvements applied thereto.

page_text: Figure 2 is a horizontal section illustrating another form or modification of my
improved gun, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy after the
firing-pin has moved forward and before the cartridge has exploded.
Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the parts in the positions which they occupy
after the cartridge has exploded.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line a, a, Figure 2.
Figures 5 to 10 are different views showing modifications hereinafter described.
A is the reinforce, B is the breech-block, C is a crank-shaft for moving the breech-
block up and down by means of its pin (which is arranged io slide in a groove in
the said breech-block. Dis the firing-pin (or hammer) which is actuated by a
spiral spring E and is cocked by a lever F fixed upon a shaft F¹.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the turning of the shaft F1 and lever F is
automatically performed in the downward movement of the breech-block, for example
by means of an inclined groove formed in the wall of the reinforce, in which engages
the pin of a crank fixed upon the said shaft F. The firing-pin D is retained in its
cocked position by means of a rod a acted upon by a suitable spring a', whereby it is
pressed against a block or piece a² adapted to engage with a collar on the forward
end of the firing-pin. When the firing-pin or striker D is in the fired position as
shown, the said block a² engages with the rear side of the said collar of the firing-pin,
and, as the opening of the breech necessitates the turning of the shaft F and the
drawing back or cocking of the firing-pin, it is obvious that the breech cannot be
opened until the said block or piece a is moved downward to release the firing-pin.
When the powder-charge is exploded, one action of the gases thus generated is to
drive backward the detonating cap and through the said detonating cap, the
firing-pin D, the collar 6 of which slides over the block or piece a² before the rod a
can be released. This action must take place before the said firing-pin can be drawn
back and consequently before the opening of the breech can be effected.
Should the powder-charge not explode, the block or piece a² engages with the rear
side of the collar of the firing-pin and the gunner will have to pull the trigger fand
thus draw down the rol a before he can open the breech.
It is obvious that, by these means, even during the most rapid firing, the hanging
fire of a cartridge cannot fail to be noticed, and complete protection is thus ensured
against accidents due to this cause.
Figure 9 illustrates one mode of applying the present invention to a gun having a
firing-hammer operated by the reaction of a spring which is automatically compressed
during the opening of the breech.
The boss b of the hammer D is provided with two recesses or notches. Should the
cartridge hang fire or fail to explode, the head a² of the rod a, being caused by the
spring a to engage in the lower recess or notch of the said boss, will prevent
the turning of the hammer, consequently the breech cannot be opened, without first
pulling the trigger fand thus disengaging the rod a from the notch in the boss b. If,
however, the hammer is thrown back sufficiently by the recoil of the detonating-cap,
to allow the edge of the said recess or notch to pass in front of the rod a before the
trigger can be released, the breech can be opened and the hammer cocked, and the
head of the rod a falling into the upper recess or notch in the boss will retain
the hammer in the cocked position.
The arrangement shown in Figure is based upon the same assumption as those
illustrated in Figures 1 and 9, namely that the firing-pin or hammer is automatically
cocked during the opening of the breech.
The lever by means of which the firing-pin is cocked is provided with a hook-
shaped projection a which engages in a recess or notch in the firing-pin D, and,
bearing against a projection b forming the lower side of the said recess or notch,
prevents the turning of the lever F, so that should a cartridge hang fire or fail to
explode, the breech cannot be opened until the firing-pin is drawn back by hand.
Should, however, the firing-pin be pressed back by the detonating cap, the rear surface
of the hook-shaped projection a comes in front of the projection b, and the breech can
be opened and the firing-pin cocked in the usual manner.

page_text: The arrangements shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 are based upon the
assumption that the cocking of the firing-pin or hammer is not effected automatically
by the movement of the breech-block, but in any other suitable manner. In these
cases, the fixing or locking of the firing-pin would not prevent the descent of the
breech-block; and the rod or bar a must, therefore, be caused to retain or lock some
other part of the breech-mechanism which is moved during the opening of the breech.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 show an arrangement in which a plate-spring a is employed in
the place of the rod or bar above described. The said spring acts upon an arm h
formed or fixed on a bolt or catch supported in the breech-block B so that it can
slide freely therein. When the firing-pin D is released and moves forward to fire
the gun, its collar comes in contact with the bevelled end of the bolt or catch h¹
and forces the same outward; and the said bolt through the arm h presses the
spring a in front of a shoulder on the crank as more clearly shown in
Figure 2.
Should the cartridge hang fire or fail to explode, the spring a remains in front of
the crank C, and the latter cannot therefore be moved, consequently the breech
cannot be opened until the firing-pin is drawn or pushed back by hand sufficiently to
allow the bolt or catch to slide in front of the collar b. This operation is con-
veniently effected through the medium of a spindle k which is provided with a suitable
crank-handle g and which, when the said handle is turned, presses by means of an
arm or projection upon a pin h³ in the bolt or catch and pushes the said bolt or
catch in front of the collar b, thus releasing the crank C.
Should, however, the powder-charge explode, the detonating-cap will force back
the collar of the firing-pin, so that the bolt will move in front thereof and the
spring a will not, therefore, interfere with the movement of the crank C), and the
breech is free to be opened.
The above described device can be readily applied to a breech provided with a.
firing hammer or cock instead of with a firing-pin. In this case, the hammer is
bevelled at or near the striking end or point, and the said hammer then performs the
same functions as the firing-pin D in the manner above described.
It is not absolutely necessary to place the collar on the forward end of the
firing-pin, as it may, with more or less advantage, be placed in any other position
on the said firing-pin.
Figure 6 illustrates a much simpler arrangement or modification of the locking
device above described. In this case, the breech-block itself and not the crank is
arrested or locked by the device a. Should the cartridge hang fire or miss fire, the
rod or catch a (which is forced inward by a suitable spring a¹) enters a suitable recess
formed in the wall of the breech, being acted upon by the collar of the firing-pin D,
and prevents movement of the breech-block. Therefore, before the breech can be
opened, the rod or catch a must be pushed back, and this operation is effected by
means of a push-piece g which projects through the side of the breech. In order that
the rod or catch a may be enabled to force back the firing-pin D, the end of the said
catch and the side of the collar of the said firing-pin, at the parts where they engage
with each other, are bevelled or inclined.
Should the cartridge explode and the detonating cap force back the firing-pin, the
rod or catch a will be disengaged from the wall of the breech by its spring a.
Figure 7 shows a modification wherein a hinged or pivoted catch a is employed in
lieu of a sliding rod or catch, and is adapted to enter a notch in the wall of the
breech. In this case, if the detonating cap forces back the firing-pin, the said hinged
or pivoted catch a is disengaged by a shoulder or projection on the firing-pin D
and the said catch is caused to again engage with the notch in the breech in the
firing of the next shot. Should, however, the cartridge hang fire, the said catch a
will not be withdrawn from the notch in the breech, and movement of the
breech-block will be prevented until the catch is disengaged by drawing back the
firing-pin.
Figure 8 shows a modification wherein the same principle is applied to a gun
having a firing-hammer. This hammer is actuated by a suitable spring and is cocked

page_text: in any suitable manner. Should the cartridge hang fire, a suitable projection b
formed on the boss of the firing-hammer forces the rod or catch a into a recess
provided in the wall of the breech. If the firing-hammer is slightly thrown back by
the detonating cap, the projection bis moved away from the rod or catch a which is
then drawn out of the said recess by a spiral spring a¹. The projection b and the
front surface of the rod or catch a are formed with bevelled surfaces so that the latter
can be pressed backwards to unlock the breech-block by a projecting arm g, the
firing-hammer performing at the same time a small movement.
Figure 10 is a modification in which the locking rod or catch is replaced by a
plate-spring a which is moved by a projection on the boss of the firing-hammer D,
when the latter rises to the striking position. Its ond is shaped like a hook and is
adapted to engage in a recess in the crank-shaft C that operates the breech-block.
A lever hinged at k and having an arm g is operated by hand to disengage the
said hook by pressing the catch a upon the projection band causing, at the same time,
the hammer to turn backward.
The examples of the application of this invention might be indefinitely increased,
as the said invention can with slight modifications be applied to any movable part in
any description of breech-mechanism in breech-loading fire-arms.
It is not, however, necessary to describe any further modifications, as they are all
similar in the main feature, that is to say, that the firing-pin or hammer, actuated by
the recoil movement of the detonating cap, disengages or prevents the engagement of
a rod, catch or spring, or other locking device, such rod, catch, spring or other
locking device remaining operative if a cartridge hangs fire, and thereby preventing
the opening of the breech.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign Correspondent I wish it understood that I claim :-
Eirst. In a breech-loading fire-arm having a firing pin or hammer, the provision
of suitable means whereby, when a cartridge hangs fire, the breech-block will be
locked in its closed position, but, when a cartridge is discharged, the recoil of the
detonating-cap and the consequent backward movement of the firing pin or hammer
will prevent the locking, or effect the unlocking of the said block, for the purposes
above specified.
Second. A breech-loading fire-arm provided with the improved device for locking
the breech-block or the firing pin or hammer or other part of the breech-mechanism
and thus preventing the opening of the breech, and means whereby the said device
will be disengaged, or the engagement thereof prevented by the recoil of the
detonating-cap of a cartridge, substantially as described with reference to either of
the forms or modifications illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purposes
specified.
· יט
ليم
T
1039
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.