Improvements in the Breech-mechanism of Ordnance.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech-mechanism of Ordnance.
I CARL JOHAN MALCOLM AFZELIUS, of 39 Chantry Road, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to breech-mechanism of guns and it comprises improvements
of the arrangement of the extractor in that class of breech-mechanism in which
a screw-block is employed for locking the breech.
According to my invention I employ an extractor or extractors which are pivotted
to the gun and placed in a hole or holes extending from the inside of the breech to
the exterior of the gun or breech. This extractor or extractors I place in con-
nection with the spindle, by which the opening of the breech is performed, or with
the carrier-ring, lever, breech-block or any other part of the mechanism in such a
manner, that the movement of any of these said parts, when opening the breech,
will impart to the said extractor or extractors motions for effecting the loosening
and complete extraction of the cartridge-case out of the chamber and the breech
of the gun.
Dated this the Seventh day of August 1890.
CARL JOHAN MALCOLM AFZELIUS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech-mechanism of Ordnance.
I, CARL JOHAN MALCOLM AFZELIUS, of 39, Chantry Road, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, 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 breech-mechanism of that class in which a screw-block
is employed, and it comprises improvements in the means for effecting the extraction
of the empty cartridge cases.
According to my invention I employ a lever extractor pivotted in a hole or
recess in the gun and adapted at one end to engage with the flange of the cartridge,
the other end being in connection (and by preference through the medium of a
sliding-bar) with the spindle by which the opening of the breech is performed, or
with the carrier-ring, the operating lever, the breech-block or any other part of the
mechanism, in such a manner that the movement of any of the said parts when
opening the breech will impart to the said extractor motions for effecting the loosening
and the ejection of the cartridge case out of the chamber and the breech of the gun.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings
Figures and 2 shew in end view and section respectively the breech end of a
gun having my improvements applied thereto; and,
Figure 3 is a view of an extractor detached and illustrating a slight modification:
Figures 4 and 5 are an end view and section of the breech end of a gun of
different construction from that shewn in Figures 1 and 2 and illustrating a modifi-
cation of my invention:
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are respectively an end view, an end view partly in section
the parts being removed, a plan and a horizontal section, shewing the application

page_text: of my invention to breech-mechanism of the kind described in the Specification of
my former Patent No. 9994 of 1890:
Figures 10 to 15 are views of details of the extracting mechanism shewn in
Figures 6 to 9:
Figures 16 and 17 are respectively an end view and a horizontal section shewing
my invention applied to a breech-block mounted in a sliding-carrier and provided
with mechanism for opening the same, also as described in the said former
Specification:
Figures 18 and 19 are an elevation and plan respectively of a detail of the
mechanism shewn in Figures 16 and 17; and,
Figure 20 is a view of a locking arrangement.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a indicates the breech of the gun, the screw-breech-block, c the carrier for the
same, d the extractor the hole or recess in the breech in which the extractor is
located, and the pin or pivot upon which it is mounted. As shown in Figures 1
and 2 the carrier (which is of ordinary construction) is in the form of a ring
pivotted to the breech at e, and upon the hinge portion of the carrier-ring is a
cam-surface or projection f designed, when the breech is being opened, to operate
the extractor. is the bar sliding in the breech and through the medium of which
motion is communicated to the extractor from the cam-surface. The said cam-
surface is preferably so shaped, for instance, as shewn, that during the first part
of the time that the breech-block is being turned away from the breech a very slow
movement will be imparted to the extractor by the portion of the cam-surface,
thereby effecting the loosening of the cartridge case, whilst during the last part of
the opening of the breech a much quicker movement will be imparted to the
extractor by the portion 3 of the surface f, thereby effecting the ejection of
the shell.
In Figure I have shewn two extractors d both mounted upon the pin d², adapted
to engage with the flange of the cartridge at diametrically opposite points, each
extractor having in connection with it a cam-surface and a sliding-bar . It is
to be understood however, that one of these extractors may be dispensed with.
Instead of using two extractors I sometimes use a double extractor, as shewn in
Figure 3, in which case only one sliding-bar and cam-surface is necessary.
In the modification of my invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 the arrangement
is substantially the same as herein before described, except that the cam-surface f
upon the hinge of the carrier-ring acts directly upon the extractor instead of
through the medium of a sliding bar.
The two arrangements previously shewn illustrate the application of my invention
to a screw-breech-block operated in the ordinary manner. I will now describe the
application of my invention to breech-mechanism adapted to be operated in the
manner described in the Complete Specification of my Patent No. 9994 of 1890,
and I will here say that in sucli Specification I have described the combination with
my breech-mechanism, of means constructed according to my present invention for
effecting the extraction of the cartridge cases. I have, however, in the said
Specification, made no specific claim to such extracting mechanism for the reason
that prior to the date of such Complete Specification it formed the subject matter
of the present application.
In the arrangement Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 the extractor, which is shewn detached
in Figures 10 and 11, and pivotted upon a pin (shewn detached in Figures 12 and 13)
is arranged substantially in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 that is to say, it
is arranged to be operated through the medium of a bar g (shewn detached in
Figures 14 and 15). Instead, however, of forming the cam-surface upon the hinged
portion of the carrier-ring, the said cam-surface is formed upon the lever h, through
the medium of which the breech-block and the carrier-ring are operated as described
in the said former Specification, so that, during the opening of the breech, the
projection f first acts upon the inclined end of the bar g and then, when the

page_text: breech-block is almost fully thrown back, the back of the lever / comes into contact
with the end of the bar, as shewn most clearly in Figure 9, to effect the ejection of
the cartridge case.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 16 and 17 which illustrate my invention
applied to a breech-block having a sliding-carrier, the arrangement of the extractor
and the sliding-bar is also similar to that described with reference to Figures 1
and 2 in this case, however, the cam-surface which is formed upon the front side
of the sliding-plate, as indicated by the dotted lines, does not act directly upon the
end of the bar but through the medium of a pivotted plate which is shewn
detached in clevation and plan in Figures 18 and 19 respectively.
It will be noticed by reference to Figure 17 that the cam-surface is very slightly
inclined for a considerable portion of its length, thereby only effecting the loosening
of the cartridge, but at the extreme end of such cam-surface is a projection,
which, when the slide is fully drawn aside, impinges against a projection upon the
pivotted plate i (as shewn most clearly in Figure 17) and so causes the ejection of
the cartridge case.
In Figures 16 and 17 I have shewn anti-friction rollers k, k arranged below the
sliding-carrier in order to facilitate the movement of the same.
I have also shewn in Figures 6, 8 and 9, in Figures 16 and 17 and detached in
Figure 20 a locking device for the lever h, through the medium of which the
carrier is operated; this locking device comprises the double ended catch 7 pivotted
at in the lever hand adapted at one end to engage, when the breech is closed,
with a notch in the breech or carrier and at the other end to be acted upon by a
sleeve m carried upon the pin n forming a crank-handle by means of which the
lever is operated and having a slight longitudinal movement upon the said pin.
In conjunction with the catch is a spring which serves to normally retain the
catch in engagement with its notch and, at the same time, to hold the sleeve m upon
the pin n in its highest position, as shewn in Figures 6 and 16.
With this arrange-
ment in order to unlock the lever it is only necessary to press the sleeve m
downwards, thereby acting upon the catch to move the same out of engagement
with its notch; the breech can then be opened, the sleeve m admitting the opening
to be effected without the slipping of the handle in the hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In breech-mechanism having a screw-breech-block and a carrier for the same,
the combination of an extractor-lever pivotted in the gun and adapted to be acted
upon directly or indirectly by the breech-block-carrier, the operating lever or any
other part of the breech-mechanism, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
2. In a screw-breech-mechanism the combination of a pivotted extractor of the
kind described and of a sliding-bar or rod for actuating the said extractor, substan-
tially as described.
3. In breech-mechanism having a screw-block and a carrier for the same, the
combination of a pivotted extractor, cither single or double ended, a bar sliding
in the breech of the gun and at one end in contact with the extractor, and a cam-
surface upon the breech-block carrier or some other part of the breech-mechanism,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
4. In breech-mechanism having a screw-block and a carrier for the same, the
combination of extracting mechanism constructed substantially as described and
represented with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3, 4 and 5, Figures 6 to 15,
and Figures 16 and 17 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In screw-breech-mechanism having extracting mechanism of the kind herein-
before described, the combination of a locking device for the lever operating the
breech-block comprising a catch pivotted in the lever and a sleeve on the lever

page_text: capable of longitudinal movement for releasing the said catch, substantially
described.
Dated the 8th day of June 1891.
as
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.