IM- PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Shedden, of Ardgartan House, in the
County of Argyle, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of ")
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 31st July 1860, and dated the 11th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Shedden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
February 1860.
I, THOMAS SHEDDEN, of Ardgartan House, in the County of Argyle, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention refers to the arrangement and construction of fire-arms of
the class in which the loading of the piece is effected at the breech of the
barrel. Under one modification of the improvements, where an ordinary
barrel is adapted and formed into a breech-loading piece, the barrell is cut off
from the breech part, and a ring-shaped junction piece of metal is adapted
thereto by means of a screw or other attachment. The breech part of the
barrel is secured to the junction piece by screws or other equivalent means.
When the parts are fitted together in this manner, a slot or opening is left
between the two, which opening, together with a groove or channel in the
breech part, serves for the introduction of the cartridge. The sides of the

page_text: opening are, by preference, made slightly angular, so that a slightly wedge-
shaped slide or shutter fills up the opening securely, and prevents the escape
of the explosive gases when the cartridge is exploded. The slide or shutter is
made to fit the slot or opening with accuracy; it is centred on a pin or screw
which passes through a part of the breech-piece, the upper left-hand corner of
the slide, and into the junction piece. The slide or shutter has a laterally
projecting part on the right side, which forms a thumb-piece for the con-
venience of raising and shutting it down. The slide is kept from being
accidentally raised by means of a bent spring, one extremity of which is
attached to the junction piece. This spring terminates in an upwardly pro-
jecting thumb-piece, to admit of its being pushed back, when the slide is to
be intentionally raised. This gun may be used with the ordinary cartridges
for breech-loading guns, or with cartridges made with paper sufficiently thin
to be penetrated by the flash of a percussion cap, in which case a nipple is
constructed on the breech. Or the cartridges may be made with primers of
percussion powder, so as to be fired by a blow of the hammer in a lateral
direction. This arrangement is particularly adapted for single-barrelled
guns, as it admits of the hammer being fitted at the side of the barrel, so as
not to interfere with the sight. A small recess or opening is made in the
junction piece to admit of the ready removal of the cartridge case after
exploding it. These guns may be variously modified in arrangement and
construction without departing from the distinctive features of the improve-
ments, and the Invention is applicable to double-barrelled as well as to single-
barrelled fire-arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Shedden, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SHEDDEN, of Ardgartan House, in the County of Argyle, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Shedden, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Shedden, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas

page_text: Shedden, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Shedden, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Shedden, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention refers to the arrangement and construction of fire-arms
of the class in which the loading of the piece is effected at the breech of the
barrel. Under one modification of the improvements, where an ordinary barrel
is adapted and formed into a breech-loading piece, the barrel is cut off from
the breech part, and a ring-shaped junction piece of metal is adapted thereto
by means of a screw or other attachment. The breech part of the barrel is
secured to the junction piece by screws or other equivalent means. When the
parts are fitted together in this manner, a slot or opening is left between the
two, which, opening together with a groove or channel in the breech part, serves
for the introduction of the cartridge. The sides of the opening are, by pre-
ference, made slightly angular, so that a slightly wedge-shaped slide or shutter
fills up the opening securely, and prevents the escape of the explosive gases
when the cartridge is exploded. The slide or shutter is made to fit the slot
or opening with accuracy; it is centred on a pin or screw, which passes through
a part of the breech-piece, the upper left-hand corner of the slide, and into the
junction piece. The slide or shutter has a laterally projecting part on the
right side, which forms a thumb-piece for the convenience of raising and
shutting it down. The slide is kept from being accidentally raised by means
of a bent spring, one extremity of which is attached to the junction piece.
This spring terminates in an upwardly projecting thumb-piece, to admit of
its being pushed back when the slide is to be intentionally raised. This gun
may be used with the ordinary cartridges for breech-loading guns, or with
cartridges made with paper sufficiently thin to be penetrated by the flash of a

page_text: percussion cap, in which case a nipple is constructed on the breech. Or the
cartridges may be made with primers of percussion powder, so as to be fired
by a blow of the hammer in a lateral direction. This arrangement is par-
ticularly adapted for single-barrelled guns, as it admits of the hammer being
fitted at the side of the barrel, so as not to interfere with the sight. A small
recess or opening is made in the junction piece to admit of the ready removal
of the cartridge case after exploding it. These guns may be variously modified
in arrangement and construction without departing from the distinctive
features of the improvements, and the Invention is applicable to double-bar-
relled as well as to single-barrelled fire-arms.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in fire-arms may be
properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative
Figures on the explanatory Sheets of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended, for the purpose of showing certain modifications under which my
improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice; that is to say:-
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is an elevation of a
portion of a breech-loading piece, sufficient to show the nature of my improve-
ments, and the application of the same to ordinary fire-arms; Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 1, but with the key or wedge
piece which closes the end of the barrel removed; Figure 3 is an elevation or
end view of the breech; Figure 4 is a section of the same, taken immediately
behind the wedge piece; Figure 5 is a front view of the breech part; and
Figure 6 is a plan of the arrangement corresponding to the foregoing Figures;
Figure 7 is a front view of the key or wedge piece; Figure 8 is a plan, and
Figure 9 an end view of the same.
According to this mode of arranging fire-arms, in which the barrels of
ordinary-fire-arms are altered to the breech-loading form, the barrel A is cut
off from the breech part, and a screw thread is cut on the extremity of the
barrel, as shown in the sectional view, Figure 2. To this screw part is fitted
the breech piece B, C. The breech at C is hollowed out in the upper part so
as to form a groove or channel to receive the cartridge; the configuration
of this channelled part is shown in the end view, Figure 3; a screw hole is
made through the lower part to admit of its being secured to the stock. When
the breech and barrel are put together the channelled portion of the breech
lies in a right line with or forms a continuation of the bore of the barrel, the
position of the two being clearly indicated in the sectional view, Figure 2.
The breech is cut so as to have a vertical slot or opening between its main
portion and the ends of the barrel and groove C; the opposite faces of this
opening are slightly bevelled, so as to admit of a corresponding shaped stop or

page_text: wedge piece D, which I call the key. This part of the arrangement is shown
detached in Figures 7 to 9; it consists of a plate of metal, the faces of which
correspond to the bevel given to the slot or opening in which it fits. The key
is centred upon the screw or pin E, which passes through the upper laterally
projecting part of the key, and proper holes made in the breech piece, which
is likewise cut so as to receive the projecting part of the key. At the opposite
corner of the key D the metal is formed into a projecting thumb-piece F, which
projects out at the side of the piece, and serves for raising and adjusting the
key in position. The lower portion of the key is shaped to fit the slot
and admit of its turning upon its axis; when down in its position the slot or
opening between the breech and the barrel is completely closed by the front
surface of the key being pressed against the end of the barrel by the inclined
plane of the posterior surface, as shown in Figure 1, which prevents any.
escape of the gases in that direction. To prevent the accidental rising of the
key, or its shifting from other causes, a bent spring G is screwed to the lower
part of the breech C. The upper part of the spring G is bent at right angles
so as to extend over the laterally projecting part of the breech, and catch the
edge of the key D. From this point the spring is prolonged upwards, and
forms a thumbpiece, by means of which it is pushed back to release the key
when required. In front of the key D is a small projecting piece H, the face
of which is concave, as is shown more particularly in Figures 7 and 8.
.
In using this gun with cartridges which are exploded by the sudden depres-
sion of a pin or wire, which action ignites the percussion powder, there is a
small projecting piece H in front of the key D, the face of which is concave,
as shown more particularly in Figures 7 and 8, and which projecting part
comes up against the upwardly projecting wire, and serves as a sort of guide
to ensure its proper descent upon being struck with the hammer or doghead
of the lock. The loading of the piece is effected with the utmost ease and
rapidity; the spring G is pushed back, the key D is raised, and the cartridge.
is simply laid in the groove of the breech, and pushed forwards into the barrel
and just clear of the key D, which is simply closed down, and the loading is
completed. The fitting of the gun may be readily adapted for cartridges which
are exploded by the flash of a percussion cap, which is sufficient to penetrate
the thin paper of the part which is brought under the cap.
The improvements are equally applicable to cartridges which are fired by
means of primers or small tubes charged with percussion powder, and which is
ignited by a blow from the lock hammer or doghead. At the back of the ring-
shaped part of the breech B, and on the upper part of the same is a curved
aperture I, in which, when the key is raised, the end of the finger or an instru-

page_text: ment for the purpose may be inserted in order to withdraw the casing of the
exploded cartridge.
In Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings my improvements are shown as
applied to a gun barrel specially made therefor, the example herein-before
given being the mode of altering an ordinary gun barrel to a breech-loader.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the barrel, and showing the arrange-
ment of the breech; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 a plan of
the same; Figure 4 is an end view of the breech; Figure 5 is a vertical
scetion, and Figure 6 is a front view of the same. In this modification the
breech C is formed in one piece with the barrel A; the breech part is made
with the slot or opening between the channel of the breech and the end of the
barrel to receive the key or wedge-shaped slide D. At the slot or part where
the key shuts down the metal of the barrel and breech is thickened laterally,
so as to form lugs or projections to admit of the attachment of the key thereto,
and to provide for its being enclosed with a sufficient thickness of metal
laterally. The key is made with slightly bevellod or wedge-shaped faces, and
the contiguous parts of the barrel and breech are correspondingly formed.
The key D is secured to the piece by means of the screw E, which passes
through the screw hole at the upper corner, as shown more particularly in
Figure 5; this screw serves as the axis, about which the key turns. When
the piece is loaded the key D is held down by the spring G, which is fastened
at the lower extremity to the front of the projection on the barrel. On the side
of the barrel and immediately adjacent to the spring G is a swell or projection
which is tapped to receive the nipple, the tubular passage extending down to
the barrel in the ordinary way. This part of the arrangement may of course
be modified to suit any other kind of cartridge. This system or mode of
arranging breech-loading fire-arms may also, with trifling modifications,
be applied to weapons of larger calibre, namely, ship or battery guns and
artillery.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of breech-loading fire-
arms, as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and constructing the breech part
of fire-arms with a groove or channel communicating with the barrel, which
communication is closed when required by means of a moveable wedge-shaped

page_text: key or shutter, which prevents the escape of the exploded gases in the direction
of the breech when the gun is fired, as herein-before described and shown in
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Shedden, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty.
THOMAS SHEDDEN. (L.S.)