IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Westley Richards, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS.”
"
Sealed the 1st December 1871, and dated the 14th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Westley Richards at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th June 1871.
I, WESTLEY RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows :-
-
The first part of my improvements relating to breech-loading fire-
arms consists of improvements on an Invention described in the Speci-
fication of Letters Patent granted to me bearing date the 11th day of
September 1862, No. 2506, and my present, improvements have for
their object to simplify the construction of breech-loading fire-arms-of-

page_text: the kind described in the said Specification so as to facilitate their
manufacture by machinery.
In connecting the barrels with the body of the gun I employ a joint
consisting of three knuckles or eyes connected together by a pin or
screw pin, the middle knuckle or eye being on the under side of the
barrel and the outer knuckle being formed on the ends of the body
In order to fix the ends of the barrels firmly against the face of the
break-off, and during discharge to resist the force of the explosion I
make on the under side of the barrels and between the joint and the
ends of the barrels a projecting block, which when the barrels are shut
down engages in a slot in the body of the gun., The inner or acting
face of the said projecting block and the end or face of the slot in the
body against which it works are curved, the curvature of the said faces
being struck from the centre of the joint on which the barrels turn.
The fore end is attached to the pin on which the body works. The pro-
jecting end of the rib between the barrels and the hook termination
of the said rib, which on the shutting down of the barrels engages in a
recess in the break-off, are made with parallel sides; whereby the said
projecting end and hook termination are readily shaped by machinery.
The mechanism by which the barrels are bolted down consists of a
bolt working in a hole in the tang of the break-off, and engaging with
a shoulder on the end of the rib, the said bolt being urged forward by
a coiled spring. The bolt is withdrawn by a lever jointed on one side
to the top of the tang of the break-off, a pin on the under side of the
said lever working through a slot in the tang and engaging in a hole
in the said bolt. By pressing the lever aside the bolt is withdrawn. and
the barrels are liberated.
The second part of my improvements relating to breech-loading
fire-arms consists of improvements on Inventions described in the
Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me, and dated respectively
August 13, 1869, No. 2427, and October 25, 1870, No. 2809.
The improvements relate to guns of the kind commonly called drop-
block guns. I make the nose or striker which strikes through the face
of the block direct on the percussion cap of the cartridge moveable
or separable from the hammer, instead of making it of one piece there-
with, so that the said nose or striker can be removed for repair or
replaced by another. I make the drop-block solid at its rear end and
provide it with a small stud to hold it in its place, the said stud termi-

page_text: nating in a wire passing into a small hole in the rear end of the block.
The said wire prevents the falling of the stud on withdrawing it from
its place. Or I make the drop block solid at its rear end with arms or
trunnions on either side, which constitute the axis on which the block
turns and which drop into notches made to receive them.
In order to facilitate the examination and cleaning of the barrel in
drop-block guns I make a hole through the rear end of the breech or
body, the said hole being in a line with the barrel. Or I make a small
opening in the rear end of the breech or body, in order that a rod may
be easily used to clean the gun from the breech end by taking out the
breech block. In order to prevent the escape of gas through the face
of the block from a defective or broken cartridge, I place a shield on
the under side of the breech block at its rear end, by which shield the
opening made in the rear end of the breech or body is completely
covered.
In order to facilitate the manufacture of the locks of drop-block
guns I make the guard which contains the lock of two parts. To one
of the said parts which is hollow I attach all the lock work. The
other part is flat, and on being secured to the former holds the whole
firmly together, the work of the lock being enclosed in a box. I
place the centre on which the hammer turns directly under the axis
of the lever, that is, nearly in the vertical plane in which the face
of the block and the base of the cartridge (in the loaded gun) are
situated.)
In order to avoid the expense of a swivel action I make a curved
incline or hook on that part of the hammer on which the mainspring
acts, the said spring acting direct upon the hammer. In the end of
the mainspring I insert a bearing of gun metal. The mainspring has
a slight sliding motion. In either case, that is, whether I use a swivel
or the curved incline or hook, I make the hammer of sufficient thick-
ness to allow the mainspring and swivel to work inside the body of
the cock and to go up close to the centre when the gun is at full-
cock.
In order to save room I hang the trigger and sear and sometimes
also the sear spring on the same pin. In order to increase the
rapidity of fire I place the cocking lever at the side of the gun, or
I use an ordinary side cock placed outside the body of the breech
action.

page_text: Instead of attaching the spring which acts. on the rubber to the barrel
I attach it to the body of the gun. I apply to the extractor a heel
which is acted upon by the short arm of the lever and throws out the
empty cartridge case without the assistance of a spring. The spring
may however be used in conjunction with the heel described.
In order to give additional security I make a hole in the side of
the iron body, the position of the said hole being such that the head of
the hammer when cocked comes opposite to it. The person using the
gun is thus enabled to see when it is cocked and when not cocked, and
the said hole acts as an additional security to the bolt, the hole being on
the left hand side and the bolt on the right.
My improvements in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms relate
principally to solid drawn cartridge cases having a solid rim or flange.
I form by the casting process a short tube cup or hollow cylinder closed
at one end, the said closed end having nearly the figure of the head of
the cartridge case, but without the rim or flange. By the drawing
through process I elongate the said short tube, and thereby form it into
a case of the required length. I afterwards form the solid rim or flange
on the head of the case by dies and pressure, a raised annular portion of
the head being compressed outwards, that is, from the centre of the head;
to form the said solid rim. By this method of manufacture that portion
of the metal which in the finished case forms the head remains in the
state in which it left the casting process, and not having been subjected
to the strain and compressive action of the drawing through dies is
consequently much stronger than the heads of cartridge cases made in
the ordinary way.
I form the priming from a disk of metal having a central projecting
portion. The said disk is made into a priming cap by its edge being
raised into a cylindrical figure, the central projection being on the inner
side. The fulminating material is introduced between the said pro-
jecting portion of the priming cap and the shallow closing cap. The
bottom of the chamber in the head of the cartridge case is of a raised
conical figure and is provided at its middle with a hole down which the
flash or fire from the priming cap passes to the gunpowder of the
cartridge. The raised conical bottom of the priming chamber constitutes
the anvil on which the priming cap is struck. The priming cap is fixed
in the said chamber in the usual way. On the discharge of the gun
the fulminate is struck between the central projection on the inside of

page_text: the priming cap and the conical anvil at the bottom of the priming cap
chamber.
Primings of the kind described may be applied to cartridge cases of
various kinds.
Instead of making the base and body of the cartridge case from one
piece of metal in the manner described the base may be made of one
piece of metal and the body of a separate piece of thin tube, the end of
which is inserted in the tubular part of the base and fixed therein by
soldering or by paper pulp or otherwise. This method of manufacture
is applicable to the manufacture of cartridge cases in which the rim is
either solid, or hollow, or folded. The interior of the body of the
cartridge may be lined with paper or tinfoil or other material which
will protect the metal from the corrosive action of the gunpowder, or
the tube may be lined with an anti-corrosive composition, or the tube
itself may be made of metal or material not acted upon by gunpowder,
such as ebonite or papier mâché.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Westley Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WESTLEY
RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Westley Richards, Her special licence
that I, the said Westley Richards, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Westley Richards, my executors,.
administrators, and 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
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,”

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said Westley Richards,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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 Westley Richards, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:―
The first part of my improvements relating to breech-loading fire-arms
consists of improvements on an Invention described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me bearing date the 11th day of September
1862, No. 2506; and my present improvements have for their object
to simplify the construction of breech-loading fire-arms of the kind
described in the said Specification so as to facilitate their manufacture
by machinery.
In connecting the barrels with the body of the gun I employ a joint
consisting of three knuckles or eyes connected together by a pin or
screw pin, the middle knuckle or eye being on the under side of the
barrels, and the outer knuckles being formed on the end of the body.
In order to fix the ends of the barrels firmly against the face of the
break off and during discharge to resist the force of the explosion, I
make on the under side of the barrels and between the joint and the
ends of the barrels a projecting block, which when the barrels are shut
down engages in a slot in the body of the gun. The inner or acting
face of the said projecting block and the end or face of the slot in the
body against which it works are curved, the curvature of the said faces
being struck from the centre of the joint on which the barrels turn.
The fore end is attached to the pin on which the body works. The
projecting end of the rib between the barrels and the hook termination
of the said rib, which on the shutting down of the barrels engages in
a recess in the break-off, are made with parallel sides, whereby the said
projecting end and hook termination are readily shaped by machinery.
The mechanism by which the barrels are bolted down consists of a
bolt working in a hole in the tang of the break-off, and engaging with
a shoulder on the end of the rib, the said bolt being urged forward

page_text: by a coiled spring. The bolt is withdrawn by a lever jointed on one
side of the top of the tang of the break-off, a pin on the under side of the
said lever working through a slot in the tang and engaging in a hole
in the said bolt. By pressing the lever aside the bolt is withdrawn and
the barrels are liberated.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8 of the Drawings. Figure 1 represents partly in longitudinal
vertical section and partly in elevation the breech end of a drop-down
gun (without the stock) the parts of which are constructed and arranged
according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;
and Figure 3 is the same view as Figure 1, with the barrels raised from
the false breech or break-off for loading; Figure 4 is a plan of the under
side of the barrels and end elevation of the barrels; Figure 5 is a plan
and cross section of the body; and Figures 6, 7, and 8 are separate
parts of my Invention as herein-after described. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 8.
a, a, are the barrels; 6, the body; and c, the false breech or break-off.
The barrels a, a, are connected to the body 6 by a joint consisting of
three knuckles or eyes marked respectively d, e, f, the middle knuckle or
eye f being on the under side of the barrels, and the outer knuckles d, e,
The three knuckles are con-
being formed on the end of the body b.
nected together by the cross pin or screw pin 9 (see Figure 5); h is the
fore end (shewn separately in Figure 8) connected to the joint on the
body. The outer sides of the knuckles d, e, are cut away at d³, e³, to
receive the branches ², h², of the fore end h, the eye of each branch of
the fore end working in a curved recess in the outer knuckles d, e, (see
Figure 3). The said fore end is secured in its place by the joint pin 9,
the said pin passing through the eye parts of the said fore end in the
manner illustrated in the Drawing. Each branch ³ of the fore end has
shoulders h, h, at nearly opposite points, and corresponding shoulders
at 6, 68, are made on the end of the body b. The shoulders described
act as stops. When the barrels are shut down for firing the upper
shoulders or stops h³ bear against the shoulders or stops 6' on the body,
and when the barrels are raised from the break-off for loading the lower
shoulders or stops h* bear against the shoulders or stops 6ª on the body,
as will be understood by an examination of Figures 3 and 8. The ends
of the barrels are fixed firmly against the face of the break-off during
discharge, and the force of the explosion resisted by means of the curved-

page_text: block i projecting from the under side of the breech ends of the barrels,
the said block taking into a corresponding shaped slot k in the body b.
The faces of the block i and slot k are curved, the curvature of the said
faces being struck from the centre pin g of the joint. 7 is the projecting
end of the rib between the barrels, and m is the hook termination of the
same. In the said projecting end is a curved recess into which the
end of the spring bolt, herein-after described, takes to fasten down the
barrels.
The hook termination m when the barrels are shut down
engages behind the inclined seat 6 of the break-off in the manner best
seen in Figure 1. The sides of the projecting end and hook termi-
nation m are parallel, as best seen in the plan of the under side of the
barrels, Figure 4, the recess c³ in the break-off into which the said parts
take having a corresponding figure. The sides of the hook termi-
nation m are made slightly concave to permit of the introduction of the
cartridges into the barrels; n is the fastening bolt (shown separately in
Figure 7) working in a hole or box p made in the tang g of the break-
off, the said bolt being urged forward by the coiled spring at its back.
The nose or acting end of the bolt n is rounded, and the said bolt is
'withdrawn to unfasten the barrels by means of the lever a working on
the tang of the break-off. This lever is shewn separately in Figure 6..
The fulcrum or pint upon which the levers turns is situated at one side'
thereof, the said pin t working in the slot or opening in the side of
the tang. The said levers is connected to the bolt n.by the screw
pin (see Figures 1 and 3). The bolt n and spring r are introduced into
the hollow tang 9 through the opening c³ in the break-off, into which the
termination of the rib drops on shutting down the barrels. When the
barrels are shut down after loading the curved face of the hook termi-
nation m acting against the curved nose of the bolt n pushes the said
bolt n inwards and compresses its coiled spring. On the complete
shutting down of the barrels the recess in the projecting end of the
· rib is brought opposite the nose of the bolt n, when the said bolt is
urged forward by its spring and its end made to snap into the said
projecting end of the rib and fasten down the barrels. As the hook
termination m engages with its inclined bearing face 6' on the body the
breech ends of the barrels are drawn or forced closely against the face
of the break-off. To unfasten the barrels the lever & is turned aside, the
said lever moving on the pin or centre t which has a little play in its
-slot 2.
The eccentric motion of the lever a causes the bolt n to be
pushed back and its end liberated from the recess in the projecting

page_text: end of the rib. The barrels are thereby unfastened, and turn upon
their joint 9 and lift their open breech ends from the face of the break-
off for charging. The extractor x is worked by the fixed pin y near the
joint acting upon the tail of the said extractor in the usual way.
The spring snap bolt described, the block on the under side of the barrels
for resisting the force of the explosion, and the parallel sided projecting
end and hook termination of the rib, may be applied to drop-down guns
the barrels of which are jointed to the body in the ordinary way in
addition to those kinds of guns with which the said parts are combined
in the Drawing.
The second part of my improvements relating to breech-loading
fire-arms consists of improvements on Inventions described in the
Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me, and dated respectively
August 13th, 1869, No. 2427, and October 25th, 1870, No. 2809..
These improvements relate to guns of the kind commonly called drop-
block guns. I make the nose or striker which strikes through the face
of the block direct on the percussion cap of the cartridge moveable or
separable from the hammer instead of making it in one piece therewith,
so that the said nose or striker can be removed for repair or replaced by
another.
In order to facilitate the manufacture of the locks of drop-block guns
I make the guard which contains the lock of two parts. To one of the
said parts, which is hollow, I attach all the lock work. The other part
is flat, and on being secured to the former holds the whole firmly
together, the works of the lock being enclosed in a box. Or the box
formed guard may be made in one piece instead of two pieces. I place
the centre on which the hammer turns directly under or a little in
advance of the axis of the lever, that is, nearly in the vertical plane in
which the face of the block and the base of the cartridge (in the loaded
gun) are situated. Instead of attaching the spring which acts on the
rubber to the barrel I attach it to the body of the gun. In order to
give additional security I make a hole in the side of the body, the
position of the said hole being such that the head of the hammer when
cocked comes opposite to it. The person using the gun is thus enabled
to see when it is cocked and when not cocked, and the said hole acts as.
an additional security to the bolt, the hole being on the left-hand side
and-the bolt on the right.

page_text: The improvements described are illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12,
and 13, Figure 9 shewing a longitudinal section of the breech end of a
drop-block gun, the parts being in the positions they respectively
occupy after the gun has been discharged, and Figure 10 the same
when the hammer has been raised to full cock preparatory to the dis-
charge of the gun; Figure 11 is a front elevation of a portion of the
gun; Figure 12 represents the breech block of the gun detached; and
Figuro 13 represents the box formed guard to contain the lock
mechanism detached from the gun. The same letters indicate the same
parts in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
a is the barrel; b, the body or frame to which the drop-block c is
jointed at c'; d, d³, is the hand lever turning on the centre d³ for sup-
porting and operating the drop-block c and for cocking the hammer e,
the said hammer being situated immediately behind the upper part ď³
of the hand lever d, d³. The centre e³, on which the hammer e turns,
is situated directly under or a little in advance of the axis or centre d³
of the hand lever d, d³, that is, nearly in the vertical plane in which the
face c³ of the block c and the base of the cartridge in the loaded gun are
.situated. The axis or centre e² of the hammer is forged solid or in one
piece with the hammer. The nose e³ of the hammer e on the discharge :
of the gun strikes through a hole in the face c³ of the block c direct
upon the percussion cap of the cartridge. The said nose e³ is made
moveable or separable from the hammer e, so that the said nose can be
removed for repair or replaced by another. The said moveable nose e*
is screwed into the hammer, its rotation being prevented by a locking
pin. A rubber or tubular bolt f pressed upon by a coiled spring holds
the hand lever d, d³, either in the position which it occupies when
the breech is open or that which it occupies when the breech is
closed. The said rubber or bolt f is situated in a lump 6 at the
front end of the breech frame or body b. When the breech is closed a
the rubber bears upon the shoulder d' of the hand lever. When,
however, the breech is opened the said rubber bears upon the front
of the lever d and drops into the concavity d³. An elevation of the
front end of the body or frame b and upper part of the hand lever
is represented in Figure 11. c³ is the curved opening in the block ca
into which the upper arm d³ of the hand lever takes to depress and
raise the said block; h is the mainspring connected to the hammer e
by a swivel; i is the sear for engaging with the bent in the hammer e;

page_text: is the sear spring; is the trigger, turning by preference on
the same centre as the sear i. The lock mechanism, that is, the
hammer e, e³, mainspring h, scar and scar spring i, 3, and trigger ?,
are carried by the trigger guard 7, so that the removal of the said
trigger guard detaches the whole mechanism of the lock from the body
of the gun. The said trigger guard is hollow or of a box form, and
is made in one piece. The said hollow or box guard has parallel sides
above the guard proper, and between and on the bottom of the box
thus formed the whole of the lock mechanism is situated, as will
be understood by an examination of the Drawing. The said hollow
or box guard may be made in two pieces, that is, one of the sides of
the box may be made detachable. In the side of the body b of the
gun I make a hole m, opposite to which the head of the cocked hammer
comes, and thereby shews when the hammer is cocked or not cocked.
I make the drop-block c solid at its rear and provide it with a small
stud to hold it in its place, the said stud terminating in a wire passing
into a small hole in the rear end of the block. The said wire prevents
the falling of the stud on withdrawing it from its place. Or I make
the drop block solid at its rear end with arms or trunnions on either side
which constitute the axis on which the block turns, and which drop.
into notches made to receive them.
In order to facilitate the examination and cleaning of the barrel
in drop-block guns, I make a hole through the rear end of the breech
or body, the said hole being in a line with the barrel, or I make a
small opening in the rear end of the breech or body, in order that a
rod may be easily used to clean the gun from the breech end by taking
out the breech block.
In order to prevent the escape of gas through the face of the block
from a defective or broken cartridge I place a shield on the under side
of the breech block at its rear end, by which shield the opening made
in the rear end of the breech or body is completely covered.
In order to avoid the expense of a swivel action I make a curved
incline or hook on that part of the hammer on which the mainspring
acts, the said spring acting direct upon the hammer. In the end of
the mainspring I insert a bearing of gun metal. The mainspring
has a slight sliding motion. In either case, that is, whether I use a
swivel or curved incline or hook, I make the hammer of sufficient
thickness to allow the mainspring and swivel to work inside the body.

page_text: .
of the cock and go up close to the centre when the gun is at full
cock.
In order to increase the rapidity of fire I place the cocking lever at
the side of the gun, or I use an ordinary side cock placed outside the
body of the breech action. I apply to the extractor a heel which is acted
upon by the short arm of the lever and throws out the empty cartridge
case without the assistance of a spring. The spring may however be
used in conjunction with the heel described.
.
My improvements in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms relate
principally to solid drawn cartridge cases having a solid rim or flange.
I form by the casting process a short tube cup or hollow cylinder closed
at one end, the said closed end having nearly the figure of the head of the
cartridge oase but without the rim or flange. By the drawing through
process I elongate the said short tube or cup, and thereby form it into
a case of the required length. I afterwards form the solid rim or flange
on the head of the case by dies and pressure, a raisod annular portion
of the head being compressed outwards, that is, from the centre of the
head, to form the said solid rim.
Figure 14 represents in section the short tube cup or hollow cylinder
formed by casting in moulds in the usual manner. The said short tube
has the thickness represented, and its closed end is provided with the
depression to form the priming chamber. After the tube or cup,
Figure 14, has been cast its internal and external surfaces are cleared
or made smooth by turning in a lathe or otherwise. Fig. 15 represents in
section the said short tube or cup, Figure 14, after it has been elongated
by the drawing through process and formed into a nearly complete
cartridge case; and Figure 16 represents the partly made cartridge case,
Figure 15, after the solid rim or flange a has been made by compressing
outwards the head of the case. The tools which I employ for elongating
the cast tube or cup, Figure 14, into a cartridge case, and the heading
tools employed for forming the solid rim a from the head of the case,
are similar to those used in the manufacture of solid drawn cartridge
cases.
By this method of manufacture that portion of the metal which in
the finished case forms the head remains in the state in which it left
the casting process, and not having been subjected to the strain and
compressive action of the drawing through dies is consequently stronger
than the heads of cartridge cases made in the ordinary way.

page_text: Instead of making the head and body of the cartridge case from one
piece of metal in the manner described, the head may be made of one
piece of metal, and the body of a separate piece of thin tube, the end
of which is inserted in the tubular part of the head and fixed therein
by soldering or by paper pulp or otherwise.
This method of manufacture is applicable to the manufacture of
cartridge cases in which the rim is either solid or hollow or folded. The
interior of the body of the cartridge may be lined with paper or tinfoil,
or other material which will protect the metal from the corrosive action
of the gunpowder, or the tube may be lined with an anti-corrosive
composition. Or the tube itself may be made of metal or material not
acted upon by gunpowder, such as ebonite or papier mâché.
I construct the primings of cartridges in the following manner :-I
form the priming cap from a disk of metal having a central projecting
portion, the said disk is made into a priming cap by its edge being
raised into a cylindrical figure, the central projection being on the inner
side. The fulminating material is introduced between the said projecting
portion of the priming cap and the shallow closing cap. The bottom
of the chamber in the head of the cartridge case is of a raised conical
figure and is provided at its middle with a hole down which the flash
or fire from the priming cap passes to the gunpowder of the cartridge.
The raised conical bottom of the priming chamber constitutes the anvil
on which the priming cap is struck. The priming cap is fixed in the
chamber in the usual way. On the discharge of the gun the fulminate
is struck between the projection on the inside of the priming cap and the
conical anvil at the bottom of the priming cap chamber. Primings of
the kind described may be applied to cartridge cases of various kinds.
This part of my Invention is represented in Figures 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
and 22 of the Drawings; Figure 17 representing in vertical section and
plan a cartridge case provided with a priming made according to my
Invention, and Figure 18 representing in vertical section and plan a
cartridge case containing a modification of the said priming; Figures 19,
20, 21, and 22 represent the priming and parts thereof detached. I form
the priming cap 6, Figure 17, from the disk of metal represented in
Figure 19, the said disk having a central projecting portion c. When
the disk, Figure 19, is raised into a cylindrical figure to form the priming
cap, as represented in Figuro 20, the said central projection is situated
inside the head of the said cap. The fulminating material is placed in

page_text: the shallow closing cap d, Figure 21, and when the said closing cap
has been secured to the open end of the priming cap b, by turning the
edge of the latter upon the said priming cap, as represented in Figure 22,
the fulminate is situated between the projecting central portion c of
the priming cap and the closing cap d. The conical bottom e of the
priming chamber of the cartridge case constitutes the anvil on which the
priming cap is struck, the said anvil being provided with a hole f in
its centre for the flash from the fulminate to pass through to the
gunpowder of the cartridge. The priming cap 6 may be used alone
instead of in conjunction with the closing cap d containing the fulminate.
When the priming cap b is used alone the fulminate is placed at the
bottom of the said cap.
This arrangement of my Invention is represented in Figure 18, where
the priming cap containing the fulminate is marked b. In this arrange-
_ment I prefer to use an elongated hole or slot g in the anvil e of the 1
cap or priming chamber of the cartridge case instead of the hole repre-
sented in Figure 17.
By constructing primings for cartridges in the manner described and
illustrated the weakened or thin angles of the priming cap permit the
blank to bend with a much lighter blow than it would otherwise require, a
and the centre of the priming cap being stronger than the other parts
the cap is prevented from being blown back by the force of the explosion
into the hole in the breech block of the gun.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I 2
do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illus-
trated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention.
But I claim as my Invention with respect to the improvements in
drop-down or sporting guns described and represented in Figures 1 to 8 3
both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings,-
Firstly. The arrangement of the parts of the joint by which the barrels
are connected to the body and the construction of the fore end and its
adaptation to the said joint, substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. Making the projecting end of the rib and the hook termi- 3
nation of the rib with parallel sides, as described and illustrated.

page_text: accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the priming cap with a
central projecting portion for the purpose and substantially as described
and illustrated, whether the fulminate be placed in the said priming cap
or in a separate or closing cap secured to the priming cap.
In witness whereof, I, the said Westley Richards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WESTLEY RICHARDS. (L.S.)