IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." A communication from.
abroad by William Lewis Headley, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of
America
Sealed the 5th December 1876, and dated the 18th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1876.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
A communication.
The object of this Invention is to produce a breech-loading fire-arm that can be
manipulated and used by fewer manual movements, and with greater rapidity than
is at present possible by any of the known arrangements of this class of fire-arms,
and also to provide means whereby the exploded shell of the cartridge is withdrawn
from the chamber of the gun rearwards in the axial line of the gun barrel, instead
of being thrown by the retractor in uncertain directions, as in other breech-loading
fire-arms at present in use.
Another object of the said Invention is simplicity of arrangement by which fewer
pieces are employed and greater strength and stability given to the parts than in
any other known mode of construction; also securing greater durability of the
parts and greater facility in taking them apart or putting them together, and
greater security against premature and accidental discharges or explosions. The
breech block is opened or closed by the upward or downward movement of the
trigger guard; I combine the breech block and the hammer by means of a mortise
made centrally from front to rear within the breech block for the reception of the
hammer, and in which it is supported and made to move on a pin that passes
centrally through the trunnions of the breech block. The breech block and the
locking piece are combined by means of the rear projection on the breech block so
as to support the breech block against the explosion of the charge, and the rear
concentric portion of the breech block is combined with the concave face of the
locking piece so as to hold the breech block in any position while open, by the

page_text: friction of the two surfaces from the pressure of the spring of the locking piece.
The locking piece is withdrawn from under the rear projection of the breech block
by a forward movement of the trigger, so as to open the breech of the barrel for the
reception of a cartridge or for other purposes. The rear shoulders of the trigger are
arranged in combination with the rear bearings of the locking piece described.
The retractor for drawing out the exploded shells is mounted on a centre in the
side plate of the lock, and works in a recess formed in the side of the breech block
for its reception; the bearing edges of the recess and the retractor are constructed
or formed to give an accelerated movement to the upper part of the retractor in
discharging the empty shell by the back movement of the breech block. The
breech block hammer, locking piece, and retractor combined as described allow the
hammer to be set to full cock, and the exploded shell to be extracted from the
barrel by the downward movement of the trigger guard. A stop or lip is combined
with the back projection of the breech block to limit the forward movement of the
locking piece. The breech block, locking piece, and sear are mounted on trunnions
in combination with bearings in the side plate and side part of the receiver. I 'pro-
vide a screw or equivalent means in combination with the sear spring for controlling
the action of the latter.
The trigger is so arranged in combination with the locking piece, that when
pulled its rear shoulder impinges against the said locking piece and holds the breech
block in place. The half-cock notch of the hammer has a hook formation and is
properly arranged in combination with the sear to engage therewith, the said sear
having a pointed formation. The mainspring screw has a conical head and a
tapped hole to serve as a step or holder for the ram or wash rod, and also as a recoil
block. The sear is so arranged in combination with the locking piece and trigger
that its motion is the same for half cock as for full cock.
The gun slings have a solid wall of metal between the two holes for the link.
I provide the arm with a rear sight having inclined planes for a slider to work on
for adjusting the range, and also with side adjustment for counteracting the effect
of side winds upon the ball or missile.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
April 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. " IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS." A communication from abroad by William Lewis Headley, of Brooklyn,
New York, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to produce a breech-loading fire-arm that can be
manipulated and used by fewer manual movements, and with greater rapidity than
is at present possible by any of the known arrangements of this class of fire-arms.
The said Invention relates to those breech-loading fire-arms in which the
mechanism for opening and closing the rear end of the barrel for the insertion or
removal of the cartridge or shell is arranged upon the principle of construction
known as "Flobert's" system.
The present improvements consist in simplifying and strengthening the parts, and
so constructing and arranging the same that the manipulation of the mechanism is
greatly facilitated, and a more rapid and certain action obtained with greater
security against accident than heretofore.

page_text: Figure 2 is a similar view with the side plate removed and showing the relative
arrangement of the several operative parts in a closed position.
Figure 3 is a similar view with the operative parts in an open position.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section; and Figure 5 is a plan of the
breech mechanism; Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are perspective views of detached
portions of the same.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the barrel; B is the receiver; and C the stock. The barrel A and stock C
are securely attached to the receiver in any suitable or desirable manner. The
receiver B is recessed to contain the breech mechanism, which is arranged therein
and enclosed by the removable side plate D; E is the breech block for opening and
closing the rear end of the barrel, the said block being constructed in substantially
the form shown, rigidly connected to or made a part of the operating lever or
guard F, and rotated upon trunnions which have their bearings arranged within
the side plates or walls of the receiver B. A central mortise or slot e and a conical
aperture care formed in the breech block to allow the pivoted hammer G to
operate therein, and to be raised independently of or with the opening movement of
the breech block. A shoulder e² is provided in the rear portion of the periphery of
the breech block to receive the pivoted locking brace H which secures the same
when closed, and forms an abutment to resist its recoil action when the cartridge
is exploded.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 3, that the breech block E when opened is
in a position beneath the line of the bore of the barrel, so that the cartridge may
be readily inserted, and also ejected by the action of the extractor R directly
rearward instead of being thrown upward toward the face of the operator as in
other guns of this class. The locking piece or brace H is swung upon trunnions h,
and constructed with a concave side that bears upon the corresponding convex
surface of the breech block, and is retained in contact therewith by the action of the
spring i, and when the breech block is closed it engages automatically with the
shoulder e². The trigger K is pivoted at h¹ within a slot in the locking brace, as
shown in Figure 7, a shoulder k being formed in the latter, so that they move
rigidly together in the forward movement of the trigger which disengages the
locking brace from the shoulder e², but in the rearward movement of the trigger to
release the sear L from the tumbler g¹ in the usual manner, the locking brace is not
affected except by a tendency to be pressed against the shoulder e which ensures
the security of the breech block at the instant of the discharge. The hammer Ġ is
formed in one piece with the tumbler g¹, and is constructed with a conical nose g
fitted to enter the aperture e¹ in the breech block, and prevent the escape of gas or
other matter through the same when the cartridge is punctured and exploded. The
tumbler g¹ is formed upon the lower portion of the hammer and provided with the
usual full-cock notch g², while the half-cock notch g" is constructed in the form of an
angular hook, as shown at g³, Figure 8, the point 12, Figure 9, of the sear L being
formed to fit and engage therewith. The object of this construction is to arrest the
hamner at the half-cock notch in the event of the sear becoming disengaged from
the full-cock notch by accident, which is liable to occur when set with a
hair
trigger." The sear L is pivoted at 7 and extended rearward to engage with the
spring which retains it in contact with the tumbler g', and in position to be acted
upon by the trigger K for disengaging it. The pivot being arranged in a line
with the desired position of the sear, the latter is formed to encircle and pass by the
same without interfering with the vertical movement of the sear.
"
The extractor or retractor R, Figure 11, is pivoted at r to the side plate D, and
arranged to engage with the flange of the cartridge when in the position shown in
Figure 2. The breech block is recessed to a depth about equal to the thickness of
the extractor, and the sides of this recess e³ are formed in the proper radial lines to
act upon the extractor, and cause it to move rearward when the breech block has
opened a sufficient distance, and to return to its first position when a new cartridge
is inserted and the breech block closed. The forward side of the said extractor is

page_text: constructed with an angular projection 71; this projection is acted upon by the
shoulder e³, Figures 2 and 6, which imparts a quick or accelerated movement to the
extractor, and projects the cartridge entirely clear of the arm. The mainspring M
is arranged beneath the barrel and secured by means of the screw m', the free end
of the spring acting within a concavity in the hammer formed below its centre
of motion, as shown in Figure 4. The screw m¹ is constructed, as shown, with a
conical head which is provided with an aperture to allow the ramrod M to pass
through this aperture may be threaded to engage with a corresponding thread
upon the ramrod and serve to retain it in its socket. The rear sight N applied to
this arm is attached by means of two cheek pieces m, n, secured by brazing or
otherwise to the top of the barrel through which and the sight leaf an adjusting
screw n¹ passes; this screw also serves as a pivot. The sight leaf is con-
structed somewhat narrower than the space between the said cheek pieces to
provide for a lateral adjustment that may be desirable to allow for the effect of the
wind. The cheek pieces n, n, are downwardly inclined toward the muzzle of the
barrel, and serve to elevate and form a rest for the sight leaf at short ranges by
sliding the cross bar n² thereon. For long ranges the sight leaf is elevated, and the
cross bar n raised or lowered in the usual manner. The spring I is formed in
one piece and with prongs i, i, ¹, the two former i, i, acting upon the locking
brace H, and the latter or intermediate prong acting upon the rear end of the
sear L to retain them in their proper position. The tension of the intermediate
prong may be varied by means of the adjusting screw S, when it is desired to
diminish the force of the pulling action for operating the trigger in firing.
The manipulation of this mechanism is as follows:-The neck of the stock C is
grasped in the usual manner by the right hand with the thumb over the top of the
same, the forefinger forward of the trigger, the second finger behind it (both within
the lever or guard F), and the remaining fingers beneath the lever or guard; the
trigger is then pressed slightly forward by the second finger which releases the
locking piece or brace H from the shoulder e² in the breech block E, and at the
same time the lever or guard is pressed downward, thereby opening the breech
block which acts upon the extractor R, and ejects the cartridge from the barrel and
raises the hammer to a full-cock. This action is effected by a single movement of the
hand and without changing its position, and may be simultaneous with the handling
of the gun when lowering it from the shoulder to the hip immediately following its
discharge. This movement places the hand and gun in close proximity to the
cartridge box or belt, and during the insertion of a new cartridge, a return move-
ment of the hand simultaneous with the act of bringing the arm to the shoulder
draws the lever up, thereby closing and locking the breech block and leaving the
hammer cocked ready for firing.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign corrrespondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The extractor or retractor pivoted within the receiver or recess in the
breech block, and constructed with an angular projection in combination with the
rotating breech block provided with a recess enclosing and operating the extractor
with an accelerated movement in the manner set forth.
Second. The hammer fitted in the slot or mortise in the breech block, and
provided with the conical nose in combination with the aperture in the said breech
block, as above described and for the purpose specified.
Third. The half-cock notch constructed with an angular or hooked form in com-
bination with the sear provided with the angular notch, as above set forth and for
the purpose specified.
Fourth. The pivoted locking piece or brace provided with a central slot or mortise
and shoulder in combination with the trigger pivoted within said slot vibrating
independently when operated to release the sear, and in connection with the said
locking brace when operating to disengage the same from the shoulder of the breech
block, as above set forth.

page_text: Fifth. In combination with the said locking piece and sear the spring con-
structed with prongs, operating as above described and for the purposes specified.
Sixth. The adjusting screw for regulating the tension of the sear spring, as above
set forth.
Seventh. The screw provided with an enlarged head perforated and tapped to
receive and hold the ramrod, as above set forth.
Eighth. The laterally adjustable and pivoted sight leaf provided with the sliding
cross bar in combination with the inclined cheek pieces, as above described.
Ninth. The mechanism for breech-loading fire-arms consisting of the parts shown
in the accompanying Drawing, constructed, combined, and operating as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W* ROB². LAKE. (L.S.)