Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
I, THOMAS WOODWARD, of 81, Bath Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gunmaker, 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 improvements relate to that class of small arms in which the act of opening the
breech after firing causes the fired cartridge case to be thrown out, such small arms
being known as ejector small arms. The opening of the breech does not cause the
ejection of a cartridge which has not been fired.
I shall describe my invention as applied to an ordinary double-barrelled shot gun.
I construct the firing and extracting mechanism in the ordinary manner, but with
the addition of my improvements for effecting the ejection of the fired cartridge
cases.
The extractor is an ordinary solid extractor, acting alike on each cartridge, and
the selection of the cartridge case, or cases, to be, at any given opening of the breech,
ejected, is effected by stops operated by the firing mechanism.
These stops also serve two other useful purposes, namely, as indicators as to each
barrel being loaded or discharged, and as block-safeties to the tumblers or strikers.
My improvements will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 shews an ordinary double-barrelled drop down gun fitted with my
improvements.
a is the extractor, b, a lever acting upon the said extractor so far as to partially
withdraw the cartridge cases in the ordinary manner.
Beyond the rod of the extractor is a sliding-block c pressed upon by a spring d.
Under the upper part of c is a lever e having a bent to engage with the sliding-
block c.
These parts act in the following manner. If the gun be in the position shewn and
then be closed, the extractor is forced home by the standing breech f. The tail a¹ of
the extractor rod forces, back the sliding-block c, compressing the spring d. The
lever e catches and detains the sliding-block c, e being pressed upon by
a small
spring.
.

page_text: . When the gun is again opened to the position shewn on the drawing the following
actions ensue. The extractor is moved a short distance by the lever b, so as to case
the cartridge cases in the chambers of the barrels.
The toe 6, of the lever b, then presses upwards against the tail of the lever
disengages the said lever e from the sliding-block c.
e,
and
The sliding-block c, being thus released, is propelled smartly against the tail of the
extractor rod, and the extractor is shot backwards with a velocity sufficient to eject
the cartridge cases clear of the chambers.
It will be seen that the backward motion of the extractor is limited by the standing
breech, but that the cartridge cases are ejected over the said standing breech. So far
then the ejecting mechanism would eject all the cartridge cases, fired and unfired.
The selection of the fired cases only for ejection is effected by the following
arrangements in the firing mechanism.
Sliding freely in the standing breech, and pressed upwards by a spring is the stop-
pin g. This stop-pin g is operated by the lever h, and the lever his moved by the
trigger i.
When the stop-pin y is up as shewn, the ejection of the cartridge case is prevented
by the cartridge head coming in contact with the stop-pin g. But, when the triggeri
is pulled, the lever i draws down the stop-pin g, so that its upper end is low enough
to allow of the ejection of the cartridge case.
The striker klocks the stop-pin y at the instant when the tumbler drives the striker
forward, and g is thus held down after the act of firing. Hence it will be seen
that when the firing mechanism is in the discharged state, the stop-pin y is down,
and the cartridge case will be ejected on the next opening of the gun; but, when
the firing mechanism is cocked, the stop-pin g is up, and ejection cannot take place.
When up the stop-pin g blocks the striker k, and thus acts as a safety block; and it
also affords a visible indication as to the loaded or discharged state of the gun.
-
Of course it will be understood that each barrel has a separate stop-pin in the
standing breech.
Fig. 1. shews the application of my invention to a well known type of breech
action. The extracting mechanism is not shewn on the drawing, as its action is
explained by Fig. 1. It will be seen that the stop-pin g in Fig. II. is operated by
the arm of the lever 1, and is so withdrawn out of the way of the cartridge head
by the act of firing. When the stop-pin g is so drawn down, by the arm P, the
small spring bolt m shoots forward and fastens g so as to prevent its rising.
When the gun is being closed the spring bolt m, if forward, is pushed back by the
extractor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
÷
1. The combination of the extractor (a); lever (b); sliding-block (c); spring (d)
and lever (e) for the purposes set forth.
2. The stop-pin (g) for the purposes set forth.
3. The actuating of the stop-pin (g) by the firing mechanism.
4. The combination of the extracting and ejecting mechanism-claimed in the first
clause with the stop-pin y.
5. The general construction of the whole mechanism described and illustrated, so
far as set forth as being part of my invention.