IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING FORE PARTS' OF BREECII-LOADING ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Jules François Gastinne Renette, of Boulevard de Stras-
bourg, No. 23, Paris, Gunsmith, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING FORE PARTS' OF BREECII-LOADING ARMS."
aled the 1st September 1876, and dated the 23rd March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules François Gastinne
Renette at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd March
1870.
JULES FRANÇOIS GASTINNE RENETTE, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, Paris,
Gunsmith. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING FORE PARTS OF BREECH-LOADING
ARMS."
Attempts have already been made to overcome the difficulty which sportsmen
experience in unmounting or detaching the portion of the gun which is called the
"fore part" or "fore end" when they wish to clean the gun themselves. It has
been attempted to replace the slide or key which in drop-down guns fixes the barrel
to the "fore part" by a mechanism which dispenses with the use of the turnscrew,
in fact allowing of the unmounting being effected without tools. But the arrange
inents of mechanism which have hitherto been proposed have not been favorably
received, because they have been complicated and costly, or their working has not
been sufficiently convenient, or their application to old guns could not be made
without changing important pieces, such as the "fore part" itself and the lump or
tenon on the barrel.
The object of my Invention is to overcome these drawbacks. My arrangement
is based on a known principle of closing or fastening, and comprises the employ-
ment of a cylindrical bolt sliding in the metal bar or foundation of the "fore part,"
where it engages in the lump or tenon of the barrel. The cylindrical form of the
bolt has the advantage of simplifying its construction. The end of this bolt is filed
flat to allow of its fitting firmly in the notch of the lump; on the upper side it is
bevilled, to facilitate its sliding against the inclined plane of the lump at the time
of closing.
Instead of mechanism composed of a pinion and rack for working this bolt, I
effect its displacement by means of a spring finger piece lodged in a piece called the
"this finger piece is a
capuchine, and which is fixed at the end of the "fore part;
bent lever having its axis in the capuchine, and the short arm of which enters an

page_text: eye or hole in the bolt, to which it communicates a longitudinal movement. Under
the finger piece is a spring fixed by a screw at the end of the capuchine; the latter
thus carries all the actuating mechanism, which is, as it were mounted with a single
movement by placing the capuchine in the opening made for the purpose in the
wooden portion of the "fore part." The capuchinc is fixed in place by means of an
inner and an outer screw. This arrangement renders the transformation of old
guns very easy, since it can be done without changing the "fore part" or the
lump on the barrel; besides, it has the advantage of not interfering with the
modifications which shooters often require in the length and appearance of the
fore parts."
"
In order to unmount or detach the "fore part," the finger piece is lowered by
pressing upon its bent end.
By the short arm of the lever this circular movement is transformed into a
rectilinear displacement imparted to the bolt, which immediately becomes dis-
engaged from the lump; the "fore part" then becomes detached of itself from the
barrel.
In order to remount the gun, after having hooked the barrel to its pivot, it is
sufficient to press upon the "fore part," which then becomes fixed to the barrel. In
this movement the closing or fastening takes place as follows:-The meeting of the
bevil of the bolt with the inclined plane of the lump causes the bolt to be pushed
a little, and consequently the finger piece to be lifted; then the latter becomes
lowered under the action of its spring, and thus compels the bolt to engage in the
notch of the lump, whereby the securing of the barrel upon the fore part" is
assured. The spring plays a part of some importance, as it always keeps the finger
piece against the capuchine, which is not the case in other arrangements with bolts,
where the working by a rack excludes the employment of a spring.
"
The arrangement works smoothly and easily. It can be made more easy by
changing the position of the spring and causing it to have its point of support on
tho metal foundation of the "fore part;" but this arrangement would lose part of
the advantages of that previously described, especially the concentration of all the
parts of the actuating mechanism on one and the same piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jules François Gastinne Renette in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th September 1876.
•
*
JULES FRANÇOIS GASTINNE RENETTE, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, Paris,
Gunsmith. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING FORE PARTS OF BREECH-LOADING
ARMS."
'
My Invention of "Improvements in Mounting Fore Parts' of Breech-loading
Arins" has reference to the means herein-after described by which the unmounting
of guns is facilitated.
Attempts have already been made to overcome the difficulty experienced by
sportsmen in unmounting or detaching the portion of the gun which is called the
fore part" or "fore end" thereof, when they wish to clean the gun themselves.
For this purpose it has been attempted to replace the slide or key which in drop-
down guns fixes the barrel to the "fore part" or "fore end" by a mechanism which
dispenses with the use of the turnscrew, in fact allowing of the unmounting being
effected without the aid of tools. But the arrangements of mechanism hitherto
proposed have not been favorably received, because they have been complicated and
costly, or their working not sufficiently convenient, but especially because their
application to old guns could not be made without changing important parts,
such as the $5
fore part
or "fore end" itself and the lump or tenon on the
barrel.
"

page_text: It is proposed to obviate these defects by means of the improvements herein-after
described, which will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
Figures and 2 represent in longitudinal and transverse sections a portion of a
drop-down gun with the "fore part" or "fore end" arranged according to my
improvements.
The principal part of my mechanism is shewn detached in underneath plan, Fig. 3;
in top plan, Fig. 4; and in side elevation, Fig. 5.
My arrangement is based on the principle of a known method of closing, and
comprises the employment of a cylindrical bolt a, shown in side view at Fig. 6,
sliding in the metal bar or foundation of the "fore part" or "fore end" b, where it
engages in the lump or tenon c of the barrel. The cylindrical form of the bolt has
the advantage of simplifying its construction. The end of this bolt is made flat in
order that it may fit solidly into the notch of the lump or tenon c, on the upper
side it is bevilled, in order to facilitate its sliding against the inclined plane of the
said lump or tenon at the time of closing.
Instead of using mechanism composed of a pinion and rack for working the
bolt a, I employ for the purpose a spring finger piece d inserted in a piece f, and
which is fixed at the end of the "fore part" or "fore end." This finger piece & is a
bent lever having its axis at i, the short arm g of which lever is formed so as to
enter the eye h of the bolt to which it is intended to communicate a to-and-fro
motion. Under the finger piece d is arranged a spring & fixed by a screw at the
end of the piece f, which latter is thus made to carry all the actuating mechanisın,
which is, as it were, mounted so as to constitute a single movement by placing the
piece in the space made for the purpose in the wood of the "fore part" or "forc
end" b. The piece f is fixed in place by means of an inner screw m and an outer
screw p. This arrangement will render the conversion of old guns by my plan very
easy, since it can be done without the necessity of altering the "fore part" (or
"fore end") or the lump or tenon of the barrel; besides, it will have the advantage
of not interfering with the modifications which shooters often require in the length
and appearance of the "fore parts."
In order to unmount the "fore part" or "fore end" on my plan, the finger piece d
is lowered by acting with the finger on its bent end.
By means of the short arm of the lever this curvilinear movement causes a
rectilinear one to be imparted to the bolt a, by which it is withdrawn and thereby
disengaged from the lump or tenon c. The "fore part" or "fore end" is then free
to detach itself from the barrel.
In order to remount the gun, after having hooked the barrel to its pivot at 8, it is
sufficient to press upon the "fore part" or "fore end," which then becomes securely
fixed to the barrel. In this movement the closing takes place as follows:-The
meeting of the bevil of the bolt a with the inclined plane of the lump or tenon c
causes the bolt to be pushed a little, and consequently the finger piece to be lifted;
then the latter becomes lowered again by the action of its spring, and thereby
causes the bolt to become engaged in the notch of the lump or tenon, whereby the
holding of the barrel on the "fore part" or "fore end" is secured. The part
performed by the spring is here of some importance, in so far as it keeps the finger
piece d always in contact with the piece f, which is not the case in other arrange-
iments with bolts, where the working by a rack excludes the employment of a
spring.
10
"
The arrangement works smoothly and easily. It could be made still more easy by
changing the position of the spring, and causing it to have its point of support on the
metal foundation b of the fore part or "fore end," as shown in the inodification
at Fig. 7; but this arrangement would lose part of the advantages of that previously
described, and especially that of concentrating all the parts of the actuating

page_text: mechanism on one and the same piece, by which means great simplicity of con-
struction is produced.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would remark that some of the parts represented and
described may be varied in form and size, so as to adapt them to different existing
forms of drop-down guns; but what I claim as of my Invention is,—
First. The direct working of the rectilinear movement of the bolt by means of a
finger piece in the form of a bent lever, the short arm of which engages readily
with an eye or opening formed in the hinder part of the said bolt.
And, Secondly. The combination of the piece f with the finger piece d acted upon 1
by the spring, as represented and described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Jules François Gastinne Renette, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JF CASTINNE RENETTE
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