IMPROVEMENTS IN SPORTING BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Churchill, of Norwood, in the County of
Surrey, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPORTING
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME."-A com-
munication from abroad by William H. Miller, of West Meriden,
Connecticut, United States of America.
Scaled the 13th April 1869, and dated the 16th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Churchill
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th October 1868.
I, CHARLES CHURCHILL, of Norwood, in the County of Surrey,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SPORTING BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE
SAME," a communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention rclates more particularly to double-barrel shot guns,
but is also applicable to other breech-loading fire-arms. The said
Invention also relates to a cartridge for such fire-arms.
In constructing a double-barreled gun according to my Invention
the breech piece is formed upon a tail plate and carries tubes or nipples

page_text: which communicate directly with the interior of the barrels. The said
breech piece extends forward forming a frame to which the barrels are
hinged. I form a projection on the under side of the barrels, which
projection when the breech is closed lies in a corresponding recess in the
frame. A bolt passes through the breech piece into a hole in the rear
of the barrels when the breech is closed and thereby locks the barrels
firmly and keeps them from being accidentally raised. To operate the
said bolt to release the barrels I place in the rear of the same a sliding
bar which extends down through the trigger guard plate and is provided
with a finger plate whereby it is manipulated. The said bar is forced
downward by means of a spring. The upper end of the bar is forked, so
that one leg passes up each side of a flattened portion of the locking
bolt. The rear surface of this forked portion is inclined, and a head
formed on the said bolt rests upon the said inclined surface, so that by
moving the bar upward its inclined portion acts on the head of the bolt,
the same being thereby drawn back and the barrels released. When the
said bar is forced down an inclined plate attached thereto bears against
the back of the head of the bolt, presses the same inward, and again
locks the barrels. A lever provided with a catch may be hinged to the
top of the tail piece, the catch being formed and arranged to enter a
recess in the top of the barrels. The legs of the bar may be connected
with the hinged lever, so that when the said bar is operated to draw
back the bolt the catch will be raised from its recess at the same time.
The bar is held up while the breech is open by means of a spring catch
which is attached to the bar. The free end of this catch rests in a recess
at the rear of the breech piece till forced back by a pin which is struck
by the barrels and thereby releases the bar as the said barrels are pressed
down in closing the breech. To start the empty shell from the barrel
after discharging the cartridge I arrange a sliding bar or rod beneath the
barrel, the rear end of the said sliding bar extending upward in front of
the flange of the cartridge. The sliding bar or rod extends forward to a
pin on the frame near the hinge or joint of the barrels, so that as the
latter rise the sliding bar strikes the said pin, and being thereby moved
endwise towards the rear of the piece starts the shell from the barrel.
In closing the breech the sliding bar strikes the breech piece and is
thereby returned to its first position. The part of the stock forward of
the hinge or joint is fixed to the barrels, and the joint between the
two parts of the stock is so formed that the space between the two
parts necessary to permit the movement of the barrels will be closed

page_text: when the breech is closed.. In charging the arm the finger plate is
pressed upward to liberate the barrels which rise freely on the joint,
the cartridge is. then, inserted and the breech closed by pressing down
the barrels. A pin or striker passing through the tube or nipple of the
barrel will then be opposite the centre of the cartridge base, and the
arm may be discharged by pulling the trigger in the ordinary manner.
My Invention may be readily adapted to a fire-arm with a singlo
barrel, and if it should be desired to use the same as a muzzle loader.
it is only necessary that a cartridge shell should remain in the barrel
to prevent the escape of gas at the joint between the rear of the barrel
and the breech piece.
The cartridge which forms a part of my present Invention, and which
I prefer to use with my improved firc-arm, is constructed with a steel,.
iron, or other metal head or base, which is firmly united to a tube of
copper or other suitable material. The said base is formed with a pro-
jection which extends into the body of the powder in the shell. The
basc is also formed with an exterior recess or concavity, in the centre.
of which is a nipple or cone formed to receive a percussion cap. A
hole or perforation extends through the nipple and the internal pro-.
jection of the base, so that when the cap is struck by the hammer the
charge is ignited near the contral part of the same. When the cart-
ridge has been discharged it may readily be recharged and recapped,,
and one cartridge may be made to serve for many discharges.
D
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Churchill in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 16th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CHURCHILL, of Norwood,, in the County of Surrey, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-.
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Charles Churchill, Her special licence that
I, the said Charles Churchill, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Charles Churchill, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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, usc, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPORTING
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Churchill, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, 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 Charles Churchill, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates more particularly to double-barrelled shot guns,
but is also applicable to other breech-loading fire-arms. The said
Invention also relates to a cartridge for such fire-arms.
In constructing a double-barrelled gun according to my Invention
the breech piece is formed upon a tail plate and carries tubes or nipples
which communicate directly with the interior of the barrels. The said
breech piece extends forward, forming a frame to which the barrels are
hinged. I form a projection on the under side of the barrels, which.
projection when the breech is closed lies in a corresponding recess in the
frame. A bolt passes through the breech piece into a hole in the rear
of the barrels when the breech is closed and thereby locks the barrels
firmly and keeps them from being accidentally raised. To operate the
said bolt to release the barrels I place in the rear of the same a sliding
bar which extends down through the trigger guard plate and is provided
with a finger plate whereby it is manipulated. The said bar is forced
downward by means of a spring, The upper end of the bar is forked, so
that one leg passes up on each side of a flattened portion of the locking

page_text: bolt. The rear surface of this forked portion is inclined, and a head or
pin on the said bolt rests upon the said inclined surface, so that by
moving the bar upward its inclined portion acts on the head of the bolt,
the same being thereby drawn back and the barrels released. When the
said bar is forced down its inclined portion or a plate attached thereto
bears against the back of the head of the bolt, presses the same inward,
and again locks the barrels. A lever provided with a catch may be
hinged to the top of the tail piece, the catch being formed and arranged
to enter a recess in the top of the barrels. The legs of the bar may be
connected with the hinged lever, so that when the said bar is operated
to draw back the bolt the catch will be raised from its recess at the same
time. The bar is held up while the breech is open by means of a spring
catch which is attached to the bar. The free end of this catch rests in
a recess at the rear of the breech piece till forced back by a pin which is
struck by the barrels and thereby releases the bar as the said barrels are
pressed down in closing the breech. To start the empty shell from the
barrel after discharging the cartridge I arrange a sliding bar or rod
heneath the barrel, the rear end of the said sliding bar extending upward
in front of the flange of the cartridge. The sliding bar or rod extends
forward to a pin on the frame near the hinge or joint of the barrels, so
that as the latter rise the sliding bar strikes the said pin, and being
thereby moved endwise towards the rear of the piece starts the shell
from the barrel. In closing the breech the sliding bar strikes the breech
piece and is thereby returned to its first position. The part of the stock
forward of the hinge or joint is fixed to the barrels, and the joint between
the two parts of the stock is so formed that the space between the two
parts necessary to permit the movement of the barrels will be closed
when the breech is closed.
In order that my said Invention may be more fully understood I will
now proceed to describe the same in connection with the accompanying
Drawing, which illustrates the application of the said Invention to a
double-barrelled sporting gun.
Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of the said gun; Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section of the same shewing the parts in position for dis-

page_text: cation of my improvements; Figure 6 is a rear end view of my
improved cartridge; Figure 7 is a longitudinal central section of the
same. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The barrels A, stock B, lock C, trigger guard D, and triggers E, arc
of the usual construction. G is, the breech piece, which is formed upon
a tail plate II, and into which the tubes I are inserted, the said tubes
communicating directly with the barrel, as denoted by dotted lines,
Figure 1. The breech piece G extends forward, forming a frame for the.
support of the barrels, see Figures 2 and 3, and the barrels are hinged
thereto at K. The projection / formed on the under side of the barrels
falls when the breech is closed into the recess or notch i' in the frame J.
The bolt P, which passes through the breech piece G, enters a hole in the
rear of the barrels, as shewn in Figure 2, when the barrels are at rest
and prevents the accidental raising of the same. R is the sliding bar
which operates the bolt P, which bar passes down through the trigger
guard, its lower end being provided with the finger plate S. One leg.
of the forked upper end of the said bar passes up on each side of the
flattened portion of the bolt P, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, in which
Figures I have clearly shewn the construction of this inclined portion of
the bar R and its arrangement in combination with the bolt P, and it
will be readily understood that by the movement of the bar R upwards
from the position shewn in Figure 2 to that shewn in Figure 3 the bolt
will be withdrawn, and that when the said bar is depressed the bolt will
be pushed forward, as shown. The bar is held up by the spring catch &*,
which is arranged to rest upon the bottom of the recess (*, as shewn in
Figure 3. In closing the breech the projection h strikes the pin " which
pushes the spring catch back clear of the recess and thereby releases
the bar.
In the modification of my Invention, illustrated in Figure 5, I use a
lever M which is pivotted to the tail picce II at a and provided with the
catches L and d which are arranged to cuter recesses in the top of the
breech and barrels and secure the latter when the breech is closed. In
order to retain the holt P and the lever M in the position shown until the
barrels are again returned a lever N is pivotted to the frame at m, which
lever when the barrels are raised is forced upward by a spring t, the shorter
arm extending out so as to catch under a pin S' on the bar R. When the
barrels are returned to the position shown in Figure 2 the longer arm of
the lever N is forced down and releases the bar R, the lever M and

page_text: bolt P being returned by the action of the spring c, and the barrels are
securely locked. T is the slide for starting the discharged cartridges, its
rear end extending up in front of the flange of the cartridge, as shown in
Figures 3 and 5. The said slide extends forward to the pin u on the frame J
near the bearing K, so that as the barrel rises from the position in Figure 2
to that in Figure 3 the slide T strikes the pin ' and starts the shell from
the barrel, and in returning the barrel to the position shewn in Figure 2
the slide strikes the breech piece G and is forced forward. In charging
the arm the finger plate S is pressed upward to liberate the barrels which
rise freely on the joint K, the cartridge is then inserted, and the brecch
closed by pressing down the barrels. A pin or striker passing through
the tube or nipple of the barrel will then be opposite the centre of the
cartridge case, and the arm may be discharged by pulling the trigger in
the ordinary manner.
My Invention may be readily adapted to a firc-arm with a single
barrel, and if it should be desired to use the same as a muzzle loader it
is only necessary that a cartridge shell should remain in the barrel to
prevent the escape of gas at the joint between the rear of the barrel and
the breech piece.
The cartridge, Figures 6 and 7, which forms a part of my present
Invention, and which I prefer to use with my improved fire-arm, is
constructed with a steel, iron, or other metal head or base a', which
is firmily united to the tube of copper or other suitable material.
The said base is formed with a projection a² which extends into the
body of the powder in the shell. The base is also formed with an
exterior recess or concavity a³, in the centre of which is a nipple or
cone a formed to receive a percussion cap. A hole or perforation a³
extends through the nipple and the internal projection of the base, so
that when the cap is struck by the hammer the charge is ignited near
the central part or at some distance from the end of the same. When
the cartridge has been discharged it may readily be recharged and
recapped, and one cartridge may be made to serve for many discharges.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. The vertical bar R in combination with the bolt P, and with or
without the lever M, constructed and arranged to operate substantially
in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

page_text: Second. The spring catch &* operating in combination with the pin u,
recess *, and the other parts of the mechanism, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Third. The lever M constructed and arranged with the projections or
catches in combination with corresponding recesses in the breech and
barrel, substantially in the manner herein set forth.
Fourth. The lever N arranged in combination with the bar R and the
barrel of the arm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. A cartridge shell with a metal head a¹ united to the tube ¹ in
the manner specified and projecting into the shell so as to form a means
of communication between the conc a' and the body of the powder,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth. A cartridge wherein the charge is ignited at a point distant
from the end of the shell, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Churchill, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.