IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKS OF DOUBLE-BARREL GUNS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN HENRY APTED of 2 Durham Road, Knight's Hill, Lower Norwood in
the County of Surrey, Gunmaker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKS OF DOUBLE-BARREL GUNS to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means for locking one of the two triggers of double
barrelled guns while the other trigger is pulled to fire the gun, the object being
to prevent the possibility of both barrels being fired at the same time.
The invention is susceptible of various modifications; thus the triggers only
may be alternately locked, or both the triggers and the sears, the latter arrange-
ment providing a more perfect security against an accidental discharge of the
gun.
In the space between the trigger blades, I set up two tumbling bolts, one in
rear of the other, and secure both by a hinge pin to the trigger plate. On the
right hand side of one of these tumbling bolts are two lateral projections, the
lower one of which is intended to interlock with the trigger on the right hand
side, while the other projection is intended to overlie the tail of the sear which
that trigger actuates; similarly the other locking tumbler is formed with lateral
projections on its left hand side for locking into the trigger and overlying the
sear tail on that side.
These tumbler bolts are each provided with a spring, which, acting as an elastic
strut, serves to keep its bolt out of action. On their other sides these tumbler
bolts are each provided with a shoulder, and the blades of the triggers are slotted
to receive respectively, the one the shoulder of the tumbling bolt which locks the
adjacent trigger, and the other to receive the locking projection of its own locking
tumbler.
Thus supposing the right hand trigger is pulled to fire the gun, the rise of the
trigger blade will, by pressing on the shoulder of the tumbling bolt
it comes in contact, force that bolt against the pressure of its spring
and thus lock the other trigger and also the sear which rests upon it.
with which
into action,
Similarly,

page_text: when the left hand trigger is pulled, the other tumbler bolt will be forced
into action, and cause it to lock the right hand trigger and the sear which rests
upon it.
I may, in some cases, use but one locking bolt without a spring, giving it a
similar locking projection on both sides for entering into the slot of one or other
of the triggers.-Or instead of slotting the triggers, the locking projections may
overlie the triggers. In either case, the rise of one trigger to fire the gun, will
ensure the locking of the other.

page_text: I JOHN HENRY APTED of 2 Durham Road, Knight's Hill, Lower Norwood in
the County of Surrey, Gunmaker do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKS OF DOUBLE BARREL GUNS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to novel means for locking one of the two triggers of
double barrelled guns while the other trigger is pulled to fire the gun, the object
being to prevent the possibility of both barrels being fired at the same time.
The invention is susceptible of various modifications which provide either for
the triggers only being alternately locked or for both the triggers and the sears,
the latter arrangement providing a more perfect security against an accidental
discharge of the gun.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig 1 shews in side elevation the "action" of a double barrelled "breakdown"
hammerless gun one of the lock plate being removed to shew the internal
mechanism.
Fig: 2 is a cross section of the same, taken in the line 1-2 of Fig: 1, and locking
towards the barrels; and
Fig: 3 is a cross section of the triggers and trigger plate taken on the line 3-4
of Fig 1.
In all these Figures the means for locking the trigger is represented as out of
action.
Fig 4 is a cross section of the parts shewn in Fig: 3, but taken in the same line
as Fig: 2 and shewing one of the triggers locked.
a a¹ are the triggers mounted as usual on the trigger plate A. 6 6¹ are the
internal hammers carried by the lock plates B B¹ and secured in their back
position by their sears c c¹ which lock as usual into the "bents."
In the space between the trigger blades (the fat vertical portion of the triggers)
two tumbling bolts d d¹ are set up, one in rear of the other, and secured by a
hinge pin to the trigger plate A. The construction of these tumbling bolts is best
seen at Figs 5 and 6, Fig 5 being a side view of the two bolts hinged to the
trigger plate and Fig 6 an end view of the same. On the right hand side of the
tumbling bolt d are two lateral projections 1-2, (see Fig: 6) the projection 1 being
intended to enter a slot 3 in the blade of the trigger a¹ and thereby to lock that
trigger, while the other projection, 2, is intended to overlie the tail of the sear c¹
which that trigger actuates, and prevent its rising Similarly the locking tumbler d¹
is formed with lateral projections 1, 2, on its left hand side, (see Fig: 5) for locking
into the blade of the trigger a, and for overlying the sear tail c.
These tumbling bolts are each provided at their ends with a pendent spring 4
which acting as an elastic strut by bearing against one of the lugs which carry the
hinge pin of the locking bolt serves to keep the bolt out of action. On the side
of the bolts opposite to that which carries the projections 1, 2, is a shoulder 5, and
the blades of the triggers are slotted, as at 6, to receive the shoulders 5 of their
respective tumbling bolts when out of action.
Supposing the left hand trigger a to be pulled to fire the gun, the rise of the
trigger blade will by pressing on the shoulder 5 of the tumbling bolt d with which
it comes in contact force that bolt against the pressure of its spring into action and
thus lock the trigger a¹, and also the sear c¹ which rests upon it, as illustrated at
Fig 4.

page_text: will
Similarly when the right hand trigger is pulled, the tumbling bolt
be forced into action and caused to lock the trigger a and the sear c which rests
upon it.
Figs 7 and 8 represent a modification of my invention in which but one locking
bolt is employed, such bolt serving to lock the triggers only, alternately.
Fig: 7 is a side view, and Fig 8 a cross section of a trigger plate with the
triggers of a double barrelled gun in position, the triggers in Fig: 7 being in their
normal position and unlocked, whilst one of the triggers in Fig 8 is raised and the
other locked.
The tumbling bolt d it will he seen is shorter than in the first described
arrangement, and is formed with a double flanged head 1 1 for interlocking with
the trigger blades. For this purpose the head, stands on a level with the slots 3
in the trigger blades, and the bolt, having no spring or strut, is free to move to
the right or left as desired.
When the trigger a is raised as at Fig: 8, the solid part of its blade striking on
the adjacent shoulder 1 will tip the bolt to the right, and cause it to lock the
trigger a¹
Similarly if the trigger a¹ were raised to fire the charge in the right hand barrel,
the tumbling bolt would be forced to the left, and caused to lock the trigger a
and prevent the accidental firing of the charge in the left hand barrel.
A further modification of my invention and especially adapted for guns the
hammers of which are not cocked automatically, is shewn in Figs: 9 and 10,
where a single tumbling device is used for locking both the sears and the triggers.
In this case the tumbler d stands above the normal position of the trigger blades
and presents to each a lateral flange, 1 1, as before which when acted upon by a
raised trigger will cause the tumbler to tip and lock the depressed trigger as in
Fig 10. The flange in this case it will be seen overlies the trigger a¹ instead of
locking into a slot as before. In front of the tumbler d is a flange or shoulder 2
set at right angles to the flanges 1 1 and in such a position as to overlie and
thereby lock the tail of one or other of the sears c c¹.
When therefore the trigger a is raised and the tumbler is tipped to the right
and caused to lock the trigger a¹ it will also by reason of its Hange 2 overlying
the tail of the sear c', lock the sear and prevent as in the first described arrangement
the firing of more than one charge at a tiine.
When the charge in the left hand barrel is fired, and the trigger a has returned
to its normal position, the trigger a¹ will be free to answer to the finger of the
sportsman and rising will tip aside the tumbler, release the sear c' and allow the
main spring, as the trigger rises with the sear, to act upon the hammer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st The application to double barrelled hammerless guns of a tumbling bolt or
bolts for locking the sears and triggers alternately or the triggers only in the
manner and for the purpose above set forth.
2. The application to double barrelled guns of a tipping device actuated by the
rise of the triggers, and serving to lock or retain in its normal position one or other
of the triggers and sears as and for the purpose above set forth.
Dated this 10th dow of Na 1001