CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Tipping Lawden, Co-partner with Caleb
Lawden, trading under the style or firm of Tipping and Lawden, Gun
Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and Thomas
Jones, Machinist, in the employ of the said Firm, also of Birmingham
aforesaid, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 9th August 1861, and dated the 18th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Tipping Lawden
and Thomas Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th February 1861.
We, THOMAS TIPPING LAWDEN, Co-partner with Caleb Lawden, trading
under the style or firm of Tipping and Lawden, Gun Manufacturers, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and THOMAS JONES, Machinist, in
the employ of the said firm, also of Birmingham aforesaid, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Our improvements appertain to the description of breech-loading guns or
pistols where the barrel is fixed and secured to the fore end of the stock, and
the means of exposing and closing the bore of the barrel, effected by a strong
strap provided with a slot in the front end for a strong projecting log under-

page_text: neath the barrel to take into. This part may be defined as the break-off, and
extending back into an elongated strap to be sunk or let in flush, and suitably
secured to the stock, forming one of the means of attachment for bolding and
securing the barrel. The break-off at the part in connection with the breech
of the barrel is removed, and into this a piece of iron or steel is fitted working
on an axis vertical with the gun when in position for use, and extends forward
into a lever terminating with a thumb bit. By this contrivance the means of
loading at the breech end is greatly simplified, as the lever before described
has only to be moved around from the left hand side of the barrel, or tho
reverse, until it stands at or about right angles with its length, when a suffi-
cient opening or cavity will be formed for the laying in and inserting the
cartridge, and the replacement of the lever will effectually stop the breech.
And this same principle we apply in the construction of double-barrelled
guns in the following way:-We allow the break-off to extend forward
underneath the barrels, say, for the distance of about four inches, more or less,
as convenient, at which part of the barrels we form a strong boss with a pro-
jecting pin which passes down vertically through the break off at that part,
and secured by a smaller screw being tapped into it, or a screw nut which
may be sunk into the break off or other equivalent means. By this con-
trivance the operation of loading is effected by relieving the barrels, and
turning them obliquely until their breech end is clear of the break off, in
which position the charge may be inserted, and the barrels returned to position
for discharging. The advantages we obtain by thus constructing breech-
loading guns or pistols is great simplicity of action with a diminished cost of
production, and the facilities of renewal or repair after great use; and guns
or pistols so constructed may be percussioned or made for the use of the
cartridges known as "French cartridges," which are discharged by the
hammer striking a pin projecting radially from their bottom or back end,
or, as before stated, to be used with the ordinary nipple and copper cap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed s
by the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and Thomas Jones in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 18th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
TIPPING LAWDEN, Co-partner with Caleb Lawden, trading under the style or
firm of Tipping and Lawden, Gun Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the 3

page_text: County of Warwick, and THOMAS JONES, Machinist, in the employ of the
said Firm, also of Birmingham aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and graut unto us, the
said Thomas Tipping Lawden and Thomas Jones, Her special licence that we,
the said Thomas Tipping, Lawden and Thomas Jones, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Tipping
Lawden and Thomas Jones, our executors, administrators, or 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,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and Thomas Jones, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, 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.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and Thomas
Jones, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
:-
Our improvements in fire-arms appertain to the description known as
breech-loading, and are applicable to guns or pistols, and consist, firstly, in the
description where the barrel of such guns is fixed and secured to the fore end
of the stock, and not required to be moved in the process of loading. And
the means we adopt of exposing and closing the bore of the barrel at the
breech end for the purpose of charging, we effect by a strong strap provided
with a slot or otherwise in the front end for a strong projection or lag formed
underneath the barrel at that part to take into it. This strap we define gene-
rally as the break-off, and allow it to extend back in an elongated form, which
is sunk or let in flush with the surface of the wood of the stock behind the
breech end of the barrel, to which it is suitably secured, thus forming one of
the means of attaching the barrel to-the-stock. The break-off at the part in
connection with the breach of the barrel is hollowed out, and into this

page_text: recess a strong arm or lever is fitted, working laterally on a vertical axis, and
which lever is cranked and extended forward terminating with a thumb bit,
so as to lie, when the breech is closed, against the side of the barrel; by this
contrivance, the means of loading is greatly simplified, as the lever berein
referred to has only to be pulled around from the left hand side of the barrel,
according to the way in which it is formed, until it stands at or near right
angles with the lengthway of the barrel, and in the opening or cavity now
exposed room is provided for the easy insertion of a cartridge (which we
prefer to be of the description known as "French cartridges," as with their
use no nipple or percussion cap is required), and the replacement of the lever
will force the cartridge forward in its complete position, and effectually stop or
close the breech.
And, secondly, our improvements apply to double-barrelled guns, in which
case we reverse the means of exposing or closing the breech end of the barrels
by causing them to move laterally instead of using a lateral lever, as in the
former case; and in giving effect to this part of our Invention, we adopt the
following arrangement:-Instead of using a lever working on an axis formed
on the break-off in the rear of the barrel, as before described, we form an axis
on the under side of the united barrels some three or four inches more or less
from their extreme breech-end, which axis fits down into that part of the
break off that extends forward under the barrels for receiving it, so that in
use the barrels have only to be relieved by a suitable detent, when they may
be turned in an oblique position so as to expose their extreme breech end,
thereby permitting the cartridges to be inserted, which done, the barrels may
be restored to their original position ready for use.
And it will be seen, from this description, that the breech end of the barrels
and part of the break-off in contact with them, must form a curve equal to
the radius of the axis on which they work, which would render it necessary
that the metal portion of the cartridge should form the same curve; but as
this may
be considered objectionable in some instances, we purpose leaving a
space between the breech end of the barrels and that part of the break-off in
continuation with them, and applying a slide or bolt, which may be slightly of
a wedge form and suitably attached, by the pulling out or lifting up of which,
after freeing the barrels by the detent, room will be afforded for the square
end of the breech end of the barrels to move free. By this means cartridges
of the ordinary French construction may be used.
But as
our improvements will be best understood by referring to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same, reference

page_text: being made to the Figures and letters marked thereon, observing that the same
parts, as they appear in the various views, are marked (for general definement)
with the same letters of reference.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, Sheet One, represents a top view of a single-barrelled breech-
loading rifle, constructed generally according to our improvements first referred
to, with the sight removed to avoid confusion. A, A, is the barrel; B, the
cock; C the break-off; and D a lever working on the axis E, and extending
forward as at F, terminating with a thumb bit at a; and b is a small spring
that is depressed as the part of the lever (D) marked F passes over it, but
rises again to form a detent for holding the lever in position. When it is
necessary to re-charge this gun, the cock is clevated, the detent 6 depressed,
and the lever D pulled around into the position here exhibited in dotted lines,
when the breech of the barrel will be exposed, and room afforded for the con-
venient removal of the exploded cartridge and the insertion of another, when
the lever D may be restored to the position here shown, when the gun will be
ready for use.
Figure 2 represents Figure 1 placed in a sideway position with the trigger
upward for the purpose of better exhibiting the lever D in an edge or sideway
position, as it enables us to exbibit with more effect the thumb bit a, also
to show the part c, which forms a solid piece with tho lever D and arm F,
and also enabling us to exhibit a metal collar or socket marked d, d, in which
the part c fits. The lever D, with its extended arm F and thumb bit a, is
exhibited in a detached edge view at Fig. 8, and Fig. 4 represents a side
view of the barrel A and break-off C, C, detached; the dotted lines marked
ff-ff, shows the centre of the axis on which the lever D works.
Fig. 5 is a top view of the barrel and break-off exhibited in the last
Figure, with the arm D and its lever F extending out so as to permit the
barrel to be charged; and this view enables us to represent the hollow or
sunken part marked G, in which the cartridge is placed before advancing it
forward. into the barrel; and Fig. 6 represents à separate top view of the
break-off without the lever. The holes 9 and h are countersunk for the pur-
pose of fitting over two corresponding-pins-formed on the lower side of the
barrel, exhibited in dotted lines marked & and 2 in Figure 4, into which
circular projectious screws are inserted for further securing the break-off to
the_barrel.;-but-if-preferred, a slot may be also formed, as exhibited in dotted
lines-at m, a corresponding lug or projection being formed on the under side of

page_text: the barrel to correspond with it as an additional means of uniting the break-off
with the barrel.
Fig. 7, Sheet Two, represents a side view of a double-barrelled gun con-
structed according to our improvements. H, H, is the right hand barrel, the
two working on a vertical axis, the centre of which is represented at n, n; the
part o being extended backward, and connected with the break-off, hereafter
to be referred to, with which it forms one forging, and the part q extends
forward secured to the barrels by passing over a strong pin, the centre of
which is defined by the dotted lines n, n, and over an oblong lug, through
which the bolts passes. In the lengthway centre of the break-off below the
barrels a slot is formed, in which a small pin slides, here shown in dotted lines
marked 1p, p, operated on by a vertical pin extending up from the trigger J;
the rear end of the pin p is bent, as here represented, the front end of the angle
hereafter to be referred to forming a detent for holding the barrels in position;
is the thin end of a bolt or slide, also hereafter to be referred to.
Fig. 8 is a detached side view of the barrels showing the axis t, over which
the part q, Figure 7, is passed, and lug u, before referred to, for receiving the
bolts; and Fig. 9 represents a side view of the parts exhibited and described
at Figure 7, forming the joint marked q in that Figure, fitting on the axis t
and lug u, Figure 8; and Fig. 10 represents a detached side view of the
break-off with the detent, partly shown in dotted lines, and detent trigger, with
the screw v, which taps into the axis t, and holds the parts together; and
Fig. 11 represents an under side detached view of Figures 9 and 10, showing
the strap of the detent working in the slot w with the trigger removed.
Fig. 12 represents the under side of Figure 7, showing the joint of the
break-off (on which the barrels work) and the screw that secures the parts
together marked v; the fore end of the joint, as at Figure 9, is covered over
by the fore end of the stock marked k, secured in position by the bolts going
through the wood, and the lug marked u, in Figure 8, in connection with the
barrels; the detent trigger and plate x, x, is also here shown marked with the
same letters.
Fig. 13 is a top view of Figures 7 and 12; the dotted circle represents
the axis t, Figure 8, on which the barrels move, and in this view we are
enabled to show the wedge bolt or slide L, that has first to be withdrawn by
pulling back the detent before moving the barrels for charging. This bolt has
a dovetail slide and a slot formed on its side towards the break-off, as partly
seen at, Figure 7, and in a flat view at Fig. 14. The hole y is formed for
the part of the detent marked, Figure 10, to pass through, and in the slot

page_text: a', a', the head of the screwed pin works, which large headed pin is repre-
sented at 6, Figure 11; this pin regulates the action of the wedge L, and
also prevents the bolt from being detached from the break-off.
Fig. 15 is also a top view with the muzzle ends of the barrels broken off
for convenience of space, but represents the barrels in position with the
breech ends exposed for charging, which done, the detent has to be with-
drawn, the barrels restored to a parallel position, and the wedge L pushed in,
when the detent may be relieved, and the piece will be ready for dis-
charging.
In constructing double-barrelled guns upon this principle without the use
of the sliding wedge L or other equivalents, we form the ends of the barrels
into a curve equal to the radius of the axis on which they move, as repre-
sented by the dotted lines c, c', the part of the break-off in contact with the
breech of the barrels when they are in position being made to the same
curve. Or to prevent undue friction or rubbing of the surfaces in use, we
prefer placing the axis on which the barrels work slightly to the left out of the
central line, and striking the curve of the ends of the barrels and break-off
from a central position, or place the axis in the central position as here
shown, and place the centre of the radius of the curved ends of the barrels
slightly to the right; in either case the effect will be, that the moment the
barrels commenco moving on their axis, the surfaces of the breech end and
the break-off will commence separating.
'
Having thus given a general description of our Invention, and the best way
we consider (with our present experience) of giving effect to the same, we
wish it distinctly understood that we do not contemplate confining ourselves
to the general details as limited to what we have described and exhibited, as
in adapting or giving effect to our Invention to carbines and guns for military
purposes, or to breech-loading pistols generally, much alteration and diversifi-
cation of detail must as a matter of course be pursued; nor do we purpose
confining ourselves to the use of French cartridges only, as nipples commonly
made may be applied and used with percussion caps in the discharging of our
improved breech-loading fire-arms, which, from their simplicity of construction,
and facilities of renewal and repair after great use, render them the-cheapest
and most convenient for general requirements; but what we claim and wish
protected by these our in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
The principle of opening and closing-the-breech end of single-barrelled
fire-arms by a lateral lever working on a vertical pin or axis, as described and
hibital : Chant

page_text: And, secondly, by applying this same principle to double-barrelled guns, by
causing the barrels to move laterally on a vertical axis, as described and
exhibited in Sheet Two.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and Thomas
Jones, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of 5
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
citrone
Witness,
THOMAS
JONES.
THOMAS TIPPING LAWDEN. (L.S.)
(L.B.)
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C. E.,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.