IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by Eugène Gabriel Lefaucheux, of
Paris, in the Republic of France, Gun Maker.
Sealed the 28th August 1877, and dated the 29th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th March 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleinan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by
Eugène Gabriel Lefaucheux, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Gun Maker.
This Invention relates to improvements in fire-arms, such for example as sporting
guns and the like, and it consists,—
First. In the employment of a hammer or striking pin provided with a fin or
projection engaging with the sear.
Second. The employment of a bent or bell-crank lever for disengaging the sear,
which lever acts upon the extremity of the sear and constitutes an intermediate
piece between the said sear and the trigger; this combination greatly facilitates the
release of the hammer or striker.
Third. In the employment of a bifurcated spring placed on the plate of the
trigger guard and acting on the lever, which works the locking bolt by causing it
to engage in a nick or recess in the barrel.
Fourth. The simplifying the form of the locking bolt which acts directly upon
the fore part of the fin or projection on the hammer or striker, and which is
provided with a dovetailed projection sliding in a groove formed in the breech for
the purpose of ensuring a rectilinear motion without any lateral vibration.
Fifth. In the employment of a sear spring placed on the fore part of the shoe.
These combinations and arrangements are productive of positive advantages in
the manufacture, among which may be enumerated the following:-
1st. Cheapness of production.
2nd. The hammer or striker provided with a fin or projection is caused to move
in a perfectly straight line, and all injurious friction prejudicial to its proper action

page_text: is obviated. The hammer or striker is guided not only by its passage through the
head or gland of the breech plug and by a collar on its front end, but also by a heel
or projection formed on the end of the fin or projection on the hammer or striker,
and which slides in the groove in which the said projection is placed.
3rd. By the arrangement of the scar and the pin or projection on the hammer or a
striker (which is the reverse of the arrangement hitherto adopted), the force of the
springs which actuate the hammers or strikers act in the direction in which the
teeth or notches in the fin or projection are strengthened, thus obviating all danger
of breaking the same.
The Invention is specially adapted for use in double-barrelled drop-down guns, 1
or what is known as Lefaucheux system, but it is also applicable to other descriptions
of central fire fire-arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
September 1877.
J.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by
Eugène Gabriel Lefaucheux, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Gun Maker.
The said Invention relates to improvements in fire-arms, such for example as
sporting guns and the like, and it consists,-
"
First. In the employment of a hammer or striking pin provided with a fin or
projection engaging with the sear.
2
Second. In the employment of a bent or bell-crank lever for disengaging the sear,
which lever acts upon the extremity of the sear and constitutes an intermediate
piece between the latter and the trigger; this combination greatly facilitating the 2
relcase of the hammer or striker.
Third. In the employment of a bifurcated spring placed on the plate of the
trigger guard and acting on the lever, which works the locking bolt so as to cause
the latter to engage in a nick or recess in the barrel.
Fourth. In simplifying the form of the locking bolt which is arranged so as to 3
act directly upon the fore part of the fin or projection on the haminer or striker,
and is provided with a dovetailed projection sliding in a groove formed in the breech
for the purpose of ensuring a rectilinear motion without any lateral vibration.
Fifth. In the employment of a scar spring placed on the fore part of the breech.
By means of these combinations and arrangements important advantages are 3
obtained, among which may be enumerated the following:-
First. Cheapness of production.
Second: The hammer or striker provided with a fin or projection is caused to
move in a perfectly straight line, and all injurious friction prejudicial to its proper
action is obviated. The hammer or striker is guided not only by its passage 4
through the head or gland of the breech and by a collar on its front end, but
also by a heel or projection formed on the end of the fin or projection on the
hammer or striker, and which slides in the groove in which the said projection is
placed.
Third. By the arrangement of the sear and the fin or projection on the hammer 4
or striker (which is the reverse of the arrangement hitherto adopted), the force of
the spring which actuates the hammer or striker acts in the direction in which the
dents or notches in the fin or projection are strengthened, thus obviating all danger
of fracture at that part.
•
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures in the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section showing the
general arrangement of the working parts of a double-barrelled gun with the im-
provements forming the subject of the said Invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a detail plan, side and end view of a locking bolt, which serves to hold
the barrels in position and also to draw back or cock the hammer or striker.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the hammer or striker provided with a fin or
projection.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the bent or bell-crank lever before-mentioned.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a side elevation and plan of the sear.
Figure 7 shows a spring for actuating the sear.
Figure 8 is a view of a spring for actuating the lever of the locking bolt.
The locking, bolt V (shown in detail in Figure 2) retains the barrels in position
by its end v, which engages in a corresponding recess formed for its reception at the
end of the barrels, and also draws back or cocks the hammer or striker P (Figure 3)
by means of projections v¹ on each side. The bolt is guided and supported by a
dovetailed projection / working in a corresponding groove formed underneath the
breech, and has a rectilinear to-and-fro motion imparted to it by means of a
lever W working on a fulcrum w, one end of which lever engages in a hole
(Figure 2) formed for the purpose in the bolt V.
A bifurcated spring R (Figure 8) is provided, the function of which spring is to
impart to the lever W a constant tendency to push the locking bolt V forwards into
the recess at the ends of the barrels, where an inclined surface is formed, in order to
enable the bolt to lock automatically when the barrels are returned into position
after loading.
When the locking bolt V is drawn back so as to liberate the ends of the barrels
for the purpose of loading, the projections v¹ come into contact with the front of the
fin or projection N, forming part of the hammer or striker P, and force the latter
back when it is prevented from returning by the sear G (Figures 5 and 6) pivotted
at g, which is caused to engage in notches a provided in the fin or projection N by
the action of the blade spring (Figure 7).
In order to liberate the hammer or striker and allow it to spring forwards under
the action of a coiled spring p, the trigger O pivotted at o acts upon an arm q of the
bell-crank lever M (Figure 4) pivotted at m, and causes the other arm q¹ of the said
bell-crank lever to depress the sear G by acting on a pin or projection e on the said
sear, and thus disengages the hammer or striker. The hammer or striker P works
through a guide b, and it is further guided by its fin or projection N having a
projection t, which works in a corresponding groove under the breech.
In the example shewn in the Drawing the improvements are represented as
applied to a drop-down double-barrelled gun, constructed on what is known as
the Lefaucheux system, but the Invention is applicable to other descriptions of
central fire-arms.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the peculiar construction, arrangements, and combinations
of the parts of a fire-arm, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, One thousand
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.s.)