IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilson, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
January 1860.
I, THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in the following method of constructing the
breech end of breech-loading fire-arms, adapted for the use of sealed cartridges.
having an expanding wad. In carrying this part of my Invention into effect,
I make an elongated breech to the barrel, which breech may either be plugged.
or forged solid. In the top of the elongated part of the breech, I cut an
opening for the introduction of the charge. A solid block or stopper fitting.
the said opening is hinged at one end to the top or side of the barrel, and by.
being depressed or raised, the said block or stopper may be made to enter or
retire from the said opening. After the charge has been introduced at the
opening, and pushed forward to its place in the barrel, the block or stopper
is shut down and fixed by a cotter or bolt passing through the elongated part

page_text: of the breech, and bearing against the end of the block or stopper. After
firing, the bolt is withdrawn, and the stopper raised for re-charging.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following method of constructing
the breech end of breech-loading fire-arms, to be used with open-ended car-
tridges without a wad. I enlarge the breech end of the barrel sufficiently to
permit of the reception of the moveable breech or charge chamber herein-after
described. I cut an opening in the side of the said enlarged part of the
barrel, and hinge thereto a moveable breech or charge chamber, having nearly
the same internal diameter as the barrel. By turning upon its hinge the said
moveable breech or charge chamber may either be introduced into the
enlarged part of the barrel, or be withdrawn from the barrel with its open
end turned from the muzzle end of the gun. When introduced into the
enlarged part of the barrel it constitutes the closed end of the barrel; it is
secured in its place by a bolt or wedge bearing against it from behind. The
percussioning and nipple are on the side of the moveable breech or charge
chamber. In order to fire the gun, the moveable.breech or charge chamber is
turned from out the enlargement in the barrel, the open end of the said
charge chamber being turned from the muzzle end of the gun. The cartridgo
is torn, and introduced into the charge chamber, the open end first. The
moveable breech or charge chamber is then turned or shut into its place in
the barrel, and at the same time secured for firing. In the last-described
breech-loading fire-arm. I place the hammer on the left-hand side of the stock;
it may, however, be put on the right, if. preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Wilson, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Wilson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Wilson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-.
My Invention consists, firstly, in the method of constructing the breech ends
of breech-loading fire-arms, and the parts connected therewith, for opening and
closing the said breech ends, illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying
Drawing, which said Figure represents in vertical longitudinal section a portion
of a rifle constructed according to this part of my Invention. Breech-loading
fire-arms constructed according to this part of my Invention are adapted for the
use of sealed cartridges having an expanding wad. I make an elongated breech
a to the barrel b, which said breech may be plugged at c, or left open if pre-
ferred. On the upper side of the elongated breech a an opening is mad
through which the cartridge is introduced into the barrel b, and into which the
block or stopper which closes the breech end of the barrel during firing enters
as herein-after explained. An arm or lever d is hinged to the top of the
barrel at e, and on the under side of the said arm or lever is a solid block or
stopper f. When the lever d is thrown back, as indicated in dotted lines, the
elongated breech a is open, and the charge may be introduced into the said
elongated breech end and pushed forward into the barrel b. On shutting down
the lever d the block or stopper f is brought into the elongated breech a and
made to close the end of the barrel as represented. The arm or lever d and
block or stopper f are fixed during discharge by means of a cotter or bolt g,
which said cotter or bolt passes transversely across the elongated breech a.
The said cotter or bolt 9 passes through openings in the sides of the elongated
part a, and takes into a groove in the end of the stopper or block f. The said
block or stopperf is thus fixed down during discharge, and firmly supported
by the elongated. breech. After firing the cotter or bolt g is withdrawn, and
the arm or lever d and block or stopper f raised for re-charging.
The end f

page_text: of the block or stopper f is made conical, and embeds itself against a conical
seat formed in the end of the barrel b. The arm or lever d and block or
stopper may work in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the method of constructing the breech
ends of breech-loading fire-arms, and the parts connected therewith,
for
opening and closing the said breech ends illustrated in Figure 2 of the accom-
panying Drawing, which said Figure represents in horizontal section a portion
of a rifle constructed according to this part of my Invention. Breech-
loading fire-arms constructed according to this part of my Invention are
suitable for use with open-ended cartridges, without wads, or with loose
powder. At the breech end of the barrel h is an enlarged part i of sufficient
size to receive the moveable breech or charge chamber . The said charge
chamber is in internal diameter somewhat larger than the bore of the
barrel h. On the side of the enlarged part i is an opening of such a size as to
permit the charge chamberk to readily pass into and out of the said enlarged
part through the said opening. The moveable breech or charge chamber k
is hinged to the barrel h at 1, and by turning it upon the said hinge at 1, the
said moveable breech or charge chamber may either be introduced into the
enlarged part of the barrel as represented, or be withdrawn from the said
enlarged part of the barrel with its open end turned from the muzzle of the
gun as indicated in dotted lines. When the moveable breech or charge
chamber k is situated in the enlarged part i of the barrel as represented, it
constitutes the closed end of the barrel. The percussioning may be situated
on either side of the moveable breech or charge chamber k. The moveable
breech or charge chamber k is fixed in its place during discharge by means of
the screw bolt n working in the solid end o of the enlarged part i of the barrel.
By turning the screw bolt n by its thumb plate p, the end of the said screw
bolt is made to bear against the closed end of the moveable charge chamber k
as represented, and thereby to fix the said moveable charge chamber k, and
transfer all strain from the joint at 1, during discharge to the solid end o of
the enlarged part of the barrel. In order to fire the rifle, the moveable
breech or charge chamber k is turned from out of the enlarged part i of the
barrel into the position indicated in dotted lines. The cartridge is torn and
introduced into the said charge chamber, the open end of the cartridge being
introduced first. The said charge chamber is then turned or shut into its
place in the enlarged part i of the barrel, and fixed by the screw bolt n as
described and represented, when the rifle is ready for discharge. Instead of
fixing the charge chamber k by means of a screw bolt n, a wedge or a bolt
similar to that represnted at 9 in Figure 1 may be employed.

page_text: In the fire-arm, Figure 2, the hammer and nipple may be placed either on
the right or left hand side of the stock. For convenience of description, and for
the better representation of the essential parts of my Invention, I have neither
represented nor described many parts of the rifles, Figures 1 and 2; but the
parts which I have not represented nor described are of the ordinary
construction.
Although I have only described my Invention with reference to a rifle, yet
my Invention is applicable to fire-arms generally; but I believe that the nature
of my Invention will be understood by the description herein given and
reference to the accompanying Drawing.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention.
But I claim as my Invention, firstly, the arrangement or combination of
parts herein-before described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying
Drawing for opening and closing, and securely fixing when closed, the breech
ends of breech-loading fire-arms.
Secondly, the arrangement or combination of parts herein-before described
and illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawing, for opening and
closing, and securely fixing when closed, the breech ends of breech-loading
fire-arms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilson have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS WILSON. (L.S.)