IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Walker, of Handsworth, in the County
of Stafford, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS.”
Sealed the 12th April 1872, and dated the 12th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1872.
I, HENRY WALKER, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements, herein-after described, in
the construction and arrangements of the parts of drop-down small arms
for the purpose principally of securely fixing down the barrels of the
said small arms during discharge, and liberating the same so as to permit
of the raising of the barrels for charging.

page_text: On
In the lower part of the face of the break-off is a recess into which,
when the barrels are shut down, the lump on the under side of the
barrels enters, the upper face of the said lump projecting, when the
barrels have reached their closed position, a short distance behind the face
of the break-off. A bolt constructed and working as herein-after
described is made to enter and fill up the recess in the break-off, and
thereby hold the barrels down, the lower part of the said bolt bearing on
the upper face of the lump, and the upper part of the said bolt bearing
against the top of the recess in the break-off. The bolt has on its upper
side and at a short distance from its acting end a vertical arm which
occupies a vertical hole in the break-off, and parallel to its face. The
said hole extends nearly but not quite to the top of the break-off.
the top of the break-off, immediately over the said hole, is a hemi-
spherical depression or seat, at the bottom of which in a small hole
communicating with the before-described vertical hole. A screw having
a hemispherical figure on the under side of its head is passed through
the said small hole and screwed into the vertical arm or stem of the
bolt. The said bolt is thus capable of oscillating upon the said screw
and hemispherical recess somewhat after the manner of a ball and
socket joint. On the tang of the break-off is a lever, the said lever
turning on a vertical axis passing through the tang of the break-off at
a short distance behind the oscillating bolt described. The lower end of
the said axis carries a disc with a projecting part on its periphery. The
said projecting part engages in a recess or fork made in a curved arm at
the back of the oscillating bolt. When the said lever is turned aside the
projecting part of the periphery of the disc described draws back the
bolt from the recess in the break-off, the said bolt oscillating upon its
seat and the barrels are released, and their breech ends may be raised for
charging. A spring engaging with the disc of the lever effects the
return motion of the said lever and the oscillating bolt. The shutting
down of the barrels causes the lump on their under side to force back
the oscillating bolt, and when the said lump has reached its lowest
position the said bolt snaps upon the said lump and securely fastens
down the barrels. The head of the screw upon which the bolt oscillates
may carry at its rear end a projecting finger or indicator which when in
a raised position shows that the barrels are not fixed down.

page_text: may be inserted and turned upon a centre on the under side of the body
of the gun, and the actuating lever may be attached directly to the said
bolt, the lever in this case moving in a vertical plane. In this modifica-
tion a double arm spring bears at one end in a recess in the body of the
gun, and at its other end against a shoulder on the axis of the bolt.
When the axis of the bolt is fixed and the bolt and lever turn loosely
upon it I insert the double arm spring in a recess in the bolt, one arm of
the spring bearing against a projection on the fixed axis, and the other
arm bearing against the recess in the bolt.
When preferred a bolt of the first described kind may be moved by a
lever working in a vertical plane; or the bolt may work in an oblique
slot in the break-off instead of a slot made in a plane perpendicular to
the face of the break-off. In each case the advancing motion of the
bolt and the snapping action are produced by a spring.
Instead of suspending the bolt it may be worked by a sliding motion,
either by a lever of the kind described or by a lever lying on the trigger
guard or situated on the side of the gun. The spring for urging forward
the the bolt is double armed, and is situated in a recess in the upper part
of the break-off, one arm of the spring bearing against the side of the said
recess, and the other arm of the spring bearing against a lever, the lower
end of which engages in the bolt. By this arrangement the motion of
the spring is multiplied.
When the indicator herein-before described cannot be employed I use
an indicator constructed as follows:-In a vertical hole at the back of
the break-off a sliding rod is situated, the said rod being inclined at its
lower end. The lower end of the rod projects into the recess in the
break-off in which the bolt works. The top of the bolt has a notch into
which, when the bolt is in the position in which it locks down the barrels,
the bottom inclined end of the said rod falls; its top is then flush with
the top of the break-off. When the bolt is in any other position than
that described the said rod is raised above the break-off, and indicates
that the barrels are not fastened down.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WALKER, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Walker, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Henry Walker, 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, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
66 'IMPROVEMENTS
Invention for
Islands, and Isle of Man, an
BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Henry Walker, my executors or administrators, by
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
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.
an
IN
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Walker, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the improvements, herein-after described, in
the construction and arrangements of the parts of drop-down small arms
for the purpose of securely fixing down the barrels of the said small
arms during discharge, and liberating the same so as to permit of the
raising of the barrels for charging.

page_text: In the lower part of the face of the break-off is a recess into which,
when the barrels are shut down, the lump on the under side of the barrels
enters, the upper face of the said lump projecting, when the barrels have
reached their closed position, a short distance behind the face of the
break-off. A bolt constructed and working as herein-after described is
made to enter and fill up the recess in the break-off, and thereby hold
the barrels down, the lower part of the said bolt bearing on the upper
face of the lump, and the upper face of the said bolt bearing against a
curved bearing at the top of the recess in the break-off. The bolt has
on its upper side and at a short distance from its acting end a vertical
arm which occupies a vertical hole in the break-off, and parallel to its
face. The said hole extends nearly but not quite to the top of the
break-off. On the top of the break-off, immediately over the said hole,
is a hemispherical depression or seat, at the bottom of which is a hole
communicating with the before-described vertical hole. A screw having
a hemispherical figure on the under side of its head is passed through the
said hole and screwed into the vertical arm or stem of the bolt. The
said bolt is thus capable of oscillating upon the said screw and hemi-
spherical recess somewhat after the manner of a ball and socket joint.
On the tang of the break-off is a lever, the said lever turning on a
vertical axis passing through the tang of the break-off at a short distance
behind the oscillating bolt described. The lower end of the said axis
carries a disc with a projecting part on its periphery, the said part being
engaged with the oscillating bolt. When the said lever is turned aside
the projecting part of the disk acting through an arm draws back the
bolt from the lump, the said bolt oscillating upon its seat and the barrels
are released, and their breech ends may be raised for charging. A spring
engaging with the disc of the lever effects the return motion of the said
lever and the oscillating bolt. The shutting down of the barrels causes
the lump on their under side to force back the oscillating bolt, and when
the said lump has reached its lowest position the said bolt snaps upon
the said lump and securely fastens down the barrels.
Although I prefer to arrange the parts in the manner described, yet
their arrangement may be modified. For example, the oscillating bolt
may be inverted and turn upon a centre on the under side of the body
of the gun, and the actuating lever may be attached directly to the said
bolt. In this modification a double arm spring bears at one end in a
recess in the body of the gun, and at its other end against a shoulder on
the axis of the bolt.

page_text: When preferred a bolt of the first described kind may be moved by a
lever working in a vertical plane; or the bolt may work in an oblique
slot in the break-off instead of a slot made in a plane perpendicular to the
face of the break-off. In each case the advancing motion of the bolt
and the snapping action are produced by a spring.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section, the barrels being
in elevation, the breech end of a drop-down gun, the fixing down and
releasing mechanism of which is constructed and arranged according
to my Invention; and Figure 2 represents the same with the barrels
unlocked and raising for charging; Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent parts
of the same detached, as herein-after described.
a are the barrels, and 6 is the break-off, against the face of which the
breech ends of the barrels a bear when shut down. In the lower part of
the face of the break-off b is a recess c, into which when the barrels are
shut down a lump d on the under side of the barrels enters, the upper
face of the said lump, projecting when the barrels have reached their
closed position a short distance behind the face of the break-off, as
represented in the Drawing. The barrels a are held down by means of
the oscillating bolt e represented separately in Figure 4. The said bolt e
enters and fills up the recess c above the projecting part of the lump d,
the lower part of the said bolt bearing on the upper face of the said lump d,
and the upper part of the said bolt bearing against the top of the recess
in the break-off. The bolt has on its upper side and at a short distance
from its acting end a vertical arm e' which occupies a vertical hole in
the break-off. The said hole extends nearly but not quite to the top of
the break-off. On the top of the break-off, immediately over the said
hole, is a hemispherical depression or seat f, at the bottom of which is a
hole communicating with the before mentioned vertical hole in which
the stem e is situated. A screw g having a hemispherical figure on the
under side of its head is passed through the hole at the bottom of the
seat f, and screwed into the vertical arm or stem e² of the bolt. The
said bolt is thus capable of oscillating upon the said screw g and seat f.
The bottom of the oscillating bolt e is curved, and seats itself upon the
top of the curved lump d. The shoulder of the said bolt e and the top
of the stem e² are also curved, and seat themselves against curved seats
made in the break-off for their reception.

page_text: In place of the hemispherical centre and scat the oscillating bolt may
turn upon an axis or pin passing through the break-off and head of
the bolt.
The oscillating bolt e is operated upon so as to withdraw it from off
the lump d to release the barrels by the following arrangement of
partsOn the tang of the break-off 6 is a lever h, the said lever turning
on the vertical axis i passing through the tang of the break-off at a short
distance behind the bolt e. The lower end of the said axis i has a
projecting part k on its periphery. The axis i is shewn detached in
Figure 5. Between the axis i of the lever and the bolt e is a horizontal
arm or link ; this arm is shown separately in Figure 6. The said
arm is connected to the axis i and bolt e respectively by two pins or
studs m, n.
The stud m is situated on the under side of one end of the.
arm 1, and takes into a hole in the projecting part k of the axis i, while
the stud n is situated on the side of the other end of the arm and takes
into a hole p in the stem of the bolt e. A plan of the bolt e, arm 1,
axis i, and under side of the lever h (indicated in dotted lines) is repre-
sented in Figure 3, the parts in the said Figure 3 occupying the
respective positions of the corresponding parts in the gun, Figure 1.
A spring 9 (see Figure 3) bearing against a shoulder on the disk part
of the axis i effects the return motion of the lever h and snapping action
of the oscillating bolt e. In order to release the barrels of the gun the
lever h on the tang is turned aside or in a horizontal plane, the pro-
jecting part of the axis i acting through the arm / draws the bolt e
from off the lump d, the said bolt oscillating upon its seat, and the
barrels are released and their breech ends rise from the break-off for
charging, as illustrated in Figure 2. On removing the hand from the
lever the bolting down parts take the positions represented in Figure 1
by the action of the spring q. After loading the gun the shutting down
of the barrels a causes the lump d on their under side to force back the
oscillating bolt e, and when the said lump has reached its lowest
position the said bolt snaps upon the said lump and securely fastens down
the barrels, as represented in Figure 1 of the Drawings.
Instead of withdrawing the oscillating bolt e from off the lump d by
the side motion of a lever on the tang of the gun the said bolt may be
withdrawn by means of a lever on the side of the gun or under side of
the cun

page_text: Figure 14 represents an arrangement of my Invention in which the
oscillating bolt e is inverted, the said bolt turning on a centre g on the
under side of the body of the gun. Instead of turning upon the hemi-
spherical centre g the bolt e may turn upon a pin or axis passed through
the body of the gun and the bolt. A bolt of this kind is represented in
Figure 14. In this arrangement the arm or link of the axis i of the
lever is connected through a lever x (shown separately in Figure 15)
with the bolt e, the said lever turning on the centre y in the break-off,
and being connected to the bolt e by the stud x². By this means the
motion of the lever h on the tang through a small angle is multiplied in
the bolt. The bolt e of the gun instead of oscillating on a centre, as
described and represented in the several Figures of the Drawings, may be
used without a centre and be made to work in a curved recess or path in
the break-off.
In this modification of my Invention the shank e³, screw pin g and
its seat, or the cross pin or centre are omitted, and the top and bottom
bearing faces of the bolt are curved, the said curved faces being struck
from the same centre, the recess in the break-off having a corresponding
figure. The bolt in this modification is made longer than the oscillating
bolt in order to increase its bearing surfaces at top and bottom, and the
arm is connected to the bolt at a lower level than that represented in
the Drawings. The said curved bolt moves through a portion of a circle
in its curved recess in the break-off to fasten and unfasten the barrels,
precisely in the manner in which the oscillating bolt moves, and is
similarly worked.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, 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 of improvements in breech
loading small arms of the kind called drop-down guns, —
Firstly. The construction and arrangements of parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for fixing down
the barrels of the said guns, that is to say, by means of an oscillating or
curved bolt working in and filling up a recess in the break-off, and
working against the curved top or curved top and bottom of the said
recess, the bottom or lower curved face of the bolt seating itself upon
the upper face of a projecting lump on the breech ends of the barrels,

page_text: the several parts being constructed, combined, and working substantially
as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The arrangements or combinations of parts, herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, for withdrawing
the oscillating or curved bolt from the lump for releasing the barrels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
HENRY WALKER. (L.S.)