IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Henry, of Edinburgh, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Scaled the 13th August 1869, and dated the 19th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th February 1869.
I, ALEXANDER HENRY, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is
to say:
This Invention, which relates to certain improvements. in those fire.
arms wherein a vertically sliding breech piece is employed, consists, in
the first place, in arranging the breech piece, lock, and extractor in such
a manner that on lowering the breech piece after the discharge of the
fire-arm the lock is cocked in readiness for the next discharge and the
spent cartridge case extracted. These actions are effected in the following
manner: In the rear end of the breech cavity an opening is made,

page_text: through which protrudes one end of a bent lever, which is carried upon
a centre bearing, stud, or shaft; the other end of the lever projects down-
wards behind the breech cavity and in an opening in the stock wherein
the lock is also contained. On depressing the lever to which the sliding
breech piece is connected, the breech being thereby lowered, its under
side comes into contact with the projecting end of the lever herein-
before referred to, which is therefore depressed whilst its other end is
elevated, and in being so elevated it comes into contact with a projection
attached to the tumbler, which is therefore also raised until it is thrown
into "full-cocked" or "half-cocked" position, in which it is retained
by a pall falling into notches or catches made in the lower edge of the
tumbler piece. The extractor also consists of one or more levers, which
may be made in various forms, and one or more recesses are made in
that end of the breech cavity where the barrel is situated to receive the
extracting lever or levers flush with the face of the cavity. When the
breech piece is sufficiently depressed it aets upon a tail or tails projecting
out from the lever or levers, thus throwing the extractor or extractors
out from the breech and extracting the spent cartridge case. A spiral,
Hat, elliptical, or other shaped spring is situated under the breech piece
to raise it to a sufficient height and close the extractor or extractors in
order that a fresh cartridge may be inserted. The tumbler at the instant
of firing or discharging strikes upon a bolt, which passes through the
rear end of the breech cavity, this in turn strikes the central-fire piston
carried in the breech piece. The breech piece is actuated by a lever, as
shown in the Drawings of Letters Patent granted to Alexander Henry,
numbered 1071, 1865; or in place of using the lever as there shown it
is hinged to the side or bottom of the breech cavity and passes up round
the outside of the cavity, a recess being by preference formed in the
outer part of the cavity to allow it to fall in flush therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said Alexander Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th August 1869.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, Dy Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine,. in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Henry, Her special license
that I, the said Alexander Henry, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Henry, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition. (amongst others), that
I, the said Alexander Henry, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the saune 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..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which relates to certain improvements in those
fire-arms wherein a vertically sliding breech piece is employed, consists,
in the first place, in arranging the breech piece, lock, and extractor in
such a manner that on lowering the breech piece after the discharge of
the fire-arm the lock is cocked in readiness for the next discharge and.
the spent cartridge case extracted. These actions are effected in the
following manner:-In the rear end of the breech cavity an opening is.
made, through which protrudes one end of a bent lever, which is carried.
upon a centre bearing, stud, or shaft; the lower end of the lever projects:
downwards behind the breech cavity, and in an opening in the stock
wherein the lock is also contained. On depressing the lever to which
the sliding breech piece is connected, the breech being thereby lowered,
its under side comes into contact with the projecting end of the lever
herein before referred to, which is therefore depressed whilst its outer

page_text: end is elevated, and in being so elevated it comes into contact with a
projection attached to the tumbler, which is therefore also raised until it
is thrown into "full-cocked" or "half-cocked" position, in which it is
retained by a pall falling into notches or catches made in the lower edge
of the tumbler piece. The extractor also consists of one or more levers,
which may be made in various forms, and one or more recesses are made
in that end of the breech cavity where the barrel is situated to receive
the extracting lever or levers flush with the face of the cavity. When
the breech piece is sufficiently depressed it acts upon a tail or tails
projecting out from the lever or levers, thus throwing the extractor or
extractors out from the breech and extracting the spent cartridge case..
A spiral, flat, elliptical, or other shaped spring is situated under the
breech piece to raise it to a sufficient height and close the extractor or
extractors, or the spring may be situated under the extractor or ex-
tractors, which will raise the breech to loading position in order that
The tumbler at the instant of
a fresh cartridge may be inserted.
firing or discharging strikes upon a bolt, which passes through the rear
end of the breech cavity, this in turn strikes the central-fire piston
carried in the breech piece. The breech piece is actuated by a lever, as
shown in the Drawings of Letters Patent granted to Alexander Henry,
numbered 1071, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five; or in place
of using the lever as there shown it may be hinged to the side or bottom
of the breech cavity and pass up round the outside of the cavity, a
recess being by preference formed in the outer part of the cavity to allow
it to fall in flush therewith.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood,
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, reference being had, for the sake of more complete
elucidation, to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say-
Figure 1 is a part longitudinal section of a rifle constructed in
accordance with the first part of my Invention.
On lowering the breech piece A by means of the lever D, to which it
is connected by the link B, the breech piece A is brought into contact
with the projecting toe x of the extractor L, and the breech picce
therefore causes the extractor L to be thrown forward and to extract
the spent cartridge case; the same lowering movement of the breech

page_text: piece throws up or cocks the tumbler or striker C into firing position in
the following manner :-As the breech is lowered it comes into contact
with the projecting end of the lever E, which end is therefore depressed.
At the same time the other end of the lever E is elevated, and acts upon
the tail a of the tumbler C, which also becomes elevated, so that the
"scar" F catches into the half-cock notch c or "full-cock" notch d
(according to the extent of depression of the breech piece A). The
tumbler C may therefore be thrown into the position of "full-cock," or
that necessary for firing. When firing the arm a finger of the person
holding it is applied to the trigger G, the pressure on which relieves the
"scar" F, and therefore permits the tumbler C to be thrown forward by
the action of the spring K and strikes the bolt H, which is in contact
with and therefore drives the piston I forward against the ignition of the
cartridge placed in the chamber of the barrel. The striking piston is
thrown back into position for reloading by the double piston arrangement
covered by my former Letters Patent.
Figure 2 shows another form of the arrangement for producing an
effect similar to that resulting from the arrangement herein-before
described in reference to Figure but in this second arrangement the
parts are so shaped that the bolt H in the former modification is dis-
pensed with, and the tumbler C being of different form strikes directly
upon the central-fire piston I. The arrangement of the lock in Figure 2
is materially different from that shown at Figure 1 of the Drawings.
The tumbler is cocked by means of the breech picce A depressing the
lower arm of the bent lever E, whilst its upper arm is therefore thrown
forwards and moves the tumbler C round on its carrying pin e until the
inner end of the trigger G catches into either the "half-cock" or "full-
cock" notches c and d respectively. At the part marked R on the
lever D is shown in dotted lines the catch and bolt by which the lever D
is retained secure to the guard K. This lever may also be extended to.
the rear of the trigger guard, and be secured by a spring catch attached
to the butt or strap of the guard or trigger plate, which arrangement
gives greater leverage, and opens and cocks the arm ready for reloading,
as shown by the lever D and catch F, Figure 9.
Instead of using
extractors of the form shown at L, Figures 1 and 2, bar extractors may
be employed, and Figure 3 is a part longitudinal section of a rifle
showing the bar extractor A so applied. Figure 4 is an end clevation of
the cartridge chamber of the barrel showing the extracting end of the

page_text: ;
bar in this case the bar terminates in three extracting points or
prongs a, b, and c, which fit into corresponding recesses in the end of
the barrel, these three points or prongs being employed in place of the
single extracting point or prong at the lower side or bottom of the
chamber which I have hitherto used.
At Figure 5, which is a transverse section of the breech cavity on the
line a, a, Figures 1 and 2, the form of the extractor L is seen in end
elevation, this view also indicating the shape of the recess made in the
face a of the brecch eavity to receive the extractor.
Another form of extractor is shown at Figure 6, and in this case it
consists of two extracting bars b and c respectively, which are held in
place by the pin or pins d, the breech piece on being lowered acting on.
the toes e in this arrangement similarly to acting on the toe x in the
arrangements shown at Figures 1, 2, and 5.
At Figure 7 is shown a side elevation, and at Figure 8. in transverse
section the breech portion of a fire-arm in which a different form of lever
for actuating the breech and extractor is employed. The lever D in this
arrangement is secured to the under side of the breech cavity by the
pin a, on which it is moveable. A recess is by preference formed around
the bottom and one side of the exterior portions of the cavity, into which
the lever D passes and lies flush therewith when the breech is closed, as
shown. The lever of the form shown in these Figures is intended to be
employed in lieu of that marked D in Figures 1 and 2.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I wish to observe, in conclusion, that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First. The form and arrangement of extractor shown at Figures 5
and 6 of the Drawings, and the actuating of the same by means of the
depression of the breech picce, as herein-before described.
Second. The employment of a lever of the forms and arrangement
shown at D, Figures 7, 8, and 9, for actuating the vertically sliding
breech pieces of firc-arms, and for effecting the other operations herein
set forth, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The arrangement of locks and combination of parts actuating
the same, by means of which the depression of the lever D is caused to

page_text: extract the spent cartridge case and cock or throw up the tumbler or
striker into firing position, as herciu-before described and shown at
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
Fourth. The construction of a bar extractor with three extracting
points or prongs, as shown at Figure 4 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Henry, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of August One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
ALEXANDER HENRY. (L.S.)