IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Erskine, of Newton Stewart, North Britain,
Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 13th January 1860, and dated the 20th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Erskine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th July 1859.
I, JAMES ERSKINE, of Newton Stewart, North Britain, Gun Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
I joint the barrel or barrels of the gun or fire-arm by a slotted joint to a
sole of iron or other metal connected to the stock, which sole forms part of the
false breech, and is hollowed or grooved so as to receive the barrel or barrels
in the round instead of the flat, as hitherto adopted, and is also formed so as
to admit of the bar action or forehand lock. In order to shift the barrel or
barrels to and from the false breech as required, I employ a lever working up
and down upon a joint in the sole, and entering when closed into a recess cut
in the fore part of the stock, strictly on a level with the wood. One end of the
said lever is formed with notches or teeth fitting corresponding notches or
teeth attached to the under side of the barrel or barrels, so that when the

page_text: lever is raised the barrels will be opened upon the breech, and when depressed
they will be closed or withdrawn. The sole may be either in one piece, or
composed of two parts jointed or hinged together, so that the fore part shall
be depressed when the barrels are opened from the breech, and straight when
closed, the lever for opening and closing being jointed to the hinder part of
the sole. I also make small holes in the face of the hammer sufficiently deep
to retain the hold of the pin of the cartridge after firing, so that when the
lever moves or brings the barrel forwards from the cock or false breech for the
purpose of reloading, the exploded-cartridge-is-loosened-or-partly withdrawn,
and thus is easily removed by the fingers when the fore part of the barrels
have descended to their lowest position and raised the breech end for the
purpose of receiving fresh cartridges.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Erskine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ERSKINE, of Newton Stewart, North Britain, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Erskine, Her special licence that I, the said James Erskine,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Erskine, my executors, administrators, 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 Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Erskine, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Erskine, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement (that is to say) :-
I joint the barrel or barrels of the gun or fire-arm by a slotted joint to a
sole of iron or other metal connected to the stock, which solo forms part of the
false breech, and is hollowed or grooved, so as to receive the barrel or barrels
in the round instead of the flat, as hitherto adopted, and is also formed so as
to admit of the bar action or forehand lock. In order to shift the barrel or
barrels to and from the false breech as required, I employ a lever working up
and down upon a joint in the sole, and entering when closed into a recess cut
in the fore part of the stock, strictly on a level with the wood. One end of
the said lever is formed with notches or teeth fitting corresponding notches or
teeth attached to or forming part of the under side of the barrel or barrels, so
that when the lever is raised the barrels will be closed upon the breech, and
when depressed they will be opened or withdrawn.
Or the barrels may be
shifted to and from the false breech by causing a horizontal lever to give
motion to an eccentric or cam working between two strong studs or pro-
jections attached to or forming part of the under side of the barrels. The
sole of metal is composed of two parts jointed or hinged together, so that the
fore part of the barrels may be depressed after they are opened from the
breech, and straight when closed, the lever for opening or closing being jointed
to or working in the hinder part of the sole. I also make small recesses in
the face of each hammer sufficiently deep to retain the hold of the pin of the
cartridge after firing, so that when the lever moves or brings the barrels
forward from the cock or false breech for the purpose of reloading, the
exploded cartridges are loosened and partly withdrawn, thereby enabling
them to be easily removed by the fingers when the fore part of the barrels
have descended to their lowest position and raised the breech cud for the
purpose of receiving fresh cartridges.
The manner in which my said Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by referring to the figures and letters on the accompanying two
Sheets of Drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of one of
my improved breech-loading fire-arms, having a lever working vertically for
shifting the barrels to and from the breech; Fig. 3 is an external view of the
same; Fig. 4, a transverse section of the stock, shewing the end of the
barrels; and Fig. 5, a top view of the vertical lever; Fig. 6 is a plan of the
under side of the stock, shewing the joints for allowing the fore part to
descend, and also the vertical lever in its closed position; Fig. 7 is an external
view, with a part in section, of one of my improved breech-loading fire-arms,
having a horizontal lever for shifting the barrels to and from the breech; and

page_text: Fig. 8 is a top view of the stock, shewing the lever and eccentric in different
positions.
In the aforesaid Figures a represents the barrels of a double-barrelled
breech-loading gun; b, the fore part of the stock; c, the hinder part; d, the
false breech; e, the hammers; and f, the cartridges. The hinder part c of
the stock is mounted with a sole of metal g, grooved as seen at h, Fig. 4, in
order to receive the barrels in the round, the fore part of the stock being
grooved in the same manner; the said barrels are held to the stock so that
they may move to and fro without shaking by means of the bolt i, which
passes through the stock, and also through a slot & in the bolt loop 1, which
is either fixed to or forms part of the barrels. The sole g near the breech is
furnished with a recess or catch m, which fits a bolt or projection n fixed to or
forming part of the hinder part of the barrel, so that when they are closed
upon the breech they are held firmly upon the sole and stock by the pro-
jection n locking into the recess or catch m, as seen in Fig. 1; but when the
barrels are withdrawn from the breech, the projection and recess are apart, as
seen in Fig. 2. The fore part c of the stock is jointed or hinged to the sole g
by the joints o, in order that the fore part of the barrels may descend and their
breech ends raised, as seen by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, I represent the application of a vertical lever p
for shifting the barrels to and from the breech. The said lever works upon a
pin in the sole g, and is formed at one end with teeth and notches q, fitting or
gearing into corresponding notches and teeth r, which are formed in the metal
between the two barrels, so that when the lever is raised, as in Figs. 1 and 3,
the barrels are forced upon the breech; but when the lever is lowered, as
seen in Fig. 2, the barrels are withdrawn. The lever p when raised is kept
in its place by the catchs and spring t; the catch being pressed out by the
knob at the other end when the lever is to be brought down. In Figs. 7
and 8, I shew the employment of a horizontal lever for shifting the barrels to
and fro. The lever w works in a hole in the sole, and the upper part of one
end is shaped in the form of a cam or eccentric v, which fits a recess in the
block w, which is fixed to or forms part of the metal between the barrels, so
that when the lever is in the position of the dotted lines the barrels are closed
upon the breech, but when the lever is turned, as shewn by the full lines, the
barrels are withdrawn, the positions of the lever being regulated by catches or
stops on the sole or stock. When desired I make the lever u a back lever
instead of a front one, and turn it back in order to close the barrels upon the
breech. In the faces of the hammers I make indentations or recesses, so that
when the piece is fired, each recess in its turn will hold the pin x, and loosen.

page_text: the exploded cartridge, bringing it out from the end of the barrel, thereby
enabling it to be readily withdrawn by the fingers when the fore part of the
barrels have been lowered. Thus, when either the vertical or horizontal lever
is open, or in other words, when the barrels have moved forward, the gun is
put on half cock, and the hinder part of the barrels tilt up to allow the
exploded cartridge to be entirely removed, and afterwards to receive a fresh
charge, when, by pressing the barrels down and reversing the lever to its
closing position, the gun is loaded or locked ready for firing.
I may here remark, that the number of teeth on the end of the vertical
lever, and the corresponding notches in the metal of the barrels are simply
matters of choice or convenience; and that although in the Figures only two
teeth are shewn, any suitable number may be employed; and also that the
spring catch for holding the lever firm when closed may be varied in a variety
of ways;
thus a snap or bolt pressed by a spiral or other spring may be used
for locking the lever; or it may be accomplished by passing through the end
of the lever a thumbscrew, having a coarse or quick thread, which fits a
corresponding nut inserted in the stock of the gun, a slight turning movement
being sufficient to lock or unlock the lever.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn the application of my Inven-
tion to double-barrelled guns; but it is evident that it is equally adapted for
single barrels, or any description of fire-arms.
Although I have shewn the stock and sole each in two parts hinged together,
it may be found desirable to make the stock and sole each in one piece without
a hinge, in which case it will be necessary to give a greater traverse to the
barrel or barrels, in order to give sufficient space to withdraw the cartridge.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and which, to the best of my
knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,―
Firstly, the jointing the barrel or barrels of a gun or fire-arm to a sole of
metal, the hinder part of which is the false breech, and fitting the barrel or
barrels to the sole in the round instead of the flat.
Secondly, the vertical lever with teeth or notches working into corresponding
notches and teeth on the barrel or barrels of a fire-arm, in order to shift it to
and fro, and also the horizontal lever with a cam or eccentric working between
projections on the barrel or barrels for effecting the same object.
And, thirdly, the indentations or recesses in the faces of the hammers, in

page_text: order to loosen the cartridge, as all such improvements are herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Erskine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness to the signature of the said
James Erskine,
DAVID MARTIN,
Newton Stewart,
North Britain.
JAMES ERSKINE. (LS.)