IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE ATTACHMENT. OP BAYONETS OR SWORDS THERETO
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE ATTACHMENT.
OP BAYONETS OR SWORDS THERETO." A communication from abroad by
Eben Townsend Starr, of the City and County of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 11th November 1862, and dated the 13th June 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1862.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE ATTACH-
MENT OF BAYONETS OR SWORDS THERETO," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms, and con-
sists in effecting the connection of a movable breech which opens and closes
by an upward and downward swinging movement on a pin passing transversely
through the arm with a lever arranged under the stock by means of two pins,
one of which is attached rigidly to the bottom of the breech, and is arranged
lengthwise of the arm, and the other is attached to the lever and is arranged

page_text: transversely, and a sliding collar is applied on the first pin and pressed forward
against the second one by a spring placed in rear of it, such connection being
very strong, easy working, and durable, and the spring acting to hold the
breech open after it has been opened by the movement of the lever and while
the arm is being loaded.
The second part of this Invention relates to the mode of applying and
operating a device for withdrawing the discharged cartridge cases in a rear-
ward direction from the barrel of the fire-arm. The cartridges employed have
metal cases provided with a flange round their rear ends. The withdrawing
device consists of a fork arranged to swing upon the fulcrum pin of the breech-
operating lever toward and from the rear end of the barrel, and while the gun
is in condition for firing, and during the operation of firing it remains against
the rear end of the barrel with its prongs one on each side thereof and in front
of the flange of the cartridge case, in which condition it is also held by a spring
during the movement of the lever to open the breech; but when the breech is
opened the lever comes into contact with a projection on its stem, and a slight
continued downward pull on the lever causes it to be thrown back from the
barrel and make it draw out the cartridge case over the open breech, or if a
cartridge has missed fire it will be withdrawn in the same way.
The third part of the Invention consists in applying the hammer, the
tumbler, and the spindle or arbor to which they are attached in the metal
frame of the stock of a fire-arm, whereby the lock is enabled to be made very
strong, without cutting away and weakening the stock to such an extent as is
clone in many fire-arms. This part of the Invention is applicable to breech or
muzzle-loading fire-arms.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the attachment of a bayonet or
sword to a fire-arm by means of a pivot joint, which permits it to be brought
from the position known as fixed, to a position close under the stock, where it
is out of the way, and back again to the "fixed" position as often as may be
desired, without being detached from the fire-arm, the principal.object being
to dispense with a scabbard and to obviate the necessity for detaching the
bayonet or sword, except when it is desired to use it separate from the fire-arm.
This part of the Invention also consists in providing upon the butt and guard
of the handle of the so-applied bayonet or sword, and upon the stock of the
tre-arm, tongues, which match and fit together in such manner as to lock the
bayonet or sword securely to the fire-arm in either of the above-mentioned
positions; and further, in applying a spring bolt or catch to the handle and in
combination with the stock, so that it serves both to prevent the bayonet or
sword from turning on the pivot joint when in either of the above-mentioned

page_text: positions, and also serves to stop the bayonet or sword before it arrives under
the barrel, and thereby to prevent injury to the fingers of the soldier by its
comming too suddenly under the stock of the fire-arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license, that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE ATTACHMENT OF BAYONETS OR
SWORDS THERETO," being communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instru-
ment 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 Sea
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The first part of this Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms, and
consists in effecting the connection of a moveable breech which
opens and
closes by an upward and downward swinging movement on a pin passing

page_text: transversely through the arm with a lever mounted under the stock by means
of two pins, one of which is attached rigidly to the bottom of the breech and is
arranged lengthwise of the arm, and the other is attached to the lever and is
arranged transversely. A sliding collar is also applied on the first pin and is
pressed forward against the second one by a spring placed in rear of it, such
connection being very strong, easy working, and durable, and the spring acting
to hold the breech open after it has been opened by the movement of the lever
and while the arm is being loaded.
The second part of this Invention relates to the mode of applying and
operating a device for withdrawing the discharged cartridge cases in a rear-
ward direction from the barrel of the fire-arm. The cartridges employed have
metal cases provided with a flange round their rear ends. The withdrawing
device consists of a fork arranged to swing upon the fulcrum pin of the breech-
operating lever toward and from the rear end of the barrel, and while the gun
is in condition for firing, and during the operation of firing it remains against
the rear end of the barrel with its prongs, one on each side thereof, and in
front of the flange of the cartridge case, in which condition it is also held by a
spring during the movement of the lever to open the breech, but when the
breech is opened the lever comes into contact with a projection on its stem
and a slight continued downward pull on the lever causes it to be thrown back
from the barrel and make it draw out the cartridge case over the open breech,
or if a cartridge has missed fire it will be withdrawn in the same way.
The third part of the Invention consists in applying the hammer, the
tumbler, and the spindle or arbor to which they are attached, in the metal
frame of the stock of a fire-arm, whereby the lock is enabled to be made very
strong without cutting away and weakening the stock to such an extent as is
done in many fire-arms. This part of the Invention is applicable to breech or
muzzle loading fire-arms.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the attachment of a bayonet or
sword to a fire-arm by means of a pivot joint, which permits it to be brought
from the position known as fixed, to a position close under the stock where it
is out of the way, and from which position it may be brought back again to
the "fixed" position as often as may be desired without being detached from
the fire-arm, the principal object being to dispense with a scabbard and to
obviate the necessity for detaching the bayonet or sword except when it is
desired to use it separate from the fire-arm. This part of the Invention also
consists in providing upon the butt and guard of the handle of the so-applied
bayonet or sword, and upon the stock of the fire-arm, tongues, which match
and fit together in such manner as to lock the bayonet or sword securely to

page_text: the fire-arm in either of the above-mentioned positions; and further, in
applying a spring bolt or catch to the handle and in combination with the
stock, so that it serves both to prevent the bayonet or sword from turning on
the pivot joint when in either of the above-mentioned positions, and also
serves to stop the bayonet or sword before it arrives under the barrel, and
thereby to prevent injury to the fingers of the soldier by its coming too
suddenly under the stock of the fire-arm.
The several features of the Invention are illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a right-hand side view of a breech-loading, fire-
arm with the several improvements applied. Fig. 2 is an under side view of
the same; Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section, full size, of the
breech and its operating mechanism, the lock, and parts of the stock and
barrel; Fig. 4 is a top view corresponding with Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a trans-
verse section in the plane indicated by the line x, x, of Figs. 3 and 4, showing
the parts in front of that plane; Fig. 6 is a transverse section in the plane
indicated by the line y, y, in Figs. 3 and 4, showing the parts in rear of that
plane; Fig. 7 is a transverse section in the plane indicated by the line z, z,
in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 8 is a side view of the breech-operating lever; Fig. 8*
is a top view of the same; Fig. 9 is a side view of the breech; Fig. 10 is a
central longitudinal section, full size, of the bayonet attachment, parallel with
Fig. 1; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the bayonet handle, parallel with
Fig. 2; Fig. 12 is a view of the under side of the part of the fore stock to
which the bayonet is attached.
b
The first part of the Invention is illustrated by Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. A
is the metal frame to which are attached the stock C and barrel B, and which
contains the moveable breech D, such frame having a parallel-sided vertical
opening a, a, for the reception of the breech and portions of its operating lever
E. The breech D consists of an oblong block of steel with a projection con
its under side and a shallow cavity d in its upper side, and is fitted snugly
O between the sides of the opening a, a, of the frame, and the pin 6 upon which
it swings to open and close, passes transversely through it near its rear end,
passing also through one side of the frame A and screwing into the other side
thereof. When the breech is closed, in which condition it is in line with the
barrel, as shown in black outline in Fig. 1, its rear end abuts against the rear
5 of the opening a of the frame, but sufficient space is left between its front end
and the rear end of the barrel to make room for the flange formed round the
rear of the metallic cartridges, one of which is shown in Fig. 3 in the chamber
of the barrel. F and G are the pins which form the principal parts of the
connection between the breech D and its operating lever E, and e is the

page_text: fulcrum pin of the breech-operating lever. The pin F is screwed firmly into
the projection c on the under side of the breech and projects forward therefrom
under and parallel with the front part of the bottom of the breech at such
distance therefrom that there is just room between them to permit the free
passage between them of the transverse pin G, which is inserted through and
secured in the lever E. The front portion of the lever fits snugly but easily
within the opening a, a, of the frame, and the rear portion is constructed to
serve as a trigger guard. The fulcrum pine of the said lever passes through
the lower part of the said frame near the front of the opening a. H' is the
sliding collar on the pin F, made with a broad flange h, to obtain a good
bearing against the back of the pin G, and to form a bearing for the spiral
spring f, which is arranged around the said collar H, and pin F, between
the said flange and the projection c on the breech,' said spring pressing the
said collar forward against the pin G. The portion of the lever E which.
receives the pin G is mortised out wide enough, as shewn at k, k, in Figs. 6
and 8*, for the flange h of the collar H to work within it. The opening of
the breech is effected by taking hold of, that portion E' of the lever E' which
constitutes the trigger guard, and pulling it downward, as shown in red outline
in Fig. 3, and the closing by bringing back the lever with the guard close
under the stock and frame A. In pulling down the lever the pin G depresses
the breech by its downward pressure on the pin F, and in raising the lever
the said pin G raises the breech by pressing against its under side. During
the whole of both the opening and closing movement, the spring f presses the
collar II against the pin G, and the pressure acting against the said pin G
tends to open the breech when the centre of said pin is below a straight line
drawn between the centres of the pins b and e, and to close it when the said
pin is above such line, and when the breech is open the spring serves to hold
it open during the loading operation. When the breech is closed it is locked
by a catch I pivoted to a pin g to a portion E2 of the lever E, which projects
upward some distance and fitted to a mortise in the lever. The tooth i of the
catch catches over the rear end of a steel strap or plate J, which is screwed to
the lower parts of the frame A and the stock to aid in securing the said frame
to the stock, and which also carries the trigger and main spring of the lock,
and the said tooth is forced over the edge of the said plate when the lever
E arrives close under the stock by a spring j attached to the front of the catch
and pressing against the front of the mortise in the lever. The lower part
of the catch I is formed like a reversed trigger and extends downward into
the guard E', and to unlock the lever preparatory to opening the breech, the
thumb is pressed against the said trigger-like portion ².

page_text: The second part of the Invention is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. K is
the fork arranged to swing on the fulcrum pin e, having its prongs so fitted to
the sides of the rear portion of the barrel, which projects into the cavity a, a,
of the frame A, that they may lie against the back of the barrel flush with the
rear end thereof, as shown in Fig. 4; L is the spring for holding the fork
against the barrel until the proper time for withdrawing the cartridge, attached
by a screw to the bottom of the barrel, and entering a notch in the lower
part of the stem of the fork. On the bottom of the stem of the fork there is
the projection m against which the lever E acts to throw back the upper part
of the fork for the withdrawal of the cartridge. When the lever E is drawn
down to open the breech for loading, it leaves the fork K undisturbed until the
breech has been depressed to bring its cavity d below the caliber of the barrel
when its edge n comes in contact with the projection m, and a slightly con-
tinued movement of the said lever causes the projection m to be moved
forward and the upper part of the fork to be thrown back, as shown in Fig. 3
in red outline; and if there has been any discharged cartridge case or unex-
ploded cartridge in the barrel, it is thrown out by the said fork, the upper
part of which has a very sharp quick movement owing to its being so much
further from the centre of motion than the projection m. On the liberation
of the lever E the spring L throws the fork Kforward against the barrel and
causes the projection m to press the lever E back a little way, and to cause
the said lever to raise the breech, to the position in which the bottom of its
cavity d forms.a channel, which will conduct a new cartridge into the open rear
end of the barrel. To enable this to be effected it is obvious that the pressure
of the spring L on the fork must be strong enough to overcome the pressure
of the spring f against the pin G. In loading the cartridge is pushed into the
barrel with the thumb of the right hand, and after the breech has been closed
upon it by bringing back the lever with its guard E' close under the stock,
every thing is ready for firing. Owing to the lock being in rear of the breech
the length of the breech renders it difficult to arrange the hammer M to strike
directly upon the priming, and therefore a sliding rod M' is applied to work
through a hole in the breech, the said rod being arranged to be struck by the
hammer and driven forward against the part of the cartridge which contains
the percussion priming. In the cartridge represented, the priming is contained
in the flange which projects from the bore of the barrel and fits against the
rear end thereof..
The third part of the Invention is best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7.- The
frame A is made of sufficient thickness, in a rearward direction behind the
opening a, a, to enable a circular cavity r, r, to be bored in the solid metal för

page_text: the reception of the tumbler N of the lock. A hole is first bored transversely
through the frame of a size to receive and form a bearing for the journal p, p¹,
of the spindle or arbor to which the hammer and tumbler are secured, and
this hole is counterbored from the opposite side of the frame to that on which
the hammer is situated to form the cavity r, r, large enough to receive within
it and permit the free working of the tumbler, and deep enough to allow the
tumbler to come in the middle of the frame, as shown in Fig. 7, and on that
side of the frame on which the hammer is placed the hole is counterbored for
the reception of a hub or boss 9 (Fig. 7) formed upon the inner face of the
butt of the hammer. The tumbler may be made in one piece with its spindle,
or made separate and firmly secured thereto, and the spindle with the tumbler
upon it are inserted together in their place, and after they have been put in
the cavity r, r, is closed up by a metal plug P, in the centre of the inner end
of which there is bored a hole for the reception of the journal p¹ of the spindle.
This plug is secured in place by means of one of the screws s, s', which attach
the strap piece J to the frame A, the end of the said screw entering a groove
(Fig. 7) turned in the said plug. This mode of applying the tumbler and
spindle requires no cutting away of the stock for the lock except a mortise u
for the reception of the main spring Q, which is secured to the strap piece J
by the shoulder u¹ on a screw Q which passes through the rear portion of the
frame A and through the stock, and screws into the said strap piece J, the said
screw also constituting the principal means of securing the frame A to the
stock. The main spring is strained and its tension adjusted by a set screw u³
which is screwed through the strap piece J from the outside thereof. The
trigger R is arranged in a mortise within and attached to the strap piece J.
The frame A has cut in it mortises leading to the cavity r, r, for the main
spring and trigger to pass through to operate upon the tumbler.
t
The fourth part of the Invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 10, 11, and 12.
The front portion C² of the fore stock of the gun is of a length somewhat
greater than the handle of the sword bayonet, and the bands v, v, which
attach it to the gun are composed of a single piece of metal, the under or
back side of which is made flat, with the exception that it has projecting
from it, at about the middle of its length, a pivot w, and at equal distances
from this pivot two tongues 13, 14, turned toward each other, and extend-
ing all across the piece C³, the said tongues being set out from the flat under
side of the piece to form grooves 21 and 22 between them and the piece
for the reception of tongues 15 and 16 formed upon the guard and butt
of the bayonet handle. The edges of the tongues 13, 14, and the bottoms of
the grooves 15, 16, are in the form of arcs concentric with the pivot w. To

page_text: prevent the piece C from slipping off the barrel, and confine it the wooden
part C of the fore stock, a screw 17 is screwed right through the piece in the
centre of the pivot w, and the point of this screw enters a hole drilled in the
under side of the barrel. The bayonet handle S is made of solid metal, pre-
ferably of the same piece of steel with the blade, and has drilled through it
transversely to the blade a hole 30, of a size to fit easily to the pivot w, and
transversely to this hole it is slotted on one side for the reception of a catch T,
whose duty is to secure it on the pivot close to the piece C3 by entering a
groove 18 provided for the purpose all round the pivot w. This catch works
on a pin 31, and has applied to it a spring 19, which tends to press and hold
it in the groove 18, and a portion of it protrudes through the exterior of the
handle, as shown at 20, to form a thumb-piece, upon which pressure may be
applied by the thumb to withdraw the other end from the groove 18 when it
is desired to unfix or take off the bayonet. The end of the pivot is rounded
off, and the edges of the hole in the handle are also rounded, as shown in
On each
Fig. 1, to permit the handle to pass easily on and off the pivot w.
side of the guard S¹ of the handle there is formed a tongue 15, and on each
side of the butt of the handle a similar tongue 16, the said tongues being at
equal distances from the hole in the handle, and having a direction transverse
thereto, and the tongues 15 and 16 on either side being so formed that they
may enter the grooves 21, 22, in the piece C, and that the tongues 13, 14, in
the said piece may enter the groove like spaces between the tongues 15, 16,
and the sides of the blade T of the bayonet, as shown in Fig. 1 and 10. In
the butt of the handle there is drilled a central hole for the reception of a
sliding bolt U, which is fitted thereinto, and has applied to it within the said
hole a spiral spring 23, which tends to press it outward as far as permitted by
a stop screw 27, which is screwed through one side of the handle into the
central hole, the point of the said screw entering a notch 28 in the bolt, as
shown in Fig. 11. The head of the bolt is in the form of a cross, as shown
in Fig. 10, and the ends of the cross are fitted to two slots 24 in the front and
back of the butt, and notches 25 and 26 are provided in the tongues 13 and 14
for the reception of one of the arms of the cross for the purpose of locking the
bayonet either in the "fixed" condition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in black
outline, or in the position close under the stock represented in red outline in
the same Figures. As the two opposite sides of the handle corresponding
with the flat sides of the blade are both alike, it does not matter which of the
said sides is applied next the stock of the fire-arm. To attach the bayonet,
its handle is taken in the right hand, while the fire-arm with its butt upon the
ground between the feet has its barrel held in the left hand somewhat lower

page_text: down than is customary in attaching a bayonet having the kind of fastening
commonly used for sword bayonets. The handle has its hole 30 applied to
the pivot w, the bayonet being held oblique to the barrel in order that the
tongues 15, 16, may pass those 13, 14, and the handle is then pushed on to
the pivot. The catch T springs aside out of the way in passing over the
rounded end of the pivot, but slips into the groove 18 when the handle has
been pushed close up to the piece C², and so secures the bayonet to the arm,
but leaves it free to turn upon the pivot to bring it to either of the two
positions shown in black and red outline in Figs. 1 and 2. In bringing the
bayonet to the "fixed" position shown in black outline, the tongues 15 and 16
of the handle pass into the grooves 21, 22, on the piece C, and, the head of
the bolt U passes over either rounded end of tongue 14, and along the edge of
the said tongue until on the arrival of the bayonet in the required position it
(the bolt) arrives opposite to, and slips into the notch 26, thus locking the
bayonet securely against any movement about the pivot w, while the tongues
13, 14, 15, 16, lock it securely against the piece C² of the stock, thus making
an extremely firm and secure attachment. To bring the bayonet to the
position shown in red outline in Figs. 1 and 2, the bolt U is pressed inward
by applying the thumb to its outer extremity, and the bayonet is then free to
swing round on the pivot, but is stopped before arriving at that position by
the bolt U striking the end of the tongue 13, and the bolt requires to be
pressed inward by the thumb before the movement of the bayonet can be
completed. The bayonet is then stopped in the proper position by the bolt U
being sprung into the notch 25. The stoppage of the bayonet, as above
described, before it arrives at the required position, is to prevent injury to the
fingers of the left hand by which the barrel and fore stock are grasped. To
detach the bayonet, the bolt U is first pressed inward, and the bayonet is
turned on the pivot w far enough for the tongues 15, 16, to clear those 13, 14,
and the thumb piece 20 of the catch T is then pressed inward to withdraw
the said catch from the groove 18 in the pivot w, when the handle can be.
drawn off the said pivot.
Having now described this Invention of improvements in fire-arms, and
in the attachment of bayonets or swords thereto, and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, as aforesaid, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent, as aforesaid,―
1st, the connection of the swinging breech D with the breech-operating
lever E by means of the pins F and G having applied in combination with
them the spring f and sliding collar H, or their equivalents, as herein set forth.

page_text: 2nd, the combination of cartridge-drawing fork K with the fulcrum pin
of the breech-operating lever E, the fork K being provided with a pro-
jection m or its equivalent, and operated by the breech-operating lever and
the spring L, as herein specified.
3rd, the mode of applying the tumbler N, the hammer M, and their spindle
or arbor p, p', within the frame A, as herein described.
4th, the attachment of a bayonet or sword to a fire-arm by means of a
pivot, upon which it is rendered capable of swinging to the position known as
"fixed," or to a position close under or beside the stock or barrel, as herein
specified. And in combination with such pivot, I claim the use of the
tongues 13, 14, on the stock or barrel of the fire-arm, the tongues 15, 16, on
the bayonet or sword handle, and the spring bolt U for the purpose of securing
the bayonet rigidly in either of the positions herein above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)