IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caleb Croswell, of No. 8, Salisbury Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from abroad by Samuel
Strong, residing at Washington City, in the United States of
America.
Sealed the 29th December 1863, and dated the 8th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caleb Croswell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
October 1863.
I, CALEB CROSWELL, of No. 8, Salisbury Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-
In constructing breech-loading fire-arms that are to receive cartridges
which carry their own percussion, and which are formed with a flange
at their rear ends for the purpose, the barrel is screwed into a breech-piece
that has formed in it a transverse groove or recess, into which a solid
recoil block is fitted; the block is binged to one side of the breech,
and at the other side it is formed with a spring catch, by which, when the
block is turned down into the recess, it can be retained there. When the
recoil block is turned upwards out of the recess the open end of the barrel
is exposed so that a cartridge can be inserted into it, the cartridge being
prevented from entering too far into the barrel by its flanged end. The recoil

page_text: block has a recess formed in its face that is towards the open end of the
barrel, of a depth to correspond with the thickness of the flange, so that after
the cartridge has been inserted into the barrel the block can be turned down
into the recess; the hammer (which is carried by the fixed part of the breech)
when allowed to fall by the trigger being pulled, explodes the cartridge by
striking against the upper portion of its flange, the recoil block being cut away
to allow of this. In order that the hammer may not be allowed to strike
against the flange when the recoil block is not properly turned down into its
recess a lever catch when the recoil block is turned upwards is by a spring
turned into such a position that one of its ends comes in front of a pin on the
hammer, and so prevents the hammer falling. When the recoil block is
turned down into its recess it comes at the end of its movement against the
other end of this lever and turns the lever out of the way of the pin
on the hammer. In order to withdraw the cartridge after the piece has
been exploded the recoil block has formed in its face that is towards the
barrel and near where it is hinged to the breech, a recess to receive a piece
that is hinged at one end to the block, and that at its other end carries a
wedge or incline, and this end is pressed outwards from the recess by means of
a spring. When the recoil block is shut down into its place the point of the
wedge comes below the end of the barrel, and when the recoil block is turned
upwards the point of the wedge inserts itself between the flange and the end
of the barrel, and the wedge or incline then pushes out the cartridge from
.the barrel to such a distance that it can readily be laid hold of and withdrawn
from the barrel.
may
In place of the arrangement above described the hinged recoil block be
arranged to carry the hammer; in this case the hammer is formed with an
incline upon it, which when the recoil block is shut down into its recess is
_caused to come against the end of the mainspring and depress it; the lower
portion of the hammer has two notches or bents formed in it, a half-cock
and a full-cock bent, and when the recoil block is turned down into its
recess a nose on the trigger enters the half-cock bent and prevents the
hammer from being forced down by the spring. In order to be able to
withdraw the cartridge case after the piece has been fired, a fork on the end
of a lever embraces the cartridge in front of the flange that is at its rear
end. When the recoil block is turned up out of the recess the cartridge
can be withdrawn by pulling the trigger, the trigger then acting on the forked
lever, and so moving out the cartridge.
In order to be able to use a breech-loading fire-arm constructed in the
above manner as a muzzle-loader, a cylindrical block is employed that fits

page_text: within the rear end of the barrel. This block is formed with a flange at
its rear end around the portion of its circumference which is to be embraced
by the fork, in order that the block may be withdrawn from the barrel in the
same way as a cartridge by pulling the trigger. The front end of the block
has a conical recess formed in it, and from the apex of the cone a channel
leads to a passage that passes to a nipple; the nipple is placed in the centre
of the top of the breech, and the hammer is formed in such manner that in
addition to being able to discharge a breech-loading cartridge carrying its own
percussion it can also discharge a cap placed on the nipple; the piece can
thus be used either as a muzzle-loader or as a breech-loader.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Caleb Croswell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CALEB
CROSWELL, of No. 8, Salisbury Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Caleb Croswell, Her special licence that I, the said Caleb Croswell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said Caleb
Croswell, 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," a communication to me from abroad by Samuel Strong, a person
residing at Washington City, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Caleb Croswell, my executors or
administrators, by an 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Caleb Croswell, 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:―
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the Drawings hereunto annexed is a side elevation of
the improved fire-arm with its hammer down; Figure 2 is a side view of the
gun, with the stock removed, the recoil block E partially elevated, and the
hammer H arrested by the guard lever P; Figure 3 is a similar view of the
gun, representing, however, the hammer cocked; Figure 4 is a perspective
view of the recoil block E of the improved gun; and Figure 5 is a perspective
view of the catch, which withdraws the cartridge when the recoil block E is
elevated.
The breech A is attached to the stock B of the improved fire-arm in
the usual mode by means of the straps or tangs C, C', projecting from said
breech-piece. A loading recess or cavity is formed transversely in the breech-
piece A, immediately in the rear of the open end of the barrel D screwed
therein. This cavity is closed by a renovable recoil block E (see Figure 4,)
which is hinged to the lower left-hand side of the breech-piece A, so as to shut
over into the loading recess, and form a solid recoil base for the cartridge placed
in the gun. A recess a (Figure 4) is formed upon the forward side or face of
the vibrating recoil block E of a depth corresponding to the thickness of the
gun
flanged base of the metallic cartridge S to be used with the gun, and upon the
lower portion of this forward face of the block E, just above the aperture 6,
through which its pivot or hinge pin passes, a spring catch F (Figures 4, 5,)
is fitted in a recess formed for the purpose. The front vibrating end of this
spring catch F projects inwardly over the open rear end of the barrel D,
against which it is pressed by means of a flat spring c (Figure 5) fitted between
its inner face and the inner surface of the recess a, in the recoil block which
receives the fixed end of the catch. The front edge e (Figures 2, 5,) of the
vibrating hooked end of the catch F is notched so as to present a wedge shape,
the narrow point terminating at the upper front edge of the end of the catch,
and enlarging gradually therefrom to its lower rear edge, as represented in
Figure 5. When the recoil block E is shut down into the recess for loading
formed in the breech-piece A, the catch F passing below the open end of the
barrel D is pressed forward by its spring.c, so that the point of its wedge-shaped
inclined face e catches or engages with the inner side of the flange upon the
base of the cartridge used. When, therefore, the recoil block is thrown back,
this face e operating as a wedge between the flange of the cartridge case and

page_text: the end of the gun barrel forces out the cartridge case far enough to enable it
to be easily caught and removed by the finger and thumb. The upper or
vibrating end of the recoil block E is made to project over the breech-piece A
when closed down within the loading cavity therein, and it is secured by a
suitable angular spring actuated catch G (Figure 4), whose lower notched arm
passes into a suitably formed recess in the side of the breech-piece A. This
angular catch G is pivotted within a recess formed for its reception in the
lower side of the projecting vibrating end of the recoil block E.
The hammer H of the improved gun is shaped as clearly illustrated in
Figures 2, 3, of the annexed Drawings. It is pivotted between ears J rising
from opposite sides of the tang C, immediately in the rear of the breech-piece A,
and is actuated through the medium of a bridle piece L, by the mainspring M
secured to the inner surface of the tang C, Figures 2, 3. The inner end of
the trigger N, which is also pivotted immediately in the rear of the breech-
piece A, is hooked and made to engage with the ratchet teeth n, n, n, (formed
upon the curved lower side of the hammer H) by means of the sear spring O.
A guard lever P is pivotted within a slot formed for its reception in the rear
end of the breech-piece A, upon the right-hand side of the hammer H. The
inner face of the inner arm of this lever vibrates against the right-hand flat
surface of the hammer whilst its outer arm projects outwardly into the loading
cavity as shown in Figures 2, 3. A springs is placed beneath this outer arm,
pressing it up against the upper edge of the slot in which it vibrates.
in this position the end of its inner arm engages with a stop R upon the right-
hand side or face of the hammer H whenever the trigger is disengaged from
the ratchet teeth n, n, n, thereon, as seen in Figure 2. Thus while the recoil
block is thrown up, and the loading cavity left open, the hammer is prevented
from falling even when disengaged from the control of the trigger. When,
however, the loading aperture is closed by shutting down the recoil block E,
the outer end of the lever P is forced down, the resistance of the springs,
overcome by the weight of recoil block E, and the inner end of the lever
thereby thrown up, so as to be free and clear of the stop R. Hence, when
the recoil block E is closed, the hammer is controlled by the action of the
trigger N alone, and is left free to discharge the gun. A slot is cut in the
upper surface of the recoil block E, through which the hammer falls and
When
explodes the primed cartridge used by striking its edge. In loading the
improved arm, the hammer is first drawn back to half-cock, and the catch G
being disengaged from its notch in the breech-piece by pressure of the finger;
the recoil block is released from its fastening and thrown back, opening the
loading cavity. Through this cavity a primed metallic cartridge is inserted

page_text: into the chamber in the open rear end of the gun barrel. In raising the recoil
block E out of the loading cavity the springs is left free to operate upon the
lever P, and at once throws it into a position (shown in Figure 2), in which
it will engage the stop R on the hammer H. By this device all possibility of
premature discharge of the cartridge by a blow from the hammer while the
loading chamber remains open is prevented. The cartridge being properly
inserted and pushed into the chamber of the barrel, the recoil block is closed,
and the lever P thereby thrown free and clear of the stop R, leaving the
hammer entirely under the control of the trigger N. The automatic action of
the spring catch G of itself fastens and secures the recoil block, and prevents
it from flying back. While the recoil block remains shut down, the catch F
upon its forward face is pressed against the rear end of the gun barrel, with its
upper point below the flange of the cartridge. Hence when the recoil block
is raised the point of the wedge-shaped projection formed upon the front edge e
of the catch is forced between the flange of the cartridge and the end of the
gun barrel, as shown in Figure 2, and its gradually increasing width gradually
draws the cartridge back out of the barrel. By this means, when the recoil
block is thrown back entirely out of the cavity, the cartridge has been drawn
or wedged out sufficiently to permit it to be readily seized.
The advantages incident to this simple and effective arrangement of the
breech of the improved arm are evident, and need no enumeration here.
What I claim therein as new as respects this part of the Invention is,
first, the cartridge catch (F, Figure 5), with its lateral spring c, operating and
arranged in combination with a recoil block E and a flanged metallic cartridge,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Second, I claim the arrangement and combination of a vibrating lever P or
its equivalent with the recoil block E and hammer H of a breech-loading gun,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Third, I also claim the arrangement and combination with each other of
the cartridge retractor F (with its lateral spring c), recoil block E, angular
catch G, vibrating lever P, breech-piece A, and hammer H, of the improved
breech-loading fire-arm as herein described, and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Another part of this Invention consists in improvements designed to render
breech-loading fire-arms, of which that shown on Sheet 1 is a type, not only
more effective as breech-loaders, but equally so when it becomes expedient
to load the same class of arms at the muzzle.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a musket with the improvements
attached; Figure 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section through.the.same;

page_text: Figure 3 is a front elevation of the hinged breech-piece; Figure 4 is a rear
elevation of the same; Figures 5 and 6 are views of the lever, which releases
the cartridge case, and Figures 7, 8, 9, are respectively end, perspective, and
side views of the plug used when the arm is changed from a breech to a
muzzle loading fire-arm.
These improvements have relation to an improved mode of changing the
breech-loader to a muzzle-loader, and to a method of withdrawing the dis-
charged cartridge by simply a pull on the trigger, and to these ends the
Invention consists in the employment of a solid plug or removable breech
made to fit nicely the bore of the barrel, and having a conical depression at its
forward end to receive the base of the common muzzle-loading cartridge, the
vent passing from the apex of the depression to the nipple, which is inserted
centrally in the top of the solid part of the breech-piece and barrel, and at
such an angle to the face of the hammer as to enable the cap to receive a
full blow over its top, and thus cause an explosion of the fulminate with
absolute certainty, whilst the base of the plug or removable breech is so con-
structed as to prevent the escape of any gas around it from the explosion
of the charge, and be at the same time readily removed by a pull on the
trigger.
And the Invention further consists in the employment of a lever, one end
of which is made to clasp the cartridge cap whilst the other end is vibrated by
the trigger to release the cap after the cartridge has been exploded or the plug
when the arm is to be used as a breech-loader.
In the accompanying Drawings A represents the barrel of the musket with
its hinged breech-piece B in place with the hammer e at half cock. The lock
consists of the hammer e, which vibrates upon a pin a passing transversely
through, and fastened to the hinged breech-piece B; bis the mainspring
secured to one end by a screw or otherwise to the solid portion of the breech
at the grasp, whilst its opposite end is left free to move within a space left by
the hinged breech-piece when open but rubbing beneath, and depressed by a
recess in the foot of the hammer when the hinged breech-piece is closed. The
trigger D is secured by a pin to the lower part of the solid portion of the
breech at its rear end. In order to expel the exploded cartridge case, or to
withdraw the solid plug from the breech, I pivot a vibrating bifurcated lever I
upon a fulcrum i, in such manner that its forks embrace the lock end of the
plug or case while its toe or point rests against the face of the trigger. This
lever is held in position by a spring . To load the gun the catch k is released
by compressing the jaws K, and the hinged breech-piece B turned to one side
on its pivot b', so as to be out of the line of the axis of the barrel. The

page_text: cartridge or plug F is then inserted into the chamber, and the breech-piece
swung back into its place and locked by the catch. The hammer bears upon
the mainspring which tends to press the head of the hammer upon the cap,
but this tendency is counteracted by the nose of the trigger, which enters the
notch c', on the face of the hammer, and holds the piece at half cock. The
piece is cocked and fired in the usual way; after firing the breech-piece is
thrown back as before, and the plug or case F withdrawn by pulling the
trigger, which vibrates the lever I, the forks of which embrace a flange on the
cartridge. A new case is then inserted, and the former actions repeated.
The lower end of the hammer is notched to receive the point of the trigger
as shown at c and c'.
It will thus be seen that in this improvement the lock for breech-
loading-fire-arms has the parts independent of each other, and attached to
separate portions of the breech, yet they are so combined that when the breech
is in place the several parts of the lock work as a unit, and when the breech
is not properly in place an accidental explosion of the cartridge cannot be pro-
duced by the lock.
A further description of these parts is here unnecessary, as a reference to
the Drawing, Sheet 1, will fully exhibit the construction and mode of operation
of the said breech-loading arm.
་
What I claim as new as respects this part of the Invention is, the com-
bination of the solid plug with the hinged breech-piece, the centrally placed
stationary nipple, and a mechanism for removing the plug substantially in the
manner described, for the purpose of converting the breech-loading into a
muzzle-loading fire-arm.
Second, I claim the lever I pivotted to the solid portion of the breech-
piece, and vibrated by the trigger when the hinged breech-piece is thrown
back to remove the cartridge case or plug substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Caleb Croswell, bave hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
CALEB CROSWELL. (L.s.)