IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edouard Buisson at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 27th November 1876.
EDOUARD BUISSON, of Boulevard Saint Denis, 1, at Paris, Captain of Marine
Foot. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPLIANCES OR
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
In constructing a breech-loading fire-arm which shall be supported and main-
tained in a rational manner I have chiefly endeavoured to do away with the fatigue
which is caused by carrying the gun and to effect precision. I attain these
objects,-
First. By causing the gun to be supported by the shoulder and to be sustained
by the hand in all the positions of carrying the gun, of charging, of firing, and in
the act of firing itself by utilizing for the charge and firing the resistance of the
body.
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Secondly. By rendering the putting of the gun in the plane or line of fire easy
and certain.
Aud, Thirdly. By effecting the pressure of the finger on the trigger at the point
where the gun is held against the body.
These objects are attained by the combined means which I am about to
describe,
I. Support and Maintenance of the Arm or Gun.-The support of the gun by the
shoulder is effected by means of a leather sling analogous to that used at present in
military and sporting guns. The points of attachment of this sling, instead of being
below the arm to the swivels of the front and back "bands," are above, the swivels
being placed for this purpose respectively on a band near the back sight and on the
butt. The sling slides freely in its front swivel, a stop preventing it. escaping there-
from. When the gun rests on the ground the sling is drawn partly through its
front swivel, so as to prevent its getting soiled, but when the man places it on his
shoulder the sling is drawn back again so as to be sufficiently long to be easily
slipped over his shoulder, and to support the gun either in the position for carrying
the gun or for charging. In this latter position the retention of the sling on the
shoulder is effected by means of a hook sewn or fixed on to the coat. The main-
tenance of the arm is effected by the construction of the butt or stock in a particular
manner, permitting the hand on the one part to exert a varied action of the gun,
[Price 2d1

page_text: according to the position which it occupies, and on the other part to be placed
against the body, which thus serves as a point of support, consequently favoring the
development of the muscular action. The butt is composed of an iron or other
metal plate having a double bend, the first portion of which is a downward bend
from the bridge, and the second a bend to the horizontal position or nearly so at the
rear end. Two wooden cheeks are placed against the iron plate. The plate is
connected to the barrel by the breech nail or screw, and to the frame or stock by a
wood screw and by a band or collar which consolidates the stock while assuring its
perfect junction with the cheeks of the butt.
It will be understood that the support and maintenance of the gun in the manner
above described offer important advantages, especially in carrying the gun. In the
first place only the shoulder supports the gun, and the shoulder being the most solid
point of the body there is no fatigue. In the second place the contact of the soft
leather is not uncomfortable like the contact of the wooden portion of the gun
against the clavicle when the gun is carried on the right shoulder; this support is
therefore very suitable. In the third place the hand is not fatigued, and in the
fourth place, as the mode of support is always the same, it is simple, no change of
position being necessary. For charging the gun, and for firing, the advantages obtained
are identical. As regards the maintenance the bend of the butt allows, in charging
and firing, of the hand being placed on the butt and supported against the body at
a firm and resisting point, of thus utilizing the resistance of the body, and of assisting
all the muscular action of which the hand is capable in a simple manner and without
fatigue.
II. Easy and certain Placing of the Gun in the Plane or Line of Fire.-I obtain
the easy and certain placing of the gun in the plane of fire by means of a back
sight and a fore sight arranged in special, conditions as to height. My sighting
apparatus is composed, first, of a back siglt 4 inches (10 centimetres) high, solid at
the lower part, but hollow or open at the upper, and on this upper part is a slide
which effects the adjustment of the sight; and, secondly, of a fore sight also 4 inches
(10 centimetres) high, open and ending in a point. These two picces are fitted on:
two feet analogous to the feet of the back sight in the Chassepot gun. When lowered
on their feet they are protected by flanges or pieces soldered in the case of the back
sight to the barrel, and in the case of a fore sight to a band near the muzzle. By
this combination the plane of fire is well defined; the displacement of the gun out
of this plane is much more apparent, since the back and fore sights are higher. It
will be readily understood that the are of displacement corresponding to a high back
sight is more sensible than that corresponding to a low one.
III. Pressure of the Finger effected at the Point where the Gun is supported
against the Body.-It is by a special transmission of movement to the nib of the
tumbler or scar that I am enabled to effect the pressure of the finger at the point
where the gun is supported against the body. The tumbler or scar and its spring
are embedded in the plate; the spring has an upward deflection, which compels the
nib of the tumbler or sear to always remain in the cavity formed for its passage in
the breech chamber. A rod connected on the one hand to the detent, and on the
other to the lower end of the nib of the tumbler or scar allows by the pressure of
finger on the trigger of effecting the necessary transinission of movement to fire the
gun. As the pressure of the finger is thus exerted at the point where the gun is
supported against the body, and the hand itself is applied there, the action of the
tinger cannot displace the gun, as is the case in firing ordinary guns.