IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edgar Brooks, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 12th December 1868, and dated the 23rd June 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edgar Brooks at the
: Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
June 1863.
J, EDGAR BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to those kinds of breech-loading fire-arms in which
the breech ends of the barrels are opened and closed by the said barrels sliding
longitudinally on the body, the said barrels being incapable of motion in a
vertical plane. The barrels are moved from the break-off to uncover their
breech ends for loading, and pressed and held against the said break-off for
discharge.
My improvements in breech-loading fire-arms of the kind described consist

page_text: as berein-after explained, in connecting the sliding barrel or barrels to the
body of the fire-arm in a simpler and more effectual manner than the ordinary
method, and also in locking or fixing the barrel or barrels to the body more
securely than by the ordinary method..
I will describe my improvements in connection with a double-barrelled
fire-arm. I make on the under side of each of the barrels near the breech
end one or more studs, having heads. In the upper side of the fore part of
the stock two under-cut slots are made, the tops of the said slots having
openings a little larger than the heads of the studs on the under side of the
barrels; by bringing the said studs-opposite the openings at the top of the
slots, dropping the said studs therein, and sliding the barrels towards the
break-off, the heads of the said studs engage with the under-cut slots, and
connect the barrels to the body, and prevent the barrels rising vertically from.
the said body. A loop is made on the under side of the barrels near the studs
before described, in which loop a bolt passed through the fore part of the fire-
arm works, and limits the sliding motion of the barrels on the body; by
withdrawing the said bolt, and moving the barrels until the studs on their
under side come opposite the openings at the end of the slots in the fore part,
the said barrels can readily be lifted from the said fore part. I make the ends
of the barrels which engage with the break-off conical externally, and I make s
circular depressions in the break-off suitable to receive the conical ends of the
barrels; by sliding the barrels. home against the break-off, the conical pro-
jections enter the recesses in the break-off, and assist in holding the barrels
firmly to the body during discharge, and also prevent the escape of gas at the
breech. The barrels may either be moved from or towards the break-off by
hand, or by means of a rack, and pinion. When a rack and pinion are
employed, the pinion may either work horizontally or vertically. In the former
case, the teeth of the pinion gear with teeth on one side of the barrels, and
in the latter case the teeth of the pinion gear with teeth situated between the
barrels. Or the barrels may be made to slide backwards and forwards by
means of a forked lever, jointed to the under side of the fore part. I lock or
fix the barrels in the following manner: On the under side of the barrels at
the breech end, and between the studs before referred to, is a projecting bar.
at right angles to the barrels. The said bar works in a longitudinal slot' in
the body.
When the barrels 'are forced against the break-off the said bar
enters a slot in a circular 'roller, working in a recess in the body of the fire-
arm. The said roller is capable of rotation by means of an arm or lever
connected with its under side. The slot in the said roller, into which the bar
enters, is nearly but not concentric with its axis, so that when the roller is

page_text: turned in the direction proper to fix the barrels, the slightly eccentric slot
draws the bar on the barrels towards the break-off, and fixes the ends of the
barrels firmly against the said break-off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edgar Brooks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDGAR
BROOKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, 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 Edgar Brooks, Her special licence that. I, the said Edgar Brooks, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edgar
Brooks, 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-ARME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edgar
Brooks, 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.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edgar Brooks, 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 :-
My Invention has reference to breech-loading fire-arms, in which the breech
ends of the barrels are opened and closed by the said barrels sliding longitu-
dinally on the body, the said barrels being incapable of motion in a vertical
plane. The barrels are moved from the break-off to uncover their breech ends
for loading, and held against the said break-off for discharge.

page_text: My improvements in breech-loading fire-arms of the kind described consist
as herein-after explained in connecting the sliding barrel or barrels to the body
of the fire-arm in a simpler and more effectual manner than the ordinary
method, and also in locking or fixing the barrel or barrels to the body more
securely than by the ordinary method.
I will describe my improvements in connection with a double-barrelled fire-
arm. I make on the under side of each of the barrels near the breech end
one or more studs having heads, or between the barrels a projection or rib
having a long stud on one part thereof. In the upper side of the fore part of
the stock two undercut slots are made, the said slots having openings a little
larger than the heads of the studs on the under side of the barrels; by bringing
the said studs opposite the openings in the slots, dropping the said studs
therein and sliding the barrels towards the break-off, the heads of the studs
engage with the undercut slots and connect the barrels to the body, and pre-
vent the barrels rising vertically from the said body. When a long stud
between the barrels is used only one undercut slot is made in the body. A
loop is made on the under side of the barrels, in which loop a bolt passed
through the fore part of the fire-arm works and limits the sliding motion of
the barrels on the body; by withdrawing the said bolt and moving the
barrels until the stud or studs on their under side come opposite the openings
in the slots in the fore part, the said barrels can readily be lifted from the said
'fore part. I make the ends of the barrels which engage with the break-off
conical externally, and I make circular depressions in the break-off suitable
to receive the conical ends of the barrels; by sliding the barrels home
against the break off, the conical projections enter the recesses in the break-off
and assist in holding the barrels firmly to the body during discharge, and also
prevent the escape of gas at the breech. The barrels may either be moved
from or towards the break-off by hand, or by means of a rack and pinion.
When a rack and pinion are employed the pinion may either work horizontally
or vertically. In the former case the teeth of the pinion gear with teeth on
one side of the barrels, and in the latter case the teeth of the pinion gear with
teeth situated between the barrels. Or the barrels may be made to slide
backwards and forwards by means of a forked lever jointed to the under side
of the fore part, I lock or fix the barrels in the following manner :-On the
under side of the barrels at the breech end near the stud or studs before
referred to is a projecting bar at right angles to the barrels. The said bar
works in a longitudinal slot in the body. When the barrels are forced against
.the break-off the said bar enters a slot in a circular roller working in a recess
in the body of the fire-arm. The said roller is capable of rotation by means

page_text: of an arm or lever connected with its under side. The slot in the said roller,
into which the bar enters, is nearly but not quite concentric with its axis, so
that when the roller is turned in the direction proper to fix the barrels, the
slightly excentric slot draws the bar on the barrels towards the break-off, and
fixes the ends of the barrels firmly against the said break-off. The barrels are
further locked or fixed to the body by another bar on the under side of the
barrels entering a recess in a lever, which lever is raised and lowered by the
action of the roller before described.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section, the barrels being in
elevation, a portion of a double-barrelled breech-loading gun containing my
improvements, the gun being fixed in position for firing; Figure 2 represents
the same with the barrels unlocked and moved from the break-off in position
for charging; Figure 3 represents a side elevation of Figure 1 with the stock
and other parts omitted; Figure 4 is a plan of the under side of Figure 3, and
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of the same; Figure 6 is an elevation
of the barrels separately, and Figure 7 is a plan of the under side of the same;
Figure 8 represents a plan of the upper face of the body.. The same letters
of reference are used to indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
My improvements in connecting the barrels to the body are as follows:-
a, a, are the barrels capable of sliding to and from the break-off b. On the
under side of the said barrels and between them is a longitudinal rib.c, the
part of which is enlarged so as to form a head to the said rib c, the said
part & constituting a long stud (see Figures 5, 6, and 7). In the upper side
of the body and in the fore part of the stock an undercut slot d is made, in
the middle of which slot is an opening d' a little larger than the expanded
part or stud c³ of the rib c. The rib c works in the undercut slot d, the part
or stud c³ working against the undercut portion of the said slot (see Figure 5,)
and thereby connects the barrels to the body, and prevents the said barrels from
rising vertically. In order to disconnect the barrels a from the body of the
gun the bolt e is withdrawn, and the barrels are moved from the break-off b
until the part or stud c³ on the rib c comes opposite the larger opening d³ in
the body, when the said stud c³ can be lifted through the said opening, and the
barrels removed from the body. To re-connect the barrels, the stud c is
dropped through the opening d and the barrels then moved towards the

page_text: break-off b. The stud
thus engages with the undercut slot d, and connects
the barrels to the body. A loop f is made in the rib c, in which loop the
bolt e works, the said bolt being passed through the fore part of the gun.
The bolt e and slot flimit the sliding motion of the barrels a on the body;
the barrels a may be moved by hand or by means of a rack and pinion;
when a rack and pinion are employed, the pinion may either work horizontally
or vertically. In the former case the teeth of the pinion gear with teeth on
one side of the barrels, and in the latter case the teeth of the pinion gear with
teeth situated between the barrels, or the barrels may be made to slide back-
wards and forwards by means of a forked lever jointed to the under side of the
fore part. The ends a³ of the barrels a, which engage with the break-off b,
are conical externally, and I make circular depressions in the break-off 6 to
receive the said conical ends. By sliding the barrels a home against the
break-off 6, the conical projections a³ enter the recesses in the said break-off,
and assist in holding the barrels firmly to the body, and also prevent the escape
of gas at the breech.
My improvements in locking or fixing the barrels a to the body are as
follows: On the enlarged part or stud c³ of the rib c and at right angles
to the barrels a is a bar g; the inner side of which is curved to the radius of
the slot in the roller next described. Underneath the break-off 6 is a circular
roller h, the upper part of the axis of which works in the break-off b, and the
lower part
in the guard plate i of the gun. The said roller his capable of
rotation by means of an arm or lever k connected with its axis, as represented
in Figures 1 and 2. On the upper face of the roller ha slot h³ is made, the
said slot being slightly excentric to the axis of the said roller. The shape of
the slot h³ will be best seen by referring to the plan of the upper side of the
said roller, represented separately in Figure 9. When the barrels are forced
against the break-off, the said bar 9 enters the slot h³ in the roller h, as repre-
sented in Figure 1. On the part or stud c, and parallel with the bar g, is
another bar l, which bar l, when the barrels a are locked against the break off
in the position represented in Figure 1, is engaged against a shoulder on the
lever m. The said lever m has a slight motion in a vertical plane on the
centre m³, and its end m³ works in a slot n in the periphery of the roller h;
the said slot n is partly horizontal and partly inclined, as best seen in Figure 3.
The barrels a having been charged and pushed home against. the break-off b,
the barg enters the wide part of the slot h³ in the face of the roller h. By
giving a partial rotation to the roller h by the lever or handle k, the upper or
narrow part of the excentric slot h³ in the said roller engages with the bar g

page_text: and draws it towards the break-off b, and fixes the ends of the barrels firmly
against the said break-off. During the motion of the roller h to lock the
barrels by its engagement with the .bar g, the lever m is raised from the
position represented in Figure 2 to that represented in Figure 1 by the action
of the inclined part of the slot n upon the end of the pin or end m³ of the
said lever m. By the raising. of the lever m, a shoulder m* near the end of
the said lever bears against and supports the bar 1, the upper side of the said
lever entering a recess in the rib c on the under side of the barrels, as repre
sented in the said Figure 1. The barrels a are thus fixed or locked in their
places during discharge by the said lever m and bar in addition to the bar g
and roller h. After the gun has been discharged, in order to reload the
barrels the lever or handle k is turned from the position represented in
Figure 1 to that represented in Figure 2. The first motion of the roller h
causes. the end of the lever 'm to descend the inclined part of the slot n into
the horizontal part, the said lever turning on its centre into a horizontal
plane, and thus removing the said lever m from the bar 7 and recess in the
rib c; the motion of the roller hat the same time liberates the bar 9 from
the slot h³, and thereby unlocks the barrels. The barrels being at liberty to.
move, the further rotation of the roller h causes the shoulder h³ (see Figure 9)
to act upon the bar g, and push the barrels a short distance from the
break-off b. The barrels can then be moved by hand or by the mechanism
herein-before described to the position represented in Figure 2, where the
cartridges or charges can be introduced into the open breech ends of the said
barrels. When the barrels are locked, the lever k, which moves the roller h,
lies under the guard, as represented in Figure 1. The relative positions of
the locking mechanism, when the barrels are locked and unlocked, will be
readily understood by an examination of the sections, Figures 1 and 2.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the "mannnr in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but
I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-loading fire-arms in
which the breech. ends of the barrels are opened and closed by the said
barrels sliding longitudinally on the body,―
Firstly, connecting the barrels of the said fire-arms to the bodies by con-
structing or arranging the several parts essentially in the manner herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, mechanism for locking or fixing the barrels of the said fire-arms

page_text: to the bodies, and releasing and giving the said barrels a slight sliding motion
from the break-off, constructed essentially in the manner herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edgar Brooks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
EDGAR BROOKS. (L.B.)