An Improvement in Breech Loading Ordnance.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
لار
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Breech Loading Ordnance.
A communication from abroad by THE DRIGGS-SEABURY GUN & AMMUNITION
COMPANY, a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the
State of New Jersey, U.S.A., and whose principal office is at No. 120, Liberty
Street, New York City, New York, United States of America.
I, PHILLIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 55 & 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, London, England, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in breech loading ordnance; and it
consists in improved means for rotating the breech block in the carrier ring, for
opening and closing the breech, for firing the gun, for protecting the gun ser-
vants from premature fires, and for ejecting the empty cartridge case when the
gun is constructed to use fixed ammunition; but the extractor forms a separable
part of the invention which may or may not be used, as may be desired.
The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several
views.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the breech of the gun, with the breech
closed.
Figure 2 represents a horizontal central section through the breech and breech
mechanism, with the parts shewn as they would appear after firing and before
the block is unlocked from the gun.
"Figure 3 is a perspective view of the parts shewn in Figure 1, with the breech
open.
Figure 4 is chiefly a horizontal central section, through the breech and breech
mechanism, but with some portions broken away and others shewn in plan, with
the breech mechanism at the extreme limit of its opening movement."
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the extractor lever.
Figure 7 is a detail in sectional perspective, for shewing the relation of the
lugs on the extractor lever to the lugs on the carrier.
Figure 8 is a perspective view, shewing the hinge lug plate of the gun
detached.
Figure 9 is a sectional perspective shewing the carrier and breech block and
their operative parts, detached from the gun.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the breech block detached from the carrier.
Figure 11 is a sectional perspective of the carrier, with the breech block,
rotator and firing pin removed.
Figure 12 is an end elevation of the breech block, with the finger of the
rotating lever shewn in section, and the line of the lever's travel shewn in dotted
lines.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the sear.

page_text: Figures 14 and 15 are perspective views of a breech block and carrier, respec-
tively, shewing a modified construction for connecting the block and carrier.
Figure 16 and 17 are perspective views, illustrating a further modification for
connecting the breech block and carrier, involving the carrier ring shewn in
Figure 16, which is removably secured to the carrier shewn in Figure 17.
pro-
Figure 18 is a detail, partly in section, shewing the means for closing the
rotator finger slot in the breech block carrier for the purpose of keeping out dust.
The breech mechanism is of the slotted screw system, the block 6 screws into
the carrier c, and always engages therewith. The carrier plate c is hinged to the
plate a² at the side of the gun, by the hinge pin c. The surfaces of the screw
segments in the breech and on the block, are cut away, with respect to the hinge
pine, for permitting the block to swing directly out of the breech and into the
same, when unlocked. The block b is recessed to fit over a bearing pintle
jecting from the inner face of the carrier, in line with the axis of the
gun, when
the carrier is in its closed position. A bell crank hand lever h has its elbow
pivoted by the pin ¹ to suitable lugs, projecting from the rear face
of the carrier plate, and the short arm or finger 2 of this bell
crank lever h, working through a slot in the carrier plate, engages a
socket, eccentrically located, on the rear end of the breech block b, for rotat-
ing said block into its locked or unlocked position in respect to the
engaging surfaces of said lever finger and of said block socket 6 are cur-
The
vilinear, in the plane of rotation, for co-action as the members of a ball and
socket joint; and the diameter of said socket 6', radial to the block, is greater
than the corresponding diameter of the finger h², for permitting the latter to
travel in a horizontal straight line, while the former moves in the arc of a circle,
as best shewn in Figure 12. Otherwise stated, the said lever h is mounted to
move substantially tangential to the block, at the point of its connection there-
with; and the ball and socket connection between the lever finger and the block,
permits the required relative motions of said block and lever, with respect to
each other.
gun.
In virtue of the fact that said lever his thus mounted to move substantially
tangential to the block, as above described, the component of rotation on the
block is almost exactly in the direct line of the lever's travel. Hence, a direct
and powerful leverage is applied to rotate the block practically without any
waste whatever.
The body of the finger his sector-shaped, as shewn at hº, (see Fig. 18), so as
to close the slot 3, in the carrier plate, for the exclusion of dust or dirt, when
the breech mechanism is in its closed position. The hand lever h is also provided
with a segmental cam h³ for cooperation with the cocking stud of the firing pin,
as will presently appear.
The breech block is also provided, on its rear end, with an eccentrically
located stop stud 62, which works in a stop groove in the face of the carrier
plate, for limiting the unlocking rotary movement of the block, under the action
of the hand lever, and serving also to lock the sear, as will later appear.
The carrier may be provided with a stepped or shouldered spring bolt or
latch, the body of which is adapted to engage with a notch 63 on the rear end
of the block, for locking the block to the carrier, against further rotary move-
ment in either direction, when the block is unlocked from the gun. This catch c
serves thus, to lock the block from rotation, during all the time that the block
is out of the gun; but, as soon as the block re-enters the gun, and before the
relocking movement begins, the forward end of said bolt will strike the gun
and thus be forced backward, against its spring, so as to disengage the body of
the bolt from the lock notch of the block, thereby permitting the latter to
rotate on its bearing pintle c², as required for locking the block to the gun.
The firing pin p is centrally disposed in a suitable axial passage, formed partly 5
in the block b and partly in the bearing pintle c² of the carrier. The stem of
said firing pin 2 passes out through the carrier plate, and has a head p¹ fixed

page_text: thereto, by the cocking stud p². The said stud is subject to the downturned
lip of the segmental.cam h³, on the hand leverth, for cocking and guarding the
firing pin, as will later more fully appear The firing pin p has 'a collar p³ which
works in a counterbore p of the pintle and is subject to the firing. spring. 25,
which reacts between the said collar and the back or base of said counterbore.
The said collar 73 has a bevelled or conical face, for seating against the bell
mouthed rear end of the pin passage pin the. block, after firing. The end of
the bearing pintle never abuts tightly against the breech block, but always
leaves an open joint p', between 'said parts, which communicates with passages p8,
extending longitudinally through said pintle and carrier, radially outward of
the counterbore p4, but within the radius; of the pin head pl. The pin collar p³
is of a length to cover said joint opening p7, (Fig. 9), when said collar is seated,
and serves as a valve against the mouth of the pin passage "p in the block.
Hence, in case of a "blow back," upon firing the pressure on said pin collar
will force the same outward into the counterbore 7, thereby uncovering the
joint opening p7 and permitting the gas to escape through. the passages. p, with-
out entering the recess for the pin in the pintle. The outward movement of the
firing pin p, in case of "blow back," is limited by the abutment of the pin
head against the hub of the hand lever h. After firing, the pin head p²
covers the outer ends of said vents 28, thereby excluding dust: When the firing
pin is cocked, said joint opening p is also uncovered; thereby permitting. the
escape of air through said vents 8, when closing the breech.
:
The stem of the firing pin passes through the eye of the sears, which is
mounted, on the carrier, in a radial seat intersecting the segmental stop groove c¹
of the carrier and one of the vents 28 in the bearing pintle. The sear is pressed
on by a stiff springs, pressing the same against the pin; and when the sear
engages with the cocking notch of the pin, a perforations in the sear registers
with the vent 28 in the pintle, and a notch s¹, on the forward face of the sear,
registers with said stop groove of the carrier, for receiving the stop pin 6²
on the breech block. Under the opening movement of the hand lever h, on its
hinge pin h, the firing pin is cocked, by the cam h³, just before
the completion of the unlocking rotary movement of the block, under
the action of the lever finger 2. Hence, at the finish of the un-
locking rotary motion of the block, the stop stud 2 of the block enters the
sear notch 3, with the effect of locking the sear and the firing pin in cocked
position, until the relocking movement of the block has begun. At the same
time that the sear is thus locked by the stud 62, the block is locked from further
rotation on the carrier by the spring bolt c, as hitherto described. Hence, the
sear lock continues, during all the time that the block is out of the gun, thereby
preventing uncocking or premature discharge from any accidental displacement
of the sear from jars or other causes, and also preventing the sear from being
accidentally pulled out of its cocked position. The cam h³ also acts as a guard
to the firing pin, during the whole of the opening movement of the hand lever h,
both while turning on its hinge pin h and while turning with the carrier on the
carrier hinge pin c. This guarding action of the cam h³ on the firing pin also
continues during the return or closing movement of the breech mechanism, up
to the final part of the locking movement of the block to the breech. At the
finish of the locking movement of the block to the breech, the lip of the cam h³
must, of course, be in a position to afford the necessary clearance to the cocking
stud p², for permitting the firing action. From the foregoing statement, it will
be seen that during all the time that the block is out of the gun, two guards
against premature discharge are in action; and this is also true, for an instant,
before the completion of the unlocking movement of the block, and, for an
instant, after the relocking motion of the block begins. Then, during the
remainder of the locking movement of the block, a single guard, to-wit, the
cam h³, continues to act until just before the final step of the block's locking
movement.

page_text: The action of the sear has been described as if the sear itself was used as the
trigger, for the attachment of the lanyard. But, as shewn, the sear is provided
with a toe s, for cooperation with the spring seated trigger s located on the gun.
A guide hook 6 is also, shewn on the gun for the lanyard, when firing from the
rear.
Later
The extractor e for the empty cartridge case is mounted in a suitable seat in
the breech of the gun, so as to work or slide in one of the blank segments
thereof. The said extractor e is perforated as at el, for receiving the inner end
of the extractor lever r. This extractor lever is mounted in a suitable* recess a¹
cut in the wall of the gun breech a directly opposite to the carrier hinge pin c¹.
The hinge lug plate a of the gun is also provided with a passage a³, as shewn
in Figure 8, for the extractor lever. The said extractor lever r, is formed with
an enlarged head, having an elongated eye r¹, through which the carrier hinge
pin c¹ passes. The crown, or outer end of this lever head, is cut away, to afford
a front pair of lugs 2, and a rear pair of lugs r projecting from the reduced con-
necting web of the head. The hinge lugs of the carrier care provided with a
pair of projecting lugs t facing each other and spaced apart, for embracing the
web 3 of the extractor lever r. These lugs on the carrier interlock with the
lugs and of the extractor lever, at certain parts of the carrier's movement.
The said lugs t on the carrier are so shaped as to form a shoulder on the
carrier, which shoulder operates at the proper time on the lever head, at or near
the lugs With this construction and relation of the lugs on the carrier and
the lugs on the extractor lever, clearly in mind, the action of the extractor lever
may be best understood by reference to Figures 2 and 4. In the position of the
parts, after firing, as shewn in Figure 2, the extractor e and the extractor lever r
are so related that the said lever fulcrums on the gun, at the point .
cn, the fulcrum of said lever r shifts to the point vl, near the exterior of the gun,
and finally the fulcrum shifts to the carrier pin c. The lugs t, on the carrier,
are so related to: the lugs 2 and 4, on the extractor lever, that a limited amount
of idle. movement is permitted to the carrier before action begins on the extrac-
tor lever. This permits the moving parts of the breech closing mechanism to
gather considerable momentum, before the lugs t of the carrier abut against the
Jugs 3, on the head of the extractor lever, in the opening movement.
As quick
as the lugs t of the carrier do interlock with the lugs of the lever head, the
extractor lever, the carrier c, and the hand lever h become practically a single
lever of the first class, with the fulcrum on the gun at the point v, near to the
weight of the extractor c. This long leverage, together with the gathered
momentum of the moving parts, affords a powerful prizing action for starting the
cartridge case from the gun. In this primary action, the lever head moves for-
ward, across the carrier pin c¹, until the lever fulcrums at the point ¹ on the gun.
When this occurs, an accelerated motion will be imparted to the extractor e,
until the head of the lever is moved forward to its limit crosswise of the carrier
.pin.cl. When this occurs, the carrier pin c¹ becomes the fulcrum, and the
shoulder t¹, on the carrier, suddenly. strikes the head of the lever, at or near the
lugs, with the effect of imparting a sudden jerk to the extractor, and bringing
the parts into the position shewn in Figure 4. On the reverse: or closing move-
ment' of the breech mechanisin, the carrier lugs t act on the rearward lugs of
the extractor lever, after a limited idle motion, with the effect of first moving
the head rearward, across the carrier pin c¹, until the lever fulcrums on the gun,
at the point ; and, thereafter, motion continues, over the fulcrum 2, until
the parts are thrown into the position shewn in Figure 2.
..
The extractor lever r is shewn as provided with a shoulder 5, which cooperates
with the enlarged part of the lever; for closing the passage a³ in the gun hinge
lug a substantially dust tight, when the parts are in their closed position, as
shewn in Figure 2.
When the breech mechanism is in its closed position, the raised part of the
carrier plate directly surrounding the breech block, fits into a slightly tapered,

page_text: counterbored recess a³, at the mouth of the breech, for closing the breech with
a dust proof joint.
As
In the modification shewn in Figures 14 and 15, the screw and blank segments
or slots of the breech block are extended entirely to the rear end of the block;
and the seat for the block in the carrier plate c is also provided with suitable
screw and blank segments, with the screw segments y located on the vertical
and horizontal diameters of the gun, when the breech mechanism is closed.
the screw segments and the slottings or blank segments of the block are on the
forty-five degree diagonals of the gun, when the block is locked to the gun, it
follows that, the block will be free from the carrier, when locked to the gun,
but the screw segments of the block will engage with the screw segments y of
the carrier, when the block is unlocked from the gun.
In the further modification shewn in Figures 16 and 17, the continuous
threads, at the rear of the block, engage with a sleeve or ring z which is remov-
ably secured to the carrier. This ring z is shewn as provided with guide lugs z¹,
which enter cooperating guideways on the carrier, for centering the ring in
proper working position; and, when thus located, the ring is secured to the car-
rier by screws 23, or other equivalent devices, so as to be treated, in all ordinary
actions, as an integral part of the carrier. But in the rare case or emergency of
the breech block becoming irremovably fast in the gun, the screws 23, or other
securing devices, may be withdrawn, thereby permitting the ring z and the car-
rier to be separated, by rearward movement of the carrier, after pulling out its
hinge pin e¹. When the carrier itself has thus been removed, from the ring and
breech block, the ring may then be unscrewed from the block.
It will be seen that all the work is done under a continuous swinging move-
ment of the hand lever h from the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2. to the posi-
tion shewn in Figures 3 and 4 and return.. Under the initial opening movement
of the hand lever h, or while turning on its own hinge pin h¹, the breech block
is unlocked from the gun and locked to the carrier; the firing pin is cocked, and
the guards against premature discharge are set. As. the block reaches the limit
of its rotary unlocking motion, the block pin breaches the limit of the carrier
slot, thereby arresting the rotary motion of the block, and the pivotal motion
of said lever ň on its own hinge pin, and all the parts must then swing together
on the carrier hinge pin cl as a center. Under this outward swinging movement
of the lever and carrier together, the lugs on the carrier interlock with the lugs
on the extractor lever, with the peculiar action described, thereby ejecting the
shell. After reloading, the reverse movement of the hand lever restores all the
parts to the position shewn in Figure 1, with the block locked to the gun, the
breech closed dust tight, and the firing pin cocked.
Some of the advantages of this mechanism are, that it is simple, with few and
strong parts; there is complete protection against premature discharge and against
injury to the mechanism by "blow backs"; there is very little cutting away of
the gun or the block, and what there is is almost entirely confined to the blank
segments; the gun is dust tight when the breech mechanism is closed; the
mechanism is easily dismantled or assembled; and when either of the modifica-
tions shewn in Figures 14 to 17, inclusive. are used, for connecting the block to
the carrier, the carrier and other parts can be removed when the block becomes
irremovably fast in the gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is: -
1. The improvement in breech mechanism for opening and closing the breech
of guns, substantially as hereindescribed and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. The improvement in firing mechanism and in means for operating the same,
substantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: 3. The improvement in cartridge, case, extractors, substantially as herein-
described, and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
4. The means for protecting the mechanism against blow-backs, substantially
as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. The construction and arrangement of parts for rendering the mechanism
substantially dust-tight when closed, substantially as hereindescribed and as
shewn in the drawings, hereunto annexed.
6. In a breech loading gun of the slotted screw system, the combination with
the gun body, the breech block and the hinged carrier, of a rotator for said block,
comprising a lever pivoted to the rear face of said carrier and having a finger
extending through a slot in said carrier and connecting with the rear end of said
block, at a point eccentric to the axis of the block the said lever being mounted
to move substantially tangential to said point of connection with the block, sub-
stantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
7. In a breech loading gun of the slotted screw system, the combination of the
gun body, the breech block and the hinged carrier, of a bell-crank lever pivoted
to the rear face of the carrier and provided with a finger which works through a
slot in said carrier and engages, as a ball, with a socket, in the rear end of the
block, at a point eccentric to the axis of the block, the said lever being mounted
to move substantially tangential to its point of connection with the block, sub-
stantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
8. The combination with the gun, of the breech block carrier pivoted to the
gun and having the central bearing pintle, the breech block rotative on said
pintle, the sear arresting stop pin projecting from the rear face of said block into
a segmental stop groove on the forward face of the carrier and the bell crank lever
pivoted to the rear face of the carrier with its short arm or finger working through
a slot in the carrier and engaging an eccentric socket on the rear face of said
block, substantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
9. The combination with a gun of the slotted screw system of a breech block
carrier having a segmental stop groove on its forward face, a breech block having
a stop pin on its rear face working in said stop groove, a firing pin, centrally
disposed in said block and carrier, and a radially movable sear having a notch
registrable with said stop groove and engageable by said stop pin on the block,
when the firing pin is cocked, for locking said scar and firing pin in cocked
position while the block is out of the gun, substantially as hereindescribed and
as shown in the drawings hereunto annexed.
10. The combination with a gun of the slotted screw system, of a breech block,
a hinged carrier, a firing pin and a sear, of a sear arresting stop on the block
and a hand lever having a cocking cam, with said parts so arranged that said
sear arresting stop, and said cocking cam both act as guards against premature
discharge, during all the time the block is out of the gun and for an instant
after its relocking motion begins, and that said cocking cam continues to act as
a guard during all except the final instant of said block's relocking motion to
the gun, substantially as hereindescribed, and as shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
11. The combination with a gun of the slotted screw system, of a carrier having
a pintle, a breech block rotative on said pintle, vents extending through said
pintle, and a firing pin seated in said pintle and block, said firing pin being
constructed to control said vents and said vents being arranged to lead to the
atmosphere without passing through the pin seat or passage of said pintle, sub-
stantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
12. The combination with a gun of the slotted screw system, of a carrier having
a pintle, a breech block rotating on said pintle, vents extending through said
pintle, and a firing pin seated in said pintle and block, which pin constructed
to control the admission to said vents at both ends, for permitting the escape of
the gases from the breech, upon blow back, and to exclude dirt when the parts

page_text: are in the after firing position, substantially as hereindescribed and as shewn in
the drawings hereunto annexed.
13. The combination with a gun, breech block and carrier, all of the slotted
screw system, of a non-rotating ring having a screwthreaded engagement with
the block, and seated in the carrier with a sliding fit, and means for removably
locking the said ring to said carrier, whereby should the breech block jamb in
the gun, the carrier and other parts may be removed therefrom, substantially as
hereindescribed and as shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
14. The combination with a gun breech, breech block and carrier, all having
screw and blank segments, with the screw segments of the carrier so disposed in
respect to those on the block and in the breech, that when the block is locked
to the breech it will be free from the carrier and conversely, substantially as
hereindescribed, and as shown in Figures 4, 9, 14, and 15 of the drawings
hereunto annexed.
15. In a breech loading gun of the slotted screw system, the combination with
the breech block carrier hinged to the gun and slotted to permit the passage there-
through of the rotator finger, of the breech block revolubly mounted in said
carrier and provided with a socket in its rear for the end of the rotating finger,
the bell crank lever pivoted on the carrier and provided with an operating arm,
and with a rotator. finger passing through said slot in the carrier for closing the
slot in the carrier through which said finger works, substantially as herein-
described and as shewn in Fig. 18 of the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated the 22nd day of June 1899.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.