Improvements in and relating to Ejecting Mechanism for Breakdown Guns,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ejecting Mechanism for Breakdown
Guns,
I, GEORGE DUNMORE POTTER, of Spokane, in the County of Spokane, in the
State of Washington United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates more especially to a breech-loading, hammerless, break-
down, shot-gun, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective
ejector mechanism.
In carrying out my invention, I use an ejector mechanism in conjunction with
an extractor, and in such manner that the extractor and ejector may both be
used, or the extractor alone employed.
The extractor may be of any approved construction, and combined therewith
is an ejector hammer under the control of a spring, and having a plunger which is
brought into operative connection with the extractor stem in certain conditions
of the barrel, all as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth and finally
claim.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, in the several figures
of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of
sufficient of a double barrel shot gun to illustrate one form of my invention, the
section being taken to show the left-hand barrel mechanism, and the parts being
in position after firing and before the barrels are dropped to open the gun. Fig. 2
is a view similar to Fig. 1, but omitting the lock mechanism, and with the barrels
dropped, the extractor partly projected and the ejector hammer at full cock and
on the point of release from the cocking lever. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2
with the ejector mechanism in position after action, the extractor fully projected
and the ejector plunger lying below the extractor stem and in position where
the gun may be closed for firing. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the ejector
mechanism. Fig. 5 is an edge view and Fig. 5 a side elevation of one of the
ejector hammers and plungers. Fig. 6 is a side view and Fig. 6 an edge view
of the stirrup. Fig. 7 is a section of the tension lever and spring hanger. Fig. 8
s a view similar to Fig. 1 but omitting the lock mechanism, and showing the
ension lever of the ejector mechanism reversed in order to throw the ejector
mechanism out of operation, and to enable the gun to be used with the extractor
nd without the ejector. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the fore-end in
he first position of mounting, the end of the tension lever bearing against the
ottom rib of the barrels, the spring relaxed and the trip of the ejector hammer
ut of the way of the cocking lever, while mounting.
a is a part of the stock, a¹ the standing breech or break-off, a² the barrel
ocking lever, a³, an ordinary firing pin, at a tumbler or hammer, a³ a main-
pring, a6 a stirrup pivoted to the hammer and connected with the main-
ring, a a sear cooperating in any usual manner with the bents of the tumbler,
nd as a cocking rod, b is a cocking lever journalled in the hinge pin 6ª and

page_text: C 18
having a notch or hook projecting through the slot in the fore-end.
the stationary, positive extractor post, and c¹ the extractor stem having in it the
notch with which the extractor post cooperates, and provided with any usual
extractor head. All these several parts may be of substantially the construction
covered by my British Patent No. 13251, July 9, 1895.
It will be understood, of course, that the mechanism for one barrel only need
be described, inasmuch as it is duplicated for the other barrel.
In the present invention, I employ an ejector hammer, having a hub d
which receives the pivot pin d². As shown more especially in Figs. 4, 5 and 5*,
this ejector hammer has a blade projecting from its hub, and in this blade
is fulcrumed the ejector plunger e, the said plunger having a sort of knuckle
joint e with the blade, and being normally projected from the said blade by
means of any suitable spring or combination of springs, 2.
f is a stirrup, pivoted in a recess f¹, in the hub d', and having a slight vibratory
motion. This stirrup has at its upper end the cross-head. The hub is
extended rearwardly and provided with a trip or hook for cooperation with the
hook 2 of the cocking lever.
is a spring, one end of which is forked to engage the cross-head of the
stirrup, the other end of which may be secured in the fore-end iron j. The
springs for the two barrels are supported in a hanger k, and this hanger has
applied to it a piston 1, the said piston being screwed into the hanger in order
to adjust its effective length. This screw piston extends through a hole in the
fore-end iron, and has pivoted to it the tension lever m, which is arranged between
the bottom of the barrels and the top of the fore-end iron. A. spring surrounds
the piston between the fore-end iron and the spring hanger, and serves to throw
down the ejector spring i, and hold the ejector mechanism out of play, as illus-
trated in Fig. 9, while the parts are being assembled.
The tension lever m, lies partly in a depression m¹ in the fore-end iron j, and
between the bottom rib of the barrels and the fore-end iron, when the latter is in
position. Said lever m preferably is of approximately rhombohedral form, with
one corner m² rounded off and the angles of all of the corners taken off circularly.
A kerf m³, Fig. 7, is made in one end, and in this kerf is pivoted the piston l,
thereby forming a fulcral-point upon which the lever m turns against or upon
the fore-end iron.
When the gun is assembled as in Fig. 1, with the tension lever extending
toward the muzzle of the barrels, and the gun is fired, the cocking-rod acting
upon the cocking lever b, throws the said lever forward and upward, and causes
its notch to engage the hook of the hub of the ejector hammer, whereby the
two are held in engagement. As the barrels are dropped to open the gun, as in
Fig. 2, the cocking-lever is withdrawn back into the slot in the fore-end by reason
of its eccentric bearing in the hinge pin ', and consequently serves to revolve
the ejector hammer by reason of its engagement with the hub d¹ thereof, and
brings said ejector hammer into the cocked position illustrated in Fig. 2.
When said ejector hammer has been revolved to its cocked position, just
described, the extractor stem c¹, actuated by the positive (stationary) extractor
post has been moved rearwardly about one-half of its total throw, and the
plunger is thrown up by its spring into engagement with a second notch o
in the extractor stem and the hooks on the cocking-lever and the hub of the
ejector hammer are fully disengaged, and the ejector hammer is revolved back-
wardly under the impulse of the ejector spring i, which motion being transmitted
to the plunger, effects a sudden movement of the extractor, completes the throw
thereof and ejects the partly extracted shell from the barrel.
As the ejector hammer revolves backwardly, as just described, the front edge
of the notch o, bearing down upon the plunger, gradually expels the said plunger
from said notch, and at the completion of the throw of the ejector, said plunger
is fully expelled from said notch and lies under and out of the channel of the
extractor stem, as shown in Fig. 3.

page_text: If, now, the barrels be closed, the extractor strikes against the standing breech
and is driven back into its original position as in Fig. 1, and the plunger offers no
resistance to such motion. And it will be observed as a peculiarity of my
mechanism that the plunger e and the notch o in the extractor stem only come
into engagement when the said plunger and said extractor stem are simultaneously
moved in opposite directions.
The gun having been cocked by the dropping of the cocking mechanism upon
the cocking lever, the latter drops to the dotted position, Fig. 1, and when in
this position and until the gun has been fired or the tumbler or hammer lowered,
the said cocking lever does not engage with or act upon the hub of the ejector
hammer when the gun is opened and closed, and, therefore, the ejector mechanism
is inoperative, but the positive extractor operates in the usual manner.
The tension lever m is so shaped that it automatically stands in the position
shown in Fig. 9, when the fore-end is detached from the barrels. When ready
to assemble the parts as an ejector gun, the said lever m, standing up as shown
in said Fig. 9, allows the springs i to fall into a relaxed position, and the ejector
hammer to revolve forward with its hook out of the way of the cocking lever. In
this position the fore-end may be attached with the tumblers or hammers of the
gun down and the cocking levers thrown up. When the fore-end, placed in this
position, is pressed up against the barrels, the lever m is forced down upon the
fore-end iron, as shown in Fig. 1, and its fulcrum point bearing upon said fore-
end iron raises the piston 7 and its attached spring hanger and springs and thereby
puts said springs under tension and brings the ejector hammers into position shown
in Fig. 1.
It will be observed that the lever m, by this arrangement, admits of the fore-
end being mounted when the tumblers or hammers are down, and automatically
puts the ejector springs under tension.
When it is desired to use the gun as a non-ejector gun, the tension lever m may
be turned down backwards upon the fore-end iron, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and
when the fore-end is then mounted under the barrels, the ejector mechanism
remains out of engagement with and is not acted upon by the cocking-lever, but
the positive extractor still performs its function.
For a further and detailed description of the cocking lever, reference is made
to my patent hereinbefore referred to.
It will be seen that the plungers operate in vertical slots in the fore-end iron and
that the cross-heads of the stirrups f strike the under side of the fore-end iron
in the upward movement of the ejector hammers and thereby limit the throw of
the said stirrups and the attached hammers and springs, thereby preventing the
hook of the hub and the hook 62 of the cocking lever from striking
together, the cross-head of the stirrups striking the fore-end iron on one side of
the slots in same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a breech-loading break-down gun, a fore-end iron, a lever applied to
such fore-end iron, an ejector spring and mechanism connecting the lever and
spring whereby said spring is put under tension when the fore-end is pressed into
position on the barrels.
2. In a breech-gun break-down gun, an ejector, a fore-end iron, a reversible
lever on such fore-end iron, an ejector spring and mechanism connecting said lever
and spring, whereby said lever stands in one position, said spring is put
under tension and when in another position said spring and ejector are held out
of play when the fore-end is placed in position on the barrels.
3. In a breech-loading break-down gun, a fore-end iron, an extractor having a
notched stem, and an ejector hammer pivoted in the fore-end and having a spring
pressed plunger jointed thereto and adapted to rise and engage with the notch in

page_text: the extractor stem when said ejector hammer is cocked, and by said notch to be
tripped and disengaged from said extractor stem when the ejector hammer falls.
4. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination with the fore-end
iron, of a tension lever, mounted upon the said fore-end iron, a piston pivoted to
said lever, a spring, and a spring-hanger adjustably attached to the lower end of
said piston, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination with the fore-end iron,
of a tension lever mounted on the fore-end iron, and adapted to be depressed
by contact with the bottom rib of the barrels when the fore-end is mounted
thereon.
6. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination with the fore-end iron,
and an ejector hammer, of a tension lever, spring-hanger and spring, connected
to hold the ejector hammer retracted and clear of the cocking levers until the
fore-end is placed in position.
7. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination of a tension lever, a
plunger and a spring-hanger, with an ejector spring, an ejector hammer and a
connecting stirrup, substantially as described.
8. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination of a tension lever, a
piston, a coiled spring surrounding said piston and a spring-hanger, substantially
as described.
9. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination of a tension lever, a
piston, a coiled spring surrounding said piston and a spring hanger with an ejector
spring, an ejector hammer having a jointed plunger and a connecting stirrup, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
10. In a breech-loading break-down gun, the combination of an ejector hammer,
an ejector spring and a stirrup attached to said spring and pivoted to the ejector
hammer, the upper end of said stirrup being adapted to strike the under side
of the fore-end iron and so limit the throw of said stirrup and attached-hammer
and spring.
D71
703
1
1900
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.