IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich von Martini, of Frauenfeld, Switzer-
land, but temporarily residing at No. 1, Sidney Street, Brompton,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich von Martini
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th April 1871.
I, FRIEDRICH VON MARTINI, of Frauenfeld, Switzerland, but tem-
5 porarily residing at No. 1, Sidney Street, Brompton, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the well-known
"Martini" breech-loading action forming the subject of Letters Patent,
4

page_text: No. 2305, dated the 22nd day of July, 1868, whereby the trigger plate
with portions of the breech mechanism in the said action may be readily
withdrawn for examination and securely replaced in a simple manner
without the employment of buttons or catches; the fulcrum pin passing
through the hand lever is relieved from the strain to which it is subjected
through the hand lever in the arm as hitherto constructed; a morc
convenient arrangement is provided for holding the hand lever in
position under the stock; and an external indicator is made to serve also
as a medium for locking or securing the firing mechanism so as to
prevent the accidental discharge of the arm.
For these purposes I
construct the aforesaid Martini breech-loading action with a removable
trigger plate somewhat resembling that described in the Specification of
my single flat bent spring arm forming the subject of the Letters Patent,
No. 603, dated the 1st day of March, 1870, for closing the lower side of
the lock frame. In order to render this removable trigger plate suitable
for the purposes of my present Invention its rearward end is made
with lugs or ears fitting into corresponding recesses in the sides of the
lock frame and formed with circular faces or abutments arranged con-
centrically with the fulcrum pin of the tumbler lever, and the tumbler
lever is fitted on to a square shaped portion of its fulcrum pin between
the short ends of the hand lever. The fulcrum pin works freely in
bearing holes formed for it in the lugs or cars at the rearward end of the
trigger plate, and a part of the lock frame takes into a recess or groove
in the pin to prevent it from dropping out of its place. This pin passes
very freely through the hand lever, and the latter is provided with
suitably curved faces or bearing surfaces which rest against and work
upon the circular faces or abutments of the lugs or ears of the trigger
plate already described. The fore end of the trigger plate is made with
small lugs or ears having holes through them, and is secured in position
by the fulcrum pin of the cartridge extractor, which pin is screwed at
onc end, and after passing through one side of the lock frame and
through the lugs and extractor, screws into a correspondingly tapped
hole in the other side of the lock frame. The hand lever is held in its
closed position against the under part of the stock by means of a spring
catch which is attached to the inner part of the rear end of the lock
frame and takes into a suitable slot formed in the hand lever near its
fulcrum. The external indicator is made in one piece with the fulcrum
pin of the tumbler lever and is provided with a slide arranged to slide

page_text: along the indicator and to operate in connexion with a projecting part
of the fulcrum pin of the breech block, or with a pin or projection
specially provided for the purpose, in such manner as to lock or secure
the firing mechanism and thereby to prevent the accidental discharge of
the arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Friedrich von Martini in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRIEDRICH
VON MARTINI, of Frauenfeld, Switzerland, but temporarily residing
at No. 1, Sidney Street, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Friedrich von Martini, Her
special licence that I, the said Friedrich von Martini, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Friedrich von
Martini, 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,
usc, 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," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Friedrich von Martini, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instruïnent 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 Friedrich von Martini, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the well-known
"Martini" breech-loading action, forming the subject of Letters Patent,
No. 2805, dated the 22nd day of July 1868, whereby the trigger plate
with portions of the breech mechanism in the said action may be readily
withdrawn for examination, and securely replaced in a simple manner
without the employment of buttons or catches; the fulcrum pin passing
through the hand lever is relieved from the strain or pressure to which it
is subjected through the hand lever in the arm as hitherto constructed;
and a more convenient arrangement is provided for holding the hand
lever in position under the stock. For these purposes I construct the
aforesaid "Martini" breech-loading action with a removeable trigger plate
somewhat resembling that described in the Specification of my single
flat bent spring arm forming the subject of the Letters Patent, No. 603,
dated the 1st day of March 1870, for closing the lower side of the lock
frame. In order to render this removeable trigger plate suitable for the
purposes of my present Invention, its rearward end' is made with lugs or
ears fitting into corresponding recesses in the sides of the lock frame, and
formed with circular faces or abutments arranged concentrically with
the fulcrum pin of the tumbler lever, and the tumbler lever is fitted on
to a square shaped portion of its fulcrum pin between the short ends of
the hand lever. The fulcrum pin works freely in bearing holes formed
for it in the lugs or ears at the rearward end of the trigger plate, and a
part of the lock frame takes into a recess or groove in the pin to
prevent it from dropping out of its place. This pin passes very freely
through the hand lever, and the latter is provided with suitably curved
faces or bearing surfaces, which rest against and work upon the circular
faces or abutments of the lugs or ears of the trigger plate already
described. The fore end of the trigger plate is made with small lugs or
ears, having holes through them, and is secured in position by the
fulcrum pin of the cartridge extractor, which pin is screwed at one end,
and after passing through one side of the lock frame and through the
lugs and extractor, screws into a correspondingly tapped hole in the
other side of the lock frame. The hand lever is held in its closed
position against the under part of the stock by means of a spring catch
which is attached to the inner part of the rear end of the lock frame,
and takes into a suitable slot formed in the hand lever near its fulcrum.

page_text: Such being the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to describe
by reference to the accompanying Drawings in what manner the same
is to be performed. These Drawings shew this Invention applied to the
breech mechanism of the original Martini rifle, which is constructed in
other respects according to the Specification of the former Patent,
No. 2305, herein-before referred to, and is fitted with a well-known safety
bolt arrangement.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lock frame or body with other
external parts; Figure 2 is a plan of the upper part of the same;
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the barrel end of the lock frame or
body; Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the lock frame or body and
mechanism through the line A, B, of Figure 6; Figure 5 is a sectional
plan through the line C, D, of Figure 6; Figure 6 is a vertical section
through the lines E, F, of Figures 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, and 11, the parts being
in the position they occupy at the moment the exploding pin strikes the
cartridge; Figure 7 is a section with the breech block lowered for
inserting the cartridge; Figure 8 is a section with the parts locked in
the firing position; Figure 9 is a transverse section through the
line G, H, of Figure 6; Figure 10 is a section through the line I, K, of
Fig. 6; Figure 11 is a section through the line L, M, of Fig. 6;
Figure 12 is an elevation of the back end of the breech block;
Figure 13 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 14 is a front elevation
thereof; Figure 15 is a plan of the under side of the block; Figure 16
is a side elevation of the removable trigger plate and guard; Figure 17
is a back end elevation thereof; Figure 18 is a plan of the upper part
of the same; Figure 19 is a side elevation of the hand lever broken off;
Figure 20 is an elevation of its fore end, and Figure 21 is a plan of the

page_text: lever g. The fulcrum pin e works freely in bearing holes formed for it
in the lugs or ears at the rearward end of the trigger plate a, and a
part of the lock frame or body takes into a recess or groove in the
pin e to prevent it from dropping out of its place in the same way as
⚫ the fulcrum pin of the tumbler lever is prevented from dropping out in
the flat spring action, forming the subject of the prior Patent No. 603,
herein-before referred to. The pin e passes very freely through the
lever g and the latter is provided with suitably curved faces or bearing
surfaces has shewn, which resemble those used in the ordinary Martini
breech action, but according to my present Invention are caused to rest
against and work upon the circular faces or abutments d of the lugs or
cars of the trigger plate already described. The fore end of the trigger
plate is made with small lugs or cars i having holes through them, and
is secured in position by the fulcrum pin k of the forked cartridge
extractor lever as usual. The pin k is screwed at one end and after
passing through one side of the lock frame or body c, and through the
lugs i and extractor lever / screws into a correspondingly tapped hole in
the other side of the lock frame or body c in the ordinary way, thereby
firmly securing the trigger plate in the lock frame or body. The hand
lever g, which according to my Invention does not work upon or bear
against the fulcrum pin c, is held in its closed position against the under
part of the stock by means of a spring catch m which is attached to the
inner part c³ of the rear end of the lock frame or body c and takes into
a suitable slot g³ formed in the hand lever g near its fulcrum as shewn.
By arranging the curved faces of the hand lever to rest against and
oscillate around the circular faces or abutments of the lugs or cars of
the trigger plate as described, I effectually relieve the axis pin e from
any pressure, strain, or grip of the hand lever, and thus in the event of
the breech block being pressed hard up against a cartridge, jammed-
very tightly in the chamber, the hand lever is prevented from acting
upon its axis pin in the manner of a friction brake, and from thereby
giving the spiral main spring more work to do in drawing the tumbler
forward, and so proportionately diminishing the force with which the
exploding pin strikes the cap. The arrangement of the hand lever
fulcrum pin, within the ears or lugs of the trigger plate formed or com-
bined with the circular faces or abutments as described instead of passing
the said pin through the solid sides of the breech receiver or body
provides long bearings in lieu of divided bearings for the pin, and the use

page_text: of this Invention enables me to produce a more substantial and durable
spiral spring action with fewer parts than heretofore.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my Invention
or the exclusive use of the several parts herein-before described and
referred to except when the same arc employed in and for my said
Invention which I hereby declare to consist,―
First. In the construction of breech-loading fire-arms in which the
curved faces of the hand lever bear against and oscillate around circular
faces or abutments combined with the lugs or ears of the removable
trigger plate and arranged concentrically with the fulcrum pin of the
tumbler lever as above described.
Secondly. In the construction of brecch-loading firc-arms in which
the removeable trigger plate is combined with the slotted hand lever and
its holding spring, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich von Martini, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
5
Witness,
W*. KNOLL,
Frauenfeld,
Switzerland.
F. MARTINI. (L.S.)