IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Purdey, of Oxford Street, in the County of.
Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 1st August 1865, and dated the 14th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Purdey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th February
1865.
I, JAMES PURDEY, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-
arms consists of an improved action adapted to that class of fire-arms in
which the barrel is mounted on a horizontal pin, and works in a vertical plane
for opening and closing the breech. The locking bolt I place vertically in the
body of the action, and when the action is locked the bolt enters a recess cut
in a steel piece attached to the barrels, and is held (when the barrels are

page_text: locked) firmly in its place by a wedge-shaped bolt working likewise vertically.
A rocking lever is placed under the strap or tail piece, and works on a hori-
zontal pin which passes through the strap. At one end of this lever is attached
a jointed piece which is connected to the wedge-shaped bolt by means of a
pin which passes through the jointed piece and is secured to the wedge-shaped
bolt so that they are worked together. At the other end of the lever is placed
a projecting stud or button which passes up through the strap or tail piece
so that by pressing down the stud or button one end of the rocking lever is
depressed, and the wedge-shaped bolt is lifted up, and thereby allows the
locking bolt to be thrown back and the fore ends of the barrels to fall so as to
open the breeches ready to receive the cartridges. In throwing up the fore
end of the barrels to close the breech again the bolt is pressed forward and
the wedge shaped bolt is forced into its position by means of a spring or
springs. This action may have in addition a connecting action attached to a
lever working likewise as a safety device on the triggers, so as to lock them
except when in the act of firing. This lever is arranged to work at the back
of the trigger guard. Sometimes for opening the gun I employ a lever placed
under the trigger guard, and working on a pin in the trigger plate, and con-
nected to the wedge-shaped bolt by a pin passing through a piece that is
attached to the lever, so that by pressing the lever forward the wedge-shaped
bolt will be lifted up and the gun opened, and in shutting up the barrels
the gun will be self-locking by means of a spring or springs, as in the former
instance.
Another description of lever to open and fasten breech-loading guns made
on the snapping bolt principle is worked as follows:-A double-armed lever
is jointed under the breech tang, one end passing through or over the locking
bolt, the other end being worked by another lever jointed further back on the
tang or strap of the breech, and worked through the breech still further back
by a button or projection on the top. By pressing down the button the
barrel or barrels will be unfastened, and they may then be lifted up on their
joint so as to open the breech. On shutting up the gun the barrels will be
secured and fastened by means of a spring or springs working in the bolt or
under the lever or both.
The second improvement relates to an improved striking action, and consists
in drawing back the striking bolt by means of the hammer. This part of the
Invention is applicable to that class of breech-loading guns which have their
ignition or fulminate in or near the centre of the cartridge. The striking bol
works in the lock plate and through the breech piece, and a projection on i

page_text: is struck
the hammer. In drawing back the hammer a projection on it
pulls back the striking bolt until the lock works into half-cock, after which
the hammer will not pull back the bolt any further. The above action may
be used to those central fire breech-loading guns the barrels of which work
on or are hung on a horizontal pin, or to those in which the barrels are
slidden forward in grooves by means of levers. In the latter case by means
of another improved action the barrel is not able to be opened or closed until
the hammer is drawn back to half-cock, thereby giving additional security
particularly to this description of gun. This is effected by means of a nib
standing on the top of each barrel at the breech; the striker falls over this nib
so that the barrel cannot be pulled forward until the hammer is raised to half-
cock, or if the gun has been discharged, and a fresh cartridge has been put in,
it cannot be drawn back home if the hammer be accidentally let down until
the same is drawn up to the half-cock.
Another improvement relates to central fire breech-loading arms, in which
cartridges containing their own fulminate are employed, and in which the
cartridges are exploded by means of a pin striking the central part of the rear
end of the cartridge. The improvement consists in providing the cartridge
with a pin or stud which projects up through the breech so that when the
breech is opened the cartridge may be pulled out thereby. If desired the
hammer may be constructed with a moveable nose which is to be screwed, or
otherwise fastened, or temporarily when required, so that should the sportsman
be unable to obtain central fire cartridges, he may make use of ordinary pin
cartridges by simply fastening on the nose piece on his hammer.
The third improvement relates to an improved cartridge extractor for
breech-loading guns, the barrels of which work on a horizontal pin. The
extractor is worked underneath the barrels in two dovetails. A hook or
hooks bear against the end of the extractor, and are placed in the body or
stock of the gun which works on a joint near the breech part, so that when
the breech is thrown up the hooks are forced up by a long spring, and will
push back the extractor as the barrels turn on their joint pin.
The fourth improvement relates to another description of cartridge ex-
tractor which is worked from or on the steel lump. The extractor is attached
to the barrels by means of a lever working on a pin which goes through the
steel lump. At the top or extractor part is a joint working under a guide
pin. The extractor is worked by a projecting tumbler on the breech piece,
provided with a spiral or other kind of spring made to bear against the back
of the projecting tumbler. When the barrels are being opened, the tail of

page_text: the extractor lever is depressed by coming against the tumbler, and the ex-
tractor is thereby forced out, and with it the cartridge.
Breech-loading guns, the barrels of which slide forward on a horizontal
plane instead of turning on a pin, must be provided with a cartridge extractor
of somewhat different construction, and worked as follows:-A small ex-
tractor in the shape of a lever is mounted on a pin and works through the
body. As the barrels are closed by being pushed back, the extractor lever is
moved back on its pin by the projecting rim of the cartridge until the latter
is passed over or by it. The point of the extractor will then be thrown up
by means of a spring which works in a notch on the under side of the lever.
When the barrel is drawn forward to open the breech the sharp edge of the
extractor lever will hold the head of the cartridge back, and so force it out
as the barrel is drawn forward. The cartridge is prevented from rising out
of its position by means of a nib at the top of the breech plate.
In adapting my Invention to double-barrelled breech-loaders provision
may, if required, be made for extracting a single cartridge case when one
only has been exploded. The extraction of the case is effected as before
explained by means of a hook, but the lever to which the extractor is con-
nected is provided with a tail at the breech end. In a slot cut in the body
at this end is a bell crank lever having two projections which are acted upon
by a projecting pin or cam piece on the lower part of the striker or hammer,
which cam piece is brought into operation when the hammer is at half cock
or at full cock. At full cock the hammer is arranged to operate the bell
crank lever and to cause its opposite end to lock the tail of the hook. The
cartridge extractor in this arrangement is to be divided into two separate
parts, and by this means on opening the gun (one hammer being at half cock)
that extractor only belonging to the exploded cartridge will be operated, or
if both barrels have been fired both extractors will be operated by pulling back
both hammers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 3
by the said James Purdey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PURDEY, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, tho said James Purdey, Her special licence that I, the said James
Purdey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Purdey, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said James Purdey, 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 bo 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 James Purdey, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The first part of my Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-
arms," consists of an improved action adapted to that class of fire-arms in
which the barrel is mounted on a horizontal pin and works in a vertical plane
for opening and closing the breech.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents part of a gun stock
shewing my first improvement, which relates to an improved mode of locking
the barrel in its place in the stock. The locking bolt is shewn at a, and is
placed vertically in the body of the action, and when the action is locked the
bolt enters a recess or notch cut in a steel piece b attached to the barrels
c, and is held (when the barrels are locked) firmly in its place by means of a
wedge-shaped bolt d working likewise vertically. A rocking lever e is placed
under the strap or tail piece f, and works on a horizontal pin 1, which passes
through the strap f; at one end of this lever e is attached a jointed piece g,
which is connected to the wedge-shaped bolt d by means of a pin h, which
passes through the jointed piece g, and is secured to the wedge shaped bolt

page_text: d, so that they are worked together. At the other end of the lever e is
placed a projecting stud or button i, which passes up through the strap or
tail piece f, so that by pressing down the stud or button i, one end of the
working lever e is depressed, and the wedge-shaped bolt d is lifted up, and
thereby allows the locking bolt a to be thrown back and the fore ends of the
barrels c to fall so as to open the breeches ready to receive the cartridges.
In throwing up the fore end of the barrels to close the breech again the
bolt a is pressed forward by the steel piece b, and the wedge-shaped bolt dis
forced into its position by means of a spring j.
Figures 2 and 3 represent a modification of the arrangement just described.
In Fig. 2 the barrels are shewn as closed, while in Fig. 3 their breech ends
are open ready to receive a new cartridge. In this modification the jointed
piece g and pin h are dispensed with, and the end of the lever e enters a slot
cut in the bolt d so as to work it direct. This mechanism for locking the
breech may in addition be provided with an [action for locking the trigger.
This is shewn in Fig. 4, and is effected by means of a lever k, shewn detached
at Fig. 5, and placed behind the trigger or sear l. The fore end of this lever
is kept against the sear or trigger by means of a spring m. The other end
of the lever rests on a pin n connected to a lever o at the back of the
trigger guard. The pin i which actuates the lever e of the arrangement for
locking the barrels as already described is lengthened as shewn at Fig. 4
and passes down through the spring m; shewn detached in plan at Fig. 6.
When the pin i is pressed down its lower end will come against the lever k,
and by preventing it from rising will lock the trigger l. When the gun is
charged and ready for firing the triggers will remain locked until the hand
which grasps the small of the stock forces up the lever o and pin n, and
thereby depresses the fore end of the lever k and releases the trigger l.
At Fig. 7 I have shewn another modification for locking the barrels.
this arrangement a lever p is placed under the trigger guardeand works on
a pin 2 in the trigger plate. This lever p is connected to the wedge-shaped
bolt d by a pin 9 jointed to or connected with the short end of the lever p,
so that by pressing the lever p forward the wedge-shaped bolt d will be
lifted up and the breech of the gun opened. In shutting up the barrels the
gun will be self-locking by means of a spring or springs as shewn.
In
The second improvement relates to an improved striking action, and consists
in,drawing back the striking bolt by means of the hammer. This part of
the Invention is applicable to that class of breech-loading guns which have
their ignition or fulminate in or near the centre of the cartridge, and is shewn

page_text: in Sheet II. of the Drawings in which Fig. 8 is a side view of a gun with.
this improvement adapted thereto; Fig. 9 is a similar view shewing the
breech open and the barrels drawn back; Fig 10 is a sectional plan view of
the same. The striking bolt r works in, on, or over the lock plate 8, and
through the breech piece, and a projection on it is struck by the hammer.
when it descends. A projecting cross pin or stud on the end of the striking
bolt works in a slot or groove made in the hammer so that in drawing back
the hammer the latter pulls back the striking bolt r until the lock works into
half cock, after which in consequence of the curved form of the groove, as
shewn by dots in the Figures, the hammer will not pull back the bolt r
any further. The above action may be adapted either to those central fire
breech-loading guns the barrels of which work on or are hung on a pin as
shewn at Figures 2, 3, 4, and 7, Sheet I., or to those in which the barrels
are slidden forward in grooves by means of levers as shewn at Figures 8,
and 9, Sheet II. In the latter case by means of another improvement,
also shewn at Figures 8 and 9, the barrel is not able to be opened or closed
until the hammer is drawn back to half cock, thereby giving additional security,
particularly to this description of gun. This is effected by means of a nib t,
standing on the top of each barrel at the breech, the hammer falls over this
nib t, as shewn at Fig. 8 so that the barrel c cannot be pulled forward until
the hammer is raised to half cock as shewn at Fig. 9, or if the gun has been
discharged and a fresh cartridge has been put in the barrel cannot be drawn
back home if the hammer be accidentally let down until the same is drawn
up to the half cock in order to let the nib t pass.
Another improvement relates to central fire breech-loading arms in which
cartridges containing their own fulminate are employed, and in which the
cartridges are exploded by means of a pin striking the central part of the
rear end of the cartridge. The improvement is shewn at Figures 11 and 12,
and consists in providing the cartridge with a pin or stud u, which projects
up through the breech so that when the breech is opened the cartridge may be
pulled out by simply laying hold of the projecting pin or stud u; if desired
the hammer may be constructed with a moveable nose which is to be screwed
or otherwise fastened on temporarily when required, so that should the sports-
man be unable to obtain central fire cartridges be may make use of ordinary
pin cartridges by simply fastening on the nose piece on his hammer.
The next improvement relates to an improved cartridge extractor which
is shewn at Figures 13, 14, and 15. The extractor v is adapted to the barrels
by means of a pin v', and is worked by means of a lever w, mounted on a

page_text: pin 3, which goes through the steel lump b. The top or extractor part is
provided with a guide pin v', which keeps it always in position. The
extractor lever wis actuated by a projecting tumbler or lever x on the
breech piece provided with a spiral or other kind of spring as shewn at
Figures 13 and 14, which is made to bear against the back of the projecting
tumbler or lever x. When the barrels c are being opened the tail of the
extractor lever wis forced back by coming against the tumbler lever x, and
the extractor is thereby forced out as shewn at Fig. 13, and with it the
cartridge.
Breech-loading guns the barrels of which slide forward on a horizontal
plan instead of turning on a pin must be provided with a cartridge extractor
of somewhat different construction which is shewn at Fig. 9, and may be
worked as follows:-A small extractor w, in the shape of a lever, is mounted
on a pin 3, and works through the body. As the barrels c are closed by being
pushed back the extractor lever w is moved back on its pin by the projecting
rim of the cartridge until the latter is passed over or by it. The point of the
extractor w will then be thrown up by means of a spring 4, which works in
a notch on the lever. When the barrel is drawn forward to open the breech
the sharp upper edge of the extractor lever w will hold the head of the
cartridge back, and so force it out as the barrel is drawn forward. The
cartridge is prevented from rising out of its position by means of a nib y
Fig. 9, at the top of the breech plate.
In adapting my Invention to double barrelled breech-loaders provision
may if required be made by the employment of two extractors w so that a
single cartridge case may be extracted when one only has been exploded.
In order that one extracter may be used without the other, so that either
cartridge may be withdrawn leaving the other in its barrel, the extractor
levers ware provided with tails w³, which project below the stock, so that
the sportsman by pushing back the tail to of either extractor lever with his
thumb may be able to relieve the point of the extractor from the flange of
the cartridge when the breech is being opened, and by so doing the cartridge
will be left in the barrel.
Having now described my Invention of "improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid.
First, the improved mode or modes herein shewn for locking the barrels.
I also claim the combination of a trigger locking apparatus with the arrange-
ment for locking the barrels.

page_text: Second, I claim the improvements herein set forth in the striking action
applicable to central fire cartridges.
Lastly, I claim the improved constructions of cartridge extractors herein
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Purdey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JAMES PURDEY. (L.B.)