IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Bishop at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st February
1867.
I, JOHN BISHOP, of North Audley Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing fire-arms and ordnance with a fixed
breach piece, the fore end of which is formed into a solid plug accurately
fitting into the rear end of the barrel when brought "home." To this
breach piece a metal frame plate is secured which is fitted into the stock of
the gun, through the sides of which frame plate near the end farthest from
the breach are right-angle slots, that is two slots one in each side of the
frame exactly corresponding in size and form one with the other, the same
being for the purpose hereafter described, and in this frame plate is an orifice for
receiving a pin, hereafter referred to; to the barrel near the rear end thereof a
pendant piece of metal is secured, such piece being of thickness and length
proportioned to fit in the hollow part of the frame plate above mentioned,
and this pendant piece is provided with an angular slot, allowing movement

page_text: (along the extent of such slot) upon a pin which is passed into the before-
mentioned orifice in the frame plate, and is fixed or rivetted thereto; the said
pendant piece has at its other end an orifice for the reception of a fulcrum
pin which passes through this orifice and through the two right-angle slots in
the frame plate, before described. This fulcrum pin is secured to a lever
near that end which is at the hammer side of the stock; the same end of
which lever has a second fulcrum pin secured to it, which second fulcrum pin
also passes through the right-angle slot in the frame plate to the opposite side,
and is connected at that side (outside the frame plate) to the first fulcrum
pin by means of a connecting piece; the other end of this lever (away from
the pins) is provided with a relieving piece which is loosely riveted to the
lever to allow of a slight play at the end of the said relieving piece. Close to
the end of this relieving piece (it and the lever being down) is a locking
plate which holds or locks the lever in its position, such locking plate having
two arms for catching into notches in the lower part of the hammer, the lower
arm of this locking plate being acted upon by a spring.
To use my improved gun first place the hammer at half-cock, which allows
the locking plate to permit the lever to be released; then press upwards the
relieving piece which will carry with it the lever, thereby causing the latter
to assume an upright position, and so act on the fulcrum pins that they are
brought from the horizontal into the vertical position in the right-angle slots,
whilst the fixed pin in the frame plate which works in the angular slot, in the
pendant piece throws the barrel into position to charge; the barrel being
drawn forwards away from the fixed breech piece and at the same time thrown
upwards to receive the cartridge, which being inserted the lever is pressed
down, and coming into contact with the locking plate is held fast by it, and
then the hammer being brought to full-cock it is ready for the discharge; but
in the event of the lever not being returned and secured by the locking plate,
yet it locks in the notch in the hammer and holds it fast, and thus the lever
cannot be released from the hammer except at half-cock. In orduance the
gun carriage will be the equivalent for the stock.
This Invention is applicable to needle guns as well as other descriptions of
arms, and I prefer to adopt the following needle arrangements: To the
top and in front of the hammer a head piece is secured, and (which for
allowing the required curvature in the hammer motion) is capable of a slight
rocking movement on the pin or pivot by which it is connected to the said
hammer. To the fore end of this head piece the needle is connected by a
hook joint to admit of its giving or yielding to the varying angles of the head

page_text: piece when in operation, whereby the use of a spiral or any other needle
spring is dispensed with. The tube in which the hammer piece and needle
operate is composed of an inner and outer tube, the inner one capable of being
withdrawn in the event of the needle requiring to be replaced.