IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A
communication from abroad by John Burke, of Sycamore, in the State
of Illinois, United States of America.
Sealed the 20th July 1866, and dated the 16th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of breech-loading fire-arms in which a
charge of fixed ammunition is inserted into the end of a barrel which is
capable of being tilted vertically on its hinge.
The object of the Invention is to produce a simple and effective breech-
loading arm, to which end the improvement herein claimed consists, first, in
securing the front or upper portion of the stock and hinge to the barrel and
securing the breech-piece and lower portion of the hinge to the butt of the
stock, whereby a strong tight joint and an easy working of the parts are

page_text: secured. Second, in the use of a cartridge extractor which is protruded or
forced out by a cam on the hinge instead of by a spring. Third, in pro-
truding the extractor by a cam placed near the hinge pin. The rod of the
extractor is also hinged, so that when the barrel is tilted the hinge acts as a
toggle joint. When closing the gun the extractor is pushed back by grazing
against the breech, so that friction on the flange of the cartridge when closing
is avoided. Fourth, in a device for holding the barrel firmly while firing.
This device consists of a spring bolt which works in a slot made in the body
and enters a hole in the breech pin when the gun is closed. When it is
required to open the gun the bolt is drawn back by means of a stud which
projects through the side of the gun. The locking bolt slides in a groove
cut partly in the lock plate and partly in the breech, and thus prevents any
undue strain on the lock plate.
The next part of the Invention relates to a novel construction of parts 'so
as to admit of sporting guns or small arms for military service being changed
with economy from muzzle-loading to breech-loading arms without materially
altering their appearance; and to this end the Invention consists in securing
the barrel forward of the charge chamber, leaving the breech rigidly attached
to the stock, while the front part of the barrel slides back and forth in the
stock and fits the charge chamber with a telescopic joint that is gas-tight when
in position to be fired and detached when the arm is to be loaded. The
stock is hinged near the mouth of the charge chamber so that both it and
the barrel may be turned upon the hinge out of the way to permit the arm
to be loaded at the breech, and when loaded turned back and the barrel slid
into position and held rigidly to be fired. The barrel is cut in two, and a
portion is attached to the breech long enough to receive the maximum charge
of powder and ball, or powder and shot, for the calibre of the arm. This is
called the charge chamber which with the breech pin is rigidly attached to
the stock. The top of the charge chamber is turned down to about one-half
the thickness of the barrel for about one inch in length with a slight taper
from the square shoulder to the bevilled edge, which may be at an angle of
about forty degrees; the rear of the barrel now has its bore reamed out to
match precisely over and upon the reduced end of the charge chamber, so
that when the edge of the barrel rests against the collar of the charge
chamber the bevilled portion will fit with a gas-tight joint. The outer
diameters of the chamber and barrel at the joint being reduced to an uniform
plane will leave the whole barrel unchanged in appearance from what it was
before being cut. Beneath the charge chamber and near the joint is attached
a staple or eye piece, so that a screw through the tail of the breech pin and

page_text: a bolt or pin through the piece will hold the charge chamber firmly in the
stock. To the centre of the bottom of the barrel is attached securely a flat
bar with dovetailed edges and an angular depression near its centre, and its
rear end on a line with the rear end of the barrel. The barrel may be
stocked in the usual way, and the stock severed by a diagonal transverse cut
from the front end of the charge chamber; or the stock may be made in
two pieces to be united by a hinge, the one portion constituting the breech of
the arm and supporting the charge chamber, lock, guard, and trigger, and
the other to support the sliding barrel. The hinge which unites the charge
chamber and barrel is formed of two parts, one being attached to the front
portion of the stock and secured to the breech, and these are connected at the
joint by a screw or pin. The breech portion of the hinge consists of a metal
box having a bar secured on its top, and having its end turned up to receive
the rear end of the charge chamber and aid the breech to resist the recoil.
The lower side of the box is furnished with curved ears to match the curve of
the outside of the stock, and the bar is dovetailed at its front end to receive
another bar fastened to the under side of the barrel, while slots are cut in it
to receive and stop the projection on the front portion of the hingo and hold
the parts at a right angle to each other. The front part of the hinge consists
of a grooved plate carrying a projection dropped from its back end to match
in the box and form the moving portion of the hinge attached to the forward
portion of the stock.
The operation of loading the arm is effected by holding the gun with one
hand and pressing the thumb bolt, which will withdraw the catch lever from
the angular depression in the bar on the under side of the barrel; this will
permit the barrel to be slidden from the charge chamber, when the turn of
the hinge removes the barrel away from the charge chamber and leaves the
arm free to be loaded at the open breech either by a prepared cartridge or
loose ammunition and proper wadding, when the hinge is closed and the barrel
slidden down on the charge chamber, and the detent catch falls in place to
permit the gun to be fired. The dovetailed bar of the barrel having passed
into the dovetailed groove of the rear portion of the hinge the barrel will be
securely held in line with the breech, and the detent catch will effectually.
resist the longitudinal pressure of the explosion of the charge; moreover the.
gas-tight joint between the barrel and charge chamber will prevent any
residuum from the ammunition getting between these parts, while the
facility with which the joint can be opened gives ample opportunity for
cleaning all parts of the joint and keeping the arm in good order.
It is obvious that this Invention can be applied to muzzle-loading small

page_text: arms with the single effect only of shortening the barrel of the changed arm
the length of the joint on the charge chamber. Where a long stock is used
the stock can be secured beneath one of the bands, so that when the hinge is*
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th November 1866.
and
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents 66, Chancery Lane,.in.the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May,. in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,:
the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William.
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," being a com-
munication from abroad by John Burke, of Sycamore, Illinois, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, 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) :-
This Invention relates to that class of breech-loading, fire-arms in which a

page_text: charge of fixed ammunition is inserted into the end of a barrel which is
capable of being tilted vertically on its hinge.
The object of the Invention is to produce a simple and effective breech-
loading-arm. The improvements may be classed under two heads the first
of which includes several improvements consisting, first, in securing the front
or upper portion of the stock and hinge to the barrel and securing the breech-
piece and lower portion of the binge to the butt of the stock whereby a strong
tight joint and an easy working of the parts are secured. Second, in the use
of a cartridge retractor which is protruded or forced out by a cam on the
hinge instead of by a spring. Third, in protruding the retractor by a cam
placed near the hinge pin and retracting it by causing it to graze against the
breech in closing so that friction on the flange of the cartridge when closing the
breech is avoided. Fourth, in a device for holding the barrel firmly while firing.
Fifth, the locking bolt is made to slide in a groove cut partly in the lock plate
and partly in the breech and thus preventing any undue strain on the lock plate.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a view in elevation
of so much of a gun embracing the improvements as is necessary to illustrate
the Invention, the parts being shewn as ready for firing, but with the hammer
at half-cock. Fig. 2' represents a similar view, with the barrel tipped up for the
expulsion of the exploded case and the insertion of a new cartridge; Fig. 3 is
a vertical longitudinal central section through the same; Fig. 4 is a vertical
section through the same at the line a, a, of Fig. 3, looking rearwards; Fig. 5
is a similar section at the line y, y, of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is an end view of the
barrel and rétractor, as seen from the rear; Fig. 7 is a view of the inner side
of the lock, shewing the locking pin and its spring; Fig. 8 is a plan or top
view of the retractor; Fig. 9 is a similar view of the locking pin; and Fig. 10
is a plan or top view of a portion of the gun with the barrel tipped.
The Invention is shewn as applied to the United States Springfield, rifle
musket. To convert this arm into a breech-loader the rear end of the barrel A
is cut off just in front of the breech pin, and the breech pin and tang removed,
a similarly shaped solid breech plug B being inserted in lieu thereof. The
stock. C, C, is divided at the point c about an inch and a half below the lower
band, and the two parts are connected by a strong hinge D, D', which permits
the parts to move vertically' to tip up the barrel. The barrel is attached to
the front or upper part of the stock by the usual bands, the lower one E only
being shewn in the Drawings. In order to strengthen the stock a half hoop
or band E is made to embrace the stock only, so, as not to interfere with the
tipping of the barrel. In this instance the pin on which the front of the
retractor plays, passes through this band. The frout part D¹ of the hinge is

page_text: also let into the front part of the stock, and is secured to the barrel by
screws d, d. To prevent abrasion of the severed edges of the stock, they are
faced with metal plates c, c', as shewn in the Drawings. The rear portion D
of the hinge is also let into the stock, and extends behind the breech plug, its
rear end being bent up at a right angle, so as to form a shoulder, through
which a screw ď¹ passes to secure the breech plug and hinge firmly together.
Another screw 6 passes down through the tang of the breech plug into the bingė:
F is the. ordinary tang screw, and d is a screw passing up through the guard
plate and stock into the hinge. By this mode of construction the parts are
even stronger than before the alteration.
In order to avoid the shearing action on the cartridge when closing the
breech, and the consequent liability to accidental explosions, as well as to
remove the exploded cartridge case, a retractor G is used. This instrument
consists of a long bar provided at its rear end with a head g fitting in a slot in
the rear end of the barrel, and at its front end with a cam g', acted upon by
another cam d³ on the front part of the hinge. By this means when the
barrel is tipped the retractor is shoved backwards endwise and withdraws the
cartridge. The retractor is guided by a pin i in the slot on its front end and
by a slot on its rear end, which embraces the steady pin I, the bar being
upheld by and sliding on a pin passing through the steady pin I.
27
The retractor shewn in Fig. 2 is rigid, but to give it an increased longi-
tudinal movement, so as certainly to expel the cartridge, however the explosion
of the charge may have caused the expansion of the cartridge case to adheré
to the barrel, a hinge is placed at W, Fig. 8, near its forward end, which
gives it the action of a limited toggle joint, and causes the retractor to act
directly in line with the barrel. The barrel is cut with a slight inclination
-toward its lower side, and the face of the breech is finished to an angle
corresponding to the inclined cut of the barrel, so that as the joint commences
to open it will become more free and even under the heat created by repeated
discharges which causes the barrel to expand, it cannot embarrass the regular
operation of the arm. The lock now used in the ordinary rifle musket is
retained and is adapted for cartridges carrying the fulminate in their flange.
To the hammer J is adapted a nose; having a small joint to enable it to
enter a slot in the breech and to strike the flange. To fasten and secure
the barrel firmly while being fired a locking bolt L which slides in a horizontal
groove partly in the lock and partly in the solid breech B, as shown in Fig. 7,
is employed; this bolt enters a slot 7 in the cone plug. The bolt is held in
this slot by a small spring, as shewn in Fig. 7, and is withdrawn by pressing
on a thumb lever L' projecting on one side. When the breech is pressed

page_text: down the latch is pressed back like a door bolt by the cone plug, and as soon
as the breech is closed the latch spring thrusts the bolt forward into its
socket. The thumb-piece L' is secured to the bolt by squaring its end and
inserting it into a square socket in the bolt, and the two are united by a screw
passing into the thumb-piece, as shewn in Fig. 9, which construction prevents
the thumb latch from working loose.
The mode of operation is as follows:-When the parts are in the position
shewn in Fig. 1 the gun is cocked and the thumb-piece L' drawn back to
release the locking pin L and allow the barrel to tilt up into the position
shewn in Fig. 2; the cartridge is then inserted and the breech shut down
and locked in place by the latch L. As the breech descends the end of the
retractor bears against the breech and is shoved forward, carrying the cartridge
with it, and thus preventing the rubbing of its flange against the breech which
is liable to produce an accidental explosion. When the breech is closed the
locking pin slides forward and locks the barrel in position, while the steady
pin I fits in a slot in the hinge D and holds the barrel steady. In closing
the breech the inner side of the cone plug slides past a shoulder K¹ on the
breech, which fits snugly against it, and thus prevents any lateral play of the
barrel. The gun having been cocked is ready to fire, and thus saves 'one
motion and the time lost in cocking. When the gun has been fired the
hammer is again cocked, and the thumb-piece L³ pressed back, which causes
the barrel to tip up by its own weight; as the barrel tips up the cam d³
pushes back the retractor and expels the cartridge which remains thus pushed
back until the breech is closed. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that
as the barrel tips up the rear end of the retractor follows it, while the front
end remains attached to the stock and turns and slides on the pin i, as it is
shoved by the cam on the hinge.. To prevent strain on the hinge when the
barrel is tipped shoulders r, s, t, are formed upon the rear part of the hinge,
against which the parts r¹, s, t, of the front hinge abut when the breech is
open; bearings on all sides of the pivot of the hinge are thus secured.
When at half-cock the nose of the hammer is inserted slightly in the notch,.
and thus avoids catching in any obstacle.
Although I have described the Invention as adapted to altering a muzzle-
loader to a breech-loading gun, it is obvious that it is 'equally adapted to a new
gun as well as to altering one already made. It may also readily be applied to à
double-barrelled gun, and be used with equal advantage either for military or
sporting purposes.
Under the first head of the Invention I claim,-
וד
1

page_text: +
hinge and stock, and of the rear part of the stock and hinge with the
breech-piece, or plug, when the parts are arranged for joint operation, as
described.
Second, the retractor, constructed as described, to expel the cartridge by a
positive motion.
Third, moving the retractor in one direction by a cam and closing it by
grazing the breech, as described, whereby the retractor is drawn in without
using a spring, and friction on the flange of the cartridge is prevented.
Fourth, the combination of the tipping barrel, the steady pin I, the locking
bolt L, the cone plug K, and the shoulder, as described, to hold the barrel
firmly while firing.
Fifth, constructing the locking bolt so that it shall slide in a groove,
partly in the lock and partly in the breech, to prevent strain on the lock, as
set forth.
The next part of the Invention also relates to a novel construction of parts
whereby sporting guns or small arms for military service may be changed
with economy from muzzle-loading to breech-loading arms, but without
materially altering their appearance; and to this end this part of the Inven-
tion consists in securing the barrel in front of the charge chamber, leaving the
breech rigidly attached to the stock, while the front part of the barrel slides
to-and-fro in the stock and fits the charge chamber with a telescopic joint,
which, is gas-tight when in position, to be fired and detached when the arm is
to be loaded. The stock is hinged near the mouth of the charge chamber, so
that both it and the barrel may be turned upon the hinge out of the way to
permit the arm to be loaded at the breech, and when loaded turned back and
the: barrel slid into position and held rigidly to be fired.
In Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1ª represents a longitu-
dinal elevation of a breech and part of a gun barrel; Figs. 2 represent an
elevation and plan view of the front portion of the hinge with views of some
of the parts in detail; Figs. 3* represent an elevation, plan, and end view of
the rear portion of the hinge with the hinge pin or screw; Fig. 4* represents
in elevation a portion of the lock stock and barrel of a shot gun with the
improvements applied; Fig. 5* is a vertical elevation of a shot gun with the
joint in the barrel open previous to being turned; and Fig. 6" is a view in
elevation of a musket with the barrel turned out of the way, so that the gun
may be loaded. The barrel is cut in two on the line A, Fig. 1, and a.portion
is attached to the breech long enough to receive the maximum charge of
powder and ball, or powder and shot, for the calibre of the arm. This is called
the charge chamber, which with the breech pin is rigidly attached to the stock,

page_text: as in Figures 4, 5, and 6. The top of the charge chamber a is turned down
to about one-half of the thickness of the barrel for about one inch in length,
with a slight taper from the square shoulder b, b, to the bevilled edge c, c,
which may be at an angle of about forty degrees; the rear of the band now has
its bore reamed out to match precisely over and upon the reduced end of tho
charge chamber, as shewn in dotted lines from A to d, Fig. 1, so that when
the edge of the barrel A rests against the collar 6 of the charge chamber the
bevilled portion c and d will fit with a gas-tight joint. The outer diameters of
the chamber and barrel at the joint 6 being reduced to an uniform plano will
leave the whole barrel unchanged in appearance from what it was before being
cut. Beneath the charge chamber and near the joint 6 is attached a staple or
eye-piece e, so that a screw through the tail of the breech pin, and a bolt or
pin through the piece e will hold the charge chamber firmly in the stock. To
the centre of the bottom of the barrel is attached securely a flat barf with
dovetailed edges and an angular depression 9 near its centre, and its rear end
on a line with the rear end of the barrel. The barrel may now be stocked in
the usual way, and the stock severed by a diagonal transverse cut from the
front-end of the charge chamber, as shewn at B in Figures 5 and 6", or the
stock may be made in two pieces to be united by a hinge, the one portion con-
stituting the breech of the arm and supporting the charge chamber, lock, guard,
and trigger, and the other to support the sliding barrel. The hinge which
unites the charge chamber and barrel is formed of two parts, that shewn in
Figs. 2 being attached to the front portion of the stock, and that secured to
the breech in Figs. 3*, and these are connected at the joint by a screw or pin E.
The breech portion of the hinge consists of a metal box C', being a cross
section having a bar D secured on its top, and having its end turned up at n
to receive the rear end of the charge chamber and aid the breech to resist the
recoil. The lower side of the box is furnished with curved ears to match the
curve of the outside of the stock, and the-bar D is dovetailed at its front end,
as at h, to receive the barf fastened to the under side of the barrel, while
slots h', Figs. 3, are cut in it to receive and stop the projection r on the front
portion of the hinge, and hold the parts at a right angle to each other. The
front part of the hinge consists of a grooved plate P carrying a projection O,
dropped from its back end to match in the box C, and form the moving
portion of the hinge attached to the forward portion of the stock. The groove
in the plate P is dovetailed to receive the barf on the barrel, and permit it
a longitudinal movement to an extent limited by the trigger or catch lever
which has a block s" on its rear end, and is pivotted at t and bifurcated at s',
so that its ends may pass into notches x, y, of a thumb bolt that projects
3,

page_text: from beneath the stock. The triggers is depressed in front by a spring v,
shewn in plan and side view in Figs. 2; the parts of the hinge are secured
properly to the stock by screws conveniently placed.
The operation of loading the arm is effected by holding the gun with one
hand and pressing the thumb-bolt, which will withdraw the catch lever from
the angular depression in the bar on the under side of the barrel. This will
permit the barrel to be slidden from the charge chamber, when the turn of
the hinge removes the barrel away from the charge chamber and leaves the
arm free to be loaded at the open breech, either by a prepared cartridge or loose
ammunition and proper wadding, when the hinge is closed and the barrel is
slidden down on the charge chamber, and the detent catch falls in place to
permit the gun to be fired. The dovetailed bar of the barrel having passed
into the dovetailed groove of the rear portion of the hinge the barrel will be
securely held in line with the breech, and the detent catch will effectually
resist the longitudinal pressure of the explosion of the charge; moreover, the
gas-tight joint between the barrel and charge chamber will prevent any resi-
duum from the ammunition getting between these parts, while the facility
with which the joint can be opened gives ample opportunity for cleaning all
parts of the joint and keeping the arm in good order.
It is obvious that this construction of parts can be applied to muzzle-loading
small arms, with the single effect only of shortening the barrel of the changed
arm to the extent of the length of the joint on the charge chamber.
When a long stock is used the stock can be secured beneath one of the
bands, as shewn at m in Fig. 6, so that when the hinge is locked this end of
the stock will be held secure beneath the band.
What I claim under this head of the Invention is,―
First, the combination of a telescopic joint in the barrel with a hinged joint
in the stock, as and for the purpose set forth.
Second, the telescopic joint to open and close to form a breech-loading
small arm.
Third, the combination of the sliding barrel with the dovetailed bar and
front portions of the hinge, for the purpose set forth.
Fourth, the combination of the barrel with the front and rear portions of
the hinge, for the purposes set forth.
Fifth, the combination of the projection r on the front part of the hinge
with the slot h¹ in the rear part of the hinge to hold the barrel at an angle
when loading.
Sixth, the combination of the catch lever s, thumb-bolt n, and bar f, for the
purpose set forth.

page_text: Seventh, the general arrangement and construction of parts.above described
for changing muzzle-loading to breech-loading arms without changing the
form, except in length.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)