IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hall, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.”
Sealed the 8th March 1872, and dated the 12th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th September 1871.
I, JOHN HALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
"
The improvements embrace the more effectually securing or fastening
snap guns," whether double or single, by the employment of a bolt
sliding in the body of the breech action and having two or more
bearings upon snugs or lumps projecting from the under side of the
gun barrels, thus affording great solidity to the gun.

page_text: In carrying the Invention into effect I purpose arranging the back
and forward bearings of the bolt as follows:-The back to be on a part
of a snug or lump extending beyond the breech end of the barrels and
the front to be on a lump close to the axis on which the barrels are
hinged. And I work the bolt by a lever at the top or in any convenient
manner, including sometimes the employment of a cam, the bolt to be
all in one piece, or if constructed in pieces to be made up solid or
firmly united together. Also I sometimes employ a cam without
sliding bolt, but latching or locking against the lump next to the
breech end of the barrels, and sometimes I place within the said lump
a lever or levers for extracting the cartridge cases (after firing) in such
manner that when the gun is open the cartridges with extractor can
be pushed into their proper places directly by the hand instead of by
the action of shutting the gun.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hall in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of September 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 successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Hall, Her special licence that
I, the said John Hall, my, executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Hall, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Hall, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing

page_text: 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 John Hall, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The improvements consist, firstly, in the more effectually securing or
fastening "snap guns," whether double or, single, by the employment
of a bolt sliding in the body of the breech action and having two or
more bearings upon snugs or lumps projecting from the under side of
the gun barrels, thus affording great solidity to the gun.
In carrying the Invention into effect I purpose arranging the back
and forward bearings of the bolt as follows:-The back to be on a part
of a snug or lump extending beyond the breech end of the barrels, and
the front to be on a lump close to the axis on which the barrels are
hinged. And I work the bolt by a lever at the top or in any convenient
manner, including sometimes the employment of a cam. The bolt to
be all in one piece, or if constructed in pieces to be made up solid or
firmly united together.
For the more complete exemplification of the manner in which the
Invention is to be and may be performed I have appended the accom-
panying Drawing, illustrating the breech action of a double-barrelled
"snap gun " constructed in accordance with the improvements (which
may be applied either to double or single "pin" on "central fire" guns
or rifles) firstly above set forth.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the "body" of
the breech and spring and lever herein-after described, without the
improved sliding bolt, and representing the breech opened, the lumps c*
and c² on the barrels herein-after described being shewn in "full" lines,
but the barrels, which are of the ordinary description, being shewn in
"dotted" lines; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the "body
and lever;
Figure 3, an inverted plan view of same.; Figures 4, 5, & 6, transverse
sections of the body through the lines M, M, N, N*, and O, 0*,
respectively delineated in the Figures 1 and 2.

page_text: Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are numerous views of the improved
sliding bolt detached from other parts.
Figure 13 is a longitudinal vertical section of the "body," with the
breech closed without the spring and lever, but representing the bolt in
its place locking into or against and securing the lumps on the barrel.
Figure 14 is a corresponding external clevation of the bolt and of the
lumps on the barrel in the same relative position, but omitting the
"body."
Figures 15, 16, and 17, detached views of the link or swivel i, herein-
after described.
a is the body with hinge pin b, on which the barrels c turn; a* and a²
are recesses in the body for the lumps c* and c² on the under side of the
barrel when the breech is closed, c* being the back lump extending a
little beyond the breech end of the barrel, and c² the front lump near
the axis or hinge pin b. The body has also a rectangular groove or
chase a³ accurately formed therein (see Figures 1 and 6) for the sliding
bolt e, which, lying in the groove, will accordingly as it is controlled
work or slide therein, but cannot become lifted or depressed from the
body. The controlling of the bolt is effected by the spring and lever f
(see Figures 1, 2, and 3), which works on a fulcrum or pin at ƒ×, and
carries or turns and moves with the tumbler or piece 7 shewn only in
Figures 1 and 3. The leverf is represented in the position corresponding
to the shut or home position of the bolt, in which it is maintained by
the pressure of the strong spring h acting against the tumbler g,
excepting when overcome by movement of the lever into the position
denoted by red lines in Figure 3 for withdrawing the bolt by means of
the small swivel piece or link i connecting the bolt and the tumbler
together. For this purpose one end of the link is formed with a pin i*
taking into a hole in the upper part of the back end of the bolt, and the
other end is attached to the tumbler by a screw stud or pin as shown in
Figure 3 and in dotted lines in Figure 1.
Now it is to be noted that the lumps c* and c² are narrower than the
bolt e, and that the latter has openings or passing places e* and e³ for
the said lumps respectively, see Figures 7, 9, and 10. Also that when
the bolt is withdrawn to the full extent, as controlled by the lever f and
tumbler I, and indicated by the red lines in Figure 3, the said passing
places permit the opening of the breech upon the hinge pin 6, but that

page_text: when the breech is closed and the lever f released the spring ŉ will
operate to return the bolt home, and the bolt will exercise its two
bearings to maintain the breech closed, one at Ex, on or against the
projecting part of the lump c*, and the other at E³, on or within the
notch formed expressly in the lump ca for its reception (see Figures 7,
8, 9, 10, 13, and 14).
Figures 18, 19, and 20 represent another means of working the bolt
from the lever f, namely, by the employment of a small lever m
working on a fulcrum on the "body" of the breech, the upper end
lying in a groove ƒ³ (see Figure 18) on the under side of the boss of the
lever f, and the lower end operating on the bolt. Figures 21, 22, and
23 represent another means of working the bolt from the lever f,
namely, by a small pin or stud f³ (see Figure 22). on the under side of
the boss of the lever f, taking into a groove or channel expressly formed
in a projection es upon the bolt (see also Figure 23).
And I would remark that the improvement is not limited to the
precise methods delineated and described for working the bolt, but that
the working may be effected in any convenient manner.
The improvements consist, secondly, in the employment of a cam
with or without sliding bolt, but latching or locking against the lump
next to the breech end of the barrels. This feature of the Invention
is to be performed by the employment of a cam piece or lever working
in a recess in the "body" on a horizontal pin or axis somewhat
similarly to the lever m in Figure 19, and operated upon by a top lever
in either of the ways represented at Figures 19 and 22 respectively to
make it engage with and to release it (when required) from a lump or
projection upon the barrels.
In conclusion I would remark in respect of or in connection with the
said improvements that I purpose sometimes to place within one or
other of the lumps on the barrels a lever or levers for extracting the
cartridge cases (after firing) in such manner that when the gun is open
the cartridges, with extractor, can be pushed into their proper places
directly by the hand instead of by the action of shutting the gun.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be and may be performed, I declare
that I claim the two several improvements herein set forth by the
definitions of them firstly and secondly above stated, not only in

page_text: accordance with the exact and particular modes of performance
represented in the Drawing and herein described, but in accordance
also with any modifications or differences in practice which experience
may suggest, and which are or may reasonably be held to be included
by the letter and spirit of the said definitions respectively.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hall, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
!