IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING GUNS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Smith, of Princes Street, Leicester Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING GUNS."
Sealed the 8th October 1867, and dated the 11th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1867.
I, SAMUEL SMITH, of Princes Street, Leicester Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING GUNS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to that descrip-
tion of sporting gun known as the falling or depressing barrel, whereby the
breech is exposed for the insertion of the Lefaucheaux or central-fire cartridge.
In guns of this description hitherto constructed a handle or lever or other
equivalent has been adopted, whereby the unlocking action of the barrels
from the body of the gun has been effected, such handle or lever being exposed
beneath the stock, and having to be actuated by the shooter's hand.
Now according to this Invention I propose to operate the action of unlocking
the barrels from the body by the motion of the hammer, by preference by the
right-hand hammer; this is effected by fixing a stud or projection on the
connecting arm of the tumbler or tumblers, such arm being acted on by the

page_text: mainspring of the lock; this stud extends about half an inch or more within
the lock plate, and past the centre line of the barrels. Beneath the breech
end of the barrels a lump is attached, which fits in a recess cut in the fore
part of the body; this lump has a notch cut in the rear, which is entered by
a catch, and so the barrels are held down in the stock; this catch is set in a
slot or groove cut in the body, and its upper surface is formed of a wedge or
angular shape, so that the pressure of the lump when the barrels are being
shut down will force back the catch against the action of its spring, leaving it
free to instantly enter the notch in the lump. At the rear of the body two
bearings are fixed containing a pivot attached to an arm descending to a
slide forming the rear of the catch; such slide working in the groove or slot
cut through the body to the notch of the lump. Above the bearings a catch
is set on a pivot or joint, and is held back by a curvilinear or other suitable
spring or springs. Now when the hammer is pulled to half-cock the stud on
the tumbler arm is brought against the spring catch, whereby the slide is
drawn back from the notch, and the barrels are released, the spring instantly
brings back the slide, and causes the locking catch to protrude through the body.
When the left-hand hammer is down the rapid motion of the catch in and
out of the notch does not allow the barrels to es cape, but after firing both
barrels, the left-hand hammer being raised free of the barrel when the right
hammer is pulled back to half-cock, the catch flies back, and the barrels
fall down ready for the insertion of the cartridges; or after firing the right
barrel, and it being desired to reload that barrel the hammer may be raised in
order to lower the barrels for that purpose, it not being necessary to discharge
both barrels before reloading. By fixing a similar projection on the left-hand
lock above that on the right-hand lock the elevation of the right-hand hammer
will raise the left-hand bammer to a similar position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
SMITH, of Princes Street, Leicester Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Samuel Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Samuel Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Smith, 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
SPORTING GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Samuel
Smith, 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 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 Samuel Smith, 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 state-
ment:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to that description
of sporting gun known as the falling or depressing barrel gun, whereby the
breech is exposed for the insertion of the Lefaucheaux or central-fire cartridge.
In guns of this description hitherto constructed a handle or lever or other
equivalent bas been adopted, whereby the unlocking action of the barrels from
the body of the gun has been effected; such handle or lever being exposed
beneath the stock, and having to be actuated by the shooter's hand.
Now according to this Invention I propose to operate the action of unlocking
the barrels from the body by the motion of the hammer, by preference by
the right-hand hammer; this is effected by fixing a stud or projection on
the connecting arm of the tumbler or tumblers, such arm being acted on
by the mainspring of the lock; this stud extends about half an inch or more
within the lock plate, and past the centre line of the barrels. Beneath the
breech end of the barrels a lump is attached which fits in a recess cut in the
fore part of the body; this lump has a notch cut in the rear which is entered
by a catch, and so the barrels are held down in the stock; this catch is set in
a slot or groove cut in the body, and its upper surface is formed of a wedge
or angular shape, so that the pressure of the lump when the barrels are
being shut down will force back the catch against the action of its spring,
leaving it free to instantly enter the notch in the lump. At the rear of the

page_text: body two bearings are fixed containing a pivot attached to an arm descending
to a slide forming the rear of the catch, such slide working in the groove or
slot cut through the body to the notch of the lump; above the bearings a
catch is set on a pivot or joint, and is held back by a curvilinear or other
suitable spring or springs. Now when the bammer is pulled to half-cock the
stud on the tumbler arm is brought against the spring catch, whereby the slide
is drawn back from the notch, and the barrels are released; the spring
instantly brings back the slide, and causes the locking catch to protrude through
the body. When the left-hand hammer is down the rapid motion of the
catch in and out of the notch does not allow the barrels to escape, but after
firing both barrels, the left-hand hammer being raised free of the barrel when
the right-hand hammer is pulled back to half-cock, the catch flies back,
and the barrels fall down ready for the insertion of the cartridges; or after
firing the right barrel, and it being desired to reload that barrel, the hammer
may be raised in order to lower the barrels for that purpose, it not being
, necessary to discharge both barrels before reloading. By fixing a similar
projection on the left-hand lock above that on the right-hand lock the eleva-
tion of the right-hand hammer will raise the left-hand hammer to a similar
position. The Invention is applicable to both front and back locking actions.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood I annex the
accompanying Drawing, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of the
lock and part of the barrel shewing the improvements referred to.
a, represents the face of the stud projecting from the connecting arm of the
tumbler b; c is the mainspring; d, d, are the lumps under the breech of the
barrels fitting into recesses cut in the fore part of the body e; f is a notch cut
in the rear of the lump into which the sliding catch enters, whereby
the barrels are held down in the stock. The catch h moves in a slot cut
in the body as before described; i is a bearing containing the arm k, actuating
the slide h by means of the screw l; o is the catch above the bearing i, under-
neath which the stud a is brought to bear by the cocking of the hammer,
which elevates the point of the catch, and throws the arm K backwards against
the spring p, thus withdrawing the slide h from the notch f. Directly the
catch o is released by the elevation of the stud a the spring p restores the
catch and slide to their closed position as shewn.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into practical effect, I would remark in con-
clusion that I do not limit myself to the exact details and configuration of
parts I have expressed and shewn, as the same may be slightly varied or
modified without departing from the principle of the Invention; but what I

page_text: claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters
Patent are the general arrangement and combination of parts whereby the
barrels of depressing barrel breech-loading sporting guns are secured and
released by the action of the hammer or hammers, substantially as herein
specified and shewn by the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
0 Witness,
ALEX, M. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
SAMUEL SMITH. (L.S.)