Improvements relating to the Firing of Small-arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements relating to the Firing of Small-arms.
I, JOHN WILLIAM FRAZER, Hillmount, Cullybackey, Co. Antrim, Bleacher, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
The essential point of my invention is to provide means whereby guns and
rifles may be fired off by the hand (usually the left hand) which grasps the barrels
or fore-end, instead of by the hand which grasps the "small" of the stock.
To enable me to accomplish this object, I provide triggers or studs, placed in,
or in front of, the fore-end, and connected with the locks by sliding rods or
other suitable connections.
A
.
1000s
Improvements relating to the Firing of Small-arms.
I, JOHN WILLIAM FRAZER, Hillmount, Cullybackey, Co. Antrim, Bleacher, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Hitherto, small-arms have usually been supported by the left hand when
firing, while the right hand grasps the small of the stock to press the butt against
the shoulder and also to pull the trigger, thus the left hand may be said to give the
direction while the right hand fires the shot.
The trigger finger does not however always respond immediately to the require-
ments, and the consequence is a miss in place of a hit.
K
Again, in these days of single trigger double-barrelled guns, the involuntary
pull" often discharges the second barrel before it is intended.
Now it is the object of this invention to effect the firing of small-arms, in a
more satisfactory manner than heretofore.
To this end the invention consists in employing the hand which grasps the fore-
end or barrel, and gives direction to the gun (usually the left hand), to fire, while
the right hand is used only for pressing the butt against the shoulder, by which
method of operating it is believed better shooting will result, as it will be possible
to hold the gun more firmly than heretofore.
For the purpose of this invention I adapt to the fore end, or in such other part

page_text: that it will be convenient for the left or guiding hand, triggers or studs which,
by means of sliding rods or other suitable connections, will be connected with the
locks, so that by pressing on the triggers or studs with the fingers of the left or
guiding hand, the sears or the hammers will be released and the barrel fired.
Thus, by the method of firing small-arms now proposed, the disadvantages
above indicated will be overcome.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of a double-barrel break-down gun as
is necessary to explain my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a detached sectional view shewing the right hand sear, hammer, and
spring in position ready for firing the right hand barrel.
A is the locking lever and B the locking bolt. The rear end of this bolt is cut
off at an angle forming an incline, and projects through the action, where it bears
against an antifriction roller C carried by a collar D), mounted on a sleeve E.
This sleeve is screwed into the rear of the action. The lower part of the collar
carries a projection D', which engages with a notch made in the boss of a switch
lever secured to the rear end of a firing rod J. This rod is formed with a collar,
between which and the forward end of the sleeve E is situate a helical spring K,
which is attached at one end to the collar on the firing rod, and at the other end
to the action, in such a manner that when the rod J is turned in one direction, a
torsion put upon the spring K, for the purpose to be presently explained.
H is a spring bearing against the front of the right arm G of the switch lever I',
and having at its lower end a catch h (Fig. 3)--
L and N are respectively the right and left hand sears, the shape of which is
clearly shown at Fig. 4, and O is a push-button on a rod 0¹, situate in the fore
end, and bearing against the forward end of the firing rod J. This rod serves to
fire the gun when the button O is pressed by the left hand of the sportsman. The
rod is furnished with a spring R to return it to its normal position.
The spring R is only a light spring, so that it will yield when the gun is broken
down, without affecting the spring K of the lock mechanism.
On pressing the lever A, to draw back the locking bolt B (when it is desired to
break down the gun for the purpose of loading) the incline on the rear end of the
locking bolt B will strike the roller C, thereby slightly rotating the collar D; the
projection D on the collar rocks the switch lever F, and causes the right arm G
of this lever to force back the spring H, and, rising, is retained by the catch h,
which is now under the arm G (see Fig. 4), and prevents this arm descending to
its normal position, while the locking bolt B is returned to its locking position,
when the gun is closed, the hammers Q being cocked by the rods P P in the usual
manner. The parts are now in position for firing the right-hand barrel (see
Figs. 3 & 4).
On pressing the button O, the firing rod J will be thrust back against the
pressure of the spring K, and with it the switch lever F, the arm G of which will
first release the sear L, and allow the hammer to advance, to fire the right-hand
harrel. A further backward movement of the rod J will release the arm G from
ine projection h, and allow the switch lever F to rock under the action of the
torsion put upon the spring K by the previous rocking action when opening the
gun, and cause the arm M of the switch lever to rise and strike the bottom of the
left-hand sear N. On relieving the pressure on the button O, the switch lever F
and firing rod J move forward, allowing the arm M to slip up in front of the left-
hand sear N, into position for firing the left-hand barrel, which may be effected
by pressing the button O, driving back the rod J, and switch F, and releasing the
left-hand sear.
It will be obvious that any well known safety locking device, thrown into
action by the movement of the lever A, may be conveniently fitted.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. The means for firing small-arms as herein shown and described, that is to
say, consisting in the application of buttons, triggers, or other devices, to the fore-
end of the arm to be operated by the hand supporting the fore end, such buttons
or triggers being connected by sliding rods or other suitable contrivances with
the sear releasing mechanism of the lock, as set forth.
2nd. The combination with buttons, triggers, or other devices, placed in the
fore end of a small-arm, and operated by the hand supporting the fore end, of the
lock action herein shown and described.
£ Dream 1900
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.