MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Amos Elvins at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th June
1867.
I, AMOS ELVINS, of No. 41, Queen's Road, Bayswater, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
extractor
My Invention has reference to breech-loading fire-arms with hinged barrels,
and consists, firstly, in an improved arrangement for actuating the "
on the falling forward of the barrel or barrels. For this purpose I form or
fix upon the breech piece below the barrels, and a short distance behind the
axle pin, a projecting finger which passes up into a recess in the under side of
the barrels, where it comes in contact with the bar of the extractor, so that
as the barrels fall forward the finger pushes out the extractor.
Another part of my Invention has reference to an improved "snap action
for securing the barrel or barrels when closed up. For this purpose a recess
or slot is formed in the part of the breech piece below the barrels, and a
cylindrical bolt passes through the side of the breech piece across such slot,
being provided outside the breech piece with a lever, whereby it can be turned
round to a certain extent. That part of the bolt which passes across the slot
is cut away somewhat on one side, and is also provided with a projecting stud.
A projection formed on the under side of the barrel or barrels fits into the slot
when the barrels are closed up, and this projection has a curved surface fitting
partially round and close against the curved surface of the said bolt when this

page_text: is turned into a certain position by the lever, so that the barrels are thus
firmly held or locked when the bolt is in this position. When the barrels are
required to fall forward the lever is turned so that the part of the bolt from
which a portion has been cut off is brought in front of the curved surface of
the projection on the barrels, and such projection is thus at liberty to move
out of the slot. At the same time the before-mentioned stud on the bolt is
caused by the turning of the lever to press against the under side of the pro-
jection on the barrels, whereby this is moved up out of the slot and the
barrels made to fall forward. In addition to the revolving bolt for holding
the barrels a spring bolt is made to pass through the end of the breech pièce
and into a notch in the end of the aforesaid projection on the barrels, which
bolt is actuated by a strong spring fixed to the breech piece, and is moved
back to free the barrels by 'the lever, at the same time this turns the
revolving bolt for this purpose, by the following arrangement:-At the side of
the before-mentioned slöt in the breech piece is formed a second smaller
groove, through which the revolving bolt also passes. In this groove the bolt
is formed with an excentric or crank, and over this crank fits a slide, which is
consequently moved backwards and forwards somewhat by the motion of the
revolving bolt. To the spring bolt is attached an arm which passes through
the end of the breech piece and into the before-mentioned small groove,
where it is connected to the slide, so that it and also the spring. bolt are
made to move backwards and forwards with the slidė. The crank or
excentric on the revolving bolt is so formed and arranged in connection
with the spring that when the lever has been turned partially so as to
free the barrels the action of the spring upon the slide effects the turning of
the revolving bolt and lever so as to complete the motion thereof, and in like
manner when in closing down the barrels the herein-before mentioned pro-
jection thereon presses down the stud on the revolving bolt, and thus causes
the latter to turn back somewhat, the crank or excentric thereon is brought
into such a position that the spring can cause it to complete its motion, so as to
effect the locking of the barrels without turning the lever by hand: The lever
has by preference a small spring catch on its inside surface, which when it is
in the position for locking the barrel's enters a groove in the breech piece and
holds the lever in that position.
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