IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Christofleau, of No. 60, Boulevart de Stras-
bourg, Paris, in the Empire of France, Blacksmith, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 18th September 1863, and dated the 26th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Christofleau at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th March 1863.
I, LOUIS CHRISTOPLEAU, of No. 60, Boulevart de Strasbourg, Paris, in the
Empire of France, Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
I propose by my improvements to leave on the fire-arm no projection which
being accidentally struck may cause its discharge. I do away with the usual
trigger and guard, but mount the hammer on the spindle of the tumbler in
the ordinary manner, the tumbler being in connection with the usual spring,
I give to one end of the catch which takes into the notches of the tumbler, au
elbow or curve, and place it in contact with one end of a double or balanced
lever, near the other end of which I attach a pin or stud, the other or broad end,
of said stud which forms the actual trigger, being recessed in and coming even
with the exterior of the stock. If the finger or thumb be pressed on the top of
the pin or stud, the lever will pivot, lifting the catch and the spring pressing on
the tumbler will bring down the hammer. I propose sometimes covering the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Christofleau in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
CHRISTOFLEAU, of No. 60, Boulevart de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Empire of
France, Blacksmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Louis Christofleau, Her special licence that I, the said Louis Christoflenu,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Louis Christofleau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said Louis Christofleau, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or ono of their hands and scals, 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 Louis Christofleau, do hereby declare tho
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing bercunto annexed,
and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters of
reference placed thereon.
My Invention, intended to be applied especially to sporting guns, gives to
fire-arms a great security, and will prevent the numerous and fatal accidents
which occur from the accidental discharge of fire-arms. I take off the trigger,
which by projecting from beneath may catch some impediment, and cause the

page_text: cock to fall upon the exploding cap, although the trigger is protected by the
trigger guard, which piece is no longer wanted. No other piece but the cock
is left to project, and as nothing can indirectly act upon the lock to remove the
cock-stop, the cock can no longer come down accidentally, and the less so,
inasmuch that my trigger which is even with the stock, and no longer under-
neath but on the upper part, is protected by a little sliding plate, which must
be removed before the trigger can be pressed upon to fire the gun. The said
trigger drives the end of a swing lever, the other end of which lifts the catch
or stop, which is engaged in a notch of the nut when the gun is cocked,
the main spring working as in common gunlocks, the cock or hammer falls
suddenly on the cap.
The annexed Sheet of Drawing is an illustration of my Invention. Figure 1
is a vertical longitudinal section of the portion of the stock where the lock is
let in; Figure 2, plan of the same portion of the gun.
The gun barrel A, provided with its breech D, is attached on the stock by
the screw V running through the upper iron band I, J, the hook I of which is
engaged in the breech, the screw runs at u in a boss embodied with the lower
bahd K, M; these two bands or tying pieces are let in the wood, and further,
they are tied together by the screw V.
The firelock P is made as in most guns, it is fitted with a nut or tumbler N,
main spring R, and catch T, which enters the notches of the nut where it is
kept by the spring r, the end of the catch T is bent forward at e, and the swing
lever E hinging on the bearing S, lifts up the projecting end e of the catch T
to free the nut and cause the cock C to strike on the cap. This effect is
obtained by bearing with the finger on the top pieco L of the small rod t,
hinged at i with the swing lever E; the latter is thus lowered on one side
whilst the other side lifts up the projecting piece e of the catch T to free the
nut N, the axle thereof bearing the cock or hammer C, which is brought down
on the cap placed at F. The top L of the trigger piece is covered by a small
sliding piece G, the tongue of which runs in a suitable mortice; to fire tho
gun it must be slid off to the position shewn in both Figures.
In order to make the gun safer, the slido G could be hooked fast when slid
back by a small spring hook, which could be released by bearing on a small
button.
My safety trigger system can be applied to guns of all sorts, either to
sporting or millitary guns, to single or double barrels, to rifles, muskets, pistols,
or any other fire-arms.
For double-barrel guns, the pressing triggers can be placed under one
another, and protected by the same slide piece, but a slight modification only

page_text: would be required in the form and respective position of the swing levers
working the clicks of the nuts.
My Invention being now described, I wish to have it understood that I do
not restrict myself to the preciso shapes and arrangements of the pieces or
organs composing my safety lock, as the same could be modified in several
respects, and my Invention still retain its distinctive features; and that I
claim as my Invention a safety gun trigger, having no projecting piece liable
to cause the gun to be fired accidentally, the said trigger being itself protected
by a sliding covering piece; the said trigger being placed on the top part of
the stock, as shewn on the Drawing, or on either side.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Christofleau, havo hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
L. D'AUBREVILLE, C.E.'
L. CHRISTOFLEAU. (L.S.)