Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1887
Complete Left, 20th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 11th May, 1888
I, HENRY SMITH of Price Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Gun
Action Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to small arms of the kind commonly called drop down
guns; and my said invention consists 1st, of the improvements hereinafter described
in lifter mechanism, for effecting the cocking of the hammers, by the act of raising
the breech ends of the barrels for reloading-2ndly, in a combined trigger and
sear safety.
My improved lifter, and parts connected with it, for the cocking of the said tumblers
or hammers, is constructed as follows-
In juxta position to the fore-end joint, or to the joint of the fore end iron, and
disposed within the middle of the underside of the body of the arm, a single lifter or
double tumbler or hammer raiser is situated; and which said lifter, or tumbler
or hammer raiser, consists essentially of a branched or T back ended flat bar, with a
bush or joint ring, upon the top side of its fore part; and through which said bush or
ring, the joint or body pin of the arm passes and works-Thus when the lifter is in
position, and the barrels of the arm closed, the underside of the lifter lies flush with
the underside of the body, and with the T or branched hind part, resting upon the
tips of the undersides of the fore-part, or the extended fore-parts of both the tumblers,
situated at a distance from each other.
By making the hind part, branched, or T4, a single and centrally disposed lifter is
made to cock both tumblers.
The extreme front part of the lifter, extends only to within a short distance from
the fore-part of the body joint, thus leaving a space at the commencement of the gap,
wherein the lifter lies, and within this space, an abutment face of the fore end joint
part, fits; so that the fore end iron, or the joint of the fore end iron, fits closely up to
the front of the lifter, and keeps it in an immovable position with respect to the
fore-end and barrels.
The lifter may have a plain or straight back end, instead of a crutch end, as described;
while the extended fore parts of the tumblers may have return ends, which approach
each other, like the tail ends of ordinary sears. The tips of these inwardly hooked or

page_text: return tumbler ends lie upon the extreme back end of the lifter; so that on the
opening of the barrels, the tumblers or hammers are either individually or
simultaneously raised, according to whether one or both are in their uncocked
positions.
Instead of the lifter being held by the fore end, or the fore end iron, the said lifter
may be held by the front lump. This I do by recessing the underside of the lump,
hook like, and forming the top side of the lifter into a head or hook part, which fits
into the like recess of the front lump, as aforesaid.
A spring is placed at the front of the lifter next to the fore end, for the purpose of
keeping it in position, or up to its work, as the cut away part of the body, wherein
the lifter fits, has to be so made, that the said lifter is allowed to slide when placed in
position.
The lifter in this case, is perfectly independent of the fore end, and of the body pin
of the arm; and further, the back or hind part thereof, may be branched or crutched,
or it may be perfectly straight. In this latter case, the extended fore parts of the
tumblers, have inwardly directed hooked ends as aforesaid.
The said lifter may if necessary be made in two parts, for the convenience of
attaching the same within the recess of the front lump.
Or both the back end of the lifter, and the extended fore parts of the tumblers may
be straight, and connection between them made by an independent cross bar, which is
made to embrace both lifter and tumbler ends.
My new or improved combined trigger and sear safety consists as follows.
The upright bracket or trigger box part, situated upon the top face of the under-
strap, and to which, both triggers are jointed, is provided at its upper end, with an
outwardly directed hook part; and to this said part, which overhangs the trigger
blades, an arm is jointed, at or about its middle. The lower part of the said arm is
made barrel form, and with a cranked and outwardly directed foot or lower end,
which when the arm is vertical or upright, the triggers are blocked; and within the
axis or interior of this barrel part, a piston pressed down by a coiled spring, slides.
The piston is limited in its motion, by a pin or stop; while the spring enclosed
within the barrel, constantly keeps the lower end of the piston upon the tops of the
tail ends of the sears, whether the said arm be in an upright, or in a moderately
inclined position.
The upper part of the arm is made plain, with a V terminal part, which passes
within the division of a cut out part of a safety slide.
The underside of the strap opposite the cut out part, is provided with a flat spring,
having upon its end a Va part, against which the V₁ top of the arm aforesaid works.
When the triggers are at safe, the arm is vertical, with its foot resting upon their
blades, and with the V top of the arm, resting upon the offside, of the V of the
spring.
The change of position of the arm, brings the top end upon the other side of the V
in a like manner; while the piston remains always upon the sears, and acts as an
auxiliary spring, should either of the sears' springs proper become broken, or thrown
out of position, by concussion, or jarr off.
The auxiliary sear safety, may be applied to trigger safties, of the oscillatory type,
or to that class jointed directly to the under-strap, and operated by a double armed
lever, pivoted upon the top of a pillar.
Dated this Eighteenth day of May 1887

page_text: improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
I, HENRY SMITH of Price Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Gun
Action Maker, 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 :-
:-
My invention has reference to small arms of the kind commonly called drop down
guns; and my said invention, consists 1st, of the improvements hereinafter described,
in lifter mechanism, for effecting the cocking of the tumblers or hammers, by the act
of raising the breech ends of the barrels for reloading, 2ndly, in a combined trigger
and sear safety.
My improved lifter, and parts connected with it, for the cocking of the said tumblers
or hammers, is constructed as follows:-
In juxta position to the fore-end joint, or to the joint of the fore-end iron, and
disposed within the middle of the underside of the body of the arm, a single lifter
or double tumbler or hammer raiser is situated; and which said lifter or tumbler,
or hammer raiser, consists essentially of a branched or T back ended flat bar, with
a bush or joint ring, upon the top side of its fore-part; and through which said
bush or ring, the joint or body pin of the arm passes and works. Thus, when the
lifter is in position, and the barrels of the arm closed, the underside of the lifter
lies flush with the underside of the body, and with the T or branched hind part,
resting upon the tips of the undersides of the fore part, or the extended fore parts
of both the tumblers, situated at a distance from each other.
By making the hind part, branched, or T", a single and centrally disposed lifter is
made to cock both tumblers.
The extreme front part of the lifter, extends only to within a short distance,
from the fore part of the body joint, thus leaving a space at the commencement of
the gap, wherein the lifter lies, and within this space, an abutment face of the fore
end joint part, fits; so that the fore-end iron, or the joint of the fore end iron, fits
closely up to the front of the lifter, and keeps it in an immovable position, with
respect to the fore end and barrels.
The lifter may have a plain or straight back end, instead of a crutch end as described;
while the extended fore parts of the tumblers may have return ends, which
approach each other, like the tail ends of ordinary sears. The tips of these inwardly
hooked or return tumbler ends, lie upon the extreme back end of the lifter; so that
on the opening of the barrels, the tumblers or hammers are either individually or
simultaneously raised, according to whether one or both are in their uncocked
positions.
Instead of the lifter being held by the fore-end, or the fore-end iron, the said lifter
may be held by the front lump. This I do by recessing the underside of the lump, hook
like, and forming the top side of the lifter into a head or hook part, which fits into
the like recess of the front lump as aforesaid.
A spring is placed at the front of the lifter, next to the fore end, for the purpose
of keeping it in position, or up to its work, as the cut away part of the body, wherein
the lifter fits, has to be so made, that the said lifter is allowed to slide when placed in
position.
The lifter in this case, is perfectly independent of the fore-end, and of the body pin
of the arm; aud further, the back or hind part thereof, may be branched or crutched,

page_text: or it may be perfectly straight. In this latter case, the extended fore parts of the
tumblers, have inwardly directed hooked ends as aforesaid.
The said lifter may if necessary be made in two parts, for the convenience of
attaching the same within the recess of the front lump.
Or both the back end of the lifter, and the extended fore-parts of the tumblers, may
be straight, and connection between them, made by an independent cross bar, which
is made to embrace both lifter and tumbler ends.
My new or improved combined trigger and sear safety, consists as follows.
The upright bracket, or trigger box part, situated upon the top face of the under-
strap, and to which, both triggers are jointed, is provided at its upper end, with an
outwardly directed hook part; and to this said part, which overhangs the trigger
blades, an arm is jointed, at or about its middle. The lower part of the said arm is
made barrel form, and with a cranked and outwardly directed foot or lower end, which
when the arm is vertical or upright, the triggers are blocked; and within the axis
or interior of this barrel part, a piston pressed down by a coiled spring, slides.
The piston is limited in its motion, by a pin or stop; while the spring enclosed
within the barrel, constantly keeps the lower end of the piston upon the tops of the
tail ends of the sears, whether the said arm, be in an upright, or in a moderately
inclined position.
The upper part of the arm is made plain, with a V terminal part, which passes
within the division of a cut out part of a safety slide.
The underside of the strap opposite the cut out part, is provided with a flat spring,
having upon its end, a Va part, against which the top of the arm aforesaid,
works.
When the triggers are at safe, the arm is vertical, with its foot resting upon their
blades, and with the V top of the arm, resting upon the offside of the V of the
spring.
The change of position of the arm, brings the top end upon the other side of the V
in a like manner, while the piston remains always upon the sears, and acts as an
auxiliary spring, should either of the sears' springs proper become broken, or thrown
out of position, by concussion or jarr off.
The auxiliary sear safety, may be applied to trigger safeties, of the oscillatory type,
or to that class jointed directly to the under-strap, and operated by a double armed
lever, pivoted upon the top of a pillar.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in side elevation, and partly in longitudinal vertical
section, a drop down breech loading hammerless gun, provided with hammer lifting,
and trigger safety mechanism, constructed and arranged, according to my invention,
and which said gun is shown in its fired or discharged position. It will be seen
that the hammer lifter, is worked jointly from off the front lump, and fore end,
collectively.
Figure 2 represents the said gun, figure 1, with the barrels lowered, the gun cocked,
and the arm at safe.
Figure 3 represents an underside view, or inverted plan of the said figure 1, thus
showing the end of the hammer lifter, which collectively comes under the fore
parts of the said hammers, and cocks them simultaneously. The safety in this view,
is also represented upon the underside of the tang strap.
Figure 4 represents an edge view, or a side elevation, of the said hammer lifter, of
which figure 5 is a plan of the top side.
Figure 6 is the joint of the fore end iron, showing therein, the small recess,
wherein a fore part snug of the lifter lies, when the parts are in position for use.
Figure 7 represents a modification of the lifter arrangement, as in figure 1. In
this arrangement, the lifter is strung, and works upon the body pin, instead of upon
independent joint centres.
Figure 8 represents a side elevation of the said lifter figure 7, and figure 9, a top
sido plan, exhibiting the joint bearing, and the ☎ end.

page_text: Figure 10 is a section of the joint of the fore end iron.
Figure 11 shows an arrangement for cocking the arm, or raising the lifter from
the fore-end loop.
Figure 12 represents an underside view of the body part of a breech-loading
hammerless gun, in which the fore parts of the hammers, have returned ends, and
work in conjunction with a straight or plain lifter.
The same letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in figures 1 to 6 of the
drawings.
a are the barrels, b is the break off, c is the body part, and c³ is the fore part of the
said body, having working within it, or upon its underside, a single bar hammer
lifter d, branched or T, at its hind part, and marked d², and jointed at its fore part
at d. The extended fore part d', of which said front end, takes within a like gap or
holo e, in the joint e³, of the fore end iron e. f are tumblers, fulcrumed at f, and
with the tips of their extended fore parts f³, resting upon the branched parts d', of the
bar lifter d.
The joint centre d³, of the said hammer lifter d works within bearings made within
detachable enclosing plates.
The top side of the lifter, has a rear extending hooked snug d, which takes into a
like recess on the undersido of the front lump a² of the barrels a; so that when the
lifter is placed in position, it is placed within the gap a³, and then moved towards the
break off, when the fore-end e¹ placed in position, thus keeping the lever, in its
proper working position, with respect to the extended fore parts of the tumblers.
The opening of the gun, and the turning of the barrels upon the body pin c³, causes
the lifter d, to turn upon its joint centres d³, and with the lump a³, on the undersides
of the barrels, which movement inwards, of the rear and branched end d² collectively
raises the hammers to full cock, by the extreme ends of the said branched parts,
coming under the extended tips of the fore parts of the hammers.
g are the sears, the sear tails, h the triggers, h² the trigger blades, jointed
forwardly at 3. i is a pillar or block safety, jointed at 2, to an upright bracket 13.
The lower end 4, 3, of the said pillar or block safety, is shaped, to so seat itself
upon the tails g³, of the sears, and the flats *, of the blades ²; so that when the said
lower end is in the position as represented at figure 2, both sear tails and triggers,
are blocked; the latter rigidly, and the former yielding, are hereinafter described.
The upper end of the pillar or block safety i, is V, or inclined on two sides, and
over which, the Vd free end 7, of a flat spring j, works, on the safety limb being
moved into and out of safety. The said upper end takes, and lies within, a hole in
the reciprocating slide k, which is worked by a thumb piece l, and guided in its
motion by a screw pin k². The thumb piece 1, is connected to the rear of the slide k,
by a depending lug 1, and which lugs works through a hole in the tang strap m.
The fore part of the slide, impinges against the rear of the bolt n², which is worked
by a foot n at the lower end of the tang lever axis n of the tang lever o.
Thus, the pushing of the slide 1, towards the break off, takes the pillar or block i,
from off the sear tails and trigger blades, so as to allow the triggers to be pulled, and
the arm discharged, while the turning of the lever o, for the opening of the barrels,
pushes back the slide k, through the end of the bolt, and so makes the gun safe, by
the sliding back of the thumb piece l, and the bringing of the lower of the block i,
over the trigger blades and sear tails, as represented in figure 2.
In figure 7, in which the lifter is jointed upon the body pin, a are the barrels, b the
break off, c the body part, c' the fore part of said body part, c³ the body pin, encircled
by a loop or bushed bearing d³, disposed on the top side of the lifter d, whose rear
part d is branched, as represented in the plan figure 9, whilst the fore-part d' is
undercut, whereunder a like extension e³, of the joint of the fore-end iron e, takes.
fare tumblers, whose extended fore parts f³, rest upon the laterally extended
branched parts d, of the single lifter d.
Figure 11 shows a modified form of my invention, in which the cocking is effected
from the fore-end loop, upon the underside of the barrels.
a are the barrels, b is the break off, c is the body part, d is the hammer lifter, of the

page_text: kind or kinds as herein described. ' is the joint pin of the body part, e is the fore
end iron, and e¹ the fore end. a³ is the fore end loop, and p is a sliding rod, jointed
to a swinging arm q, fulcrumed at g³, and whose lower end g³, takes upon the
chamfered rear fore part d³, of the hammer lifter d; so that on the removal of the
fore end, which is done by the ordinary prysing of its fore-part, removes the said
lower end g³, from out of position, but on the said fore end being placed in position
upon its loop, its inclined side a*, forces the rod p rearwards, and takes the lower part
of the hanging arm q, into position over the front of the lifter, and by which means,
an abutment is formed, for the cocking of the arm.
In figure 12, the hammers f, have their fore parts f³, turned inwards into hooked
ends, and which rest upon the top of the rear part d², of a straight and centrally
disposed lifter d, which is fulcrumed at its fore part; so that on the falling of the
barrels, the fore-end e¹, turns the lifter inwards, and collectively raise both hammers f
to cock.
It will be observed, that the lower underside of the safety pillar or block, is provided
with a yielding abutment in the form of a piston, forced down, by a coiled spring,
which serves as an extra sear or safety spring.
ris a piston, working upwardly through the block i, and with a spring ², encircling
the stalk; and which said stalk is of smaller diameter than the other part, whilst
the top abutment of the spring, is made upon the upper part of the hole, wherein the
piston r, works; so that when the safety block or pillar is in the position as in
figure 2, the protruding lower underside of the said piston, comes upon the tails of
the sears, thereby rendering the same safe, if by accident, the sear springs proper,
become injured or broken.
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 :-
First. A duplex (or a single) hammer lifter, consisting of a single and centrally
disposed straight bar or arm, fulcrumed near its fore part, and provided at its rear
part, with a branched or T end, upon which the tips of the fore parts of the hammers
rest, for the purpose substantially as set forth in figures 1 to 6 both inclusive of the
drawings.
Secondly. In a hammer lifter, for a double or single gun. Making the lifter, of a
single and centrally disposed bar, with its rear part T, or branched, upon which the
fore parts of the hammers rest, and with the said lifter provided with (upon its top
side) a bushed sleeve or joint centre, wherethrough the body pin of the arm passes,
substantially as set forth in figures 7, 8, 9 and 11.
Thirdly. The combination with the hammer lifter d, and fore end loop a³, a*, of a
rod and jointed arm p, q, 93, 93, substantially as set forth in figure 11.
Fourthly. The combination with a straight and centrally disposed lifter d, d², of
the returned hammer fore parts f³, of hammers f, substantially as set forth in
figure 12.
Fifthly. Providing the lower underside of a safety block or pillar i, or its
equivalent, with a yielding or spring piston r, which comes upon the sear tails, and
forms an extra sear or safety spring, in the event of the sear springs proper, becoming
broken or injured.
Lastly. In trigger and sear safety. Consisting of a pivoted or jointed pillar or
block i,,,, slide k, k³, spring j, thumb piece 1, 12, and piston r, r³, r³, substan-
tially as described and set forth in figures 1, 2 and 3.
L
L
CT 1
1000