Im- PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGE CASE EXTRACTORS FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Walter Sandell Mappin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
December 1866.
J; WALTER SANDELL MAPPIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGE CASE EXTRACTORS
FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
My improvements in breech-loading fire-arms consist in the following
arrangement of parts for charging and discharging the fire-arm:-I'divide
the barrel at the breech end by separating therefrom a portion of somewhat
greater length than the cartridge to be employed; the said' separated portion
constituting the charge chamber of the fire-arm. The said charge chamber
is open at both ends, and is jointed at its front lower end to the barreli in the
following manner :-At the said front lower end of the chamber is a hinged
joint connecting it to a bar, which bar slides in a recess underneath the barrel
and parallel to the axis of the barrel. By means of a spring acting upon the
said sliding: bar the charge chamber is raised or pressed upwards; so as to
expose its open rear end for the reception of the cartridge. The said charge
chamber rises only to the height necessary to permit of the ready introduction
of the cartridge and the withdrawal of the exploded cartridge case. On the
under side of the rear end of the charge chamber is a small lump which

page_text: enters a recess in the bottom or lower part of the chamber into which the
charge chamber shuts down. A spring snap bolt underneath the breech
chamber engages in a hole in the lump and fixes the charge chamber when it
is shut down in its place. The end of the break-off and the rear end of the
charge chamber are curved to accommodate the curvilinear motion. of the free
end of the charge chamber. The front end of the charge chamber has an
annular shoulder which accurately fits in an annular seat at the bore of tho
barrel, or in a groove in the end of the barrel, thereby preventing the escape
of gas on discharge. The discharge of the cartridge is effected by means of
a pin or striker working in the break-off in a line with the axis of the barrel.
The posterior part of this striker is cranked out of the line of the axis of the
barrel, and is struck by the nose of the hammer, the surface of which is
inclined. When the hammer falls its inclined end drops into a recess at the
back of the break-off and strikes against the striker, forcing it forward and
discharging the cartridge. A bolt under the break-off is connected by means
of a bar to the pin or striker. The said bolt when the striker is driven
forward by the fall of the hammer enters the recess in the lump on the under
side of the charge chamber, the snap bolt which engages in the said lump on
the shutting down of the charge chamber being pressed from the said recess
by means of an arm carried by the said bolt and passing under the said lump.
The charge chamber is thus held down during discharge by means of the bolt
attached to the pin or striker. When the hammer is raised to half-cock the
bolt carried by the striker is withdrawn from the lump, and the chamber is
forced or lifted out of the breech chamber by means of the spring hinge, as
herein-before described. The spring described for lifting the charge chamber
may be omitted, and the said charge chamber lifted by hand, and instead of
the spring snap bolt described for holding down the charge chamber before
discharge a spring stud may be used to hold down the said charge chamber,
so that it can only be raised on the application of considerable pressure.
My improvements in cartridge; case, extractors for breech-loading fire-arms
of the kind herein-before described consist in the following arrangement of
parts: On the side of the charge chamber is a sliding bar enclosed in a case,
the said bar having at its rear end a hook or recessed plate against which the
flange of the cartridge bears when placed in the charge chamber. This hook
when in its normal position occupies a recess made in the front of the free or
rear end of the charge chamber. The said hook of the extractor is main-
tained in its place flush with the free or rear end of the charge chamber by
means of a coiled spring. After the charge chamber has been raised out of
the line of the barrel the rod of the extractor is pressed by means of a handle

page_text: carried by it towards the butt end of the gun. The hook of the extractor is
thereby pressed from out the end of the charge chamber, carrying before it
the case of the exploded cartridge. On loosing the handle of the extractor
after the case has been removed the hook of the extractor returns to its placo
in the charge chamber by the action of the spring described. This cartridgė
case extractor may be applied to other guns having charge chambers turning
on a hinge.
My improvements in cartridge case extractors relate further to cartridge
case extractors to be applied to guns in which the breech end is opened for
charging and closed for discharge by means of a block or closer hinged to
the top or side of the barrel, and consist of the arrangement of parts herein-
after described, whereby on opening the breech block for reloading the
exploded cartridge case is at the same time started or withdrawn from the
barrel. On the axis or pin of the hinge upon which the breech block turns is
a ratchet or toothed wheel, the teeth of which are of a size proper to receive
between two of them the flange of a cartridge. The said toothed wheel is of
such a diameter that its lower part projects into the mouth of the barrel, so
that when a cartridge is inserted into the barrel its flange occupies the space
between two teeth of the said wheel. This toothed wheel works freely on tho
axis of the hinge or joint, a pall or click in the breech block engaging with.
the teeth of the said wheel. When the breech block is moved from
out the breech chamber after discharge the pall or click in the said block
pushes before it and gives motion to the ratchet or toothed wheel, and the
latter starts or extracts the exploded case from the barrel. After the intro-
duction of a fresh cartridge, and on the shutting down of the breech block, the
pall or click slips over the teeth of the toothed wheel and communicates no
motion thereto. By the arrangement described motion only is given to the
toothed wheel when the block is raised for reloading, and the cartridge in the
barrel is thereby prevented from being injured by the motion of the toothed.
wheel when the block is turned into the breech chamber for discharge. This
arrangement may be applied to breech blocks turning on the side or top of
the barrel.
My improvements consist further of the following arrangement of the parts
of cartridge case extractors to be applied to guns in which the breech block
turns on the side of the barrel and moves in a horizontal plane. On the
knuckle or jointed end of the breech block is a horizontal arm working under
the breech chamber and barrel. The extractor consists of a sliding bar, the
greater part of which works under the breech chamber and barrel. At the
end of the said bar and at right angles thereto is a plate working in a slot in

page_text: the bottom of the breech chamber, its upper end projecting into the said
breecli chamber. That part projecting into the breech chamber has a
quadrant form, and fits in a recess at the mouth of the barrel. The quadrant
plate described constitutes the extractor proper in a recess in which the flange.
of the cartridge fits when placed in the barrel. On the block being turned
aside after discharge the arm connected to it strikes against the end of the
quadrant plate below the breech chamber, and gives a sliding motion to the
extractor, which latter starts or extracts the exploded case from the barrel.
On closing the block the fresh cartridge is pushed home into the barrel and
the extractor is made to occupy its place at the mouth of the said barrel.
My improvements in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms are as follows:-
I provide the projectile with an axial stem or rod, the end of which serves
as the anvil or support against which the percussion cap of the cartridge is
discharged.. I prefer to make that end of the projectile to which the rod or
stem is affixed hollow or concave. I place the projectile with its stem in a
nearly closed metal case having a taper end to receive the taper end of the pro-
jectile.. In making up the cartridge the rear end of the case is open, and the
projectile is introduced into it at the said open end. The gunpowder is next:
placed in the case, being made to surround. the axial stem of the projectile.
The percussion cap is next placed upon the end of the axial stem, and the end
of the metal case is finally closed upon the said percussion cap, a hole being
left for the striker to pass through. The said percussion cap and powder are
thus maintained in their places. To discharge the cartridge the pin or striker
of the gun strikes upon the percussion cap at the rear of the case and
explodes. the fulminate and discharges the cartridge. On the discharge. of
the cartridge the projectile and metal case in which it is enveloped as well as
the exploded percussion cap are driven from the. gun. By this means the
charge chamber is cleared after each discharge, and a cartridge case extractor
is not required.. Instead of using a metal case. a case made of paper or other
material, may be employed..