IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Poultney, of Baltimore, State of Maryland,
United States of America, but now residing at the Langham Hotel, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
B
"
Sealed the 29th October 1867, and dated the 1st June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Poultney at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
June 1867.
I, THOMAS POULTNEY, of Baltimore, State of Maryland, United States
of America, but now residing at the Laugham Hotel, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relates to that
description of arm in which the moveable block for closing the breech is
hinged or attached either permanently or temporarily to the rear end of the
barrel in such a manner as to admit of its being turned back in order to open
the breech for the reception of a cartridge. In this description of fire-arm

page_text: the moveable breech block when in place lies snugly in a recess formed either
by cutting down the upper half of the rear end of the barrel or by screwing on
a piece of the required size and form. It has been found that with this
description of arm some little difficulty is experienced in inserting the cartridge
in consequence of the projecting sides of this recess.
The present Invention has for its object to obviate this inconvenience, and
this is effected by cross cutting down the sides of the recess and turning the
part down into a horizontal position on the wooden stock, thereby giving more
easy access to the open breech not only without weakening but actually
strengthening this part of the arm. Either one or both sides of the recess may
be turned down in this manner.
The cartridge extractor is a small lever arm mounted on the pin of
the moveable breech block, and has a positive motion imparted to it by
the breech block when the latter is turned back, as this block will be
This
brought against a projecting stud on the upper side of the extractor.
will cause the extractor to move on its centre of motion, and thus force
out the empty cartridge shell, which will be thrown back against a wedge-
formed piece placed at an angle at the bottom of the recess which receives
the moveable breech piece. In order to avoid the danger of the breech block
being prevented from fitting properly in its seat or going fairly home by the
presence of dirt in the recess the under side of the breech block is cut away
to within a short distance of each end, so that should any dirt get accidentally
into the recess it will not materially interfere with the proper working of
these parts unless a considerable quantity should be allowed to accumulate
therein.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Poultney in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
POULTNEY, of Baltimore, State of Maryland, United States of America, but
now residing at the Langham Hotel, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto.

page_text: me, the said Thomas Poultney, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Poultney, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas Poultney, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Poultney, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly 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 Thomas Poultney, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms" relates to
that description of arm in which the moveable block for closing the breech is
hinged or attached either permanently or temporarily to the rear end of the
barrel in such a manner as to admit of it being turned back in order to open
the breech for the reception of a cartridge. In this, description of fire-arm
the moveable breech block when in place lies snugly in a recess formed
either by cutting down the upper half of the rear end of the barrel or by
screwing on a piece of the required size and form. It has been found that
with this description of arm as ordinarily constructed some little difficulty is
experienced in inserting the cartridge in consequence of the projecting vertical
sides of this recess.
The present Invention has for one of its objects to obviate. this incon-
venience, and this is effected by cross cutting down the sides of the recess and.
turning the part down into a horizontal position on the wooden stock, thereby
giving more easy access to the open breech, not only without weakening the
Either one or both
arm, but actually strengthening this part of the arm.
sides of the recess may be turned down in this manner.
The manner in which I propose to carry out this part of the Invention s
shown in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an external side view:
of the arm with all the parts in their proper position ready for firing;

page_text: Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same taken through the barrel a
and breech block b, and shewing the firing pin and locking bolt d which secures
the breech block in its place when the arm is discharged by the fall of the
hammer. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the arm with the breech bolt b removed,
and which is shewn detached in plan at Fig. 4, and end elevation at
Fig. 5.
The cartridge extractor is a small lever arm shewn by dots at e, Fig. 2, and
detached in front and end views at Figures 6. It is mounted on the pin 6¹ of
the moveable breech block b, and has a positive motion imparted to it by the
breech block 6 when the latter is turned back into the position shewn by dots
in Fig. 1 in order to open the breech of the arm for the insertion of a fresh
cartridge. By bringing the block 6 into this position it will be brought against
a projecting stud e¹, Figures 2 and 6, on the upper side of the extractor e. This
will cause the extractor e to move on its centre of motion, and by thus coming
against the flange of the cartridge will force out the empty cartridge shell,
which will be thrown back against a wedge-formed piece 9 placed at an angle
at the bottom of the recess which receives the moveable breech piece or block b.
In order to avoid the danger of the breech block 6 being prevented from fitting
properly in its seat or going fairly home, owing to the presence of dirt in the
recess, the under side of the breech block is cut away, as shewn in Fig. 2, to
within a short distance of each end, so that should any dirt get accidentally
into the recess it will not materially interfere with the proper working of
these parts, unless a considerable quantity should be allowed to accumulate
therein.
Figures 7 and 8 are cross sections taken in the line 1, 2, and 3, 4, across the
řecess which receives the breech block. The side h of the recess is bent down
into a nearly horizontal position, as above mentioned, so as to give more con-
venient access to the open end of the barrel for the insertion of the cartridge
and to allow of the more ready expulsion of the empty cartridge shell, and
this bent down part is secured to the wooden part of the stock and contributes
materially to 'strengthen this part of the arm, which in many breech-loaders is
considerably weakened.
I would observe that although in Fig. 2 I have shewn a bolt d for securing
and holding the breech block in its place when the charge is exploded I do
not claim this as any part of the Invention, nor do I think it is absolutely
necessary, as when the hammer i, Fig. 1, descends on to the firing pin c (as
'epresented by dots in Fig. 1) in order to explode the charge the nose of the
hammer will enter the notch 62 at the rear end of the breech and will effectually
prevent it from rising from its seat.

page_text: Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading
Fire-arms," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First, the mode herein set forth of constructing the moveable or hinged
breech block.
Second, I claim the mode herein shewn and described of constructing the
recess which receives the moveable breech block so as to facilitate the intro-
duction of the cartridge, and also the expulsion of the exploded or discharged
cartridge case.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Poultney, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THOMAS POULTNEY. (L.B.)