IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEECH-LOADING SMALL- ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Tipping Lawden, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, and John Thomas, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEECH-LOADING SMALL-
ARMS."
Sealed the 9th February 1877, and dated the 22nd August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and
John Thomas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August
1876.
THOMAS TIPPING LAWDEN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, and JOHN THOMAS, of Birmingham aforesaid, Gun Maker. "IME-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Our Invention has reference to those kinds of breech-loading small-arms called
drop-down guns, and our said Invention consists of the several arrangements or
combinations of parts herein-after described for cocking the hammers of the said
guns on withdrawing the sliding bolt to unfasten the barrels for charging.
Our Invention also consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after
described of the parts of the lock mechanism of drop-down guns, and also of a
safety stop for the hammers of the said guns.
Our improvements in cocking the said hammers are especially fitted for use in
combination with sliding bolts of the construction described and represented in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to one of us, namely, the said John Thomas,
on the 15th day of November 1871, No. 3091, but our said improvements may be
used with sliding bolts of other constructions.
Our Invention consists, first, of the following arrangement or combination of
parts for cocking the internal or concealed hammers of the said guns:-We prolong
the short upper arm of the hand lever on the under side of the gun by which the
sliding bolt is worked, the said short arm passing completely through and projecting
beyond the slot in the said bolt. Upon the extreme projecting end of the said
short arm of the hand lever we joint a horizontal arm, by which last-named arm
the hammers of the gun at the back of the break-off are cocked. The said cocking
arm projects from the short arm of the hand lever towards the back of the break-off,
and is situated immediately opposite the noses of the said hammers when the latter
are in their discharged positions. On moving the thumb-plate end of the hand
lever towards the muzzle end of the barrels for the purpose of withdrawing the
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page_text: sliding bolt and unfastening the said barrels the cocking arm on the extreme end of
the short arm of the hand lever is moved towards the butt end of the gun and the
said cocking arm by acting upon the noses of the hammers raises the said hammers
to full cock, the said cocking being effected simultaneously or nearly so with the
unfastening of the barrels. Or instead of the cocking arm described a horizontal
slide working in the break off and actuated by the short upper arm of the hand
lever may be used for the same purpose. This cocking slide is situated above and
parallel to the sliding bolt by which the barrels are fastened down, the extreme end
of the short arm of the hand lever working in a slot in the cocking slide. When
the hand lever is moved to unfasten the barrels the short arm of the lever besides
operating the bolt also operates the cocking slide, and the latter by acting on the
noses of the hammers raises the said hammers to full-cock.
Our Invention consists, further, of the following improvements in cocking the
external hammers of drop-down guns and in constructing the lock mechanism of the
said guns.
We will describe these improvements as applied to a double-barrel gun. We fix
on the axis of each of the external hammers a nearly vertical arm for cocking the
hammer, the said arm being made by preference in one piece with the tumbler of
the lock. The upper ends of the said vertical cocking arms are situated when the
gun has been discharged in front of the prolonged upper or short arm of the hand
lever which works the sliding bolt. The said hand lever is constructed as herein-
before described, excepting that the horizontal cocking arm is omitted. On moving
the hand lever to withdraw the fastening bolt for opening the gun the prolonged
end of the upper or short arm of the said hand lever bears directly or the cocking
arms on the axes of the external hammers and lifts the said hammers to full cock.
After the barrels have been reloaded and shut down the hammers may be placed nt
half-cock like the hammers of ordinary gun locks.
We construct the parts of the lock mechanism as follows:-The whole of the
lock mechanism is carried by the trigger plate, the said trigger plate having at each
side an upright.and at its middle a bush or bearing piece. In each of the uprights
described a nearly circular opening is made to receive a bush of a corresponding
figure, in which bush one end of the axis of the external hammer turns, the other
end of the hammer axis turning in the middle bush or bearing piece on the trigger
plate. The moveable or side bushes are fixed in their places in the uprights by
screw pins. The tumbler of the lock fixed on the hammer axes works between tho
side and middle bushes described. One end of the axis of each hammer projects
beyond the outer face of the upright on the trigger plate, and on the said projecting
end the external hammer is fixed. Wlien the trigger plate carrying the lock
mechanism is secured to the body of the gun the uprights on the said trigger plato
form as it were a prolongation of the body and break-off, the ordinary lock plates
being dispensed with.
For the purpose of permitting the gun to be put at half-cock and full-cock at the
pleasure of the user we place immediately in front of the prolonged upper arm of
the hand lever which operates the cocking arms herein described a stop, the said
stop being advanced and withdrawn either by a sliding or screwing action. When
the stop is in its advanced position it limits the range of motion of the prolonged
upper arm of the hand lever and prevents the said arm advancing beyond the
position at which it half cocks the hammers. When the stop is in its withdrawn
position it does not interfere with the motion of the hand lever, and the said hand
lever may fully cock the hammers. Instead of causing the said stop to act on the
upper arm of the hand lever it may act on the sliding bolt with the same effect.
Our Invention consists, further, of the following arrangement of parts for cocking
the hammers on withdrawing the sliding bolt to unfasten the barrels. Fixed to the
inner side of each of the tumblers of the hammers is a cross rod or peg, the said
rods or pegs being situated below the centres on which the said hammers turn.
Between the said hammers is a slotted link, one end of which link works on the
said cross rods or pegs and the opposite end is jointed to the long or lower arm of

page_text: the hand lever which works the bolt, the said slotted link being jointed a little
below the centre on which the hand lever turns. On moving the hand lever to
unfasten the barrels the slotted link acting on the pins or pegs on the tumblers of
the hammers turns the said hammers on their centres, and thereby raises them to
full cock. On the hand lever being returned to its fastening position the slotted
link slides on the cross rods or pegs, leaving the hammers in their cocked positions
ready to discharge the gun. Or the cocking of the hammers may be effected by
the action of the strikers on the unfastening of the gun; in this arrangement we
attach to each striker a lateral piece in slots in which the extreme upper end of the
hand lever working the sliding bolt engages. When the hand lever is moved to
unfasten the bolt the upper arm withdraws the strikers and the back ends of the
strikers by acting on the noses of the hammers cock the said hammers. On
returning the hand lever to its fastening position the strikers are slightly advanced
by the short arm of the lever.
The several arrangements described for cocking the hammers may be worked
either by a hand lever on the under side or upper side of the gun.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and John Thomas in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th February 1877.
THOMAS TIPPING LAWDEN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, and JOHN THOMAS, of Birmingham aforesaid, Gun Maker. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Our Invention has reference to those kinds of breech-loading small-arms called
drop-down guns, and our said Invention consists of the several arrangements or
combinations of parts herein-after described for cocking the hammers of the said
guns on withdrawing the sliding bolt to unfasten the barrels for charging.
Our Invention also consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after
described of the parts of the lock mechanism of drop-down guns, and also of a
safety stop for the hammers of the said guns.
Our improvements in cocking the said hammers are especially fitted for use in
combination with sliding bolts of the construction described and represented in
the Specification of Letters Patent granted to one of us, namely, the said John
Thomas, on the 15th day of November 1871, No. 3091; but our said improvements
may be used with sliding bolts of other constructions.
Our Invention consists, first, of the following arrangement or combination of
parts for cocking the internal or concealed hammers of the said guns. We prolong
the short upper arm of the hand lever on the under side of the gun by which the
sliding bolt is worked, the said short arm passing completely through and projecting
beyond the slot in the said bolt. Upon the extreme projecting end of the said
short arm of the hand lever we joint a horizontal arm, by which last named arm
the hammers of the gun at the back of the break off are cocked. The said cocking
arm projects from the short arm of the hand lever towards the back of the break
off, and is situated immediately opposite the noses of the said hammers when the
latter are in their discharged positions. On moving the thumb plate end of the
hand lever towards the muzzle end of the barrels for the purpose of withdrawing
the sliding bolt and unfastening the said barrels, the cocking arm on the extreme
end of the short arm of the hand lever is moved towards the butt end of the gun,
and the said cocking arm by acting upon the noses of the hammers raises the said
hammers to full cock, the said cocking being effected simultaneously, or nearly so,
with the unfastening of the barrels. Or instead of the cocking arm described a
horizontal slide working in the break off and actuated by the short upper arm of
the land lever may be used for the same purpose. This cocking slide is situated

page_text: above and parallel to the sliding bolt by which the barrels are fastened down, the
extreme end of the short arm of tho hand lever working in a slot in the cocking
slide. When the hand lever is moved to unfasten the barrels the short arm of the
lever besides operating the bolt also operates the cocking slide, and the latter by
acting on the noses of the hammers raises the said hammers to full cock.
Our Invention consists further of the following improvements in cocking the
external hammers of drop-down guns, and in constructing the lock mechanism of
the said guns.
We will describe these improvements as applied to a double barrel gun. We fix
on the axis of each of the external hammers a nearly vertical arm for cocking the
hammer, the said arm being made by preference in one piece with the tumbler of
the lock. The upper ends of the said vertical cocking arms are situated when the
gun has been discharged in front of the prolonged upper or short arm of the hand
lever which works the sliding bolt. The said hand lever is constructed as herein-
before described, excepting that the horizontal cocking arm is omitted. On moving
the hand lever to withdraw the fastening bolt for opening the gun, the prolonged
end of the upper or short arm of the said hand lover bears directly on the cocking
arms on the axes of the external hammers, and lifts the said hammers to full cock.
After the barrels have been reloaded and shut down the hammers may be placed at
half cock like the hammers of ordinary gun locks.
We construct the parts of the lock mechanism as follows:-The whole of the lock
mechanism is carried by the trigger plate, the said trigger plate having at each side
an upright, and at its middle a bush or bearing piece. In each of the uprights
described a nearly circular opening is inade to receive a bush of a corresponding
figure, in which bush one end of the axis of the external hammer turns, the other
end of the hammer axis turning in the middle bush or bearing piece on the trigger
plate. The moveable or side bushes are fixed in their places in the uprights by
screw pins. The tumbler of the lock fixed on the hammer axis works between the
side and middle bushes described, one end of the axis of each hammer projects
beyond the outer face of the upright on the trigger plate, and on the said projecting
end the external hammer is fixed. When the trigger plate carrying the lock
mechanism is secured to the body of the gun the uprights on the said trigger plate
form as it were a prolongation of the body and break off, the ordinary lock plates
being dispensed with.
For the purpose of permitting the gun to be put at half cock and full cock at the
pleasure of the user, we place immediately in front of the prolonged upper arm of
the hand lever which operates the cocking arins herein-before described a stop, the said
stop being advanced and withdrawn either by a sliding or screwing action. When
the stop is in its advanced position it limits the range of motion of the prolonged
upper arm of the hand lover, and prevents the said arm advancing beyond the
position at which it half cocks the hamuners. When the stop is in its withdrawn
position it does not interfere with the motion of the hand lover, and the said hand
lever may fully cock the hammers. Instead of causing the said stop to act on the
upper arm of the hand lever it may act on the sliding bolt with the same effect.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical longitudinal section, and Figure 2 in side elevation
the breech end of a breech-loading gun, containing mechanism constructed according
to our Invention for cocking the internal or concealed hammers of the said gun;
Figure 3 is a plan of the same partly in horizontal section, and Figure 4 represents
nearly the same view as Figure 1 with the hammers in the act of being cocked,
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a, a², is the hand lever turning on the centre as, by which hand lever the sliding
bolt b is worked and the concealed hammers f, f, cocked. c (Figure 1) is the spring
for pressing the hand lever into its normal position, and for giving the snapping
action to the sliding bolt b, which bolt when the barrels are shut down takes upon
the lump d on the face of the barrels, and fastens the said barrels in their places.

page_text: Above and parallel to the sliding bolt b is a cocking slide e for acting upon and
cocking the hammers ff, on the withdrawal of the bolt b. The said cocking slide
works in a slot in the said bolt b, and its rear end has a cross head, as seen in
Figure 3, for bearing against the discharged hammers and lifting them to full-cock.
The short upper arın a³ of the hand lever a, a, projects through a slot in the sliding
bolt b, and its extreme upper end works in a slot in the cocking slido e (see Figure
1); h, h, are the strikers of the gun. When the hand lever a is raised from the
guard to unfasten the barrels, as represented in Figure 4, its short arm a², besides
actuating the bolt b and withdrawing it from the lump d, also operates the cocking
slide e, which latter by acting upon the noses of the hammers f, f, raises the said
hammers to full-cock, as illustrated in Figure 4, the said cocking being effected
simultaneously or nearly so with the unfastening of the barrels. The way in which
the sears of the lock mechanism engage with the tumblers of the hammers and hold
the latter at full-cock is seen in Figure 4. The discharge of the gun is effected by
pulling the triggers in the usual manner.
Instead of cocking the hammers by a slide above the bolt as described and
illustrated, the said slide may be dispensed with, and in place thereof a horizontal
arm projecting towards the butt end of the gun may be jointed to the upper end of
the short arm a of the hand lever for cocking the hammers, the said cocking arm
working above the bolt b. In this case on withdrawing the sliding bolt b, by
operating the hand lever a to unfasten the barrels, the cocking arm on the extreme
end of the short arm a² acts upon the hammers and cocks them in the same way as
they are cocked by the cocking slide e. The hammers f. f, and other parts of the
lock mechanism are carried by the trigger plate g, as herein-after fully explained
with respect to the gun with external hammers next described.
Figures 5 and 6 represent longitudinal sections of a drop-down gun provided
with mechanism constructed according to our Invention for cocking the external
hammers of the said gun, and also provided with lock mechanism constructed
according to our Invention. The section Figure 5 is taken through the middle of
the gun, the cocking mechanism being in the position which it occupies after the
gun has been discharged, and the section Figure 6 is taken in a line passing through
one of the barrels, the hammers being represented at full-cock.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation, and Figure 8 a plan of the gun with the
hammers at half-cock.
Figure 9 represents one of the cocking arms and the tumbler of the same detached
from the gun.
Figure 10 represents in plan, and Figure 11 in side elevation, the lock cocking
and unbolting mechanisms carried by the trigger plate; Figuro 12 is a cross section
of the same taken on the dotted line A, A; Figure 10 and Figure 13 is a cross
section of the same taken on the dotted line B, B, Figure 10.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 5 to 13, both
inclusive.
c, c, are the barrels ; & is the sliding bolt seating itself upon the lump e on the
face of the breech ends of the barrels, and being worked by the upper short arm of
the hand lever f. The said hand lever f turns on the centre carried by the
trigger plate g, and the upper arm of the said hand lever is forked, one of the
branches of the fork marked a working the bolt d, and the other branch i of the
fork cocking the external hammers h, k, by acting upon the cocking arms 1, 1, behind
the bolt d: The hand lever fis pressed into its normal position, and the snapping
action of the bolt & effected by the spring m bearing on the upper arm of the hand
lever (sce Figure 5). Each of the external hammers has an independent axis n,
and on each axis a cocking arm is fixed. The axis of one of the hammers and the
cocking arm thereon is shown separately in Figure 9. The lower end of each
cocking arm is furnished with a tumbler in the bents in which the sear p of the
lock engages, the main spring 7 being connected to the said tumbler by a swivel, as
best seen in the section Figure 6. The upper arm i of the hand lever f is situated
between the two independent cocking arms l, l, the said arm i bearing against the

page_text: projections 1, 3, on the inner and opposed faces of the two cocking arms (see
Figure 10). On moving the hand lever fto withdraw the sliding bolt d, to unfasten
the barrels for reloading the gun, as represented in Figure 6, the forked arm h
withdraws the bolt, and the other arın i of the said hand lever bears against the
projections 3, 3, of the cocking arins 1, 1, and depresses the said arms. A partial
rotation is thereby given to the axes n, n, of the said arms, and the hammers h³, h³,
are brought to full-cock, the sears p, p, falling into the full-cock bents of the
tumblers, as represented in Figure 6. The external hammers k, k, are thus lifted
to full-cock simultaneously with the withdrawing of the sliding bolt d to unfasten
the barrels. After the barrels have been reloaded and shut down and fastened in
their places the hand lover f occupies the position represented in Figure 5, and both
hammers or either hammer may be placed at half-cock like the hammers of
ordinary gun locks. To discharge the gun the triggers r, r, are pulled in the
ordinary way. The scars p, p, are thereby disengaged from the tumblers 1³, 13, of
the cocking arms 1, 1, and the hammers fall by the action of the main springs q, q,
the several parts occupying the respective positions represented in Figure 5.
To prevent the hammers when required being fully cocked by the operation of
the hand lever f, I place on the under side of the trigger plate g a safety slide or
stop 8, the head of which slide works in a slot t in the said trigger plate, and I
make at the front of the hand lever near its joint a shoulder u. When the slide 8
is in its advanced position, as seen in Figure 5, the shoulder of the hand lever, when
the latter is lifted from the guard to cock the hammers, bears against the said slide,
which acts as a stop, and the said land lever is prevented from being raised
sufficiently far to lift the hammers to full cock. The slides is connected to the
trigger plate y by the screw pin v, the head of which slides upon seats on the
trigger plate, as best seen in Figure 13.
The slide or sliding stop s may be placed on the top and near the front end of the
tang of the break off, in which case the said sliding stop when brought into action
bears upon and prevents the motion of the bolt d, and consequently the full cocking
of the hammers.
The lock mechanism, that is, the cocking arms 1, 1, 1, 12, axes n, n, and
hammers k, k, and parts connected with them, and also the hand lever f, h, i, are
carried by the trigger plate g, as represented in Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13. The
said trigger plate has at each side an upright w, and at its middle a bush or
bearing piece x. In each of the uprights wa nearly circular opening is made to
receive the moveable bush y of a corresponding figure (see the cross section,
Figure 12). In these side bushes y the outer ends of the independent hammer
axes n respectively turn, the inner ends of the said hammer axes turning in the
fixed middle bush or bearing piece. The said moveable side bushes y when
removed from the uprights w permit of the ready introduction of the axes n of the
hammers into their places in the trigger plate, the said side bushes when put in their
places in the uprights taking upon the outer ends of the said axes, as seen in the
Drawing. The side bushes y are fixed in the openings in the uprights w, w, after
the lock mechanism has been fixed in its place by screw pins z, z, taking into tho
said side bushes.
By an examination of Figuro 12 it will be seen that the tumblers 1³, 13, of the
lock work between the side and middle bushes y, x, and that one end of each of the
hammer axes n projects beyond the outer face of the upright on the trigger plate.
On the projecting ends of the axes n, n, the hammers k, k, are fixed. The position
which the uprights w of the trigger plate occupy when the said trigger plate
carrying the lock mechanism is secured to the body of the gun is represented in
the side elevation, Figure 7, where it will be seen that the said uprights form as it
wore a prolongation of the body and break off, the ordinary lock plates being dis-
pensed with.
Figures 14 and 15 represent partly in longitudinal section and partly in side
elevation an arrangement of our Invention in which the external hammers are half
cocked by the withdrawal of the sliding bolt, the said bolt being actuated by a

page_text: hand lever on the tang of the gun, Figure 14 representing the hammers in their
discharged position, and Figure 15 the same in their half-cocked position.
Figure 16 represents a plan of the same, and Figure 17 represents the bolt
separately. a is the sliding bolt worked by the short inner arm b on the axis c of
the hand lever d, the said hand lever working on the tang of the break off. The
arm b works in the side piece a³ of the bolt a. The rear end of the bolt is furnished
with a cross piece a², which when the bolt a is withdrawn to unfasten the barrels,
bears against the cocking arins l, l, on the axes n, n, carrying the external hammers,
and raises the said hammers to half cock in the manner herein-before explained
with respect to the last described arrangement. The lock mechanism of this gun is
constructed in the manner herein-before described, and corresponding parts aro
marked with the same letters of reference.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be. performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention
of improvements in breech-loading small-arms of the kind called drop-down guns,-
First. The arrangements or combinations of parts, herein-before described and
illustrated with respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, for
cocking the internal hammers of the said guns on withdrawing the sliding bolt to
unfasten the barrels for charging, that is to say, cocking the said hammers by means
of a cocking slide worked by the hand lever which actuates the sliding bolt, or by a
horizontal cocking arm jointed to the extreme upper end of the said hand lever,
substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The arrangement or combination of parts, hercin-before described and
illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawings, for cocking
the external hammers of the said guns on withdrawing the sliding bolt to unfasten
the barrels for charging, that is to say, cocking the said hammers by means of the
upper arm of the hand lover which actuates the sliding bolt acting upon cocking
arms on the axes of the external hammers, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The arrangement or combination of parts, herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 14, 15, 16, and 17 of the accompanying Drawings, in which
the sliding bolt worked by a hand lever on the tang of the broak off is made on the
withdrawal of the said bolt to open the gun, to actuate the cocking arms on the axes
of the external hainmers, and raise the said hammers to half cock.
Fourthly. The sliding stop, herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 5,
6, 7, and 13 of the accompanying Drawings, for limiting the range of motion of the
upper arm of the hand lever or sliding bolt, and thereby preventing when desired
the raising of the hammers to full cock.
Lastly. Constructing the parts of the lock mechanism of the said guns in the
manner herein-before described and illustrated in the several Figures of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, arranging the whole of the lock mechanism upon
the trigger plate, the said trigger plate having at its sides uprights carrying
moveable bushes, and at its middle a bush or bearing piece, the side bushes and
middle bush supporting the axes of the hammers, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Tipping Lawden and John Thomas,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of February, in
1
50 Witness,
RICHARD SKERBETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
THOMAS TIPPING LAWDEN,
JOHN THOMAS.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)