IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Southgate and James Wood-
ward at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1876.
THOMAS SOUTHGATE, of Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex, and JAMES
WOODWARD, the younger, of St. James's Street, in the City of Westminster, Gun-
makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in suap-action breech-loading fire-
arms, and it has for its especial objects the provision of an efficient and easily
manipulated automatic action or means of half or full cocking the hammers at the
time of unlocking the barrels, though such self cocking action is altogether
independent of the bolt or other part of the usual barrel locking action or
mechanism, save that it and the said barrel locking action are each dependent upon
(but upon different parts of) the barrel locking lever for primary action.
The Invention also comprises the application and use of an improved means of
actuating the usual locking bolt of snap action breech-loading fire-arms, and with
this improvement we prefer that the above referred to part of our Invention should
be adapted and applied in combination, though each such improvement may be
applied separately.
The improved peculiar automatic cocking action is specially designed for and
adapted to be used in combination with the ordinary cock locking actions, to the
tumblers of which the desired motion is thus and by the following improvements
and means given.
In constructing these tumblers we make them of a substantial pattern and of
considerable strength, and at that part nearest the breech facing or plate we
provide them with stout shoulders projecting inwardly about one half the width of
the space enclosed by the inner side walls of the lock plates, and we make these
shoulders with under bearing faces flattened for the lessening of friction. This is
the only alteration and improvement we make in any part of the ordinary cock
locking actions.
A short distance vertically or nearly so above the usual pivot upon which the
barrel locking lever works we pivot (in bearings rising from the trigger plate on
each side of the said barrel locking lever) a stout excentrically curved or shaped
cocking cam lever with an upper bearing surface immediately under the inwardly
projecting and under bearing faces of the cock locking tumblers, and with an under
projecting spur presenting a full bearing face, against which abuts a similar full

page_text: bearing projection or spur which we form on the centre or boss of the barrel
locking lever, and the effect of this arrangement and combination is that upon the
barrel locking lever being depressed as usually, its spur being so near its centre
bears with considerable force against the spur of the cocking cam lever, and acts
upon it in such a manner as to rotate it about its pivot and cause its peculiarly
curved bearing portion to bear upwardly against the under bearing flat faces or
surfaces of the inwardly projecting parts of the cock locking tumblers, and thus
effect the half or full cocking of the hammers with the greatest facility and ease of
manipulation.
The upward pressure of the cocking cam lever is thus exerted upon the tumblers
very nearly directly above the resistance it has to overcome and afforded by the
usual tumbler springs of the cock locking actions.
In that part of our Invention relating to effecting the unlocking and locking of
the barrels, we do not make any addition to or improvement in the locking bolt
itself (thus we desire and purpose to apply this improvement which is most simple,
but also most effective in its action and application to the barrel locking bolts or
mechanism of snap action breech-loading fire-arins whether having a single, double,
or multiple bite) save that it is necessary to have or make a suitable recess or
projections or any equivalent for our peculiarly formed locking and unlocking
excentric spur to engage with and actuate it.
The peculiarity of this part of our Invention consists in forming that part of the
barrel locking action for actuating the usual locking bolt of a double acting and
curved excentric cam form or shape, the said curve being struck from a centre above
that on which the said barrel locking lever works. This excentric spur projection
or cam is quite distinct from that above mentioned for actuating the cocking cam
lever, and preferably springs from a different part of the boss of the barrel locking
lever, and by this peculiar means we get a maximum of power and quickness of
action, and consequently very great ease and facility of movement. The said
excentric spur as above mentioned engages in or with a slot, recess, or projections on
the ordinary barrel locking bolt, and the usual movements of the barrel locking
lever are thus caused to effect the home thrust and withdrawal of the said locking
bolt, and thus lock or unlock the barrels as usually.
We would here remark as previously referred to that the improved cocking
action, and the improved barrel locking bolt actuating action, both above described,
may each be applied to snap action breech-loading fire-arms separately, but as above
mentioned we prefer that these improvements should be applied in combination as
they lessen the number of parts required, and the breech action as a whole is thus
simplified, and the advantages of and derived from the improvements are by their
combination rendered more apparent.