IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO BREAK DOWN HAMMERLESS GUNS
Year: 1884

page_text: I FREDERICK BEESLEY of 22 Queen Street, Edgware Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO BREAK DOWN HAMMERLESS GUNS to be as
follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improved means involving an improved principle of
action applicable to break down hammerless guns for automatically effecting the
cocking of the tumblers when opening the gun for inserting the cartridges, and
for effecting the compression of the springs when closing the gun; and thus
rendering them effective for discharging the cartridges when the tumblers are
released from the sears in the usual manner.
The improved means consist of flat spring levers which are pivotted at the front
end of the action near the knuckle joint, and have their forward ends projecting
beyond the knuckle joint and lying under the barrels of the gun and their rear
ends each extending into engagement with a slot in the lower forward part of
one of the tumblers, and with which slots the rear ends of the springs always
engage.
Over the spring part of each of such levers I pivot in the action a tumbling
lever, and these levers are actuated by the underpart of the barrels or by a cross
bar carried by one of the steel lumps of the barrels in such a manner as to cause
a regular compression of the spring while the gun is being closed after inserting
the cartridges. The spring levers and tumblers can be arranged in two slots cut
along the bed of the action, one for each lock mechanism. The tumblers with
their respective sears and sear springs may also be set or carried by the action, or
by separate lock plates in the usual manner, as may be desired.
The action of the mechanism herein described is as follows:-
As the barrels are opened they depress the forward projecting ends of the
pivotted spring levers, causing the spring ends engaged with the slots in the
tumblers to lift the latter to full cock where they are retained by the sears-On
1

page_text: closing the gun the said cross bar causes the pivotted tumblers to compress the
springs against the resistance offered by the tumblers held by their respective sears
and to such an extent as suffices to discharge the gun when the tumblers are
released from the sears by the action of the triggers.
It will thus be seen that I dispense with double or V, or spiral springs and also
with such cams levers thrust rods and other like appliances as have been previously
used in various combinations, and in lieu thereof substitute, in each lock mechanism
a single flat spring lever which as herein described acts both as a lifting lever in
itself and also as a spring for actuating the tumbler for discharging the gun.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1884.

page_text: I, FREDERICK BEESLEY, of 22, Queen Street, Edgware Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Gunmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO BREAK DOWN HAMMERLESS GUNS," and
in what manner the same is to be performed 'to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The improvements constituting this Invention are applicable to break down
hammerless guns, and they consist of improved means or arrangements of parts
for automatically effecting the cocking of the tumblers when opening the gun
for inserting the cartridges, and for similarly effecting the compression of the
springs when closing the gun, thus rendering them effective for discharging the
cartridges when the tumblers are released from the sears in the usual manner.
Figs 1, to, 4, of the accompanying drawings illustrate the application of the
Invention to .a body-action gun, Figs; 1 to, 3, are longitudinal sections through
the line a-b Fig; 4 looking in the direction of the arrow, c. and Fig; 4, is a
cross section through the line d,-e, Fig; 1 looking in the direction of the
arrow, f.
The improved means hereinbefore referred to consist of flat spring levers, 1,
which are pivotted as at, 2, at the front end of the action near the knuckle joint, 3,
and have their forward ends, 4, projecting beyond the knuckle joint and through
slots, 5, cut in the forepart, 6, and lying under the barrels, 7, of the gun, or
projecting into similar slots cut only in the iron of the forepart and lying under
the upper part of the slotted iron, and have their rear ends, 8, each extending
into engagement with a slot, 10, in the lower forward part of one of the
tumblers, 11, and with which slots the rear ends of the springs always engage.
Over the spring end, 8, of each of such levers, 1, there is pivotted as at 12, in
the action, a tumbling lever, 13, and these tumbling levers, 13, are actuated by
the underpart of the barrels, or by a cross bar, 14, carried by one and preferably
the forward one, 15, of the steel lumps of the barrels, in such a manner as to cause
a regular compression of the spring while the gun is being closed after the
cartridges have been inserted. The spring levers, 1, and tumblers, 11, are arranged
in two slots 16, cut along the bed of the action (vide Fig; 4.) oue for each lock
mechanism.
I would remark that the improved means herein described may partly or wholly
be mounted on side or lock plates either of the bar action pattern, or of a back
action pattern, or part of the mechanism, such, for example, as the tumblers, and
sears, and sear springs may be mounted on the trigger plate, but in all
modifications I prefer that the spring levers with their respective compressing
tumblers should be supported by the action.
The action of the mechanism herein described is as follows:-
As the barrels are opened, the underpart thereof or the adjacent part of the
forepart depresses the forward projecting ends, 4, of the pivotted spring levers, 1,
in the direction of the arrow, g, causing the spring ends, 8, engaged with the
slots, 10, in the tumblers, 11, to be uplifted in the direction of the arrow, h, thus
causing the tumblers to be lifted to full cock where they are retained by the
sears, 17, vide Fig; 1. On closing the gun, the cross bar, 14, bears in the direction
of the arrow, i, and causes the pivotted tumblers, 13, to compress the spring
ends, 8, in the direction of the arrow, j, against the resistance offered by the
tumblers still held by their respective sears, vide Fig; 2, and to such an extent

page_text: as suffices to discharge the gun when the tumblers are released from the sears by
the usual action of the triggers, when the parts are caused to assume the positions
shown in Fig; 3, from which they are all again removed to the positions shown
in Fig; 1. by the mere act of opening the gun.
It will thus be seen, that, in accordance with the present improvements, I
dispense with double, or V, or spiral springs, and with all modification of the
Stanton main springs, and also with all such cams, levers, thrust rods and other
like appliances as have been previously necessary when used in effecting the object
of the present improvements in various combinations with the Stanton main
spring, and in lieu thereof substitute in each lock mechanism a much simplified
arrangement of parts consisting of a single flat spring-lever, which, as herein before
described, acts in itself both as a lifting or tumbler cocking lever, and also as a
spring for actuating the tumbler for discharging the gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of my
said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
The hereinbefore described improvements in or applicable to break down
hammerless gun, such improvements consisting in the novel and peculiar arrange-
ment and combination in each lock mechanism of the spring, 1, acting in itself
as a lifting or tumbler cocking lever when opening the gun, when operated and
operating as aforesaid, and as a spring for actuating the tumbler for discharging
the gun, when the gun is closed and when the tumbler is released from the sear
by the usual action of the trigger, with the tumbling lever, 13, when operated
and operating as aforesaid for compressing the spring by the closing of the gun
ready for effecting the discharge of the latter as and at the time referred to; when
such parts are arranged and combined and are operated and co-operate in the
manner herein before described.
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.