IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF COCKING GUNS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Tolley at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 18th February 1879.
HENRY TOLLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF COCKING GUNS."
The first part of my Invention consists of an improved device for causing ignition
of the cap or primer contained in the cartridges for breech loading guns, and is as
follows:-
-
A hole or aperture is drilled or otherwise formed horizontally through the
action, and is carried from the back of the standing breech through the whole
length of the body, to the knuckle or joint on which the foreend works.
Into the said aperture is fitted a piston which projects beyond the body at both
ends.
Around the piston is coiled a spiral spring working within the body.
Upon the rear end of the piston is jointed at right angles a bar, on which at a
convenient point is provided a striker, to receive which a hole is made in the body
of the action, and on the lower end of the before named bar a notch or bent is
made, into which the sear is caused to engage.
The sear and sear spring is carried upon a lock plate in the customary manner.
. The forward end of the piston is bevilled, and upon the underside of the barrels
is fitted a steel projection, bevilled to correspond with and fit upon 'the bevilled
piston just inentioned.
The action of the parts are as follows:-The barrels being held firmly in one
hand, the stock is depressed by the other hand, and thus the bevilled piston is
caused to travel up the inclined plane of the projection on the underside of the
barrels. This action forces back the piston, to which is attached the bar, and the
striker, as before explained, to a sufficient distance to allow the sear to engage in
the bent.
The stock is then raised, and the gun is thus closed, and by the same action the
points of connection between the bevilled piston and the bevilled steel projection
cease.
By pressing the trigger the sear is lifted from the bent, thus allowing the spring
to drive forward the piston, carrying with it the bar and striker, thus causing the
cap to explode.
I sometimes substitute for the projection before mentioned as attached to the
underside of the barrels, a lifter, placed within the body forward of the table, one
end of the said lifter being attached to the forward lump by means of a rod caused

page_text: to pass through the lump from the front, and under a cross bar on the lifter. The
other end of this lifter is made to bear against the piston provided at a point
behind the hinge pin, the two arms of the lifter being at right angles to each other.
The said lifter is pivoted to the body at its centre.
I adopt another arrangement of parts for producing a like result, I affix to the
action an ordinary gun lock baving an extension of the tumbler to act as an inside
hammer. In place of the ordinary outside hammer, I provide a short lifter (on the
tumbler squares) to which is attached an arm, which at its forward end has a bar,
fitting across the body forward of the table. The said bar is attached to the lump
by means of a rod passing through the forward lump from the front, the said rod
being held in position by the foreend iron.
The second part of my Invention consists in bolting the hammers in the principal
arrangement herein described, and in the first modification thereof, as herein before
explained. I place beneath the action strap across the back of the false breech, a
rod, upon which are two cams, one being placed in front of each of the before
mentioned bars which carry the striker. At a convenient point on the said rod is
placed a third cam or projection, against which the spring, which is necessarily
provided, is caused to press; the said spring being connected with a thumb bit on
the top of the action straps. The said spring at its forward end bears upon the
third or centre cam or projection, and a slot is made in the action strap at the
thumb bit, so as to allow the spring to be pushed forward or drawn backward,
thus bolting or unbolting the bars. The bolting may be affected by causing the
top lever, tumbler, or the lever itself, or the bolt, to force back the spring backward
of the centre of the rod.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement of parts
for withdrawing and returning the bolt or bolts in top lever breech loading guns,
and also in springs for the same, and is as follows:—
I use an ordinary shaped bolt across the top of which I cut a slot in a
slanting direction, a projection corresponding to the said slot being provided upon
the underside of the tumbler, and this projection when operated upon by the lever
and upon taking into the slot will withdraw or propel the slot, as may be required.
In order to make the bolt self acting, I drill a hole in the back of the false breech
immediately below the bottom of the bolt.
In this hole or aperture I place a spiral spring working on a rod, the forward
end of which bearing against the bolt will force it home.