AN IMPROVED CADEMY DEVICE FOR FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Partridge, of Waltham Cross, in the
County of Hertford, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
CADEMY DEVICE FOR FIRE-ARMS.
"
Sealed the 9th December 1875, and dated the 29th June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Partridge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th June 1875.
I, BENJAMIN PARTRIDGE, of Waltham Cross, in the County of Hert-
ford, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved safety device for breech-loading
and other fire-arms. It is more especially designed for application to
the arm known as the "Martini-Henry " rifle, but may be applied to
other fire-arms, either breech or muzzle loading, and for either military
or sporting purposes.
The said safety device is applied to the said "Martini-Henry” arm
as follows:-I remove from the axis of the tumbler the indicator

page_text: hitherto used in the said arm and insert in its place an indicator or
piece somewhat similarly formed, that is to say, a piece which turns on
an axis passed through the tumbler, and which fits closely to the outside
of the body of the action. This piece is notched at its outer end and
is arranged in combination with a spring catch which turns on a pin
or pivot attached to the body of the action, and which is formed to
take into the notch in the end of the aforesaid notched piece or indicator.
The said indicator is so formed and arranged in combination with the
pivoted catch that the latter may be caused to take into the notch of
the indicator or to fall behind the same. When the arm is cocked the
said catch is pushed down into the notch of the said indicator, and the
latter then holds the tumbler, so that when the trigger is pulled the
mainspring will not act and the arm will not be discharged. By simply
raising the said catch the arm is readjusted for firing, and after it has
been fired the lever and block forming part of the breech mechanism
of the said " Martini-Henry rifle, are secured by pushing the catch
down behind the indicator. And the latter by its position indicates the
position of the parts of the breech and lock, that is to say, it serves
the same purpose as the original indicator of the aforesaid arm.
"
In applying my Invention to other fire-arms whose action is similar,
or nearly similar, to that of the said "Martini-Henry" arm, the arrange-
ment of my safety device will be the same, or substantially the same,
as above described; but for other arms the aforesaid notched piece or
indicator instead of being connected to the tumbler will in some
instances be connected with the axis of the cock or hammer; but in a
all cases the operation and effect of the said device will be the same,
that is to say, it will afford the means whereby the accidental or
premature firing of the arm may be prevented, and the parts of the
mechanism may be secured against displacement or loss.
The said Invention is extremely simple and durable, it does not g
interfere in any way with the action of the lock or breech mechanism,
and it makes but a trifling addition to the cost of the arm.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Partridge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
PARTRIDGE, of Waltham Cross, in the County of Hertford, Gun Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Partridge, Her special
licence, that I, the said Benjamin Partridge, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Partridge,
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
"AN IMPROVED SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Partridge, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument 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 Benjamin Partridge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to an improved safety device for breech-loading
and other fire-arms. It is more especially designed for application to
the arm known as the Martini-Henry rifle, but may be applied to other
fire-arms, either breech or muzzle loading, and for either military or
sporting purposes.

page_text: The said safety device is applied to the said Martini-Henry arm as
follows: I remove from the axis of the tumbler the indicator hitherto
used in the said arm and insert in its place an indicator or piece some-
what similarly formed, that is to say, a piece which turns on an axis
passed through the tumbler, and which fits closely to the outside of the
body of the action. This piece is notched at its outer end, and is
arranged in combination with a spring catch, which turns on a pin or
pivot attached to the body of the action, and which is formed to take
into the notch in the end of the aforesaid notched piece or indicator.
The said indicator is so formed and arranged in combination with the
pivotted catch that the latter may be caused to take into the notch of
the indicator or to fall behind the same. When the arm is cocked the
said catch is pushed down into the notch of the said indicator, and the
latter then holds the tumbler, so that when the trigger is pulled the
mainspring will not act, and the arm will not be discharged. By
simply raising the said catch the arm is readjusted for firing, and after
it has been fired the lever and block forming part of the brush
mechanism of the said Martini-Henry rifle are secured by pushing the
catch down behind the indicator, and the latter by its position indicates
the position of the parts of the breech and lock, that is to say,
the same purpose as the original indicator of the aforesaid arm.
it serves
In applying my Invention to other fire-arms whose action is similar,
or nearly similar, to that of the said Martini-Henry arm, the arrange-
ment of my safety device will be the same, or substantially the same,
as above described; but for other arms the aforesaid notched piece or
indicator instead of being connected to the tumbler will in some instances
be connected with the axis of the cock or hammer; but in all cases the
operation and effect of the said device will be the same, that is to say,
it will afford the means whereby the accidental or premature firing of
the arm may be prevented, and the parts of the mechanism may be
secured against displacement or loss.
The said Invention is extremely simple and durable, it does not
interfere in any way with the action of the lock or breech mechanism,
and it makes but a trifling addition to the cost of the arm.
Such being the nature of my said Invention I will proceed to describe
by reference to the accompanying Drawings in what manner the same
is to be performed. These Drawings shew this Invention applied to

page_text: the breech mechanism of the original Martini-Henry rifle, which is
constructed in other respects according to the Specifications of former
Patents, No. 2305, A.D. 1868, and No. 1144, A.D. 1871.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the aforesaid Martini-Henry rifle
ready for firing, and is shown for the purpose of making the following
Figures clearer, and not as illustrating any part of my claim.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the arm locked in the above position
by the safety catch a.
Figure 3 is a plan of the arm locked in the same position by the
safety catch a.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, showing the safety catch a lifted from the
end of the indicator b, thus allowing the gun to be fired.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, showing the position of the indicator b
and the safety catch a after the gun is fired.
Figure 6 is a side elevation; and Figure 7 is a plan, showing the
gun lever locked, that is, the safety catch a pushed down behind the
indicator b, so that the lever c cannot be moved, and the parts are
secure against displacement or loss.
Figure 8 is a section through the line A, B, shewing the spring part a
of safety catch a, the projection on the back falling into either of the
two recesses, thus holding the catch tight in either the upper or the
lower position. The present thumb rest e, as formed on the aforesaid
Martini-Henry rific, may be dispensed with when desired, and the top
part of the safety catch a² may be roughed to answer the same
purpose.
Figure 9 shows my safety catch applied to the hammer of an ordinary
muzzle loading gun, or as applied to some breech loading guns, and is
represented locked by the safety catch in the cocked position; Figure 10
shows the same gun as Figure 9 when fired, and also held in the locked
position by my safety catch. It will be clearly seen that by lifting the
safety catch into the position shown by the dotted lines the hammer
will be quite free to move either way. The indicator, as at present used
on the Martini-Henry arm, may in some cases be modified in shape at
its outer end, so that the safety catch can be applied without its removal,
thus effecting the desired object at the smallest expense.

page_text: Figure 11 shows one of the safety catches applied to the aforesaid
Martini-Henry arm without removing the old indicator.
Figure 12 shows the safety catch applied to lift in the opposite
direction. The indicator and the catch would sometimes be placed on
the left-hand side of the gun, and its shape and the manner of fixing
would be varied by circumstances, one of the variations is shown by
Figure 13.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of using the same, I would have it understood that what 1
claim as my Invention of an improved safety device for fire-arms is,―
Applying my safety device to the aforesaid Martini-Henri arm, as
herein explained, for the purpose of securing it against accidental
discharge, and also for locking the lever and block in the discharged or
fired position, the position being indicated by the safety catch and
indicator.
Also applying my safety device to the axis of the cock or hammer
of other fire-arms to secure them in either the cocked or discharged
positions, thus preventing the accidental or premature firing of the arm,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Partridge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
GEORGE BARKER,
Patent Agent,
27, Colmore Row,
Birmingham.
BENJAMIN PARTRIDGE. (L.S.)