IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, IN CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
AND
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
IN CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME."-A communication from abroad by
Hiram Berdan, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America
Sealed the 27th July 1866, and dated the 20th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN
CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction and mode of applying a
swinging breech-piece adapted to the conversion into breech-loaders of fire-
arms originally constructed for muzzle-loading. The Invention is also
applicable to breech-loaders in general. The breech-piece is hinged at the
upper part of its forward end to the top of the barrel or breech receiver, so as
to be capable of swinging upward and forward over the top of the barrel to
open the chamber for loading, and it has hinged or jointed to its rear end a

page_text: brace which drops into the back part of the breech receiver, for the purpose
of bracing the breech-piece while firing against a recoil bearing in the rear
portion of the receiver, or in the case of a fire-arm converted from a muzzle-
loader against the breech pin. The hinge of the breech-piece will permit the
breech-piece and brace to adjust themselves to the recoil bearing in firing, the
forward end of the breech-piece being constructed of circular form in its
transverse section to enter like a piston into the chamber, and so relieve the
hinge joint from strain by preventing the breech-piece from being lifted up in
case of the gas from the charge getting under it in firing. The percussive
force of the blow of the hammer, by which the fulminate priming of the
cartridge is ignited to fire the charge, is transmitted through two firing pins,
one sliding within the breech-piece, and the other through the rear brace.
The firing pins meet at the joint between the breech-piece and brace, and one
of them passes through and serves to secure in its place the joint pin which
connects the breech-piece and brace. When the hammer is locked in a
position out of contact with the rear firing pin by the entrance of the sear into
a safety notch in the tumbler, it will, to such extent as the power of the main-
spring is effective, prevent the brace from rising sufficiently high to unlock
and permit the opening movement of the breech-piece, and when the hammer
is brought into the aforesaid locked position it will, if necessary, bring the
brace to a position against the recoil bearing so as to secure the breech-piece
in a closed position.
The Invention also relates to novel means of throwing out the discharged
shells from the chamber. The cartridge shell is started by the action of a spur
on the breech-piece against the front of its head or against a shoulder on its
rear end, and is afterwards thrown out from the chamber and breech receiver
by means of a hook placed in a groove or mortice in the bottom of the breech
receiver, and actuated by a coiled spring from behind. The rear part of the
breech receiver has inclined surfaces, which are provided for by suitably
recessing the recoil bearing in the breech receiver or face of the breech pin,
and by constructing the bearing portion of the brace to receive them, and up
or over which the shell or cartridge slides easily as it is ejected.
The Invention also relates to a novel system or mode of rifling the bore of
fire-arms, the bottoms of the rifle grooves being made with a transverse
curvature of larger radius than the circle of the bore and tangent to the circle
of the bore, by which means a better bearing is provided for a bullet originally
of circular transverse section than by any other system of grooving which
leaves circular lauds and a less displacement of the metal of the bullet than is
required with the polygonal system of grooving, while a very effective hold

page_text: upon the bullet for producing its rotary or spinning motion is obtained with a
comparative small depth of groove.
The Invention further relates to an improvement in that class of cartridges
known as centre-fire cartridges, whether such cartridges have their entire
shells or their heads or bottoms only made of metal. The object of this
improvement is partly to insure the prevention of the accidental ignition of the
fulminate priming to which other centre-fire cartridges are liable in the
manufacture, or when packed and transported in a number together, partly to
better insure the ignition of the priming by the blow of the hammer, and
partly to enable the shell to be reloaded, reprimed, and used over again if
desired for target practice, or in any case in which it might be convenient to
save the shells without renewal or replacement of any of its parts but the cap,
pellet, or other primer. The head or bottom of the cartridge is constructed
or fitted with a cup, into which the fulminate priming in the form of a cap,
pellet, or otherwise is inserted so as to be entirely contained some distance
within the outer face of the head or bottom of the shell, and in the bottom of
the cup there is a permanently fixed projection in a rearward direction, against
which the fulminate priming is driven by the hammer, and which presents a
point or so small a surface that the entire force of the blow of the hammer is
so concentrated on a small portion of the priming as to insure its ignition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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

page_text: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction and mode of applying,
operating, and securing swinging breech-pieces. The Invention is especially well
adapted to the conversion into breech-loaders of fire-arms orginally constructed
for muzzle-loading. The Invention is also applicable to brecch-loaders in
general, and by which great efficiency and safety from accidental discharge are
obtained. The breech-piece is hinged at the upper part of its forward end to
the top of the barrel or breech receiver in such manner as to be capable of
swinging upward and forward over the top of the barrel to open the chamber
for loading, and it has hinged or jointed to its rear end a brace which drops
into the back part of the breech receiver for the purpose of bracing the breech-
piece while firing against a recoil bearing in the rear portion of the receiver,
or in the case of a fire-arm converted from a muzzle-loader against the breech
pin. The hinge of the breech-piece is so attached to the barrel or breech
receiver, that if necessary it will permit the breech-piece and brace to adjust
themselves to the recoil bearing in firing, the forward end of the breech-piece
.being constructed of circular form in its transverse section, so as to enter
like a piston into the chamber, and thus relieve the hinge joint from strain
by preventing the breech-piece from being lifted up in case of the gas from
the charge getting under it in firing. The percussive force of the blow of the
hammer by which the fulminate priming of the cartridge is ignited to fire the
charge is transmitted through two firing pins, one sliding within the breech-
piece and the other through the rear brace. The firing pins meet at the joint
between the breech-piece and brace, and one of them passes through and
serves to secure in its place the joint pin which connects the breech-piece and

page_text: brace. A portion of the brace is so arranged, with respect to the hammer,
that when the hammer is locked in a position out of contact with the rear
firing pin by the entrance of the sere into a safety notch in the tumbler, it
will (to such extent as the power of the mainspring is effective) prevent the
brace from rising sufficiently high to unlock and permit the opening move-
ment of the breech-piece, and when the hammer is brought into the aforesaid
locked position it will, if necessary, bring the brace to a position against the
recoil bearing so as to secure the breech piece in a closed position.
The Invention also relates to novel, means of throwing out the discharged
shells from the chamber while the fire-arm is in a horizontal position by or
during the act of opening the breech-piece.. The cartridge shell is started by
the action of a spur on the breech-piece against the front of its head or
against a suitable shoulder on its rear end, and is afterwards thrown out from
the chamber and, breech receiver by means of a hook placed in a groove or
mortice in the bottom of the breech receiver, and actuated by a coiled spring
from behind. The rear part of the breech receiver has inclined surfaces
which are provided for by suitably recessing the recoil bearing in the breech
receiver or face of the breech pin, and by constructing the bearing portion of
the brace to receive them, and up or over which the shell or cartridge slides
casily as it is ejected.
The Invention also relates to a novel system or mode of rifling the bore of
fire-arms. The bottoms of the rifle grooves are made with a transverse cur-
vature of larger radius than the circle of the bore and tangent to the circle of
the bore, by which means a better bearing is provided for a bullet originally
of circular transverse section than by any other system of grooving which
leaves circular lands and a less displacement of the metal of the bullet than is
required with the polygonal system of grooving, while a very, effective hold
upon the bullet for producing its rotary or spinning motion. is obtained with a
comparatively small depth of groove.
The Invention further relates to an improvement in that class of cartridges
known as central-fire cartridges, whether such cartridges have their entire
shells or their heads or bottoms only made of metal.. The object of this
improvement is partly to ensure the prevention of the accidental ignition of
the fulminate priming to which other central-fire cartridges are liable in the
manufacture, or when packed and transported in a number together; the
ignition of the priming by the blow of the hammer is also better ensured, and
the shell may be reloaded, reprimed, and used over again if desired for target
practice, or in any case in which it might be convenient to save the shells,
without renewal or replacement of any of its parts but the cap, pellet, or

page_text: other primer. The head or bottom of the cartridge is constructed or fitted
with a cup into which the fulminate priming in the form of a cap, pellet, or
otherwise is inserted in such manner as to be entirely contained some distance
within the outer face of the head or bottom of the shell, and in the bottom of
the cup there is a permanently fixed projection in a rearward direction, against
which the fulminate priming is driven by the hammer, and which presents a
point or so small a surface that the entire force of the blow of the hammer is
so concentrated on a small portion of the priming as to insure its ignition.
The improvements which relate to breech-loading fire-arms are shewn in the
accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical
section of those parts of a converted muzzle-loading musket which are
necessary to illustrate the improvements; Fig. 2 is a top view of the same;
Fig. 3 is a right-hand side view of the same; Fig. 4 is a side view of the
breech-piece and the strap hinge which connects it with the barrel; Fig. 5 is
a top view of the rear portion of the barrel which constitutes the breech
receiver, the breech and its appurtenances being omitted; Fig. 6 is a central
longitudinal vertical section corresponding with Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a transverse
section in the plane indicated by the line x, x, in Fig. 6.
A is the barrel, and B the breech pin. The rear portion of the barrel in
front of the breech pin has its upper part cut out and the bore slightly
enlarged to form a chamber or recess a (Figures 5, 6, and 7) for the moveable
breech-piece C and jointed brace D. The moveable breech-piece C, of about half
the length of the recess, has it transverse section of a form to fit snugly into the
recess, except a small portion 6 (Fig. 4) at its front end, which is made cylindrical
to enter and fit the rear part of the chamber of the barrel. It is connected
at the upper part of its front end by a hinge c¹ with a strap piece E, which is
secured by screws f,f, to the top of the barrel in front of the recess a, and it
has the brace D connected to its rear end by a hinge g, the centre of which is
in the same plane with the axis of the bore when the breech is in its closed
position within the recess a. The brace D has the transverse section of the
greater portions of its length of a form to fit the recess, and is made to fill up
the whole of the space between the breech-piece C and the end c of the breech
pin, or other equivalent recoil bearing at the back of the recess when the
breech-piece is in the position for firing, shown in black outline in Fig. 1. Its
rear end is of a form to project upward and backward over the recoil bearing c,
and also to project laterally over the barrel on the right-hand side, as shewn
at D, Fig. 2, so that it may come to a position opposite the hammer F,
when the latter is arranged in the position which it commonly occupies in a
muzzle-loading fire-arm. The laterally projecting portion of the brace is

page_text: furnished with a knob G to lay hold of to throw the brace up from its place
in front of the recoil bearing preparatory to the opening of the breech for
loading. To open the breech the brace is pressed forward, while it is thrown
or swung up clear of the recoil bearing, and when a shoulder d (Fig. 1) on
the brace comes to a bearing against a shoulder e on the breech-piece, the
continued upward movement of the brace causes the breech-piece to swing
upward and forward, as shewn in red outline in Fig. 1, leaving the recess or
chamber a open for the reception of the cartridge, and leaving a clear passage
into the chamber of the barrel. In order to provide for the self-adjustment
of the brace D to the recoil bearing c, the holes provided in the strap E of
the hinge c' are elongated, as shewn at i, i, in Fig. 1, in the direction of the
length of the strap and barrel to permit the strap, the breech-piece, and the
hinge to move longitudinally as far as desirable. The same result may be
obtained by horizontally elongating the hole or holes in the hinge c', which
receives its joint pin. In this movement the cylindrical projection on the
face of the breech-picce C remains in the chamber of the barrel, and so
prevents any upward tendency of the breech-piece, and prevents any undue
strain on the hinge c', in case of gas entering under the breech-piece. In a
fire-arm for using paper cartridges this projection should be hollowed out and
made with thin edges to form a gas check. H is the front firing pin fitted to
slide through the breech-piece, and I is the rear firing pin fitted to slide
through the brace D. The separation of these pins is at the back of the
hinge g, so that they do not interfere with the movement of the brace. The
front pin H passes through the joint pin of the hinge g, and thereby secures
the pin in place without the necessity of any head, shoulder, or screw thread
on the joint pin. The head of the pin I protrudes from the projection D' of
the brace D in such a position that it may be struck by the hammer when the
latter is let off for firing, but that it may be free therefrom, as shown in
Figure 3), when the hammer is locked by the entrance of the sere K into a
safety notch h, Fig. 3), provided in the tumbler J in front of the half-cock
notch. The hammer when thus locked overhangs the projection D¹ of the
brace, as shewn in Fig. 3, and serves to the extent of the power of the main-
spring to prevent the accidental raising of the detached end of the brace to
such a distance as to permit the opening of the breech-piece. If the brace is
not quite down in the proper position to lock the breech-piece when the
hammer is brought to the position above specified or brought down upon the
firing pin, the hammer will bring it to the proper position. Any part of the
hammer shaft may be used as an equivalent to the hammer for the purpose of
operating in combination with a suitable portion of the brace D in the manner

page_text: above described to prevent the accidental opening of the breech-piece. jis
the spur or tooth formed upon that part of the hinge joint c¹ which is in the
same piece with the breech-piece C, and is for the purpose of starting the
discharged cartridge shell by the act of opening the breech-piece. This spur
or tooth acts upon a projecting portion of the shell. (Fig. 1) is a hook,
which slides in a mortise in the bottom of the recess a, and projects far enough
into the recess to catch the projecting portion of the head of the cartridge;
this hook has applied to it a spring 1 for the purpose of pressing it backward;
this spring allows the hook to yield to the forward pressure of the breech-
piece against the cartridge in loading, but after the shell has been started by
the spur or tooth j in the act of opening the breech-piece, which has then
moved far enough upward to offer no impediment to the shell, the spring will
throw the hook suddenly backward and cause it to eject the cartridge from
the recess, the shell being slightly tapered, so that after it has been started it
moves easily. To facilitate the ejection of the shell or cartridge, inclined
guiding surfaces m, m, are formed, as shewn in Figures 5, 6, and 7, on the
sides of the rear portion of the receiver by recessing the recoil bearing c, as
shewn in Figures 5 and 7, to a sufficiently less width than the recess, and
making the lower rear portion of the brace of a suitable width to enter the
recess. The shell or cartridge slides easily up these inclined surfaces, and
may be ejected from the recess while the gun is in a horizontal position. The
hook and spring / perform another function besides that above mentioned
(that is to say) by pressing back the breech-piece when closed they hold the
brace against the recoil bearing, with friction enough to prevent the breech
from being shaken open while the hammer is at full-cock.
Fig. 8 represents a transverse section of a gun barrel with the improved
system of rifle grooving which constitutes a part of this Invention, and Fig. 9
is a diagram illustrating the construction of the grooves. The transverse
sectional form of the bottoms of the grooves is that of an are having a radius
about equal to the diameter of the bore and tangential to the circle of the bore;
these are cut by means of cutters, the profiles of whose edges are of the
requisite form, the cutters being of such length as to leave suitable lands
between the grooves.
Fig. 10 is a central longitudinal section, and Fig. 11 a back view on a
scale larger than the real size, of a ball cartridge constructed according to this
Invention. The shell is represented as made entirely of copper, but it may
be made of paper with a copper or other metal head. The cup N which
receives the priming is represented as made in a separate piece inserted tightly
into a hole in the centre of the head, and with a flange n countersunk into

page_text: the head, but it might be practicable to make it of the same piece with
the head. In the bottom of this cup, which projects into the cartridge, there
is a vent hole for the passage of the fire from the priming to the charge, and
there is also an outward teat-like projection or projecting point s, which is
represented as formed by indenting the bottom of the cup on the inner side,
but which may be formed by depressing the metal around it or by making a
hole and inserting and securing a small pin or teat of solid metal, but in any
case it must constitute a permanent portion of the cup which will not be
detached during the use of the cartridge. The priming is represented as
being in the form of a shallow pellet-like cap t containing the fulminate u,
but it may be in any other form that will permit its insertion loosely into the
cup N, in which it is secured by means of waterproof varnish or other adhesive
material at such distance from the outside of the head that it may be pro-
tected from the points of conical bullets or any other bodies the contact or
concussion of which might be liable to produce the ignition of the fulminate.
The fulminate is toward the teat or point s. The fulminate is to be fired by
means of a firing pin struck by the hammer or by the point of a hammer
which will enter the cup N and drive the priming forward against the teat
or point 8, which presents so small a surface that the force of the blow is
concentrated on an exceedingly small surface of the priming, and will insure
its explosion. The rim of the capt expands within the cup N in firing in
such manner as to form a gas check. In the operation of this cartridge no
portion of the metal is displaced, the pellet cap or priming alone being driven
forward against the fixed point s, and when the discharged cartridge shell or its
metal head has been withdrawn from the fire-arm the capt or residual portion
of the priming will drop out from the cup, in which a new priming can be
inserted if desired to reload the cartridge. One advantage of this cartridge
is that it may be loaded before the application of the priming, thus not only
rendering its manufacture less dangerous than that of other primed cartridges,
but permitting the cartridges to be stored in an unprimed condition, and the
priming to be applied just before they are required to be used, thereby not
only rendering the storage safer, but preventing the deterioration to which the
fulminate priming is subject in cartridges when kept for a long time.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading
Fire-arms and in Cartridges for the same," as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent
as aforesaid,-
First. The swinging breech-piece C and attached jointed brace D arranged

page_text: in combination with the hammer or other equivalent projection from the
hammer shaft as described, whereby the detached end of the brace is brought
and held or braced in a position to secure the closed breech as herein set
forth.
Second. The combination of the brace D jointed to the swinging breech-
piece, the hammer, and the safety notch h in the tumbler, as described, whereby
the hammer while held back from the firing pin is made to prevent the
detached end of the brace from rising above a position in which it locks the
breech-piece.
Third. Inserting the firing pin through the joint pin of the breech-piece
and attached brace and securing the joint pin in place as hercin specified.
Fourth. The elongated hole or holes in the strap E or other part of the
hinge connection of the swinging breech-piece C in combination with the
circular projection 6 provided on the face of the breech-piece to enter the
chamber of the barrel, whereby the self-adjustment of the breech-piece to
the recoil bearing is provided for, and the liability to strain the hinge by any
rear or upward tendency of the breech-piece is counteracted.
b
Fifth. The hook k and spring 1 for throwing and the discharged shell in
combination with the spur j on the swinging breech-piece for starting the
shell or cartridge from the chamber as herein specified.
Sixth. The inclined surfaces m, m, in the sides of the breech receiver in
combination with the spur j, hook k, and spring 1, whereby the entire opera-
tion of ejecting the cartridge shells may be effected while the gun is in a
horizontal position.
Seventh. The improved system of rifle grooving the bore of fire-arms herein
described.
Eighth. The mode herein set forth of constructing cartridges.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)