Improvements in and relating to Firing Mechanism for Breech- loading Guns.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLPHE CANET, of
3, Rue Vignon, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
Improvements in and relating to Firing Mechanism for Breech-
loading Guns.
I, HENRY HARRIS Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained-in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to firing mechanism for breech-loading guns, and is more
especially intended to be applied to quick-firing guns.
It is well known that such guns are usually fired by striking a fulminating or
detonating composition, or by igniting such composition through the medium of a
body which is placed in this composition and which is rendered incandescent.
When using the detonating method it has heretofore been usual to act either
directly or indirectly through a more or less rigid lanyard and this in practice is
inconvenient. The two methods above indicated of firing have been heretofore
combined in the same gun but in order to change from one method of firing to the
other method it has been necessary to first effect the readjustment of certain parts
of the mechanism.
By my présent invention I have overcome the objections which exist against the
firing devices heretofore in use and I have provided mechanism whereby (1) the
firing hammer can be released with a very slight effort on the part of the gunner
by means of a disengaging device which is so constructed that all the parts thereof
return automatically to their original position after being released; and (2) either
the percussive or the incandescent mode of firing can be used at will without
changing or re-adjusting any of the parts of the breech mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing one form of my improved releasing
apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan of a portion of said apparatus hereinafter described.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken on the lines 3, 3; 4, 4; and 5, 5
respectively of Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows a modified form of releasing apparatus constructed according to
my present invention.
Figure 7 is a horizontal central section of the breech end of a gun with the
breech-block in position, showing the percussive firing device constructed according
to a further modification of my invention, and also an electric firing device
constructed according to my present invention.
Figure 8 is a vertical central section of the end of the gun with the breech-
block shown in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is an end view of the same partly in transverse section, and
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 10, 10 Figure 9.
Like letters denote corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5. A is a bracket secured to a non-recoiling part of
the gun mounting; B is the gun; C is a rod longitudinally movable in bearings
in the bracket A. The rear end of the said rod C bears against the lever D
which controls the trigger of the percussive firing mechanism. E is a sleeve
surrounding the rod C and provided on its exterior surface with a longitudinal
rib or fin a against which the inner end of a bar F is adapted to bear. The
said bar is controlled by a bell-crank lever which is pivoted to a stud or

page_text: handle H screwed into the fixed part A. I is a spring adapted to press the
long arm of the lever G away from the stud or handle H and thereby, through
the short arm of the said lever which is engaged with a slot F¹ in the bar F,
withdraw the said bar F from the aforesaid rib. a. The forward end of the
rod C is enlarged to form a collar or head which for a purpose hereinafter
described can engage with a spring hook J fixed to the gun or to a part
movable with the gun.
The sleeve E is loose on the rod C and can turn thereon.
It has formed at its forward end an eccentric collar c Figures 2 and 3 the purpose
of which is to press back the spring J and disengage the same from the
collar of the rod C when the sleeve E is partially rotated as hereinafter
described. The normal position of the one sided collar c is that shown in
Figure 3. The sleeve E is supported at its forward end in a claw L which is
secured in the fixed bracket A. K is a pin fixed in the said claw L and which
passes through a longitudinal slot d formed in the rod C thereby preventing the
rotation of the said rod when the sleeve E is partially turned, while allowing
longitudinal movement of said rod. The said pin also passes through a longi-
tudinal slot e formed in the sleeve E. This latter slot however is at its rear
end sufficiently wide to allow of the required turning movement of the sleeve E
and is of diminishing width from its rear to its forward end at which extremity
it is only of the same width as the pin K. One side of the said slot is made
straight and parallel with axis of the sleeve, while the other side thereof as
shown in Figure 2 is inclined as, and for a purpose, hereinafter described. O is
a ring surrounding the rod C and enclosed in the sleeve E, which ring is fixed
by the pin K to the claw L. The said ring constitutes an abutment for one
end of a spring M which is enclosed in the sleeve E and the other end of
which presses against a collar N fixed on the rod C. The said spring is com-
pressed when the rod C is pushed forward and when released it serves to push
the said. rod back again.
To place the device in a position ready for use, the rod C is pushed so far
forward that the collar engages with the hook J, the said hook then retains
the rod in this operative position wherein the lever D aforementioned bears
against the rear extremity of the rod C.
If now the releasing lever G is depressed, which it may be by a slight
pressure of the finger, the short arm thereof operates the bar F and causes the
said bar which bears against the rib a of the sleeve E to partially rotate said
sleeve whereupon the eccentric head c of the said sleeve acts on the spring J
and disengages the same from the collar of the rod C as shown in Figure 2.
The latter rod now being released is immediately driven back by its spring M
and so operates the firing lever D and fires the gun.. During the rearward move-
ment of the rod C and sleeve E the inclined side of the slot e in the said sleeve
slides along the pin K and in so doing operates to turn back the sleeve to its
initial angular position. During the recoil after firing, the firing lever D is carried
back clear of the rod C and the parts of the trigger mechanism are then free to
return to their initial position as will be hereinafter explained. Moreover during
the recoil the hook J moves with the gun and again becomes engaged with the
collar of the rod C. The forward face of the said collar is inclined as shown
in Figures 1 and 2 to permit the hook to slide past the collar during the recoil.
When the gun runs out again the hook remains in engagement with the collar b
and thus pulls the rod C and its sleeve E with it, and thereby compresses the
spring M ready for the next firing. The firing lever D is also by the running out
movement brought again in contact or nearly so with the rod Č. The parts are
thus all restored to their initial position and are ready to be operated again to fire
the gun by the pressing of the lever G in the manner above described.
In the construction illustrated in Figure 6 the rod C is connected by an arm C¹
and link to the operating lever G which is pivoted to the fixed bracket A. By
pulling the said lever G backwards the rod C is caused to turn the lever D and so
fire the gun. Immediately the lever G is liberated, it is returned to its initial

page_text: position by a spring M' which is compressed between the arm C' and the rear end
of a tubular part A¹ secured to the fixed bracket A. The parts of the trigger
action are restored to their initial position when the lever D recedes from the rod C
as in the arrangement previously described.
In the firing mechanism at the side of the gun illustrated in Figure 7 the rod C
is operated to effect the firing by a spring M which is compressed between a collar N
fixed on the rod and the end of the bracket A. The said spring is enclosed in a
tubular part A' fixed to the said bracket A. Near its forward end the rod C is
provided with a slot C³ having oblique ends C₁, C³ for a purpose hereinafter
specified. The spring hook J which is fixed to the gun or to a part that recoils
with the gun is adapted to enter the said slot and thus become engaged with the
rod C. When so engaged with the rod the curved face J of the hook bears
against the end of a pin G' which is adapted to slide axially in a bearing in the
bracket A, and the head of which serves as the point of application of a lever G³
which is pivoted at G to the bracket A. The tail end of the lever G³ bears.
against and is controlled by the short arm of the releasing lever G.
The operation of this mechanism is as follows; that is to say, by pressing the
releasing lever G the pin G2 is pushed inward so to force the hook J out of the
slot C³ and clear of the rod C whereupon the spring M then acts to drive the rod C
backward and thus operates the firing lever to fire the gun.
In the rearward
movement of the rod C the oblique face C* of the rod C is brought in contact with
an inclined part G of the pin G and operates to press the said pin outward again
thereby replacing the levers G, G³, in their initial position. By the recoil move-
ment of the gun after firing, the spring hook J moving with the gun is brought
once more into a position wherein it can re-enter the slot C' of the rod C. Should
the gun recoil beyond this position the curved end of the hook will slide over the
oblique face C of the rod C, returning over the said face when the gun again runs
out so as to re-enter the slot C³ and become engaged with the rod C. Then the
continued running out movement of the gun will carry the rod C with it and will.
compress the spring M, thus restoring the parts to their initial position ready for.
the next firing operation.
The above described devices may be used alone for firing the gun or they may
be used in combination with an electrical firing device, such as will now be
described.
Referring to Figures 7 to 10; B is the gun; B' is the breech-block; B2 is the
carrier bracket which is hinged to the gun on a pivot or hinge pin B³ in the usual
manner. P is a tube screwed concentrically into the breech-block; Q Q' are two
rings or plugs the first named of which is placed loosely in an axial cavity in the
forward end of the breech-block, and the other of which is screwed into said cavity
and retains the ring Q in place. R is the firing pin, the point R₁ of which can.
project beyond the face of the breech-screw. Said firing pin is controlled by a
spring R which maintains the point of the pin pressed in close contact with an:
electrical fuse in the igniting cap of the cartridge when the latter is in position in
the gun.
Three collars, are formed on the pin R. One collar serves as
the point of application of the spring R. The collar forms a valve the seat of
which is constituted by the ring Q. Said valve operates to prevent the
access of powder gases to the breech mechanism, in case any should escape past the
rear end of the cartridge. The firing pin is insulated from the breech-screw by.
sleeves, . W is an electric conductor which is arranged transversely in the
breech block and is insulated therefrom by a sleeve w. The said conductor is pro- .
vided with elastic jaws ', ' at its inner end which embrace the firing pin R with
an elastic pressure sufficient to ensure good electrical_contact therewith while.
allowing the pin R to slide through or between them. The outer end of the ce
ductor W is grooved or slit as shown at to', Figure 7 and is adapted to make good
contact with the wedge shaped extremity of a conductor W1 which is fixed in the
carrier bracket B' and is insulated therefrom by means of an insulating sleeve to³.
The end of the wire h, which extends from the source of electricity is connected.

page_text: with the conductor W' by means of a binding screw h¹. is a hook to support and
retain the wire while the breech is open. Behind the pin R is the firing hammer S
which is formed with an enlargement at its rear end in which enlargement is mounted
a spring detent S¹. On the hammer is placed a screw nut S2, which is adapted to
be screwed on the end of the tube P. There is also a bush s which abuts against
the said nut and there are a spiral spring S³ and a sleeve S4 which is retained by a
pin S passing through the hammer but so constructed as to allow the sleeve S* a
certain amount of endwise play on the hammer. The object of the pin S³ is to
limit the play of the hammer with respect to the sleeve St. When these parts are
in place, the nut S2 is screwed on the tube P and the sleeve S bears against a
shoulder formed within the said tube, the forward end of the hammer being just
clear of the firing pin.
On a bracket P which forms a bearing for the external projecting part of the
tube P is pivoted a lever o, one end o¹ of which constitutes a cam and engages with
the spring detent S. The other end of the said lever o terminates in a ball o
which engages with a slot T¹ formed in a rod T that is adapted to slide in the
bracket P¹ in a direction parallel to the axis of the gun. T is a spring which is
compressed between a shoulder formed on the rod T and the bracket P¹ which
spring operates to press the said rod in the rearward direction. The inner spherical
end D of the firing lever D previously referred to engages with a second slot T
formed in the rod T and operates to slide the said rod to and fro when the said
lever D is oscillated about its pivot D'.
The operation of this device is as follows. When the lever D is moved
backward either by pulling on a lanyard fastened in the eye of the said lever or
by the operation of the rod C above described, the rod T is thereby moved forward
and caused to turn the lever o and through the detent S¹ draw back the hammer S
and thus compress the spring S³. In this movement, the cam portion of the
lever o describes an arc of a circle while the detent S¹ moves transversely in a
straight line, and consequently at a certain part of the movement the detent escapes
from the cam o' and releases the hammer. The latter thereupon is driven forward
by its spring until arrested by the sleeve S coming in contact with the aforesaid
internal shoulder of the tube P. By reason however of the inertia acquired by
the hammer, and the fact that it can move through the sleeve S for a short
distance, the hammer continues its forward movement so far as to strike and drive
forward the firing pin and fire the gun. In so doing the hammer carries inward
the bush and operates to slightly compress the spring S. between the said bush
and the sleeve S. The hammer is then brought back to its initial position of rest
by its spring S³.
When the gun recoils, the lever D is withdrawn from the rod C and is then free
to return to its initial position, which it does under the pressure of the spring T2,
and at the same time turns back the lever o and causes the cam part o¹ of said
lever to force back and then re-engage with the spring detent S'. All the parts of
the firing mechanism are thus returned to their initial position.
To prevent firing before the breech-screw is properly screwed home, I so arrange
that the forward end of the rod T shall be in close proximity to the rear end of the
breech screw and I provide a recess in the breech-screw in such position that
said recess is in line with the rod T when and only when the breech-screw is
properly screwed home. The rod T can be moved forward to fire the gun when
but not until the recess is opposite the end of the rod, that is to say, when the
breech is properly closed.
To fire the gun electrically all that is necessary is to operate a key included in
the electric circuit. The current then passes from the source of electricity along
the wire h, the conductors W and W, the firing pin R, the electric fuse, and the
gun and its mounting, and returns to the source.
The electric circuit can only be completed when the wedge shaped extremity of
the conductor W₁ is engaged with the split or slotted end of the conductor W, that
is to say, when the breech is properly closed..
::

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improvements substantially as described whereby I provide for actuating
the trigger-mechanism by a sliding rod which moves independently of the gun,
arranged in combination with a spring-hook which moves with the gun, as, and for
the purpose, specified.
2. The sleeve placed on the said rod in such manner as to be incapable of
endwise movement thereon, but capable of a slight angular movement thereon, and
having a cam-like projection arranged in combination with the spring-retaining
hook, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
3. The rib a formed on the sleeve, in combination with the device for acting
upon said rib to turn the sleeve about its axis, substantially as, and for the
purpose, specified.
4. The means for returning the sleeve to its initial angular position relatively to
the rod during the rearward movement of the sleeve with the rod C, substantially
as, and for the purpose, specified.
5. The combination, with the operating rod C and spring-retaining hook J, of
the pin and lever device for disengaging said hook from the rod, with or without
the special means described for restoring the pin to its initial position, substantially
as and for the purpose, specified.
6. The firing mechanism comprising a striker formed in two parts, one of which
is electrically insulated, and the other of which is an axially moving hammer, the
said firing pin being arranged with its point in close contact with the fulminating
cap and the hammer having its fore end normally maintained just clear of the
firing pin, its rear extremity being enlarged to receive a detent which can be
engaged by suitable controlling levers, all substantially as described, for the
purpose specified.
7. The combination, with such firing mechanism, of the means substantially as
described with reference to Figures 7 to 10 for electrically connecting the source
of electricity with the fuse through the firing pin, with or without the device for
preventing the closing of the circuit except when the breech is properly closed.
8. The combination, with the breech-block, and the percussive firing mechanism,
of the safety device for preventing the operation of such mechanism except when
the breech is properly closed, substantially as described with reference to Figure 7
of the drawings.
9. The devices which normally maintain the hammer clear of, or out of contact
with, the firing pin, but which allow the hammer to strike the said pin when released
from the detent, substantially as specified.
10. The devices for actuating the firing lever or trigger of a breech loading gun,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, or to Figure 6, or to
Figure 7, and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
11. The combined electric and percussive firing mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 7 to 10, and operating as, and for the purpose,
specified.
12. The combination of my improved mechanism as set forth with reference to
either or any of the above described forms or modifications, with a quick-firing or
other breech-loading gun, for the purpose specified.
1
ג
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.