IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS."
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Siddons, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Lock Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS FOR GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Siddons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho 16th
August 1854.
I, WILLIAM SIDDONS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Lock Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTE IN LOCKS POR GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
The Invention consists of two parts, which may be employed together, or
each part may be used independently. The first consists in providing two
separate bearings, one inside and the other outside the plate of the lock, upon
which the ends of the axis of the tumbler work. The second is for the purpose
of obtaining rapidity of action and quickness of fire, and consists in a peculiarly
shaped tumbler with a long arm, from the extremity of which is suspended
and works on a knife edge a connecting swivel, which increases in length in
proportion with the long arm of the tumbler. The other end of the swivel
terminates in a knife edge, upon which the free end of the main spring takes
its bearing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Siddons in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
16th February 1855.
TO ALL TO.. WHOM THESE..PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SIDDONS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Lock Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria;-by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Siddons, Her special licence that I, the said William
Siddons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the, said William Siddons, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS FOR GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Siddons, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 Siddons, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is
to say:
My Invention consists of two parts, which may be employed together, or
each part may be used independently. The first consists in providing two
separate bearings, one inside and the other outside the plate of the lock, upon
which the ends of the axis of the tumbler work. The second is for the purpose
of obtaining rapidity of action and quickness of fire, and consists in a peculiarly
shaped tumbler with a long arm, from the extremity of which is suspended
and works on a knife edge a connecting swivel, which increases in length in
proportion with the long arm of the tumbler. The other end of the swivel

page_text: terminates in a knife edge, upon which the free end of the main spring takes
its bearing.
The Drawings hereunto annexed represent the manner in which I carry
these my improvements into effect.
Figure 1 is a view of the inside of a gun lock, shewing the tumbler at
"half cock;" Figure 2, a similar view at "full cock; and Figure 3, when
discharged; Figure 4 represents the exterior of the lock plate, with the outside
support for the axis of the hammer and tumbler; Figure 5 is an end view of
the lock; Figures, 6 to 13, both inclusive, represent detached views of the
several parts forming the lock. The same letters of reference indicate the
same parts in all the Figures. A is the plate of the lock; B is the tumbler,
the axis a of which is supported on the inside. by the bracket C. This bracket
is of the shape represented at Figure 9, and is connected to the lock plate by
means of the screws c, c, c, passed through the hollow pillars d, d, by which
suflicient space is left between the bracket and the plate for the free action of
the tumbler and the parts in connection therewith. The tumbler B is of the
peculiar shape separately represented in Figure 6. The end of the long arm D
of the tumbler is cut with a V notch. E is the swivel link, which is made
longer than usual, to correspond with the length of the long arm of the
tumbler. It is furnished at each end with a "knife edge" e, f, as represented
more clearly in Figures 7 and 8. The knife edge e rests in the V notch in the
end of the arm D of the tumbler, while the knife edge f fits into a similar
V notch formed in the end of the main spring F. In consequence of the
length of the arm of the tumbler, together with the length of the link and the
V bearings and knife edges, as described, greater rapidity of action and quick-
ness of fire are obtained. The opposite side of the axis a is passed through the
plate of the lock, and is formed with the square g, upon which the cock or
hammer is secured. G is the exterior support to the outer end of the axis a,
and between which and the lock plate the hammer or cock works. This
support is attached to the plate by the screws h, h. H is the foot, against
the projecting arm of which the trigger acts; and I is the "foot" spring.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my
improvements in the locks for guns and other fire-arms is,-
First, the construction of percussion lock, plates with a second and outside
support or bearing for the axis of the tumbler, as herein-before described and
represented at G in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
And, second, I claim the forming the tumbler in gun locks with a lengthened

page_text: arm, and employing in combination therewith a lengthened swivel or link
formed with knife edges, for the purpose of obtaining rapidity of action and
quickness of fire, in the manner herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Siddons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, One thousand. eight
hundred and fifty-five.
WILL SIDDONS. (L.s.)