Improvements in and relating to Breech-loading Ordnance.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Breech-loading Ordnance.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to breech-loading ordnance and is designed to facilitate and
expedite the working of such ordnance.
My said invention comprises an improved method of securing the breech-block
in the breech so that it can be very readily unlocked and withdrawn therefrom or
inserted and locked therein. For this purpose I make the breech-block in sections
or segments which are provided with projections adapted to enter grooves or
recesses in the breech of the gun for the purpose of locking the said block therein;
and I provide suitable means whereby the said block may be expanded and
contracted, that is to say, whereby the said sections or segments may be moved
away from and towards each other to cause the projections upon the same to enter
the said grooves or recesses in the breech and to withdraw them therefrom. I am
thus enabled to obviate the necessity for turning the breech-block about its axis
to disengage it from the breech, as with the breech-blocks heretofore used and
having divided or interrupted screw-threads.
For effecting the expansion and contraction of my sectional or segmental breech-
block, I can employ various devices.
I find it advantageous to employ, for this purpose, a conical or a cylindrical plug
fitting into a correspondingly shaped recess or cavity in the breech-block, and
connected with the segments of the breech-block in such a manner that, when the
aid plug or cone is moved longitudinally in one direction, it will push the said
segments radially outward and lock the breech-block in the breech, and, when the
said plug or cone is moved in the reverse direction, it will draw the said segments
radially inward and unlock the breech-block from the breech.
I prefer to arrange the breech-block in a bracket or carrier hinged or pivoted to
the body of the gun, and to combine, with the said plug or cone, a lever which is so
arranged that, by a simple movement thereof about its pivot in one direction, the
breech-block may be unlocked and swung with the said bracket or carrier about
the hinge-pin or pivot-pin of the latter, and, by a movement of the said lever in the
reverse direction, the breech-block can be swung into its place in the breech and
securely locked therein. This lever is pivoted in any suitable manner to the said
supporting bracket or carrier, and is preferably provided with a catch for
retaining it in position when the breech-block is secured in the breech.
The segments of the breech-block are preferably provided with a series of
circumferential ribs or projections which are V-shaped or of other suitable form in
transverse section, and which fit into corresponding annular grooves in the breech
of the gun. The said segments may, however, be provided with any other suitable
projections for the purpose above specified.
The spaces between the segments of the breech-block need not be larger than is
necessary to permit the required contraction of the said breech-block to disengage
it from the breech. It is evident, therefore, that the ribs or projections can
extend around a larger proportion of the circumference of the breech-block than
the ordinary divided or interrupted screw-threads. Consequently I can make the
breech-block shorter than heretofore without diminishing its resistance to the force
of the explosion in the chamber of the gun.
I provide for locking the aforesaid plug or cone in place when the breech-block
is secured in the breech. For this purpose, find it advantageous to employ a
suitable sliding piece or bolt or a suitable catch, and to so arrange this bolt or
catch that it will be moved to lock and unlock the said plug, or cone by means of

page_text: the aforesaid operating lever. This lever is allowed a certain amount of lost
motion relatively to the said plug or cone, to permit the withdrawal of the said
locking bolt, or catch before the said lever acts upon the said plug or cone to
withdraw the same, and to permit the locking of the said plug or cone by the
continued movement of the said lever after the said plug or cone has been driven
home,
The said plug or cone can be conveniently arranged to effect the cocking of the
gun. For instance, I provide the said plug or cone with a suitable projection or
extension which, when the said plug or cone is withdrawn, will move back the
firing-pin or striker, and permit the engagement therewith of the sear or sears.
When metallic cartridges are to be used in the gun, I prefer to provide for the
extraction or starting of the empty cartridge-shells from the chamber of the gun,
by means of an arm or lever operated by the bracket or carrier which supports the
breech-block. For this purpose I find it advantageous to combine, with the
extractor, a bent arm or lever which will be acted upon by the said bracket or
carrier in the latter part of its movement for opening the breech.
In some instances I provide two scars, one of which may be disengaged from the
firing pin or striker by hand by the pulling of a firing-cord or lanyard or otherwise,
and the other of which is a safety-sear which will be disengaged when but not until
the breech is properly closed and the aforesaid plug or cone is securely locked in
its place. This safety-scar can be conveniently arranged in such a manner that its
disengagement will be effected by the locking bolt or catch in the latter part of its
locking movement.
My improved breech-mechanism can be advantageously arranged either to be
operated entirely by manual power or by hydraulic or other apparatus, or to be
operated wholly or partially by the force created or developed by the explosion in
the chamber of the gun. I sometimes arrange the gun in a suitable frame or
cradle in which it will recoil against the resistance of one or more hydraulic or
other suitable brakes and recuperators, and I provide convenient devices whereby,
in the running out or return of the gun to the firing position, the aforesaid lever
will be operated automatically to open the breech, cock the gun and extract or start
the empty cartridge-shell from the chamber of the gun. In this case, I prefer to
so construct the parts that the breech-block will swing downward to open the
brecch, I am thus enabled to utilize the weight and momentum of the said block for
operating the extractor-lever.
I sometimes provide the gun with suitable electrical firing devices.
1 find it advantageous to employ, in combination with the breech-block, a rod or
stem which is provided with a suitable head or "mushroom," preferably having a
conical rear surface which bears against corresponding surfaces on the segments of
the brecch-block. This rod or stem extends through the aforesaid plug or conc
and through the supporting bracket or carrier, in which it is secured by means of
screw-threads or in any other convenient manner. The firing-pin or striker may
extend longitudinally through the said rod or stem. The segments of the breech-
block are preferably arranged to bear against the aforesaid supporting bracket or
carrier.
When the cartridges to be used in the gun are not provided with metallic shells,
it is desirable to provide the breech-block with a suitable obturator.
I do not limit myself to any special devices for effecting the expansion and
contraction of the sectional or segmental breech-block for the purpose above
specified. It is obvious that I can, if desired, employ various devices for this
purpose. For instance, I can combine, with the segments of the breech-block,
toggle-joints and suitable means for operating the same through the medium of a
lever or other convenient device for opening and closing the breech.
Dated this 28th day of Janu 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Breech-loading Ordnance.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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 :--
My invention relates to breech-loading ordnance and is designed to facilitate the
rapid working of such ordnance.
My said invention comprises an improved method of securing the breech-block in
the breech and comprises also means whereby the said breech block may be very
readily inserted and locked therein or unlocked and withdrawn therefrom.
My said invention consists chiefly in the use of an expansible breech block that
is to say a breech block divided into sections and operated in such a manner that
the said block when in the breech may be expanded or contracted into or out of
engagement therewith.
According to my invention I make the breech block in sections or segments upon
which are provided projections adapted to enter grooves or recesses in the breech
of the gun for the purpose of retaining the said block therein.
I provide suitable means whereby the said breech-block may be expanded or
contracted, that is to say whereby the sections or segments of the said block may
be moved away from or moved towards each other to cause the projections upon
the same to enter the said grooves or recesses in the breech or to withdraw them
therefrom respectively. For expanding and contracting the said breech-block I
can employ various devices. An advantageous device for this purpose is a conical
plug fitting into a correspondingly shaped recess or cavity in the breech block.
The said cone or plug is connected with the sections or segments of the breech block
in such a manner that when it is moved longitudinally in one direction it will push
the sail segments radially outward and cause the projections on the said sections or
segments to engage with the projections provided in the breech and when it is
moved in the reverse direction it will draw the said segments radially inward
and disengage the projections on said sections or segments from the projections in
the breech.
I provide in the said breech block suitable cocking and firing mechanism and I
arrange the breech block and the apparatus by which it is operated on a bracket
or carrier hinged or pivoted to the body of the gun as will hereinafter be particularly
described.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section of a gun fitted with my
improved breech block and accessories, and
Figure 2 is a rear end view of the gun and fittings shown in section in Figure 1.
Corresponding parts in both the drawings are indicated by similar reference
letters.
A is the breech of the gun, B is a head or mushroom forming part of the breech
block and bearing against the sections or segments C of the breech block, which
are provided at their peripheries with threads C¹, which threads on each section or
segment are uninterrupted. The said sections or segments are adapted to move
inward radially from their present position; so that the threads C may be dis-
engaged from threads A' in the breech, and are guided in such radial movement by
the rear surface of the head or mushroom B and the face of a carrier or bracket to
be hereinafter referred to.
D is a conical plug, which fits into a conical recess formed in the sections or
segments C and is provided with four grooves D', upon its coned surface, which are
engaged by four.ribs C in the segments one rib being provided upon each segment
or section C of the breech block,

page_text: Upon a ring E screwed to the breech of the gun are lugs F¹ which carry a
spindle G and support a carrier or bracket H. The said carrier or bracket is
arranged so that it may be rotated about the spindle G for the purpose of taking
the breech block into or out of the breech of the gun in a manner to be hereinafter
described. The carrier or bracket H is formed with a cavity H¹ and carries a
spindle I which is parallel to the spindle G and is fitted within the said cavity with
an arm I the end of which enters and bears upon both sides of a recess D² in a.
projection D³ which extends from the rear of the coned plug D as shown. The
lower end of the spindle 1 has a lever 12, formed upon or otherwise secured to it
by means of which it may be rotated. The arm I' on the spindle I enters suitable
recesses formed in the rear edge of the coned plug and in the edge of one of the
segments C. The said arm is so arranged that when the parts are in the positions
shown in the drawing, that is to say when the coned plug is right home, there
will be a space left between the edge of the arm I and the rear side of the
recess D².
A firing pin K is contained within a hollow stem B' in which it may be moved in
the direction of its length. The said stem forms a part of the head or mushroom B
and is secured to the carrier H. The said firing pin is provided with a helical
spring one end of which bears upon a collar K2 formed upon the said firing pin
and the other of which bears upon a collar 133 which is screwed into the end of the
hollow stem B, and forms a guide for the rear end of the firing pin. Upon the
said rear end of the firing pin is screwed an angle-piece K³ which at one side K*
bears upon the end of the projection D³ hereinbefore referred to and at the opposite
side is provided with an inwardly extending arm K' provided with a recess K³ and
with a series of notches K'.
Pivoted upon a pin L on the carrier or bracket H is a sear M which is subject
to the action of a spring M which is carried upon it and bears upon the said
carrier or bracket. The sear M is provided with a ring M² to which a lanyard is
attached for operating the said scar.
Below the sear M is a safety sear M provided with a toe M which passes through
a slot in the carrier H into the path of a semi-circular locking piece to be
hereinafter referred to. The safety sear M is provided with a spring similar to
the spring M³ of the sear M. By these springs the sears are forced at the proper
time into engagement with the notches or the recess carried by the projection K.
N is an extractor, with a head N¹ with which one end O of a lever O¹ engages.
The said lever O' is loosely mounted upon the spindle G and its opposite end O2 is
arranged to be in the path in which a projection H2 from the bracket H travels
when the latter is rotated on the spindle G. The extractor N may be retained in
place in the breech by any of the usual and well-known devices.
A semi-circular locking piece P is provided in the cavity of the carrier or
bracket H and bears against the wall of the said cavity, and, in its present position,
against the rear end of the cone plug D. An arm P₁ forming a part of the piece P
projects therefrom through the end of the carrier or bracket H and has at its outer
end a slot P. A projection 13 is provided upon the arm 12 and the slot P² in the
arm P is inclined to the path of the said projection.
The arm 12 is locked, by means of the spring detent Q which forms part of the
grip lever Q, to a claw-headed bolt R screwed into the breech. The operation of
the apparatus will now be described.
Let it be assumed that the various parts of the apparatus occupy the positions in
which they are shown in the drawing, so that the breech is closed. To withdraw
the breech block and cock the firing pin K the handle I' is grasped so that the
detent is released from engagement with the bolt R and the said lever is pulled in
the direction of the arrow (Figure 1) and first rotates the spindle I so that the
arm I¹ thereon causes the coned plug D to slide rearwardly along the stem B'. In
the said rearward sliding movement of the coned plug relatively to the sections or
segments C the said sections or segments are retained in contact with the coned
surface of the plug and are therefore compelled to move inwards towards the

page_text: stem B' and between the guides formed by the rear face or the head of mushroom B
and the inner face of the bracket or carrier H. This movement continues until the
threads C are well clear of the threads A' in the breech and by the time that the
said threads are sufficiently clear for the breech block to be swung out of the breech
the arm I¹ will come into contact with the inner face of the bracket or carrier II so
as to prevent further rotation of the spindle I.
During the rotation of the spindle I the arm I¹ makes a certain amount of free
movement from the position shown and during this period of free movement of the
arm I the pin or projection 13 on the arm I travels through the inclined
slot P in the arm P₁ of the locking piece P and draws the said locking piece
from between the ends of the sections or segments C and the inner face of the
bracket or carrier H.
The projection D³ in its rearward movement with the coned plug D moves
the cross head ³ and the firing pin K also to the rear compressing the spring K
and bringing the notches K' successively opposite to the scars M M which
thereupon enter the said notches and retain the firing pin in the positions in
which it may pause in its rearward movement, the extreme position of the firing
pin being that in which the recess K will be engaged by the said sears.
Upon the completion of this operation of cocking if the pull upon the handle I'
be still maintained the bracket or carrier H will move with the handle I* and
will be caused to rotate upon the spindle G carrying with it the stem B₁ the
head B and the sections or segments C, so as to fully open the breech. The
said spindle G will rotate until the projection H2 on the said bracket or carrier
strikes smartly against the end O2 of the lever O¹ and causes the opposite end o
of the said lever to strike the head N' of the extractor and jerk the said
extractor N towards the rear to withdraw the cartridge case with which it is
shown to be in engagement. The whole of these operations are performed by
the rotation of one lever only, that is to say the lever I'
To reclose the breech after the operation hereinbefore described and for
example after a cartridge has been inserted therein so that its rim engages with
the extractor the carrier or bracket H is quickly rotated about the spindle G
and the head or mushroom B forces the cartridge home into the position
indicated and into contact with the rear of the chamber. The handle I is then
rotated towards the breech and rotates the spindle I so as to cause the arm I¹
to move the coned plug D forward. The said coned plug will move the
segments or sections C radially outward away from the stem B', and into
engagement with the projections within the breech.
During the return of the arm I' after the reclosing of the breech, to the
position in which it is shown in the drawings the action of the projection 1³ in
the inclined slot will have operated the locking piece P as will readily be
understood, to cause it to resume the position in which it is at present shown,
so as to lock the coned plug and the said sections or segments in place. Thus
it will be seen that but two simple operations are required to close the breech
and lock the breech-block in place.
When the firing pin K is cocked in the manner described the safety sear M4 as
well as the scar M will engage with the recess K or the notches K of the pro-
jection K as has been herein before stated and the said safety sear will remain in
engagement therewith even although the ordinary sear M be withdrawn unless the
locking piece P is in the position shown, and is locking the segments or section C in
place, in which position of the locking piece it will have withdrawn the said safety
sear from engagement with the recess or with the notches by acting upon the toe Ms
and rotating the safety sear upon its pin L. Thus the firing pin may be released
by the sear M when, but not until, the breech is properly closed. The sections or
segments of the breech block may be arranged to move inward or outward towards
or from the axis of the breech block in lines at right angles to the said axis instead
of in lines inclined thereto as shown.
In the latter case the force of the explosion in the chamber of the gun acting

page_text: upon the head B tends only to force the sections or segments into closer contact
with the interior of the breech the arrangement is therefore self-locking.
By the use of a breech block of the character herein before described I dispense
with the need for turning the breech block in the insertion or withdrawal thereof
and I am enabled to employ continuous threads or projections in the interior of the
breech and on the periphery of each segment instead of the interrupted threads
which are customary. The spaces between the segments of the breech block need
not be larger than is necessary to permit the required contraction of the said
breech block to disengage from the breech. It is evident therefore that the ribs
or projections extend around a larger proportion of the circumference of the breech
block than the ordinary divided or interrupted screw threads consequently I can
make the breech-block shorter than has heretofore been practicable. without
diminishing its resistance to the force of the explosion in the chamber of the gun.
My improved breech-mechanism can be advantageously arranged either to be
operated entirely by manual power or by hydraulic or other apparatus, or to be
operated wholly or partially by the force created or developed by the explosion in
the chamber of the gun. I sometimes arrange the gun in a suitable frame or cradle
in which it will recoil against the resistance of one or more hydraulic or other
suitable brakes and recuperators and I provide convenient devices whereby in the
running out or return of the gun to the firing position the aforesaid lever will be
operated automatically to open the breech, cock the gun and extract or start the
empty cartridge shell from the chamber of the gun. In this case, I prefer to so
construct the parts that the breech block will swing downward to open the breech.
I am thus enabled to utilize the weight and momentum of the said block for operating
the extractor-lever.
I sometimes provide the gun with suitable electrical firing devices.
When the cartridges to be used in the gun are not provided with metallic shells,
it is desirable to provide the breech-block with a suitable obturator.
I do not limit myself to any special devices for effecting the expansion and con-
traction of the sectional or segmental breech-block for the purpose above specified.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, employ various devices for this purpose. For
instance can combine with the segments of the breech block, toggle-joints and
suitable means for operating the same through the medium of a lever or other
convenient device for opening and closing the breech.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
First. A breech-block which can be inserted into the breech of the gun by
thrusting it forward into the same and which can be secured therein without
rotation about its axis, by the radial expansion of its peripheral portions.
Second. The expansible breech-block having radially adjustable or movable
parts or sections, and a conical plug for adjusting the same for the purpose
specified.
Third. The expansible parts or sections of the said breech block provided with
locking threads or projections which when the breech is closed operate in com-
bination with similar threads or projections in the breech chamber for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. The devices for moving or adjusting the plug and opening and closing
the breech substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. The locking piece for retaining the breech-block in the breech of the gun
and for preventing the release of the firing pin except when the breech of the gun
is closed and the breech block locked therein.
Sixth. The combination with the above specified parts of the said breech-block,
of the cocking firing and extracting mechanism substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Seventh. The combination of the expansible breech block constructed as shown,

page_text: with the breech of the gun by means of a hinged or pivotted bracket or carrier
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Eighth. The expansible breech block consisting of the parts shewn in the accom-
panying drawings constructed combined and operating substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 27th day of October 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.