IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING BLOCK BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Deeley, the younger, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Maker, and James Simeon Edge, the younger, of Yardley,
in the County of Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of
"
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING BLOCK BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Deeley, the younger,
and James Simeon Edge at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 21st March 1881.
JOHN DEELEY, the younger, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, and JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of
Worcester, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING BLOCK BREECH-
LOADING SMALL ARMS."
Our Invention has reference to those parts of sliding block breech-loading small-
arms by which the sliding block is raised and lowered, and by which the internal
hammer is cocked, and consists in constructing and arranging the said parts in
the following manner :-
An axis crossing the body of the gun under the breech end has an external arm
or lever by which the said axis can be turned through the requisite angle to work
the internal mechanism.
The said axis carries internally an arm which projects into the case or recess in
which the sliding block works. This arm has on one side a projection which takes
into a corresponding recess on the bottom of the sliding block, and when the
external arm is depressed the said sliding block is also depressed, and the breech
end of the barrel opened. At the rear of the axis described is a a second parallel
axis which carries à lever, the fore end of which is situated immediately under and
is pressed upon by a short arm or projection on the first named axis. The rear
end of the lever described engages under a shoulder on the breast of the hammer.
When the external arm is depressed the short arm or projection carried by its axis
depresses the fore end of the lever described, and thereby raises the rear end of the

page_text: said lever. As the rear end of the said lever rises it lifts the breast of the hammer
and throws the hammer into a half or full cocked position, in which position it is
retained by the ordinary bent and sear.
The external arm is raised into its normal position after charging the gun, and
the sliding block raised by means of a spring. The axis on which the hammer
turns may have an external arm or lever, by means of which the hammer may be
raised into its cocked position, or from half cock to full cock. By means of the
said external arm in conjunction with pressure on the trigger the hammer may be
lowered.
Our Invention is applicable both to single and double barrel sliding block
breech-loading small-arms;

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Deeley, the younger, and James Simeon Edge in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th September 1881.
JOHN DEELEY, the younger, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, and JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of
Worcester, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING BLOCK BREECH-
LOADING SMALL ARMS."
Our Invention has reference to those parts of sliding block breech loading small-
arms by which the sliding block is raised and lowered, and by which the internal
hammer is cocked, and consists in constructing and arranging the said parts in the
following manner :-
An axis crossing the body of the gun under the breech end has an external arm
or lever by which the said axis can be turned through the requisite angle to work
the internal mechanism.
The said axis carries internally an arm which projects into the case or recess in
which the sliding block works. This arm has on one side a projection which takes
into a corresponding recess on the bottom of the sliding block, and when the
external arm is depressed the said sliding block is also depressed, and the
breech end of the barrel opened. At the rear of the axis described is a second
parallel axis which carries a lever, the fore end of which is situated immediately
under and is pressed upon by a short arm or projection on the first named axis.
The rear end of the lever described engages under a shoulder on the breast of the
hammer. The first named axis also carries a projection for working the extractor.
When the external arm is depressed the short arm or projection carried by its axis
depresses the fore end of the lever described, and thereby raises the rear end of the.
said lovor. As the rear end of the said lever rises it lifts the breast of the hammer
into a half or full cocked position, in which position it is retained by the ordinary
bent and sear.
The axis on which the hammer turns may have an external arm or lever, by
means of which the hammer may be raised into its cocked position, or from half
cock to full cock, the said lever being on the side of the gun opposite to that at
which the main lever is situated.
By means of the said external arm in conjunction with pressure on the trigger
the hammer may be lowered.
Our Invention is applicable both to single and double barrel sliding block
breech-loading small-arms.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, Figure 2 in longitudinal vertical section,
and Figure 3 in end elevation, the breech end of a sliding block breech loading gun
containing our improvements, the parts being represented in the positions which
they respectively occupy after the gun has been discharged.
Figure 4 represents the said gun with the hammer in its cocked position, and
the sliding breech block in its lowered position, and the breech open for the
introduction of the cartridge into the barrel.
Figure 5 represents in elevation, and Figure 6 a portion of the same in plan, the
arrangement of our Invention for raising the hammer from half cock to full cock.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, represent parts of the gun detached, as herein
after explained.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.

page_text: a is the barrel of the gun and b is the breech shoe or body in which the sliding
breech block c works, as well as the internal hammer d, and the opening, closing,
cocking, and extracting mechanism. The hammer d in the arrangement, Figures 1,
2, 3, and 4, has only a full cock bent in it for the sear e to engage with. The
sliding block e carries the striker f, and is furnished with the recess or loop c² by
which it is raised and lowered. The sliding breech block c is shown separately in
Figures 7 and 8. Crossing the body or shoe b of the gun is an axis h having an
external arm or hand lever i for turning it. The said axis h carries within the
body or shoe b a cam block k, shown separately in Figure 9, for working the
internal mechanism of the gun. This cam block has on its upper side an arm / for
working the sliding breech block c, and also a second arm or projection m which
depresses the forward end of the intermediate arm or lever n for cocking the
hammer, the said arm or lever n turning on the axis n³ parallel to the cross axis h,
carrying the cam block k. The lower part of the cam block k has upon it a
projection p for working the extractor q. The hammer d is shown separately in
Figure 10, the intermediate cocking lever n is represented separately in Figure 11,
and the extractor a is represented separately.in Figure 12.
The arm on the cam block k, when the latter is turned through the required
angle by depressing the hand lever i, takes into the recess or loop on the bottom
of the sliding breech block c, and depresses the said block, as represented in
Figure 4, and the separate view Figure 8, and when the cam block k is returned to
its normal position, the said arm raises the breech block c and closes the broech.
The said arm after it has closed the breech takes the position represented in
Figure 7, and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, and supports the said block in
its raised position. When the cam block k is turned by the external lever i, the
projecting arm m on the said block depresses the forward arm of the cocking
lever n, the short or rear arm of the said cocking lever n engaging under the
shoulder d² on the breast of the hammer d, lifting the said breast and throwing the
hammer into its full cocked position, in which position it is retained by the sear e
engaging with the full cock bent in the said hammer, as illustrated in Figure 4.
The same motion of the cam block k causes the projection p on its lower side to
operate upon the shoulder 9' on the extractor 9, and turn the said extractor
through the angle necessary to cause it to extract the empty cartridge case from
the barrel. The return motion of the extractor q is effected by the projection p on
the cam block k engaging with the extractor q at the point q³. By means of the
.spring r on the lock plate engaging in a notch or depression in the cylindrical part
of the cam block k, the arm on the cam block is.maintained in its highest position
for supporting the breech block c in its closing position.
The action of the gun is as follows :-
After the discharge of the gun the parts occupy the positions represented in
Figures 1, 2, and 3. In order to open and cock the gun the hand lever i is
depressed. The cam block k carried by the axis of the said hand lever i is
thereby turned through such an angle that the arm 7 depresses the sliding block c
and opens the breech, as illustrated in Figure 4, and the other arm m at the same
time acting upon the cocking lever n, causes the said lever n to cock the hammer d,
as illustrated in the said Figure 4. As soon as the sliding block c has been lowered
nearly to its full extent and the hammer d cocked, the further motion of the cam
block k in the same direction causes its projection p to operate upon the extractor
lever q, and cause the latter to extract the empty cartridge case from the barrel.
The gun is now ready for loading. On raising the hand lever i to the position
represented in Figure 1, the breech block c is also raised and supported in its raised
position and the breech closed, leaving the hammer d in its cocked position. The
gun is now ready for discharge. On the cam block k making its back or return
motion its projection p acts upon the extractor q at the point q³ (see Figure 12),
and returns the extractor to its original position.
When the hammer of the gun is to be raised to half cock only on opening the
gun for charging, and afterwards raised to full cock by an independent lever, we

page_text: arrange the parts in the manner represented in Figures 5 and 6, that is to say, we
make in the hammer a half cock bent as well as a full cock bent for the sear e to
engage with (see Figure 5), and we prolong the axis d³ of the hammer & through
the lock plate, and provide it with an external arm or hand lever t. The said
axis ds of the cocking hand levert is square, and the hole in the hammer d is also
square for receiving it.
The hammer d, Figures 5 and 6, is first raised to half cock by means of the hand
lever i on the axis h of the cam block, in the manner herein before described, and
when it is required to fire the gun the cocking hand lever t is depressed, so as to
further depress the hammer d and cause the seare to engage with the full cock
bent in the said hammer, as illustrated in Figure 5. The gun is then ready for
discharge.
The hand lever t serves in conjunction with pressure on the trigger to lower the
bammer, and may also be used for raising the hammer from its lowered to its full
cocked position.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention
of "Improvements in Sliding Block Breech Loading Small Arms,"
-
The construction and arrangement of parts herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings for raising and lowering and supporting the sliding
breech block, for cocking the hammer and for extracting the empty cartridge cases
of the said small arms, that is to say, the construction of the cam block k, l, m, p,
on the axis of the hand lever i for raising and lowering and supporting the sliding
breech block, and for extracting the empty cartridge cases, and in conjunction with
the intermediate lever for cocking the hammer, the several parts being arranged
and working substantially as described and illustrated, whether the said mechanism
be used for raising the hammer into its full cocked position or into its half cocked
position; also the modification and addition represented in Figures 6 and 7 for
raising the hammer from balf cock to full cock.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Deeley and James Simeon Edge, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERBETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
JNO. DEELY, JUNº.
(L.S.)
JAMES SIMEON EDGE, JB. (L.S.)