IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Linus Orton Thayer, of No. 1, Leadenhall Street,
London, E.C., Middlesex, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 7th November 1876, and dated the 24th June 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Linus Orton Thayer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1876.
LINUS ORTON THAYER, of No. 1, Leadenhall Street, London, Middlesex, Doctor
of Medicine. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
My Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, and con-
sists in the details of construction particularly herein-after described and pointed
out in the claims, reference being had to the Drawings annexed horeto, in which
similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
The forked ends of the lever m act on the projections a¹ of the under surface
of the breech block when the long arm of the lever is depressed, bringing the
forward or breech end of the block down. This acts on the extractor, violently
ejecting the cartridge, while at the same time the recesses m³ of the short arms of the
lover act on the projection e¹ of the tumbler bringing it and the needle or striker
backward and causing the bent or notch h¹ to engage the sear of the trigger.
This action of the lover brings the fire-arm to half-cock only and no further
depression of the lever can alter this. The fire-arm is thus rendered perfectly
secure against accident while being loaded, and the striker is kept entirely away
from the cartridge during the act of closing the breech and bringing the long
arm of the lever up to its position, as in Fig. 1, by placing the thumb on the
extremity g¹ of the side hammer or cock, and pulling it backwards the tumbler is
brought back still further, the trigger sear engages the notch or bent K of the
tumbler, and the rifle is thus brought to full-cock in an instant, and can be.
immediately fired. The V spring being upright and directly behind the tumbler
enables this to be done with perfect ease.
The rapidity with which the rifle can be loaded and discharged is very great,
as the full-cock can be put on at the same instant the gun is brought to the
shoulder.
The hammer or arm g in addition to bringing the gun from half to full-cock
serves as a support to the soldier in carrying arms, and does away with a great
want in a breach block fire-arm.
ID 637

page_text: The working parts, with the exception of the breech block (which is kept in its
place by a split pin f¹), are all attached to the frame r, which is held in position
by being tenoned into a corresponding notch in the case at d in forward part
and at the back by a screw, which traverses the case and the frame at t, thus
securing it completely.
A rifle thus constructed carries with it all the necessary qualifications.
The action is easily removed from the case by the unscrewing it at t for cleaning,
as casily replaced, and is very strong. It cannot be discharged while loading, and
all the pieces can be taken out with a screw-driver alone, and its extreme simplicity
renders its manufacture very inexpensive.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of any improved breech-loading rifle with the
breech block depressed in the loading position, the trigger being engaged in the
half-cock bent h¹.
Fig. 2 represents the rifle loaded ready to fire, trigger being in the bent K of
the tumbler, and the hammer being in rear of the split pin f which traverses the
breech block shows immediately when the gun is at full-cock.
Nos. 1 to 18, the several pieces of the mechanism detached, and fully described
herein-after.
a is the barrel of ordinary construction, and chambered to any desired central-
fire cartridge; b is the case or shoe screwed to the barrel and secured to the stock c
by a long screw bolt which traverses it, the breech block e swings on a split pin f¹,
and is shown in side elevation in No. 17.
Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are the screws and pins which are used to hold the
different pieces in their places.
No. 7 is the V-spring d¹, the large end of which fits in the recess c¹ of the
frame ?', while its free end acts in projection i of the tumbler v.
No. 8 is the tumbler v to which is attached the needle o (No. 16) at o¹ by a
small screw (No. 5); on the side elevation are seen the bents for half-cock, and
k for full-cock, traverses at u by the cross piece of the false lammer or thumb
piece g, as seen in No. 10. On this cross piece also swings the lever, and it is kept
secure by the smallest screw (No. 6) which is fastened to the side of the frame 1.
No. 9 is the frane tenoned in the shoe at d and held in position at t by a screw
(No. 3) which traverses the shoe and frame; c¹ is the slot to receive the large end
of the main spring d¹; x is where the screw (No. 4) passes and on which the
trigger is pivoted; o¹/ the trigger guard made solid with the frame 1.
No. 10 front and side views of the hammer or thumb piece g. The cross piece
at right angles serves as a pivot for the lever m, and has four square sides in tho
centre for the tumbler axis. It is fastened to the frame by the screw No. 6.
No. 11 is the trigger or sear spring b¹ inserted into a recess in the frame at a³,
and its free end acting in the recess of the trigger y.
No. 12 is the long arm of the lever m engaging when shut with the spring n¹ in
the under surface of the stock c.
No. 13 shows the short arms of the lever (traversed at m by the cross piece of
the hammer g) with its extremities engaging in the projection a¹ of the breech
block, and the recesses m² in which the cross piece c¹ of the tumbler acts, and by
which the lever while being depressed throws the tumbler backwards.
No. 14 is the ordinary extractor in use in breech-loading rifles of this class
swinging on a pivot screw (No. 2 at q¹.
No. 15 is the trigger y with its extremity engaging in the bents of the tumbler,
and the recess for the free end of the sear spring b¹.
No. 16 is the needle or striker o hinged at o¹ to the head of the tumbler.
No. 17 is the breech block e, seen in situ in Fig. 1 and 2, with a taper hole
through the centre for the striker, and its under surface open to permit of the
removal of the striker when the frame is taken out for inspecting the parts of the
mechanism.
The operation of the different parts is as follows:-The various pieces being in
their respective positions, the thumb is placed in the long arm of the lever and

page_text: bringing it quickly downwards the forks act on the projection a¹ of the breech
block, causing it to descend and strike the extensions t' of the extractor, thus
ejecting the exploded cartridge while at the same time the recesses.m¹ act on the
projections e of the tumbler thus drawing back the tumbler with the striker
attached and causing the trigger to engage in the half bent h¹, thus rendering it
impossible for the rifle to be fired while loading or closing the breach, which latter
is done by an upward movement of the long arm of the lever.
Here it will be observed that no downward movement of the lever can cause the
gun to be at full-cock, and the soldier is thus saved from a premature discharge.
To bring the arm to full-cock a gentle and quick pressure backwards on the sido
thumb piece or hammer 7 brings the tumbler back, and the extremity of the
trigger is then brought into the bent, and the rifle can then be fired by placing
the finger on the trigger and pulling it back, the bent k is disengaged and the
spring acting on i sends the tumbler and striker forwards and explodes the
cartridge.
To clean the gun the screw at t is removed, and a slight pull downwards removes
the whole action, which is then readily taken to pieces and cleaned, the services
of a screw driver only being needed, the main spring being removed and replaced
by the hand alone.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of working,
I do not limit its adaptation only to the class of guns in which there is a falling
block as the same may be applied to different forms of rifles, I claim.
First. The novel combination of the parts, breech block e, needlo o, tumbler v,
main spring d, trigger y, and lever m, all constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as described.
Second. The lever m, tumbler v, and needle o, as described.
Third. The detachable main spring upright of extra power.
Fourth. The frame constructed separately from the shell band substantially as
described.
Fifth. The tumbler v, with its half-cock h¹ and its full-cock h, for the purposes
specified and described.
Sixth. The side hammer o, cocking piece of the configuration, and for the purposes
set forth and described.
Seventh. The combination of the tumbler v, the trigger y, the lever m, the
hammer g, for the purposes and in the manner set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Linus Orton Thayer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
LINUS ORTON THAYER, M.D. (LS.)