IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE. AND CONSTRUCTION OF CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th June
1867.
I, THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE.
AND CONSTRUCTION OF CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as.
follows:-
My improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relate principally to breech-.
loading fire-arms of the kinds described in the Specification of Letters Patent.
granted to me, bearing date 24th of October 1866, No. 2743.
One part of my present improvements in the said fire-arms consist in
making the rear ends of the plugs or breech closers tubular and separate from
their front ends, and attaching the said parts together so that the rear or
tubular end shall be capable of a motion of partial rotation independently of
the front end, the said motion of the plug serving to lock and full cock the
action.
Another part consists in constructing the hammer or circular block of
needle guns separate from the needle carrier, and fitting a sear into the said

page_text: block and disengaging the said sear by a trigger working through an opening
in the tubular part of the plug.
Another part consists in forming the needle carrier and spring in the front
end of the plug, by which means the needle is withdrawn from the cartridge
immediately after striking it.
Another part consists in making the plugs or breech closers entirely tubular
with an internal contraction or collar near the front end for facilitating the
fixing and working of the needle or striker and spring.
Another part consists of a locking collar at the rear of the breech plug
having lugs or projections formed upon it, and engaging or interlocking
with corresponding lugs formed in a breech cap attached to the breech shoe
of the barrel. The said locking collar works upon the rear of the tubular
plug, and has a motion of partial rotation upon it, the said collar being dis-
engaged or unlocked from the shoe cap by slightly turning it by hand, the
said collar at the same time forming a handle for withdrawing the closing
plug. The lugs or projections upon the collar and shoe cap may be inclined
on their sides, so that on pushing up the plug or closer the collar receives the
requisite twist upon the plug, and is forced to interlock with the shoe cap
by a spring action in the opposite direction.
Another part consists in attaching the trigger for discharging the gun to a
stop underneath the shoe and entirely independent of the stock, and in
constructing the trigger so as to disengage the stop from the plug and release
the same for cleaning or other purpose.
Another part consists in applying a safety slide or bolt to act between the
trigger and the opening in the hammer tube or plug, by which the trigger is
prevented from acting till the said slide or bolt is withdrawn before firing
the
gun.
"Another part consists in fitting and arranging the extractor rod or bar to
work in a V groove formed in the side of the shoe; also in attaching to the
end of the said rod or bar a coiled spring for the purpose of effecting the
return motion of the extractor to its position in the shoe or. barrel; and also
in connecting and working the extractor rod or bar by the sliding action of
the breech closer, or by the breech plate or cover attached to the said breech
closer.
Another part consists in fixing and arranging a longitudinal magazine tube
underneath the barrel, and fitting to the rear of the said tube a cartridge
lifter, and operating the said lifter by the notion of the closing plug in opening
and closing the breech.

page_text: Another part consists in hinging a flap, block, or closer to the top of the
breech shoe, the said flap, block, or closer being provided with a tubular or
hollow screw pin or back bolt working in the axis of the said closer, and
moved by a handle outside the block for the purpose of fixing and securing
the said flap, block, or closer during the discharge of the gun. The rod or
striker for discharging the cartridge is made to work through the axis of the
said pin or bolt, the said rod or striker being struck by a hammer or bolt
working in the rear and axis of the gun.
Another part consists in applying a central pin or striker to work in the
axis of the sliding breech piece or closer of the gun, described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, dated September 1st, 1864,
No. 2145, and driving the said pin or striker forward by a bolt or hammer in
the rear and axis of the gun.
My improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relate further to the breech.
loading gun described and represented in Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19
of the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, dated August 4th, 1866,
No. 2016, and consist of the following improvements in the said gun :-
One part of these improvements consists in forming a projection on the
under side of the plug or breech piece, the said projection traversing a slob
in the bottom of the breech chamber, and in connecting the said projection
with a rod and coiled spring underneath the barrel, by which the return
motions of the plug or breech piece and extractor are effected.
A pro-.
jecting piece may be formed on the under side of the closing block, which
when the block is shut down takes into the rear of the slot in the breech
piece and abuts against the end of the said slot, and assists in sustaining the
block on the discharge of the gun.
Another part consists in bolting down the closing block by a cross bolt
engaging with the side of the barrel, and released only by lateral pressure
upon a thumb plate formed upon the closing block.
My improvements in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms consist in
making and constructing self-ignition cartridges in the manner herein-after>
described.
One part of these improvements consists in manufacturing the metal cap,
and tube or cup for receiving the percussion cap, and anvil by which the..
cartridge is discharged, in one piece by the process of casting. I effect the
casting of the said metal, cap, and tube or cup, either in sand moulds or metal.
moulds, the casting process being conducted in the ordinary manner; by:
this means I am enabled to give the metal cap nearly the figure it is required

page_text: to have in the finished cartridge, and produce a much stronger and better cap
than by forming the parts separately of sheet metal and attaching them
together as is commonly practised. I finish the metal caps of the cartridges;
made by casting as described, internally and externally to the exact figure
and size required by the process of turning in a lathe.
Another part consists in forming the inner side of the rim or shoulder of the
said metal caps of the cartridges flat or at right angles, to the axis of the
tubular part of the said cap, instead. of curved or inclined as is usual. By
this construction I obtain a more direct and firmer hold for the cartridge case
extractor in withdrawing the exploded case from the breech chamber than
when the inner side of the rim or shoulder is made in the usual manner. "
Another part consists in making the exterior tubular part of the inetal caps
of cartridges taper, the said part tapering from the rim or shoulder to the
exterior of the powder case of the cartridge, the narrow end of the said taper
part being flush or nearly flush with the said powder case. By the use of
this taper part of the cap the powder case of the cartridge is less liable to
burst during the explosion of the cartridge.
Another part consists in connecting the metal case containing the powder
of the cartridge to the metal cap of the said cartridge in the following
manner I make in the interior of the cap an annular groove, into which
groove I force the rear end of the metal powder case; I prefer to force the
rear end of the metal powder case into the groove in the cap in the following
way: I first insert the rear end of the powder case into the cap, and afterwards
insert into the powder case a cupped washer of copper or other soft metal, and
by flattening and expanding the said metal washer laterally by pressure I
force the said washer with the metal powder case into the groove in the
metal cap, and thereby firmly secure the said powder case to the cap; or
instead of employing an annular groove as described a series of grooves or
screw threads may be formed in the inner side of. the cap, into which grooves
or screw threads the metal powder case is forced, and instead of copper or
other soft metal paper pulp or other material may be employed to force the
metal powder case into the grooves or screw threads in the cap.
Another part consists in binding the metal powder case to the projectile in
the following manner :-After the rear end of the projectile has been inserted
into the open.end of the charged metal powder case I make one or more
annular indentations or grooves in the front end of the powder case, so as to
force the metal of the said case into corresponding depressions in the said
projectile. I afterwards wrap round or fill up the said grooves or indentations

page_text: with silken or other thread, and tie the ends of the said thread. By this
means I bind the powder case firmly to the projectile, and prevent the said
case from becoming loose or separated from the projectile.
Another part consists in forming the end or head plates and bell caps of
metallic cartridges in one piece, and attaching the said caps to the cases by
pressure or paper pulp against the bell cap.
Another part consists in constructing metallic cartridge cases with an outer
flange or rim, and attaching a head plate or disc and bell cap by closing in
the rim around it. The plate or disc may be made to fire a small rim cap
or an ordinary cap with an anvil.