AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Piddington, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS. A communication from abroad by Auguste Francotte, of Liège, in
the Kingdom of Belgium.
"
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 16th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Piddington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1877.
JOHN PIDDINGTON, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London. "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by Auguste
Francotte, of Liège, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
The Invention is especially applicable to that kind of breech-loading fire-arms
known as the "Martini," or "Martini-Peabody," but may also be applicable to other
similar kinds of breech-loading fire-arms, and has for object the simplification of the
ineans of removing the breech-loading and lock mechanism in order to clean the
arm. In the Martini system, as at present arranged, the mechanism has to be
removed piece by piece.
The present improvement consists in mounting the whole of the breech-loading
and lock mechanism with the trigger, trigger guard, and breech block lever in a
moveable frame or carriage adapted to fit into the box at the rear end of the
barrel, and retained therein by a tooth or projecting piece taking into a recess in the
said box, and by a retaining pin passing through the sides of the said box and through
the frame or carriage. The result of this arrangement is that by simply removing
the retaining pin and opening the breech block lever, the said frame or carriage,
with the whole of the mechanism mounted therein, may be withdrawn from the
box without dismounting any portion of such mechanism, the operations of re-
moving the mechanism and cleaning the arm being by these means much simplified,
and they may be performed very quickly by the most inexperienced person.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Piddington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
September 1877.
JOHN PIDDINGTON, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London. "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
•
The Invention is especially applicable to that kind of breech-loading fire-arms
known as the "Martini," or "Martini-Peabody," but may also be applicable to other
similar kinds of breech-loading fire-arms, and has for object the simplification of the
means of removing the breech-loading and lock mechanism in order to clean the
arın. In the "Martini" system, as at present arranged, the mechanism has to be
removed piece by piece.
The present improvement consists in mounting the whole of the breech-loading
and lock mechanism, with the trigger, trigger guard, and breech block lever in a
moveable frame or carriage adapted to fit into the box at the rear end of the barrel,
and retained therein by a tooth or projecting piece taking into a recess in the said
box, and by a retaining pin passing through the sides of the said box, and through
the frame or carriage. The result of this arrangement is that by simply removing
the retaining pin and opening the breech block lever, the said frame or carriage,
with the whole of the mechanism mounted therein, may be withdrawn from the
box without dismounting any portion of such mechanism, the operations of re-
moving the mechanism and cleaning the arm being by these means much simplified,
and they may be performed very quickly by the most inexperienced person.
In the Drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively a longitudinal section and
plan of the breech box of a "Martini,” "Martini-Peabody," or other fire-arm, such
box being adapted to receive the moveable frame or carriage forming the subject of
this Invention with the breech-loading and lock mechanismu nounted thereon.
Figure 3 is an elevaton of the aforesaid moveable frame or carriage, with the trigger
guard formed therewith, the whole of the mechanism being removed therefrom;
Figure 4 is a plan of the same; and Figure 5, a transverse section at X, X, of Figure 3;
Figure 6 shews the moveable frame or carriage with part of the mechanism mounted;
thereon; and Figure 7 shews the said frame or carriage with the said parts of
the inechanisin mounted on it, and placed in position in the breech box of the
fire-arm.
Similar letters refer to like parts in all the Figures.
A, A, is the moveable frame or carriage, formned by preference in one piece with
the trigger guard B, and provided with suitable lugs and recesses to receive the
various parts of the mechanism to be mounted thereon, and holes for the reception
of the various pins upon which such parts work. C is the breech block hinged to
the frame A by a pin D. E is the breech block lever centred on the pin F, which
latter may carry at one end the usual pointer outside the breech box, a slot G in
the side of the said box allowing of the removal of the frame or carriage with its
attendant mechanism without withdrawing the said pin F. H is the extractor
centred on the pin I; and J the trigger centred on the pin K. L is a tooth formed
on one end of the frame or carriage A, adapted to take into a corresponding recess
L' in the end of the breech box; and M is a pin which passes through the sides of
the box, and through the hole N in the frame or carriage A.
It will now be readily understood that when the frame or carriage A, with the
mechanism mounted thereon, is passed into the breech box from the under side, so
that the tooth L takes into the recess L¹ in the end of the breech box, and the hole
N in the frame is brought to coincide with the corresponding holes through the
sides of the breech box, and the pin M passed through, as shewn in Figure 7, the
whole will be retained in place ready for action.
It should be observed that in order to insert the frame with the mechanism into
the breech box, the breech block lever E should be depressed, so as to lower the
front end of the breech block C, by which means its front und, together with the

page_text: extractor, are held clear of the breech end of the barrel until the frame A, with its
mechanism, is secured in place. The pin M. may be secured when in place by means
of a sectoral locking piece O, which engages with the groove P formed near the end
of the pin M in the manner well known in connexion with the mechanism of fire-
arms.
When it is desired to remove the mechanism for the purpose of cleaning it, or the
fire-arm, or it may be for disabling the latter, it is only necessary to depress the
breech-block lever, remove the pin M, and then draw downwards the front part of
the frame by means of the trigger guard; the tooth L then leaves its recess L¹, and
the frame or carriage, with its mechanism, comes away altogether, as shewn in
Figure 6, but with the breech block and its lever depressed, as before described.
The various parts of the lock and striker mechanism are not shewn in tho
Drawing in order to prevent confusion, but it will bo readily understood that they
are to be so adapted to the breech mechanism and to the frame or carriage A, that
they shall be wholly carried and supported by the latter independantly of the
breech box.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
he same is to or may be performed, I would have it understood that I make no claim
to arrangements wherein certain parts only of the breech-loading and lock
mechanism are mounted on or supported by the moveable frame or carriage, but
what I claim as the Invention to be secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the moveable frame or carriage A, upon which are
mounted and supported the whole of the breech-loading and lock mechanism, such
moveable frame or carriage being constructed, adapted, and applied substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawing, and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Piddington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JOHN PIDDINGTON. (L.S.)