IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Jeffries, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich,
Gunmaker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS,"
Sealed the 27th June 1862, and dated the 2nd January 1862..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Jeffries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pétition, on the 2nd
January 1862.
I, GEORGE JEFFRIES, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich, Gunmaker, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In constructing double-barrelled breech-loading fire-arms, I mount the,
barrels on a centre or axis on one side of the centre line of the piece, and at
a distance of some inches in advance of the breech end of the barrels; this
centre or axis is carried in a suitable bearing connected with the false breech,
and which is flat and at right angles to the centre line of the piece. The
breech ends of the barrels are so made as to fit closely against the false
breech when the barrels are in their places ready for firing, but by turning the
barrels partly round laterally about their axis, the breech ends of the barrels
will immediately be freed from the false breech, the axis, as before mentioned,

page_text: being placed at a distance from the centre line of the piece. When the barrels
-have been moved a sufficient distance sideways to allow cartridges to be intro-
duced freely into their breech ends, they are stopped by means of a spring
catch provided for the purpose.
In order to retain the barrels firmly in position for firing, a wedge piece is
formed or fixed horizontally under the barrels, and this enters a corresponding
recess in the lower part of the false breech, the forward part of this wedge
piece acting against the corresponding part of the recess, presses the breech
ends of the barrels firmly against the false breech. The hinder part of the
wedge piece projects beyond the breech end of the barrels; hence, when this
enters the recess formed in the false breech, it checks any tendancy the barrels
might have to tip vertically.
In order that the barrels may be readily removed from the stock, and may
still be securely retained when mounted, I fix on the axis on which, as before
mentioned, the barrels turn a lug or lugs, and I cut corresponding slots in the
bearing of the axis; these are so placed that when the barrels are turned at
right angles to the centre line of the piece the lugs and slots coincide, and
the axis may then be either drawn out of its bearing or dropped into it as
may be required; by turning the barrels partly round they become securely
held. The barrels are locked in position for firing by means of an axis passing
up through the under side of the false breech into the recess formed to receive
the wedge piece on the barrels; here the axis is notched at one side. The
lower end of the axis has a handle fixed on it, and when by means of the
handle the axis is turned so as to bring the notch in it to the front, the wedge
piece with the barrels can move freely, but by moving the handle so as to
bring the notch in the axis into a different position, the barrels (if in their
place for firing) become locked, the portion of the axis which is not cut away
then entering a semicircular recess in the edge of the wedge piece formed on
the barrels, or to which they are connected. I would remark, that my
Invention is not confined to double-barrelled guns; single-barrel guns may
also be made in the manner above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Jeffries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
.July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
JEFFRIES, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich, Gunmaker, send greeting: "

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Jeffries, Her special licence that I, the said George Jeffries,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Jeffries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Jeffries, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Jeffries, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say):
-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In constructing double-barrelled breech-loading fire-arms, I mount the barrels
on a centre or axis on one side of the centre line of the piece, and at a distance
of some inches in advance of the breech end of the barrels. This centre or
axis is carried in a suitable bearing connected with the false breech, and which
is flat and at right angles to the centre line of the piece. The breech ends of
the barrels are so made as to fit closely against the false breech when the
barrels are in their places ready for firing, but in turning the barrels partly
round laterally about their axis, the breech ends of the barrels. will imme-
diately be freed from the false breech, the axis, as before mentioned, being
placed at a distance from the centre line of the piece. When the barrels have
been moved a sufficient distance sideways to allow cartridges to be introduced
freely into their breech ends, they are stopped by means of a spring catch
provided for the purpose. In order to retain the barrels firmly in position for
firing, a wedge piece is formed or fixed horizontally under the barrels, and this
enters a corresponding recess in the lower part of the false breech. The for-
ward part of this wedge piece acting against the corresponding part of the recess

page_text: presses the breech ends of the barrels firmly against the false breech, and .the
hinder part of the wedge piece projects beyond the breech end of the barrels ;
hence when this enters the recess formed in the false breech, it checks any
tendancy the barrels might have to tip vertically. In order that the barrels
may be readily removed from the stock, and may still be securely retained
when mounted, I fix on the axis on which, as before mentioned, the barrels
turn a lug or lugs, and I cut corresponding slots in the bearing of the axis;
these are so placed, that when the barrels are turned at right angles to the
centre line of the piece the lugs and slots coincide, and the axis may then be
either drawn out of its bearing.or dropped into it, as may be required; by
turning the barrels partly round they become securely held. The barrels áre
locked in position for firing by means of an axis passing up through the under
side of the false breech into the recess formed to receive the wedge piece on
the barrels; here the axis is notched at one side. The lower end of the axis
has a handle fixed on it, and when, by means of the handle, the axis is turned
so as to bring the notch in it to the front, the wedge piece with the barrels
can move freely, but by moving the handle so as to bring. the notch in the
axis into a different position, the barrels (if in their place for firing) become
locked, the portion of the axis which is not cut away then entering a semi-
circular recess in the edge of the wedge piece formed on the barrels, or to
which they are connected. I would remark, that my Invention is not confined
to double-barrelled guns; single barrel guns may also be made in the manner
above described.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to described the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of a double-barrelled fire-arm constructed
according to my Invention; Figure.2 is a side view of the same; Figure 3 is
a longitudinal section with some of the woodwork removed; Figures 4 and 5
are similar under side views, in one of which the breeches are shewn open, and
in the other closed.
a, a, are the barrels of the piece; b is a lump formed on the side of the
left-hand barrel; this carries a pin or axis 6', which enters a bole formed for
it at the end of the arm c; this arm is formed in one piece with the false
breech d, which closes the breech end of the barrels. The false breech d is
attached to the stock e, in the wood of which also the arm c¹ is embedded so
as to come flush with the upper surface thereof; f is a wedge piece formed

page_text: or fixed horizontally under the barrels at their breech ends, beyond which it
projects. This wedge piece enters a groove or recess of corresponding form
in the arm c, and the portion which projects beyond the barrels enters a cor-
responding recess or groove in the false breech; 9 is the axis which is
employed to secure the barrels in position for firing; it enters a hole drilled
for it in the metal of the false breech, and is retained thereby, a screw g¹
entering a recess in the axis; this recess is of such a length as to allow the axis
to turn a quarter circle or thereabouts. g² is a notch in the axis g, and passing
about half through it, and there is, as is shewn, a semicircular notch f' in the
wedge piece f, so that it will be seen that the turning of the axis g by its
handle g³ will lock or unlock the barrels when they are in position for firing;
i is the spring catch; it is attached to the arm c, and its end projects
through it into a groove f in the under side of the wedge piece f. The end
of this groove serves as a stop to prevent the barrels moving further than is
required when opening the breeches for loading. By depressing the spring
catch by the button i provided for the purpose, the barrels are freed to move
further, and the joint between them and the stock is so arranged that when
the barrels are placed at right angles to the stock or thereabout they may be
separated, but otherwise not, there being a projection 6* on one side of the
axis b' of the barrels, and at the end thereof, which, when the barrels are turned
in this position corresponds with a notch in the side of the hole or bearing in
the arm c, the under side of the piece 6 on the barrels is recessed, as shewn, to
allow the play required to the projection 6*.
I would remark, that the arranging the barrels to turn on an axis on one
side of the centre line of the piece is an important feature of my Invention,
as it enables me to use a flat false breech at right angles to the barrels, without
which there would be great difficulty in fitting the parts, and in producing
a cartridge suitable for its use.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Jeffries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 30th day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEORGE JEFFRIES. (L.s.)