Improvements in Firing Mechanism for Breech Loading Ordnance.
Year: 1894

page_text: [Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1.94-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Firing Mechanism for Breech Loading Ordnance.
We, EDWARD WILLIAM LLOYD, formerly a Commander in the British Navy,
and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, formerly of the Royal Artillery, both of the
Firm of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. Ld., of Elswick Works, Newcastle-
on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to firing mechanism for breech loading ordnance and is
especially applicable to breech mechanism constructed as described in the Speci-.
fication of a Patent granted to A. Noble and G. Henderson No. 9989 in the
year 1892.
The firing mechanism is as described in that Specification so arranged that the
powder charge may be fired either by electricity or percussion.
The firing pin lies within a hole formed through the pivot on which the breech
piece turns. Around the front end of the stem of the firing pin is a projecting
collar the stem is surrounded with insulating material and this again is surrounded
with an outer metallic tube which at its front end abuts against the collar at the
front end of the firing pin, an insulating washer of leather soaked in shellac or of
other suitable material being interposed between the two.
Around the front end of the outer metallic tube is also a collar fitting to the
front end of the hole formed through the breech block pivot. A projecting
feather on this collar entering a longitudinal groove in the pivot keeps the firing
pin from turning. A coiled spring surrounding the tube bears at its front end
against the collar and at its rear end against a nut which is locked into the rear
end of the hole in the pivot with interrupted rings or threads of a screw. The
tube can slide freely end wise through this nut. The spring pressing the firing pin
forwards keeps the forward end of the pin bearing hard against the cartridge
primer when the breech is closed.
Around the rear end of the outer tube is a boss through which connection may
be made between an insulated conductor and the firing pin. A forward projection
from the upper part of the front of this boss is arranged to enter a corresponding
recess in the rear end of the nut above mentioned when the firing pin is in its
forward position. A projection from the underside of the boss is held against a
safety stop lever by the action of the coiled spring which presses the firing pin
forwards. The coiled spring can be compressed into position by screwing a handle
onto a screw thread formed around the rear end of the firing pin, the forward end
of the boss on the handle bearing against the rear end of the boss on the rear end
of the outer tube of the firing pin-insulated washers being interposed between the
two bosses. When the handle has been screwed on to the extent required it is
restrained from turning by a lock nut.
To fire by percussion the firing pin is drawn back by hand by this handle until
a spring bolt or trigger enters a notch formed in the side of the firing pius outer
tube. This spring bolt passes through a radial projection from one side of the rear
end of the nut which is locked into the rear end of the passage through the pivot
of the breech piece. A coiled spring surrounding the stem of the bolt is made to
bear against a head at the inner end of the stem and press it inwards towards the
firing pin-the other end of the spring is arranged to pass out through a slot formed
through one side of the outer end of the projection. A cap is screwed on to the
end of the projection and when screwed on the end portion of the spring which

page_text: passes out through the slot is allowed to bear against its end and enters one or
other of a number of notches formed in it and thereby prevent it from turning.
The firing lanyard is attached to an eye on the outer end of the spring bolt. Two
notches may be formed in the outer tube one for half cock the other for full cock.
Similar notches may be formed on two opposite sides of this tube so that the trigger
may be set into position to act either upon the one side or the other.
The safety stop lever mechanism is a modification of that described in the
Specification of the above mentioned Patent.
As described in that Specification the stop lever against which the downward
projection from the rear end of the firing pin is made to bear as herein before
described is at the upper end of a vertical spindle.
On the lower end of the vertical spindle is a second lever arm, a downward
projection from which enters a cam groove in the lever arm by which the opening
and closing of the breech is effected.
The cam groove we form by attaching two hardened pieces of steel to the lever.
The vertical spindle we surround with a coiled spring which tends always to turn
it in a direction to move the stop lever away from its acting position and also tends
to press the spindle downwards."
As in the arrangement described in the former Patent the first turning movement
of the hand lever to open the breech gives a partial turn to the vertical spindle of
the stop lever this movement withdraws the firing pin and before the breech piece
has commenced to be unscrewed the firing pin has been withdrawn a sufficient
distance within the breech piece to effectually prevent it from making contact with
an electric primer or from striking a percussion primer.
As the hand lever continues to be turned the downward projection from the arm
which extends from the bottom of the vertical spindle of the safety lever now
comes into a portion of the cam groove which is concentric with the axis of the
hand lever and the bottom of this portion of the groove is made to incline
downwards. Just before the hand lever is moved entirely away from the
downward projection the vertical spindle which previously was prevented from
being pressed downwards by the coiled spring around it is now pressed downwards
by the spring a projection on the boss of the lower lever arm then entering a
vertical groove in the carrier arm-this locks the spindle and prevents it from
turning an incline on the sliding block on the carrier arm may be employed to
ensure that this downward movement shall take place even if from any cause it is
not effected by the spring.
In closing the breech when the projection on the lever arm at the bottom of the
vertical spindle of the catch lever again enters the groove in the hand lever the
inclined bottom of this groove acting against the bottom of the projection lifts
the vertical spindle and when it has raised it sufficiently for the projection on the
boss of the lever arm to be brought above the vertical groove in the carrier arm
the spindle is free to be turned by the action of the coiled spring and therefore
assists in performing the last motion of locking the breech piece and in keeping the
breech mechanism in the locked position.
Dated this 9th day of March 1401
EDWARD W. LLOYD.
A. G. HADCOCK.
Improvements in Firing Mechanism for Breech Loading Ordnance.
We, EDWARD WILLIAM LLOYD formerly a Commander in the British Navy,
and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, formerly of the Royal Artillery, both of the
Firm of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. Ld., of Elswick Works, Newcastle-
on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
'

page_text: Figure 9 is a plan showing safety gear with mechanism locked.
Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10 with hand lever partly drawn back and
safety gear locked.
Figure 11 is a plan showing hand lever partly drawn back and safety gear
locked.
The firing mechanism is as described in that Specification so arranged that the
powder charge may be fired either by electricity or percussion. For electric firing,
the pin t which is suitably insulated is held in the usual way by its spring t¹ hard
against the primer. An electric cable connects the firing pin with one pole of a
battery. In this firing gear the pin t and insulation (2 are encased in a tube t'.
At one end of the firing pin t is fitted a handle t'; the tube 3 carries the spring t
which is kept in place by the collar and the retaining nut to. The tube t fits
into the retaining nut to at the rear end, and at the front end into the carrier or
pivot upon which the breech block is mounted. The tube is free to slide backward
and forward, but not to turn, owing to the collar to having a projection t', which
fits into a groove in the carrier. The retaining nut to, is provided with interrupted
rings or threads of a screw, and also with a boss to contain the trigger. This
boss may also form a handle to unlock the retaining nut to. A head, is slidden.
onto the rear end of the tube t³ and is held, and also retained from turning. This
head, t, is provided with a projection us, to fit into one of the two slots provided in
the retaining nut to. The head to, also has a projection 10, on the underside to take
the safety lever. On the head to, is a boss t", which may take a contact piece, as
described in Captain Lloyd's Specification 3833-1893. The front end of the
firing pin t, may have a flat end, as shown in Fig. 6, or it may be formed with a
nipple 2, for striking the primer in percussion firing. The front end of the pin t,
is. insulated from the tube t, by a washer 13, which is preferably made of leather
prepared by steeping in shellac or other suitable varnish and then hammered until
hard. The rear end of the firing pin t is screwed so that the spring can be com-
pressed into position by screwing on the handle t. The handle t, is insulated
from the tube by washers, 14 and 15, which are preferably made of prepared
leather. A check nut 16 is screwed on the rear end of the firing pin t, to prevent
the handle, t, unscrewing.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a modification. On the rear end of the firing pin t, is
screwed a nut, t, and a check nut (20, for retaining the firing pin t in place. The
tube t³ is insulated at the rear end with the firing pin by the washer t", which is
preferably made of prepared leather. The rear end of the tube t³ is screwed so
that the spring can be compressed into position by screwing on the assembling
but 22. A surface washer 23, preferably made of soft leather is placed between
the front face of the assembling nut (, and the rear face of the head tº. A
handle is screwed ou to the rear end of the tube 3 bearing hard against the
assembling nut. This handle t is so formed as to be entirely clear of the end of
the firing pin t, or the nuts i" and 20. This handle t", may be formed into a tool
for dismantling and assembling the firing mechanism.

page_text: The trigger shown on Figures 1 to 7, which is contained in the boss to, on the
retaining nut is composed of a plunger V on which is fitted a screw cap V¹. A
filling piece V, and a spring Vs are also fitted on to the plunger. A head V* with
a projection V is rivetted or otherwise fitted on the plunger to retain the spring.
The spring may be formed with a projecting end V see Figures 1 and 5. This
end of the spring may be fitted with a ball or knob.
To assemble the trigger :-Place the plunger V, with its cap, washer, spring and
head in the hole in the boss t8, on the retaining nut to, with the projection V8, on
the bead V, in the slot prepared in the boss to, and the projecting end V of the
spring V³, in the slot provided in 'the boss to, press back the end of the spring until
clear of the notcbes provided in the end of the cap V', then screw on the cap V', let
go the projecting end of the spring V³, and it will now engage in one of the notches
of the cap and lock the cap to prevent it turning. The tube ³ is provided with
notches, and 18 to take the trigger at either side. The notches are provided to
take full cock or half cock.
To fire by percussion, we pull the firing pin t to the rear by hand until it is
caught by the trigger which retains it until the trigger is displaced by the pull of
the lanyard attached to the trigger loop. When the trigger is displaced the
projection V on the head V4, is moved into a slot provided in the carrier which
prevents the retaining nut from being turned, if the lanyard is pulled in an upward
direction.
The firing mechanism as shown in the drawing, can only be fired by percussion
from the left side of the gun, but it can be fired from the right side if necessary by
pulling back the head, until the projection us, is clear of the notch in the
retaining nut, then tu
taining nut to, from the left side to the right
to slip forward into a second notch provided in
the retaining nut to, the...gger will then be in position to take the second notch
provided in the tube t³, for percussion firing.
side and allowing the pro
Connected with the firing mechanism we provide the following safety gear in
order to prevent the gun being fired either by electricity or percussion before the
breech piece is properly secured.
The safety mechanism is a modification of that described in the Specification of
the above mentioned Patent.
A lever p bears against the projection (10,(see Figures 2 and 10) near the rear
end of the firing pin. This lever is fitted to the upper end of a spindle p². On the
lower end of the spindle is a collar provided with a lever p², on the under and top
side of this lever p² are projections p³ and . The projection is held when the
breech screw is in the gun in a cam groove formed by attaching two hard steel
pieces to the lever of the breech mechanism. The cam groove is shaped so that as
described in the Specification above mentioned the moving of the hand lever away
from the locked position of the breech piece, turns the lever pinto a position to
withdraw the firing pin to the rear sufficient distance to effectually prevent it from
making a contact with an electrical primer or froin striking a percussion primer.
A torsion aud compression spring s, is fitted round the spindle p'. One end of this
spring is fixed to the collar of the spindle p', and the other end is fixed to the
carrier, the torsion always acting on the lever to turn it in a direction to move
the hand lever into its closed position, thus when the hand lever is in the locked
position it is so held by the torsion of the spring.
After the lever p has been turned into a position to withdraw the firing pin and
as the hand lever continues to be turned in a direction to 'open the breech the
downward projection from the lever arm comes into a portion of the cam
groove which is concentric with the axis of the hand lever the bottom of this
"portion of the groove is made to incline downwards.
At the same time that the projection comes to the concentric portion of the
cam groove a projection p on the collar of the spindle pl which before lay in the
circular groove p formed in the carrier arm now comes over the top of a vertical
slot and the spindle is then pressed downwards by the action of the spring s

page_text: the projection p entering the slot p. The spindle is in this way locked and
prevented from turning. The projection p may be formed or fitted to the interior
of the bearing of the safety lever and the vertical slot will then be cut in the collar
of the safety lever. Also the sliding block in connection with the breech
mechanism may travel on to the projection pt, thus the lever, may be further
secured in position, while the hand lever is drawn clear of the projection p³.
Should the spring fail to press the projection p, down into the notch p, the block
is so made that it will knock down the spindle into the locked position. The
lever may conveniently be secured to the vertical spindle, by means of a
screw as shown in the drawing. When the hand lever is swung forward to lock
the breech piece and when the projection p³, re-enters the groove on the hand lever
the inclined surface of the bottom of the grooves acts on the bottom of the
projection p, and the sliding block being now clear pushes up the spindle p', until
the projection p', is clear of the vertical slot 16, and free to revolve in the circular
groove, then the torsion of the spring carries the lever forward and therefore
takes the hand lever into the locked position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
clain is:
1. Firing mechanism consisting of a firing pin insulated and encased in a tube, a
head fitted at the rear end of the tube and a collar at the front end-a spiral spring
placed around the tube and bearing at one end against the collar and at the other
against a retaining nut through which the rear end of the tube passes and which is
formed with interrupted rings or threads of a screw-a projection on the collar at
the front end of the tube to prevent the tube from turning and a projection at the
front end of the head to enter a notch or groove in the rear end of the retaining
nut when this nut is in its locked position substantially as described.
2. Carrying the trigger by a boss or projection on the retaining nut substantially
as described.
3. Forming a screw thread on the rear end of the firing pin for a screw nut or
handle to screw in to compress the spiral spring into position substantially as
described.
4. The construction of the firing mechanism substantially as described in such
manner that current may be passed through the firing pin to the cartridge fuse or
primer and return through the outer tube.
5. The construction of firing mechanism substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figures 1 to 4.
6. The construction of firing mechanism substantially as herein before described
and illustrated at Figures 5 to 7.
7. Insulating the firing pin from the ends of the tube encasing it by leather
washers which have been steeped in shellac or other suitable varnish and hammered
till hard.
8. The construction of the trigger mechanism substantially as herein before
described consisting of a plunger, screwed cap, filling piece separate or forming
part of the screw cap and spring provided with a projecting end to engage with
notches in the end of the screw cap.
9. The safety gear with coiled spring around the locking lever spindle tending
to press the spindle end wise to lock it when it has been turned into position to hold
back the firing pin and also, as the breech piece is being closed and the spindle is
moved from its locked position, tending to turn the spindle in a direction to assist
in completing the last part of the turning movement of the hand lever by which the
breech is closed.
10. The construction of salety gear substantially as herein before described and
illustrated at Figures 8 to 10.
11. The use of a spring to perform the last motion of locking the breech piece
and to keep the breech mechanism in the locked position.

page_text: 12. Fixing hard steel pieces on to the hand lever to form the cam groove upon
it to take the wear caused by locki g and unlocking the safety gear.
Dated this 7th day of December 1894.
EDWARD W. LLOYD.
A. G. HADCOCK.