IMPROVEMENTS IN
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wellington Greener, of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: bolt to work half through the false breech at the top; the point of the
said bolt engages in a round hole through the extended rib, effectually
preventing the barrels from rising or the springing back of the standing
breech at the moment of firing. I work the said bolt by a lever on the
top over the strap of the break-off. I make a hole in the strap of the
false breech in which I insert a tumbler or cam; the crank of the said
tumbler projects through a slot in the back of the false breech engaging
in the bolt the shank of the tumbler projects through the top of the
strap of break-off upon which I fix a thumb lever working over the
strap of the false breech; and I also use a scear spring, acting on
the tumblers to make it self locking.
The second part of my Invention consists in combining the top bolt
with the bottom bolt, using the same leaver. To effect this I make a
long pin, extending from the strap of the break-off down to the trigger
plate and fixed close to the back of the standing breech, the top end of
the pin projecting through the strap of break-off, the bottom end
through the trigger plate. I make a projection or cam near the top of.
the said pin at the front which engages in the top bolt; I also make
another projection or cam on the said pin at the side which engages in a
slot in the bottom bolt; the top of said pin is fitted to the leaver
working on the strap of false breech; by moving the leaver to the right
the cross bolt is withdrawn towards the left, and the bottom bolt is
drawn backwards by the same motion of the leaver, disengaging the
barrels for loading. I use the ordinary snap, double and single bottom
bolt, also a double bolt of improved shape which is the ordinary double
bolt with a combination of the slot in the left side of the lump which
gives a longer bite upon the lump. I work to top bolt by itself or
combined with the bottom bolt; I also work the top bolt with the
ordinary double grip leaver by attaching one end of a crank to the
bottom of the pin near the trigger plate, the other end of crank being
attached to the double grip leaver near the centre; by moving this
lever in the ordinary way the pin at the back of the false breech is made
to withdraw the top cross bolt.
Another improvement I claim is to fix one barrel over the other, and
hinge the barrels to the breech action at the side, retaining the extended
rib and cross bolt, but in this position the bolt moves vertically and is
worked by a lever of the ordinary action reversed, or to open on one side
or underneath, using the ordinary cartridge extractor.

page_text: The novelty of this principle is as follows:-The cartridges are
inserted one over the other, and the barrels are hinged to open sideways;
the locks are so arranged that they are fixed side by side, the right
hammer strikes the needle of the top barrel, and the left hammer strikes
the needle of the bottom barrel, this is effected by making one needle
longer than the other.
I can also construct guns on this principle with the said extended rib
and cross bolt with the hinge joint fixed at the top of the barrels close
to the breech end with the extended rib at the bottom, the gun in this
case being turned over for loading.
I now proceed to describe an improved fastening for the forend of
gun stocks for breech loaders instead of the ordinary slide bolt. I
make a long screw pin working from the end of stock extending to the
loop; the said pin head projects sufficiently from the end of stock to
admit of being turned round by the finger and thumb; this motion with-
draws the pin out of the loop and disengages the forend of stock from
the barrels.
All these improvements I apply to double and single barrel guns,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wellington Greener in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WELLINGTON GREENER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Wellington Greener, Her
special licence that I, the said William Wellington Greener, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Wellington Greener, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: "
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 GUNS, RIFLES, AND PISTOLS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wellington
Greener, 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 to 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 William Wellington Greener, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
My Invention refers,-
Firstly. To the description of breech-loading guns known as the
Lefaucheux or drop-down principle, and consists in an improved method
of securing the barrels to the action. To effect this I make an extended
rib projecting beyond the breech end of the barrels A, Figure 1 (Sheet
No. 1), and fixed between the barrels, shutting into the false breech B,
Figure 1, when closed; I make a cross bolt to work half through the
false breech on the top; the point of the said bolt engages in a round
hole through the extended rib, effectually preventing the barrels from
rising or the springing back of the standing breech at the moment of
firing C, Figure 3; I work the said bolt by a lever on the top over the
strap of the break-off D, Figure 2; I make a hole in the strap of the
false breech, in which I insert a tumbler or cam E, Figure 2; the crank
of the said tumbler projects through a slot in the back of the false
breech engaging in the bolt; the shank of the tumbler projects through
the top of the strap of break-off, upon which I fix a thumb lever D
working over the strap of the false breech; and I also use a scear
spring F acting on the tumbler to make it self locking.
The second part of my Invention consists in combining the top bolt
with the bottom bolt, using the same lever. To effect this I make a
long pin G, Figure 5, extending from the strap of break-off down to the
trigger plate and fixed close to the back of the standing breech, the top

page_text: end of the pin projecting through the strap of break-off, the bottom end
through the trigger plate, Figures 1 and 4; I make a projection or
cam E, Figure 5, near the top of the said pin at the front, which
engages in the top bolt C, Figure 6, shewn in position in Figure 3; I
also make another projection or cam 4, Figure 5, on the said pin at the
side, which engages in a slot in the bottom bolt J, Figure 7.; the top of
said pin is fitted to the lever working on the strap of false breech;
by moving the lever to the right the cross bolt C is withdrawn towards
the left, and the bottom bolt J is drawn backwards by the same motion
of the lever, disengaging the barrels for loading. I use the ordinary
snap, double and single bottom bolt, also a double bolt of improved
shape J, Figure 7, which is the ordinary double bolt with a combina-
tion of the slot in the left side, which gives a longer bite bolt on the
end and side of the lump. I work the top by itself or combined with
the bottom holt

page_text: long screw pin S, Figure 5, working from the end of stock extending to
the loop U; the said pin head T projects sufficiently from the end of
stock to admit of being turned round by the finger and thumb; this
motion withdraws the pin out of the loop and disengages the forend of
stock V 5 from the barrels.

page_text: 5. Constructing guns with the extended rib and cross bolt with hinge
joint at top of barrels close to breech with extended rib at the bottom, as
herein-before described.
6th. The improved screw fastening for the forend of gun in lieu of
ordinary slide bolt, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wellington Greener, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER. (L.S.)