IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS." A communication from abroad by
Michael Kaufmann, of Brussels, Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1881.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ARMS."
A communication from abroad by Michael Kaufmann, of Brussels, Belgium.
This Invention relates particularly to a locking device for fastening the barrel
to the breech of a revolver.
The top of the breech has a slot of a determined size and shape adapted to
receive the end of a bar, which forms a continuation of the barrel at its rear end
and called a barrel strap.
The end of this barrel strap which fits into the slot of the breech is pierced with
a hole, in which there is a moveable pin of the length of the said hole countersunk
underneath and fastened with a small screw to prevent the said pin falling out or
moving beyond the required distance, and one end of this pin has an inclined plane
commencing from its lower surface. One of the sides of the breech near its top is
likewise pierced with a hole, in which there is a moveable pin projecting outwards
and fastened in a similar manner as that described as fitted in the end of the
barrel strap. The other side of the breech and directly opposite is likewise pierced
with a hole, in which there is a moveable pin held in its place and functioned by
means of a spring attached to the exterior end of this pin and to the frame of the
revolver. The interior end of this pin has an inclined plane commencing from its
upper surface.

page_text: breech in which it moves until the inner end of this pin is brought flush with the
interior of the said side, whilst the said pin bears against a pin partially resting in
the aforesaid side of the breech and attached to the barrel-strap, and pusbes the
latter pin until it is brought flush with both sides of the barrel-strap, which latter
pin being thereby brought to bear against that pin attached to the spring
in like manner pushes the last named pin outwards until free of the barrel-
strap and flush with the interior of the side of the breech in which it moves.
The barrel is now free, and by giving it a tilting motion it disengages itself from
the breech of the weapon. On swinging the barrel back into its place the lower
end of the barrel-strap presses against the pin attached to the spring and pushes.
the said pin outwards until the barrel arrives at its normal position, when the
spring forces its pin to some extent into the hole on that side of the end of the
barrel-strap, thereby pushing the pin attached to the barrel-strap to some extent
into the hole in the other side of the breech. The barrel is then firmly locked.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1882.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS.""
A communication from abroad by Michael Kaufmann, of Brussels, Belgium.
This Invention relates to an improved locking device for fastening the barrel
to the breech of a fire-arm.
I will now proceed to describe this device in its application to a revolving
pistol.
The top of the breech (A) has a slot (B) of a determined size and shape adapted
to receive the end of a bar (C), which forms a continuation of the barrel (D) at
its rear end and is called a barrel-strap. The end of this barrel-strap (C) which
fits into the slot (B) of the breech (A) is pierced with a hole (E), in which there is
a moveable pin (F) of the length of the said hole recessed underneath, and fastened
with a small screw (G) to prevent the said pin falling out or moving beyond the.
required distance, and one end of this pin has an inclined plane (H) commencing
from its lower surface. One of the sides of the breech (A) near its top is likewise
pierced with a hole (I), in which there is a moveable pin (K) projecting outwards
and fastened in a similar manner as that described as fitted in the end of the
barrel strap. The other side of the breech and directly opposite is likewise
pierced with a hole (L), in which there is a moveable pin (M) held in its place and
functioned by means of a spring (N) attached to the exterior end of this pin and
to the frame of the revolver. The interior end of this pin has an inclined plane (0)
commencing from its upper surface.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing,
Figure 1 represents a side view of a revolver embodying these improvements.
Figure 2 is a similar view, but with barrel depressed.
Figure 3 is a side view of barrel-strap and portion of breech drawn to an
enlarged scale as it appears when thrown up, the pins being removed.
Figure 4 illustrates the position of same when locked.
Figure 5 is a cross section through the above, shewing position of pins when
strap is raised.
Figure 6 is a similar view with barrel strap locked in position.
A indicates the breech.
B is slot in same.
C, barrel strap.
D, the barrel.
E, hole in strap C.
F, pin working in hole E.
G, screw.
H, inclined plane on pin F.
I, hole in side of breech A.

page_text: push forward the pin F, hitherto engaged in same side of breech A'; when the
inner end of pin K is flush with inner face of breech A the pin F is entirely flush
with the barrel strap C in consequence of the motion of the pin F; the pin M
actuated by the spring N is entirely withdrawn from its engagement in the said
_barrel strap. The barrel D is now free and can be disengaged from the breech of
the weapon.
On returning the barrel back into its place the lower end of the barrel-strap C
presses against the pin M attached to the spring N and pushes the said pin
outwards until the barrel arrives at its normal position, when the spring N forces
its pin M to some extent into the hole on that side of the end of the barrel strap C,
thereby pushing the pin F attached to the barrel strap to some extent into the
hole in the other side of the breech. The barrel is then firmly locked.
This improved locking device may also be applied to breech loading snap action
guns and rifles on the drop down system.
•
To effect this the bolts may be placed below the barrel and made to engage
with the lump on the underside of barrel or barrels or any projection from rear
end of same in a similar as in the revolving pistol herein before described; said
bolts may be operated upon directly by pressure of the operator's thumb, or a lever
may be jointed to actuate bolt, said lever passing over the bolt and beyond to any
convenient distance.
By pressing this lever upon bolt, said bolt will be the more easily functioned.
Figure 7 of the Drawing illustrates an application of the above described locking
device to a breech loading gun upon the drop down system.
Figure 8 shows position of spring on the opposite side, and
Figure 9 represents an arrangement in which the locking bolt is operated by
means of a lever.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention communi-
cated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly. In a revolving breech loading fire-arm the use of the moveable pin F
with inclined plane H in the barrel strap in combination with the moveable pins K
and M in the breech, the pin M being actuated by the spring N, and the whole
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose herein
before described.
Secondly: The application of the hereinbefore described improved locking device
-to-breech loading.guns_or_rifles_on the drop down system, substantially as herein-
before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.