IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE."A communication from abroad by Nathan Thompson,
of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 18th May 1872, and dated the 5th March 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th March 1872.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of the moveable breech
portion of the gun, and the mode of fitting and attaching the same to
the barrel or body of the gun.

page_text: In order to load the gun the breech portion swings aside from the
body or barrel of the gun on a pivot whose axis is parallel with but
eccentric to the bore. Its principal piece when closed overlaps the rear
portion of the barrel or body to the extent of about one-half the
circumference, and the front position of the other half of its circum-
ference rests in a semicircular extension provided for the purpose on
the rear portion of the body or barrel. The pivot is arranged in a
position below and at one side of the axis of the bore of the gun so
that the weight of the breech-piece is thrown equally or nearly so on
opposite sides of the pivot in the movement to which it is subject in
opening and closing. The breech piece thus constructed is provided
with a central screw which works through it, and carries at its front end
a plug which enters a countersink in the bore of the body or barrel, and
serves to secure the breech-piece in a locked condition when closed.
The thread of the screw has a right or left hand direction or pitch
according to which side of the bore the pivot aforesaid is placed, so that
the plug at the end of the screw is screwed up to the body or barrel by
turning it in the direction in which the breech closes, and is unscrewed
from the body or barrel by turning it in the direction in which the
breech opens.
A firing pin works through the breech-piece, and when operated by a
surrounding spiral spring produces the explosion of the charge by
striking a fulminate priming applied to the cartridge.
In some cases the firing pin is provided with a swinging cross head
so that by moving the cross head to one position it is made to draw back
the pin and hold it "cocked" with its spring under tension or com-
pressed, and by moving it from this position it is made to leave the pin
free to be driven forward by the spring for the purpose of igniting the
priming and exploding the charge.
In other cases the firing pin has rigidly attached to it a lever or arm
which works against the surface of a cam formed on the rear end of
the breech, so that by turning the firing pin by means of the lever or
arm, the latter by working against the face of the cam will be made first
to draw back and cock the pin, and afterwards to let it off, so that the
spring will drive it forward to produce the firing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 ORDNANCE," being a
communication to me from abroad by Nathan Thompson, of Brooklyn,
in the State of New York, United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
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 Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
Dan nant of thin Invention salaton to the construation of the mall

page_text: breech portion of the gun, and the mode of fitting and attaching the
same to the barrel or body of the gun. In order to load the gun the
breech portion swings aside from the body or barrel of the gun on a
pivot, whose axis is parallel with but excentric to the bore. Its princi-
pal piece when closed overlaps the rear portion of the barrel or body to
the extent of about one-half the circumference, and the front position of
the other half of its circumference rests in a semicircular extension
(provided for the purpose of receiving it) on the rear portion of the body
or barrel. The circumferential portions of the body and breech piece
thus fitted together are made with corresponding tongues and grooves
having a circumferential direction and fitting each other in such manner
as to lock together. The pivot is arranged in a position below and at
one side of the axis of the bore of the gun, so that the weight of the
breech piece is thrown equally or nearly so on opposite sides of the
pivot in the movement to which it is subject in opening and closing.
The breech piece thus constructed is provided with a central screw
which works through it, and carries at its front end a plug which enters
a countersink in the bore of the body or barrel, and serves to secure
the breech piece in a locked condition when closed. The thread of
the screw has a right or left hand direction or pitch, according to
which side of the bore the pivot aforesaid is placed, so that the plug at
the end of the screw is screwed up to the body or barrel by turning it
in the direction in which the breech closes, and is unscrewed from the
body or harrel by turning it in the direction in which the breech

page_text: In other cases the firing pin has rigidly attached to it a lever or
arm which works against the surface of a cam formed on the rear
end of the breech, so that by turning the firing pin by means of
the lever or arm, the latter by working against the face of the cam
will be made first to draw back and cock the pin, and afterwards
to let it off, so that the spring will drive it forward to produce the
firing.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section
of a breech-loading cannon with the improved construction of and mode
of applying the moveable breech, and with one of the herein-before
mentioned means for operating the firing pin, shewing the breech
closed and the firing pin cocked; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the
breech open; Fig. 3 is a back view corresponding with Fig. 1; Fig. 4
is a back view corresponding with Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a back view of the
barrel or body with the breech piece removed; Fig. 6 is a detached view
of the head of the breech screw and the firing pin and its appendages;
Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of the breech screw having the
other devices for operating the firing pin applied'; Fig. 8 is a back view
corresponding with Fig. 6; Fig. 9 shows the cam on the head of the
breech screw projected on a plane. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A represents the body or barrel of the gun bored throughout. In the
conversion of a muzzle loader to a breech loader the rear opening of the
bore would be produced by cutting off the breech; B is the main portion
of the breech pivotted to the body or barrel by the pivot b, which is
inserted into the body or barrel parallel with but excentric to the bore a.
This breech piece is made with a forward projection B¹ of semi-annular
form extending about half way round it, and the corresponding half of
the external circumference of the back part of the barrel is recessed to
correspond. Around the other half of the rear end of the body or
barrel A. is a rearward extension A', which corresponds in form with the
forward projection B¹ on the breech piece, and the corresponding half of
the external circumference of the breech piece B is recessed to corre-
spond. The projection B' is made with a semi-annular tongue c and
groove d to fit a corresponding semi-annular groove c¹ and tongue d
provided in and on the corresponding part of the body or barrel A, and
the extension A' on the body or barrel is made with a semi-annular
tongue e and groovefto fit a corresponding groove e'and tongue f' provided

page_text: in and on the corresponding part of the breech piece B. These grooves
and tongues are slightly inclined on their lapping faces as shewn at i, i,
in Fig. 1, so that when the screw plug D, to be presently described, is
screwed home against its seat surrounding the rear of the bore (when
the breech piece is closed) these tongues and grooves are made to lock
together and prevent the raising of the breech piece until the plug is
retracted. The pivot 6 is arranged with its axis in a plane intersecting
the axis of the bore a at an angle of about forty degrees or forty-five
degrees to a vertical plane parallel with the bore. By this arrangement
move little more than
of the pivot the breech piece, which requires to
a quarter circle in opening, has its centre of gravity carried in such
movement nearly equal distances on opposite sides of the vertical plane
in which the axis of the pivot is situated, and hence the least practicable
amount of power is required to move the breech piece.
C is the breech screw screwing through the centre of the breech
piece B in a line parallel with the bore of the gun, and having loosely
attached to its front end by a collar g the plug D, which is concentric
with it, and which fits like a valve into a seat
provided for its reception
around the rear opening of the bore of the gun. This screw is made with a
left-hand thread, because in the gun represented the pin bis on the right
side of the bore, and the breech opens with a turning movement to the left.
By this arrangement of the pitch of the screw thread the unscrewing
movement of the screw to retract the plug D preparatory to opening the
breech piece B requires to be made by turning it to the right, so that after
the plug has been retracted from its seat h sufficient to permit the breech
piece to open the continued application to the screw of the power used to
unscrew it exerts some tendency to open the breech piece, and thereby
assists the power applied directly to the latter by the lever or other
contrivance provided for that purpose, and the force applied to the screw
to turn it to the left for the purpose of screwing up the plug after the
breech piece has been closed tends to hold the latter against the stop
shoulder j on the barrel of the gun and keep it closed. If the pivot b
were on the left-hand side of the bore the screw C would require a
right-hand thread to operate in the same way. It is preferable however
as a matter of convenience to arrange the pivot b on the right side and
to have a screw with a left-hand thread.
E is the firing pin passing longitudinally and centrally through the

page_text: '
breech screw C and plug D, and having provided on it a collar k, behind
which there is coiled (around the firing pin and within a suitable cavity
in the breech screw C) the spiral main or firing spring G. To provide
for the insertion of this pin and spring the breech screw C has its
head C¹ made of a separate piece, and put on like a cap and secured by
set screws 1, 1, or other suitable means. F is the cross head attached to
the rear end of the firing pin by a pivot m. This cross head is mortised
longitudinally for nearly half its length from one end and the rear
portion of the firing pin is tenoned to fit easily within the said mortise.
The pivot m passes through the said mortise and tenon near the end of
the firing pin and the back part of the mortise, so that the cross head
may turn upon it from the position transverse to the firing pin shown in
dotted outline in Fig. 6 to the position in line with the pin shown in bold
outline in the same Figure and vice versa. The other end of the cross
head is made with a ring or otherwise constructed for the attachment of
a lanyard n. A groove p is provided in the screw head E¹ to receive the
cross head and guide its movements, the said groove and the cross head
having a horizontal direction when the breech is closed and the screw plug
is screwed up. The mortised end of the cross head is rounded off on
one side as shewn at r in Fig. 6, and on the corresponding side of it a stop
pin q is inserted through the screw head E¹ to prevent the said end from
moving in that direction beyond the position shewn in bold outline in
Fig. 6, in which the cross head is in line with the firing pin. By
drawing the cross head from the transverse position relatively to the
firing pin shewn in dotted outline to the longitudinal position shewn in
bold outline, the rounded portion r is made to act as a cam and draw
back the firing pin and compress the spring, and when the cross head
arrives in the latter position, beyond which the stop pin q prevents it from
passing, the flat portion of its end is held by the spring against a flat
bearing on the front of the groove p in the head of the breech screw in
such manner as to retain it in the said position and hold back the firing
pin cocked.
To let off the firing pin the cross head requires to be
drawn aside sufficiently to throw the rounded portion of its end
against the bearing in the breech screw head when the spring pulls
aside the cross head and drives forward the firing pin.

page_text: G) a hollow screw plug or thimble 8, through which the rear end of the
firing pin E passes, and this pin has firmly screwed on to it a head E¹,
into which is firmly secured a long pin or levert which works against a
cam surface formed around the rear end of the screw C. This cam
surface consists of two spiral inclines u, u, the higher or more prominent
end of each of which unites with a shallow step v, whence there is a deeper
step w to the bottom or least prominent part of the other incline.
The operation of the firing pin is produced by turning it by means of
the lever in the direction of the arrow shown upon- it in Fig. 8.
This may be done by a lanyard attached to said lever. The turning of
the said lever moves it from the bottom to the top of the inclines u, u,
and thereby draws back the firing pin and compresses the spring G.
When the lever passes the end of the inclines it slips over on to the
steps v, v, where it will rest, the firing pin being then cocked. By a
further turn of the lever t and firing pin the lever is caused to pass over
the step w, and the spring then drives the pin forward with force enough
to explode the priming, and thereby fire the charge in the cartridge.
The cam and the head of the firing pin are covered by a cap x, which is
attached to the head of the screw C by pins y, y, working in a groove z
in the head, and permitting the cap to turn with the firing pin.
Either of the above-described constructions of firing pin, and the
mode of operating them, is applicable to other systems of breech-loading
than the one represented and described.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First. The breech piece B pivotted to the body or barrel of the gun by
an excentric pin b, and provided with a forward projection B'. lapping
over the body or barrel in combination with a rearward extension A¹ on
the body or barrel, the said projection and extension locking into their
corresponding parts of the body or barrel and breech piece with tongues
and grooves, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Second. The arrangement of the excentric pin b in a position sub-
stantially as herein shewn and described, and for the purpose set

page_text: Third. The screw C and plug D in combination with the breech piece B,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourth. The combination with a firing pin applied substantially as
herein described of a cross head pivotted thereto, and constructed and
operating substantially as herein set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the firing pin and breech screw of the
lever or pint attached to the firing pin, and the cam on the rear end of
the breech screw, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.