Improvements in Double Barrelled Drop-down Guns.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1897
Improvements in Double Barrelled Drop-down Guns.
1, LOUIS BARRATT, of High Street, Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in double barrelled drop down guns and
refers more particularly to mechanism whereby either one of the two barrels may
be discharged at option by means of one and the same trigger.
It consists as follows:-The usual safety mechanism used in such guns is
employed except in so far as it may be modified to suit this my invention.
Broadly such safety mechanism consists of a long leg or bar which is carried above
the trigger mechanism until its forward end comes in contact with the breech-bolt
so that when the gun is opened the safety bar is pushed back into safety position,
the trigger thereby being locked, but which may be unlocked in the ordinary
manner.
In this my invention, I make upon this safety bar a lower part which shall slide
upon the upper side of the trigger plate, and whose forward end lies alongside of
the trigger, in order that it may operate upon an alterative arm which is pivotted
upon the trigger, in such a manner that the said arm may be placed beneath either
of the two sears of the hammers according to choice. This alterative arm bas
upon its side an incline or other formation upon which the forward end of the
lower limb of the safety bar acts in order to push it over to the right hand sear.
When thus pushed over, a spring bolt engages with a notch in the said arm, and
retains it in that position. This spring bolt may be withdrawn at will by means of
a projection upon the underside (outside) of the trigger plate. This arm is further
operated upon by a spring carried upon the trigger lump, or other convenient place
in such a manner that tends always to place this said arm beneath the left hand
sear, hence when the safety bar is pushed back, the said arm is pushed over to the
right sear in opposition to this spring and there locked by the spring bolt.
Thus if the firing takes place without interfering with the mechanism, the right
barrel is discharged first, when by the lifting action of the trigger, the alterative
arm is lifted clear and free of the locking bolt, while it is lifting the sear, and is
then thrown over to the other side beneath the left hand sear by the spring carried
upon the trigger plate lump. This order of firing would be repeated from time to
time. When it is desired however to fire the left hand barrel first, the spring bolt
is withdrawn as before described and thus the arm is carried beneath the left hand
sear, and consequently the left barrel may be discharged first. If however after
the action has been put into position for firing the left barrel, but has not been
fired, and it is again desired to re-alter it to the right barrel, it is only necessary to
open and again close the gun, by which the alterative arm will again be placed
under the right sear as before described.
I do not confine myself to the particular manner of fixing or controlling the
alterative arm as before described so long that one or both of the barrels may be
discharged at will by one and the same trigger.
Dated this 13th day of February 1896.
:
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Double Barrelled Drop-down Guns.
I, LOUIS BARRATT, of High Street, Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in double barrelled drop down guns and
refers more particularly to mechanism whereby either one of the two barrels may
be discharged at option by means of one and the same trigger.
In order to more clearly explain this my invention I have appended hereunto an
illustrative drawing upon which are figures and numbers of reference, similar
numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1, is a general side view of such parts of gun mechanism as necessary to
explain this my invention.
Fig. 2, is a part sectional plan view upon line A-B.
Fig. 3, is a part plan view showing an intermediate position of the alterative
arm.
Fig. 4, is a part plan view showing the arm in its position for firing the left hand
barrel.
Fig. 5, is a detail plan and edge view of the alterative arm.
Fig. 6 is a part view in detail showing the locked position of the trigger.
Fig. 7, is a similar view showing the unlocked position of the trigger.
Fig. 8, is a detailed view, and Fig. 9 a plan view, and Fig. 10 an inverted plan
view each of the safety bar.
It consists as follows:-The usual safety mechanism used in such guns is
employed, except in so far as it may be modified to suit this my invention. Broadly
such safety mechanism consists of a long leg or bar which is carried above the
trigger mechanism until its forward end comes in contact with the breech bolt so
that when the gun is opened the safety bar is pushed back into safety position,
the trigger being thereby locked, but which may be unlocked in the ordinary
manner.
In this my invention, I make upon this safety bar 13 a lower part 14 which shall
slide upon the upper side of the trigger plate 15. The forward end 16 is made to
operate upon an alterative arm 17 which is pivotted upon the trigger 27, in such a
manner that the said arm 17 may be placed beneath either of the two sears 18
and 19 of the hammers according to choice. This alterative arm has upon its
side an incline or other formation at 20 upon which the forward end 16 of the
lower limb of the safety bar acts in order to push it over to the right hand
sear 19.
When thus pushed over as seen in Fig. 2 the forward end 21 of the spring
bolt 22 engages behind the notch 23 of the said arm and retains it in that position.
This spring bolt may be withdrawn at will by means of the projection 24 upon
the underside (outside) of the trigger plate. This arm 17 is further operated upon
by a spring 25 carried upon the trigger lump 26 or other convenient place in such
a manner that tends always to place this said arm beneath the left hand sear 18 as
seen in Fig. 4, hence, when the safety bar 13 is pushed back into the locked
position as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the said arm 17 is pushed over to the right
sear, see Fig. 2, in opposition to this spring 25 and there locked by the spring
bolt 22.
Thus when the gun is opened, charged and closed, the safety mechanism is in
action, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. When the gun is to be fired the safety
mechanism is pushed out of gear in the ordinary manner (as shown in Fig. 7).

page_text: By now pulling the trigger 27, the right hand sear 19 is lifted and the right hand
barrel fired. When in this raised position the notch 23 in the arm 17 is lifted
clear of the catch point 21 of the bolt 22, and thus permits the spring 25 to push
the arm 17 over to the position shown in Fig. 3.
Here I would point out that in firing a gun there is generally a second
involuntary pulling of the trigger, and consequently I have provided that such
second pull shall not fire the other barrel as follows:-Referring to Figs. 8 and 10
it will be seen that 28 is a cut back shoulder upon the safety bar having also the
inclined or camlike surface 29. Now when the first pull of the trigger is lowered
or released back into its normal position, the arm 17 is pushed into this recess
against the shoulder 28. This said arm however is still clear of the sear 18, as
seen in Fig. 3. Upon again pulling the trigger the arm 17 rides up the surface 29
and in so doing forces the bar 13 still farther backwards, until the said arm may
fall in front of and clear of the surface 30 of the bar 13. Consequently the
second pull of the trigger has not effected any firing but has now placed the arm 17
beneath the sear 18 as seen in Fig. 4. It only remains for another pull of the
trigger to be made to effect the second firing that is, of the left barrel. Should it
be desired to fire the left barrel first it is only necessary-after throwing the
safety mechanism out of gear-to draw back the bolt 22 by means of the lumps 24,
which so far as the arm 17 is concerned, is equivalent to firing the first barrel and
then to pull the trigger for the intermediate position, when the arm 17 will be
properly pushed over beneath the sear 18 ready for firing the corresponding
barrel.
If however after the action has been put into position for firing the left barrel,
but has not been fired, and it is again desired to re-alter it to the right barrel, it
is only necessary to open and again close the gun, by which the alterative arm will
again be placed under the right sear as before described.
I do not confine myself to the particular manner of fixing or controlling the
alterative arm as before described, so long that one or both of the barrels may be
discharged at will by one and the same trigger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare
that what I claim is :-
1. In double barrelled drop down guns the combination with the trigger 27 and
sears 18 and 19 of the alterative arm 17, operated and operating substantially in
the manner described and shown and for the purposes specified.
2. In double barrelled drop down guns the combination with the safety bar 13
having the end 16 and the shouldered part 28, of the arm 17 carried upon the
trigger 15 and partly controlled by the bolt 22 all substantially as set forth and
shown and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 14th day of November 1896.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.