Iж- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Warry, Armourer Serjeant, of St. Mary's
Barracks, Chatham, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "Iж-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 5th June 1868, and dated the 7th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Warry at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th December 1867.
J, ROBERT WARRY, Armourer Serjeant, of St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham, in
the County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of
breech-loading fire-arms, in which the breech block is hinged at the side of
the barrel, and in which central-fire ammunition is employed.
One part of this Invention is as follows:-The striking piston is so arranged
as to work in a direct line coinciding with the axis of the barrel, whilst at the
same time it performs the office of a locking bolt for the breech block. The
piston functions in a hole or chamber drilled through or formed in the centre
of the breech block for that purpose, and is formed at the rear end thereof
with a conical base, which is capable of fitting into a corresponding recess
formed in the centre of the breech tang or plate. The piston is surrounded
by a helical or spiral spring, which is compressed when the piston is forced

page_text: forwards, and serves to restore the latter to its normal position upon the pressure
being removed, when the conical base of the piston enters the before-men-
tioned recess in the breech plate and locks the breech block.
The following is the manner in which the breech block is arranged :-The
breech block is fixed to a spindle which is mounted in suitable bearings
formed on or attached to the exterior of the barrel and breech plate, and in
which it is free to move, thus forming a binge for the breech block. The
binge is by preference placed on the side of the barrel opposite to that on
which the binge of the breech block is placed in the "Suider" breech-
loading fire-arms. A lever is hinged on the spindle and moves with the
breech block when the latter is actuated. This lever upon the hammer being
released is struck thereby, and pressing upon tho conical base of the striking
piston forces the latter forward, and causes ignition of the ammunition. The
hammer is provided with a projecting "nose," which latter upon the gun
being discharged fits into a slot or hole formed in the breech block, or in a
piece of metal attached thereto, and prevents any possibility of the same being
forced open by the force of the explosion.
The other part of this Invention consists in an improved method of
extracting the expended cartridge case after the discharge has taken place.
A small barrel or tube is placed over the partially revolving spindle to which
the breech block is fixed, such barrel or tube being free to move thereon, and
baving formed therein an oblique or inclined plane groove, which works on a
pin or stud fixed on the spindle. The barrel or tube is furnished with a pro-
jection which acts as the cartridge extractor. Upon the breech chamber
being opened the projection forming the cartridge extractor is, by the partial
revolution of the spindle and the consequent movement of the barrel or tube
by means of the groove therein working on the before-mentioned pin or stud,
removed to the rear of that part of the barrel which receives the cartridge.
The cartridge is placed in the chamber and moved forwards into the barrel
the rim of the cartridge head being pressed upon the extractor, which is
carried forward by the closing of the breech block. The gun having been
discharged the breech block is turned back by means of the thunib picce
attached thereto. The barrel or tube to which the extractor is fixed is thereby
actuated and the cartridge case withdrawn, thus obviating the necessity of a
separate movement for that purpose.
An important advantage connected with this Invention is that it can be
applied to muzzle-loading fire-arms without any alteration of the stock, and
without the necessity for the employment of a "shoe" to carry the breech
action, the before-mentioned arrangements being applicable to the conversion

page_text: of muzzle-loading fire-arms into breech-loaders by the simple removal of so
much of the upper portion of the rear end of the barrel as will suffice for
the admission of the breech block.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Warry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WARRY, Armourer Serjeant, of St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham, in the County
of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Warry, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Warry,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Warry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Warry, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Robert Warry, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of
breech-loading fire-arms, in which the breech block is hinged at the side of
the barrel, and in which central-fire ammunition is employed. The breech
block is of the description known as a "solid" breech block, and is fixed to a

page_text: spindle or pin which is mounted in suitable bearings formed on or attached to
the exterior of the barrel and breech plate, and in which it is free to move,
thus forming a hinge for the breech block. The hinge is by preference placed
on the side of the barrel opposite to that on which the hinge of the breech
block is placed in the "Snider" system of breech-loading fire-arms; but it
may, if desired, be similarly placed. A hole is drilled or formed through the
centre of the breech block, in which is placed the striking piston, or that by
which the centre of the cartridge head is percussed, the same working in a
direct line coinciding with the axis of the barrel, whilst at the same time it
performs the office of a locking bolt for the breech block, as herein-after
mentioned. The rear end of the striking piston is formed with a conical base
which is capable of fitting into a corresponding recess formed in the centre of
the breech tang or plate. The piston is surrounded by a helical or spiral
spring, which is compressed when the piston is forced forwards, and serves to
restore the latter to its normal position upon the pressure being removed,
when the conical base of the piston or a portion thereof enters the before-
mentioned recess in the breech plate and locks the breech block.
The striking piston is actuated in the following manner :-A lever, one end
of which is hinged to or placed on the before-mentioned spindle or hinge pin
in the rear of the breech block and across the breech chamber, the same being
constructed with a bevilled face corresponding with and working on the upper
portion of the conical base of the striking piston. This lever, upon the
hammer being released, is struck thereby and pressing upon the conical base
of the striking piston forces the latter forward, thus percussing the centre of
the cartridge head, and causing ignition of the ammunition. The hammer is
provided with a projecting "nose," which latter upon the gun being discharged
fits into a slot or hole formed in the breech block, or in a piece of metal
attached thereto, and which before discharge receives a stud or projection
upon the transverse lever. Upon discharge taking place the latter is depressed
and the " nose of the hammer entering the before-mentioned slut or hole
firmly holds the breech block in the chamber, and prevents any possibility of
the same being forced open by any explosive power which may be exerted
thereon.
"
In order to extract or remove the expended cartridge case after the dis-
charge has taken place, I adopt the following arrangement:-A small barrel
or tube is placed over the partially revolving spindle or hinge pin to which the
breech block is attached, such barrel or tube being free to move thereon, and
having formed therein an oblique or inclined groove or slot, in which a pin or
stud fixed on the spindle works. The barrel or tube is furnished with, a

page_text: projection which acts as the draw cartridge or extractor. Upon the breech
chamber being opened by the raising of the breech block, the barrel or tube
carrying the draw cartridge or extractor is by the partial revolution of the
spindle or binge pin. and the stud fixed thereto working in the groove or slot
in the barrel or tube caused to recede from that part of the barrel of the gun
which receives the cartridge. When it is desired to use the gun the cartridge
is placed in the breech chamber and moved forwards into the barrel, the rim
of the cartridge head being pressed upon the extractor which is carried
forward by the closing of the breech block. The gun having been discharged
the breech block is turned back by means of a thumb piece attached thereto.
The barrel or tube to which the draw cartridge or extractor is fixed is thereby
actuated and the cartridge case withdrawn, thus obviating the necessity of a
separate movement for that purpose.
An important advantage connected with this Invention is that it can be
applied to muzzle-loading fire-arms, and the same thereby converted into
breech-loaders without any alteration of the stock, and without the necessity
for the employment of a "shoe" to carry the breech action, the before-
mentioned arrangements being applicable to the conversion of muzzle-loading
fire-arms into breech-loaders by the simple removal of so much of the upper
portion of the rear end of the barrel as will suffice for the admission of the
breech block.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a breech action constructed in accordance
with this Invention, Figure 2 being a plan shewing the breech chamber open;
Figure 3 is an elevation shewing the reverse side to that represented in
Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a top view of the breech mechanism with the cham-
ber closed; Figure 5 is a transverse section taken at the line A, B, Figure 3 ;
Figure 6 is a transverse section taken at the line C, D, Figure 4; Figure 7
is the breech block, and Figure 8 is a cross section at E, F; Figure 8" is an
end view of the breech block; Figure 9 represents the striking piston with its
spring; Figure 10 being a cross section of the same; Figures 11, 12, and 13
represent the lever with the bevilled face by which the striking piston is
actuated; Figure 14 is the barrel or tube with the oblique or inclined slot or
groove in which the stud fixed to the spindle or hinge pin works, and by
which the extraction of the cartridge case is effected. Figures 15, 16, 17,
and 18 are various views of the barrel or tube with the projecting draw
cartridge or extractor. In these several Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding paris.

page_text: A is the breech chamber; B, the breech block; and C, the spindle or pin
to which it is attached. a is the striking piston; 6 is the barrel or tube with
the draw cartridge or extractor which works on the spindle or binge pin by
means of the oblique slot or groove and the pin or stud c; D is the elongated
nose of the hammer dog, and d the slot or hole into which it enters on the
fall of the hammer; d₁ is the lever by which the piston is actuated.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that
what 1 consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the said berein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the general arrangement and combination of parts and mechanism
in the construction of breech-loading fire-arms, substantially as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Warry, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
Patent Agent,
54, Chancery Lane.
ROBERT WARRY. (L.S.)