IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Thomas Baker, of Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 7th August 1866, and dated the 9th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Thomas Baker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th February 1866.
I, FREDERIC THOMAS BAKER, of Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ix-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, first, in an improved means of withdrawing the cart-
ridge extractor while the breech of the arm is being opened after each discharge.
I fit a lever to a projection or to the lump or locking piece under the barrel or
barrels in such manner that on the tilting of the barrels one end of the lever
shall be caused to press against the end of the extractor pin and push
or withdraw the extractor and the empty cartridge case from the rear of the
barrels to facilitate the easy removal of the empty case. The lower end of
the lever is so shaped that a portion of it shall come in contact with a piu or
other appliance on or in the "action" when the barrels are tilted.

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in fitting a steel face piece in the
back of the breech of central-fire breech-loading arms to receive the blow of
the bammer, the nose of which is made solid.
The third part of my Invention relates to means for the easy removal of
the striker in central-fire breech-loading arms. I insert a screw pin through
the side of the breech, and cause the inner end of it which is not threaded to
enter a recess in the stem of the striker; or the pin may pass through a slot,
and so hold the striker in place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederic Thomas Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERIC
THOMAS BAKER, of Fleet Street, in the City of London, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Frederic Thomas Baker, Her special licence that I, the said
Frederic Thomas Baker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Frederic Thomas Baker, 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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederic Thomas Baker, 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 Frederic Thomas Baker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereor, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
My Invention consists, first, in improved means of withdrawing the
cartridge extractor while the breech of the arm is being opened after each
discharge. I fit a lever to a projection or to the lump or locking piece
under the barrel or barrels in such manner that on the tilting of the barrels
one end of the lever shall be caused to press against the end of the extractor
pin and push or withdraw the extractor and the empty cartridge case from
the rear of the barrels to facilitate the easy removal of the empty case.
The lower end of the lever is so shaped that a portion of it when the
barrels are tilted shall come in .contact with a pin which I fit in the "action."
This improvement is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
of which is a section of a double-barrelled gun as seen from the left-hand
side; in this Figure the barrels are shewn as closed and in position for the
discharge; Figure 2 is a section as seen from the right-hand side, and showing
the barrels tilted. a is the pin upon which the barrels are hinged, and b is
the lump under the barrels ; c is the extractor fitted in the ordinary manner,
and d is the extractor pin. Upon a pine passing through the lump b I fit
a lever f, and in the "action" I fit a pin g. The lever f is represented
detached in Figure 3, and is so shaped at its lower end, and the pin 9 is so
placed in relation thereto, as shown, that when the barrels are tilted after the
discharge the lower end of the lever comes in contact with the pin 9, and the
upper end of the lever is thereby caused to press against the end of the
extractor pin d and push out the extractor together with the empty cartridge
cases.
The second part of my Invention consists in fitting a steel face piece at the
back of the breech of central-fire breech-loading arms to receive the blow of the
hammer, the nose of which is made solid. h represents the steel face piece
fitted in the back of the breech; i is the striker, which projects through the
face piece as shown, but when the hammer j, the nose of which is solid, comes
down, the striker i is forced in and the steel face piece h receives the blow.
Figure 4 is an exterior view of the steel face piece h and striker i detached from
the gun; and Figure 5 is a sectional view of the breech piece with the steel
face piece and striker fitted therein; Figure 6 is a view of the striker alone.
k is a screw pin inserted through the side of the steel face piece h, so that its
inner end enters a recess 1 in the stem of the striker i; by taking out this
screw pin the striker can be removed; or the stem of the striker may be formed
with a slot in place of the recess 1, and the screw pin made to pass through
it so as to hold it in place. Figure 7 represents a snap action, gun with my

page_text: improvements adapted thereto. Similar letters of reference in this Figure to
those in Figures 1 to 6 refer to corresponding parts.
And having now described 'the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the employment in breech-loading fire-arms, for the purpose of with-
drawing the cartridge extractor; of the pin 9 fitted in the "action," and so
placed in relation to the lever f that when the barrels are tilted the lever
is caused to act in the manner described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second, fitting: a steel face piece at the back of the breech of central-fire
breech-loading arms, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Thomas Baker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
FREDERIC T. BAKER. (L.S.)