IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Griffith Brewer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th August 1878. (A communication
from abroad by Valentin Sauerbrey, of Basle, Switzerland.)
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of Chancery Lane, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." (A communication from abroad by Valentin
Sauerbrey, of Basle, Switzerland.)
These improvements particularly refer to breech-loading fire-arms having cylin
drical breech blocks and boxes to receive the cartridges, with or without a lateral
aperture at the side of the box for the ejection of the spent cartridge.
The Invention consists,-
First. In the application to the breech block of a spring or springs with a head
which passes through one side of the upper part of the breech box, presses on the
cartridge placed on the moveable breech, and prevents it (the cartridge) being
thrown out by the movements made during drill or march.
Second. In considerably simplifying the construction of the moveable breech of
some of these fire-arms, for example, of those known as the "Sauerbrey." For this
purpose the rear cylinder is made in one piece; the moveable head of the cylinder
and the small striking spindle are dispensed with; the striking spindle is made in
one piece.
The helical spring is longer than heretofore, and consequently stronger. The
stop washer of the helical spring is secured by a pin, which passes through the
striking spindle.
The other modifications refer only to certain dimensions, which must of necessity
be modified according to the cartridges desired to be employed.
To well explain the action of the cartridge stop springs it is better to describe the
mode of loading, which is as follows:-The arm being ready, the rifleman places a
cartridge in the upper opening of the box, pressing it on the top with the finger or
thumb to make the stop spring or springs yield, and thereby pushing back the head,
which goes into the box. As soon as the cartridge comes to the bottom the head of
the spring returns to its place, and prevents the cartridge from becoming removed,
thrown, or falling out by any movement or shock. Afterwards the tumbler is
Price 201

page_text: turned from right to left by means of the lever; the moveable breech block is
brought back; the cartridge placed above the cylinder then falls to the bottom of
the box, and it is pushed into the breech chamber by causing the moveable breech
to advance, which is closed by turning the lever from left to right.
To reload after having fired, a new cartridge is placed on the cylinder, and the
operation as before takes place, the rim of the expended cartridge being seized,
withdrawn, and guided by the extractor to the catch or hook, which arrests it and
causes it to turn, throwing it out by the lateral opening of the box.
The cartridge should always be placed in the upper opening of the box before
bringing back the moveable breech. A cartridge can also be placed in the upper
opening of the box before firing that cartridge in the barrel. It is thus possible to
fire two consecutive shots without going to the cartouche box.
If manoeuvring takes place with the arm loaded and provided with a reserve
cartridge the latter cannot be thrown out of the box by the movements of the
soldier or other person, because it is firmly held in place by the head of the stop
spring.
Heretofore the inventor has made the fore part of the moveable breech in two
pieces, viz., with a forward cylinder and head, but according to this part of the
Invention the two pieces are made in one, thereby considerably simplifying the
construction of this part of the arm, and facilitating the taking to pieces and
the putting together of the parts.
The striker is also made in one piece and united to the spindle, so that the small
striker can be dispensed with as well as the stop nut of the helical spring, and
instead a washer fixed by a pin is used.