Improvements in Drop-down Guns and Rifles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drop-down Guns and Rifles.
I, WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER of St. Mary's Row, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun and Rifle Maker 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 :-
My invention relates to the breech fastenings of drop-down guns and rifles by
which the barrels are securely bolted to the action, and is an improvement on the
invention described in my former Patent Specification No. 3090 of A.D. 1874.
My invention relates to two different methods of fastening the rib extension of
the barrels to the body of the action.
According to my first method, on the rear end of the rib of the barrels I make
two tongues which fall into two slots in the standing breech, forming a double
interlocking joint.
A cross-bolt in the head of the standing breech works through this double
interlocking joint and holds the barrels to the action against both the upward and
forward movement of the breech ends of the barrels.
The cross-bolt is operated, as in my former invention, by a top lever with a front
spur, the said top lever also serving to work the bottom sliding bolt, by means of a
cam or crank, simultaneously with the cross-bolt.
According to my second method I form on a back extension of the rib of the
barrels a special shape of lump which is a modification of the "doll's-head" lump.
This extension and lump fit into the head of the standing breech, and a cross-
bolt in the same works through a hole in the rib close to the "doll's-head "lump, or
partly in the said lump.
The cross-bolt is operated, as before, by a top lever with a front spur, the said
top lever also serving to work the bottom sliding bolt as already described above.
The accompanying drawings shew the construction of the improved breech
fastenings.
Figure I shews a side view and Figure II a plan of the first method of
construction with the two-tongued joint, and
Figure III shews a side view and Figure IV a plan of the second method of
construction with the "doll's-head" lump on the rib extension.
Referring to Figures I and II.
The two tongues a a engage in the two slots bb in the standing breech, and the
solid tongue 62 of the standing breech fits between them.
The cross-bolt c in the head of the standing breech passes through a a and b² and
into the metal of head of the standing breech beyond.
The top-lever d operates the cross-bolt c by means of the spur e.
keeps d in its closed position.
The spring f
The bottom bolt j and the crank pin k for moving it are well known and do not
need description.
It will be seen that the two tongues a a, fitting into the two slots bb, have four
surfaces in contact with the metal of the standing breech, and that the cross-bolt
passes through the four planes of contact.
Hence the cross-bolt cannot yield by shearing unless shorn in four places,
neither can it bend because of the support given by the solid tongue 63.
This double interlocking joint may be used by itself or in combination with the
bottom bolt shewn, or other bottom fastening.

page_text: Referring to Figures 111 and IV.
The rib extension a has the lump a fitting into a suitably shaped recess in the
head of the standing breech.
The cross-bolt c passes through the rib extension a close to, or partly cutting
into, the lump a².
The cross-bolt is operated by the top lever lever d by means of the spur e, and
the spring facts upon d as before described.
It will be seen that this top fastening forms a very strong and solid combination
of parts, and offers great resistance to both upward and forward movement of the
breech ends of the barrels.
This top fastening may be used by itself or in combination with the sliding bolt
shewn, or other bottom fastening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The double interlocking joint, fastened by the cross-bolt operated by the lever
and spring, for securing the barrels of drop-down guns and rifles to the action, as
described and illustrated.
2. The double interlocking joint, fastened by the cross-bolt operated by the lever
and spring, in combination with a bottom bolt, or other bottom fastening, operated
by the same lever simultaneously, for securing the barrels of drop-down guns and
rifles to the action.
3. The top fastening shewn in Figures III and IV, consisting of the rib
extension a with the lump a² fastened by the cross-bolt operated by the lever and
spring for securing the barrels of drop-down guns and rifles to the action, as
described and illustrated.
4. The top fastening shewn in Figures III and IV, consisting of the rib
extension a with the lump a² fastened by the cross-bolt operated by the lever and
spring in combination with a bottom bolt, or other bottom fastening, operated by
the same lever simultaneously, for securing the barrels of drop-down guns and
rifles to the action.
Dated this 2nd day of Januan 100%
W. W GREENER.