IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECHI-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Webster at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th September 1876.
EDWARD WEBSTER, of Peterborough, in the County of Northampton. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECHI-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
The opening of the breech is at the right-hand side, the breech block moving up
and down with a parallel motion. This is effected by a lever hinged on a pin
passing through the top or head of the stock behind the breech block, the free end
of the lever being to the rear, which being acted on by the hand is pushed up and
forward to open the breech, and closed down to the rear to close it. This lever is
provided with a shorter arm called the fore arm of the lever, which passes on the
left side of the breech block, and when the breech is closed points to the front.
The fore arm of the lever works in a cam in another lever called the "block
lift," which is a piece of metal flat at bottom, but with a flange on either side,
hinged on a pin passing transversely through the stock of the gun, and being
free to move up and down with the breech block. The flange on the left side has a
cam in the rear end, in which the fore arm of the lever works The block lift is so
shaped that the lever being shut the end of the foie arm is pressed tightly against
the end of the left flange so as to prevent it from falling. As the lever is opened
the fore arm descends, and entering the cam pushes down the block lift, which
being down the lever is disengaged, and continuing its course round a curve in the
block lift flange prevents the latter from being raised accidentally. The breech
block is almost rectangular and of an oblong form, with a broad base at the rear to
receive the recoil of the cartridge; the rear end is slightly bevilled off, the top being
shorter than the bottom. The rear of the breech chamber being at the same angle
the block works somewhat loosely at the bottom when the breech is open, but being
closed the block is wedged tightly against the base plate of the cartridge. The
block has a pin passing transversely through the lower part about the middle, the
ends of which pass-through slots in the flanges of the block lift, which while the

page_text: latter moves in the are of a circle round the axis pin allow the block to take an
upright and direct motion. The block is kept horizontal and its parallel movement
retained by means of projections at the top and bottom of the left side of the block
about the middle of its length, which slide in a vertical groove wrought in the side
of the wall of the breech, or an upright guiding pillar in the breech can work in a
groove in the block.
The cartridge is ojected by means of a flat piece of metal (working in a groove in
the left side of the breach), being provided with a claw or projection at each end,
the one at the front end being made so as to act on the base plate of the cartridge,
and pull it out of the barrel when the ejector is pulled to the rear.
The projection
on the rear end of the ejector is struck by a projection on the fore arm of the lever
when the latter is opened after the fore arm is released from the cam in the block.
lift, thus ejecting the cartridge case
The shaft of the ejector is thicker at the front end than at the rear. The end of
the thicker portion when the ejector is to the rear abuts against a projection on the
top of the left-hand flange of the block lift, so that when the latter is pushed up
the ejector is pushed back into its place, this, however, is only needed when the gun
is uploaded.
The blow by which the cartridge is fired is given by a striker and coiled main-
spring placed in a hollow in the body of the breech and small of the gun stock, the
fore end of the striker on being released striking the piston in the block which
transmits the blow to the cartridge. The striker is of a cylindrical form and is
provided with a shoulder, the fore end of which prevents the striker from being
driven too far through into the block while the rear end acts on the fore end of the
inainspring the rear end of the latter being kept in its place by means of a stop
Dut through which the rear end of the shaft of the striker passes. The striker is
pushed back to full cock by means of a small arm of the lever, which works in a
hollow in the shoulder of the striker; as the lever is opened the arm pushes back the
striker until the latter is at full cock, when it is disengaged from the recess and
passes up to the rear of it, the end of the arm being broad enough to prevent the
striker fioin being let down while the lever is open. The rear end of the lever is
kept in its place by means of a small catch spring, the nose of which enters a
corresponding hollow in the end of the lever. The block cover is a piece of metal
let in flush with the side of the breech body, the upper side being flanged on the
inside and screwed to the bicech block, moving up and down with it The upper
side of the breech block is formed into a curved groove which passes from the right-
hand car corner of the block and cover to the front left-hand corner of the block,
the right side of the block being made lower than the left so as to turn the cartridge
case out at the right-hand side of the gun. The trigger guard and plate is a flat
piece of metal with the guard underneath, being kept in its place by means of two
small flanges in the front on the top of the plate through the holes in which tho
block lift pin passes. On the top of the plate, but nearer the centre at the rear end
of the trigger plate, are two flanges with two pair of holes, the one at the bottom
and front of flanges being to receive the pin on which the trigger and sear work,
while the other-pair at the top and rear of flanges being to receive the tumbler pin,
thus securing the rear end of the plate to the breech body. The hole through which
the lever is inserted is filled up with a piece of metal which is screwed on to the
top of it.
The under side of the roof of the breech is fitted with a curvature corresponding
to that of the block, so that when the latter is up it fits into it. The under side of
the shoulder of the striker is fitted with a hollow in which the arm of the tumbler
fits, the head of the latter being fitted into it.
The tumbler, indicator, sear, sear spring, and trigger, are of a type already known,
but with the following alterations of detail, viz.:-The tumbler is provided with a
full and half-cock apparatus, the arm of the tumblor which acts on the striker is
shorter, thus lessening the power of the mainspring over the sear,' and giving the

page_text: indicator a wider sweep to perform, thus better indicating the position of the
mechanism.
The shoulder of that part of the trigger which is acted upon by the finger is made
to a curve, the centre of which is the axis pin, while outside the curve the trigger is
thick enough to cover the aperture through which it works, thus keeping out dust
et cetera