IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OP AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th January 1868.- A communication from abroad by
Charles Rochaz, of Paris, France.
I, CLINTON EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson,
Brooman and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
OP AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
'
This Invention relates first to improvements in the mechanism of
breech-loading needle guns, and secondly to the manufacture or
preparation of a priming for the cartridges of these guns.
The improvements in the guns will be understood by the following
description:-The end of the charge chamber carries a lump or foot
at each side of which is fixed by screws or pins a long square
frame the space between which forms what is hereafter called a
slide. A circular projection or tenon is on the rear edge of the
barrel. A movable breech piece has screwed to its rear end the case

page_text: of a helical spring and of the piston of the spring. A longitudinal
groove is formed in the under side of the case to give passage to
a projection of the piston. In the interior of the breech an air
chamber is formed which is traversed longitudinally by the needle.
An annular mortise fitted with caoutchouc is formed at the front of
the breech piece to receive the projection or tenon on the rear of
the barrel. The breech piece carries a foot or lump which slides
between the sides of the slide against which it is held by pins which
hold it against the sides and direct its movement along the slide.
Two pins fitted in the air chamber form an abutment for the cartridge.
The trigger guard piece forms a locking appliance. Its head is fitted
in the lump of the barrel and is held by a pin which forms its
pivot. It has a projection or wedge which engages behind the lump
of the breech piece and locks the breech piece against the barrel.
Further back it forms the trigger guard, and it is terminated at its
rear end by a vertical piece slightly clastic which passes up above
the stock and is held by a notch which takes on to the rear end of
the slide. The piston of the spring has the head of the needle fitted
thereto, and its projection carries a spring plate below the groove of
the case, the spring plate having a hook at its rear end. When
the breech piece is made to slide in the groove of the slide the hook
takes behind a catch of the tumbler which holds it. By returning
the breech piece to position the hook which is firmly connected with
the piston remains held by the tumbler catch and the spring is
compressed in the case. The piston is liberated by a trigger plate
disengaging the hook and catch. The action is as follows:-To
insert the charge disengage the rear end of the guard piece and
lower this piece, whereby its wedge is displaced and the breech piece
made free; the breech piece is then drawn back, thereby opening
the air chamber. The cartridge is inserted in the charge chamber,
then by pushing the breech piece with the palm of the hand it is
returned to position where it is fixed by closing the guard piece, the
catch of the tumbler and the hook of the spring plate taking into
each other. A small projection fitted to the guard prevents the play
of the tumbler when it is desired to leave the gun loaded without
fear of accidental discharge.
In another arrangement the breech piece is the same, but the
opening and closing of the arm are effected by means of an openwork
hinged handle jointed to the lump of the breech piece which is

page_text: prolonged outside the frame. A spring holds it to the guard and
fulfils the same function as the vertical rear end of the guard piece
in the first arrangement. The head of this handle carries a wedge
which enters a cavity formed for the purpose in the two arms of the
slide and the object of which is to keep the arm closed and the
brecch piece forcibly locked against the barrel.
In another arrangement which I will describe as applied to a double
barrelled gun the mechanism is composed of the breech piece which
carries the breech proper. It is provided with a dovetail channel
which is hollowed and receives the lump of the charge chamber
and a prolongation thereof. This channel thus forms a slide for the
barrels to advance and recede. The guard piece forms the locking
appliance and carries at its back part a spring catch to keep it closed.
The head or front of this piece is pivoted and carries a wedge-shaped
projection intended by entering the cavity formed for the purpose
in the prolongation of the charge chamber to lock the barrels against
the breech and keep the chamber closed. At the two sides of the
head of the guard piece and pivoted on the same pin two cocks
are placed, each provided on its inner face with a projection taking
into a corresponding projection on the head of the guard piece. The
meeting of these two projections cocks the gun when the guard piece
is operated and the breech opened. The head of the cock enters a
socket of the needle carrier. The breech is traversed by the rod of
a piece through which the needle passes; this piece is fixed to the
breech by a nut; it enters the charge chamber sufficiently to keep
the cartridge at a suitable distance and thus form by the space
between it and the sides of the chamber an air chamber. To obtain
perfect obturation I insert between this piece and the breech piece
an india-rubber washer, the edges of which enter the annular mortises
of the breech piece. A quadruple spring acts at the same time on
the two cocks and the two tumblers; a sliding plate prevents the
play of the tumblers when desired. The operation of the guard piece
is the same as in the preceding arrangements. In the second described
arrangement the helical spring may be set separately by means of
a rod fitted to the piston and extending out of the end of the case.
A good obturation may be obtained by fitting the breech chamber
with two thin metal tubes fitting into each other extending beyond
the chamber and entering the charge chamber; each is slit at this
end at different places and at regular distances, the slits of one tube

page_text: corresponding to the full parts of the other. By the explosion itself
the gases will close all escape.
My improved priming for the cartridges for needle guns may be
placed at the top, bottom, or other part of the charge; it is
composed of two parts; first, the fulminate in the form of a lozenge
or applied on a paper or fabric washer so as to offer the greatest
possible surface and covered with other very thin paper to hold and
secure it; secondly, the body or support of the priming consisting
of a disc of the same diameter as the interior of the cartridge case
and composed of a paste more or less consistent formed of gunpowder
made or compressed when hot or formed of the ingredients which
constitute gunpowder mixed if necessary with substances the nature of
which will hasten or retard the deflagration. The fulminate is attached
to this disc. If this priming be employed in cartridges which are
ignited behind, it will be well to first pour a little powder into
the bottom of the case or to introduce previously to the priming a
paste powder washer pierced with a hole more than sufficient for the
passage of the needle. The washer of fulminate may be placed
between two washers of powder. Washers thus perforated may also
be employed as a charge instead of powder in grains in cartridges
having the ignition at the head, the washers being made preferably
of compositions graduated in power.