IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Daw, of Threadneedle Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 4th July 1865, and dated the 12th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Daw at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January 1865.
I, GEORGE HENRY DAW, of Threadneedle Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
For these purposes the breech plug or plate is arranged to turn on an axis, so
that it is capable of being moved back to admit of a cartridge being introduced
into the breech end of the barrel. Through the breech plug or plate there is
a sliding rod or striker, which being struck by the hammer is fired inwards,
so as to strike the cap or detonating priming at the back end of the cartridge.
The hammer, as has before been the case, is formed in such manner that in
its descent it presses against the back of the breech plug or plate, and wedges
or holds it securely against the breech end of the barrel, the last part of the

page_text: motion of the hammer acting to drive the rod or striker against the priming.
The cartridges used are such as have been extensively employed. They are
each by preference formed of paper or cardboard, having a flanged metal end,
the diameter of the flange being somewhat larger than the interior diameter
of the barrel, and the case of the cartridge is drawn back by an instrument
similar to what has before been used, but is acted on by a curved projection
on the lower part of the hammer. The extracting instrument partly embraces
the under part of the back end of the cartridge, so that when the breech plug
or plate is moved back the curved projection acts on the extracting instrument,
and slightly lifts it, and then by moving further back it moves the cartridge
back also. The extracting instrument is fixed at the end of a rod or stem,
which slides freely in a passage below the barrel or other convenient position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Henry Daw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1865
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY DAW, of Threadneedle Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Henry Daw, Her special licence that I, the said George
Henry Daw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Henry Daw, 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 George Henry Daw, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Henry Daw, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
For these purposes the breech plug or plate is arranged to turn on an axis, so
that it is capable of being moved back to admit of a cartridge being introduced
into the breech end of the barrel. Through the breech plug or plate there is
a sliding rod or striker, whicht being struck by the hammer is forced inwards,
so as to strike the cap or detonating priming at the back end of the cartridge.
The hammer, as bas before been the case, is formed in such manner that in
its descent it presses against the back of the breech plug or plate, and wedges
or holds it securely against the breech end of the barrel, the last part of the
motion of the hammer acting to drive the rod or striker against the priming.
The cartridges used are such as have been extensively employed. They are
cach by preference formed of paper or cardboard, having a flanged metal end,
the diameter of the flange being somewhat larger than the interior diameter
of the barrel, and the case of the cartridge is drawn back by an instrument
similar to what has before been used, but it is now acted on by a curved pro-
jection on the lower part of the hammer. The extracting instrument partly
embraces the under part of the back end of the cartridge, so that when the
breech plug or plate is moved back the curved projection acts on the extract-
ing instrument, and moves the cartridge back also. The extracting instrument
is fixed at the end of a rod or stem, which slides freely in a passage below the
barrel or other convenient position.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto

page_text: screw c³, the end of which enters a groove filed in the side of the rod or
striker d. The lower end of the breech plug or plate c, under its pivot, is
made with two facets or flats, at an angle the one to the other, and a
spring e presses against it at this part in such manner that when the
breech is closed the breech plug or plate is by its spring pressed firmly
home, and when the breech is open for the introduction of a cartridge,
then the breech plug or plate is securely held back out of the way. is a
thumb piece on the breech plug or plate for drawing it back and throwing
it forward in opening and closing the breech. f is the hammer turning on
pivots at f. There is no separate tumbler, but the lower part of the hammer
is made tumbler fashion, with an arm f carrying a friction roller, on which
the main spring 9 presses. f³ and f* are the half and full-cock notches or
bents, into which the sear nose h takes. The sear turns on a pivot h¹, and h³
is the sear spring. h³ is the trigger, formed in one piece with the sear. The
sear, sear spring, and trigger are, as is shown, mounted on the cover i, which is
secured by the screws ¹, i¹. k is the extractor for drawing back the cartridge
case after firing; it fits, as is shown, into a recess in the breech ring, and the
flange at the back of the cartridge, when the cartridge is in its place in the
barrel, rests against it. k¹ is a stem, made in one piece with the extractor,
and sliding in a hole made for it in the lump under the breech ring b. k³ is a
projection on this extractor, which enters a slot in the curved projection c* on
the breech plug or plate c. Thus, when the breech is opened, the extractor is
drawn back, and with it the cartridge case. And as the new cartridge is put
in, it takes back the extractor with it.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Daw, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.