IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Matthews, of Albert Place, New
Street, Alma Street, Aston New Town, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS."
Sealed the 21st February 1868, and dated the 31st August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Matthews
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st August 1867.
I, WILLIAM JAMES MATTHEWS, of Albert Place, New Street, Alma Street,
Aston New Town, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, 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.
In constructing breech-loading fire-arms or in converting muzzle-loading
fire-arms into breech-loaders I fit to the breech end of the barrel a shoe or
body of a trough-like form, and at the fore end of the shoe or body and on the
top of it I arrange a horizontal axis or pin on which the block which closes
the breech is able to turn. When the breech block is turned down it fills the
trough-like hollow in the shoe or body, with the exception of a distance at the
rear end of the trough which the breech block does not fill, it being made
considerably shorter than the trough or opening in the shoe or body. To fill

page_text: ace a second block is employed, it is jointed to the breech block by a
or axis parallel to the axis thereof, and fixed in a lug on one side of it.
To close the breech the breech block is first turned down on its horizontal
axis, and then the second block is turned in from the side to fill the space in
the trough behind the breech block. The ordinary lock is employed, and its
hammer strikes upon an inclined plunger or striker passing through the
second block and abutting upon another plunger or striker passing through
the breech block, and fitted with a coiled spring tending to force it rearwards,
so that the blow of the hammer to explode the cartridge being received by the
first plunger or striker is passed on to the plunger or striker in the breech
block, and by this the base of the cartridge is struck.
The extractor to withdraw the cartridge case after firing consists of two
stems fitted into sockets at the fore part of the shoe or body, one on each side,
on these stems heads are formed which fit into notches formed for them at the
entrance to the bore of the barrel, and the flange of the cartridge case when
the cartridge is in the chamber of the piece' rests against them. The extractor
receives its outward movement from projections on the breech block which in
opening the breech come against the heads of the extractors and push them
back, thus causing them to withdraw the cartridge case; and similarly in
closing the breech other projections upon the breech block come against the
heads of the extractor and push them forward. The rear end of the plunger
or striker in the breech block abuts upon the face of the second block close
up to its pin or axis, where an incline is formed for it, so that it may act as a
stop to prevent the second block being turned too far round.
In place of employing a body or shoe as above described the trough at the
rear end of the barrel may be formed by cutting away the upper part of the
barrel itself, and in this case I braze, fix, or form a saddle on.to the barrel to
receive the joint of the breech block and the sockets for the extractor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William James Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JAMES MATTHEWS, of Albert Place, New Street, Alma Street, Aston New
Town, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One

page_text: thousand. eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William James Matthews, Her special licence. that I, the said William James
Matthews, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William James Matthews, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William James Matthews, 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.
• NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said William James Matthews, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, 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.
In constructing breech-loading fire-arms, or in converting muzzle-loading
fire-arms into breech-loaders, I fit to the breech end of the barrel a shoe or
body of a trough-like form, and at the fore end of the shoe or body and on
the top of it I arrange a horizontal axis or pin, on which the block which closes
the breech is able to turn. . When the breech block is turned down it fills the
trough-like hollow in the shoe or body, with the exception of a distance at the
rear end of the trough which the breech block does not. fill, it being made
considerably shorter than the trough or opening in the shoe or body. To fill
this space a second block is employed.; it is jointed to the breech block by a
pin or axis parallel to the centre line thereof, and. fixed in-a lug on one side of
it. To close the breech the breech block is first turned down on its horizontal
axis, and. then the second block is turned in from the side to fill the space in
5 the trough behind the breech block. The ordinary lock is employed, and its
hammer strikes upon an inclined plunger or striker passing through the second
block, and abutting. upon another plunger or striker passing through the breech
block and fitted with a coiled. spring tending to force it rearwards, so that the
blow of the hammer to explode the cartridge being received by the first.plunger

page_text: or striker is passed on to the plunger or striker in the breech block, and by
this the base of the cartridge is struck.
The extractor to withdraw the cartridge case after firing consists of two
stems fitted into sockets at the fore part of the shoe or body, one on each side;
on these stems heads are formed, which fit into notches formed for them at
the entrance to the bore of the barrel, and the flange of the cartridge case
when the cartridge is in the chamber of the piece rests against them. The
extractor receives its outward movement from projections on the breech block,
which in opening the breech come against the heads of the extractors and
push them back, thus causing them to withdraw the cartridge case, and
similarly in closing the breech other projections upon the breech block come
against the heads of the extractor and push them forward. The rear end of
the plunger or striker in the breech block abuts upon the face of the second.
block close up to its pin or axis, where an incline is formed for it, so that it:
may act as a stop to prevent the second block being turned too far round..
In place of employing a body or shoe, as above described, the trough at the
rear end of the barrel may be formed by cutting away the upper part of the
barrel itself, and in this case I braze, fix, or form a saddle on to the barrel to
receive the joint of the breech block and the sockets for the extractor.
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: represented in front view at Figure 9, side view at Figure 10, and back view
at Figure 11. When the parts are in the position shown at Figures 1 and 2
the semi-cylindrical part of the block 'e fills the corresponding cavity in the shoe
or body d, and the face of this block firmly supports the base of the cartridge,
which is in the bore, being locked in position by the second block f filling the
space between its hinder end and the face or abutment d on the shoe or
body. is the pin or axis connecting the blocks e and f; and when the
block f is turned round upon this pin or axis so as to remove it from the space
behind the block e it leaves the latter block free to be turned up into the
position in which it is shown at Figure 3 for the withdrawal of the old cartridge
case after firing, and for the introduction of a fresh cartridge into the barrel.
The cartridge case is drawn back out of the barrrel as the block e is turned
up by the extractors 9, 9, which each consist of a stem sliding in a socket in
the shoe or body and a head against which the base of the cartridge rests.
Against these heads also the projections on the block e come as the block is
turned up, and so the extractors are forced back, withdrawing the cartridge
case with them. The play of the extractors in their sockets is limited by
screws d* penetrating through their sockets and entering recesses in their
stems. When a fresh cartridge has been introduced as far as the extractors
will admit the block e as it is turned down pushes it home, and the extractors
with it. The cartridge is fired by means of an inclined striker e contained
within the block e, which is furnished with a spiral spring as shown tending
to force it back; it is prevented from escaping by the block f, on which it
bears. As the block f is turned on its axis preparatory to opening the breech
it allows the striker e to come back a short distance, there being an incline
recessed in the face of the block f, and the end of this recess coming against
the striker stops the block f when it has moved sufficiently far to free the
block e. f is a plunger carried by the block f; it is kept in its socket, and
its play is limited by a set screw f³. The outer end of the plunger f" is struck
directly by the hammer of the lock, and its inner end transmits the blow to
the striker e', and so the cartridge is exploded. It will be observed that the
blow of the hammer will only be thus transmitted when the breech of the
barrel is correctly closed, and also that the plunger f* forms a bolt locking the
blocks e and f securely together at the time of the discharge.
As before mentioned in place of employing the shoe or body d the barrel
itself may be cut away to a similar form, and a saddle piece or lump brazed
upon it.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,

page_text: W. J. MATTHEWS. (L.S.)