IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Charles Hodges, of Florence Street, Islington;
in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 10th May 1867, and dated the 15th November 1866.1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Charles Hodges
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1866.
I, EDWIN CHARLES HODGES, of Florence Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts for working the
cartridge extractors of that class of breech-loaders known as "break-down
guns," and causing them to withdraw the flanged cartridges partially from the
barrels in the act of "dropping" the barrels to present their breech ends to
receive a fresh cartridge. The rod of the extractor of this double-barrel
sporting arm passes under the "lump" which projects down from the under side
of the barrels, and its forward end is acted upon by the upper end of a small
rock lever or tumbler that has its bearings in the forward end of the lump
immediately in advance of the seat for the cross pin on which the barrels rock.
Projecting from the front end of the breech piece (which is affixed to the stock

page_text: of the gun to which the barrels are binged) is a stop piece set in line with the
tail of the tumbler or small rock lever; when therefore the barrels are
unlocked and allowed to drop the tail of the tumbler will strike against this
stop, and it will consequently be rocked and caused to drive back the extractor
and start the cartridge cases from the barrels ; this stop will also serve to
limit the drop of the barrels. As a modification of this arrangement the tail
of the tumbler may be extended laterally to work on guides formed on the
breech-piece and receive its rocking motion therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Charles Hodges in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
CHARLES HODGES, of Florence Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edwin Charles Hodges, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin
Charles Hodges, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edwin Charles Hodges, 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 terin 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Charles Hodges,.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 per-
formed, 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 Edwin Charles Hodges; 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts for working, the
cartridge extractors of that class of breech-loaders known as "break-down
guns," and causing them to withdraw the flanged cartridges partially from the
barrels in the act of "dropping".the barrels to present their breech ends to
receive a fresh cartridge.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of
so much of a double-barrel break-down gun as will serve to explain the nature
of my improvements, the barrel being in position and locked, and Fig. 2 is a
similar section shewing the gun with the barrel depressed and the extractor
projecting from the rear end of the barrels.
A is the extractor of this double-barrel sporting gun, the rod a of which
passes through the "lump" that projects down from the under side of the
barrels B, and is prevented from being drawn out by a screw 6 which limits
the sliding movement of the extractor; C is the breech piece. The forward
end of the rod a is acted upon by a small rock lever or tumbler D that has its
bearings in the forward end of the lump immediately in advance of the seat
for the cross pin E on which the barrels work. F is a plate keyed to the
under side of the barrels, and so shaped at its rear end (see the detached view,
Figure 3,) as to bear against the rounded end of the breech piece C, which
rounded end is made concentric with the cross pin E; this pin is thus virtually
embraced by the lump and the keyed plate F, but the parts may be readily
detached for cleaning. Fitted to the plate F is a second tumbler G, the tail
of which bears against the front end of the breech piece which is affixed to
the stock of the gun in the usual way; this end of the breech piece acts as a
stop piece on the tail of the tumbler G, when the barrels by the turning of the
bolt H are released and allowed to drop. The tail of the tumbler G is then
thrown up, and striking against the tail of the tumbler D it will drive its
upper end against the rod a of the cartridge extractor, as shewn at Fig. 2, and
start the cartridge cases from the barrels; when the lower tumbler G is by
the drop of the barrels pressed upwards towards the boss of the tumbler D
projections f,f, on the end of the plate F will bear against the forward end
of the breech piece C and will serve to limit the drop of the barrels. I would
remark that as a modification of my improved arrangement of cartridge
extractor the tail of the tumbler D may be extended laterally to work on
guides formed on the breech piece and receive its rocking motion therefrom,
when the barrels are unlocked and allowed to drop.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the

page_text: Construction of Breech-loading Fire-arms,", and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim actuating the cartridge extractor in
break-down guns by means of a tumbler or rock lever, arranged as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Charles Hodges, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
:
E: C. HODGES. (L.S.)