Improvements in Rifles and other Small Arms.
Year: 1897

page_text: PORTAL DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rifles and other Small Arms.
JAMES WEST, Engineer, and HENRY JOSEPH WILBERFORCE RAPHAEL, Gentleman,
both of 39, Highbury Grove, London, N., do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
.
This invention refers more particularly to that class of gun, known as
guns
same.
"
"bolt
and includes improvements in sears, trigger guards, and other parts of
The first part of our invention refers to improvements in the sears of guns,
and has special reference to that class of sear, employed with thumb triggers.
Accordingly, therefore, we use a sear, whose fore end, is pivotted by means of
a transverse pin, and whose rear end, or free end, is brought out on the top side of
the stock, and provided with a thumb seating, but instead of the main portion
of the sear being rigid, we prefer to make it of spring steel, so as to be flexible.
To the fore end of the said sear, we attach a "stop" or "lug" which is intended
to prevent the sear from releasing the cocking piece, until the spring. portion of
the sear has been depressed.
The second part of our invention refers to a "guard" and also specially refers
to "guards" for thumb-operated-triggers, as applied to bolt guns.
When the gun is cocked" the cocking piece is extended in a rearward direc-
tion and it is intended to make use of the said cocking piece, in this position, to
shield the trigger, which we may arrange conveniently.
"
For this purpose, therefore, we arrange our trigger, in a longitudinal groove,
or sinking, and we then form a protector in the shape of a "hood" or "wing'
which we attach to the rear end of the cocking piece and which is shaped to pro-
tect the trigger when the cocking piece is extended.
The third part of our invention, refers to improvements in the stocks of guns,
and contemplates a stock, whose grip is more adapted to the hand of a user of
a thumb trigger.
Dated this Fifth dor of October 1807

page_text: London, N., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention refers more particularly to that class of gun known as
bolt"
guns or rifles and consists in certain improvements in trigger-guards for thumb-
operated triggers as applied to bolt rifles of the Lee-Metford and other similar
types.
When the gun or rifle is "cocked" the cocking piece is extended in a rearward
direction, and it is intended to make use of the said cocking piece in this position,
to shield the trigger which we may arrange conveniently.
The trigger needs protecting only when the weapon is cocked and in the case
of bolt rifles, the cocking piece or striker is extended only at such times as the
weapon is at the cock. By the mere addition of a hood or wing, according to this
invention the desired protection is easily obtained.
For this purpose therefore we arrange our trigger in a longitudinal groove,
or sinking, in the track of the bolt, and we then form a protector in the shape of
a "hood or "wing" which we attach to, or form solidly with, the rear end of
the cocking piece, and which is so shaped as to protect the trigger when the
cocking piece is extended.
In order that our invention may be understood, we have attached drawings
Figures 1, 2 and 3 hereto, wherein :
is the guard formed in combination with the cocking piece b.
c is the combined sear and thumb-operated trigger.
d is the button at the free end of the trigger, upon which the thumb is intended
to press.
e is the pivot upon which, the trigger works.
is the recess lying in the track of the bolt, wherein the trigger is located,
being partly enclosed by the raised sides gg.
is the sear nose which engages with the full bent
i is the half bent shown in Figures Nos. 2 and 3
the cocked and uncocked positions respectively.
of the striker comb /.
which represent the rifle in
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
In bolt-rifles of the Lee-Metford and similar types, a cocking piece formed and
arranged to protect or shield a thumb-operated trigger located within a recess
in the track of the bolt, substantially as described and shown herein.
Dated this Fifth day of August 1898.
JAMES WEST.
HENRY J. W. RAPHAEL.