IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Brown Roden, of Usk, in the County
of Monmouth, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Brown Roden
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th December 1868.
I, RICHARD BROWN RODEN, of Usk, in the County of Monmouth,
Gentleman, 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 that class of breech-loading fire-arms in
which self-ignition, central-fire, or rim cartridges are used, and while
more especially adaptable to side hinged breech blocks with vertical
faces, as in the "Snider" system, is also applicable to breech actions in.
which the block or closer slides or moves in an upward or other direction
except in a direct line with the bore of the barrel as in the case of
"Bolt" systems.

page_text: These improvements consist in a combination of parts constituting
an improved mode of construction and arrangement, as herein-after
described.
The lock which is ordinarily placed upon the side, or in some
instances, in the centre of the stock, is entirely dispensed with, and the
piston or striker by which the ignition of the cartridge is effected is
operated or functioned by a lock in connection with, attached to, or
formed partly in the breech block or closer, and in some instances
moving with and on the same axis as the breech block, and, if required,
securing or locking the breech block firmly in position during the dis-
charge of the cartridge. The breech block or closer and shoe, or barrel
where no shoe is employed, together with the trigger arrangements and
mode of latching down the breech block or the position of the latching
stud, and the manner of attaching the shoe or barrel to the stock, as also
-the-form-of-the-stock-itself, may-be-varied-and-modified-to-suit-the-
altered requirements.
In applying these improvements to the "Snider" system of fire-arms,
which is more especially the object of this Invention, the oblique dis-
charging piston with its appurtenances at present employed are
dispensed with and the percussing or igniting piston, which by preference
is placed in a horizontal position, is extended rearwards beyond the-back
face of the breech block and is attached by a screw formed upon its end,
or in any analogous and convenient manner to a cocking or thumb piece,
which latter is so arranged as to slide either with or without a friction
wheel in the rear thereof in a channel in the shoe formed by extending
it beyond the recoil surface to supply the place of the tang of an
ordinary fire-arm, or upon the piece forming the tang, the cocking piece
being so constructed that its forward portion enters an opening formed
for that purpose in the recoil surface, thus securely locking the breech
action firmly in position during the explosion of the cartridge. The
percussing power is derived from a spring which surrounds the dis-
charging piston and is contained within the breech block, in which
position it is held by a hollow screw through which the piston passes.
The last-mentioned hollow screw has ears or projections formed upon it
to support the sear, which has an operating or sear spring attached to
the breech block by any convenient means. The sear takes into bents
or notches formed either in the discharging piston or cocking piece, and
its release from the bents or notches is effected by the trigger, the

page_text: ordinary arrangement of which is modified to suit the altered require-
ments. The discharging spring is compressed by drawing the cocking
or thumb piece and with it the igniting or percussing piston backwards,
aud the locking portion of the cocking piece is withdrawn clear of the
opening in the recoil surface of the shoe or barrel by the time the sear
enters the half bent. The breech block can then be raised from its
chamber together with the cocking piece and lock arrangements which
move with it. On drawing back the cocking piece to the full cock bent
the accumulated power of the spring is on the release of the sear
sufficient to explode the igniting medium of the cartridge.
The combinations herein-before described may be altered as required
to suit the particular form of breech mechanism to which they may be
applied, and the opening in the recoil surface of the shoe or barrel where
no shoc is used may be so arranged that the expended cartridge case inuy
on being extracted from the charge chamber by the extractor be ejected
rearwards through the opening so formed, in which case the breech block
may be reduced in length, and the stationary pin or bar upon which the
breech block slides, together with the cars or projections upon the shoe
or barrel which support the same, may be modified to suit the altered
requirements.
Similar lock arrangements may be operated in connection with the
shoe or rear end of the barrel where no shoe is employed, in which case
the discharging piston may be contained in the breech block or closer
receiving the blow of the striking portion of the lock, either of which
or the cocking piece may also serve to secure the breech block from
being blown open by a faulty cartridge..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Richard Brown Roden in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th June 1809.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD,
BROWN RODEN, of Usk, in the County of Monmouth, Gentleman, send
greeting.

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Brown Roden,
Her special licence that I, the said Richard Brown Roden, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Brown Roden, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others), that I, the
said Richard Brown Roden, my executors or administrators, by au
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 Richard Brown Roden, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My said Invention relates to that class of breech-loading fire-arms in
which self-ignition, central-fire, or rim cartridges are used, and while
more especially adaptable to side hinged breech blocks with vertical faces,
as in the "Snider" system, is also applicable to breech actions in which
the block or closer slides or moves in an upward or other direction,
except in a direct line with the bore of the barrel, as in the case of
"Bolt" systems.
These improvements consist in a combination of parts constituting
an improved mode of construction and arrangement as herein-after
described.
The ordinary lock which usually is placed upon the side of the stock,
or in some instances in the centre of the stock, is by this Invention
entirely dispensed with, and the piston or striker by which the ignition

page_text: of the cartridge is effected is operated or functioned by a lock in con-
nection with, attached to, or formed partly in the breech block or closer,
and in some instances moving with and on the same axis as the breech
block, and, if required, securing or locking the breech block firmly in
position during the discharge of the cartridge. The breech block or
closer and shoe, or barrel where no shoe is employed, together with the
trigger arrangements and mode of latching down the breech block, or
the position of the latching stud, and the manner of attaching the shoe
or barrel to the stock, as also the form of the stock itself, may be varied
and modified to suit the altered requirements.
In applying these improvements to the "Snider" system of fire-arms,
which is more especially the object of my said Invention, the oblique dis-
charging piston with its appurtenances at present employed are dispensed
with, and the percussing or discharging piston, which by preference is
placed in a horizontal position, is extended rearwards beyond the back
face of the breech block, and is attached by a screw formed upon its end,
or in any analogous and convenient manner, to a cocking or thumb
piece, which latter is so arranged as to slide either with or without a
friction wheel in the rear thereof in a channel in the shoe formed by
extending it beyond the recoil surface to supply the place of the tang of
an ordinary fire-arm, or upon the piece forming the tang, the cocking
piece being so constructed that its forward portion enters an opening
formed for that purpose in the recoil surface, thus securely locking the
breech action firmly in position during the explosion of the cartridge.
The percussing power is derived from a spring (which may be of coiled
wire of suitable strength, or I sometimes prefer to employ a coiled strip
of flat steel) which surrounds the discharging piston and is contained
within the breech block, in which position it is held by a hollow screw
through which the piston passes. The last-mentioned hollow screw has
ears or projections formed upon it to support the sear, which has an
operating or sear spring attached to the brecch block by any convenient
means. The sear takes into bents or notches formed either in the dis-
charging piston or cocking piece, and its release from the bents or
notches is effected by the trigger, the ordinary arrangement of which is
modified to suit the altered requirements. The discharging spring is
compressed by drawing the cocking or thumb piece, and with it the
igniting or percussing piston backwards, and the locking portion of the
cocking piece is withdrawn clear of the opening in the recoil surface of
the shoe or barrel by the time the sear entors the half bent. The breech

page_text: no shoe is used may be so arranged that the expended cartridge case
may, on being extracted from the charge chamber by the extractor, be
ejected rearwards through the opening so formed, in which case the
block may be reduced in length, and the stationary pin or bar
upon which the breech block slides, together with the ears or projections
upon the shoe or barrel which support the same, may be modified to
smit the altered-requirements..
Similar lock arrangements may be operated in connection with the
shoe or rear-end of the barrel where no shoe is employed; in which case
the discharging piston may be contained in the breech block or closer
receiving the blow of the striking portion of the lock, cither of which or
the cocking piece may-also-serve to secure the breech block from being
blown open by a faulty cartridge.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which
the nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. In
these Drawings similar letters of reference apply to like parts in all the
Figures.
A is the stock; a, the portion of the stock lowered for the more
ready ejection of the expended cartridge case; B is the barrel; b', the
charge chamber; C, the breech block or closer; c', the thumb picce;
, the hinge lump; D, the discharging piston; d, the head; d, the
shaft, the spring; d, the chamber; E, the percussing and
discharging piston; e, the shaft; e³, the spring; e, the hollow screw;
, the chamber; e, the bents; e', set screws or pins; F, the striking
piston, the shaft; /, the spring, the locking down portion or
bolt head; f, the chamber; G, the cocking or thumb piece; g', the
locking down portion; 9³, the wings; g, the friction wheel, with its
axle g'; H, the extractor; h', the extractor tube; h, the extractor
guide; J, the additional metal tube or piece attached to the shoe serving
the purpose of an ordinary breech tank; j", the breech nail; 2, the

page_text: screw in front of the trigger guard; K, the trigger guard; ', the
trigger;, the trigger plate; %, the trigger lever; ', the trigger
lever spring, with screw k" to secure or fix the same; L, the sear;
, the scar spring; P, the screw to fix the same; N, the latching stud;
12, the headless screw; ², the spring which operates its return motion;
P, the stationary pin or bar; 1, the spiral spring for operating the
return motion of the extractor and breech block; S is the shoe; s¹, the
screw for attaching the barrel; &³, the chamber into which the breech
block closes; ³, ears to support the stationary bar or pin on which the
extractor with the breech block is free to slide; &, the lump or
projection for the latching stud; &, the side wall of the breech block
chamber on which the extractor is guided; &, the side of the breech
block chamber of the shoe lowered to permit the ejection of the
expended cartridge case, the head or rim of which, on the withdrawal
of the cartridge from the charge chamber, is brought in contact with the
stud or stops, by which the direction of its motion is changed, and
the case is ejected from the shoe; 88 is the channel in the rear of the
shoe for the cocking piece; & is the recoil bearing surface of the shoe;.
and so, the opening in the recoil surface to receive the forward portion
of the cocking piece; ", screw for attaching percussing arrange-
ments.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the annexed Drawings illustrate,
on an actual scale, one mode of applying these my improvements to the
"Snider" system of breech-loading of the calibre of the Enfield rifle,
but the several parts may be varied as required to adapt these improve-
ments to fire-arms of any calibre.
Figure 1 is a side view of the right side of the fire-arm; Figure 2 is
a top view; Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section; Figure 4 is a
side view of the left side of the arm; and Figure 5 is a transverse
vertical section on the lines W, X, looking towards the butt end of the
gun, all shewing the breech block closed into its chamber in the shoe
and the several parts in a state of rest; Figure 6 is a transverse vertical
section on the line T, V, looking towards the muzzle of the arm; and
Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section on the line Y, Z, also looking
towards the muzzle; the breech block in each of these cases being shewn
raised from the chamber of the shoe, together with the lock arrange-
ments, which now, by this my Invention, are combined with the breech
mechanism.

page_text: set screws or pins passing
This cocking-piece-has-a
axle supported by the back
In place of the ordinary side lock usually employed, operating an
oblique discharging piston, or of any description of lock used in the
centre of the stock, operating an oblique or horizontal discharging
piston, I effect the ignition of the cartridge by means of a percussing
and discharging piston functioned in a line parallel with and horizontal
to the bore of the barrel, working with its operating spring in a chamber
formed in the breech block, where it is maintained in position by a
hollow screw, having also ears or projections formed upon it to carry
the sear. This piston may be of any convenient form and section, and
have its shaft round, square, or octagonal, though I prefer that the
portion which works through the hollow screw should be square or
octagonal. This piston is made of such a length that it projects rear-
wards beyond the face of the hollow screw, and is attached to the cocking
or thumb piece by a screw thread, or by
through both piston and cocking piece.
friction wheel in its rear, working upon an
portion of the cocking piece, and its forward end is so arranged that one
part enters an opening formed for the purpose in the recoil surface of
the shoe, while its extreme forward end is formed to overlap the breech
picce or closer, which has a sinking formed to receive it. The cocking
piece has also wings which cover the channel or opening in the shoe
in which the cocking piece moves. A groove or channel is formed on
the under side of the breech block to receive the scar spring, which is
held in position in this groove by a screw, in addition 'to which the
portion through which this screw passes may be dovetailed into the
breech block for the purpose of obtaining greater solidity. It will
thus be seen that the percussing and discharging piston with its operating
spring, cocking piece, and appurtenances, as also the sear and sear spring,
are so arranged as to move with the closing block in and out of the
chamber of the shoe, and that this motion cannot be imparted to the
block until the cocking picce has been drawn back sufficiently for
the nose of the sear to enter the half bent, where it is retained by its
operating spring. The hinge lump of the breech block is passed over
the tube of the extractor upon which it is free to turn when opening
and closing the breech, and with the extractor, which is attached by a
screw to the tube, is for the purpose of withdrawing the expended cart-
ridge case or the cartridge itself free to slide upon the fixed or stationary
pin, which is sustained by two ears formed for the purpose upon the
shoe, and held in position by a set screw, and having a spring to effect

page_text: the return motion of the extractor and breech piece, the rear ear upon
the shoe being arranged to form a chamber to receive this spring when
compressed by drawing back the 'breech block. The latching stud
with its operating spring is placed in a projection formed on the left
side of the shoe, and held in position by a headless screw.
into the lifting or thumb piece of the breech block.
It closes
In addition to the breech nail, which is shorter than in ordinary fire-
arms, I use a screw from the front portion of the trigger guard to the
under side of the shoe. The sear is released from the bent by the medium
of a rocking lever, one end of which is acted upon by the trigger, while
the other end, working through an opening in the shoe, is by the action
of the trigger pressed against the sear, and thereby relieves it from the
bent of the discharging piston, the trigger with its lever being main-
tained in a position entirely free from all connection with the sear by
a spring which is secured by a screw to the trigger plate.
In the above-described combination illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, the whole of the mechanism for producing the percussing power
of the fire-arm is contained in or attached to the breech block itself,
with which it is free to move, and is so arranged that the breech block
is locked securely in position before the ignition of the cartridge can be
effected, and is so retained during its discharge, after which the empty
cartridge case can be withdrawn and ejected clear of the fire-arm by first
drawing back the cocking picce until the scar takes into the half bent,
when the forward portion of the cocking picce is free from the opening
in the recoil surface formed for its reception, and the breech block,
together with its percussing arrangements, can be raised from its
chamber in the shoc, and on being drawn rearwards operates the
extractor upon the fixed bar, and thereby retracts the expended cartridge
case from the charge chamber, until the head or rim of the cartridge is
by the motion thus imparted brought into contact with the ejecting stud
placed in the shoe for that purpose, whereby the direction of its motion
is changed and the mouth of the case is tilted over the side of the shoe
and stock which is lowered for that purpose, the velocity imparted by
the act of extraction being sufficient to cause the case to fall clear of
the fire-arm.
It is not essential that the herein-before described arrangements should
he strictly adhered to, as the same may be varied in the several com-
binations necessary to adapt them to the several systems of breech-

page_text: loading fire-arms to which they may be applied, without departing from
the essential features of my Invention.
One such modification is shown at Figure 8, which is a longitudinal
vertical section of a fire-arm, showing the breech block closed into its
chamber in the shoe and the several parts in a state of rest. In this
combination the breech block, together with the shoe, stationary pin,
and appurtenances, is reduced in length, and the expended cartridge
case is on its withdrawal from the charge chamber ejected rearwards.
through the opening formed for that purpose in the recoil surface of the
shoe, and into which the forward portion of the cocking picce enters,
thus securing the breech firmly in position before the discharge of the
cartridge, as above described. In this modification the side wall of
the breech block chamber may be of equal height, and the wood of the
_stock_would not require_to_be_lower_at_this_point-than-in-ordinary-fire-
arms, as is the case when the cartridge is ejected at the side, the general
form of the stock boing modified to suit the altered requirements.
The
Figure 9 shews in longitudinal vertical section another modification
of my improvements, in which the percussing arrangements are contained
in an additional metal tube attached to the shoe, its rearward portion
serving the purpose of the ordinary breech tang. In this Figure the
breech block is shown closed into its chamber in the shoe, and securely
locked in position by the striking piston, the forward portion of which
enters an opening formed in the rear of the breech block, into which the
headless screw which serves to maintain the discharging piston with
the spring for operating its return motion in its chamber is screwed. The
recoil surface of the shoe is in this case tapped to receive the percussing
arrangements which are attached thereto by means of a screw.
forward portion of this additional piece is chambered to receive the
striking piston and the spring which impels it, and in which chamber
the head and locking portion of the piston are free to slide, the piston
itself being of such a length as to pass through an opening formed for
that purpose in the rear of the chamber, and to which the cocking
piece is affixed by set screws or pins. The sear is fixed to the under side
of this piece and works through an opening formed for that purpose, and
the sear spring is also attached to this piece by a screw. The sear is
released from the bent of the striking piston by the trigger through the
medium of a rocking lever, modified from that herein-before described

page_text: to suit the altered requirement, and maintained in a position entirely
free from all connection with the sear by a spring secured by a screw to
the trigger plate.
In the above-described, combination illustrated by Figure 9, the
mechanism for producing the percussing power is independent of the
breech block but is attached to the shoe, and is so arranged that
the bolt head of the striking piston enters the rear of the breech block,
and thereby locks it securely in position before reaching the head of the
discharging piston by which the ignition of the cartridge is effected, and
so retains it during discharge. The expended cartridge case is with-
drawn from the charge chamber and ejected clear of the fire-arm by
first drawing back the cocking piece until the sear takes into the half
hent, when the head of the striking piston is withdrawn entirely into the
chamber, the spring around the shaft of the discharging piston returns
this piston into position, and the breech block can then be raised from
its chamber in the shoc and the extractor operated as already described.
It is not essential that the additional piece attached to the shoe and
serving the purpose of an ordinary breach tang should be employed, as
this piece may, for greater convenience, be formed with the shoe itself,
and the head or locking portion of the percussing piston may be of any
convenient form and the several arrangements and combinations may
be modified as required whatever calibre of barrel or system of breech
mechanism they may be applied to.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would observe that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein-before described and
illustrated in the annexed Drawings, as the same may be varied as may
be necessary in order to adapt them to the several systems of breech-
loading fire-arms and calibres of barrels to which they may be applied
without departing from the essential features of this my Iuvention,
neither do I claim the parts when taken separately and independently of
cach other; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The arrangement and combination of parts and mechanism for
discharging self-ignition cartridges in breech-loading fire-arms having
vertical faced side-hinged closing blocks, as in the "Snider" system, by
cans of a lock or percussing mechanism formed partly in and attached

page_text: to the breech mechanism, and moving upon the same axis as and
together with the closing block, also the mode of locking the breech
block securely in position prior to and during the discharge of the
cartridge, substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. The arrangements and combination of parts and mechanism
for operating the discharge of self-ignition cartridges by means of a
lock attached to the breech mechanism, but not moving upon the same
axis as the breech block, but locking the breech block firmly in position
prior to and during the discharge of the cartridge, substantially as
herein-before described.
And thirdly. The arrangements and combinations of parts and
mechanism in the construction of breech-loading fire-arms, substantially
as and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the
annexed Drawings, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Brown Roden, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
Patent Agent,
54, Chancery Lanc.
R. B. RODEN. (L.S.)