Improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Small Arms.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HOLLAND, of 98, New Bond Street, London, W., and
THOMAS WOODWARD, of 69, Ashburnham Road, Kensal Rise, W., both in the
County of Middlesex, Gun Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the mechanism of breech-loading
double barrelled small-arms, which are discharged, one barrel at a time, by means
of one trigger, such trigger being fitted, with a slide, lever or other moveable
limb, which takes up its position, under the sear of the lock for firing the first
barrel, when the gun is opened for loading, and, moves into a position suitable
for firing the second barrel, after the discharge of the first barrel, this slide, lever
or other moveable limb being retained in its normal position for firing the first
barrel, by means of a hook catch, which passes behind the tail of the intercepting
or safety sear of the lock.
The object of our invention is, the provision of what may be called a selective
mechanism, operative at the will of the shooter, by means of which the order of
discharge of the barrels may be reversed, or only one barrel be discharged and is
carried out in the following manner.
We attach to the lock-plate or any other convenient portion of the gun, a small
lever or slide, so formed that when its outer arm is moved sufficiently by the
shooter, its inner end or arm raises the intercepting sear tail, thereby liberating
the slide, lever or other moveable limb, which immediately takes up its position
to fire what would be the second barrel, without the necessity of firing what would
normally be the first barrel.
A spring is provided which returns this small lever or slide to its normal position
immediately, so that upon again opening the gun, the mechanism again takes up
the position to discharge the barrels alternately or a friction spring may be
provided which retains this small lever or slide in position when moved, so that the
mechanism will only discharge one barrel, till the small lever or slide is returned
to its normal position.
Dated this 24th day of February 1898
HENRY W. HOLLAND.
THOMAS WOODWARD.

page_text: London, W., both in the County of Middlesex, Gun Makers, 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:--
Our invention relates to improvements in the mechanism of breech-loading
double-barrelled small arms, which are discharged one barrel at a time, by means
of one trigger, such trigger being fitted with a slide, lever or other moveable
limb, which takes up its position, under the sear of the lock for firing the first
barrel, when the gun is opened for loading, and moves into a position, suitable
for firing the second barrel, after the discharge of the first barrel, this slide, lever
or other moveable limb, being retained in its normal position for firing the first
barrel by means of a hook catch, which passes behind the tail of the intercepting
or safety sear of the lock.
The object of our invention is, the provision of what may be called a selective
mechanism operative at the will of the shooter, by means of which the order of
discharge of the barrels may be reversed, or only one barrel be discharged, and is
carried out in the following manner.
We attach to the lock-plate or any, other convenient portion of the gun, a small
lever or slide, so formed that when its outer arm is moved sufficiently by the
shooter, its inner end or arm raises the intercepting sear tail, thereby liberating
the slide, lever or other moveable limb, which immediately takes up its position
to fire what would be the second barrel,, without the necessity of firing, what would
normally be the first barrel.
A spring is provided which returns this small lever or slide to its normal-position
immediately, so that upon again opening the gun, the mechanism again takes up
the position to discharge the barrels alternately or a friction spring may be
provided, which retains this small lever or slide in position when moved, so that the
mechanism, will only discharge one barrel till the small lever or slide, is returned
to its normal position.
The drawings annexed shew mechanism as above described, the drawings shew
only those parts which are necessary to make the action clear and will be more
clearly understood, by reference to our former Specification No. 4893, A.D. 1897,
which describes single-trigger double barrel guns, of the type shewn in the
drawings.
The corresponding parts, are lettered the same in all the drawings.
Fig. I is an elevation of a portion of a gun, with the left lock removed, shewing
the sliding peice a a¹ (which moves upon the top of the trigger 661 and trigger
pin c,) in the position for firing the first barrel, after the gun has been opened,
and closed again ready for firing. This sliding-piece is retained in that position,
against the action of its spring, by means of a hook catch d upon the slide a a',
which comes behind the tail of the intercepting sear e.
f is the inner arm of the small lever before described, which is retained in the
normal position, shewn in this drawing by the spring g.
Fig. II is a similar elevation to Fig. I but shewing the position taken up by
the inner arm of the small lever f after it has been moved by the user.
This small lever in its movement, has depressed the front end e¹ of the intercept-
ing sear at the same time raising the rear end e clear of the hook catch d, so that
the sliding peice a a¹ is at liberty to move forward into the position for firing the
second barrel (under the action of its spring) without the necessity of discharging
the first barrel.
Fig. III is a part sectional plan of a similar gun to that shewn in Figs. I & II
but with all the parts of the lock mechanism in their true positions, the additional
parts shewn, being the true sears jj, the tumblers or hammers kk, and the outer
arm of the small lever f which is shewn at h.
Fig. IV shews the various parts of the small lever f when removed from the
lock. The lever f shewn in plan in the lower part of this figure, being secured to
the shank of the outer lever h shewn in plan and elevation, by means of a pin
shewn in the elevation of the complete lever f, h.

page_text: 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:-
The employment of a small lever or slide acting upon the intercepting sear of the
locks of double barrel guns, with one trigger only, substantially as described and
illustrated in the drawings annexed; for enabling the user to select the barrel to
be fired first.
HENRY W. HOLLAND.
THOMAS WOODWARD.