IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NUTA CONSTRUCTION OF DRE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gordon, of Goswell Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Distiller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
NUTA
CONSTRUCTION OF DRE
Scaled the 29th July 1870, and dated the 3rd February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gordon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd February 1870.
I, CHARLES GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Distiller, 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 certain improvements in the construction of
that class of fire-arms known as "bolt" guns, and which improvements
0 are applicable to such fire-arms, whether needles for penetrating soft
cartridges or pistons for percussing the caps of metallic central-fire
cartridges are employed.

page_text: The breech bolt is hollow and contains the discharging piston operated
by means of a spiral spring, and furnished with a tooth or projection, by
which it is capable of being retained in position for firing by the scar
tooth, as well understood. At the rear end of the upper part of the
breech is placed a spring having a tooth at the hinder end thercof,
which tooth when in its normal position drops into a recess in the upper
part of the rear end of the breech bolt and prevents the latter from being
drawn backwards until it is released by the spring being lifted upwards.
This is effected by a small lever which is placed on the rear end of the
breech bolt immediately behind the recess into which the tooth of the
spring drops, the lower end thereof being curved at an angle to the upper
end, so that upon the latter being pressed backwards by the finger the
spring and its tooth are raised and the breech bolt liberated. At the
upper part of the rear end of the breech bolt and behind the last-
mentioned lever is a vertical finger piece (both the lever and finger
piece having a slot or division in the centre thereof to serve as a sight
guide), and by means of which the breech bolt is drawn backwards for
the purpose of loading and opening the breech chamber. Immediately
behind the finger piece and capable of working upwards and downwards
'on the end of the breech bolt by means of a dovetailed projection and
groove. is a locking plate, the upper part of which when the same is
depressed in the act of firing fits into recesses formed for its reception in
the breech. The lower portion of the plate fits the breech chamber, and
upon being depressed works through a slot and forces the end of the scar
spring downwards. The centre is perforated to allow of a pin which is
pivoted in the end of the breech bolt passing through the same. The
rear end of the last-mentioned pin is furnished with a screw thread to-
which is attached a small bar or lever having a projection on one face
thereof, and which bar or lever together with the pin forms the trigger.
The bar or lever turns on the screw at the end of the pin so that it can
be placed with the projection in an upward or downward direction.
When it is desired to load the gun the breech bolt is drawn backwards
by means of the finger piece, the before-mentioned lever being at the
same time actuated so as to release the bolt. The ammunition having
been inserted the bolt is pushed forwards and the scar tooth placed in
gear with the discharging piston. As long as the projection on the
trigger bar is in a downward direction and resting upon the tail of the
breech the gun cannot be discharged, but upon turning the trigger bar

page_text: and placing the projection in an upward direction and then depressing
the bar the pin, which is pivoted to the breech block, is actuated and
the locking plate forced downwards, the lower part thereof depressing
the end of the sear spring, whilst the upper part enters the before-
mentioned recesses and securely locks the breech bolt. The forward end
of the breech bolt is reduced in diameter with a conical or bevilled
shoulder fitting into a corresponding recess in the rear end of the
barrel.
The mechanism herein-before particularly described may be applied to
the conversion of breech-loading fire-arms constructed in accordance
with the "bolt" system, such as the "Chassepot" system, by simply
removing the rear end of the breech bolt with its appliances and attaching
the before-described arrangements, the requisite modification being
made in the scar spring and in the chambering of the stock, as will be
well understood by persons conversant with such matters.
Another improvement which may be employed in connection with
this Invention when metallic-headed cartridges are employed is a simple
piece of mechanism for extracting the cartridge case from the barrel.
This extractor consists of a small catch or lever which is pivoted at the
hinder end thereof to the bottom or side of the forward end of the breech
block, which together with the barrel is chambered for its operation.
The inner face of the catch or lever is constructed with a groove into
which the rim of the cartridge case is capable of filling. Upon the bolt
being pushed forwards preparatory to firing the forward cud of the catch
or lever passes over the rim of the cartridge head which is received by
the groove upon the latter being reached. Upon the bolt being with-
drawn the catch or lever extracts the cartridge case.
A further improvement embraced by this Invention is adapted to
cases in which soft cartridges are employed and adapted for being
exploded by a percussing piston by means of a percussion cap or ful-
minate holder being placed in the head of the cartridge. The requisite
amount of resistance to the percussing blow (which would not be other-
wise possessed by the cartridge) is attained by placing in a recess in the
lower part of the rear end of the barrel a small toothed catch or lever,
which is pivoted at the hinder end, and which hinder end is formed with
a bevilled face corresponding with a bevilled face on the end of the
breech bolt, so that upon the latter being placed in position for firing

page_text: the hinder end of the catch or lever is depressed and the tooth at the
⚫ forward end thereof forced into the cartridge, which is thereby held with
'sufficient firmness,
-
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Gordon in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 3rd August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, Ì, CHARLES
GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, Distiller, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Gordon, Her special licence that I,
the said Charles Gordon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Gordon, 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 Charles
Gordon, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Gordon, do hereby declaro
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 certain improvements in the construction.

page_text: "
of that class of fire-arms known as "bolt guns, and which improve-
ments are applicable to such fire-arms, whether needles for penetrating
soft cartridges or pistons for percussing the caps of metallic central-
fire cartridges are employed.
The breech bolt is hollow and contains the discharging piston, the
same being operated by means of a spiral spring, and furnished
with a tooth or projection by which it is capable of being retained
in position for firing by the sear tooth, as well understood. At
the rear end of the upper part of the breech is placed a spring having
a tooth at the hinder end thereof, which tooth when in its normal
position drops into a recess in the upper part of the rear end of the
breech bolt and prevents the latter from being drawn backwards until
it is released by the spring being lifted upwards. This is effected
by a small lever which is placed on the rear end of the breech bolt
immediately behind the recess, into which the tooth of the spring drops,
the lower end theroof being curved at an angle to the upper end, so
that upon the latter being pressed backwards by the finger the spring
and its tooth are raised and the breech bolt liberated. At the upper
part of the rear end of the breech bolt and behind the last mentioned
lover is a vertical finger piece (both the lever and finger piece having
a slot or division in the centre thereof to serve as a sight guide), and
by means of which the breech bolt is drawn backwards for the purpose
of loading and opening the breech chamber. Immediately behind the
finger piece and capable of working upwards and downwards on the
end of the breech bolt by means of a dovetailed projection and groove
is a locking plate, the upper part of which when the same is depressed
in the act of firing fits into recesses formed for its reception in the
brecch. The lower portion of the plate fits the breech chamber, and
upon being depressed works through a slot and forces the end of the
sear spring downwards. The centre of the plate is perforated to allow
of a pin which is pivoted in the end of the breech bolt passing through
the same. The rear end of the last-mentioned pin is furnished with
a screw thread, to which is attached a small bar or lever having a
projection on one face thereof, and which bar or lever together with
the pin forms the trigger. The bar or lever turns on the screw at the
end of the pin, so that it can be placed with the projection in an upward
or downward direction. When it is desired to load the gun the breech
bolt is drawn backwards by means of the finger piece, the before-
mentioned lever being at the same time actuated so as to release the

page_text: bolt. The ammunition having been inserted the bolt is pushed forwards
and the scar tooth placed in gear with the discharging piston. As
long as the projection on the trigger bar is in a downward direction
and resting upon the tail of the breech the gun cannot be discharged,
but upon turning the trigger bar and placing the projection in an
upward direction and then depressing the bar, the pin, which is pivoted
to the breech block, is actuated and the locking plate forced downwards,
the lower part thereof depressing the end of the sear spring, whilst
the upper part enters the before-mentioned recesses and securely locks
the breech bolt.
The mechanism herein-before particularly described may be applied
to the conversion of breech-loading fire-arms constructed in accordance
with the "bolt" system, such as the "Chassepot" system, by simply
removing the rear end of the breech bolt with its appliances and
attaching the before-described arrangements, the requiste modifications
being made in the scar spring and in the chambering of the stock,
as will be well understood by persons conversant with such matters.
Another improvement which may be employed in connection with
my said Invention and forming part thereof when metallic headed
cartridges are employed is a simple piece of mechanism for extracting the
cartridge case from the barrel. This extractor consists of a small catch
or lever which is pivoted at the hinder end thereof to the bottom or
side of the forward end of the brecch block, which together with the
barrel is chambered for its operation. The inner face of the catch or
lever is constructed with a groove into which the rim of the cartridge 1
case is capable of fitting. Upon the bolt being pushed forwards pre-
paratory to firing the forward end of the catch or lever passes over the
rim of the cartridge head, which is received by the groove upon the
latter being reached. Upon the bolt being withdrawn the catch or
lever extracts the cartridge case.
3
A further improvement embraced by my said Invention is adapted
to cases in which soft cartridges are employed and adapted for being
exploded by a percussing piston by means of a percussion cap or fulminate
holder being placed in the head of the cartridge. The requisite amount
of resistance to the percussing blow (which would not be otherwise a
possessed by the cartridge) is attained by placing in a recess in the
lower part of the rear end of the barrel a small toothed catch or lever
which is pivoted at the hinder end, and which hinder end is formed

page_text: with a bevilled face corresponding with a bevilled face on the end of
the breech-bolt, so that upon the latter being placed in position for
firing the hinder end of the catch or lever is depressed, and the tooth
at the forward end thereof forced into the cartridge, which is thereby
held with sufficient firmness.
.
_ I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. The
same letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several Figures.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gun. Figure 2, a' longi-
tudinal section and Figure 3 is a top view. In Figure 1 the breech
bolt is shewn as withdrawn in red lines; and in Figure 2 the percussing
apparatus and the trigger arrangements after discharge are also shewn
in red lines. A is the stock; B, the barrel, O, the breech; D, the breech
bolt; E, the finger piece; e, is the slot therein; F, the lever in front
thereof with the tooth f, by which the tooth g on the spring G is
liberated; H is the locking plate; I is the trigger bar; i, the projection
thereon; and, the pivoted piece by which the locking bar is actuated;
K is the sear spring, shewn also in red lines, as when discharged; L is
the opening in the breech for the insertion of the cartridge; M is the
percussing needle or piston; Figure 4 is a transverse section shewing
the finger piece and the locking plate; Figure 5 represents the locking
plate; Figure 6, the pivoted piece ; Figure 7 the trigger bar;
Figure 8 shews the slotted lever in front of the finger piece; Figure 9
is the toothed spring for retaining the breech bolt until liberated by the
lever F; Figure 10 is the sear spring; Figure 11 is a section of the
finger piece and breech block; Figures 12 and 13, are side and end
views of the finger piece and breech bolt; Figure 14 is the breech
bolt; Figures 15, 16, and 17 show the discharging and percussing
mechanism; Figure 18 is a bottom view of the breech, breech bolt, and
trigger bar.
In Sheet 2, Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section the before-
described arrangement for extracting the cartridge case. Figure 2
being a side view shewing in dotted lines the breech bolt withdrawn
for the purpose of loading. Figure 3 shews the before described
arrangement for holding a soft cartridge firmly in position; Figure 4
the end of the breech bolt and the barrel in section; Figure 5, a side
view of the end of the breech bolt, and Figure 6 a transverse section
of the same; Figure 7 is a section-through the end of the barrel.

page_text: It will be observed that in the annexed Drawings the end of the
breech bolt is shewn as being reduced in diameter with a conical or
bevilled shoulder between such portion and the main part of the breech
bolt. The end of the barrel is recessed so as to correspond with this
formation of the breech bolt, which when the locking plate is depressed
is securely forced into the barrel, and the breech rendered perfectly
gas-tight. These arrangements form an important and distinctive
feature in this Invention.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that 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, the combinations and arrangements
of parts, and mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes herein
before described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Gordon, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Second day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUNT VAUGHAN,
51, Chancery Lanc.
CHARLES GORDON. (L.S.)