Improvements in Gun Locks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gun Locks.
I, FRANK DE WOLF GRANGER, of No. 39, West 26th Street, in the City,
County and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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, that is to say:-
My invention relates to that class of fire arms in which a plurality of hammers
are released independently of each other by a single trigger.
.
It is one of the principal objects of my invention to eliminate in this class of fire
arms, or materially lessen, the creep of the trigger-that is to say, a movement of
the trigger unaccompanied by the release of the hammer; which I effect by
providing a direct contact between the single trigger and the sear to be operated;
a further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for automatically
determining or for selecting the barrel to be fired; a further feature of the invention
is an improved safety catch for preventing accidental discharge.
Such being the general nature of my invention, in order to make it more clearly
understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying it into
practical effect, without limiting my improvements, in their useful applications, to
the particular construction, which, for the sake of illustration, I have delineated.
In said drawings :-
Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line z-z, Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line xx, Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a perspective. view of the sear-shifting wheel.
Referring to the drawings, A indicates the hammers of a double barrelled gun,'
situated within the breech B and adapted to be automatically cocked, in any well-
known manner.
C, D, are the sears suitably pivoted in the breech and engaging
the hammers, when cocked, by notches at 35. Springs 36 hold the forward ends of
the sears against the hammers.
E is the trigger pivoted in the usual manner in and extending below the breech.
My invention consisting in a means for causing a single trigger to directly engage
and co-operate with either of a plurality of sears, it will be understood that the
invention is not to be confined to the particular mechanism illustrated as various
instrumentalities may be employed to effect such engagement. I prefer to effect it
by making the sears, or portions thereof, laterally movable so that one or the other
of them may be carried into the path of, or into co-operation with, the trigger before
or as it is pulled. C¹ D' are rear extensions of the sears, pivoted to the main
portions of the same at 10 on substantially vertical axes, so that said extensions
may swing laterally towards or from the trigger E. Springs 9 press the extensions
towards a position with their tails over the trigger. Figs. 2 and 5 show the right
hand sear with its extension D' in such position ready to be elevated by the pulling
of the trigger. The rear part of the trigger which thus engages the sears may be
provided with an anti-friction roller 38 to render the action of the lock more
smooth and easy.
37 is a spring which engages the trigger and holds said roller
up against the sears with a light pressure.
It remains to provide for laterally moving the sears so that one or the other of
them may have its tail carried into the path of the trigger at the proper time. Such

page_text: lateral movement may be effected automatically, as by the return or forward
movement of the trigger, or may be caused positively at the will of the marksman.
I have devised and prefer to employ a mechanism which can be operated in either
way, though my invention is not limited to the use of this particular device.
Fis a wheel or disk formed with peripheral ratchet teeth 3 and lateral inclined
or cam-teeth 6, 7, and mounted within the breech in bearings 2, on a transverse or
horizontal axis. The teeth 3 equal in number the total number of the cam-teeth 6
and 7. 8 indicates pins or slides mounted in the bearings 2 parallel with the axis
of the disk F, bearing at their inner ends against the latter. in the paths of the.
cam-teeth and engaged on their outer ends and pressed inwards by the sears under
the influence of springs 9.
The cam-teeth 6 and 7 are alternated with each other
in position upon the opposite sides of the disk F, so that as said disk is rotated step
by step the pins 8 will be alternately thrust outward correspondingly moving
outward first one and then the other of the sear-extensions from over the trigger.
In Fig. 4 the left-hand sear is shown thus thrust out by a cam-tooth 6, while the
pin of the right-hand sear, being situated for the moment between two of the
cam-teeth 7, permits the sear D to be operated by the trigger E to release its-
hammer and discharge its barrel. As the sears are oscillated vertically, ears 40 on
the sear-extensions furnish bearing surfaces for the pins 8.
11 is a spring-depressed button, the stem of which slidės vertically in a suitable
bearing in the breech and carries a pawl 5 engaging the ratchet-teeth 3. By moving.
said button vertically the disk F will be turned one step, or the space of one
tooth 3, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1; the sear in the path of the trigger
will be thrust out and the other sear permitted to move into the path of the trigger,
thus changing the barrel to be discharged.
28 is an arm carried by the trigger and provided with hooked spring-pressed'
pawl 4 engaging the teeth 3. When, after discharge, the trigger is returned by
the action of springs 36, or other suitable spring, the pawl 4 will turn the disk-f
one step so as to automatically reverse the sears irrespective of any operation of
the button 11. If it is desired to discharge the same barrel successively, the
operation of the button, in addition to the automatic action of the pawl 4, will effect
such result. That one of the pawls 4 and 5 which is not actuated will serve to
lock the disk F against retrograde movement. The rearward movement of the trigger
is limited by a shoulder or stop 39 on the breech, so as to cause the pawl 4 to take
only one tooth as the trigger is pulled. In order to prevent the barrel not intended
to be fired from being jarred off by the discharge of the other barrel, I' provide
guards 30 beneath which the sear that is thrust out of action will be held (see the left-
hand sear in Figs. 2 and 5). These guards are elastic or in the form of springs so
as to permit the sear so held to move vertically as its hammer is cocked.
I further provide a safety catch for the trigger arranged also to hold that sear,
the tail of which is over the trigger. Said catch is shown at 25, pivoted at 27 in a
suitable bracket in the breech, operated by a slide 26 external to the breech and
connected with the catch (Fig. 1), and entering at its lower end between the parts
of the arm 28, which is bifurcated for the purpose. The lower end of the catch 25
extends forward sufficiently to engage the tail of the sear over the trigger and thus
effectually lock both trigger and sear.
It is desirable to know with certainty by external inspection of the gun which
barrel is to be next discharged. I, therefore, provide an indicating device for this
purpose adapted to the mode of operation of my improved lock. 12 and 13 are pins
or indicators adapted to be projected through the breech where they may be readily
seen, one on the right and one on the left side of the gun. They are carried by
spring-actuated levers 14, 15, pivotally mounted at 16 in the breech and which
normally tend to project the pins into sight. 17, 18 are rods pivoted to the rear
ends of the levers 14, 15, and guided in fixed bearings 19. The lower ends of said
rods are formed with inclines or cams 20 and are situated one in the horizontal path
of each sear and over their outermost positions. When a sear is in connection with
the trigger it will be from under its rod (see the right-hand side of Fig. 5), and will

page_text: permit the spring-actuated lever (15 in this instance) to turn so as to project its
indicator and show that the barrel corresponding thereto is about to be fired. As
the sear is moved out of connection with the trigger it engages the incline 20 (see
the right-hand side of Fig. 5), and elevates the rod, retracting the corresponding
indicator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A gun lock having a plurality of hammers, sears for the same, a single
trigger, and means for bringing the trigger and either of the sears into direct
contact.
-
2. The combination of a plurality of hammers, vertically and laterally movable
lock sears for the same, a trigger, and means for moving said sears alternately into
and out of co-operation with the trigger.
3. The combination of a plurality of hammers, vertically and laterally movable
lock sears for the same, a trigger, and a trigger actuated cam wheel for moving said
sears into and out of co-operation with the trigger.
4. The combination of a plurality of hammers, vertically and laterally movable
lock sears for the same, a trigger, a wheel bearing alternately arranged series of cam
teeth operating on the respective sears to shift them laterally into and out of
co-operation with the trigger, and a pawl connected with the trigger and engaging
with said wheel to turn it.
5. The combination of a hammer, a trigger, and a jointed lock sear laterally
movable to cause it to be operated by the trigger.
6. The combination of a hammer, a trigger, a jointed lock sear alternately
movable into or out of co-operation with the trigger, and an indicating device
actuated by such movement of the sear.
7. The combination with two vertically and laterally movable lock sears, a trigger,
a safety catch for locking that sear which is in contact with the trigger, and locking
guards for the sears adapted to prevent vertical movement of that sear which is
out of contact with the trigger.
Dated this 7th day of August 1894.
F. DE WOLF GRANGER,
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, Agent.