AN IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING SMALL- ARM
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1871.—A communication from abroad by Jean Turon,
of Longueville, Lot et Garonne, France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING SMALL-
ARM," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Turon, of Longueville,
Lot et Garonne, France, to be as follows:-
-
This improved fire-arm differs from ordinary fowling-pieces; 1°, by the
inner form of the breech stopper or plug; 23, by the priming carrier or
nipple provided with a lever; 3°, by the needle. These pieces constitute
the system the subject of this Invention.
Breech Plug. This piece is arranged so as to permit the rapid firing of
the powder; the upper opening is screw threaded to receive the nipple,
and its interior is opened out to facilitate the exit of the priming after the
explosion.

page_text: Priming Carrier or Nipple.-This picce, the object of which is to
introduce the cap into the barrel, terminates by a perpendicular opening
in a cavity in the breech plug, and is screw threaded to fix therein, or in
lieu of being screw threaded it may simply be pushed in and held by a
shifting catch, but in this case damp might possibly penetrate. It is
attached to a hinged lever, itself fixed by one end to the barrel.
Needle. The needle is moveable, passing through the entire length of
the nipple; it has no other function but that of striking the cap in the
middle of the chamber by the downward movement given to it by the
cock.
This system is applicable to existing fire-arms, and the various pieces
composing it may be made of any of the metals used in the manufacture
of fire-arms.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing represents a fire-arm embodying
this Invention, and various parts detached.
On the fire-arm 1, 1, indicate the gun; 2, the hinge of the lever; 3,
arm of the lever, rising perpendicularly to the barrel when the nipple is
unscrewed; 4, upper part of priming carrier riveted thereto; 5, needle;
6, picce fixed to the barrel by a screw, and the lug No. 10, of detached
parts.
Detached Parts.-7, 7, Lever arm rising perpendicularly to the barrel
when the priming carrier has been unscrewed; 8, side view of hinge;
9, scrow which secures this piece to the barrel; 10, projection or lug;
11, opening of greater length than breadth, into which the nipple must
pass to the point indicated by the letter a, No. 16. 12, front view of
hinge; 13, upper part of priming carrier upon which the nipple is to be
riveted when it has passed through the opening No. 11.. The points B, B,
indicate the position of the nipple, and the superficial flutings serve to
prevent No. 16 turning in the hole B, B, when riveted. This Figure is
for the left barrel; 14, same piece as the preceding (No. 13,) but for right
barrel; 15, same piece as Nos. 13 and 14, but in side view; 16, nipple.
The top part, which is contracted, must pass through the hole No. 11,
and be riveted to the pieces Nos. 13 and 14, as shown. (The two little
circles at c, c, indicate the point where the needle No. 17 must pass;
17, needle. E point, which is to strike the priming in the middle of the
chamber; 18, piece which is to be fixed on the barrel; a shoulder is
riveted at the point D, Fig. 18°, to receive the pieces 13 and 14 at the last

page_text: turn of the screw thread; 19, breech plug. Three or four turns of a
screw thread are sufficient to hold the needle No. 22; 20, longitudinal
section through breech plug. The line F indicates the half of the
opening through which passes the nipple, the screw threads appearing;
the line G indicates that this part should be enlarged in its breadth, that
is to say, from right to left of the barrel; 21, breech plug showing the
opening through which No. 22 must pass; 22, nipple to which the upper
part No. 13 or 14 is riveted.
turn of the screw thread; 19, breech plug. Three or four turns of a
screw thread are sufficient to hold the needle No. 22; 20, longitudinal
section through breech plug. The line F indicates the half of the
opening through which passes the nipple, the screw threads appearing;
the line G indicates that this part should be enlarged in its breadth, that
is to say, from right to left of the barrel; 21, breech plug showing the
opening through which No. 22 must pass; 22, nipple to which the upper
part No. 13 or 14 is riveted.
The detached parts are about full size; they will however slightly vary
with the caliber of the gun, which is drawn half the usual size.