IMPROVEMENTS IN "HAMMERLESS GUNS
Year: 1885

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I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN "HAMMERLESS GUNS" (A. communi-
cation from abroad by Andrew Hyde of Hatfield in the County of Hampshire,
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman) and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The first part of the invention consists of the construction and relative arrange-
ments in a Hammerless Gun, of a locking bolt, one or more internal hammers or
strikers, and an actuating hand-lever, whereby in one movement of the hand-lever,
the striker or strikers are brought to a "half-cock" and the bolt moved to release
the barrels.
The second part consists in the construction and relative arrangement in a
"Hammerless Gun," of one or more pivoted hammers or strikers and a bolt
releasing hand-lever, whereby by means of the hand-lever, the striker or strikers
may be brought from a fired position to a "half-cock" and from a half cock to
a full cock,-and-
"
The third part consists in the construction and relative arrangement in a
'Hammerless Gun" of one or more strikers and a bolt releasing hand-lever,
whereby the hand-lever is adapted to ease the strikers from a full-cock, to a
half-cock position, or beyond it.
The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 is an elevation in section through the receiver of a Hammerless Gun
showing one striker down, and showing the relative position of the other parts
thereto.
"
half-
Fig. II is the same view of the receiver showing the striker brought to a
cock" and the locking bolt in the act of being moved to release the barrels.
Fig. III. shows the striker brought to a "full-cock," or in the act of being lowered
from that position.
Figs. IV and V are detail views.
A is the receiver. B is a locking bolt. C is a lever pivoted at c in the receiver
and having what may be called its free end operatively connected to the bolt B to
cause the said bolt to be reciprocated by the vibration of lever C.
dis an arm of lever C bearing against a spring d" in the receiver, and D is a
bearing surface upon the lever C opposed to the spring end d.

page_text: E is a hammer or striker contained within the receiver, pivoted upon a pin
at e, provided with a main-spring, and adapted to be engaged by the trigger dog.
The striker E is also provided with a rear extension or tail G.
H is an "action" lever pivoted at one end and adapted to have its other swing
through a slot in the top of the receiver.
• I is a bearing surface upon the pivoted end of lever H and conforming to the
bearing surface D, of lever C.
K is a shoulder upon the pivoted end of lever II, and adapted to come against,
and hook over the upper front corner of the striker E.
J is an under surface of lever H, and adapted to bear against the upper extreine
end of tail G of striker E, and m is a spring in the receiver adapted to bear against
the free end of lever H to hold it normally in the position shown in Fig. 1.
The lever H is arranged relatively to the bolt-lever C, and striker E, to have its
pivoted head interposed between the two, and to have its surface I and shoulder K,
upon opposite sides of its pivot h, operate to distend the lever and striker E upon
an upward swing of lever H.
The lever H is arranged, when in an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. I,
with the striker down, and as it would be in Fig. III were it released by the hand,
to have its surface I coincide with the spring distended surface D of lever C, and
to have its free end held by spring m immediately above and in contact or close to
the tail G of the striker.
The surface D of lever C, bears only to one side of pivot h upon lever H, to
adapt the lever C to be moved only by the upward swing of lever H; while
remaining unaffected by the downward swing of lever H.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows,-
The barrels being locked as indicated by the bolt B in Fig. I, and the striker
being.down as shown in the same Figure, when it is desired to break the barrels
away. The lever is puslied up by hand as shown in Fig. II, in that motion
bringing the striker to a half cock and withdrawing the bolts to release the barrels,
and bringing the striker to a half cock at a short interval before the barrels are
released.
The barrels being released a removal of the pressure from lever H permits the
spring acting through surfaces D, I, to restore the lever H to the position shown
in Fig. I.
The striker being at half-cock, it will be seen that the loaded barrels can be
locked to the breech without disturbing the striker in its half-cock position.
When it is desired to full cock the striker, a downward pressure of the hand
upon the lever H, as shown in Fig. III, bears said lever upon the tail G, of the
striker to bring it to a full-cock.
The spring m as aforesaid returning lever H when manually released, to the
position seen in Fig. I, and it will be seen that the play of lever H under the
hand, opposed only by the slight spring m, acts as a sure indicator of the full-cock
position of the striker.
The parts being in the position shown in Fig. I, a downward pressure of the
hand upon lever H as shown in Fig. III, will bring the striker to a half-cock, as
well as it would be brought to the same position by an upward movement of said
lever, as before described, and this is important for the reason that sometimes from
fouling or rusting the bolt B will stick, and in order to exert the full force of the
hand to start said bolt, it is desirable to get the power of the main-spring exerted
through the striker, out of the way, which is accomplished by bringing the striker
to a half-cock by a downward pressure upon lever H.
. Should the bolt B from any cause remain stuck in the position seen in Fig. II,
the lever H being in the position seen in Fig. I would show a gap between the
surfaces D, I, which gap would indicate to the eye the failure of bolt B to lock
the barrels.
In the drawings it is deemed sufficient to illustrate the invention by showing
only one striker with its trigger and main-spring the two 'being the usual counter-

page_text: parts and as a convenient way of operating both strikers by a centrally disposed
lever H working through a narrow opening in the top of the receiver, projections g
in reverse directions from the tails G of strikera E, come under surface J of lever H
to be acted upon by it, as the top surface of a single striker would be. The end
view of one striker is shown in Fig. V.
Also to more clearly illustrate the action of the parts, the striker E is shown in
rear of the lever C; and a firing pin L represented as interposed between the
striker and the cartridge; but without a departure from the spirit of the inven-
tion, the strikers having firing points may be arranged upon each side of lever C, and
the lever H straddling the lever C may act on a surface D arranged upon the end d
it only being important that the lever H should distend a spring actuated bolt-
lever and a striker, to so simultaneously move them, to be in turn restored by said
spring.
In Fig. IV, an end view of lever H is shown, openings permitting the firing
pins L to pass through the shoulder K.
By these means a Hammerless Gun may be provided combining the advantages
of a Hammer Gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. In a breech-loading gun of the character described the barrel-locking bolt,
a pivoted lever bearing thereon, a spring bearing on said lever, a pivoted hammer
having usual trigger mechanism, and an action lever pivoted substantially as
described to bear on one side of the pivot on the bolt operating lever, and on the
other side to bear on the hammer when said lever is actuated, the combination
being and operating substantially as described.
2. In a concealed hammer gun the combination of a barrel-locking bolt, a
pivoted operating lever therewith, a spring bearing on one side of said lever,
a pivoted hammer having the usual trigger mechanism, an action lever pivoted
in the upper portion of the frame having an extension above its pivot engaging
the bolt operating lever, and an extension below its pivot engaging the front
of the hammer when suitably actuated, substantially as described.
3. In a concealed haminer gun, the pivoted hammer having a rearward extension
(and usual trigger mechanisin) and the action lever pivoted as described so as to
enter the top of the frame in rear of its pivot and bear directly on the extension
of the hammer, combined substantially as described.
4. A slotted gun frame, a pivoted hammer within said frame, in line with the
slot, and an action lever pivoted in the frame having a projection which enters
the slot in front of the hammer pivot, and a projection in the rear of the hammer
pivot, said projections engaging the hammer alternately when suitably actuated,
the combination being and operating substantially as described.
5. In a concealed hammer gun, the combination of a sliding locking bolt, an
operating lever engaging therewith, a spring bearing on one side of said lever, a
pivoted hammer in usual location and having rear extension, an action lever pivoted
in the frame, and having engagement above its pivot with the bolt lever and below
its pivot with the face of the hammer (when said lever is actuated in one direction)
said action lever engaging also the rearward extension of hammer when actuated
in reverse direction, all being and operating substantially as stated.
Dated this manand don of A1 100-
WM P, THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant