IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS."-A Communi-
cation from abroad by Wilbur Fisk Parker, of the City of Meriden,
County of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, United States of
America
Sealed the 16th July 1872, and dated the 19th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th January 1872.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Wilbur Fisk Parker, of the City of
Meriden, County of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, United States
of America, to be as follows:-
L: Tonation valates to
23
improvement in looks for firo-arme

page_text: especially for breech-loading or revolving fire-arms, the object being to
cause the hammer to rebound after it has caused explosion; and the
Invention consists in the construction of the tumbler combined with the
sear, so that after the hammer has been thrown down, an over motion
being given to the spring the sear will throw the tumbler and the
hammer attached thereto back to half cock.
--
In the Drawings Fig. 1 represents an inside view of the lock, and
Figs. 2 and 3 detached views of the tumbler and sear plate to illustrate
the operation of the Invention.
A is the lock plate; B, the hammer; C, the mainspring; D, the 1
tumbler; E, the connection between the tumbler and mainspring; F, the
scar; G, the sear spring, all constructed and arranged to operate in sub-
stantially the usual manner, with this difference, that upon the lower
end of the tumbler E a cam-shaped extension I is formed from the half
cock notch a downward, and that a stop d is made to arrest the action ]
of the mainspring at about half cock.
As represented in broken lines, Fig. 2, the tumbler and mainspring
are in position of full cock. Released from this in the usual manner,
the hammer is thrown down to cause explosion, but before the hammer
strikes the mainspring C rests upon the stop d, having already imparted
to the hammer a sufficient momentum to cause the explosion, carrying
the tumbler to the position denoted in Fig. 3. The nose of the sear
bearing against the projection of cam I and the hammer free from the
mainspring, the power of the sear spring on the sear thus bearing against
the projection I forces the lower end of the tumbler forward until it
reaches the half cock notch a, or sufficiently far to remove the hammer
the desired distance.
While I believe the operation of the sear upon the cam of the tumbler
as described to be the best practical arrangement, it will be evident that
other devices may be employed to throw back the hammer, it being only
essential that the action of the mainspring be arrested before the throw
of the hammer is completed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special
Licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, 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 LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS," a communication to me from
abroad by Wilbur Fisk Parker, of the City of Meriden, County of New
Haven, and State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
that is to say :-
This Invention relates to an improvement in locks for fire-arms,
especially for breech-loading or revolving firc-arms, the object being to.
cause the hammer to rebound after it has caused explosion; and the
:

page_text: Invention consists in the construction of the tumbler combined with the
sear, so that after the hammer has been thrown down, an over motion
being given to the spring the sear will throw the tumbler and the
hammer attached thereto back to half cock.
In the Drawings Fig. 1 represents an inside view of the lock, and
Figs. 2 and 3 detached views of the tumbler and sear plate to illustrate
the operation of the Invention.
A is the lock plate; B, the hammer; C, the mainspring; D, the
tumbler; E, the connection between the tumbler and mainspring; F, the
sear; G, the sear spring, all constructed and arranged to operate in sub-
stantially the usual manner, with this difference, that upon the lower
end of the tumbler D a cam-shaped extension I is formed from the half
cock notch a downwards, and that a stop d is made to arrest the action
of the mainspring at about half cock.
As represented in broken lines, Fig. 2, the tumbler and mainspring
are in position of full cock. Released from this in the usual manner,
the hammer is thrown down to cause explosion, but before the hammer
strikes, the mainspring C rests upon the stop d, having already imparted
to the hammer a sufficient momentum to cause the explosion, carrying
the tumbler to the position denoted in Fig. 3. The nose of the sear
bearing against the projection or cam I and the hammer free from the
mainspring, the power of the sear spring on the sear thus bearing against
the projection I forces the lower end of the tumbler forward until it
reaches the half-cock notch a, or sufficiently far to remove the hammer
the desired distance.
While I believe the operation of the sear upon the cam of the tumbler
as described to be the best practical arrangement, it will be evident that
other devices may be employed to throw back the hammer, it being only
essential that the action of the mainspring be arrested before the throw
of the hammer is completed.
I do not wish to be understood as broadly claiming a rebounding
hammer, as such I am aware is not new, but I claim,—
First. Arresting the action of the spring which actuates the hammer
of a fire-arm before the full throw of the hammer is completed, substan-
tially as described.

page_text: Second. The tumbler D, provided with the cam-shaped end I in com-
bination with the sear F, so that the said sear will force the tumbler to
return, substantially as described.
C
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July Onc
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.