Improvements in Breechloading and other Small Fire-arms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breechloading and other Small Fire-arms.
I THOMAS PERKES of 119 Jermyn Street Saint James's in the County of
London Gunmaker 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 :-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described whereby the
accidental or premature falling of the hammer is prevented and whereby one
trigger only is required for the purpose of operating both locks of a double
barrelled gun.
In ordinary gun locks it is usual to have intercepting blocks which catch or
obstruct the falling of the hammer on the striker when the scear nose through any
cause fails to hold the hammer at cock. Before the gun can be fired it is necessary
to recock the fallen hammer. By the first part of my invention I prevent the
scear nose failing to hold the hammer at cock by a check automatically working
which holds the scear in the required position until the trigger is raised by the
finger.
To effect this object I fit the trigger, trigger plate, or lock plate with a suitable
limb or device hereinafter referred to as the "scear check" which may be either
pivotted or have a sliding movement, though I prefer and shew it pivotted. I form
the top end of the said scear check to engage with the scear and the bottom end to
engage with the trigger plate or a projection thereon. The bottom end auto-
matically locks into the trigger plate or projection therein, and it is impossible for
the scear to rise until required as the greater the pressure on the top end of the
scear check, the more securely is it locked. On raising the trigger with the finger,
the scear check is carried out of the trigger plate or projection by the natural
circular motion of the trigger upon its pivot, thus allowing the scear to be raised by
the trigger in the usual manner.
Instead of operating my scear check by the rise and fall of the trigger, I can
place and hold it in the checking position by means of a spring and take it out of
that position by the trigger. In this case I mount the scear check on the trigger
plate and place a spring at its rear or in any other suitable position. I also form a
projection on its side which engages with the heel of the trigger and as the trigger
is raised lifts the top end of the scear check clear of the scear so as to permit of the
operation of the latter by the trigger in the usual way.
Another form of my said invention is to so arrange my scear check that it is
capable of being placed into position to check one scear by the raising of the
trigger of the other lock. To effect this I form on the scear check an arm which
extends sideways so as to engage with or rest on the opposite trigger. On firing
say the right hand barrel of a double barrelled gun the trigger raises with it the
said arm and thereby depresses the top end of the scear check on to the scear of
the left hand lock and at the same time locks the lower end thereof into the trigger
plate thus completely preventing the scear of the left hand lock from moving during
the firing of the right. The operation of the opposite lock and scear check would
of course be similar.
When the scear check lastly described is mounted on the trigger plate or lock
plate it is not necessary to form the bottom end to lock into the trigger plate.
The second part of my invention consists of a very simple mode of operating
both locks of a double barrelled gun by one trigger.
In order to effect this object I fit the single trigger with a pivotted limb having
upon it a side projection or step and being operated into its acting position by a
suitable spring. This limb is normally held back by the right hand scear.
On

page_text: raising the trigger to fire the right barrel, the scear being also raised allows the
limb by the action of its spring when the trigger is depressed to take its forward
position. The side projection or step is thereby placed under the scear of the left
hand lock and in position to raise it to fire its corresponding barrel. On the
cocking of the right hand hammer, the seear presses back the limb and takes the
side projection or step thereon out of the way of the left hand scear.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings show in longitudinal section a
portion of the right hand lock. trigger and trigger plate of a double barrelled gun
fitted with my scear check. Figure 1 showing the position of the parts when the
hammer is at full cock. Fig. 2 when it is fired.
Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings shows in longitudinal section a like portion
of the right hand lock and trigger and trigger plate together with the scear and
trigger of the left hand lock both fitted with my scear check working from the
opposite trigger.
Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings shows a similar section of the scear and
scear check of the right hand lock being operated by the left hand trigger such
scear check being mounted on the trigger plate.
Figure 5 of the said drawings show a similar section of a portion of a right hand
lock, trigger and trigger plate, with my scear check pivotted on the trigger plate,
and operated by a spring and its own trigger.
Figures 6 and 64 of the said drawings represent similar sections of a portion of a
right hand lock of a double barrelled gun fitted with my one trigger device and the
scear of the left hand lock.
Fig. 6. shows the tumbler in the fired position, the trigger being raised and the
trigger device held back by the right hand scear and prevented from operating the
left hand scear. Fig. 6 shows the trigger device in its forward position ready to
operate the left hand scear.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters refer to similar parts.
A is the tumbler, B is the scear, C the trigger, D the trigger plate, having a
projection or recess D¹, and E the scear check constructed at the top end E', so as
to engage with the scear B and at its lower end E2 so as to engage with the
projection or recess D'.
In Fig. 3. E³ is the arm of the scear check E, which engages with its opposite
trigger.
In Fig. 5. E is the side projection on the scear check E, and F is the operating
spring.
In Figures 6 and 6A, G is the limb for operating both scears, G¹ being the side
projection or step, H is its spring.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the drawings the operation of
the various parts.
When the gun is cocked as shown in Figure 1 the hammer A is held in that
position by the scear B engaging in its bent. The scear is securely held in the said
beut by the scear check E pivotted on the trigger C, the top end E' engaging with
the scear and the bottom end E2 being locked into the projection D'. Should the
said scear B have the least tendency from any cause to jar or move out of the bent
in the hammer A it is absolutely prevented from so doing by the scear check E, as
the greater the pressure of the scear on E', E being a pivotted limb, the more
securely is E2 locked into D', and it is impossible until the trigger C is raised in the
ordinary way, as in Fig. 2, to release the scear B from its bent. The scear check E,
being carried by the trigger C, rises with the trigger, which by its natural radial
motion withdraws E' from the projection D' and allows the scear B to be withdrawn
in the usual way from its bent, as shown in Figure 2.
The operation of my scear check E in Figure 5 is somewhat similar to that just
described, except that it is put into its retaining position by the action of the
spring F, and is taken out of the way when the scear is required to be released by
he heel of the trigger pressing against the projection E and revolving it upwards
clear of the scear. The scear check E being pivotted on the trigger plate D

page_text: securely holds the scear B in its bent by the natural action of the opposite circular
inovements of the two parts. The spring F may if preferred be dispensed with and
the trigger connected with the scear check so as to give it both movements.
In Figure 3 my scear check is shown formed with an arm E³ extending sd ways
so as to engage with the opposite trigger. It is pivotted on the trigger (in
Figure 4 I show it pivotted on the trigger plate and it may also be pivotted on the
lock plate) and on raising say the right trigger as shown, it rotates the left scear
check on to the left scear, E¹ holding down the scear and E² being locked into a
recess D¹ cut into the trigger plate, thus preventing the scear B, trigger C, and
scear check E from moving whilst the right hand trigger is being fired. On firing
the left hand barrel the action is the same with the right hand scear check. On
releasing one trigger the opposite trigger is then free to be raised in the ordinary
manner. The scear check E being pivotted on it, the end E' rotates as the trigger
is raised out of the recess D¹ in the trigger plate.
The scear check E shown in Figure 4 which is a right hand one operated by
the left hand trigger being pivotted to the trigger plate requires no lower
extension E².
In my one trigger device shown at Fig. 6, the right hand hammer A has been
fired the corresponding scear B holding back the limb G which is suitably formed
to engage with it.
The limb G is pivotted on the trigger and has a step or projection G¹ and
operating spring H. The hammer A is suitably formed to hold up the scear B
when in the fired position.
When therefore the trigger (carrying down with it the limb G) is allowed to
return to its first position the spring H is enabled to operate the limb G into the
forward position, thus bringing the side projection G' under and in the position for
operating the second scear.
The return motion of the first scear going into bent on the recocking of the gun,
presses and holds back the limb G into its inoperative position.
Fig. 6 shows the limb G pivotted on the trigger and brought into its forward
position for operating the second scear by the action of its spring H.
Although I show my scear checks (except in Figure 5) without springs such
springs can be used if preferred.
My scear checks can also be used with or without the ordinary intercepting
blocks.
In double barrelled guns the parts relating to my scear checks are in duplicate
that is to say one for each barrel."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improved automatic scear check operated by its own trigger and carried
thereon or on the trigger plate for the purpose and substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improved automatic scear check carried by its own trigger, or on the lock
or trigger plate, and capable of being operated by the opposite trigger for the
purpose and substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
3. The limb G. G' pivotted on the trigger for the purpose of operating by means
of one trigger, the second scear of a double barrelled gun substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of June 1893.
THOMAS PERKES.