Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 6th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov., 1887
1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the use of an appliance or mechanism interposed between
the striker or firing bolt of a gun or firearm and the percussion cap or igniting device
of the cartridge, which appliance is thrown forward by the blow of the striker so as to
transmit its action to the cap, and which, on the firing of the cartridge, is thrown
backwards again by the explosion, and is thereby caused either to bring the striker
back to its original position, or to effect the cocking of the lock, or to release the
locking apparatus of the breech mechanism, or to effect the opening of the same, or
generally to perform automatically any one or more of the operations that have now
to be effected by hand after the firing of the gun.
The construction and mode of operation of the said appliance or mechanism may be
variously modified according to the purposes for which it is applied. Thus according
to one arrangement, the cap chamber of the cartridge, which may either be formed or
fixed in the cartridge case, or may be screwed into the same or into a second chamber
formed or fixed in the base of the cartridge case, is made of sufficient depth to contain
in addition to the cap or other igniting device, a cylindrical plug fitting closely therein
and of such length and so placed that before firing its outer end is flush with the end
surface of the cartridge case, while it is at the same time capable of being thrown
forward by the action of the striker so as to bring the fulminate or other igniting
compound in contact with the anvil, which may be arranged in any known manner.

page_text: By preference the percussion cap employed in combination with this device is arranged
to slide forward in the cap chamber in order to be brought in contact with the anvil
as described in the Provisional Specification No. 14620 of 1886, so that the sliding
plug when acted upon by the striker propels the cap against the anvil. Or the front
end of the sliding plug may itself be formed so as to contain the fulminate.
The breech block of the gun has a central hole in which is fitted a sliding socket
pressed forward by a helical spring so that its front face, when in the forward position,
is flush with that of the breech block, and consequently bears upon the rear end of
the plug when in its normal position before firing; it also partly bears upon part of
the end face of the cap chamber surrounding the plug, so that it cannot press the plug
forward beyond that position. This socket contains the striker, the stem of which
passes through its rear end and is acted upon by the lock mechanism of the gun, it
being by preference so arranged that a spring within the sliding socket tends to throw
the striker forward for firing the cartridge, while the lock mechanism holds the striker
back against the action of the spring until the moment of firing.
On firing, the striker throws the plug and cap forward against the anvil, and by the
ensuing explosion the plug and cap are thrown back again, causing the plug to be
protruded more or less beyond the cap chamber so as to push back the sliding socket
and its striker against the action of the spring of the former, until the striker is
brought into the backward or cocked position in which it is held by the catch of the
lock.
When the projectile has left the gun and the plug consequently ceases to he forced
backwards by the gaseous pressure, the spring of the sliding socket will force this
forwards again and will thus cause the plug of the cartridge to move hack into its
original position in the cap chamber, whereupon the breech block can be opened and
the cartridge case with its plug be removed and replaced by a fresh cartridge and
plug.
By the forward motion of the socket, the spring of the striker (which is weaker than
that of the socket) is compressed, and the striker is thus made ready for the next fire.
The plug is provided with any suitable means, such as a threaded hole, or a neck or
recess, whereby it can be removed from the cap chamber by a key, for the introduction
of a fresh percussion cap.
In order to reduce the force required by the striker to effect the firing with the
above arrangement, the plug may have a central sliding pin upon which the striker
acts when firing, instead of having to propel the entire plug forward, the entire plug
being thrown backward by the explosion as before.
For-insuring the correct reassumption of its original position by the plug after
firing, a helical spring may be employed, which bears at one end on a collar on the
plug and at the other end on a stop in the cap chamber, and this spring may be made
to take the place of the springs of the sliding socket in the breech piece.
The before described central pin of the plug may also be provided with a helical
spring for the same purpose, contained in a cavity of the plug.
As before stated, the backward motion of the plug, sliding socket and striker may
be utilised in other ways than for merely bringing the striker back into the cocked
position, such as for acting upon the locking device of the breech block, or for causing
a partial rotation of the breech block whereby this is automatically opened or brought
to the opening position.
It will be evident that the above described invention may be applied to all descrip-
tions of guns and fire arms generally, the cartridge cases for which have a sufficiently
large chamber for receiving the sliding plug.
Dol 1
T
1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Mechanism or Appliances Employed in Combination with Guns or
Fire Arms and their Cartridges for Utilising the Force of the
Explosion Gases for Performing Cocking and other Operations
after Firing.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent 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 :-
This invention relates to the use of an appliance or mechanism interposed between
the striker or firing bolt of a gun or fire arm and the percussion cap or igniting
device of the cartridge, which appliance is thrown forward by the blow of the striker
so as to transmit its action to the cap, and which, on the firing of the cartridge, is
thrown backwards again by the explosion, and is thereby caused either to bring the
striker back to its original position, or to effect the cocking of the lock, or to release
the locking apparatus of the breech mechanism, or to effect the opening of the same,
or generally to perform automatically any one or more of the operations that have now
to be effected by hand after the firing of the gun.
The construction and mode of operation of the said appliance or mechanism may be
variously modified according to the purposes for which it is applied. Thus according
to one arrangement, the cap chamber of the cartridge, which may either be formed or
fixed in the base of the cartridge case, is made of sufficient depth to contain, in
addition to the cap or other igniting device, a cylindrical or polygonal plug fitting
closely therein and of such length and so placed that before firing its outer end is
flush with the end surface of the cartridge case, while it is at the same time capable of
being thrown forward by the action of the striker so as to bring the fulminate or other
igniting compound in contact with the anvil, which may be arranged in any known
By preference the percussion cap employed in combination with this device
is arranged to slide forward in the cap chamber in order to be brought in contact with
the anvil as described in the Specification No. 14620 of 1886, so that the sliding plug
when acted upon by the striker propels the cap against the anvil. Or the front end of
the sliding plug may itself be formed so as to contain the fulminate.
manner.
The breech block of the gun has a central hole in which is fitted a sliding socket
pressed forward by a helical spring so that its front face, when in the forward position,
is flush with that of the breech block, and consequently bears upon the rear end of the
plug when in its normal position before firing; it also partly bears upon part of the
end face of the cap chamber surrounding the plug, so that it cannot press the plug
forward beyond that position. This socket contains the striker, the stem of which
passes through its rear end and is acted upon by the lock mechanism of the gun, it
being by preference so arranged that a spring within the sliding socket tends to throw
the striker forward for firing the cartridge, while the lock mechanism holds the striker
back against the action of the spring until the moment of firing.

page_text: On firing, the striker throws the plug and cap forward against the anvil, and by the
ensuing explosion the plug and cap are thrown back again, causing the plug to be
protruded more or less beyond the cap chamber so as to push back the sliding socket
and its striker against the action of the spring of the former, until the striker is
brought into the backward or cocked position in which it is held by the catch of the
lock.
When the projectile has left the gun and the plug consequently ceases to be forced
backwards by the gaseous pressure, the spring of the sliding socket will force this
forwards again and will thus cause the plug of the cartridge to move back into its
original position in the cap chamber, whereupon the breech block can be opened and
the cartridge with its plug be removed and replaced by a fresh cartridge case and
plug.
By the forward motion of the socket, the spring of the striker (which is weaker
than that of the socket) is compressed, and the striker is thus made ready for the next
fire. The plug is provided with any suitable means, such as a threaded hole, or a neck
or recess, whereby it can be removed from the cap chamber by a key, for the intro-
duction of a fresh percussion cap.
In order to reduce the force required by the striker to effect the firing with the
above arrangement, the plug may have a central sliding pin upon which the striker
acts when firing, instead of having to propel the entire plug forward, the entire plug
being thrown backward by the explosion as before.
For insuring the correct reassumption of its original position by the plug after
firing, a helical spring may be employed, which bears at one end on a collar on the
plug and at the other end on a stop in the cap chamber.
The before described central pin of the plug may also be provided with a helical
spring for the same purpose, contained in a cavity of the plug.
As before stated, the backward motion of the plug, sliding socket and striker may
be utilised in other ways than for merely bringing the striker back into the cocked
position, such as for acting upon the locking device of the breech block, or for causing
a partial rotation of the breech block whereby this is automatically opened or brought
to the opening position, but such application forms no part of the present invention.
It will be evident that the above described invention may be applied to all descrip-
tions of guns and fire arms generally, the cartridge cases for which have a sufficiently
large chamber for receiving the sliding plug.
The accompanying drawing shews various arrangements of the above described
mechanism. In all the figures, A is a metal cartridge case of any known construction
and B its cap chamber formed in one therewith, while B shews a cap chamber screwed
or otherwise fixed in the case. The anvil C may either be formed on the cap chamber
or on an igniting tube fixed therein, or it may be loose in the same. D is the breech
block of the gun which may be constructed and operated in any known manner.
The cap chamber B or B¹ is made of greater than ordinary depth in order to receive
the sliding plug a which fits the chamber as closely as practicable, and the outer end
of which, before firing, is flush with the outer end of the cap chamber, as shewn at
Fig. 1. The igniting device b, which may be an ordinary percussion cap, is by
preference so placed as to lie close against the inner end of the plug a, which may
either be solid as at Fig. 1, or more or less hollowed out, as at Figs. 2 & 3, and which
may itself be formed cupped at its inner end for receiving the charge of fulminate in
place of having a separate cap, as shewn at Fig. 7. For facilitating the removal of
such plugs they may have a recess at or a neck as formed either with a screw thread
or with a shoulder, for the insertion of a key. The breech block D contains a sliding
socket c which is pressed by a spring c¹, partly against the outer face of the cartridge
case and partly against that of the plug a which is flush therewith as stated. The
socket contains the striker or firing pin d which, when liberated by the lock
mechanism in the act of firing, is thrown forward against the plug a by a spring d¹.
The plug a is, by this means, thrown against the anvil so as to fire the gun as shewn
at Fig. 2, and the pressure of the resulting explosion gases in passing back into the
cap chamber will then at once force the cap and plug a back again, causing the latter

page_text: to project beyond the cap chamber and to force back the socket c and striker d into
the breech block, as shewn at Fig. 3. This action is by preference so adjusted that
the striker d is brought back into its original position shewn at Fig. 1, so as to be
caught and held in that position by the catch or locking bolt of the lock mechanism.
When the projectile has left the gun, and the gaseous pressure in the latter ceases, the
spring of the socket, which has been compressed by the just described action, will
force the socket c forward again until it again assumes the position shewn in Fig. 1,
thereby pushing the plug a back into the cap chamber, and compressing the spring of
the striker, this being weaker than the spring c.
The breech block can then be opened, and the empty cartridge case be removed
and a new charge introduced into the gun.
If desired, the striker, instead of having to throw the entire plug a forward in
firing, may be made to act upon a central sliding pin a' in the plug, as shewn at Fig. 4,
so that this pin, being thrown forward by the striker, as at Fig. 5, brings the percus-
sion cap against the anvil C. On firing, the explosion gases first force back the
percussion cap and pin al into their original position, the pin being retained by a
head a², and then the whole of the parts a, a, b, c, and d are forced back as above
described.
b
In order to insure that in the above described arrangements the plug shall always
retain its proper position in the cap chamber, it may be held by any suitable
contrivance that will not prevent it from being driven backwards by the explosion
gases thus for instance, a spring a³ may be introduced, as shewn in two different
arrangements at Fig. 4, which holds the plug in the required position with its outer
end flush with the end of the cartridge case, and which is compressed when the plug
is driven backwards by the explosion. The spring a³ may also be utilised for assisting
the socket c and spring c¹ in bringing back the plug into its original position after
firing.
In a similar manner the pin a¹ may be held in position by a spring a³ Fig. 6, which
may also serve to bring it back into this position.
As before stated, the backward motion of the striker or firing pin, or of this
combined with the socket, being effected with considerable energy, may be utilised
in various ways, such as for locking the striker in position, or for cocking the lock,
for unlocking or opening the breech block &c., thus dispensing with similar manipu-
lations now carried out by hand. These arrangements form however no part of
the present invention.
Thus, as has already been explained the striker, when forced backwards, can bo
held in that position by a spring catch &c. after which the socket c in being forced
forward again by its spring c¹, made to cock the spring of the striker, or these
parts may be made by their backward motion, to act upon a spring, lever, or bolt &c.
holding the breech in the closed position, so that this can be opened, or the said parts
may be made to act with a turning or sliding motion upon the breech block itself so as
to effect or assist the opening thereof.
The above described invention is applicable to all cartridges having cap chambers of
sufficient size to receive the plug.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The use, in combination with a cap chamber of a cartridge or of firing mechanism
employed therewith, of a sliding plug the outer end of which is flush with the outer
end of the cap chamber, and which, on firing, is forced backwards by the explosion
gases so as to project beyond the cartridge case and thus move back the striker into
its cocked position, or to cause this or its guiding socket to effect any other operations
that may be desired, substantially as herein described.
2. In combination with a plug contained in the cap chamber of a cartridge, such as
is referred to in the preceding claim, the use of a sliding pin passing through the
plug and so arranged as to be pushed forward through the plug by the action of the
striker so as to bring the percussion cap against the anvil while the plug remains

page_text: stationary, the pin being first moved back into its original position and then pushed
backwards together with the plug by the force of the explosion, substantially as herein
described.
3. The use in combination with sliding plugs and pins, such as are referred to in
the preceding claims, of helical springs so arranged as to hold the plug or pin securely
in its original position, and to bring it back into that position after being acted upon
by the explosion gases, substantially as herein described.
4. The use in combination with a striker or firing pin for acting upon sliding
plugs or pins, such as are referred to in the preceding claims, of a socket containing
the striker and capable of sliding in the breech block of the gun, the said socket
being of such diameter and so arranged, that it is caused to bear both on the outer
end of the plug and on the end surface of the cartridge case, when urged forward by
a spring acting on the same, so that when the plug is driven backward by the
explosion gases, it will force back the socket together with the striker, and when the
socket is driven forward again by its spring it will bring the plug back into its
original position, substantially as herein described.
5. In a combined striker or firing pin and sliding socket arranged and operating
as set forth in the preceding claim, providing the striker or firing pin with a spring
within the socket by means of which it is thrown forward for firing, the said
spring being weaker than the spring acting upon the socket so that when this is
thrown forward by its spring while the striker is held in the backward position, the
spring of the latter is compressed, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 6th day of September 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.