IMPROVEMENTS IN GUN Locks
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GUN Locks."-A
communication from abroad by Randal Duke Hay and James
Madison Hill, both of Crooked Creek, in the State of North
Carolina, United States of America.
Sealed the 20th July 1869, and dated the 10th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th May 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GUN LOCKS," to be
as follows:
This Invention has for its object to provide a movable nipple guard
which will prevent the hammer from falling upon the cap in case of
accidentally becoming disengaged from its holder by any means other

page_text: than the regular action of the trigger in discharging it, and which will
by the action of the trigger be moved out of the way of the hammer
when regularly discharged. To this end a hollow case or guard is
hinged to the side of the lock so that when closed up against the side
of the lock the top will project over the nipple into the path of the
hammer in striking the nipple. This guard is moved out of the way of
the hammer when it is required to discharge the gun by a lever and
bell crank and link which are actuated by the trigger just previous to
discharging the hammer so as to throw the guard out of the way of the
hammer. By means of a spring these devices throw the guard back
again after the hammer is raised,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis.
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 time 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 GUN LOCKS," being a communication to me from
abroad by Randal Duke Hay and James Madison Hill, of Crooked Creek,
in the State of North Carolina, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or

page_text: .
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say)
;
This Invention for "Improvements in Gun Locks" has for its object to
provide a movable nipple guard which will prevent the hammer from
falling upon the cap in case of accidentally becoming disengaged from
its holder by any means other than the regular action of the trigger. in
discharging it. This nipple guard will also by the action of the trigger
be moved out of the way of the hammer when regularly discharged.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of
part of a gun with a lock constructed according to the Invention
adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is an inside view of the improved lock, and
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.
A hollow case or guard A is adapted to the side of the lock, so that
when closed up against the side of the lock the top B will project over
the nipple C, and will thus be in the path of the hammer D. in striking
the nipple. This guard A is hinged to the side of the lock at E in any
suitable manner and the top thereof is made strong enough to arrest
the hammer when at any time it may become accidentally disconnected
from its halder, and the guard will thereby prevent accidental discharges
of the gun. This guard is moved out of the way of the hammer into
the position shewn by dots in Fig. 3 (when it is required to discharge
the gun) by means of a lever F and bell crank G and link H, which
are actuated by the trigger just previous to dischanging the hammer so
as to throw the guard A out of the way of the hammer D. These
devices will also throw the guard back again after the hammer is raised,
being actuated by a spring M. The lever F is pivotted at I to any
convenient part of the interior of the lock, and is provided with a right
angled or bent projection K at one end to be raised by the trigger
slightly in advance of the movement of the dog L for releasing the

page_text: hammer. The other end is connected with one arm of the bell
crank G arranged in a slot through the plate of the lock and connected
by its other end to the link H, which latter is connected to the
guard A. Other means for operating the guard may be employed.
M represents the small spring which is employed to throw the guard A
back to the position represented in Fig. 3. when the hammer is raised.
By the employment of this guard A the gun may be prevented from
premature discharge as already shown, and the caps may be protected
from rain, also from being lost off by catching in the clothes or with
twigs or branches of trees. The gun may be thereby safely carried with
the hammer ready for firing.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First. The combination with the lock of a fire-arm of a guard to
protect the nipple or a cap thereon from being accidentally struck by
the hammer.
Second. I claim the mechanical arrangements herein set forth, or any
equivalent devices for moving the guard out of the way of the hammer
when it desired to discharge the gun.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.