CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Tolley, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, for the Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 31st July 1877, and dated the 3rd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Tolley at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, on the 3rd February 1877.
HENRY TOLLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker.
" CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
"
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved manner of holding the
barrels of drop down, slide, or turnover guns to and against the face of the body of
the action by means of a horizontal lever affixed to the tang or strap of the action.
The forward end of the lever is prolonged and works with a semicircular movement
in a dovetailed or other conveniently shaped slot on the top of the action. A corre-
sponding slot is made in the rib at the top which is prolonged to a proper distance,
and to receive which prolongation of the rib the action is suitably shaped. When
the gun is closed the semicircular end of the lever is forced with or without springs
into and across the slot in the prolonged rib of the barrels engaging in the body on
the opposite side, thus gripping the barrels to the action, and at the same time
holding them down. The said action may be made with a har to work straight
across, or at any angle or curve across the top of the body, and may be operated
by a lever or by a lever and cam. A circular or other dovetailed slot is cut in the
back part of the lever at a convenient place which engages on to a corresponding
piece on the tang or strap of the action which will steady the lever and give it the
necessary bearing. The stud or piece above mentioned] may be made to expand
by a wedge and screw or screws in case of the wearing of the parts.
The before-mentioned lever works upon and is held in position by a suitable stud
which moves with the said lever. On the under side of the said lever in some case
I provide a suitable bolt or catch for the purpose of more securely holding the
barrels when closed in combination with the top lever fastening already described,
the said bolt or catch being in that case actuated by the said moving stud.
The second part of my Invention relates to a means by which and by the use at
the same time of the first part of my Invention causes the lock (in the case of a

page_text: single barrel) or locks (in the case of double barreled) sporting or military guns to be
cocked by the action of a sliding mainspring which is made to slide backwards and
forwards on the lock plate or body in a slot cut in the forward end of the said body
or lock plate, in which slot is caused to travel a shoe or roller attached to the
forward part of the said mainspring. One of the open ends of the mainspring
travels on an inclinod plane affixed to the lock plate or body. The other end of
the forward part of the mainspring is made to travel from beyond a point which is
forward of the centre of the axle of the tumbler to a point which is a sufficient
distance beyond the axle of the tumbler backwards. The hammer is attached to
the tumbler, and when this is released by the sear the hammer falls with sufficient
force to explode the cap or primer.
The mainspring is pushed back (or cramped) by a rod which bears against the
forward part of the said mainspring and is carried forward through and beyond the
body. This rod is operated upon and pushed backwards, thus at the same time
pushing back (or cramping) the mainspring by means of a cam or fixed peg formed
either upon or being a permanent part of the fore end iron; or it may be attached
to the body or to the barrels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Tolley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August
1877.
"
HENRY TOLLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker.
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECHI-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved manner of holding the
barrels of drop down, slide, or turnover guns to and against the face of the body of
the action by means of a horizontal lever affixed to the tang or strap of the action.
The forward end of the lever is prolonged and works with a semicircular movement
in a dovetailed or other conveniently shaped slot on the top of the action. A corro-
sponding slot is made in the rib at the top which is prolonged to a proper distance,
and to receive which prolongation of the rib the action is suitably shaped. When
the gun is closed the semicircular end of the lever is forced (with or without springs)
into and across the slot in the prolonged rib of the barrels engaging in the body on
the opposite side, thus gripping the barrels to the action, and at the same time
holding them down. The said action may be made with a bar to work straight
across or at any angle or curve across the top of the body, and may be operated by
a lever or by a lover and cam. A circular or other dovetailed or suitably shaped
slot is cut in the back part of the lever at a convenient place which engages on to n
corresponding piece on the tang or strap of the action, which will steady the lever
and give it the necessary bearing. The said stud or piece above mentioned may
be made to expand by a wedge and screw or screws in case of the wearing of the
parts.
The before-mentioned lever works upon and is held in position by a suitable stud
which moves with the said lever. On the under side of the said lever in some cases
I provide a suitable bolt or catch (or if necessary more than one bolt or catch may
be provided) for the purpose of more securely holding the barrels when closed in
combination with the top lever fastening already described, the said bolt or catch
being in that case actuated by the said moving stud.
The second part of my Invention relates to a means by which, and by the use at
the same time of the first part of my Invention, the lock (in the case of a single
barrel) or locks (in the case of double barrelled) sporting or military guns is or are
caused to be cocked by the action of a sliding mainspring which is made to slide
backwards and forwards on the lock plate or body, in a slot cut in the forward end
of the said body or lock plate in which slot is caused to travel a shoe or roller

page_text: attached to the forward part of tho said mainspring. One of the open ends of the
mainspring travels on an inclined plane affixed to the lock plato or body. The
other end of the forward part of the mainspring is made to travel from a point
which is forward of the centre of the axle of the tumbler to a point which is a
sufficient distance beyond the axle of the tumbler backwards. The hammer is
attached to the tumbler, and when this is released by the sear the hammer falls
with sufficient force to explode the cap or primer.
The mainspring is pushed back (or cramped) by a rod which bears against the
forward part of the said mainspring and is carried forward through and beyond the
body. This rod is operated upon and pushed backwards, thus at the same time
pushing back (or cramping) the mainspring by means of a cain or fixed peg formed
either upon or being a permanent part of the fore end iron; or it may be attached
to the body or to the barrels.
As a modification of my Invention I sounetimes instead of attaching the said rod
or arm to the mainspring attach it to a sliding bar let into the under side of the
lock plate (or into the body), the other end of the said sliding bar being caused to
engage in a hook formed at the bottom of the tumbler below the bents.
That my Invention may be fully understood I have annexed Drawings thereof
which I now proceed to describe.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 refer to the first part of my Invention. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
section taken along the centre line of a double barrelled gun; Fig. 2 is a plan of
the top; and Fig. 3 is a plan of the under side of the said gun, or of so much of it
as contains the first part of my Invention.
A, A, are the barrels; B, the tang of the action; and C, the hinge pin or screw
upon which the barrels turn in ordor to be opened or closed. D is a rib projecting
to the rear of the barrels and forming part of them, which rib when the barrels are
closed enters a corresponding recess in the body E of the action; F is a hand lever
turning with the pin G as a fulcrum, and having a semicircular arm H (see Fig. 2)
of a tee-shaped section (see Fig. 1), which arm engages in a corresponding semi-
circular tee-shaped groove formed in the top of the body E of the action, and also in
the top of the prolonged rib D. In Fig. 2 the gun is shewn closed and locked or
gripped by the said curved arm H occupying the whole of said corresponding
curved groove. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 shew the curved arm H withdrawn
from the curved groove, and the dotted lines in Fig. 1 shew the position of the
barrels when open. I is a groove cut in the under side of the lever F and fitting
upon a corresponding projection I' formed upon the tang B of the action for the
purpose of steadying the said lever F.
The arm H instead of being curved may be made straight, and may be then
actuated by a separate arm or cam formed upon the forward end of the lever F, to
which the then separate arm H may be connected by a link or otherwise.
In some cases I provide, iu combination with the mechanism already described,
and for the purpose of still more securely holding the barrels to the body of the
action, when closed; a slide K taking into notches K₁, K², in the curved portion L, L¹,
of the barrels A, and actuated by a link M (see also Fig. 3), and a cam-shaped
arm N formed on the lower end of the fulcrum pin G which turns with the lever F
as aforesaid, so that the movement of the said lever F shoots or withdraws the
slide K at the same time that it also shoots or withdraws the aforesaid curved or
straight arm H on the top of the breech.
If preferred the slide K may be replaced by more than one slide, each acting in
the same manner as the one already described.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew the two positions, open and closed, of a lock constructed
according to the second part of my Invention, whereby the sliding mainspring A¹ is
during the opening of the gun drawn forward from the position shewn in Fig. 4 to
that shewn in Fig. 5 by means of the connecting link A, which is pivoted at one
end to the mainspring and at the other to the barrel of its particular lock. During
the said movement of the mainspring the roller B travels down the inclined plane Č
which is attached to the lock plate D, and the roller E travels from the rear of the

page_text: axis F of the tumbler G, as in Fig. 4, to a point forward of the said axis F, as in Fig. 5,
whereby the action of the mainspring upon the tumbler is reversed so as to throw up
the forward arm and H of the tumbler, and thereby to cock the gun, the scar I acting
in the usual manner. During the closing of the barrels the face K of a cam-shaped
recess K¹ formed in the fore iron L acts upon and drives rearwards the pin M,
which in its turn drives rearwards and cramps the mainspring A¹, and places the
roller E to the rear of the axis F of the tumbler G in readiness to propel the
hammer downwards upon the cap or firing pin when the scar is released by the pull
of the trigger. The said link 4* is external to the lock plate, and takes hold of a
portion of the mainspring which projects through and travels in a slot in thelock
plate.
.
As a modification of this part of my Invention, I sometimes (see Figs. 6 and 7)
connect the link A³ to n hook G¹ on the lower part of the tumbler G by means of a
sliding rod N, in which case the mainspring A¹ is connected to the tumbler G in
the ordinary manner, and the operation of opening the barrels cocks the hammer
by drawing forward the said hook G³ of the tumbler G in opposition to the action
of the mainspring. Fig. 6 shews the barrels open, the link A and the rod N drawn
forwards, and the hammer thereby cocked; and Fig. 7 shews the barrels closed, the
link A¹ and the rod N pushed rearwards, and the hammer fallen after the gun has
been fixed.
Having now, described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be understood that without limiting
myself to the precise details herein-before-contained, as these may be to some extent
varied or modified without departing from the nature of my said Invention, I claim
as the Invention to be protected by the hercin-before in part recited Letters
Patent,-
First. The mechanism for locking the barrels of breech-loading fire-arms when
closed, substantially as herein-before described and shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Second. The mechanism for causing the operation of opening the barrels of
breech-loading fire-arms to cock the haminer, substantially as herein-before described
and shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Tolley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
G. R. HOLLAND,
Birmingham.
HENRY TOLLEY. (L.S.)