IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gordon, of Goswell Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Distiller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 14th June 1870, and dated the 28th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gordon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th December 1869.
I, CHARLES GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middle-
sex, Distiller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to those
classes of fire-arms in which a breech block carrying a cartridge
extractor, and turning on a fixed hinge pin placed parallel to the breech
and barrel is employed, as, for example, in the "Snider" system.
These improvements consist in arrangements for more securely locking
the breech block during the period of discharge, and for ejecting the

page_text: cartridge case. A cylindrical bolt is placed in the interior of the rear
end of the breech block (which is chambered for that purpose), the
rear end of such bolt being allowed when in its normal position to
project beyond the rear face of the block for the purpose of entering
a recess which is formed in the breech plate for its reception. The bolt
is retained in this position by means of a spiral spring which is placed
in the interior of the breech block behind the bolt. For the purpose of
actuating the bolt and of withdrawing the end thereof from the recess
when it is desired to open the breech chamber a small crank shaped
lever is pivoted on the side of the breech block opposite to the hinge pin,
the inner arm of which lever works through an opening in the breech
block. The forward end of the lever is pivoted in suitable bearings
attached to or formed on the side of the breech block, and the inner arm of
the lever when the latter is in its normal position passes through the
'before-mentioned opening and rests in a recess in the bolt. Upon the
rear end of the outer arm of the lever being depressed by the thumb or
finger (according as the breech block is hinged to the left or right side
of the breech) the inner arm thereof rests upon the bolt, and com-
pressing the spiral spring forces the bolt back, thus allowing the
breech block to be raised and the chamber to be opened. The reaction
of the spiral spring restores the bolt to its original position upon the
pressure being removed from the lever, and also upon the breech block
being closed and the bolt temporarily forced backwards by striking upon
the upper part of the breech plate (which is hollowed or bevilled to
allow of the passage of the bolt) restores it to its normal position with
its rear end resting in the before-mentioned recess, thus securely locking
the breech block during discharge.
The arrangement for facilitating the ejection of the cartridge case is as
follows: A lever of a curved form coinciding with the curvature of the
breech chamber is mounted on the fixed hinge pin, and in its normal
position rests in a recess formed in the side and bottom of the chamber
for its reception. Between the upper part of the lever and the hinge
pin a curved pawl or catch is pivoted, the hinder portion of which
pawl or catch when depressed and drawn forwards rests upon the lever
and raises it from the recess. This action is effected by means of a
tooth which is attached to one of the collars by which the breech block
slides upon the hinge pin, or is otherwise connected with the breech

page_text: block in an analogous manner so as to move therewith. Upon the
breech block being drawn backwards for the purpose of withdrawing
the cartridge case from the barrel. the before-mentioned tooth passes
the forward portion of the pivoted pawl or catch without interruption;
but upon the breech block being returned to its original position the
tooth acts upon the pawl or catch, which in its turn elevates the curved
lever and the latter by its sudden rising ejects the cartridge case from
the chamber. The rising of the curved lever is assisted by the extractor
spring; the hinder end of which is attached to the collar of the lever so
as upon the recoil of the breech block and consequent compression of
the spring to give the lever upon being released from the pawl or catch
a temporary upward motion, as will be well understood.
It is unnecessary to describe the other parts and construction of fire-
arms to which this Invention is applicable, inasmuch as they are well
known and understood..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Gordon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th June 1870:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GORDON,. of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, Distiller,. send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her-
Letters Patent,. bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,.
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Gordon,. Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Gordon, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Gordon, 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

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Gordon, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or 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 Charles Gordon, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to those
classes of breech-loading fire-arms in which a breech block carrying a
cartridge extractor and turning on a fixed hinge pin placed parallel
to the breech and barrel is employed, as, for example; in the "Snider "
system.
These improvements consist in arrangements for more securely locking
the breech block during the period of discharge, and for ejecting the
cartridge case. A cylindrical bolt is placed in the interior of the rear
end of the breech block (which is chambered for that purpose), the
rear end of such bolt being allowed when in its normal position to
project beyond the rear face of the block for the purpose of entering a
recess which is formed in the breech plate for its reception. The bolt
is retained in this position by means of a spiral spring, which is placed
in the interior of the breech block behind the bolt. For the purpose
of actuating the bolt and of withdrawing the end thereof from the recess
when it is desired to open the breech chamber a small crank-shaped
lever is pivoted on the side of the breech block opposite to the hinge
pin, the inner arm of which lever works through an opening in the
breech block. The forward end of the lever is pivoted in suitable
bearings attached to or formed on the side of the breech block, and the
inner arm of the lever when the latter is in its normal position passes
through the before-mentioned opening and rests in a recess in the bolt.

page_text: Upon the rear end of the outer arm of the lever being depressed by the
thumb or finger (according as the breech block is hinged to the left or
right side of the breech) the inner arm thereof acts upon the bolt, and
compressing the spiral spring forces the bolt back, thus allowing the
breech block to be raised and the chamber to be opened. The reaction
of the spiral spring restores the bolt to its original position upon the
pressure being removed from the lever, and also upon the breech block
being closed and the bolt temporarily forced backwards by striking upon
the upper part of the breech plate (which is hollowed or bevilled to
allow of the passage of the bolt) restores it to its normal position with
its rear end resting in the before-mentioned recess, thus securely locking
the breech block during discharge.
The arrangement for facilitating the ejection of the cartridge case is as
follows: A lever of a curved form coinciding with the curvature of
the breech chamber is mounted on the fixed hinge pin, and in its normal
position rests in a recess formed in the side and bottom of the chamber
for its reception. Between the upper part of the lever and the hinge
pin a curved pawl or catch is pivoted, the hinder portion of which catch
when depressed and drawn forwards acts upon the lever and raises it
from the recess. This action is effected by means of a tooth which is
attached to one of the collars by which the breech block slides upon
the hinge pin, or is otherwise connected with the breech block in an
analogous manner so as to move therewith. Upon the breech block
being drawn backwards for the purpose of withdrawing the cartridge
case from the barrel the before-mentioned tooth passes the forward
portion of the pivoted pawl or catch without interruption; but upon the
breech block being returned to its original position the tooth acts upon
the pawl or catch, which in its turn elevates the curved lever, and tho
latter by its sudden rising ejects the cartridge case from the chamber.
The rising of the curved lever is assisted by the extractor spring, the
hinder end of which is attached to the collar of the lever, so as upon the
recoil of the breech block and consequent compression of the spring
to give the lever upon being released from the pawl or catch a temporary
upward motion, as will be well understood.
It is unnecessary to describe the other parts and construction of
fire-arms to which this Invention is applicable, inasmuch as they are

page_text: I will now refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the nature of
my said Invention will be more clearly understood. The same letters
of reference indicate similar parts. in the several Figures..
Figures 1 and 2 represent the respective sides of the breech; Figure 3
is an end view of the back of the breech block, hinge pin, and crank-
shaped lever; Figure 4 is a plan view of the breech with the breech
block raised and the chamber open; Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of
the breech, shewing the mechanism herein-beforo described partly in
section; Figure 6 is the crank-shaped lever; Figure 7 is the block and
lever, and Figure 8 is a section of the same through the line A, B, in
Figure 7; Figure 9 is the locking bolt; Figure 10 shews the hinge pin,
and Figures 11 and 12 shew the same with the extractor and its arrange-
ments in sectional elevation and plan; Figure 13 is the extractor;
Figure 14 is a longitudinal view, and Figure 15 an end view of the-tooth
which works with the breech block for the purpose of actuating the pawl
or catch by which the curved lever is actuated; Figure 16 is a transverse
section of the curved lever and hinge pin, and Figure 17 is a longitudinal
view of part of the breech pin with the curved lever and pawl or catch;
Figure 18 is the pawl or catch.
In these Figures A is the barrel; B, the breech chamber; C, the
breech block. a is the crank-shaped lever; a', the locking bolt, and
all the spring for actuating the same; 6 is the hinge pin; b¹, the spring
placed over the same for the purpose of operating the breech block and
extractor; 6 is the extractor; c is the tooth which operates the pawl
or catch e; d is the curved lever.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the licrein-before in part
recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The combination and arrangement of parts and mechanism for
locking the brocch blocks of breech-loading fire-arms, substantially
as herein-before set forth and described, or any mere modifications
thereof.
And, secondly. The combination and arrangement of parts and 3
LL

page_text: the cartridge case, substantially as herein-before set forth and described,
or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Gordon, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUNT VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane,
W.C.
CHARLES GORDON. (L.S.)