IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, of 13, Boulevard
St. Martin, Paris (France), for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 31st December 1870, and dated the 8th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count
Sparre at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th July 1870.
I, AMBJORN PIERRE, Count SPARRE, of 13, Boulevard St. Martin,
Paris (France), do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMs," to be as follows:-
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1
of which shows an elevation of the improved breech-loading action in
position for inserting a cartridge in the barrel; Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
and 7 show detached views of the various parts. The action is as
follows-On cocking the hammer X with the thumb in the usual
manner the nib 6 of the trigger pivoted at u, Figure 2, enters the
notchy, Figure 5, of the tumbler (pivoted to the hammer at x and
forming part of the same), the parts being thereby held securely at half

page_text: cock. On full cocking the hammer the notch b, Figure 5, of the
tumbler engages in turn with nib 6 of the trigger and pin i of the lever
Figure 3, enters the cavity y' of the tumbler, the parts being then at full
cock; by continuing to press on the hammer the tumbler falls carrying
the lever, Figure 3, (whose end g is received in the recess 2 of the
breech closer, Figure 6, and consequently the latter also) with it.
During this movement the lever, Figure 3, (jointed to the tail piece at f)
acts on the tail of the extractor pivoted at j, Figure 7, which is
brought to the position seen in Figure 1. Immediately the upper part
of the breech closer, Figure 6, is brought in its downward motion below
the part n of the extractor the spring / throws out the cartridge case by
bearing on said extractor. In this position the fire-arm is ready to
receive a fresh cartridge, the rim on the base of which bears against the
curved part m of the extractor, and causes it to resume its position in
the barrel out of groove t of the breech closer. At this moment the
mainspring Z, Figure 1, acts on the hammer, which in its turn raises
the lever and breech closer (by the aid of the tumbler) until the catch b¹
of the latter enters notch 6 of the trigger. The parts are then in
position for firing, that is to say, at full cock, and are released for
producing the discharge by pressing with the finger on the lower part e
of the trigger. The hammer has a projection v, Figure 5, for acting on
a small bolt r, Figure 6, in the breech closer for exploding the cartridge,
and at the moment the hammer falls in firing the part 2, Figure 5,
comes under the part ¹ of the breech closer, and prevents its moving
in a downward direction. The cover A, o, p, Figures 1 and 4, is fitted
to slide over the breech closer, and prevents its rising beyond a certain
limit. This cover A may be readily removed (for taking out the breech
closer and bolt for cleaning) by simply loosening screw Y and sliding
the cover laterally without the necessity of taking the stock and barrel
apart.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 5th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AMBJORN
PIERRE, Count SPARRE, of 13, Boulevard St. Martin, Paris (France), 3
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, Her special licence that
I, the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count
Sparre, 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 Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, 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 Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, 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 Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, by
which the opening of the breech chamber, and the extraction of the
· cartridge case are effected by a single movement of the hammer, the
breech being closed and the gun cocked by the simple introduction of
the cartridge.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved breech action in position
for inserting a cartridge in the barrel. Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are
views of the various parts of the breech action shown separately.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
Figures. A is the hammer pivoted at a which is drawn back and cocked
by the thumb as usual; B is the trigger pivoted at a to the tail piece C

page_text: and acted on by a small spring z. It is provided with a hook-shaped
nib or detent b, which when the hammer A is drawn back first engages
with a corresponding hook y on the tumbler D, the gun being then
at half cock. The tumbler D is jointed at x to the hammer, and is
provided with a second detent b', which as the hammer is drawn further
back engages in turn with nib 6 when the hammer is at full cock.
The tumbler D is formed with a semicircular recess y¹, which when the
hammer is cocked embraces a pin i fixed on the side of a lever E. This
lever is fulcrumed at f to the tail piece C and its end g is received in
a recess c of the breech closer F, which latter slides up and down in a
mortise in the breech piece to close and open the breech end of the
barrel. The end g of lever E also bears on the tail k of the extractor G
which is formed like a bell-crank lever and pivoted at the nose m of
the extractor being furnished with a curved part which engages with
the rim of the cartridge case. The lever E also carries a spring h,
which bears on the tail k of the extractor. In cocking the gun the
hammer is drawn back beyond the full cock, when the tumbler engages
with pin i, and depresses lever E the end g of which acting on the
breech closer F and the extractor G opens the breech by drawing down
the breech closer and partially extracts the cartridge bringing the parts
to the position shown in Figure 1. As soon as the upper part of the
breech closer F is brought below the part n of the extractor the latter
is released, and being acted on by the spring throws out the cartridge
case; the arm is then ready to receive a fresh cartridge, the rim on
the base of which bears on the curved part m of the extractor and causes
it to resume its position in the barrel. When the projection n moves
out of the groove t in the breech closer, the latter is free to rise, and
the mainspring H which acts direct on the hammer A. then brings the
hammer forward, raising the tumbler D, and with it the lever E and the
breech closer F, which is thus returned to position to close the breech.
The tumbler D rises until the detent engages with the nib 6 of the
trigger by which all the parts are held in position for firing (that is to
say, at full cock), the discharge being effected by pressing on the lower
part e of the trigger as usual. The hammer is furnished with a pro-
jection q which acts on a pin or striker r sliding in the brecch closer F
for exploding the cartridge. At the moment the hammer falls in firing
the rounded part v takes under part. v' of the breech closer, which it
thus locks in the closed position when the discharge takes place. I is a
cover fitted to slide over the breech closer F, which is thereby prevented

page_text: from rising beyond a certain limit. The cover I is secured by screw
Y, and may be readily removed for taking out the breech closer with
its striker for cleaning (by simply loosening screw Y and sliding the
cover I laterally) without the necessity of dismounting the barrel from
the stock.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The mechanical combination herein-before described and illustrated
in the Drawings by which the breech chamber is opened and the cart-
ridge case extracted by one motion of the hammer, substantially as
set forth.
2ndly. I claim the mechanical combination herein-before described
and illustrated in the Drawings by which the breech chamber is closed
and the hammer is brought to the cocked position by the introduction of
he cartridge.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ambjorn Pierre, Count Sparre, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
AMBJORN PIERRE, COUNT SPARRE. (L.S.)