IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING FIRE ARMS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Bentley of Aston near Birmingham in the County
of Warwick Gun Maker and William Baker of Handsworth in the County of
Stafford Gun Lock Maker for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH
LOADING FIRE ARMS”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Bentley and William
Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th November
1883.
DAVID BENTLEY of Aston near Birmingham in the County of Warwick Gun
Maker and WILLIAM BAKER of Handsworth in the County of Stafford Gun Lock
Maker "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING FIRE ARMS"
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in breech
loading fire arms commonly called drop down guns of the description known as
hammerless or self cocking One part of our improvements is in the mode of
cocking the gun, the hinge a small lever (which we call A) in the middle of the
body so that when the barrels are opened the end of the lever is raised by the
lump which joints the barrels to the body.
The spindle of this lever moves with it and is made in two parts one inserted
from each side of the gun meeting in the middle of lever A each piece has a small
crank (call them B) formed at its outer end and working one under each lockplate
up and down as lever A moves. Near the joint pin on which the barrels are
hinged. We hinge levers (which we call C) one on each side working up and
down underneath the lock plates and coming rearwards over the cranks B to the
front of the hammers As the barrels fall they raise the lever A and with it the
cranks B which raise the levers C so that the ends of C raises the hammers to full
cock Or if preferred we hinge a lever of the first kind in the middle of the body
and at the rear of the breech end of the barrels which lover takes into the lump by
which the barrels are jointed to the body and its forward end is moved up and
down as the barrels are opened and shut this lever at its rearend widens into two

page_text: arms which reach past the centres on which the hammers move to two projections
one formed on cach hammer so that as one end of the lever is raised by the falling
of the barrels the other end depresses the projections on the back of the hammers
and thus raises them to full cock
Another part of our invention has for its purpose the making of hammerless guns
ensier to open We arrange a stout spring or springs underneath the barrels along
the fore end of the gun forcing a rod or rods against the body of the gun just over
the joint pin so that as the barrels are closed the spring or springs are compressed
on opening the gun to load the spring will give out its force and so help the barrels
as they fall to cock the gun In some cases it may be preferable to place the
springs in the body of the gun making them to abut against the barrels or against
the fore-end

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Bentley and William Baker in the Patent Office on the
8th May 1884,
DAVID BENTLEY of Aston near Birmingham in the County of Warwick Gun
Maker and WILLIAM BAKER of Handsworth in the County of Stafford, Gun-Lock
Maker IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE ARMS
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in breech
loading fire arms commonly called drop down guns of the description known as
hammerless or self cocking. One part of our improvements is in the mode of
cocking the gun. We hinge a small lever in the middle of the body so that when
the barrels are opened the end of the lever is raised by the lump which joins the
barrels to the body. The spindle of this lover moves with it, and is made in two
parts, one inserted from each side of the gun, meeting in the middle of lever, each
piece has a small crank formed at its outer end, and working one under oach lock
plate, up and down, as the lever moves. Near the joint pin on which the barrels
are hinged, we hinge two levers one on each side, working up and down under-
neath the lockplates, and coming rearwards over the cranks to the front of the
hammers. As the barrels fall they raise the lever, and with it the cranks, which
raise the levers, so that the ends of the levers raise the hammers to full cock. Or,
if preferred, we bingo a lever of the first kind in the middle of the body and at the
rear of the breech end of the barrels, which lever takes into the lump by which the
barrels are joined to the body, and its forward end is moved up and down as
the barrels are opened and shut; this lever at its rear end widens into two arms
which reach two projections, ono formed on each hammer, so that as one end of the
lever is raised by the falling of the barrels, the other ond depresses the projections
on the back of the hammers and thus raises them to full cock.
Another part of our invention has for its object the making of Hammerless Guns
easier to open. We arrange a stout spring or springs underneath the barrels along
the fore-end of the gun which forces a rod or rods against the body of the gun,
just over the joint pin, so that as the barrels are closed the spring or springs are
compressed. On opening the gun to load, the spring will give out its force, and
so help the barrels, as they fall, to cock the gun. In some cases it may be
preferable to place the springs in the body of the gun making them abut against
the barrels or against the fore-end.
And in order that our invention may be better understood reference is hereby
made to the accompanying drawings wherein various views of portions of drop
down guns, constructed without improvements, but omitting in such drawings the.
parts necessary for bolting down the barrels & as such parts are well known, and
as our improvements can be more clearly shown without them, and in such drawings
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figures. 1. 2. 3 show one of our improved methods of raising the hammers to
cock as the barrels fall
Fig: 1 is a view in section of a portion of a drop down gun through the middle
of the body d and of the barrels e shewing how we hinge a lever fin the body
under the barrels and how we form a lip in, the lump on the underside of the
barrels as at e¹ so that when the barrels fall they will raise the end of the lever f.
Fig: 2 is a side view of the body d with the lock plate removod, shewing one of
the small levers or cranks g, of which there are two, one. under each lock plate;
these cranks g fit into the square hole in the lover f, and are thus carried up, as

page_text: the barrels carry up the lever f. The cranks g have projections formed on them
as at g' which take under lovers h (shown hinged near the joint on which barrels
turn) the end of the levers h engage with the front of the hammers i and thus
raise them as the barrels fall.
:
Fig 3. is a plan view of the lever f, the two levers g and of the two levers h
one of which works under each lock plate; k being a small screw to fasten fand
the two portions g together, so that they work as one piece
Figs: 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 and 11 show another of our improved methods of raising
the hammers to cock as the barrels fall. Fig. 4 is a section through the middle of
the body d and the barrels e when the gun is closed showing the cocking lever f
and the lip e which gives notion to f when the barrels fall. Fig 5 is a plan view
of the cocking lever showing its two projections at f¹, one on each side, to reach
over to the hammers. Fig: 6 is the spindles that goes through the body and
through the lever f. fitting into a square hole in and moving with it, the
projection 8 being made for a spring to abut against. Fig: 7 is a side view of
the action, the lock plate being removed, and the barrels closed. i is one of the
hammers having a projection formed upon its inner side-When the lever f
is raised by the falling of the barrels, the projections fl of the lever press on the
projections of the hammers, and so raise the hammers to cock. Fig: 8 is an
end view, and Fig: 9 a side view of the inner side of the hammer. The strong
spring m working against the head of the cocking lever spindle 8 at 8¹ is placed
there on purpose to make the gun easy to open. As the gun is closed this spring m
is compressed so that when the gun is opened the spring causes the cocking lever f
to press against the lump of the barrels, helping the barrels, as they fall, to cock
the gun
Fig: 10 is a section corresponding to that of Fig: 4, but the barrels are
represented as opened, Fig: 11 is a side view corresponding to that of Fig 7 but
with the barrels open and the hammer at cock.
Figs 12, 13, 14, 15 show another of our improved plans of enabling a gun to
open easily. Fig: 12 is a view of the under side of the body & Barrels e and fore-
end Iron n of a drop down gun the wood work being removed. On the fore-end
Iron n we fit a slide o which has two arms o' that abut against the joint at the
body d. At the back of the slide o we fix a stout coiled spring p so that when
the gun is closed the body pushes back the slide o and so compresses the spring 2.
The drawing shows the gun closed and the spring compressed. On opening the
gun the spring p will give out its force, and help the barrels to raise the hammers
to cock. Fig: 13 is a section on the liner of Fig 12 showing the slide P working
against the joint of the body. Fig: 14 is a plan view of the slide o and Fig: 15 an
end view of the same
Fig: 16 shows a plan by which we make the gun patented by J. & J. T. Rogers
dated 29th January 1881 N° 397 to open easily. We place in each lock plate hole
a spring pressing against the cocking lever l, so that, having been compressed by
the closing of the gun, it will give out its force to help the barrels, as they fall, to
raise the hammers to cock-To cause the barrels to bring the lever back, when the
barrels are being closed, we form a stud or pin on the side of the lever and we
solder a small hook won to the bottom side of the barrels, so that the stud v takes
into the slot w. Thus as the hook of the barrels takes under the joint pin of the
body, the studs v take into the hooks w fixed on the under side of the barrels.
Although a stout spring placed on either side of the body will do the work, we
prefer to make the lighter springs one under each cocking lever.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1.In the construction of drop-down guns, the combination and arrangement of
parts for cocking the hammers, substantially as herein before described and shewn
in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, -

page_text: 2-In the construction of drop-down guns, the combination and arrangement of
parts for cocking the hammers, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
in Figures 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 and 11 of the drawings
3-In the construction of drop-down guns, the use of one or more springs,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and shewn in Figures 7.
11. 12 & 13 of the drawings.
4. In the construction of drop-down guns in accordance with Roger's patent
No 3971, the use of a spring or springs, substantially as herein before described
and shewn in Figure 16 of the drawings.
In Witness whereof I the said David Bentley on behalf of myself and the said
William Baker have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of
May in the year of Our Lord 1884.