Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
SAMUEL MILLS, 83 Prince Albert Street Small Heath Birmingham, Gun
Action Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention consists of an improved method of fastening a breech loading
action to the barrels.
The ordinary formation of barrels with central lump for jointing are required,
but instead of a double lump, the front lump only is used. The back lump is
replaced by the welding, brazing, or otherwise forming of two pieces of metal on
the outer sides of the barrel or pairs of barrels.
These outer lumps or flanges are of a sufficient width apart to allow the action to
pass between them when required.
When the action is placed on the barrels these outer lumps are exposed to view
and act as flanges or steady guides when the action is opened or closed. In these
outer lumps a suitable recess is made for the engaging of the locking mechanism.
The locking mechanism is as follows: A hole is carried through the head of the
action into which a spindle is fitted carrying on each end of it and fast with it, the
locking pauls or bolts. These pauls or bolts are placed outside the action and in
such a position that they will engage in the recesses formed in the outer lumps or
flanges on barrels before described. One (or both if desired) of these pivotted
pauls or bolts is made with a prolonged arm which is fashioned in such a manner and
carried into such a position that it can be used as a lever for the extraction of the
pauls or bolts from the recesses cut in the outer lumps of the barrels.
This invention therefore consists of the arrangement of a pair of pivotted pauls
or bolts on the outside of the action, and a pair of lumps or flanges placed upon the
barrels in a suitable position for the purpose of securing the action firmly to the
barreis during the discharge of the gun.
If desirable only one of the lumps or flanges, and one of the pauls or bolts may
be used for cheaper purposes.
10th Otahan 1001
SAMUEL MILLS, Gun Action Maker, 83 Prince Albert Street Small Heath,
Birmingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention consists of an improved method of fastening a breech loading
action to the barrels.
In the drawings herewith
Fig. 1 represents a breech-loading gun with the holding mechanism in position
ready for firing.

page_text: Fig. 2; breech action open showing the bolts and pauls released from the
barrels.
Fig. 3, the bolting pauls all complete as when in action with lifting lever between
the two.
Fig. 4; the bottom bolt with its recessed side for actuating the paul lever.
Fig. 5 is a variation of the paul with lifting lever attached.
Fig. 6 the main paul with square for carrying second paul and lifting lever.
Fig. 7 side view of paul,
Fig. 8 side view of lifting lever.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts in Figs. 1 to 8.
The ordinary formation of barrel or barrels with central lump for jointing is
required. On each of the outer sides of the breech end of the barrel or barrels,
a piece of metal E is welded, brazed, or otherwise fastened. These pieces of
metal, or outer lumps or flanges, may be used either in conjunction with a central
front lump only, or front and back lumps.
These outer lumps or flanges E are of a sufficient width apart to allow the action
body to pass between them. When the action body is placed upon the barrel or
barrels these outer flanges E are exposed to view. In each of these outer flanges E
a recess is made, suitable for the engaging of the locking pauls or bolts in the locking
mechanism described hereafter.
The locking mechanism is as follows: A hole is carried through the head of the
action body, into which a spindle B is fitted carrying on each end of it, and fast
with it, the locking pauls or bolts A and B. The paul or bolt B in the drawings
berewith is made of one solid piece of metal with the spindle, whilst the paul or
bolt A, is a separate limb, and fastened to the spindle by the squaring of the
spindle.
These pauls or bolts A, B, are placed outside the action body, and in such a
position that they will, (when the action body is closed for firing) engage with the
outer flanges E by entering the recesses formed therein for the purpose.
The action body is so formed, F, as to afford support to these pauls or bolts
and thus prevent the shock of the explosion being borne by the paul or bolt
spindle.
One, or both if desired, of these pivoted pauls or bolts A. B. may be made with
a prolonged arm A, Fig. 5, this arm being carried into such a position that it may
be used as a lever for the extraction of the said pauls or bolts from the recesses in
the outer flanges of the barrel or barrels.
On the paul or bolt spindle, midway between the pauls or bolts, or in some
equally suitable position, a lever C is fitted. This lever moves freely in a recess
formed for the purpose in the back of the action body, and reaches down to and
engages with the ordinary sliding bolt D used for the locking of the action body to
the central lump or lumps of the barrel or barrels.
This sliding bolt is actuated by the ordinary and well known methods of a top,
side, or bottom lever. On being withdrawn from the central lump or lumps by the
action of the lever, top, side, or bottom, the sliding bolt carries with it the spindle
lever C in the recess D', thus causing the paul or bolt spindle to revolve in its bearing
and so withdraw the pauls or bolts A, B, from the recesses in the outer flanges E
on breech of barrel or barrels, and thus disengaging the pauls or bolts from the
said flanges, unlocking the action body and allowing it to be moved for loading
purposes.
A sliding bolt for the locking of the action body to the rib extension may also be
used in conjunction with the bolts before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention of "Improvements in breechloading small arms,'
.
23
First. The construction of a locking mechanism consisting of pauls or bolts
placed outside the action body, and flanges placed on the outer sides of the breech

page_text: end of the barrel or barrels in such a position as to engage when the gun is closed,
and lock the action body to the barrel or barrels.
Second. The construction of a locking mechanism consisting of the ordinary
bolt or bolts in conjunction with the said outside pauls or bolts and flanges.
Dated this Twenty-first day of March 1895.
SAMUEL MILLS.