IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING SMALL ARMS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Middleditch Scott and John
Tonks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th September
1879.
•
WILLIAM MIDDLEDITCH SCOTT, of the Firm of W. and C. Scott and Son, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturers, and JOHN TONKS, of
Aston, near Birmingham aforesaid, Gun Lock Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH
LOADING SMALL ARMS."
Our Invention consists, first, of the following arrangements or combinations of
parts for effecting the cocking of the internal or concealed hammers of drop down
guns:-
According to one of our improvements we form a lug or projection on the side
of the hammer and we joint at about the same level as the joint of the hammer a
lever having two nearly vertical arms, the joint being at the lowest part of the
lever where the nearly parallel arms join each other. The shorter of the said arms
of the lever is situated in front of the lug or projection on the hammer, and that
arm of the lever which is situated behind the hammer is provided at its top with
a horizontal branch which terminates in a thumb plate external to the tang of the
break off. By pressing down the said thumb plate the short arm of the lever forces
back and cocks the hammer. The short arm of the lever also draws back the bolt
by which the barrels are locked down.
According to another of our improvements the concealed hammer may be cocked
by raising or depressing the arm of the lever external to the tang.
In this modification the horizontal arm of the lever described with respect to the
first arrangement is shortened, and is provided with two anti-friction rollers, one
near its end and the other near its junction with the vertical part of the lever.
Over the horizontal arm of the cocking lever another or hand lever is situated,
the joint on which it turns being about midway between the axes of the two anti-
friction rollers of the cocking lever when the latter is in its normal position. The end
of the long arm of the hand lever is external to the tang and by lifting or depressing
the said long arm the cocking of the hammer is effected. When the said hand
lever is raised it operates on the front anti-friction roller of the cocking lever
and cocks the hammer. When the hand lever is depressed it acts upon the rear
anti-friction roller of the cocking lever and cocks the hammer.
One or other of the said anti-friction rollers may be employed instead of both, in
which case the cocking of the hammer is effected either by the raising or by the
depressing of the hand lever according to the position of the anti-friction roller.
When the front anti-friction roller is employed the cocking is effected by raising

page_text: the hand lever. When the rear anti-friction roller is employed the cocking is
effected by depressing the hand lever. The cocking mechanisms described may
either be worked from the tang, as described, or from the side or underside of the
gun.
Our Invention consists, secondly, of the following arrangements of the parts of
safety apparatus for preventing the accidental discharge of drop down guns:-
The said safety apparatus consists principally of a short lever situated at the rear
of the trigger and capable of turning upon its joint so as to permit it being brought
over the end of the trigger, and prevent the latter being raised or withdrawn from
off the trigger when the gun can be discharged. The operating of the safety lever
is effected automatically in the following manner :-
r:-Sliding upon the trigger plate
is a rod the free end of which bears against the rear end of the sliding bolt by
which the barrels are fastened down. On the withdrawing of the said bolt to
unlock the barrels the said rod is urged against e small vertical lever at the back
of the safety lever and presses the safety lever into the safety position, that is,
brings its lower end over the end of the trigger. The positions of the parts described
remain unchanged by the shutting down of the barrels, and when it is wished to
discharge the gun the unlocking of the trigger is effected by pressure on a thumb
plate sliding on the tang of the break off.
Or a short vertical lever at the rear of the trigger may be employed, a projection
on the front of which lever is brought over the rear of the trigger, when the upper
part of the said lever is moved towards the muzzle of the gun and withdrawn by
an opposite motion.
This short safety lever is operated automatically and brought into the position of
safety by the locking bolt and rod already described. The safety lever is withdrawn
to unlock the trigger by a stud or slide on the tang or by a pin on the lower arm
of the said lever projecting through the lock plate.
Or a short safety lever working on the lock plate and having motion through a
small angle, and being provided with a thumb plate may carry a horizontal arm
passing through the lock plate. By the action of the sliding bolt and rod described
the safety lever is brought into its safety position, and is unlocked by operating on
the thumb plate on the exterior of the lock plate.
By means of a spring pressing on flattened parts of the axis of the safety lever
the two positions described are made positions of stability, so that pressure is
required to change the position of the safety lever for locking or unlocking the
trigger.
In place of a safety lever for locking and unlocking the triggers as described,
the sliding rod operated by the locking bolt may carry a cross piece or projection,
which, when the locking down bolt is withdrawn is brought over the rear end of
and made to lock the triggers. The sliding rod carrying the trigger locking cross
piece or projection may be unbolted for the discharge of the gun by a sliding thumb
piece or plate on the tang, or by a thumb piece or plate on the side of the lock
plate.
The several safety levers herein before described may be put into their safety
positions by hand instead of automatically on unlocking the barrels for recharging.
In this case the sliding rod upon which the locking bolt operates is dispensed
with.