IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO ORDNANCE.
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Reeves, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO ORDNANCE.".
Sealed the 19th May 1865, and dated the 25th November 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Reeves at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
November 1864..
I, CHARLES REEVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO ORDNANCE,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements, herein-after described,
in discharging breech-loading fire-arms, in which cartridges containing
their own means of ignition are used, such, for example, as the cartridges:
commonly known as pin cartridges; the said cartridges being discharged

page_text: by means of the hammer or striker or the gun acting upon the pm of
cartridges.
My Invention consists, further, of the improvements, herein-after described,
in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms. In the ordinary method of dis-
charging pin or self-igniting cartridges, the pin of the said cartridges projects
from the upper side of the barrel, and is struck by the hammer vertically.
My Invention consists of the mechanism, herein-after described, for dis-
charging self-ignition cartridges by acting upon them from the side of the gun
or in a horizontal plane.
My improvements in discharging breech-loading fire-arms and in car-
tridges for breech-loading fire-arms are as follows:-On the side of the barrel
of the gun at which the hammer is situated, and opposite the breech chamber
of the barrel, I place a projecting piece or support. Within this support a
flat spring is situated, the said spring being fixed at one end to the side of
the barrel, and is capable of motion in a horizontal plane. The free end of
the spring carries a block, the back of the said block or that part facing the
barrel having a pin or stud, which pin enters a hole in the side of the barrel.
The front or end of the block described is bevilled or inclined. I prolong or
lengthen the front of the hammer in order that on its descent it may act
upon this block, and force it by a lateral action towards the side of the barrel.
That part of the hammer which strikes the before-mentioned block is bevilled
or inclined at an angle equal to that on the end of the block at the side of
the barrel. The cartridge to be discharged by the mechanism described has
no projecting pin for discharging the cartridge as in the ordinary pin car-
tidge, but the discharging pin or point is nearly but not quite flush with the
edge of the cartridge case, and is situated at the side of the cartridge instead
of at the top. When the cartridge is introduced into the breech chamber of
the gun, the discharging pin or point comes opposite the hole in the side of
the barrel, into which the pin or stud of the before-described block enters.
The exact position of the discharging pin or point at the side of the cartridge
when placed in the breech chamber is determined by a pin or wire situated at
the point usually occupied by the discharging pin of the cartridge; the said
When the
guiding pin or wire entering a slot in the top of the barrel.
hammer is allowed to fall its bevilled face strikes against the bevilled end of
the block at the side of the barrel, and forces the said block inwards by a
lateral action, that is, 'towards the barrel. The pin or stud on the inner side
of the block is thereby. made to pass through the hole in the side of the barrel
and act upon. the pin or point in the side of the cartridge and discharge the
said cartridge, Instead of making the hammer act directly upon the block,

page_text: as described, the said hammer may be made to project forward a sliding bar,
which latter is made to act upon the bevilled part of the block and force the
said block towards the barrel and discharge the gun.
My improvements in discharging breech-loading fire-arms may also be
applied to ordnance.
My Invention consists, further, of a cartridge- extractor for breech-loading
fire-arms, constructed in the following manner :-The said cartridge extractor
is situated on the top of the breech end or chamber of the barrel, and is
capable of sliding to and fro on the said barrel. The said extract or consists
of a bar or bars working in a groove or grooves made in the barrel or between
guides brazed to the barrel. The ends of the bars most distant from the
breech end of the barrel are provided with projecting pieces or ears, which
project a short distance from the surface of the barrel. The other end of the
bars is expanded so as to form a head. The extractor is pressed from the
breech end of the barrel by a spring. When the fire-arm has been dis-
charged, the ears of the extractor are pressed by the hand towards the butt
end of the gun. The head of the extractor is thereby made to press upon the
pin of the cartridge and push the discharged cartridge case from out the end
of the barrel. On loosing the extractor it returns to its normal position on the
barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Reeves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
REEVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the.
said Charles Reeves, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Reeves,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Reeves, 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,.

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO ORDNANCE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Reeves, 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.
1 NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Reeves, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after described
in discharging breech-loading fire-arms, in which cartridges containing their
own means of ignition are used, such, for example, as the cartridges commonly
known as pin cartridges, the said cartridges being discharged by means of the
hammer or striker of the gun acting upon the pin of the said cartridges.
My Invention consists further of the improvements herein-after described
in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms. In the ordinary method of dis-
charging pin or self-igniting cartridges, the pin of the said cartridges projects
from the upper side of the barrel, and is struck by the hammer vertically.
My Invention consists of the mechanism herein-after described for dis-
charging self-igniting cartridges by acting upon them from the side of the
gun, or in a horizontal plane.
My improvements in discharging breech-loading fire-arms and in cartridges
for breech-loading fire-arms are as follows:-On the side of the barrel of the
gun at which the hammer is situated, and opposite the breech chamber of the
barrel I place a projecting piece or support. Within this support a flat spring
is situated, the said spring being fixed at one end to the side of the barrel,
and is capable of motion in a horizontal plane. The free end of the spring
is expanded, or carries a block, the back of the said block, or that part facing
the barrel having a pin or stud, which pin enters a hole in the side of the
barrel. The front or end of the block described is bevilled or inclined.
prolong or lengthen the front of the hammer in order that on its descent it
may act upon this block and force it by a lateral action towards the side of
the barrel. That part of the hammer which strikes the before-mentioned
block is bevilled or inclined at an angle equal to that on the end of the block
at the side of the barrel. The cartridge to be discharged by the mechanism
I

page_text: described has no projecting pin for discharging the cartridge, as in the
ordinary pin cartridge, but the discharging cap, pin, or point is nearly but
not quite flush with the edge of the cartridge case, and is situated at the side
of the cartridge instead of at the top. When the cartridge is introduced into
the breech chamber of the gun, the discharging cap, pin, or point comes
opposite the hole in the side of the barrel, into which the pin or stud of
the before-described block enters. The exact position of the discharging cap,
pin, or point at the side of the cartridge when placed in the breech chamber
is determined by a pin or wire situated at the point usually occupied by the
discharging pin of an ordinary pin cartridge, the said guiding pin, or wire
entering a slot in the top of the barrel. When the hammer is allowed to fall
its bevilled face strikes against the bevilled end of the block at the side of the
barrel and forces the said block inwards by a lateral action that is towards.
the barrel. The pin or stud on the inner side of the block is thereby mado
to pass through the hole in the side of the barrel, and act upon the cap, pin,
or point in the side of the cartridge, and discharge the said cartridge. Instead
of making the hammer act directly upon the block, as described, the said
hammer may be made to project forward a sliding bar, which latter is made
to act upon the bevilled part of the block, and force the said block towards
the barrel, and discharge the gun.
My, improvements in discharging breech-loading fire-arms may also be
applied to ordnance.
My. Invention consists further of a cartridge extractor for breech-loading
fire-arms constructed in the following manner:-The said cartridge extractor
is situated on the top of the breech end or chamber of the barrel, and is
capable of sliding to and fro on the said barrel. The said extractor consists
of a bar or bars working in a groove or grooves made in the barrel, or between
guides brazed to the barrel. The ends of the bars most distant from the
breech end of the barrel are provided with projecting pieces or ears, which
project a short distance from the surface of the barrel. The other end of the
bars is expanded so as to form a head. The extractor is pressed from the
breech end of the barrel by a spring or by hand. When the firc-arm has
been discharged the ears of the extractor are pressed by the hand towards
the butt end of the gun. The head of the extractor is thereby made to press
upon the pin of the cartridge, and start or partly push the discharged
cartridge case from out the end of the barrel. On loosing the extractor it is
returned to its normal position on the barrel.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,

page_text: with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan a portion of a breech-loading gun containing
my improvements, the gun being ready for discharge; Figure 2 is a horizontal
section of the gun after the discharge has been effected; and Figure 3 is a
side elevation of the same, the closing plug being shewn withdrawn from the
breech end. The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
On the side of the barrel a, and opposite the breech chamber, is a pro-
jeeting piece or support 6, and fixed to the side of the barrel at c is a spring d
the said spring being capable of motion in a horizontal plane. A portion of
this spring is situated within the support b, the bottom edge of the said spring
resting thereon. The free end of the spring carries a block or enlargement d',
and that part facing the barrel is furnished with a pin or stud e, which pin or
stud is situated opposite a hole at f made in the side of the barrel a. The
end of the part d' of the spring d is bevilled or inclined, as represented. The
front of the hammer g is somewhat lengthened, so that on its descent it may
strike upon the part d' of the spring d, and force it by a lateral action towards
the barrel a, the part of the hammer which strikes the part d³ being bevilled
or inclined. The side of the hammer opposite the bevilled side is cut away
in order that the end of the hammer may pass into the support 6 and occupy
the space between the side of the said support and the spring d, d². The
cartridge used with the gun is marked h in Figures 2 and 3, and is discharged
by the pin or stud e striking against the side of the cartridge, and discharging
the percussion cap in the said side. The construction of the cartridge h is
herein-after more particularly explained. The exact position of the dis-
charging cap or point of the cartridge is determined by the guiding wire i at
the top, which, when the cartridge is placed in the barrel enters the slot k
(see Figure 1) in the top of the barrel, and brings the cap or discharging
point opposite the hole f in the side of the barrel. When the hammer g is
allowed to fall, its bevilled face strikes against the bevilled end d² of the
spring d, and forces the said part by a lateral action towards the barrel a.
The pin or stud e on the inner side of the part d² is thereby made to pass
through the hole in the side of the barrel, and act upon the cap or dis-
charging point in the side of the cartridge h and discharge the said cartridge.
Instead of making the hammer 9 act directly upon the part d' carrying the
stude, the said hammer may be made to project forward a sliding bar, the
said bar having an inclined end, which latter is made to act upon the inclined
part of the spring, and force the pin or stud e through the barrel and

page_text: discharge the gun. Instead of using a straight spring for carrying the
discharging stud e, the spring may be made of a bow or curved figure, one
end of the bow being fixed to the side of the barrel, and the other end
carrying the discharging stud being situated in the hole f in the side of the
barrel. The falling hammer is made to strike upon the bow spring, and force
the pin or stud through the barrel and discharge the cartridge. When a bow
spring is employed, it may also be made to work in a vertical plane, the fixed
end of the spring being connected to the side of the barrel, and the free
end carrying the discharging pin or stud being situated on the upper side of
the barrel. The hammer strikes the bow or curved spring by a lateral action,
and causes its free end to descend through the barrel and discharge the
cartridge, the detonating part of the cartridge and the hole in the barrel in
this case being situated at the upper side of the cartridge and barrel
respectively. And instead of employing a spring arm a rigid arm may be
jointed to the side of the barrel, a spring pressing the said rigid arm from the
barrel when the hammer is raised from the support b. The pin or stud of
this arm is forced through the hole in the barrel to discharge the cartridge in
the manner described with respect to the spring arm d, d. The breech
end of the gun is opened and closed by a sliding plug carried within the
tube m, which tube m by a motion of partial rotation is made to secure the
plug in its place for the discharge of the gun, and unfasten it for re-loading.
The tube m is moved and fixed by a spring catch fastening. As the parts by
which the breech end of the gun is opened and closed constitute no part of
the present Invention, I do not consider it necessary more fully to describe
the same.
When the gun is to be loaded at the muzzle, I close the hole
through which the discharging stud passes in the side or top of the barrel by
means of a short hollow cylinder of lead, or other soft metal closed at one
end, the open end having thin edges. By the discharge of the gun the said
thin edges are expanded outwards, and the escape of gas through the said
hole and the breech end is prevented.
The improvements berein-before described and illustrated for discharging
breech-loading fire-arms may also be applied to ordnance.
Figure 4 represents in side elevation and transverse section a portion of a
cartridge constructed according to my Invention to be discharged by the gun
represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and Figure 5 is an end elevation and
longitudinal section of the same. I use with this cartridge a long metal
cap n, across which metal cap n I solder or otherwise fix a small metal rod or
anvil o. Upon one end of the said rod or anvil o I place a percussion cap p,

page_text: or other means of discharge, the said cap being nearly flush with the edge of
the cartridge case, or cap n, and filling up the hole at ps in the said metal
cap n; i is the guiding wire on the top of the cartridge, by which the cap or
discharging pin or point at p of the cartridge is brought immediately opposite
the hole in the barrel. Instead of making the cap n of metal, it may be
made of papier mâché, or other hard substance. The cartridge is made up in
the usual manner. By the fall of the hammer of the gun the stud e strikes
upon and discharges the percussion cap p on the rod or anvil o, and thus
discharges the gun, as herein-before described.
My improved cartridge extractor is represented in connection with the gun
already described, and is represented in plan in Figure 1, and longitudinal
vertical section in Figure 3. In Figure 1 the extractor is represented in its
normal position, and in Figure 3 in the position it occupies after it has
started the cartridge case from the barrel. The said extractor consists of a
bar q sliding in a groover made in the top of the barrel a; or the said bar
may slide between guides brazed to the barrel. The said bar is provided with
a projecting piece or ear s. The bar or extractor 9 may be pressed towards
the muzzle end of the barrel by a spring, or it may be moved in either
direction by hand. The extractor is fixed to the barrel, and its motion limited
by a pin t working in a slot in the barrel (see Figure 8). When the exploded
cartridge case is to be removed from the breech end of the barrel, the ear s
of the extractor is pressed by the hand towards the breech end of the gun.
The head or free end of the extractor is thereby made to press upon the
guiding pin of the cartridge (or in case of ordinary pin cartridges upon
the discharging pin), and start or partly withdraw the exploded case from
the barrel, as illustrated in Figure 3, where the case is represented started
from the barrel. The extractor may be returned to the position represented
in Figure 1 by hand, or it may be pushed home on loosing the ear e by
a spring.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated in the
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in discharging breech-loading fire-arms and
ordnance, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say, discharging breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance
by means of an elastic or jointed arm carrying a pin or stud, which arm by

page_text: the fall of the hammer is struck laterally and made to project the said piu
or stud through the barrel and discharge the gun.
Secondly, the improvements in self-igniting cartridges, herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly, the improvements in cartridge extractors for breech-loading fire-
arms, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Reeves, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
CHARLES REEVES. (L.B.)