IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A com-
munication from James H. Merrill,. of the United States of America.
I
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1859.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists in combining with an open barrel or bore a chamber
behind it for receiving a cartridge, and a piston for moving such cartridge into
the bore of the gun. The piston also forms the breech pin or piece of the
barrel. In combination with this moveable piston there is.a lever and arm,
and their several appendages for moving the piston forward and locking it
when it is brought into its proper place, and also closing. and securing..the
breech of the arm. The barrel of the gun is open at its rear end, so as
to receive a loaded cartridge. In rear of the barrel there. is a chamber;
which, when the gun is to be charged and the piston is drawn back is open or
uncovered at the top, and is long enough to contain the piston and to receive
the loaded cartridge between the rear of the barrel and the front of such piston.
When the cartridge is thus dropped into the chamber, the chamber is covered
or closed by a lever and covering piece, which is made to 'lie over the opening.
The act of bringing down this lever drives the piston with the cartridge in

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th August 1859.
•
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Newton, 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 "Iж-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," being a communication from
James H. Merrill, of the United States of America,, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, '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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and, to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is. to say):
:
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign' correspondent;
relates to a novel arrangement of parts for facilitating the insertion of
cartridges into breech-loading fire-ȧrms, and closing the breech securely after
the charge is inserted.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section
through a portion of the barrel and stock of the gun, and with the piston and
its actuating parts in the position they assume when the gun is charged and
ready to be fired; Fig. 2 represents a similar section, shewing the position of
the piston (or rammer) and its several actuating parts when withdrawn from
the bore of the gun to receive a cartridge; and Fig. 3 represents in perspective
view the lever detached from the gun.
A is the barrel of the gun open at its rear end to receive a loaded cartridge.
In rear of the barrel there is a chamber B, which, when the gun is to be
charged and the piston C drawn back, is open or uncovered at the top. This
chamber is long enough to contain the piston, and to receive the loaded
cartridge between the rear of the barrel and the front of the piston. When
the cartridge is thus dropped into the chamber B and the lever D is brought
down, as shown in Figure 1, the chamber B is covered or closed by the lever
lying over the opening. The act of bringing down the lever D will drive the
piston C with the cartridge in advance of it into the bore of the gun, as seen
in Fig: 1, the piston closing up the rear end of the bore of the gun; and acting
as breech pin or plug to the bore: The several parts are connected and
operate as follows:-The lever D is pivotted at a to the metal casing that
incloses the bottom and sides of the chamber B. To a lug 6 on the.lever D is
pivoted at c one end of a toggle armi E, the other end thereof being pivoted
at d to the rear end of the piston C, so that by working the lever D on its
pivot the piston is run back and forward into the chamber B and into the bore
of the gun.
Without something to guide the arm E the piston might catch
or cramp in its movements to and fro, or not fairly enter the bore of the gun,
which it must tightly close. To prevent any such liability, the following
arrangement is adopted :-In the side or sides of the arm E, as also in the
side or sides of the lever D a curved groove e, c', is cut to receive a stud or
pin f, which is rigidly fixed in the casing that encloses the chamber B, and
this stud or pin guides the arm E by allowing its forward part to travel at the
first portion of its movement in a gently curving line; but towards the
completion of its movement it comes under the action of a more abrupt
portion e' of the groove, which draws down the rear end of the arm E, thus
allowing the piston to enter the bore of the gun freely, and without cramping
or binding. When the piston is drawn back to its full extent of motion, it's
rear portion passes under a shoulder formed in the casing that surrounds the
chamber, and it is thus prevented from rising or swinging out of the chamber.
In the front end of the lever D there is a bolt or catch g, which is shot out by
a spring h behind it, and controlled by a pin i that passes through a slot k in

page_text: the bolt. This bolt g when the gun is charged or the lever D'is brought down
on to the barrel, will take under the keeper non top of the barrel, and
firmly hold the lever so locked. Near the end of the bolt g there are spread
out side pieces m, milled or roughened, so as to be readily caught by the
thumb and finger of the operator or user, which, by being drawn backward,
releases the bolt, and the lever is then free to rise. The lock, hammer, stock,
and sights, and other of the usual accompaniments of a gun or fire-arm may
-be made in any of the known ways. The lever D is slightly curved, so as to
fit snugly upon the curve of the stock of the gun and barrel, and it is widened
out ato to cover the wider portion of the chamber B, viz., that portion into
which the cartridge is dropped. 'It has, moreover, shoulders at r, r, which,
when the lever is shut down, come against corresponding shoulders in the
casing; its rear end s is rounded off, so as to move against and snugly fit
against a rounded seat t in the casing, and the front end of the lever at u
(Fig. 3) is rounded out or countersunk, to admit of sighting the gun. On
its under side the lever D has a shoulder v, which, when brought down,
'comes against a shoulder w on the arm E. Thus, when the lever is down
and bolted, as before described, the recoil on the piston due to the discharge
of the gun comes upon several firm supports or braces, besides the joints by
which the piston is connected to the lever, and all danger of the piston
being driven backward or of rising up by the discharge is entirely obviated.
:
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
'Breech-loading Fire-arms," as communicated to me from abroad, and ex-
plained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim the arrangement
of parts above described for facilitating the loading of fire-arms, and locking
'securely in place the piston by which the charge is thrust into the barrel, and
the rear end thereof is closed ready for firing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
"Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)