Improved Lock-mechanism for Fire Arms.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
Improved Lock-mechanism for Fire Arms.
I, HENRY PIEPER, of 16 Rue des Bayards, Liége, Belgium, Manufacturer of
Fire-arms, 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 relates to improved lock-mechanism for fire-arms, and it consists in
a novel construction of, such mechanism both as regards the arrangement of the parts
which it comprises and the actual form of those parts.
The invention is applicable to all fire-arms having a pivoted hammer.
The main spring of my improved mechanism is a spiral spring so arranged that
during the movement of the hammer it assumes different angular inclinations, so that
the point of the hammer upon which the force exerted by the spring is applied is
displaced in cocking the hammer in order to obtain the lowest effect of the spring
when the hammer is cocked; and the greatest effect when it is at rest.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the construction of my improved lock-..
mechanism and its application to sporting guns and rifles.
Figures 1 and 2. are side elevations of one arrangement of my improved mechanism:
for rifles, shewn with the hammer at rest and at full cock respectively;
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sectional side elevations of another arrangement of my
lock-mechanism applied to rifles and sporting guns, in which the lower part of the
hammer is acted upon by a spring-rod pivoted in the fore part of the lock;
Figures 6 and 7 are similar views of a modification of the same;
Figure 8.is a similar view of an arrangement in which the spring-rod is pivoted in
rear of the hammer;
Figures 9 and 10 show separately the rod and spring used in the arrangement
illustrated on Figures 3, 4 and 5 ;
Figure 11 represents two views of the pivoted catch;
Figure 12 is an end view partly in section of the hammer and notched plate secured
on its lower part, and of the circular cap within which it turns ;
Figures 13, 14 and 15 are details of the parts shewn in Figure 12;
Figures 16 and 17 are sectional side elevations shewing a modification of the
mechanism in two positions applied to a rifle lock.
The hammer for the arrangement shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5, has secured upon its
lower part a notched plate (Figure 15) provided with a hollow stud turning in the
lock-plate T (Figures 13 and 14). The notched plate is bored centrally with a
longitudinal hole E³, and it is covered by a circular cap U (Figure 14) provided with a
central projection U₁ arranged to enter the cavity E3 of the notched plate. A flanged
rim U of this cap fits into a circular groove V of the lock-plate T (Fig. 13) upon
which the cap is secured by screws or other suitable devices. On one side the flanged
rim U is cut away to allow contact of the notched plate and spring-rod, and on the
other side an opening is left to adinit the pivoted catch X. The pivot of this catch
turns in the plate T on one side, and on the other in the bottom of the cap U.
A small spiral spring seated in the pivoted catch and bearing against the rim of the
cap U retains the catch in contact with the notched plate (see Figures 3, 4 and 5).
The main spring R carried on the rod A abuts at one end against a fixed bolt D
within which the rod A slides, and at the other end upon a collar A' on the rod. The
notched plate E is provided, in addition to the notches for raising and cocking the
hammer, with a curved projection E' against which the extremity A¹ of the rod A
buts. The movement of the latter is limited by a stop A coming against the bolt D.

page_text: On raising the hammer (Figure 4) the main spring R is compressed against the
fixed piece D and the collar A¹ of the rod A. When the trigger is pulled, the
spring R is depressed and pushes the hammer forward (Figure 5). The longitudinal
movement of the rod A being restricted, it only operates the hammer until the moment
when the latter reaches its position of rest,-indicated by the dotted lines on Figure 5.
The further movement which the hammer must make to produce percussion is effected.
solely by the momentum it has received.
The nose of the catch being then pressed by its small spring r upon the inclinedi
face S of the notch, causes the hammer to return to this notch, and brings the
projection E of the notched plate against the extremity A¹ of the rod A (Figure 3).
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 8 the positions of the spring-rod and pivoted
hammer are reversed, but the action is identical with that above described.
When the
Figures 6 and 7 shew the same mechanism but with the hammer brought to the
recoil notch by the spring R.. In this case the end A' of the rod A, when the hammer
is at rest, bears upon the two points E', E2, of the notched plate. When the hammer
is cocked, the point E' only is in contact with the end A' of the rod A.
hammer falls, the spring R is depressed until the hammer reaches its position of rest,
that is until the part 2 of the notched plate meeting the extremity A' of the rod A,
again slightly compresses the spring R by the momentum of. the hammer. After
firing, the spring R pushes the hammer back to its normal position.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the main spring R is carried on a
rod A pivoted at one end to the lower part of the hammer, its other end sliding in an
opening or passage B formed in the frame of the lock. When the hammer is cocked
(Fig. 2) the spring R is compressed between the inner face of this frame and the
collar or flange A on the rod A. The trigger-catch is kept in the notch of the
hammer by a small spring contained within the trigger and bearing upon the plate
of the trigger guard.
Figures 16 and 17 represent the application of a spiral spring W to the shutter T
of a rifle lock. This spring is seated in a recess in the frame of the lock. It operates
in the direction of the axis of the shutter T, and the extremity of the spring which
acts upon the shutter, is furnished with a flat piece W'. This latter bears upon a
projection T of the shutter.
Figure 16 shows clearly that the shutter T is closed, the point against which the
spring W bears is below the axis of the shutter and tends to keep it closed. On the
other hand when the shutter is open, the point against which the spring bears is above
the axis of the shutter, (Fig. 17) and keeps the latter open.
In the various arrangements above described the force of the spring R exerted
against the hammer, and following the movement thereof, is applied at different
distances from the axis of the hammer, so that as will be seen from the drawings, the
more the spring is compressed the nearer does it act to the axis of the hammer. The
point at which the force of the spring R is applied upon the hammer is determined by
the rapidity or otherwise of the action which is desired. This application of pressure
on the hammer may be obtained either by simple contact, as shown in Figures 3, 4
and 5, 6, 7, and 8 or by a hinge, Figures 1 and 2, or by means of any suitable
intermediate piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In lock-mechanism for fire-arms generally, in which percussion is produced by a
spiral spring, the particular arrangement of such spring rendering it capable of
assuming various angular inclinations relatively to the axis of the hammer, so as to
obtain during the movement of the hammer a gradual pressure, that is to say, a
slight pressure when the hammer is cocked, augmenting gradually as the hammer
falls, as in known flat spring mechanisms, as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. In lock-mechanism for sporting guns, the arrangement for setting the

page_text: hammer at the firing-notch by pressure of the trigger spring, as described with
reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5 of accompanying drawings.
3. In lock-mechanism for sporting guns, the arrangement for setting the hammer
at the firing notch by the main spring (Figures 6 and 7) by means of the particular
form of pivoted rod carrying the spring and of the notched plate, as described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
4. In lock-mechanism of fire-arms, the use as a trigger spring of a coil-spring
located within the trigger, as described and illustrated upon the accompanying
drawings.
5. In lock-mechanism of fire-arms, the use of a spiral spring W located within the
frame of the casing, and acting upon a projection T of the shutter T, for the purposes.
and as described with reference to Figures 16 and 17 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1897.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents..