IMPROVE- MENTS IN HAMMERLESS GUNS AND RIFLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Walsh, of No. 9, The Cedars, Putney, in the
County of Surrey, Editor of the " Field," for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAMMERLESS GUNS AND RIFLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Walsh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1878.
JOHN HENRY WALSH, of No. 9, The Cedars, Putney, in the County of Surrey,
Editor of the "Field." "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERLESS GUNS AND RIFLES."
My Invention relates to hammerless guns and rifles, and has for its object the
adaptation and application to such guns of a means of automatically locking or
bolting the tumbler and striker by the movement of the cocking lever, and at the
same time admitting of the tumbler being readily liberated as required by hand.
And my Invention consists in the combination of parts hereinafter referred to.
The hinge joint is made as stated in the Provisional Specification, No. 519 (1866),
and the gun is closed by a vertical bolt as therein stated, but instead of cocking
by bringing the projection or lever at the back of the barrels or fore end in contact
with the hammer, it is brought in contact with the tumbler which is jointed to the
striker. For this purpose in order to clear the said vertical bolt a five-section rule-
joint must be used. Locking cones are or may be also added to the face of the
false breech, which on the closing of the breech pass into the ends of the barrels
and serve to close the ends of the breech more firmly, the joint on which the barrels
turn being situated so as to admit of the locking cones entering the barrels as

page_text: "
stated. The means by which the tumbler is automatically locked or bolted by the
cocking lever consists of an excentric fixed in place and in the position of the
"bearer on a horizontal pin or spindle, on the opposite side of which is a pro-
jection or tail against which the cocking lever is made to act on the dropping of
the barrels, and turn the spindle so as to bring the projecting part of the excentric
in front of the tumbler and prevent its forward movement; and by means of a small
hand lever on the outside of the gun, moved through an arc a quarter of a circle
or thereabouts, the spindle can be readily turned so as to move the excentric clear
of the tumbler, and admit of its being projected forward as required for firing the
gun.

page_text: connected with the lever guard F, by pressing which the bolt can be drawn
down in order to open the gun, as shewn in Fig. 2, which bolt is returned
to its position for closing the gun by the reaction of the spring G bearing upon its
shoulder. H is a projection or lever at the back of the barrels or fore-end, which
by the opening of the gun is brought in contact with the tumbler I, and is thereby
caused to act on the tumbler as a cocking lever.
The tumbler I acts on the striker J, to which it is connected by a segment
head K, which drives the striker J forward as if composed of one piece, and brings
it back again as required, the hole in which the striker works being always
occupied or filled up, and water and gas being thereby effectually excluded.
In order to adapt the cocking lever H to the altered position of the striker J, a
five section rule joint as shewn at M in Fig. 6 is used. It is also to be observed
that the joint or hinge C is situated so that locking cones placed on the face of the
false breech would be caused on the closing of the breech to pass into the ends of
the barrels D and close the breech more firmly.
"
The tumbler I is automatically locked or bolted by the cocking lever H by means
of the excentric bolt N mounted on a horizontal spindle. This bolt which is a
safety bolt" is represented detached in Fig. 3, on reference to which Figure it
will be seen that the bolt consists of two portions or limbs, whereof the shorter
serves to lock the tumbler I by passing into a recess therein, and the longer (on the
opposite side of the said spindle) is acted upon by the cocking lever H. In Fig. 3
is also shown the external lever O, by moving which through an arc of a quarter
of a circle or thereabouts from outside the gun, the spindle can be turned so as to
move the excentric bolt N clear of the tumbler I, and admit of its being projected
forward as required for firing the gun. In Fig. 1 this external lever O is shewn in
the position of "safety."
In Fig.
the gun is shewn open with the tumbler I at full cock, and the
excentric" safety bolt" N lifted to "safety" by the cocking lever H. In Fig. 4
the tumbler I is shewn as let down as in firing, with the "safety bolt" N lowered
by moving its external lever O forwards. The striker J now projects from the
face of the break off A. In Fig. 5 the same parts are represented as bolted, the
point of the striker J being now within the face of the break-off. If preferred
the trigger guard may be made as represented in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as of my Invention
is,―
First. The mode described of automatically locking or bolting the tumbler and
striker by the movement of the cocking lever, and at the same time admitting of
the tumbler being liberated as required by means of a hand lever outside the
gun.
And, Secondly. The general construction of the gun as represented and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Walsh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
J. H. WALSH. (L.S.)