IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilson, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 26th February 1869, and dated the 5th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION filed by the said Thomas Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th September 1868.
I, THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the following improvements in
securing or fixing the triggers of breech-loading fire-arms whereby the
accidental discharge of the said fire-arms is prevented. To the trigger
guard at the rear of the trigger I joint a hinged plate or flap, the said
plate or flap being. similar to an, ordinary sight leaf and capable of a
similar backward and forward movement. In order to secure or fix the
trigger the said plate or flap is turned forward, so that its free end rests
or abuts against the shank of the trigger, thereby preventing the move-

page_text: ment of the said trigger, and consequently, the accidental discharge
of the fire-arm. The plate or flap described may be made to turn
horizontally upon a pin or centre with the same or nearly the same
effect; I prefer however the construction first described.
My Invention consists further in constructing the foot or upper end
of the trigger so as to make it bear firmly upon the top of the sear
guide spring, whereby the movement of the said spring is prevented
while the shank of the trigger remains fixed by the free end of the plate
or flap herein-before described resting against it.
My Invention consists further in constructing the extractors of breech-
loading fire-arms provided with sliding bolts or closers to work in a
longitudinal groove or opening in the rear and upper side of the breech
shoe, and operating the said extractors by the sliding motions of the
breech bolt (acting against shoulders formed on the bodies of the
extractors) in opening and closing the breech.
My Invention consists further in constructing breech-loading fire-
arms in the following manner:-To the barrel a breech frame or shoe
is attached, the said breech frame or shoe being provided with openings
at top and bottom. To the rear of this breech frame or shoe a tongue
or breech piece is jointed capable of an upward and downward movement
at its front end. In the axis of the said tongue or breech piece a pin
or striker is fitted, which pin or striker is driven forward by the hollow
cylindrical bolt or hammer herein-after described. The hollow cylin-
drical hammer referred to works in a tube or frame in the rear of the
breech frame or shoe. The said hammer is driven forward by means of
a coiled spring at its rear. I form on the said hollow cylindrical bolt or
hammer a shoulder or bent, into or against which a sear takes or bears
for the purpose of sustaining the said hammer in its cocked position.
The hollow cylindrical bolt or hammer is thrust backwards by means of
a jointed rod or strap underneath the breech frame, which said strap is
alternately depressed and raised by the opening and closing of the breech
of the fire-arm. The tongue or breech piece and hollow cylindrical
hammer are operated from the upper side of the fire-arm by means of
a lever fixed to the sides of the breech frame. The extractors are
attached to the inner sides of the breech frame and are operated by
means of vertical tappets sliding in grooves formed in the inner sides
of the said breech frame, the said tappets being depressed and the
extractors thereby operated by the lever hercin-before described pressing

page_text: upon them on opening the breech. Under the said tappets flat springs
are fixed by which the return motion of the said tappets is effected.
My Invention consists further of the following mode of securing the
hinged blocks of brecch-loading fire-arms during the discharge of the
said fire-arms. I form on or affix to the forward side of the breech shoe
a raised piece, into which I cause a bolt to take upon closing the breech
block. The bolt in the said block works in a longitudinal slot formed
in the block, and is released by the pressure of the thumb on opening
the breech for reloading the fire-arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick Gun Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of
our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Wilson, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Wilson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Wilson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Wilson, 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

page_text: Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Wilson, 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 thercof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the following improvements in
securing or fixing the triggers of breech-loading fire-arms whereby the
accidental discharge of the said fire-arms is prevented. To the trigger
guard at the rear of the trigger I joint a hinged plate or flap, the said
plate or flap being similar to an ordinary sight leaf and capable of a
similar backward and forward movement. In order to secure or fix the
trigger the said plate or flap is turned forward so that its free end rests
or abuts against the shank of the trigger, thereby preventing the move-
ment of the said trigger and consequently the accidental discharge of
the fire-arm. The plate or flap described may be made to turn
horizontally upon a pin or centre with the same or nearly the same
effect, 1 prefer however the construction first described.
My Invention consists further in constructing the foot or upper end
of the trigger so as to make it bear firmly upon the sear guide spring
whereby the movement of the said spring is prevented while the shank
of the trigger remains fixed by the free end of the plate or flap herein-
before described resting against it.
My Invention consists further in constructing the extractors of breech-
loading fire-arms provided with sliding bolts or closers to work in a
longitudinal groove or opening in the rear and upper side of the breech
shoe, and operating the said extractors by the sliding motions of the
breech bolt (acting against shoulders formed on the bodies of the
extractors) in opening and closing the breech.
My Invention consists further of the following mode of securing the
hinged blocks of breech-loading fire-arms during the discharge of the
said fire-arms. I form on or affix to the forward end of the breech shoe
a raised piece, into which I cause a bolt to take upon closing the breech
block. The bolt in the said block works in a longitudinal slot formed
in the block, and is released by the pressure of the thumb on opening
the breech for reloading the fire-arm.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to

page_text: describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in side elevation, and partly in longitudinal
section a direct-acting breech-loading gun constructed according to my
Patent, No. 3211, 1867, the said gun containing the improvements
described under the first and second heads of my present Invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are sections of parts of the same, as herein-after
explained.
In order to make the parts of my present Invention the better
understood I will briefly enumerate some of the essential parts of the
gun.
a is the barrel; b, the shoe or brecch chamber; c is the tubular plug
for opening and closing the breech, in which are contained the sliding
lammer and spring for urging the latter forward to discharge the gun;
d is the extractor carried by the plug c; e is the sear guide spring, the
hooked end of which engages with the shoulder on the sliding hammer
and holds the said hammer in its cocked position, the said spring e with
the extractor rod d guiding the sliding plug c in its motion; f is the
trigger turning on the centre f*; g is the locking collar for locking the
plug c for discharge; and h is the trigger stop lever turning on the
centre for preventing the trigger acting until the closing plug is
securely fixed in its place.
In securing or fixing the triggers of breech-loading fire-arms according
to my present Invention, I joint to the trigger guard i at at the rear
of the trigger a plate or flap 1, the said flap being capable of a back-
ward and forward movement on its joint . The flap consists of a flat
plate having a shoulder at (see the front elevation Figure 2), and a
thumb plate or handle P, by which handle it may be moved either into
the position represented in Figure 1, or into that indicated in dotted
lines in the said Figure 1. The handle projects beyond the trigger
guard, the other parts working within it. A spring m on the top of
the trigger guard i presses upon the tail end of the flap and tends
to keep the said flap in its fixing position, as represented in Figure 1.
When the gun is loaded and it is required to secure or fix the trigger f
the plate or flap is turned forward by its handle P, so that the part 1*
rests or abuts against the shank of the trigger f and prevents the
movement of the trigger and consequently the accidental discharge of
the gun. When it is wished to discharge the gun the flap or plate 7 is

page_text: turned into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, when the
trigger may be pulled to discharge the gun, the said flap or plate / being
maintained in the last-described position by the action of the spring m.
Instead of making the flap or plate turn in a vertical plane upon its pin
or joint, as illustrated in the Drawing, the said flap or plate may be
made to turn in a horizontal plane with the same or nearly the same
effect. The safety flap or plate described and represented may be applied
to the triggers of fire-arms generally.
I make the foot or upper end f³ of the trigger f of the form shown
in Figures 1 and 3. The extreme end of the said foot fs works between
the under side of the free end of the sear guide spring e and the piu n
carried by the said spring. By the movement of the trigger to
discharge the gun the said foot or arm f" bears upon the pin n, and
depressing the sear guide spring e releases the sliding hammer, and
causes the discharge of the gun. When the trigger f is held by the
free end of the flap or plate l, as represented in Figure 1, the extreme
end of the foot f³ of the trigger bears firmly upon the sear guide
spring e, and thereby prevents the descent of the said spring and the
accidental discharge of the gun. This part of my Invention will be
best understood by an examination of the longitudinal section, Figure 3,
where the sear guide spring e is shown pressed up to its work by the
foot of the trigger f. By this arrangement the fixing of the trigger
also fixes the scar guide spring, and thereby secures the gun at two
points against accidental discharge.
Figure 4 represents in horizontal section the breech end of a plug gun
without the stock and other parts containing my improvements in
extracting the cases of exploded cartridges. a is the barrel of the gun,
and is the shoe or breech chamber; c is the sliding or sliding and
rotating brecch plug or bolt for opening and closing the breech and for
operating the extractor, the said plug or bolt working in the shoe or
chamber b; d is the extractor, and d² is the hook or acting end of the
said extractor. The said extractor & works in a longitudinal groove or
slot e made in the side of the breech shoe b. In the body of the
extractor d is a groove f, the ends of the said groove forming
shoulders d³, d. On the breech plug or bolt c is a projection or
stud I which works in the groove f in the said extractor. The Drawing
represents the respective positions of the parts of the gun after a car-
tridge has been introduced into its place in the barrel a, and after

page_text: the breech plug or bolt c has been pushed home. After the discharge
of the gun the plug c is withdrawn. When the said plug c has been
withdrawn nearly to the full extent of its motion the pin g on the said
plug strikes against the shoulder d' on the extractor d, and operating
the said extractor causes its hook d to withdraw the case of the exploded
cartridge from the barrel. After introducing a fresh cartridge into the
barrel and pushing home the plug c the ping on the said plug strikes
against the shoulder d of the extractor d and returns the said extractor
to its place in the rear of the charge chamber, as illustrated in the
Drawing.
Figure 5 represents in side elevation, Figure 6 in plan (partly in
horizontal section), and Figure 7 in transverse section a hinged block
breech-loading gun containing my improvements for securing the blocks
of the said guns during discharge. i is the closing block working on
the hinge or joint at k, by which joint the said block may be shut down
into the breech shoe for closing the breech, or raised out of the said
shoe for opening the breech. In the said block i is a longitudinal
slot is, in which a bolt m works, the said bolt having motion in a
horizontal plane on the centre m³. The said bolt is pressed outwards
by a spring n, and is furnished with a handle or thumb plate p, by
which the bolt m is released and the block i raised from or shut down
into the breech shoe 2. The free and acting end m³ of the bolt m is
made broader than the other part, and is bevilled on its under side,
as seen in Figure 7. On the forward part of the breech shoe is a
raised piece having a notch or depression made in its inner side.
When the hinged block i is shut down for closing the breech the
acting end m³ of the bolt m is pushed back by its bevilled part coming
against the raised portion 13 of the shoe, and when the said block has
been completely shut down into the shoe the said end of the bolt snaps
into the notch or depression of the raised piece 1, and thereby secures
the block in its place during the discharge of the gun. In order to
release and raise the block i the thumb plate or handle p is pressed
towards the joint of the block the thumb. The bolt m is thereby
pressed back, and its acting end m³ is disengaged from the notch or
depression in the raised part 1, and the said block is by the same motion
raised from the shoe. After the block has been raised from the shoe the
spring which had been compressed forces the acting end of the bolt
outwards ready to be pressed back and snapped into the raised part 1" on
the shutting down of the said block.

page_text: 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, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in
breech-loading fire-arms,-
Firstly. The construction and arrangement, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings, of the hinged plate or flap for securing or fixing the triggers
of breech-loading fire-arms against accidental discharge.
Secondly. The construction and arrangement, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying
Drawings, of the foot or upper end of the triggers of breech-loading
fire-arms of the kind described for the purpose of preventing the descent
or movement of the sear guide spring when the triggers of the said
fire-arms are fixed.
Thirdly. The arrangement or combination of the parts herein-before
described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings
for extracting the cases of exploded cartridges from the barrels of fire-
arms opened and closed by a sliding or sliding and rotating breech plug,
bolt, or closer.
Lastly. The construction and arrangement, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the accom-
panying Drawings, of the parts of a bolt for securing the hinged blocks
of breech-loading fire-arms during the discharge of the said firc-arms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.