IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rose Finch, of Eureka, California, and Horace
Page Fletcher, of San Francisco, California, Gentlemen, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 9th July 1878;
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Rose Finch and Horace
. Page Fletcher at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July
1878.
=
WILLIAM ROSE FINCH, of Eureka, California, and HORACE PAGE FLETCHER, of
San Francisco, California, Gentlemen. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS.
"
Our Invention relates to that class of breech-loading fire-arms in which the
breech block is hinged to one side of the barrel so as to open upward and laterally,
and it consists in a novel method of constructing, applying, and mounting the
breech block so that it can be easily detached from the barrel when desired so as to
disable the gun.
'
It also consists of a novel arrangement of the firing pin, and certain improve-.
ments in the application of the lever which releases and opens the breech block and
operates the shell extractor, and in certain details of construction, all of which will
be more fully explained by referring to the accompanying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation with breech block removed.
Figure 2 shows breech block in place.
Figure 3, sectional view showing mechanism.
Figure 4 is a transverse section through the breech.
Figure 5 is a side view showing lever.
Figure 6 is top view, and Figure 7, general view of the breech block detached.

page_text: recess I in which the breech block D'fits is made by cutting out a portion at the
breech so as to leave a solid block of metal E behind the breech block. This recess
is long enough to permit the introduction of the cartridge when the breech block is
raised.
The breech block D is a solid block of metal, its upper surface being semi-cylin-
drical or otherwise suitably shaped to correspond with the top of the barrel, and
with an offset f on each side, which rests upon the sides of the recess or concavity
in which the block fits. Its under half is semi-cylindrical, but on a smaller radius,
so as to fit in the recess. This block we hinge to one side, usually the left side of
the barrel or recess, as follows:-Along the left-hand offsets or shoulder of the block
we make a circular bead or rib e, and extend it beyond the breech block at each
end so as to form journals g, g. The upward projecting edge on the left-hand side
of the recess against which this bead fits is made concave or hollow to fit the bead
e, and at each end of this upward projecting side we make an open seat or bearing
for the journals g to fit in. To prevent these journals from coming out of the open
seats we arrange a sliding plate J on that side of the barrel which has an upward
projecting arm K at each end, and these will cover the seats when the plate is
pushed up and fastened, thus retaining the journals of the breech block in place.
The plate is slotted near each end, and a screw passes through each slot, so that
the plate can be moved up or down the length of the slots. When up, the arms K
cover the open seats and confine the journals of the breech block; but when down,
the seats are uncovered and the journals will drop out, thus detaching the breech
block. A spring push pin L serves to latch the plate J in place when it is raised.
The breech block opens and closes on the journals g, g, so that it opens upward and
laterally as shown. The lever M, by means of which the breech block is thrown
open, is attached to a short shaft n which passes into the side of the gun below the
rear end of the breech block, and the lever extends along under the hammer and to
a distance in rear of it, where it will be most convenient to the thumb of the person
who holds the gun. A longitudinal channel p is made in the bottom of the chamber
or recess in which the breech block fits, and in this channel the devices which
operate the breech block and shell extractor are placed.
The inner end of the shaft n is firmly attached to a two-armed lever, one arm of
which, marked o, lies in the channel p below the breech block, while the other, q,
stands upright and fits in a recess in the standing breech in rear of the breech block.
This upright arm q has a latch head on its upper end, and a flat spring = is arranged
to press it forward as shown. The breech block has a recess in its rear end, into
which the latch head of the arm q is forced by the spring when the block is closed
down, and the breech block is thus firmly locked. The arm O of the lever passes
forward a short distance under the breech block in the channel p, so that when the
lever M is thrown down the latch q is thrown backward out of the recess in the
breech block so as to free the block just as the lever O moves upward against it to
throw it open. The lever M has a projection or arm S extending upward from near
its pivoted end, and the hammer T has a nose or projection u extending forward
from it alongside the barrel so that as the lever is thrown down the arm S will push
backward upon the nose of the hammer and set it at half-cock, thus relieving the
pressure of the hammer on the firing pin so that it can clear itself from the breech
block, or it may be made to full-cock the gun if desired.
The shell extractor consists of the bar a, which moves in an extension of the
channel p under the barrel, as shown at Fig. 3. This bar has a lug b on its under
side, and the lug is connected with the arm O by a hinged rod d, d, so that the
same movement of the lever M. which unlatches the breech block and forces it open
operates the retractor. The end of the rod d is formed into a screw and is attached
to the lug b of the extractor bar by means of two set nuts V, V, between which the
lug passes. By setting these nuts towards or from the end of the rod the move-
ment of the extractor can be adjusted to any time or distance of movement desired.
An inclined block may be secured in the bottom of the cavity in which the
breech block fits to throw the ejected cartridge out of the recess, but this action

page_text: will be effected in a simple manner by the action of the connecting rod d', which
extends from the shell extractor to the arm O of the operating lever. As the lever
M is forced down it rotates the shaft n, upon which the double or bell-crank lever
O, q, is mounted, and the backward movement of the locking lever arm releases the
breech block just before the arm O touches its lower surface, so that when this con-
tact takes place the breech block is free to be lifted by the lever arm 0; at the
same time this arm withdraws the shell by means of the extractor a and the con-
necting rod d, d¹.
As the arm O rises it draws the end of the connecting rod d¹ upward with it so
that it is raised out of the groove or slot p, and stands at an angle, as shown in
Fig. 3. When the shell is drawn backward with a sudden movement it will
strike this incline and be forcibly thrown upward and backward entirely out of the
chamber. This sudden or forcible action is effected in depressing the lever M by the
action of the spring Z, which is connected with the rear end of the arm q of the
double lever, and extends backward to a post Z¹, where it rests or is secured so as
to have a considerable tension. Now when the lever M is pressed down and the
shaft n rotates until the arm 9 passes a certain point, the tension of this spring
finishes the motion with a sharp snap, which throws the lever O up after it opens
the breech block and forcibly ejects the shell..
When the lever M is raised to return the parts to their position the spring Z again
acts to forcibly return thein after the arm q has passed the central point in its
movements, and thus this single spring serves to forcibly eject the shell, and also to.
force the arm q forward and lock the breech block in place when closed as pre
viously described:
These sudden or forcible movements of the double lever q are made independently
of the lever M and the shaft n, because the shaft is flattened where it passes through
the double lever, and the hole in the lever is of such a shape that after the shaft
has turned the arms so that the spring Z can act. in either direction as above
described, the hole allows the lever to turn the remainder of the way independent
of the shaft and lever M.
In order to hold the breech block in place after it is open, a small lug 01 projects
from the side of the lever arm O, and when the end of this lever is raised up, the
lug just rests against the breech block and steadies it. A. notch in one side of the
groove p in the bottom of the chamber receives the lug when the lever arm is
down. A coiled spring W is fitted into a recess in the lever M at the point where
it fits the shaft n, and one end of. the spring is secured to the lever, while the other
is secured to the side of the gun. The tension of this spring as the lever moves up.
and down will take up the lost motion between the shaft n and the lever O,.q.
The trunnions g, g, are made with the back or part which rests against the pro-
jection K of the plate J, slightly flattened, thus forming angles, so that when the
breech block is opened or closed the angles will press against the projections of the
plate J; as this plate is made of spring steel it will be manifest that when the,
breech block is turned the elastic plate will press upon the angles of the trunnions,.
and thus steady the breech block in its movements and prevent looseness or
wabbling, besides lending by its elasticity to assist in closing the breech .block.
To fire the cartridges we use a firing pin which is made in two separate,
pins or sections; one of these pins X extends longitudinally through the breech.
block so as to strike the cartridge and fire it, while the other Y passes through the
standing breech E in rear of the breech block. These pins are so adjusted that when
the breech block is closed down they will be in line with each other, so that a per-,
cussion on the projecting end of the pin Y will force it against the end of pin X and,
thus fire the cartridge.
By making an indentation in the rear end of the breech block into which the
end of the firing pin Y will enter when the breech block is partly open, we can
throw the two firing pins out of line with each other, and thus render the gun
perfectly safe when it is loaded, even if the hammer should be allowed to fall
upon
the pin Y

page_text: The operation of loading is then accomplished as follows:-The person who holds
the gun presses the lever M downward and forward with the thumb of his right
hand; this sets the hammer at half-cock, unlatches the breech block, forces it open,
and discharges the spent cartridge shell; he then instantly draws the lever back
with his hand. This restores the lifting lever and retractor to their proper
positions. He then inserts the fresh cartridge and closes the breech block, when the
gun is again ready to fire.
If he should at any time desire to disable or dismount the gun, he can do so by
detaching the breech block and placing it out of reach; this arrangement is very
strong, simple, and easily operated. The gun has no projecting or cumbrous parts,
and cannot become fouled by ordinary usage.
Having thus described our Invention, what we claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
1st. The breech. block D, with its axes or trunnions g, g, arranged to be journalled
in the open seats or bearings i, in combination with the sliding plate J, with its
covering arms K, and the spring press pin I, or equilalent device, substantially as
and for the purpose herein described.
2nd. The standing breech E, having the pin Y passing through it, and receiving
the stroke of the hammer in combination with the breech block D, swinging
laterally upon the longitudinal trunnions g, g, and provided with the firing pin X, 5
which stands in line with the pin Y when the breech is closed, said breech block
having the safety pocket or opening r to receive the pin Y when the breech is
partially open, and prevent the gun from being fired, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
3rd. The double or bell-crank lever mounted upon the horizontal shaft n so as to
lie below and behind the breech block chamber, said lever having one arm q,
which serves to latch and lock the breech block in place when closed, while the
sub-
other arm operates the shell extractor a, by means of the link or rod d, d³,
stantially as and for the purpose herein described.
4th. The double or bell-crank lever O, q, mounted upon the shaft n, in combi-
nation with the single spring Z attached to the rear of the arm q, so that its
elasticity shall move the levers in either direction from a certain central point in
their movement, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
5th. The double or bell-crank lever O, q, operating as herein shown, and mounted
loosely upon the flattened shaft n, so that the spring Z may complete the move-
ment of the levers in either direction independently of the movement of the shaft,
and thus eject the shell or return the levers to place suddenly, substantially as
herein described.
6th. In a gun having a breech block swinging laterally upon longitudinal
trunnions, the double or bell-crank lever O, q, mounted upon the shaft n; and
operated by the exterior lever M, the arm q serving to lock the breech block when
closed, and being retracted by the action of the lever M so as to permit the block D
to be opened by the arm 0, substantially as herein described.
7th. The lever M, connected by the shaft n with the latch lever q, and lifting
lever o, said lifting lever being connected with the shell retractor a by the bar or link
d, d', and the adjusting nuts v, v, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
8th. The horizontally moving shell extractor a, in combination with the lifting
lever O and the link d³, said link being raised to an incline as the shell is with-
drawn so as to serve as a guide to eject the shell, snbstantially as herein
described.
9th. The breech block D swinging laterally upon longitudinal trunnions in com-
bination with the lifting lever O, said lever being provided with a lug 0¹ to steady
the breech block when opened, substantially as herein described.
10th. The shaft n, having the double lever O, q, mounted upon it, as shown, and
provided with the exterior operating lever M, in combination with the coiled take-
up spring W, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
÷

page_text: 11th. The laterally swinging breech block D turning upon the longitudinal trun-
nions g, g. said trunnions having an angle, as shown, in combination with the
sliding plats J, having the elastic covering arms, said arms acting upon the angle
of the trunnions so as to steady the block and assist in closing it, substantially
as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Rose Finch and Horace Page Fletcher,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witnesses,
GEO. H. STRONG,
FRANK A. BROOKS.
WILLIAM ROSE FINCH. (L.S.)
HORACE P. FLETCHER. (L.S.)