Iм- PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to JAMES ASTON, OI
Hythe, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," bearing date the 17th
day of July 1871, and numbered 1866.
5 DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION as proposed to be
filed by James Aston in the Great Seal Patent Office with the
Specification to which the same relates, according to the Statute in
that case made and provided.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
0 Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day
of July, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Aston, Her special license, that I, my
5 executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should 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
the Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARM8
"
And whereas in pursuance and performance of a proviso in the said
Letters Patent contained, I, the said James Aston, did within six
calendar months after the date of the said Letters Patent cause a
Specification in writing under my hand and seal, purporting to par-
ticularly describe the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office:
And whereas since the date of the said Letters Patent and of the
filing of the said Specification, I have ascertained that too wide a con-
struction may be put upon the claim as made in the said Specification,
so as to make it comprise more than I was entitled or desired to
claim:
And whereas I am desirous of disclaiming any implied or express
claim to the general arrangement, or the well known parts common
to breech-loading guns in general, and of restricting my claim to the
particular modifications and improvements described in my said Specifi-
cation, and the Drawings thereunto annexed which are novel and in the
manner herein-after described.
side
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Aston, by and with the
leave of Her Majesty's Solicitor-General, do hereby alter the said
Specification as printed by the Queen's Printers, by inserting at page 4,
line 19, after the second word "I," the words " do not claim such parts
or arrangements of the action of a breech-loading gun," as are well
known and common to breech-loading guns in general, but what “ I do
"claim is the arrangement for moving the sliding block with a slide
"lever and claw lever, also the swivel that is attached to the claw lever
" for moving the striker and to bring it to cock, also the hollow in the
"vertical block for the striker to move in, and the arrangement of studs
" on the outside of the sliding block for the claw lever to act on, and a
"the bearings inside to press on the shoulders of the striker to bring it
" to cock," by striking out at page 4, lines 19, 20, and 21, the words

page_text: "claim the said Invention of Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-
"arms,' the nature whereof is," by inserting at page 4, line 21, before
the word "described" the words "all substantially as;" by striking
out at page 4, lines 21 and 22, the words "by the words preceding the
words;" by inserting at page 4, line 22, before the word "in" the word
"and;" by inserting at page 4, line 23, before the word "also" the
word "I," and before the word "the" the word "claim," and before
the word "improvements "the words "last mentioned," and before the
word "shown" the word "as ;" and by striking out at page 4, line 24,
the words "and herein referred to." And in order that the effect of the
said alterations may be fully understood I proceed to set out the said
Specification as it will read with my Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration inserted therein.
These improvements consist in constructing the breech block with
a slot in it for the hammer to move in, and a small hole through
the centre of the face of breech block for the point of the hammer
to pass through to strike the cap; and in having on each side of the
breech block a strong stud for a claw lever to act on when opening or
closing the breech. In the breech block two grooves can be made
for the studs or projections of the hammer to move in; or the block can
be cut away underneath, so that when opening the breech it will
bring the hammer to half a full-cock, and cause the block to be
in its proper position when firing. On the top of the breech block
is a wide groove to allow the cartridge case to pass freely in and
out of the chamber. The claw lever has an opening in each side to
fit the studs on breech block, the other end being fitted with a swivel,
and divided to allow the end of the hammer to move in to bring
it to half or full-cock. Through the body of the claw lever a
hexagonal hole can be made (or a round hole with a slot cut in it
for a key to fasten on part of the side lever to prevent the lever
slipping when in use. By pressing down the lever it moves down
the breech block, and the extractor throws out the cartridge case, and
by lifting it up closes the breech end of the barrel. The whole
referred to as being required through the body of the claw lever is not
limited to hexagonal or round shape, but any other suitable shape
may be used so long as it prevents the slide lever from slipping. The
hammer has one stud or projection on each side, so made that the down-
ward movement of the breech block will bring it to half or full cock;

page_text: I also claim the modification of my said last-mentioned improvements,
shown in Figure 4 of said Drawings, and herein referred-to.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Aston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above-named James
Aston to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification
to which the same relates, the above-written Disclaimer and Memo-
randum of Alteration.
Temple, April 7th, 1876.
HARDINGE GIFFARD,
Solicitor-General.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Aston, of Hythe, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS.
"
Sealed the 12th January 1872, and dated the 17th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Aston at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th July 1871.
I, JAMES ASTON, of Hythe, in the County of Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows :—
The breech block has a slot cut in it for the hammer to move in, and
a small hole through the centre of the face of the breech for the hammer
to strike through to the cap. On each side of the breech block is a
strong stud for a claw lever to act on when opening or closing the
breech, and in the breech block are two grooves cut for the studs on
hammer to move in when opening the breech, which are so made as to
bring the hammer to full cock, and to cause the block to be in its proper

page_text: position when firing. On the top of the breech block is a wide groove
to allow the cartridge case to pass freely in and out of the chamber.
The hammer has one stud on each side fitted for the downward move-
ment of the breech block, bringing it to full cock. One end is made
hook shape to act on the swivel to cock or release it from the trigger,
the other end or point is made to pass through the small hole in face
of breech and strike the cap. It can be made to suit cither hook or
The
swivel mainspring, and the toe of mainspring to act as sear spring.
mainspring is fitted on trigger plate. At the end of the lever that
passes through the body and claw lever has a stop pin or some other
suitable catch to prevent the lever coming out when in use; and on the
right side is a spring or catch to keep the side lever in its place when
firing or not in use. The claw lever has an opening cut through each
side to fit the studs on breech block; the other end is fitted with a
swivel, and is divided to allow the end of hammer to move in to bring
it to full cock. Through the body of the claw lever is a hexagonal
hole, and in it is fitted part of the side lever, which by pressing down
opens the breech and throws out the case, and by lifting up closes it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Aston in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ASTON, of Hythe, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
of
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of July, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Aston, Her special licence that I, the
said James Aston, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Aston, 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,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Aston, 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 calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Aston, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
These improvements consist in constructing the breech block with a
slot in it for the hammer to move in, and a small hole through the
centre of the face of breech block for the point of the hammer to pass
through to strike the cap; and in having on each side of the breech
block a strong stud for a claw lever to act on when opening or closing
the breech. In the breech block two grooves can be made for the studs
or projections of the hammer to move in; or the block can be cut away
underneath, so that when opening the breech it will bring the hammer
to half or full cock, and cause the block to be in its proper position when
firing. On the top of the breech block is a wide groove to allow the
cartridge case to pass freely in and out of the chamber. The claw
lever has an opening in each side to fit the studs on breech block, the
other end being fitted with a swivel and divided to allow the end of the
hammer to move in to bring it to half or full cock. Through the body
of the claw lever a hexagonal hole can be made (or a round hole with
a slot cut in it for a key to fasten on part of the side lever) to prevent
the lever slipping when in use. By pressing down the lever it moves.
down the breech block and the extractor throws out the cartridge
case, and by lifting it up closes the breech end of the barrel. The hole
referred to as being required through the body of the claw lever is not.
limited to hexagonal or round shape, but any other suitable shape may
be used so long as it prevents the side lever from slipping. The
hammer has one stud or projection on each side, so made that the
downward movement of the breech block will bring it to half or full
cock; one end of the hammer being made hooked-shaped acts on the
swivel to cock or release it from the toe end of the trigger. The point
of the hammer is made to pass through a small hole in the face of

page_text: breech to strike the cap. The hammer can be made to suit hook
or swivel mainspring, and the toe of the mainspring to act as sear
spring if required. The mainspring is fitted on the trigger plate. At
the end of the lever that passes through the body and claw lever is a
stop pin or other suitable catch to prevent the lever coming out when
in use, and on the right side is a spring or catch to keep the side lever
in its place when firing or not in use.
In the Drawings accompanying this Specification Figs. 1 and 2 are
sectional side views of part of a fire-arm having my Invention applied
thereto.
Fig. 3, view of claw lever; Fig. 4, side view of modification of my
said improvements.
A, breech block; B, hammer; C, claw lever, D, swivel, which I can
dispense with if desired, as shown in Drawing, Fig. 4, the end of claw
lever and of hammer being then dispensed with, as there shown; E, side
lever; F, trigger plate; G, part of body of action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my said Invention, and in what manner the same may be
performed or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the said
Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms," the nature
whereof is described in this Specification by the words preceding the
words in the Drawings accompanying this Specification.
Also the modification of my said improvements shown in Fig. 4 of
said Drawings, and herein referred to.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Aston, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES ASTON. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.