An Improved Closing for Breech-loading Ordnance.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Closing for Breech-loading Ordnance.
I, ALFRED LONGSDON of Dashwood House in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad
by Friedrich Krupp of Essen on the Ruhr in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel
and Ordnance Manufacturer, 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 breech-loading ordnance, more particularly to quick-firing
cannons of small and medium calibre, and has for its purpose to provide a breech-
closing device which ensures rapid and safe loading and firing, while the removal of
the empty cartridge cases is effected automatically.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, in the various figures of which like letters
indicate corresponding parts,
Fig. 1 to 5 illustrate the improved closing in its various positions in the breech
and the relative disposition of the different constituents, while
Fig. 6 shows a modification.
The improved closing essentially consists of wedge A, displaceable in the breech
end B, firing pin a, cocking lever b, crank c, working lever d, stop rod i, spring 9,
trigger h, cartridge extractor 7 and click or pawl m and the whole operates as
follows:-
:-
On turning the working lever d about its axis to the right by means of crank
lever C (Fig. 4) the nose d¹ provided on lever d slides in groove d¹ of the wedge
and causes the latter to exchange the position shown in Fig. 1 for that illustrated in
Fig. 2.
At the same time the crank c is turned to the right and thereby the cocking
lever b to the left owing to the peculiarly shaped recess, in the face of working
lever d, into which engages the nose c¹ of crank c. Consequently the working lever b
forces the firing pin a so far back as to allow the stop rod i to place itself with the
upper end before the shoulder of the firing pin by the action of spring g, preventing
said pin from advancing. The opening and cocking of the closing device is thus
effected.
Simultaneously with the downward movement of the breech block the empty
cartridge case is loosened, and, shortly before the termination of said movement,
thrown out.
To accomplish this purpose, the cartridge extractor 1 (which may also be provided
on both sides of the bore) is so pivotted to the lower portion of the face of the breech
block as to be compelled to participate in the downward movement thereof, and,
owing to its wedge-like shape, to catch behind the rim of the cartridge case and draw
the same somewhat out of the tube. Towards the termination of its descent, the
extractor / strikes with its projection against the fore end m' of pawl m, and, during
the progress of the descent of the block, is caused to perform a short turn about its
axis, thereby throwing the empty case entirely out of the tube Fig. 2.
When the breech block has arrived at the end of its descent, the projection l' is
out of contact with the pawl m, and before introducing a fresh cartridge, the extractor
can be turned forward onto the tube. The pawl being thereby slightly raised,
yields, on subsequent re-closing of the breech, safficiently upwards to allow
projection to pass, and then returns by its own weight into the original position
shown in Fig. 3.
To close the breech, the lever C and working lever d are turned in the inverse
sense to that mentioned above; thereby the nose c¹ of crank c is forced to the left
in the recess of working lever d, and consequently the crank turns to the right
until, when the breech is completely closed, it has assumed such a position as to
prevent the nose serving to operate the cocking lever from being struck by the latter
on the pulling of the trigger.

page_text: The connection of crank c with cocking lever b elucidates from the drawing, and
Fig. 5 shows how the nose c¹ engages with the recess of working lever d.
The improved device possesses the material advantage of containing only one
spring, which is so placed as to operate in four different ways. Said spring acts in
the first instance on the stop rod i, moreover tends through its pressure on the
flattened shoulder of the cartridge case extractor to always return the latter into its
original position, furthermore said spring acts on the cocking lever, Fig. 1, as long
as the trigger h is pulled in the direction indicated by an arrow Fig. 1, and finally,
when the trigger is not pulled, Fig. 3, it slightly bulges upwardly, thereby with-
drawing the firing pin so far into the block as to allow the latter to be lowered. As
shown in Fig. 1, one free end of the spring, ou the trigger being pulled in the
direction indicated by an arrow, is firmly pressed by the stop rod onto the middle
of the spring whereby its striking power can be considerably increased.
In the modification illustrated by Fig. 6 the stop rod and trigger are replaced by
a peculiarly shaped lever trigger o, the action of which is evident from the drawing,
this trigger being likewise on the one hand held cocked by spring 9 through nose o
while on the other hand it contributes, as soon as pulled in the direction indicated
by an arrow to increase the striking power.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
In quick-firing breech loading ordnance.
1) The application of a vertical wedge-closing device containing only one spring g
adapted to so act on a flattening of cocking lever b, which is loose on crank c and
actuates the firing pin a, as to cause the latter to be propelled and at the same time
somewhat withdrawn after firing, said spring operating besides the stop rod i and
returning the cartridge case extractor 1 by pressure on a flattening thereof, into its
original position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2) In the wedge closing device forming the subject of claim 1, the application of
a cartridge case extractor / pivotted to the face of the breech block or wedge A and
adapted to loosen by its inclined flanges the cartridge case and throw out the latter
by its nose striking against pawl m substantially as set forth.
3) In the wedge-closing device forming the subject of claim 1, the application,
as a substitute for stop rod i and trigger h, of a two-armed lever trigger o adapted
to be pressed by spring 9 into a rest of arm 6, substantially as and the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 23rd of July 1890
ALFRED LONGSDON.
By Huelser & Co.,
142, Fleet Street, London, Attorneys.