IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Murrell at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th January
1863.
I, CHARLES MURRELL, of Pinfold Street, Aylsham, in the County of
Norfolk, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
According to my improvements I close the breech opening where the charge
is introduced by means of a short solid piece of metal about the size of the
barrel at the breech, which is hinged thereto, and folds up towards the muzzle
in disclosing the bore; this solid piece has on its face closing the bore a
hemispherical projection fitting into a like cavity in the breech, into which it
is ground, and therefore closes it perfectly; the rear face of this piece is
bevilled or inclined, and forms an abutment for another piece or cylinder
disposed behind it in the line of the barrel; this piece is hinged to the rear
part of the breech fixed on the stock, and in which is formed a short cylinder
containing a spiral spring in the line of the bore, which acts on the hammer
(a small bolt or cylinder), also in the line of the bore, and contained in the
last-mentioned hinged piece, which is of some three inches in length, and
bevilled at one end to suit the incline of the closing piece, while the other
abuts rigidly on the spring chamber and breech piece immediately behind it;
in opening the breech this cylinder or piece turns or folds backwards on the
stock. These hinged parts are received in an extension from the barrel,
either formed of a piece therewith or screwed thereto, the one half (the upper

page_text: part) of which is removed, and the other being a semi-hollow cylinder, in
which the parts lie and are fitted, the spring cylinder being actuated at the
rear or stock end, and forming what I have before termed the rear part. The
long hinged cylinder when down in place, as for closing and offering abutment
to the breech-closing piece, is secured and held down by a spring bolt or other
catch. In opening the breech this is released by a suitable thumb-piece. As
before mentioned, this piece contains a short bolt forming the hammer, which
is cocked (so to speak) in opening the breech by the motion of the hinged
piece, and may be effected by a short chain fixed at one end, and connected
with the hammer at the other; a spring detent in the cylinder keeps it in
position, which is acted on by the trigger in firing. The hammer being
cocked while opening the breech, during which there is no pressure of the
spring on the hammer, the contrary motion, that is, closing, causes the
hammer bolt to exert a pressure on a bolt bearing on the hammer spring,
which is thereby placed in sufficient tension, these several parts being in the
line of the bore when closed. The detent piece or sear of the hammer has a
projecting arm, which passes downwards through an opening in the breech,
and is actuated immediately by a spring bolt operated on by the trigger, which
is forced back again by such spring bolt after firing. The trigger is detached
from the bolt, and jointed so as to fold down on the stock, and requires no
guard. The nipple is disposed in the central line of the bore, and projects on
the inclined face of the breech-closing piece first herein-before mentioned, a
suitable recess being formed therein to receive its collar. The hammer, it
will be remembered, is disposed and strikes centrally in the line of the
bore.