IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, of 16,
Castle Street, Holborn (City), London, Patent Agent, for the
Sealed the 26th May 1854, and dated the 29th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard
Loradoux Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 29th November 1853.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 16, Castle Street,
Holborn (City,) London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as fol-
lows:-
This Invention consists in the percussion arrangements being con-
cealed and acting inwardly, either in the direction of or laterally to the
axis of the barrel. The cock has no other function in this arrange-
ment than to permit the putting in or out of action of the percutient
parts. A moveable breech is interposed between the barrel and the
mechanism, which produces the percussion, and has a motion upwards
or downwards so as to expose the opening of the barrel, by which the

page_text: charge is introduced, and to close it up when charged. This moveable
breech is jointed at the extremity of a small crank, the other end of
which is fixed to the under guard of the weapon. This under guard
is also moveable, and turns easily on an anterior axis; the hind part is
fixed when the weapon is in use to the but by any suitable means.
The charging is effected by means of cartridges previously prepared
and supplied with a cap, which is exploded by the blow produced by
pressing on the trigger, which communicates with a small rod which
traverses the moveable breech and acts on the cap of the cartridge,
and which is drawn back by a small spiral spring or other suitable
contrivance. The hinder part of the barrel is provided with an arrange-
ment by which on lowering the moveable breech the remains of the
cartridge after explosion can be removed. The caps of these cartridges
do not project, but on the contrary slightly retreat into the cartridge,
so that they are not so liable to accidental explosion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 16, Castle Street, Holborn,
(City,) London, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, Her special licence that I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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, usc, exercise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
ARMS," being a communication made to me by a foreigner residing
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Auguste
Edouard Loradoux Bellford, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, 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 (that is to say) :-
The said Invention consists in a new system of fire-arms, which
have the same external form as those known by the name of needle-
guns, the implements of percussion being hidden in the inside, and
acting on some point of the bore of the breech, and the hammer being
only used for cocking the gun. The distinguishing feature of my
Invention, and that which constitutes its principal part, is the inter-
position of a moveable breech between the barrel and the percussion
apparatus. This breech is hinged to the trigger-guard, which is
moveable & capable of turning up and down about a point in front of
the said articulation so as to act like a lever. By depressing this lever
the opening of the breech is uncovered so that the cartridge may be
introduced. The moveable breech is then slided up into its place by
means of the trigger guard, and forms a tight joint with the barrel, so
as to prevent any windage between the barrel & the moveable breech.
The fire-arm is made ready for firing by cocking the hammer; the per-
cussion apparatus of the lock, which does not differ from those already
known, acts on a needle or piston passing through the moveable breech.
This needle strikes the end of the cartridge, and causes the explosion
of the fulminating matter contained in it.
Having thus described the general nature of my Invention, I shall
enter upon the details of its construction as well as the manner in

page_text: which it is used, reference being had to the accompanying Plate, on
which the same letters stand for the same parts.
Fig. 1, represents a longitudinal view of a single barrel gun loaded
and ready for firing. the lock plate being removed for the purpose of
shewing the mechanism of the lock and moveable breech. Fig. 2,
shews the same arm after firing, the moveable trigger-guard being
lowered and the cartridge withdrawn by means of a contrivance,
described hereafter. Figs. 4 to 11 are different views of the details of
construction. A, shewn in plan, Fig. 5, and end view, Fig. 6, is the
moveable breech perforated for the percussion needle F, which is acted
on by the percussion pin G, which forms part of the lock. In all these
Figures the needle or piston F, is situated on the axial line of the
barrel, and in this position the arm can only be used for cartridges
having the fulminating matter in the middle. If, therefore, the
cartridges used have the fulminating matter on the periphery, the
needle F, instead of advancing on the axial line, has to be directed
against the edge of the barrel towards any point of the periphery.
The moveable breech A, is hinged on the trigger guard P, by means
of a little connecting-rod B. The trigger guard P, is kept in its place
by the following contrivance:-H, is a notched piece fixed at one
extremity of the trigger guard; this notched piece enters into a
longitudinal opening in the plate E, and the notch hooks into the edge
of the opening, and is prevented from getting out by the springy action
of the trigger guard P, pressing it against the catch. When it is
required to unhook the trigger guard it is only necessary to press
longitudinally on the trigger guard by applying the first finger to the
recess J, and thus releasing the notch from the fixed catch. The
trigger guard thus released acts like a lever, by means of which the
moveable breech may be lowered, as represented in Fig. 2, and the arm
loaded by the chamber mouth thus opened, after which the trigger
guard is again pat or hooked in.
If the cartridge is exactly of the same diameter as the diameter
of the bore of the barrel the loading will require no other contrivances
then those shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 4, & 5. It may, however, happen that
on account of soilage or from other reasons the bringing home of the

page_text: This
cartridge requires the application of a certain force; in that case the
end of a cartridge is liable to be cut and rendered useless by the
rising of the breech. To obviate this I have devised a form of move-
able breech, as represented in longitudinal sections by detached views
in Figs. 8 & 9. I bevel the upper edge I, of the moveable breech
into an inclined plane, which, when rising, pushes the cartridge home.
The barrel is undercut so as to fill up the gap made by the inclined
plane. These two Figures shew also the helical spring which draws
back into the moveable breech the percussion needle after each action.
The percussion needle F, has a piston-like head f, fitting into the
cylindrical cavity which contains the spring: the entrance of this
cylindrical cavity is formed by a taper recess which corresponds with
the taper head g. of the percussion pin G, so as to limit the stroke of
the needle to a mere knock on the fulminating matter of the cartridge.
The mechanism for extracting the end blank or bottom of the cartridge
from the chamber is as follows:-In all percussion or breech-loading
cartridges the bottom part of the cylindrical blank has a swelling to
fit into a circular recess at the end of the breech chamber.
swelling is made use of for extracting the blank in the following
manner-N, Fig. 7, is a piece placed under the chamber, round
which it extends to about two thirds, as is seen in elevation, Fig. 11.
Figs. 4 and 7, represent N, in partial section, & Fig. 10, in plan. The
two lugs R, R, of this piece enter into two notches cut in the mouth
of the breech so as to form one surface with the same, having also the
recess for the swelling of the cartridge turned on it. Under this piece
N, is a lever L, turning about a pivot. The upper end of this lever
enters into the rectangular opening O, of the piece N, and a flat spring
L' bearing against a projection of this lever causes it to push the lugs
R, R, of the piece N. forward into the notches of the breech mouth.
In order to withdraw the cartridge blank from the gun after firing, the
trigger guard is turned past the position for loading shewn in black
lines, Fig. 2, into that shewn in red lines, Fig. 2. The position of the
lever L, and breech bottom A, are shewn in detail, Fig. 4, before firing,
& Fig. 5, after firing. The breech A, in descending catches a pro-
jection on the lever L, opposite the projection on which the spring L'

page_text: rests, and thus causes the Jever L, to turn backward; the lever carries
with it the forked piece N, whose projections Q, Q, extricate the cartridge
blank. When the blank has sufficiently emerged from the breech, a
slight shock given to the gun will cause it to fall off without requiring
to be touched by hand.
Fig. 3, shews the system as applied to a pistol. In this case the
trigger guard not possessing the same springy action, a small lever a
is centered in the back part of the trigger guard. This lever is acted
upon by a spring hidden in the body of the guard, and hooks into the
butt of the pistol in the same way as the trigger-guard of the gun
above described.
T
Various cartridges now known and in use may be applied to the
improved fire-arms, but I prefer the one shewn in longitudinal section,
Fig. 12.
a, is a thimble of brass or other suitable metal bored out into
a cavity, into which is screwed a square taper steel nipple. The per-
cussion cap being put on this nipple and struck by the needle, the
flame passes between the cap and the flat sides through an aperture
entering the nipple on one side and emerging in the centre of the
thimble bottom, and thus the powder is inflamed. The cartridge has a
swelling, by means of which it is extracted from the barrel after
firing, and may thus be made to serve again. The steel nipple being
slit inside can be removed with a screw driver, and replaced by a new
one when used up, care being taken to sink the top of the nipple
below the level of the cartridge bottom for the purpose of preventing
the cap from being struck accidentally. Fig. 18, is a longitudinal
section of a cartridge, which is somewhat different from that represented
by Fig. 12. Figs. 14 & 15, are detailed views of this cartridge, and
Figs. 16 & 17, shew in plan two different ways of communicating the
flame of the fulminating matter to the powder. a, is an ordinary per-
cussion cap. b, b, is a copper cartridge bottom, differing from those
known by a cylindrical aperture or tube c, which receives the cap.
e, e, is a metallic washer, which may be either cast or punched. This
washer has at its centre a nipple d, which enters into the opening c, of
the cartridge bottom b, b, in such manner that when the fulminating
matter of the cap a, rests on the nipple top the flat end of the cap is

page_text: below the plane of the cartridge bottom. This arrangement is intended
to protect the cap from any knock which might cause an accidental
explosion. The position of the nipple is fixed by giving to the washer
e, e, a projecting rim, which is made to rest on the cartridge bottom.
Sometimes it is desirable to use all the explosive power of the ful-
minating matter and fire the powder on several points at once; for
that purpose I groove the periphery of the washer e, e, as shewn in
plan at g, g, Fig. 16.
Through these grooves the flame produced by the explosion com-
municates with the powder. By using these grooves it is even possible
to dispense with the nipple hole, as the nipple only serves as an anvil
for exploding the fulminating matter. The washer e, e, may also be
made without a rim by making it sufficiently thick, and leaving round
the nipple or anvil an annular cavity into which the tube c, on the
cartridge bottom enters. The fire of the cap would in that case
be communicated to the grooves g, g, through little radial channels f, f,
Fig. 16. The detonating fire may also be communicated to the powder
through several holes made round the nipple, as seen in plan, Fig. 17.
The moveable breech A, may also be adapted to double-barrelled
guns; but, on account of the length of cartridge required, I prefer in
most cases to use a mechanism which admits of the same system of
cartridges. This mechanism also pushes the cartridge home, and
extracts the blanks as above, and has also the advantage of allowing the
gun to be loaded without cocking after letting off. Fig. 18, represents
a longitudinal elevation of a double-barrelled gun made according to
this improvement; it is shewn in the loading position. Figs. 19 to 22,
are detailed views. A, is a lever applying to the trigger-guard P, and
keyed on an axis B, which carries a stop disc C', shewn in top view,
Fig. 19. On this stop disc is fixed excentrically a pin C, which acts
on projections D & E, on the under side of the barrel, seen in plan,
Fig. 20. The lever A, being turned into a position at right angles to
the trigger-guard P, the eccentric pin C assumes the position shewn
in red lines, Fig. 20, and bearing against the projection D, on the
under side of the barrels, causes them to slide forward as much as the
eccentricity of the pin C allows. The projection E, is then released

page_text: Fig. 21, shews this
Red lines in Fig. 21,
N, by means of the
from its recess, and the barrels oscillate about the open hinge &, a catch
G' on the hinge G, stops the barrel when it has got into the loading
position. The angular travel thus allowed to the barrels is less than
in a similar system now in use, on account of the longitudinal traverse
previously given to them. This oscillating motion, besides bringing
the barrels into the breech-loading position, effects the extraction of
the cartridge blank in the following manner:-On the hinge pin G, is
a finger L, which pushes against a rod II, which carries a piece N,
similar to that used in the single barrelled gun.
piece in side elevation; Fig. 22, is an end view.
shew the position which is given to the piece
oscillating motion for the purpose of extracting the cartridge blank.
Fresh cartridges having been put in, the barrels are held down by the
breech end; the lever is turned on to the trigger-guard P, as shewn
in dotted lines, Fig. 18; hence the excentric pin C bears against the
projection E, and pushes it back into the recess, thus making a firm
joint between the barrel and stock part so as to prevent any windage.
The hammers being cocked, the gun is ready for firing. The picce X
is made moveable for the purpose of taking the gun to
kept in place by a catch bolt, which is not shewn in the Drawing.
The percussion apparatus does not differ from that used in the fire-arms
described above, by the absence of the helical spring for drawing
back the percussion needle F. This spring is dispensed with here,
since the bottom of the cartridge in the barrel pushes back the needle
of the hammer which is not cocked.
pieces, and is
Having thus described the nature of my improvements, and the
manner in which the same is best carried into effect, I wish it to be
understood that what I claim as novel and of my Invention is,
Firstly, the moveable breech linked to a moveable trigger-guard,
as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 11 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly, the extraction of the cartridge end, bottom, or blank, by
means of a moveable portion of the chamber mouth which is drawn
out by means of the above said moveable breech and lever, as described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 11 of the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Thirdly, the extraction of the cartridge end, bottom, or blank, by
means of a moveable portion of the chamber mouth, which is pushed
out by means of a finger on the hinge pin, as described with reference
to Figs. 18, 21, and 22 of the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly, the different kinds of self-priming cartridges described
with reference to Figs. 12 to 17 of the accompanying Drawing.
Fifthly, the traversing motion given to the gun barrel by means of
an eccentric or eccentric pin turned by a lever under the trigger-guard
for the purpose of using the cartridges mentioned in the fourth claim,
viz., pushing them home and extracting them by means of the moveable
portion of the breech mouth, as mentioned in the second and third
claim, the said eccentric or eccentric pin being substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 18, 19, and 20 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-four.
A. E. LORADOUX BELLFORD. (L.S.)