IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gordon, of the Goswell Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.'
"
Sealed the 25th August 1871, and dated the 22nd March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gordon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1871.
I, CHARLES GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the arrangement of a sear and sear spring
in combination with certain other mechanism, whereby the discharging
apparatus of breech-loading fire-arms is actuated in a simple and efficient
manner.
For the support of the mechanism which forms the subject of this
Invention a flat metallic plate is employed, and which is placed in a
vertical position in a chamber, constructed for that purpose in the stock
of the fire-arm immediately in the rear of the breech action. The sear

page_text: which consists of a steel bar is pivoted to one side of the plate by means
of a screw pin, and on the other side of the plate is placed the sear
spring, one end of which is mounted on a screw pivot fixed in the plate.
Above the sear is placed a bent trigger bar, the forward end of which is
pivoted to the plate, and the rear end thereof provided with a stud or
pin, capable of working in an upward or downward direction, in a curved
slot formed in the rear end of the vertical plate. The trigger bar is
pressed downwards by the action of the sear spring, which rests on the
end of the stud or pin, when the mechanism is in its normal state of
inaction. At the forward end of that side of the vertical plate on which
the scar is situated a tumbler is pivoted, the same being connected by
the pivot or pin upon which it turns with jointed levers, which aro
placed on the other side of the vertical plate, and pivoted to the forward
end of the sear spring. On the edge of the tumbler is formed a notch,
into which the forward end of the sear enters and holds it in its normal
position, and on the tumbler is also formed a projecting piece provided
with a flat face or surface, capable of acting as a hammer. Upon the
trigger bar being raised, the stud or pin which is attached thereto
traverses the curved slot in the vertical plate, thus pressing the rear
portion of the scar spring upwards, and so actuating the jointed levers
at the forward end thereof, and releasing the tumbler from the sear.
The former is thereupon rotated on its pivot by the action of the scar
spring and the flat surfaced projection or hammer is caused to strike upon
or to actuate the discharging apparatus with which the fire-arm is
provided.
This portion of the said Invention will be more clearly understood
by reference to the annexed Drawings, in which similar letters indicate
the same parts.
Figure 1 represents the vertical plate with the sear spring in its
normal position; Figure 2 shews the same when the trigger bar is
raised; Figure 3 is the other side of the vertical plate shewing the
scar, trigger bar, and tumbler in their normal position, and Figure 4
represents the same parts with the trigger bar raised and the tumbler
released from the sear.
In these Figures a is the sear; b, the sear spring; c, the tumbler, and
d the jointed levers attached to the forward end of the sear spring.
This Invention is applicable to many descriptions of breech-loading
fire-arms, as will be well understood by persons conversant with such

page_text: matters, but in applying it to what is know as the "Snider" system,
the arrangements before described are reversed in position, and a pivoted
lever is placed in the rear of the hingo pin upon which the breech block
turns, and by means of which the dog or hammer is pressed backwards
to the half-cock or full-cock, by the simple withdrawal of the breech
block in the act of extracting the cartridge case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Charles Gordon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Gordon, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Gordon, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Gordon, 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 THE CON-
STRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,' upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Gordon, 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 Charles Gordon, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto

page_text: WELC
say:
-
My said Invention consists in the arrangement of a sear and sear
spring in combination with certain other mechanism whereby the dis-
charging apparatus of breech-loading fire-arms is actuated in a simple
and efficient manner.
For the support of the mechanism which forms the subject of this
Invention, a flat metallic plate is employed, and which is placed in a
vertical position in a chamber constructed for that purpose in the
stock of the fire-arm immediately in the rear of the breech action.
The sear, which consists of a steel bar is pivoted to one side of the
plate by means of a screw pin, and on the other side of the plate is
placed the sear spring, one end of which is mounted on a screw pivot
fixed in the plate. Above the sear is placed a bent trigger bar, the
forward end of which is pivoted to the plate, and the rear end thereof
provided with a stud or pin capable of working in an upward or down-
ward direction in a curved slot formed in the rear end of the vertical
plate. The trigger bar is pressed downwards by the action of the
sear spring which rests on the end of the stud or pin when the
mechanism is in its normal state of inaction. At the forward end of
that side of the vertical plate on which the sear is situated a tumbler
is pivoted, the same being connected by the pivot or pin upon which
it turns with jointed levers which are placed on the other side of the
vertical plate and pivoted to the forward end of the sear spring. On
the edge of the tumbler is formed a notch into which the forward end
of the sear enters and holds it in its normal position, and on the
tumbler is also formed a projecting piece provided with a flat face or
surface capable of acting as a hammer. This projecting piece is pressed
down by the breech piece when the latter is withdrawn, until the sear
takes into the before mentioned notch, thus cocking the gun by the act
of withdrawing the breech bolt. Upon the trigger bar being raised,
the stud or pin which is attached thereto traverses the curved slot in
the vertical plate, thus pressing the rear portion of the sear spring
upwards and so actuating the jointed levers at the forward end thereof
and releasing the tumbler from the sear. The former is thereupon rotated
on its pivot by the action of the sear spring, and the flat surfaced pro-
jection or hammer is caused to strike upon or to actuate the discharging
apparatus with which the fire-arm is provided.

page_text: This portion of my said Invention will be more clearly understood
by reference to the annexed Drawings, in which similar letters indicate
the same parts. Figure 1 represents the vertical plate with the sear
spring in its normal position. Figure 2 shews the same when the
trigger bar is raised. Figure 3 is the other side of the vertical plate
shewing the sear, trigger bar, and tumbler in their normal positions,
and Figure 4 represents the same parts with the trigger bar raised and
the tumbler released from the sear.
In these Figures a is the sear; b, the sear spring; c, the tumbler;
and d, the jointed levers attached to the forward end of the sear
spring.
This Invention is applicable to many descriptions of breech-loading
fire-arms as will be well understood by persons conversant with such
matters, but in applying it to what is known as the "Snider" system,
the arrangements before described are reversed in position, and a pivoted
lever is placed in the rear of the hinge pin upon which the breech
block turns, and by means of which the dog or hammer is pressed
backwards to the half-cock or full-cock by the simple withdrawal of the
breech block in the act of extracting the cartridge case.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of
mechanism in the construction of that part of breech-loading fire-arms,
known as the cocking apparatus, substantially as herein-before set forth
and described, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Gordon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUNT VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane.
CHARLES GORDON. (L.s.)