IM- PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from
abroad by Charles Auguste Cancalon, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris,
Registrar.
Sealed the 2nd September 1863, and dated the 12th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
March 1863.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, accord-
ing to which the barrel is a fixture, while the breech is movable and held in
position by means of a locking lever, which every time it is raised withdraws
the cartridge case from the barrel by a self-acting arrangement. The hammers
act on pins, which transmit the blow to the caps placed in the centre of the
cartridges. The nipples occupy a position nearer the horizontal than in
ordinary, and the cylindrical part or cone on which the cap is placed is
movable, and is carried on the end of the pin which fires the cap. The junction
of the breech and barrels is rather more than an inch in front of the nipples,
the breech having the same breadth as the barrels at this point. The hinged

page_text: lever for moving the breech out of the line of the barrels is mounted on the
side of the gun. The breech at this part is of less width, so as to pass freely
between the hammers each time it is raised or returned to position.
A gun thus constructed will resemble an ordinary gun, and possesses the
same lightness. I have represented this improved arrangement of breech-
loading fire-arm in the accompanying Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the breech of a gun in the closed posi-
tion; Fig. 2, plan of same; Fig. 3 shows a part detached; Fig. 4, plan of
while Fig. 5 shows a plan with breech removed, and the self-acting
arrangements of parts for withdrawing the cartridge cases in position. The
same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
a, barrels; b, junction of same with breech; c, breech, turning on pin e;
d, lever for locking the breech to the barrel, shown dotted in its extended
position; e, pin of hinge joint; f, g, under strengthening piece of breech;
h, tang; i, i, nipples; j, space made in part k, in which the strengthening piece g
fits when the barrels a are connected thereto. The space 7 serves to receive
the hinge joint f of the breech, the tang h catching under the solid part m ;
n is the part for withdrawing the cartridge, which is actuated by the breech.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Ier Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns should in 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," a communication to me from abroad by Charles Auguste

page_text: Cancalon, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Registrar, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, in
which the barrel is fixed and the breech movable. This arrangement possesses
many advantages as compared with ordinary fire-arms of this description:-
1st, in the economy obtained in their manufacture and facility of construction;
2ndly, in convenience and security. In this improved fire-arm the movable
breech is hinged to the end of the barrel, and is fixed in position by means
of a locking lever. There is also a self-acting cartridge extractor which
withdraws the cartridge every time the breech is opened by turning on its
hinge joint. These general arrangements may be varied according to the
kind of gun to which the improvements are to be applied.
I will now proceed to describe the application of said improvements to
different kinds of single or double guns.
Double gun. Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a side
elevation of a gun with the breech closed; Fig. 2, a top plan of same showing
the dotted position of the locking lever a² to b¹; Fig. 3 is a side view of
another arrangement of breech piece; Fig. 4, plan of same; while Fig. 5
shows a plan of the gun with the breech piece removed and the cartridge
drawer in position. In order to connect the barrel to the breech piece the
part S is introduced into the groove G by placing the tenon under the
abutment m and hinge c in groove E, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5. This movable
breech has two channels, through which two pins pass for striking the caps
in the centres of the cartridges; these pins are returned to position by means
of light spiral springs, as seen dotted in Figs. 1 and 2, when the hammers by
which they are actuated are again cocked. In order to keep the breech in
position I apply a key a, as represented in Figs. 7 and 8, having a tooth b
taking into a space c in lever d, which lever is received in breech e, to which
it is attached
a screw v serving as a pivot in its horizontal motion. When

page_text: the breech is closed, the key a, which is introduced into the breech by means
of a transverse horizontal opening, enters a hole o made in part f, while the
lever d fitting in the breech securely attaches it to the barrel. In order to
open the breech the end of lever d is forced away from the breech and then
from part f, when the breech is free to be opened. This key a offers great
resistance to recoil, which resistance is augmented by making the slot in part f
of regular thickness. The cartridge drawer I have adopted on principle, but
which may be modified as herein-after described, is constructed as follows:-
K, Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12, is a steel plate having at the end next the barrel
a projection for receiving the base of the cartridge, and two projections m, m,
on the opposite side; n is a steel pin with a head p hooking into m; this pin
is perforated at its end to receive a pivot passing through the breech at
point r, being fitted in a space in the central line of the breech, which also
contains all the parts of the cartridge drawer. When the breech is raised it
draws out the pin n, which in its turn withdraws part R, and with it the two
cartridge cases at one time. In this position, that is with the breech raised,
the pin n escapes from part and is thus rendered independent of it. The
parts may be returned to position either by hand or by the introduction of
the cartridges into the barrels, or it may be effected by means of springs of
any suitable form fitted underneath. The action of closing the breech causes
the pin n to return to the position between projections m, m. The cartridge
drawer may also have a hook at its extremity for the purpose of forcing the
cartridge into the barrel in closing the breech.
I will now proceed to describe several other arrangements of guns on the
same principle as the foregoing.
First system. Fig. 13 represents a top plan of the breech of a gun, &
Fig. 14 a longitudinal central section of same, also showing the spring &
cartridge drawer herein-before described; Fig. 15 is a side view of the
barrel of the gun; Fig. 16 is an under side plan of same; while Fig. 17 shows
a transverse section of the barrel and breech piece connected together, the
junction of the parts being represented by the line A, B, Fig. 13. In order
to connect the barrel to the breech piece, the under part S. Figs. 15 and 16,
is introduced into the groove G, Fig. 13, first applying the tenon T under
the solid part K. Fig. 18 represents the cartridge drawer, formed of a
steel plate as before, with the difference that in this case it is furnished with
a mortise m'. Figs. 19 and 20 represent a spiral spring with flat end n¹.
Figs. 21 and 22 show the stem for hooking the cartridge drawer; the point of
attachment of this stem with the breech is similar to that above described.
In Fig. 14 the breech piece is attached to the wood stock at three different

page_text: When the breech is down,
If the breech piece is raised
points N, O, P, the part S being also hollowed out at R sufficiently for the spring
to act. This space has a square recess e¹ on each side at the lower part for
receiving tenons t', t', of the spiral spring, Fig. 19 & 20. The parts being
thus arranged, the action of the cartridge drawer will be readily understood.
When the steel plate, Fig. 18, is in position, the end 2 of spring n' passes
into the slot m', and forms a projection above q'.
said projection above q¹ enters slot a, Fig. 22.
it draws the stem with it, which acting in its turn on the spring draws with it
the steel plate, and on reaching point q¹¹, the flat end of the spring assumes a
slanting position, which disconnects the stem. The cartridge drawer is then
forced back, and is returned to position by means of springs n', leaving the
cartridge cases withdrawn, as seen in Fig. 32.
Second system. Fig. 23 shows a top plan of the breech piece; Fig. 24,
side elevation of the same; Fig. 25, an under side plan of the barrel; while
Fig. 26 is a central longitudinal section, showing the attachment of the barrel
to the breech, the breech piece being removed, as will be seen by examining
Fig. 25. A longitudinal groove G is made in the metal behind the barrel, for
receiving part F of the breech, Fig. 26. This groove becomes shallower, and
runs between the barrels to points F, H, so as to receive projection M of the
breech piece, Figs. 23 and 24, as seen in section, Fig. 26. The breech piece
is connected to the stock at two principal points n', p', Fig. 24. The con-
nection of the breech piece with the barrel is very simple, and is rendered
sufficiently clear in Fig. 26. It will be observed that the space E, Fig. 15,
is here dispensed with, as the resistance it presented appeared superfluous, the
solid abutment K formed by the grooves between the barrels in the direction
of the lines i, j, h, g, Fig. 15, still leaving a thickness C, D, Figs. 5 and 26.
This groove, which receives the breech piece, is formed so as to perfectly fit
therein, and presents great resistance, which is further increased by the locking
lever bearing ou fixed part M, Fig. 24. Fig. 27 represents a plan of the
steel plate of the cartridge drawer, which resembles those herein-before
described, with the exception that it is furnished with a projection S, Figs. 27
& 28. Fig. 28 represents an edge view of same, and Fig. 29, round iron
pin, taking into a hole o made near the end of the projection S, which is
of rather larger diameter than that of the pin. In front of the position of the
cartridge drawer a groove z, v, is made in the tail end of the barrel, as seen in
Figs. 5 and 26, of sufficient width for the pin, Fig. 29, to slide therein. In
order to catch the projection S, Fig. 28, I apply the stem, shown in Figs. 21
and 22. The parts being thus arranged, when the steel plate is in position, as
in Fig. 5, and furnished with the pin, the latter descends by its own weight

page_text: into the groovez, v, and the stem is enabled to hook the projection S. When
the breech is raised, the stem draws the steel plate up to the point at which
the pin is raised, which disengages the stem. In order to return the steel
plate to its place, I apply a spiral spring contained at the end of the groove G,
Fig. 25, which spring is connected to the cartridge drawer by an iron stem,
seen in Figs. 30 and 31, the end E of which hooks on to the cartridge drawer
at point t¹, and slides in the groove H, I, Fig. 25. To afford a passage for
the other extremity of stem F, the side J, K, of the groove G is separate
from the barrel, as indicated by the letters K, S, Fig. 26.
Single gun. The principles on which the breeches of the double guns are
constructed, as herein described, are also the same for single guns; the
arrangement of the breech is, however, different, and which 1 will now
proceed to describe. Fig. 32 shows a side elevation of a fire-arm with the
breech raised and the cartridge case withdrawn, said breech is furnished on
each side with a projection H, in order the more readily to grasp it; Fig. 33
shows an under side plan of the barrel; Fig. 34, plan of the cartridge drawer;
Figs. 35 and 36 show the stem for hooking the cartridge drawer; while
Fig. 37 shows a spring similar to that of Fig. 20, with the exception that a
groove d is made at its extremity, by means of which the cartridge drawer is
returned to position. The locking lever is placed underneath the barrel. In
order further to strengthen the gun it is made solid underneath at A, A, the
width of which part diminishes in proportion as it recedes further from the
barrel. The barrel has the same diameter throughout the whole of the
breech up to point P. The cartridge drawer, Fig. 34, possesses the same
convexity as the barrel in which it is fitted, and is furnished with a slot g for
receiving part F, and a slot d in the position occupied by the flat spring and
hooked stem, Fig. 36. The action of the spring is the same as that described
at Fig. 20, with the exception, however, of the point q', which does not project
above the steel plate, but is level with it, so as not to hinder the passage of
the cartridge.
I will now proceed to describe another modification in this improved
system of fire-arms, which consists in adapting the movable breech to receive
the charge, forming as it were a part of the barrel, instead of its being solid,
and in rear thereof, as above described, such breech-loading guns being loaded
as in ordinary, or the fore finger may serve as a ramrod. Fig. 37 bis represents
a top plan of the arrangement of the breech, & Fig. 38 a central longitudinal
section of the barrel. A spring R, situated under the tail end of the breech,
serves to keep the latter in position; this spring is secured by spring V, and
has an opening I of sufficient diameter for the screw P to pass freely through

page_text: it. As this spring may not be of sufficient strength, in some cases it may be
replaced with advantage by a cylindrical nut, represented at Figs. 46, 47,
and 48, which is set in motion by a key placed under the stock. Fig. 39
represents a transverse section of the barrel on line Z, X. Fig. 40 represents
a side view of the gun with the breech raised, the nose fitting obliquely to the
barrel at b, c, Figs. 38 and 40, which angle is tangential to an are described
by a radius indicated by the dotted lines D, C, as seen in Fig. 40. The spring
securely maintains the breech in a vertical position, when the charge is
inserted with great facility. This being done by simply bearing on the breech,
it falls readily into its place, as seen in Fig. 38, and the hook M with which
it is furnished takes into a flat piece L, seen in Fig. 42. The breech may be
operated by the fingers of the left hand in which the gun is carried by simply
pressing on arm T, Fig. 42.
Figs. 43, 44, and 45 represent an arrangement of breech-loader which is
both simple and convenient, the hinge joint, instead of being at the end of
the breech chamber next the butt, is mounted at the forward end, Fig. 43,
being a side view of part of the barrel; Fig. 44 represents a top plan of
breech, and Fig. 45, transverse section of same on line P, Q. As before men-
tioned, the charge is received in the breech chamber. In order to load the
gun,
the breech chamber, Fig. 44, is moved from its position A, B, E, D, C,
and turns on joint pin C, describing a semicircle A, P, A', before assuming the
the dotted position a, b, e, c, d, in which position it receives the charge, after-
wards being returned to its original position A, B, E, D, C, in which it is
secured by means of a simple bent lever G, H, I, J, Fig. 43, having a point G,
and maintained in position by a spring R. The plane A, B, E, should be tan-
gential to the arc of a circle represented by the dotted lines C, E, Fig. 44.
Fig. 45 represents.the under part of the barrel as being flat; but an inch or
two from the joint pin the angles are taken off, and merge into the round of
the barrel. This latter arrangement may also be applied to the double gun,
in which case there is a hinge joint on each side of the breech.
I will now describe some modifications in these improved fire-arms for the
purpose of shewing that these improvements may be varied according to the
purpose for which the gun is intended. These improvements relate, 1st, to a
mechanical arrangement for charging guns with paper cartridges made
without paste or glue, or simply with powder and ball; 2ndly, to an improved
cartridge extractor for inserting and withdrawing the cartridge from the
barrel; 3rdly, to an improved method of closing the breech. The same
letters represent the same parts in the following Figures seen in different
positions.

page_text: In order to render these improvements better understood I will describe
them as applied to a single gun. Fig. 49 represents a longitudinal central
section of part of the barrel of a gun, with the breech chamber raised out of
the line of the bore, and connected to a part represented at Figs. 50 and 51
by means of grooves made in the breech. A cartridge C is also shown
inserted in the barrel. Fig. 50 represents the plan of a part m furnished at
its centre with an ordinary nipple, having a conical nose n bearing numerous
perforations; it is also furnished with two sets of rack teeth R, and at the
opposite end with two arms H connected to a stem G, which is secured to the
breech chamber of the gun by a joint P, Fig. 49. Fig. 51 shows an elevation
of the foregoing mechanism, the parts being arranged as described. When
the breech chamber is raised, as in Fig. 49, the cartridge C is placed in the
barrel, on which the part m, above described, is detached from the breech
and placed in the position indicated by the dotted lines P, G, H, m, n. I
then return the breech to its position, which movement forces the part m upon
the cartridge, the perforated cone n penetrating the paper or wad e; the
powder is thus placed in communication with the nipple, at the same time
hermetically closing the orifice of the barrel. On raising the breech the
part m is withdrawn, and the teeth R extract the remains of the burnt
cartridge.
Instead of placing the nipple in the centre it may be placed at the side of
the barrel as in ordinary, in which case I dispense with the cone n, and make
the back of teeth R wider and of less thickness, so that when entering the
barrel it shall tear the cartridge opposite to the nipple orifice, and place the
latter in communication with the powder by means of a groove o, Figs. 50
and 51 bis. The part m, before described, may be readily transformed into a
cartridge extractor. Fig. 52 shows a central longitudinal section having at
its upper part a projection S for hooking on to the cartridge, and with a cylin-
drical groove t, affording passage to the pins for striking the cartridges.
Fig. 53 shows a central longitudinal section of this arrangement, and Fig. 54,
a front view of the cartridge drawer, with dovetails X, X. The following is
a description of its action:-The breech being raised as in Fig. 49, the
cartridge is introduced about half way into the barrel in which the cartridge
drawer is applied in the position shown by the dotted lines P, G, H, m, the
two points X, X, bearing on the lower side of two grooves made in the inside
of the barrel, seen at one side A, a, B, in Fig. 49. When the breech is
returned to its position it forces forward the cartridge drawer, the projec
tion S, S, Figs. 52 and 54, of which projects above the end of the cartridge,
but in proportion as it advances and bears on the cartridge, the projec

page_text: tions X, X, sliding in the grooves force it down in such manner that on
reaching point a the end of the cartridge will fit into the projection S, and
thus connected the cartridge will enter the barrel.
The above described arrangement is susceptible of many modifications,
which it will be unnecessary here to describe. Fig. 55 represents an elevation
of a flat piece of metal D, with a round head E; Fig. 56, a plan of same.
The part A, B, is cylindrical, and is mortised at B, C, while at point J there
is a notch or opening. Two similar parts are suitably arranged on each side
of the breech in a horizontal position, in such manner that the stem A, B,
enters the breech through a hole of same diameter, and the point B, C, by
means of its flat part, is sufficiently extended to enable it to advance and
recede the 8th or 10th of an inch; the flat part D, which serves as a hand-
hold for moving the parts, is mounted tangentially to the breech. In order to
close the breech the notch E hooks on to the barrel by means of a stop
applied for the purpose, while the breech is opened by simply pressing back
the catch, which is then disengaged. I may, by combining the action of this
part with the cartridge pius, dispense with the springs which are used for
returning them to position after striking the caps; for this purpose it is
only necessary to connect these pius to the notch J, which is readily effected
on advancing part A, B, D, C, in order to hook it to the barrel; said part
brings the pins in contact with the caps, and when withdrawing them to effect
its release the strikers retire with it.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in breech-
loading fire-arms herein described, as also the various modifications of the
same, whether the charge be placed in the breech chamber or in the barrel,
all as herein-before described and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)