IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philippe Pieri, Retired Officer of the French
Imperial Army, now of 20, Bedford Place, Russell Square, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 18th September 1874, and dated the 28th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philippe Pieri at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th March 1874..
I, PHILIPPE PIERI, Retired Officer of the French Imperial Army, now
5 of 20, Bedford Place, Russell Square, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in breech-loading fire-arms consists in
so constructing and arranging the various parts of the mechanism that
the actions of loading, firing, and withdrawing the cartridge case may
be easily and readily effected, and may be applied to either rifled or
smooth-bore fire-arms.

page_text: Between the barrel and the stock is a recess or chamber, into which
the breech-loading and firing mechanism is inserted. This mechanism
consists of a sliding barrel or hollow cylinder between four and five
inches long, guided by a projecting feather. In the rear end of this
barrel is a long flat trigger, which slides into a vee groove, and may be |
readily removed if desired. It has a projection on the inner side for the
purpose of holding the percussion rod or striking hammer. The trigger
when in position for firing faces upwards from above the stock, and is
pressed downwards by the thumb to release the hammer. Sliding in
this barrel and guided by the grooved feather is a block with a pro-
jecting handle. Fixed into and sliding with this block is a thin rod or
striking hammer notched at one end so as to clip the projection on the
trigger. Round the rod or hammer is a spiral spring pressing at the
rear end against the barrel, and at the fore end against the sliding block;
when the spring is prossed back the hammer is held by the projection on
the trigger.
To prevent the block becoming entirely released a head is inserted in
the barrel, and held from sliding longitudinally by means of a clip and
screw -fixing it to the barrel; but allowing the barrel to revolve upon it.
This head has a collar, in which are two slots, one to guide the sliding
block when released for firing, and the other to hold the block in an
intermediate position for security when not required for action. Inserted
in the under side of the head is a small flat spring with raised end to
catch hold of and withdraw the cartridge case after firing.
When required for action the barrel and block are drawn back by
means of the handle and the cartridge dropped into the chamber. The
barrel is then moved forward and turned on its side, by which action the
cartridge is forced into position. The trigger is then pressed downward
and the striking hammer is released, and by the action of the spiral
spring pressed against and causing the ignition of the powder in tho
cartridge. The handle is then turned to a vertical position and the
barrel drawn back, bringing with it the spent cartridge case. If required
to hold the hammer in security it may be done by partially turning the
block and sliding it into a retention slot for the purpose.
The arrangement is applicable either to rifled pieces or smooth bores.
If used for rifles I allow the breech end of the barrel to be plain for a
length of about 10 centimetres from the cartridge before the rifling
commences.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Philippe Pieri in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIPPE
PIERI, Retired Officer of the French Imperial Army, now of 20, Bedford
Place, Russell Square, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventli
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Philippe Pieri, Her special licence that I, the
said Philippe Pieri, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Philippe Pieri, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Philippe Pieri, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Philippe Pieri, 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 accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, and
its object is the production of fire-arms with the various parts of the
mechanism so constructed and arranged that the actions of loading and
firing and withdrawing the cartridge case may be readily and expedi-
tiously effected. The said improvements may be applied to existing
rifled or smoothed-bore fire-arms as well as to those especially constructed
to embody this Invention.

page_text: The manner in which I carry the said Invention into practice is illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the breech mechanism of a rifle
constructed according to these improvements; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of Figure 2 taken on a
plane at a right angle to the same.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line X, X, Figure. 1.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
Between the stock a and the barrel 6 is a recess or chamber, in which
the breech-loading and firing mechanism is inserted, as clearly shewn in
Figures 1 and 2. This mechanism consists of a sliding bolt or hollow
cylinder c between four and five inches long guided by a projection c
working in a passage or aperture at the top of the said chamber. A
peculiar and important feature of this Invention is the arrangement of
the trigger at the top or upper side of the arm instead of having it on
the under side of the same as in other fire-arms. This trigger is a long flat
spring or elastic piece e, which is fitted in a dovetail or V groove in the
rear end of the said bolt, and may be readily removed and replaced when
necessary. This trigger has a projection e' on its inner side, as shown in
Figure 3, for the purpose of holding the percussion rod, firing pin, or
striking hammer f. The trigger e when in position for firing presents
á flat surface above the stock, as in Figure 1, and is pressed downward
by the thumb to release the firing pin f and discharge the arm. The
picce e is arranged below the stock in a convenient position to support
the hand in depressing the trigger e.
Sliding in the bolt c and guided by a groove in the projection c¹ is a
block with a projecting handle h. This block carries the firing rod or
pin f, which has a notch or shoulder at its rear end to take hold of the
projection on the trigger e. Around the firing pin or rod ƒ is a spiral
spring pressing at the rear end against the bolt, and at the fore end
against the sliding block g. When this spring is pressed back the firing
pin is held by the projection e' on the trigger e.
To prevent the accidental removal of the bolt and parts connected
therewith from the breech chamber a head is inserted in the said bolt
and held by means of a collar or clip and screw upon the bolt in such
}

page_text: Third. The sliding block and handle fitted to the said bolt or cylinder
and operating in combination therewith, as herein set forth and for the
purpose-specified.
Fourth. The head secured upon the front end of the said bolt or
cylinder constructed with a grooved collar or shoulder, and provided 5
with an extracting device, and operating in combination with the said
bolt or cylinder, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In a breech-loading fire-arm the bolt or cylinder carrying the
firing pin and trigger, and provided with a head carrying the extracting
device and with a sliding block and handle, and fitted to slide and turn 1
in a chamber or cavity at the rear of the charge chamber, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Phillipe Pirei, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy: 1
four.
Witness,
WM. ROBT. LAKE.
P. PIERI. (L.S.)