A Cheap and Simple Safety Device for Small Arms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Cheap and Simple Safety Device for Small Arms.
1 GEORGE THOMAS MARTIN of 5 Huntingdon Street Barnsbury in the County
of Middlesex Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention is a device applicable to all kinds of small arms whereby the
accidental discharge of small arms is rendered impossible at a very small cost.
The manner in which the device is constructed is as follows:
A metal lever works upon a centre which is attached to a plate screwed on the
stock of the gun. One end of the said lever forms a hook which passes behind
the trigger effectually preventing it from being drawn back and thus precluding the
chance of an accidental discharge; the other end of the said lever rests on a spring
and a socket the latter for the purpose of keeping the lever in position. In order
to release the trigger, to allow of the discharge of the piece, in grasping the stock
with the left hand, in the act of firing, one end of the lever is depressed by the
pressure of the left hand, the other end is consequently raised, and the trigger
released.
The above described device is applicable to muzzle loading guns and breach
loading guns that do not drop down; with respect to drop down breach. loading
guns, the device is the same, with the exception that the lever, as above described,
contains a centre which enables the lever to accommodate itself to the movement
of the drop down.
With respect to double barrelled guns, immediately behind the hook a precisely
similar hook is placed which acts in respect of the second trigger of the gun in the
same manner as the hook as above described.
Dated this 7th day of December 1891
GEORGE THOMAS MARTIN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Cheap and Simple Safety Device for Small Arms.
GEORGE THOMAS MARTIN of 5 Huntingdon Street Barnsbury in the County
of Middlesex Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention is a device applicable to all kinds of small arms whereby the
accidental discharge of small arms is rendered impossible at a very small cost.
The invention is shown in the diagrams annexed hereto.
Fig. 1 shows the side of a gun.
Fig. 2 shows the underneath part of the gun.
Fig. 3 shows the side of a drop down breach loading gun.
The manner in which the device is constructed is as follows:
A plate "C" is fixed to the bottom of the stock of the gun, a little distance im
front of the trigger or triggers "E" upon which plate is a centre or pin "B"
which forms the fulcrum of the lever "A." The end of the said lever nearest the
butt end of the gun is called the butt end of the lever and the end of the lever
nearest the muzzle end of the gun is called the muzzle end of the lever. The butt
end of the lever is turned upwards to form a hook or hooks "D" which hook or
hooks "D" pass close behind the trigger or triggers "E." Underneath the portion
of the lever between the fulcrum "B" and the muzzle end of the lever "F" and
Price 8d 1.

page_text: between that portion of the lever and the side of the gun is a spring "G" which
presses outwards and keeps the muzzle end of the lever "F" away from the side
of the gun and the butt end of the lever close up to the side of the gun with the
hook or hooks "D" close up to the side of the gun and behind the trigger or
triggers "E" effectually preventing the trigger or triggers from being drawn back
and thus precluding the chance of an accidental discharge of the gun. The
lever A is kept in position by a pin rivited to the muzzle end of the lever "F"
which pin works in the socket "H" of a plate screwed to the gun.
r
When the gun is fired, it is grasped with one hand in the region of the muzzle
end of the lever "F" and in such act of grasping the gun, the lever is also grasped
between its fulcrum "B" and the muzzle end "F. In so doing, the muzzle
end "F" is pulled or pressed inwards towards the side of the gun, and the butt end
of the lever is simultaneously pressed outwards away from the side of the gun, and
the hook or hooks "D" moved away from behind the trigger or triggers "E"
which can then be pulled off. Over the muzzle end of the lever "F
is a sheath
or guard "K" fixed to the side of the gun, so that the grasping hand in being
drawn down the barrels from the muzzle towards the stock, may not catch in the
muzzle end of the lever, but may pass over such muzzle end of the lever
unimpeded.
13
The above device can be fixed to either the right or left side of the gun by
reversing the whole contrivance.
The above device is applicable to muzzle loading guns and to breech loading
guns that do not drop down and is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. With respect to drop
down breech loading guns, the device is the same with the exception that the
lever "A" as above described is jointed and contains a centre "I" (Fig..3) which
enables the lever to accommodate itself to the movement of the drop down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
"
1. The lever and hook or hooks "A" "D" and "F and the spring "G" as
above described and their automatic action of keeping the triggers locked save when
the gun is grasped in the manner above described.
2. That the said device being wholly external can be adapted to any kind of gun
at present in use without alteration of the existing mechanism of same.
Dated this 16th day of May 1892.
GEORGE THOMAS MARTIN.