Improvements in Punt and other Breech-loading Small-arms and Rifles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1889-Accepted, 6th July, 1889 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Punt and other Breech-loading Small-arms and
Rifles.
We, CHARLES OSBORNE ELLIS and EDWARD WILLIAM WILKINSON trading as
Charles Osborne and Company of Whittall Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Gun Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates primarily to punt guns, but is applicable to other small-arm
and rifles, of the falling block type; that is, guns in which the breech ends are
opened and closed by a rising and falling sliding block, as herein-after described.
We will describe our invention in connection with a punt gun.
Working within the breech body part, and within a vertical guide at the rear of
the breech chamber of the barrel, is a sliding block, provided with a striking pin,
whose rear is struck by the head of a concealed hammer or tumbler, whose fore-part,
when the hammer has fallen, extends into a recess in the block formed around the
said striking pin rear part, and locks or holds the block in position, when the arm
is fired.
The hammer which resembles somewhat the form of the letter U, is pivotted at or
near its lower and inner end, and upon the face of the said hammer, and in a line
with the pivot as aforesaid, is a stud, encircled by an antifriction roller, upon the
underside of which, the free end of the top limb of a main spring bears.
The stud comes in the middle of the side of the hammer at a point where the bend
of the lower part with the upper part, commences.
The sliding block has jointedly connected to its underside, a rod, whose lower end is
jointedly connected to an under lever, which is jointed to the underside front of the
breech body.
The rod has jointedly connected to it, a curved slotted arm, and with the slot
part, passing over a pin or stud of the hammer at a point near the stud first
named.
The bar's connection with the block is made by an elongated slot, which allows the
nose of the hammer to be withdrawn from the recess, before the block commences to
be lowered; that is, the motion of the hammer for cocking, is made to be in advance
of the lowering of the block.
Thus, when the under lever is turned outwardly, the rod to which the slotted
cocking arm is connected, pulls the hammer, and takes its nose out of the hole in
the block, while the further descent of the lever, both lowers the block, and cocks the
hammer at the same time.
The pin of the hammer working within the slot of the arm, allows the cork to
be unaffected by the rising of the block when placed in position by the closing of
the arm.
The ejector consists of a vertical stem, jointed at its lower end, and with the said
ower end directed rearwardly into a fork like termination, at right angles to the
other part, and with the said forked part coming under the breech block. The other
r upper end, is made of a semi-circular fork shape, with inwardly directed flanged
tops, which on the extractor being turned outwardly, by the falling of the block, the
artridge cases are suddenly and precipitously expelled or flirted from its chamber.
The gun is provided with a hent, jointed above the top side of the guard strap, and
with its nose end engaging with the bent of the hammer, and with its other and longer
nd, coming upon the top of the trigger blade, and under the free end of the standside
f the main spring, which acts as the sear spring, and main spring, whose top limb
ree end is forked.

page_text: The lever is retained in its closed position, by a spring bolt, engaging with a catch,
on the underside of the guard strap.
To operate the arm after firing, release the catch, and pull down the lever, which
first moves the hammer in advance of the block, then the hammer and block together,
until the block has become lowered to its full extent, when its underside strikes the
ejector, which is thereby turned outwardly with a sudden impetus. The hammer
being now cocked, and the block down, the closing of the lever which is retained by
the snap bolt, raises only the block to its blocking position, that is, in front of the rear
of the breech chamber.
Dated this Fifteenth day of August 1888.
CHARLES OSBORNE ELLIS.
EDWARD WILLIAM WILKINSON.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Punt and other Breech-loading Small-arms and
Rifles.
We, CHARLES OSBORNE ELLIS and EDWARD WILLIAM WILKINSON trading as
Charles Osborne and Company of Whittall Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Gun Manufacturers, 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 relates primarily to punt guns, but is applicable to other small-arms
and rifles, of the falling-block type; that is, guns in which the breech ends are opened
and closed by a rising and falling sliding block, as herein-after described.
We will describe our invention in connection with a punt gun.
Working within the breech body part, and within a vertical guide at the rear of
the breech chamber of the barrel, is a sliding block, provided with a striking pin,
whose rear is struck by the head of a concealed baimer or tumbler, whose fore part,
when the hammer has fallen, extends into a recess n the block, formed around the
said striking pin rear part, and locks or holds the block in position when the arm is
fired.
The hammer which resembles somewhat the form of the letter U, is pivoted at or
near its lower and inner end; and upon the face of the said hammer, and in a line
with the pivot as aforesaid, is a stud, encircled by an anti-friction roller, upon the
underside of which, the free end of the top limb of a main spring bears.
The stud comes in the middle of the side of the hammer at a point where the bend
of the lower part with the upper part, commences.
The sliding block has jointedly connected to its underside, a link or rod, whose
lower end is jointedly connected to an under or operating lever, which is jointed to
the underside front of the breech body.
The link or rod has jointedly connected to it, a curved slotted arm or secondary
link, and with the slot part passing over a pin or stud of the hammer, at a point near
the stud first named.
The link or bar's connection with the block, is made by an elongated slot, which
allows the nose of the hammer to be withdrawn from the recess, before the block
commences to be lowered; that is, the motion of the hammer for cocking, is made to
be in advance of the lowering of the block.
Thus, when the under lever is turned outwardly, the link or rod to which the
slotted cocking arm or link is connected, pulls the hammer, and takes its nose out of
the hole in the block, while the further descent of the lever, both lowers the block
and cocks the hammer at the same time.
The pin of the hammer working within the slot of the arm, allows the cock to be
unaffected by the rising of the block when placed in position by the closing of
the arm.

page_text: The ejector consists of a vertical stem, jointed at its lower end, and with the said lower
nd directed rearwardly into a fork-like termination at right angles to the other
cart, and with the said forked part coming under the breech-block. The other or.
apper end is made of a semi-circular fork shape, with inwardly directed flanged stops,
which on the extractor being turned outwardly, by the falling of the block, the
cartridge cases are suddenly and precipitously expelled or flirted from its chamber.
The gun is provided with a sear, jointed above the top side of the guard strap, and
with its nose end engaging with the bent of the hammer, and with its other and
onger end, coming upon the top of the trigger blade, and under the free end of the
standside of the main spring, which acts as the sear spring and main spring, whose
top limb free end is forked.
The lever is retained in its closed position, by a fastener or spring bolt, engaging
with a catch on the underside of the guide strap.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in vertical section, a semi-
concealed hammer punt gun, constructed and arranged according to our said
invention.
· Figure 2 represents a like section as figure 1, but with the breech end of the gun
open, and a cartridge just in the act of being expelled.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the said figures.
a is the breech body of the arm, 6 is the barrel, with a chamber at its rear
open end, wherein the cartridge c is placed, and withdrawn, by a combined extractor.
and ejector d, which is pivotted at d, and has its lower end formed into a fork d³,
whose branches embrace the upper end of a link or rod e, whose upper end is jointedly
connected and works within a recess cut within the underside of a sliding breech
block, which rises and falls within a vertical race, or guide a², made within the
body a of the arm.
The upper end d*, of the combined extractor and ejector, is cranked rearwardly,
and semi-circular forked, and when home, lies within a recess at the rear of the breech
chaniber.
The junction of the cranked part with the stem, is made inclined and marked d³,
and against which, the fore top part of the sliding breech block comes on rising, and
thereby forces the combined extractor and ejector home.
The sliding breech block has a striking pin directed through its middle, in a direct
line with the axis of the bore of the gun, and with the rear of the block recessed,
wherein the nose g² of the hammer g comes, and when down, locks the said sliding
breech block so as to prevent it from being displaced from its assigned position.
h is an under lever, jointed at its fore part to the underside of the breech body,
and which under lever is connected jointedly to the lower end of the link or rod e,
which works the sliding breech block.
The connection between the hammer and the link. or rod as..aforesaid, is made by
a secondary curved and slotted link or arm i, 2 of which the latter takes upon a stud g³
of the hammer g, which is pivoted at 9*, while the bent of the hammer is marked g³,
wherewith the nose end of a jointed sear j, engages, and holds the hammer in bent
when cocked
k is a main spring, which acts in common for both the hammer spring, and the
sear spring as the stand side limb presses upon the sear tail, and with the top side
limb pressing upon a rollered stud 96.
lis the trigger, m the guard, m² the catch, and n the fastener for locking the lever
to the guard.
The fastener consists of a head n³, stalk n³, movable catch n*, and spring n³, and
on the said fastener being pushed back by the head, the movable catch of the under
lever is removed from the fixed catch of the guard, so that the said lever can be
lowered, and the breech of the gun opened.
To operate the arm after fixing, release the catch, by the pushing in of the head
of the fastener, then pull down the under lever, which first moves the hammer in
advance of the block, and then the hammer and block together, until the said block
has become lowered to its fullest extent, when its extended and fore part underside

page_text: strikes the combined extractor and ejector forks, which thereby turns the fork
outwardly with a sudden impetus, and flirts the spent case from the chamber of the
barrel.
The lowering of the under lever besides extracting the spent case and lowering the
sliding breech block, also cocks the hammer, through the intervention of the slotted
arm or link i, jointed below the middle of the link or rod e, which forms the jointed
connection between the block and under lever.
The pressing home of the under lever for the closing of the breech of the arm,
is held up to the guard by the spring fastener, engaging with its catch; and further,
the said closing of the lever, and the taking inwards of the slotted arm or link i
unaffects the position of the hammer, as the slot moves over the stud, and allows the
slotted end to lie on the side of the hammer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is;-
First. A punt gun, working the breech sliding block, by a link or rod e, jointed
at its ends and connected respectively to the breech block and under lever, substantially.
as described and set forth.
Secondly. Cocking the hammer, and operating the breech sliding block, by links e
andi, substantially as set forth.
·
Thirdly. Cocking the hammer simultaneously with the lowering of the block, by
means of a curved and slotted link i, 2, connected and jointed as described and set
forth.
.
I
Fourthly. The combination with a sliding breech block f, of a combined extractor
and ejector d, d¹, d², d³, d', d³, as set forth.
Fifthly. The combination with a breech block having a recess at its rear end, of a
hammer 9, 9, 93, 9, g³, as set forth.
Sixthly. The combination with the guard and lever, of a catch and piston like
fastener, as set forth.
Lastly. A punt gun, the construction and arrangement of parts, as herein
described and set forth, whereby the lowering of the under lever, lowers the breech
block, operates the combined extractor, and ejector, and cocks the hammer.
Dated this Tenth day of April 1889.
CHARLES OSBORNE ELLIS.
EDWARD WILLIAM WILKINSON.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.