IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wellington Greener, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 4th March 1864, and dated the 10th September. 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wellington
Greener at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th September 1863.
I, WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms in which the breech ends
of the barrels are opened and closed by the barrels turning in a vertical plane
upon a joint on the body of the break-off, the open ends of the barrels fitting
tightly against the face of the break-off during discharge, and being raised
from the face of the break-off for the purpose of being charged.
My said Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after
described in locking down the barrels during discharge, and in raising the
hammers to half-cock on the unlocking of the barrels for charging.
My said. Invention consists, secondly, of the improvements herein-after
described in withdrawing or partially withdrawing the case of the cartridge
from the breech end of the barrel after discharge.

page_text: My improvements in locking down the barrels during discharge, and in
raising the hammer to half-cock on unlocking the barrels for charging, are as
follows: In the upper part of the break-off is a horizontal hole or recess in
which a bolt slides, and in the rib between the barrels is a hole, which when
the barrels are shut down coincides with the hole in the break-off. When the
bolt in the break-off is shot into the hole in the rib the barrels are securely
locked down. The said bolt is in two parts, the posterior part being con-
nected to the anterior part by a joint, so that while the anterior part is
capable of only a sliding motion, the free end of the posterior part is capable
only of motion vertically. A vertical lever jointed to the under side of the
body of the gun is connected by a joint to the posterior part of the bolt. The
lower end of the said lever is curved, so as to form the trigger guard, and is
prolonged so as to extend several inches beyond the triggers. The prolonged
part lies flat or nearly flat on the under side of the stock when the gun is
ready for firing, and is kept in this position by a spring in the body of the
gun. The locking of the barrels is effected by shutting down the said barrels.
In order to unlock the barrels the prolonged part of the lever is depressed,
when the bolt is withdrawn from the recess in the rib of the barrels, the
posterior part of the bolt turning upon its joint to accommodate the curvilinear
motion of the upper end of the lever. The anterior part of the bolt carries a
cross piece, which engages under the hammers, and when the bolt is withdrawn
into the break-off the said cross piece raises the hammers to half-cock, in
which position they are out of the way of the breech ends of the barrels when
they are raised for charging. In order to more effectually close the breech
ends of the barrels during discharge, I make a projecting flange on either sido
of the break-off, which flanges clip the ends of the barrels when they are
shut down.
My improvements in withdrawing the cases of the cartridges from the
breech ends of the barrels are as follows:-A lever turning on a joint under-
neath the barrels, and midway between them, has its upper part formed of the
curvature of the barrels, the said upper part falling into and forming part of
the ends of the barrels. The annular depression into which the metallic part
of the cartridge fits is in part formed in the upper part of the said lever.
When the barrels are raised and the lower part of the lever is pressed
towards the muzzle end of the gun the upper part is moved in the opposite
direction, and the cartridge, the metal part of which rested against it, is partly
withdrawn from the barrel. The lever which thus withdraws the cartridge is
made self-aeting in the following manner:-The lower end of the lever enters

page_text: a hole in the body of the break-off, when the barrels are shut down, and a
cross piece jointed to the bottom of the said lever striking against the edge of
the hole is raised into a nearly vertical position. When, however, the barrels
are raised, and the lever lifted from the hole in the body of the break-off, the
cross piece resumes its horizontal position, and its end bearing against the side
of the hole from which the lever is rising, gives to the lever the motion
necessary to withdraw the cartridge.
Although I have only described my Invention with reference to double-
barrelled fire-arms, yet my Invention is also applicable to single-barrelled
fire-arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said William Wellington Greener in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WELLINGTON GREENER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Wellington Greener, Her special Jicence that I, the said William
Wellington Greener, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Wellington Greener, 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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Wellington Greener, my executors or adminiş-
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 Wellington Greener, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same iş

page_text: .
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms, in which the breech ends
of the barrels are opened and closed by the barrels turning in a vertical plane
upon a joint on the body of the break-off, the open ends of the barrels fitting
tightly against the face of the break-off during discharge, and being raised
from the face of the break-off for the purpose of being charged.
My said Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after
described in locking down the barrels during discharge, and in raising the
hammers to half-cock on the unlocking of the barrels for charging.
My said Invention consists, secondly, of the improvements, herein-after
described, in withdrawing or partially withdrawing the case of the cartridge
from the breech end of the barrel after discharge.
may
My improvements in locking down the barrels during discharge, and in
raising the hammers to half-cock on unlocking the barrels for charging are as
follows: In the upper part of the break-off is a horizontal hole or recess in
which a bolt slides, and in the rib between the barrels is a bolc, which when
the barrels are shut down coincides with the hole in the break-off. When the
bolt in the break-off. is shot into the hole in the rib the barrels are securely
locked down. The said bolt is in two parts, the posterior part being connected
to the anterior part by a joint, so that while the anterior part is capable of
only a sliding motion the free end of the posterior part is capable also of motion
vertically. A vertical lever jointed to the under side of the body of the gun is
connected by a joint to the posterior part of the bolt; or the said bolt be
in one piece and the lever made to engage in a slot in the said bolt. The
lower end of the said lever is curved so as to form the trigger guard, and is
prolonged so as to extend several inches beyond the triggers. The prolonged
part lies flat or nearly flat on the under side of the stock when the is
gun
ready for firing. Or the lower end of the lever may follow the figure of and
lie upon the trigger guard instead of being made into the trigger guard. The
locking of the barrels is effected by shutting down the said barrels and pressing
the lever upon the trigger guard, or when the lever is made into the trigger
guard by pressing it up against the stock. In order to unlock the barrels the
lever is depressed, when the bolt is withdrawn from the recess in the rib of
the barrels and the said barrels can be raised. The anterior part of the bolt
carries a cross piece, which engages under the hammers, and when the bolt is
withdrawn into the break-off, the said cross piece raises the hammers to half-
cock, in which position they are out of the way of the breech ends of the

page_text: barrels when they are raised for charging. Or, instead of the said cross piece,
arms or levers may be fixed on the ends of the shaft on which the before.
mentioned lever works, and the hammers raised by the action of the said arms.
cr levers. In order to more effectually close the breech ends of the barrels
during discharge, I. make a projecting curved flange on either side of the
break-off, which flanges clip the ends of the barrels when they are shut down.
My improvements in withdrawing the cases of the cartridges from the
breech ends of the barrels are as follows:-A lever turning, on a joint under-
neath the barrels and midway between them has its upper part formed of the
curvature of the barrels, the said upper part falling into and forming part of
the ends of the barrels. The annular depression, into which, the metallic part
of the cartridge fits, is in part formed in the upper part of the said lever;. or
the top of the said lever may engage in a sliding piece on the tops of the
barrels. When the barrels are raised, and the lower part of the lever is pressed
towards the muzzle end of the gun, the upper part is moved in the opposite
direction, and the cartridge, the metal part of which rested against it, or the
sliding piece, is partly withdrawn from the barrel. The lever which thus
withdraws the cartridge is made self-acting in the following manner:-The
lower end of the lever enters a hole in the body of the break-off when the
barrels are shut down, and a cross piece jointed to the bottom of the said lever
striking against the edge of the hole is raised into a nearly vertical position.
When, however, the barrels are raised and the lever lifted from the hole in the
body of the break-off the cross piece resumes its horizontal position, and its
end bearing against the side of the hole from which the lever is rising gives
to the lever the motion necessary to withdraw the cartridge case.
Although I have only described my Invention with reference to double-
barrelled fire-arms, yet my Invention is also applicable to single-barrelled
fire-arms.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the, manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a portion of a double-barrelled breech-
loading gun containing my improvements, and Figure 2 represents the same,
partly in longitudinal vertical section. The other Figures represent portions
of the same as herein-after explained. My improvements in locking down
the barrels during discharge, and in raising the hammers to half-cock on
unlocking the barrels for charging are as follows:―
a, a, are the barrels, the breech ends of which rise in a vertical plane in

page_text: the ordinary way, and when shut down the open breech ends fit tightly against
the face of the break-off b. In the upper part of the break-off 6 is a hori-
zontal hole or recess f, in which the bolt c slides, and in the rib d, between
the barrels is a hole or recess e, which, when the barrels are shut down,
coincides with the hole or recess f in the break-off b. When the bolt c in
the break-off 6 is shot into the hole or recess e, in the rib d, as represented in
Figure 2, the barrels a are securely locked down; the bolt c is shown sepa-
rately in Figure 3. The motion of the bolt c is effected by the vertical lever g
turning upon the shaft h, which said shaft passes through the body of the gun
from side to side; the said shaft h is shown separately in plan in Figure 4.
The lever g is fixed upon the square part of the shaft h, so that the said lever
and shaft move together. The bolt c has in it a slot (see Figure 3,) in which
slot the top of the lever g enters, and works freely, the motion of the said
lever g and shaft h causing the bolt c to move in the direction of the hole or
recess in which it works, the said bolt having only a rectilinear motion. The
lower end of the lever 9 may either constitute the trigger guard i, or be made
to fit and lie upon the said trigger guard, as shown at k, Figures 1 and 2.
In order to charge the barrels a, the lever is depressed into the position
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, when the bolt c is withdrawn from the
recess e, and the barrels a may be lifted for charging. When the barrels are
charged and shut down, the lever k is brought into the position represented
in Figures 1 and 2, when the bolt c is shot into the recesse; the barrels a
are thus locked down, and the gun is ready for firing. The lever k may be
imade to engage with the trigger guard i by a spring catch fastening, but the
said fastening is not necessary. On either end of the shaft h is an arm or
lever 1, the ends of the said arms or levers & being against the front under side
of the hammers m respectively; on depressing the lever k to release the
barrels a, the said arms or levers ? press against and lift the hammers m,
thereby removing them from out the range of motion of the barrels a, and also
bringing them to half-cock. The hammers m cannot fall until the barrels a
have been locked down by the bolt c, the motion of the shaft h, in locking
down the barrels a bringing the levers into the position represented in
Figure 1, and the hammers m can fall after they have been raised to full
cock, and liberated by pressure upon the triggers. Both the shooting and
withdrawing of the bolt c are effected by directly acting upon the lever g
through the end k of the said lever, there being no spring to give motion to
the lever g. Figure 8 represents in horizontal section the curved flanges on
either side the break-off fitting into grooves in the ends of the barrels to
prevent the forward motion of the said barrels on discharge.

page_text: My improvements in withdrawing the cartridge cases from the barrels are
represented in Figures 2, 5, 6, and 7 of the Drawing. In Figure 2 the
cartridge case extractor is represented in vertical section; in Figure 5, in end
clevation; in Figure 6, in side elevation, and in Figure 7, in plan; the said
Figures 5, 6, and 7 also showing the ends of the barrels in which the cartridge
case extractor works. n is a T-shaped piece of metal, the form of which will
be readily understood by an examination of Figure 7, sliding upon the tops of
the barrels a, in the manner represented in Figure 5, and engaging under the
rib d; p is a lever turning upon an axis q in the lump r on the under side of
the barrels. The upper part of the said lever p engages in a slot in the
piece n, and by the turning of the lever p upon its centre q, the piece n is
made to slide backwards or 'forwards. A holes is made in the body of the
break-off, into which, when the barrels are shut down, the lump r and lower
end of the lever p enter. A cross piece t is jointed to the lower end of the
lever p, the normal position of the said cross piece t being that represented
in Figure 2. The longer end of the said piece t can rise from a horizontal
into a nearly vertical position, but cannot move downwards to make a greater
angle with the lever p than that represented. When the barrels are raised
after discharge, the end of the cross piece t strikes against the inclined side s
of the recess s, and the lever p and piece n are thereby forced into the position
represented in Figure 6, and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7, and the
cartridge cases partly extracted from the barrels a by the said cross piece n
acting against the pins of the cartridges. When the barrels a are being shut
down, the cross piece t strikes against the top of the recess s, and assumes a
nearly vertical position, but when the barrels are fully shut. down, the cross
piece t falls into the position represented in Figure 2. The return motion of
the lever p is effected by the spring u.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention;
but I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-loading fire-arms of
the kind described,―
Firstly, the general arrangement or combination of parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for locking down the
barrels for discharge, and unlocking the same for loading, and in raising the
hammers to half-cock on the unlocking of the barrels for charging; also
the projecting curved flanges described and represented on either side the
break-off for preventing the forward motion of the barrels on discharge.

page_text: Secondly, the general arrangement or combination of parts of the cartridge
case extractor, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing..
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wellington Greener, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER. (L.s.)