IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lance, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-
A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th June 1856.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,"
to bo as follows:--
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel construction of moveable breech-
piece, which constitutes, when desired, an open funnel leading into the rear of
the barrel, and affords the greatest convenience for loading in the dark, or by
a person of unsteady nerves, and afterwards by a change of position constitutes
tight breech to the barrel. This breech-piece has a sector-shaped exterior
and a funnel-shaped interior for receiving and conducting the cartridges to the
barrel. It is also provided at its forward end with a bevilled wedge-shaped
face, in order that in its closing movement it may force the cartridge to its

page_text: place in the chamber, and afterwards shear off the rear end of the cartridge to
leave the charge exposed to the fire of the priming.
Secondly, to the application of a compound lever for operating the breech-
picce, which lever forms a part of, or is secured to, the under side of the breech-
piece, and serves also as a trigger guard.
Thirdly, to a novel mode of providing for and effecting the proper adjust-
ment of the breech-piece, and its removal from the gun for the purpose of
cleaning. The breech-piece rocks on a knuckle bearing, and this bearing is
pressed forward or permitted to recede by bearing against a wedge, which is
raised and lowered by a thumb-screw.
Fourthly, in constructing the rear end of the barrel with an elastic or flexible
lip, which is capable of yielding to the interior pressure of the exploded charge
of powder, and bearing against the breech by the force of the explosion, and
thus making a tight breech.
Fifthly, in a certain improvement in the construction of rifle grooves. The
groove for about one-half or two-thirds of its length, commencing at the
muzzle, is of uniform depth, and from that point the depth commences to
increase very gradually towards the chamber which receives the charge, such
increase being faster and faster towards its termination in the chamber, at
which point its depth is doubled. The object of this construction of groove is
to retard the starting of the ball, and cause it at first to move very slowly.
Sixthly, in an improved mode of priming. For this purpose a ribbon
priming is employed, which is wound up in a roll, and inserted in a box
formed in the lock plate. A finger which carries a clip spring receives a
reciprocating motion from the tumbler of the lock, and thereby feeds forward
the ribbon primer to the nipple when the trigger is being thrown back to "whole
cock."
Seventhly, to the arrangement of the hammer and the before-mentioned
moveable breech-piece, or its equivalent, so that they shall work on the same
imaginary axis in such a manner that, after the fall of the hammer to effect the
discharge of the gun, the hammer is enabled to rise, still remaining on the
nipple or vent, when the breech-piece is raised to reload the gun, and is
allowed to descend again when the breech-piece is let down again to close the
breech. This movement obviates the necessity of cocking the hammer and
applying the priming until it is required to fire, and enables the hammer
always to keep the priming box closed against rain until it is time to fire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, con-
sists, firstly, in a movable breech-piece constructed, arranged, and operating
in the novel manner herein-after described to constitute, when desired, 'an open
funnel leading into the rear of the barrel, and affording the greatest convenience
for loading in the dark, or by a person of unsteady nerves, and afterwards by a
change of position to close and constitute a tight breech to the barrel. This
breech-piece is also so constructed that in its closing movement it forces the
cartridge to its place in the chamber, and afterwards shears off the rear end of
the cartridge to leave the charge exposed to the fire of the priming. It con-

page_text: sists, secondly, in a certain arrangement of a compound lever to operate the
breech-picce to open and close the rear end of the barrel. It consists, thirdly,
in certain means of providing for and effecting the proper adjustment of the
breech-piece, and its removal from the gun for the purpose of cleaning. It
consists, fourthly, in constructing the rear end of the barrel with an elastic
flexible lip all around, to be driven back against the breech by the force of the
explosion, and thus making a tight breech. It consists, fifthly, in a certain
improvement in the construction of rifle grooves, by which the effective force
of the explosion of the charge acting upon the ball is increased, and the ball is
caused to be discharged with greater velocity and accuracy than when grooves
of the usual construction are used. It consists, sixthly, in an improved primer
for containing a ribbon priming, and in the mechanism for conveying the
priming ribbon over the nipple or vent. It consists, seventhly, in the arrange-
ment of the hammer and the before mentioned moveable breech-piece, or its
equivalent, to work on the same imaginary axis in such a manner that, after
the fall of the hammer to effect the discharge of the gun, the hammer is
enabled to rise, still remaining on the nipple or vent, when the breech-piece
is raised to reload the gun, and is allowed to descend again when the breech-
piece is let down again to close the breech, which movement obviates the
necessity for cocking the hammer and applying the priming until it is required
to fire, and enables the hammer always to keep the priming box closed against
rain until it is time to fire.
The several features of the Invention are illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of portions of the barrel and stock, the
lock and the primer of the breech-loading rifle; Fig. 2 exhibits a central
longitudinal section of the breech and its appendages, with portions of the
stock and barrel; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken between the moveable
breech-piece and the barrel, and through the primer; Fig. 4 is a top view
corresponding with Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section of the lock and primer in the
line a, a, of Fig. 1; Fig, 6 is an inside view of the lock; Fig. 7 is an outside
view of the lock plate; Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the improved con-
struction of the rifle grooves; Fig. 9 is a top view of a knuckle-piece, which
constitutes the axis on which the breech-piece moves. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A is the wooden stock; B, C, D, is the metal breech frame, which receives
within it the moveable breech-piece E; F is the barrel. The breech frame is
made in two pieces; one of these parts, forming the back part of the frame,
consists of a plate B, of steel or malleable cast iron, which fits up to the stock,
and has straps b, b, forged or cast with it, which are secured by screws a, a, to

page_text: the top and bottom of the stock. The other piece consists of a steel socket C,
forming the front part of the frame, and having the barrel screwed into it, and
two parallel side plates D, D, forged or cast with tho said socket, and con-.
stituting the sides of the frame. The back plate B is secured to the side
plates D, D, by providing the latter with grooves to receive tongues a¹, a¹, on
the sides of the former, as shewn in Fig. 4, and by drawing the rear ends of
the side plates close up to the sides of the back plate by screws e, c, passing
through the whole.
The form and construction of the moveable breech-piece E is illustrated in
Figures 2, 3, and 4. It may be of steel or malleable cast iron. It has two
parallel plane sides, which fit snugly between the side plates D, D, of the
breech frame, but loosely enough for it to work easily up and down therein.
Its general external form, as viewed sideways, is that of a sector of a circle
(see Figure 2), but its arc-formed face forms a portion of a sphere, having a
segment cut off at e, e, (see Fig. 2) of the size of the rear muzzle of the barrel,
the flattened portion c, e, being intended to form the face of the breech. The
breech-picce moves on an axis, which is the true axis of the spherical face, and
is arranged so that it would intersect an imaginary continuation of the axis of
the barrel, the said axis of the breech-piece being the centre of a stationary
knuckle-piece H, which extends all across the breech frame, and fits to a semi-
cylindrical bearing in the breech-piece. The breech-picce is hollowed out in
such manner as to give its interior the form of a funnel, the mouth of said
funnel opening in the upper radial side of the breech-piece, and its throat
being in the lower part of the spherical face thereof below e, e. The solid part
E of the breech-piece in front of or at the top of the funnel, which constitutes
the breech, is made with a bevilled countersink F above the throat of the
funnel, the face of which countersink is intended, after the cartridge has been
entered into the chamber of the barrel through the funnel by the thumb and
finger, to be brought into contact with the butt of the cartridge by the moving
down of the breech-piece to close the breech, and to act like a wedge upon the
cartridge to drive it into the barrel with more force than can be applied with
the thumb and finger, and thereby start the ball in the grooves. Above the
countersink F the spherical face of the breech-piece has a sharp edge f, to
shear off the butt of the cartridge as the breech closes, and thereby to expose
the charge to the fire of the priming. The action of the breech-piece is illus-
trated in Fig. 2, in which it is represented in black outline raised to the posi-
tion for the insertion of the cartridge, and in red outline thrown down into
the position to close the breech. In the same Figuro a cartridge is shown as
just placed by hand in the chamber of the barrel, and in the condition it is in

page_text: before the breech-piece is moved down. It will be readily understood that
when the breech is open, a cartridge inserted in the funnel of the breech-
piece cannot fail to enter the chamber ofthe barrel properly.
b
The movable breech-piece has forged or cast with it a lever E², which, when
the breech is closed, constitutes the trigger guard, and bears against the under
side of the stock, and to the end of this lever a second lever G is attached by
a pin g. The latter lever also, when the breech is closed, bears against the
under side of the stock at both ends, and its rear extremity springs into a hole
h, in the lower strap 6 of the breech framo, but it is formed with a crook at G¹,
to serve as a handle, whereby to pull it down to open the breech. When the
rear part of the lever G is pulled down, the front extremity constituting its
fulcrum bears against the stock, and the force applied by the hand is multiplied
at the pin g, and transmitted to the lever E; and by that means the breech is
opened without difficulty, notwithstanding any excessive friction that may be
produced between the face of the breech-piece and the rear end of the barrel
by the collection on the face of the breech-piece of any condensed gas resulting
from the explosion of the powder.
To provide for the adjustment of the breech-piece in proper contact with the
rear end of the barrel, and for the removal of the same from the breech frame,
the knuckle piece II is made movable towards and from the barrel. Its con-
struction, and the manner in which it is fitted to the breech frame will now be
explained. Its construction is shewn in Figures 2 and 9; in rear of the
knuckle it is made of quadrangular form (see i, i, in the above named Figures)
to fit a hole of corresponding form in the front of a metal box I, which is
attached by screws h, h, to the front of the plate B, and in rear of the quadran-
gular part i, i; it has a parallel forked shank j, which passes through the
plate B into a cavity k, formed in the stock. It has two tongues k', k', one on
cach side, fitted to grooves 1, 1, which are indicated by dotted outline in
Figures 2 and 4, made in the side plates D, D, of the breech frame, said
grooves being parallel with the bore of the piece. The box I contains a
wedge J, in which is a female screw to receive a male screw K, the head of
which stands below the stock. This wedge fits within the fork of the shank,
and can be raised or lowered in the box by turning the screw K, which is fitted
so as to be incapable of moving endwise. By turning the head of the screw in
one direction with the thumb and finger, the wedge may be forced upwards,
when, by its action between the front of the plate B and the back of the
knuckle piece, it forces the knuckle-piece forward, and with it the breech-
piece; but, by turning the screw in the other direction, the wedge may be
withdrawn from between the plate B and the knuckle-piece, so as to leave the

page_text: latter free to slide back in the grooves 1, 1, far enough to draw the knuckle
entirely from its bearing in the breech-piece, and thus allow the breech-picce
to be removed downwards bodily from the breech frame.
The clastic lip, upon which the force of the explosion acts to make the
It is formed.
breech tight, is shewn in Fig. 2, where it is indicated by m, m.
by turning a deep groove n, n, in the back part of the interior of the socket C,
into which the barrel is screwed, leaving the metal behind the groove thin
enough to be flexible to the desired degree. The circumference of the bottom
of the said groove is made larger than the outer circumference of the pro-
jecting seat s, s, which is left at the rear of the said socket for the breech-picce
to fit against, thereby making the seat s, s, constitute a portion of the clastic
lip. A small groove o, o, (Fig. 2,) is turned in the face of the seat s, s, to give.
additional flexibility to the lip, which may, if desired, be made very elastic by
tempering. It is only as a matter of convenience that the lip m, m, is formed
on the socket C, and not strictly on the barrel F itself. If formed on the
barrel F; the latter would require to be so large at the rear that it would make
the piece clumsy. The socket C may, however, be considered as a portion of
the barrel.
grooves.
The next feature in order to be described is the grooving of the barrel.
This is illustrated in Fig. 8, which shews a longitudinal profile of one of the
the depth of the groove being somewhat exaggerated relatively to its
length. The liner represents the land or profile of the bore, and the line s¹
the bottom of the groove. Let it now be supposed that the length of the
groove be divided into a number of equal parts, then for about one-half or two-
thirds of the length, commencing at the muzzle end o, say to the point 8, the
groove is parallel, and from that point commences to increase in depth very
gradually towards the chamber, and this increase becomes faster and faster
towards its termination in the chamber at the point 12, where its depth is
double what it is at the point 8, and where the bottom of the groove forms. a
considerable angle, with the line r. The object of this construction of the
groove is to retard the starting of the ball, and cause it at first to move very
slowly. This is advantageous in two ways, as a 'slow movement is best adapted
for changing the form of the ball, to fill the grooves well, and give it accuracy,
while, by retarding the ball, a more perfect combustion of the whole charge of
powder is obtained, and the gases are enabled to acquire more impelling force,
and drive the ball with greater velocity. The chamber of the barrel is smooth,
and so much. larger than the rest of the bore as to circumscribe or nearly
circumscribe the bottom of the grooves. It is generally intended to employ

page_text: the cylindro-conoidal ball in the above described construction of the rifle
grooves of fire-arms, but other forms of balls may be used.
The primer will now be described. The magazine which contains the
priming consists of a cavity L', see Fig. 7, formed in the outer face of the
lock plate L. The lower part of this cavity is of a circular form to receive a
coil of priming ribbon, and from this circular part there is a straight passage t,
to conduct the end of the ribbon upward through a hole u, sec Fig. 3 also, and
over the nipple 19, which is fast upon the breech-piece E, the ribbon receiving
a twist to make it pass in the proper position over the nipple, as shewn in the
latter figure, where it is indicated by v, v. The priming ribbon which is
employed consists of a narrow ribbon, tape, or strip of paper prepared with
some compound that explodes by percussion, or having attached to it by some
adhesive substance, wafers of some compound of similar explosive character.
This ribbon is confined loosely in the magazine by a hinged door M, which fits
to the magazine in such a manner as to exclude water. This door when closed
is secured by a screw w. On the inner face of the lock plate L, there is a
cavity y, y, (shewn in Figures 5 and 6) which receives within it the main
spring M', the scre N, and the sere spring . This cavity y, y, is of such form
as to meet the cavity L', and thus form a hole 10, through which works what
may be termed the priming feeder P, which consists of a steel finger provided
with a journal, to fit into the centre of the tumbler Q. This finger is received
in a cavity 11, 12, in the inner face of the tumbler, and by that means is
enabled to be moved by the hammer R, but the cavity is of such form as to
allow the hammer to move from the nipple to half-cock without moving the
feeder. The point of the feeder enters into a hole or loop in a spring 13
(see Fig. 3), which hangs upon it, and the point of this spring, when the door
of the magazine is closed is pressed against the ribbon priming hard enough
to push it up through the hole u, when the hammer is raised above the position
of half-cock and the priming feeder is raised. In moving from half-cock to
full-cock, the feeder receives a sufficient amount of motion to feed the requisite
length of ribbon. When the hammer falls and carries down the feeder P, and
feeding spring 13, the ribbon is prevented from going back with it by means
of a retaining spring 14, see Fig. 3, which presses on the ribbon higher up
than the spring 13. The side 15 of the hammer-head (which in its descent
passes close to the inner side of the elevated part L of the lock plate, forming
the upper part of the magazine,) is made with a sharp bottom edge, to act in
connection with the lower edge of the opening u, as the hammer descends to
shear off the piece of priming ribbon which has been deposited over the nipple

page_text: before the central part of the head strikes the priming ribbon. The tumbler Q
is made with a journal 16, which fits to a bearing in the lock plate, and outside
of this journal is a square 17, projecting through the exterior of the lock plate
to receive the butt of the hammer, which is secured on the square by a
screw 18, which screws into the tumbler, and has a head larger than the square
on the tumbler, thus confining in place both the hammer and tumbler. The
centre of the journal 16, stands exactly in line with the centre of the knuckle
piece II, and by that means, after the discharge of the gun, the breech-piece
may be raised to reload without being interfered with by the hammer remaining
on the nipple. It is intended that the knuckle-piece shall be adjusted to
produce sufficient friction between the face of the breech-piece and the seat
round the rear end of the barrel to resist the force of the main spring, acting
through the hammer, when the latter rests upon the nipple, so that when the
breech is opened with the hammer on the nipple, it will remain open while the
charge is inserted through the funnel of the breech-piece, without requiring to
be forcibly held open, and without cocking or half-cocking the hammer. The
distance of the face of the breech from its centre of motion H bears such
relation to the hammer that the necessary movement to open and close the
breech may be performed without bringing the hammer to half-cock and (as
the hammer passes half-cock without the priming feeder being moved) without
moving the priming, and hence when the breech is closed the hammer descends
with it, and the side of the hammer-head keeps the hole u closed, and makes
the priming magazine rain-proof.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
Breech-loading Fire-arms," as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
First, the construction of the moveable breech-piece E with a sector-shaped
exterior and with a funnel-shaped interior to receive and conduct the cartridge
into the chamber of the barrel when the breech is open, substantially as
herein described, the same being provided with a bevilled or wedge-shaped
surface F, above the throat of the funnel of the breech-piece, and below the
breech proper E, to force the cartridge into the chamber and start the ball in
the grooves of the barrel.
Second, the application to the moveable breech-piece E of a compound lever
E, G, arranged and operating as herein specified.
Third, the arrangement of the knuckle-piece II, or its equivalent, con-
stituting or carrying the axis of the moveable breech-piece to slide in grooves
parallel with the bore of the barrel, and the combination therewith of a wedge J.

page_text: and screw K, operating as herein described to effect the adjustment or removal
of the breech.
Fourth, forming an elastic or flexible lip m, m, round the rear end of the
barrel, in the manner and for the purpose described.
Fifth, the construction of the rifle grooves, as described and illustrated in
Fig. 8.
Sixth, the priming feeder P, carrying the feeding spring 13, or its equi-
valent combined with the tumbler, substantially as herein described, so as to
feed the priming by the movement of the hammer in cocking, but not to
commence to feed till after the hammer is raised above half-cock.
Seventh, the arrangement of the hammer to work on the same imaginary
axis as the moveable breech-piece, so that in raising the moveable breech-
piece to load, the hammer remaining on the nipple may move up with the
breech-piece, and after loading may move down again with it, thereby
obviating the necessity for cocking or half-cocking the hammer before opening
the breech.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)