IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Griffith Brewer at the Office
•
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1877. A commu-
nication from abroad by Valentin Sauerbrey, of Basle, Switzerland.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS." (A communication from abroad by Valentin Sauerbrey, of Basle,
Switzerland.)
This Invention refers to breech-loading fire-arms having cylindrical breech blocks
containing important modifications on the systems heretofore employed; the
moveable breech piece is very reduced, facilitates the movements of the charge;
the resistance of pressure to the gas is very great, and as gas-tight as may be.
The parts are less numerous, easy to manufacture (most of them may be made
in a lathe), and are of great strength.
The principal advantage which this system possesses over all other constructions
of this kind consists in the form of the breech box, which at a given moment allows
two consecutive shots to be fired without a fresh charge, an advantage which no
other single fire-arm possesses, that is to say, in a fire-arm not provided with
mechanism employed in a repeating fire-arm.
The mechanism is as simple as that of most of the best known systems, the
operation is rapid, the parts can be quickly taken to pieces, and the cleaning may
be done after the removal of the moveable breech piece without removing any other
part. The weight of the arm is less than that of arms constructed according to
other arrangements.
The breech box is screwed to the barrel and has an opening in its upper part
intended to receive the cartridge, then at the right there is a lateral aperture by
which the expended cartridge case is ejected by the extractor; the rear part of the
box is bored for the passage of the moveable breech block, and cut out for the
tenons of the detent, two pieces corresponding with these tenons prevent the recoil
of the unclosed breech block, and leave between them two vacant spaces for the
passage of the tenons of the detent when it is desired to open and draw back the
moveable breech block to load it. The box at its lower part is provided with
a hook to which the breech guide is fitted, which by this means is there firmly
secured.

page_text: of the box before firing off that which is already in the barrel. A shooter lying in
ainbush having his arm ready for two shots will appreciate being able to do this.
To take the pieces apart and to put them together:-To remove the moveable
breech, turn the key of the breech guide forwards, the breech being no longer arrested
can be entirely withdrawn sufficient generally for cleaning the fire-arm; the interior
of the barrel can be examined through the box.
To take to pieces the moveable breech proceed in the following manner :—
1. Raise the extractor after having disengaged the screw.
2. Unscrew the head of the moveable breech by turning from right to left.
3. Unscrew the half cylinder by turning from right to left.
4. Take out the tumbler.
5. Unscrew the nut after having disengaged the helical spring; there only then
remains the cylinder.
To take out the spindle it is only necessary to give a few turns to the stop screw.
The putting together again is precisely the reverse operation.
The other parts ought not to be taken apart except in special cases.
It is easy to appreciate the advantages of this system, the whole being of the
simplest construction; the cost of manufacture is not increased.
It is to be understood that this breech-loading arrangement is applicable to all
kinds of fire-arms for precision or army purposes, and to pin, central fire, or other
cartridges.