Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 13th May, 1887.
Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance.
We, WILLIAM HALE DRIGGS, and SEATON SCHROEDER, residing respectively at
2001, R Street and 723, Twentieth Street, in the City of Washington, District of
Columbia, United States of America, gentlemen, 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 :—
Our invention has for its object certain improvements in breech loading ordnance,
and more particularly in the class of rapid firing, single shot guns; and it consists in
the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in
the claims.
This object we accomplish by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawing forming part of this specification wherein the same letters of reference
denote the same or corresponding parts in the several views, and in which,-
Fig. 1, represents a longitudinal section of the breech end of the gun with the
breech block and the adjoining parts in side elevation, the chamber being closed, as it
would appear at the moment of firing.
Fig. 2, shows the same parts in full and dotted lines, with the breech block moved
into position for opening the chamber for the reception of the cartridge.
Fig. 3, is a rear elevation of the breech end of the gun, the breech block being in
position for closing the chamber.
Fig. 4, is a similar view, representing the same parts, but with the breech block in
position for exposing the chamber.
Fig. 5, is a side elevation of the breech block and the adjoining parts, a portion of
said block being broken away to show the firing pin in its opening and the upper
ends of the wings of the main spring resting against the front and rear shoulders on
said pin.
Fig. 6, is a horizontal section on the line, x-x, fig. 1.
Fig. 7, is a detail plan of the firing pin.
Fig. 8, is a rear view of a portion of the breech block, the vertically movable slide
and the casing fitted over the same and over a portion of the central recess in the
rear face of said breech-block, the firing pin being shown in section.

page_text: Fig. 9, shows a side elevation of said casing and screws for securing the same
to the breech block.
Fig. 10, is a top plan view of the same, and
Fig. 11, is a detail perspective view of the short rock shaft, provided with the hori-
zontal and vertical arms and the hook shaped catches.
A, represents the breech block, which is provided on its upper convex surface with
bands or projections, a, a', fitting into correspondingly shaped recesses in the upper
interior surface of the gun breech and extending downward below the centre line of
the chamber. These bands and their grooves firmly hold the breech block in position
and prevent backward movement of same during firing.
B, is a stout steel shaft or axis fitted in openings in the breech and extending out
beyond the same on its left side, where it is provided with an operating handle, C, for
a purpose which will be hereinafter stated. This axis passes loosely through an
elongated opening, a², in the lower portion of the breech block, as shown in fig. 1, so
as to allow of a down and up movement of said block on a line inclined about two
degrees from the vertical. A pin or stud, a³, projects from the side of the breech
block at or near its centre and passes into an irregularly curved or cam shaped
groove, D¹, formed in the inner wall or cheek of the breech. The peculiar shape of this
groove is shown in dotted lines in fig. 2, in which its walls are nearly vertical for a short
distance from its upper end, as shown at, d; from this point said walls incline slightly
to the rear from the vertical walls, as shown at, ds, and then continue on in curved
lines, do, to the bottom of said groove.
D, is the cam; it is rigidly fixed to the axis, B, and adapted to be moved therewith
by the handle, C. This cam is formed in its upper portion with an opening, d, having
curved ends of the form shown in fig. 1, and is provided at its lower portion with a
curved or convexed end, d, and at its upper portion with a rearwardly extending arm, d²,
having a right angled extension, d³, terminating in front of the head of the firing pin
for retracting or cocking the same.
E, represents the cartridge extractor, which consists of two vertically extending
limbs, e, e, loosely pivoted upon bolts e¹, e¹, fixed in the inner walls of the breech
chamber at the sides of the front part of the breech block and forward of the axis of
the operating lever, one of said limbs being arranged in front of the cam, D, and
the other in front of the cam, D2, on the rod or axis, B, at the opposite side of the
breech block. The lower ends of the limbs in front of cam, D, and, D³, are slightly
concaved on their rear faces, and extend slightly rearward, so as to leave space for their
movement by the curved ends, d¹, of the cam. The upper ends of the limbs, e, have
right angled extensions, e², for projecting in front of and against the flange
of the cartridge.
Through the breech block, A, from front to rear, is formed an opening for the
firing pin, and at the horizontally opposite sides of said opening, and communicating
therewith, are also formed the grooves, f³, f. The firing pin, F, passes through
said opening and is provided with the bottom projection, f, the ring, f, and the
head, projecting over the extension, d³, on the arm, d², of the cam. Said firing pin
is also provided with front and rear shoulders, 3, and, f, on each side, as shown in
figs. 5, 6, and, 7, which fit and are adapted to slide in the grooves, f5, f³, and thus
secure positive or direct guidance of said pin. Against the front shoulders the front
wing, g, of the main spring, G, presses when the firing pin is retracted the other
wing, 92, of said spring resting freely against the rear shoulders, 4, on said firing pin,
or in elongated slots or against stops in the central recessed part of the rear face of the
breech block. The main spring is formed of broad steel plate, broader than the
diameter of the firingp in and is bifurcated at the upper ends of its wings for permitting
then to extend up on each side of the firing pin the front one to operate against the
front shoulders thereon, and the rear one to rest against its rear shoulders, and
against a forwardly extending projection, i, prominently shown in figs. 5, and, 9, of
the casing, I', hereinafter described.
H, is a short rock shaft fitted in the rear part of the breech block and having one
end projecting beyond the side thereof and the inner end extending to its centre.

page_text: At its projecting end it is provided with a horizontal arm, h¹, and at its inner end with
the vertical arm, h, which is normally held from downward movement by a leaf
spring, ², suitably secured to the casing, I', as shown in dotted lines in fig. 8.
This rock shaft, at the inner end which projects to the centre of the breech block,
and in rear of the vertical arm, h, is provided with hook shaped catches, h², h², which
embrace the lateral extensions, h³, h³, at the lower end of a vertically movable
slide, I, which is enclosed by the casing, I', which is open at its ends and secured to
the rear of the breech block. The upper end of this slide projects in front of the
projection, f, on the firing pin when the latter is drawn back.
J, is a rock shaft passing transversely through the right wall of the gun breech and
having its inner end terminating in a recess in said wall and in rear of the breech
block. At its inner end it is provided with a rigidly attached trip or finger, j, which
projects slightly over the arm, h³, of the short rock shaft, H, and at its outer end it
has a rigidly secured finger piece or trigger, j', projecting downward in front of the
hand rest,
The operation of the parts thus described is as follows:-
:-
Figuro, 1, represents the breech as closed, or as it would appear after the discharge
of the gun. To open the chamber and extract the cartridge shell, the handle, C, is
turned and, by it, the axis, B, and the attached cam, D, are also turned, the latter
being moved downwardly and rearwardly. This movement is accomplished by the
pin or stud, a³, on the breech block projecting through the opening, d, of the cam and
into the cam-groove, D¹, in the inner wall of the breech, said cam grooves, owing to
the described contour of its walls, ds, d³, and, de, first moving the stud and block
vertically downward the extent of its vertical walls, d, the bands, a, a', on the upper
surface of said block being thus forced from the grooves in the breech. With further
movement of the handle, C, and, cam, D, the pin or stud, a³, is moved down the inclined
walls, ds, of the cam groove and thence along the curved walls, de, forming its lower
portion, the latter portion of the movement of said pin or stud being in the arc of a
circle whose contour is the centre of the rod or axis, B. When the parts are in this
position with the pin or stud, a³, in the lower end of the cam groove, D¹, and in the
then upper end of the opening, d, in the cam, D, the breech block is then in its
lowest position, which is about horizontal, and the chamber is open and ready for
a new cartridge. During this rearward movement of the breech block for opening
the chamber, the lower convexed end, d', of the cam, D, and also the cam on the
other side of the block comes in contact with the concaved rear faces of the lower
enils of the limbs, e, e, of the cartridge extractor, E, thus forcing the upper ends of the
limbs and their right angled extensions, e², rearwardly and thereby ejecting the empty
cartridge case or shell. The first part of the movement of the upper parts of the
limbs, e, e of the extractor is slow and powerful and afterwards rapid, so that the
cartridge case or shell shall be thrown quickly out of the chamber. In the movement
of the breech block and cam to the rear, or into the position shown in fig. 2, the arm, d²,
of the cam comes in contact with the head, 3, of the firing pin, F, and pushes the same
to the rear, until the projection f, thereon comes beyond the upper end of the vertically
movable slide, I, by which it is held until released by the trigger, and the inter-
mediate devices. With the parts named in the positions just stated, the cartridge is
placed in the chamber and by turning the handle back to its original position, the
breech block is also moved back and closes said chamber.
During this movement, the pin or stud, a³, remains in the then upper curved portion
of the opening, d, of the cam, D, until the inclined walls, d³, of the cam groove, D', in
the breech are reached, when it is raised out of that position, by said inclined walls, and
forced up into the then elevated curved portion of the opening, d. In this position the
breech block is raised bodily up until its hands fit into the grooves or recesses in the
breech of the gun, and the cam, being drawn forward, brings the extension, d³, of its
arm, d, close up to the rear surface of the breech block. The horizontal arm, h', of the
rock shaft, H, is then under and against the trip or finger, j', which projects from the
inner end of the rock shaft, J, which is operated by the trigger, j', on its outer end and
beneath the hand rest, *.

page_text: The parts being in this position the gun is ready for firing. The trigger, j, is then
moved to the rear and turns the rock shaft, J, and its finger, j, downward. The latter
also forces downward the horizontal arm, h¹, of the rock shaft, H, lowers the slide, I,
and releases the firing pin which is then thrown forward against the primer by the
action of the V-shaped main spring, G, the front wing, 9, of said main spring pressing
against the front shoulders, f³, on the side of the firing pin, and the rear wing, g³,
resting against the rear shoulders f4, thereof. The firing pin after its release from the
tension of the spring continues forward by virtue of its weight and momentum, and,
after striking the primer, is drawn back a short distance by the reactive force of the
rear wing of the spring, which has been slightly compressed by the rear shoulders of
the firing pin in the forward movement of the latter, thus bringing the point of the
firing pin inside of the face of the breech block and away from the primer, so that no
obstacle remains to the downward movement of said breech block when opening the
breech for a new charge.
Prominent among
the advantages of our invention is the arrangement of the centre
of the pin or stud, a³, slightly forward of a vertical plane passing through the contre of
the axis, B, when the breech block is in its up or closed position, whereby the breech
block is enabled to resist backward and downward pressure upon its face from the
exploded charge; also, back pressure is further resisted by the bands a, a', of the breech
block fitting in the grooves in the upper wall of the gun breech, since, to open the block
at all, it must first be lowered out of the grooves; also any downward pressure is resisted
by the pin or stud, a³, as any pressure thereon only acts to push the block forward and
lock it tighter than before; also, as the right angled extension, d³, on the cam arm, d²,
is not close against the back of the block until the latter is securely locked in position,
should the firing pin be accidentally released before said block is closed, the head, f2,
on the firing pin will come in contact with said extension, d³, on the cam arm, d²,
and
prevent the point of the firing pin from striking the primer, thus avoiding premature
discharge of the gun.
Our breech loading gun, with the parts constructed arranged and operating as
described, is not only capable of being rapidly operated or fired, but is simple, strong
and not liable to get out of order.
It is obvious that minor changes can be made in the construction and arrangement
of the parts without departing from the nature or principle of our invention as, for
instance, the cam and its adjuncts, as shown in fig. 1, of the drawing, may be duplicated
on the opposite side of the breech block, if necessary or desired; also we may find
it desirable to use a spring catch on the handle of the breech block to prevent the
breech from being accidentally opened and also for the purpose of indicating by its
clicking sound (at night or in the hurry of battle) that the closure of the chamber is
complete.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed what we claim is :—
1. In a gun in which the breech block first moves downward in opening, and then
swings backward and downward, the combination, with the gun breech provided with
grooves in its upper wall, of the pivoted breech block, A, provided on its upper surface
with bands or projections, a, a, adapted to fit in said grooves and hold said breech
block firmly in place, and means for moving the breech block into and out of said
grooves, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the gun breech, the breech block, A, having the stud or
pin a³, the cam, D, having the opening, d, with curved ends in which said stud or pin
is supported, and the axis, B, which carries said cam passing through said breech block
and having its centre to the rear of the vertical plane passing through the centre of
said stud or pin, a³, when the breech block is closed, whereby back pressure upon the
face of the block is resisted, substantially as described.
3. In a gun in which the breech block first moves downward in opening and then
swings backward and downward, the combination, with the gun breech having the
cam groove, D¹ in its inner wall, of the breech block, A, having the stud or pin a³;

page_text: and the elongated opening, a², and mechanism for moving said breech block out of
and into operative position, consisting of the shaft or axis, B, passing through said
elongated opening, the cam, D, rigidly attached to the axis and having the opening, d,
with curved ends to receive the stud or pin, a³, and the handle, C, attached to said axis
for operating the same, the cam and the breech block, substantially as described.
4. The combination of the breech having the interior cam groove, D¹, provided with
nearly vertical walls, d, at its upper end, slightly inclined and rearwardly extending
walls, below said vertical walls and curved walls, de, for the rest of its length, the
breech block, A, having the stud or pin, a³, and the elongated opening, a² the shaft or
axis, B, passing through said opening, the cam, D, having the opening, d, with curved
ends to receive the pin, a³, and the handle, C, attached to said axis for operating the
same and the cam and breech block, substantially as described.
5. In a gun in which the breech block in opening first moves downward and then
swings backward and downward, the combination of the gun breech, the breech block,
the cartridge extractor, R, consisting of the vertical limbs, e, e, having the right
angled extensions, d³, at their upper ends, the lower ends of said limbs, e, projecting
slightly rearward and being concaved, the pivotal bolts, e¹, e', fixed in the inner walls
of the breech chamber forward of the pivot of the operating lever, the axis, B, having
a cam on each side of the breech block for operating the extractor, said cams having
curved ends and means for operating said axis and cams, substantially as described.
6. In a gun in which the breech block in opening first moves downward and then
swings backward and downward, the combination of the breech, the breech block
having the pin or stud, the shaft or axis having the handle, the cam attached thereto
and having the opening with curved ends to engage the pin on the breech block and
the rearwardly extending arm provided with the right angled extension, and the
firing pin having a head against which said extension of the cam arm abuts for
retracting the firing pin, substantially as described.
7. The combination of the breech block, A, the main spring, G, the firing pin, F,
having shoulders for the front and rear wings of said spring and a projection on its
under side, and mechanism for retracting said firing pin, with the short rock shaft, H,
the vertically movable slide, I, secured to said rock shaft and devices for moving said
shaft, lowering the slide and releasing the firing pin, substantially as described.
8. The combination of the breech block, the firing pin removable therein, devices for
retracting the latter, and the vertical slide for holding the same when retracted, with
the spring controlled short rock shaft provided with the horizontal arm on said rock
shaft, and means for releasing the slide from the firing pin, substantially as described.
9. The combination of the breech block, the firing pin devices for retracting the
latter and the vertical slide for holding the same when retracted, with the spring
controlled short rock shaft to which said slide is secured, provided with horizontal and
vertical arms, the rock shaft arranged in a line to the rear of said short rock shaft and
provided with a horizontal finger at its inner end with a trigger at its outer end,
and the hand rest, substantially as described.
10. The combination of the breech, the breech block, the firing pin, the cam provided
with the rearwardly extending arm having an extension for retracting said pin and
means for operating the cam, with the vertical slide for holding said pin when
retracted, the spring controlled short rock shaft, to which said slide is secured,
provided with horizontal and vertical arms, and means for depressing the horizontal
arm of said rock shaft and thus releasing slide from the firing pin, substantially as
described.
11. The combination of the breech, the breech block, the firing pin, the cam provided
with a rearwardly extending arni having an extension for retracting said pin and
means for operating the cam, with the vertical slide for holding said pin when
retracted, the spring controlled short rock shaft, to which said slide is secured,
provided with the horizontal and vertical arms, the rock shaft arranged in a line to the
rear of the short one and provided with a horizontal finger at its inner end and with a
trigger at its outer end, and the hand rest, substantially as described.
12. The combination of the breech block, formed with the firing pin opening and

page_text: the grooves communicating therewith the firing pin having front and rear shoulders
projecting into said grooves, a suitably supported, V-shaped main spring having its
forward wing resting against said front shoulders and its rear wing against said rear
shoulders and also having bearing against a fixed part of the breech block, and devices,
for retracting and releasing said firing pin, substantially as described.
13. The combination with the breech block, having a firing pin opening and the
grooves communicating therewith, of the firing pin having suitable shoulders, a
V-shaped main spring having its wings bifurcated at their upper ends and extending
on both sides of said firing pin and resting against the rear side of said shoulders, a
suitable stop or projection at the rear of said sping fixed with respect to the breech
block and mechanism for retracting and releasing said firing pin, substantially as
described.