IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING SMALL-ABMS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bailey, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING SMALL-ABMS."
Sealed the 26th January 1877, and dated the 17th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bailey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th August 1876.
THOMAS BAILEY, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS.”
My Invention has reference to breech-loading small-arms of the kind commonly
called drop-down guns, and my said Invention consists of the arrangements or com-
binations of parts herein-after described for fastening down and releasing the barrels
of the said guns, and for lifting the hammers to half-cock on unfastening the barrels
for reloading.
My said Invention consists further of the arrangement or combination of parts
herein-after described for fastening the "fore ends" to and releasing them from the
barrels.
I fasten down the barrels by means of a horizontal sliding bolt worked by a hand
lever on the under side of the gun, the said bolt in its advance motion taking into
a lump on the under side of the barrels, and in its back motion retires in a recess
in the body. On the front end of the bolt is an antifriction roller, and the rear end
is slotted to receive a swivel, which swivel is connected to the lower free end of a
spring, by which the advance and snapping action of the bolt is effected. The said
spring is a single nearly straight blade, the power of which may be regulated by
means of its connecting screw pin. The upper end or head of the hand lever which
works the sliding bolt consists of a cylindrical block working in the body of the
gun, the said block being provided with an excentric projection or cam which takes
into a cross slot in the sliding bolt. By moving the hand lever the projection or
cam on its head withdraws the sliding bolt, and unfastens the barrels, the bolt
returning to its normal position after the barrels have been shut down by the action
of the spring on its rear end. The cylindrical head of the hand lever is securely
kept in its position by a key pin screwed into the side of the body, the plain fore

page_text: part of the pin entering a slot partly in the body of the gun and partly in the
cylindrical head. The said pin serves both as a stop to regulate the motion of the
hand lever in opening and closing the gun, and also permits by its withdrawal of
the removal of the hand lever from the body.
The hammers are lifted to half-cock on the withdrawal of the sliding bolt in the
following manner: Working in the break-off of the gun is an oblique rod or lifter
pressed down by a coiled spring. The bottom end of this lifting rod is situated in
its normal position in the recess in the break-off, in which the rear end of the
sliding bolt works, and the said lifting rod is actuated by an incline on the rear end
of the sliding bolt. The outer or upper end of the lifting rod is constructed to
operate on the under side of the throat or head of the hammer so as to lift the
hammer.
When the sliding bolt is withdrawn to unfasten the barrels the incline at the
rear end of the said bolt acts against the bottom of the oblique lifting rod, and
raises the said rod in the break-off, and thereby causes its upper end to lift the
hammer to half-cock. When the sliding bolt returns to its norinal position the
oblique rod or lifter is pushed down by the operation of its spring.
I construct fore end fastenings in the following manner:-I joint to the metal
bar of the fore end a lever catch pressed into its fastening position by a spring
acting on the tail of the said lever catch. The said lever catch is cranked, and on
the face of it is a projection or hook which takes upon or engages with a hook or
projection on the loop on the under side of the barrels. On the inner end of the
lever catch and beyond the joint on which the said catch turns is a short arm,
which arm when the lever catch is lifted from the barrels for unfastening the fore
end bears against the under side of the barrels, and starts or withdraws the fore
end from the barrels as soon as the said fore end has been unfastened by the dis-
engagement of the look or projection on the lever catch from the loop on the
barrels.
Instead of starting the fore end by the lever action described the said starting
may be effected by means of a spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bailey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th February
1877.
THOMAS BAILEY, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
My Invention has reference to breech-loading small-arms of the kind commonly
called drop-down guns, and my said Invention consists of the arrangements or
combinations of parts herein-after described for fastening down and releasing the
barrels of the said guns, and for lifting the hammers to half-cock on unfastening the
barrels for reloading.
My said Invention consists further of the arrangement or combination of parts
herein-after described for fastening the "fore ends" to and releasing them from the
barrels.
I fasten down the barrels by means of a horizontal sliding bolt worked by a hand
lever on the under side of the gun, the said bolt in its advance motion taking into
a lump on the under side of the barrels, and in its back motion retires in a recess in
the body. A spring bearing on the rear end of the bolt gives the advance motion
and snapping action to it. The said spring is a single nearly straight blade, the
power of which may be regulated by means of its connecting screw pin. The
upper end or head of the hand lever which works the sliding bolt consists of a
cylindrical block working in the body of the gun, the said block being provided
with an eccentric projection or cam, which takes into a cross slot in the sliding bolt.

page_text: By moving the hand lever the projection or cam on its head withdraws the sliding
bolt, and unfastens the barrels, the bolt returning to its normal position after the
barrels have been shut down by the action of the spring on its rear end. The
cylindrical head of the hand lever is securely kept in its position by a key pin
screwed into the side of the body, the plain fore part of the pin entering a slot
partly in the body of the gun, and partly in the cylindrical head. The said pin
serves both as a stop to regulate the motion of the hand lever in opening and closing
the gun, and also permits by its withdrawal of the removal of the hand lever from
the body.
The hammers are lifted to half-cock on the withdrawal of the sliding bolt in the
following manner :-Working in the break-off of the gun is an oblique rod or lifter
pressed down by a coiled spring, a rod or lifter being used for each hammer. The
bottom end of this lifting rod is situated in its normal position in the recess in the
break-off, in which the rear end of the sliding bolt works, and the said lifting rod
is actuated by an incline on the rear end of the sliding bolt. The outer or upper
end of the lifting rod is constructed to operate on the under side of the throat or
head of the hammer so as to lift the hamnier.
When the sliding bolt is withdrawn to unfasten the barrels the incline at the rear
end of the said bolt acts against the bottom of the oblique lifting rod, and raises
the said rod in the break-off, and thereby causes its upper end to lift the haminer
to half-cock. When the sliding bolt returns to its normal position the oblique rod
or lifter is pushed down by the operation of its spring.
I construct fore end fastenings in the following manner:-I joint to the
inetal bar of the fore end a lever catch pressed into its fastening position by a
spring acting on the tail of the said lever catch. The said lever catch is cranked,
and on the face of it is a projection or hook, which takes upon or engages with a
hook or projection on the loop on the under side of the barrels. On the fore end is
a spring, the free end of which bears against the under side of the barrels, and
starts or withdraws the fore end from the barrels as soon as the said fore end has
been unfastened by the disengagement of the hook or projection on the lever catch
from the loop on the barrels.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section the breech end of a breech-
loading drop-down gun containing my improvements in fastening down and
releasing the barrels of the said gun, and in lifting the haminers to half-cock on
unfastening the barrels for reloading, the said section, Figure 1, being taken through
the middle of the body of the gun; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a
longitudinal section of the same taken nearly in a line with the axis of one-of the
barrels. In the section Figure 1 the fastening bolt and lifting mechanism are
represented in their normal positions, but in the section Figure 3 the fastening
bolt is represented in its withdrawn or unlocking position, and the lifting
mechanism is represented in its acting or lifting position.
Figure 4 represents a horizontal section of the body of the gun, the parts being
in the positions represented in Figure 1; and Figure 5 represents a horizontal
section of the body of the gun, the parts being in the positions represented in
Figure 3.
Figure 6 represents in plan of upper and under sides and side elevation the
fastening bolt detached.
Figure 7 represents one of the lifters detached; and Figure 8 represents a side
elovation and plan of upper side of the head of the hand lever by which the fastening
bolt is worked.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 8, both
inclusive.
a, a, are the barrels of the gun turning on the joint b, as usual; c is the body;
and d is the break-off; e is the horizontal sliding bolt (shown separately in Figure 6)
working in the body of the gun, tlio rear end of the said bolt on its making its

page_text: back motion protruding from the rear end of the body; f is a spring consisting of
a single blade, the free lower end of which bears against the tail piece e* at the rear
end of the bolt e. By means of the said spring f the advance and snapping action
of the bolt e is effected; g is the lump on the under sido of the barrels, with a seat
on which lump the sliding bolt e in its advance motion engages and fastens down
the barrels in the ordinary way; his the hand lever on the under side of the gun,
by which the sliding bolt is withdrawn to release the barrels and cock the
hammers. To the upper end or head of the hand lever a cylindrical block i is
connected, the said block working in a correspondingly shaped recess in the body c
of the gun (see Figure 1). The cylindrical block or head of the lever / is repre-
sented separately in Figure 8. On the upper side of the said block i is an eccentric
triangular shaped projection or cam k, which works in the cross slot Z in the front
end of the sliding bolt e.
By moving the hand lever from its normal position represented in Figures 1
and 4 to the position represented in Figures 3 and 5 the cam k, by acting against
the side of the slot in the sliding bolt e, withdraws the said bolt from the lump g,
and unfastens the barrels, and the gun may be opened.
When the pressure is
removed from the hand lever after the barrels have been shut down the bolt e
and hand lever h return to their normal positions, or the positions represented in
Figures 1 and 4 by the action of the spring f on the rear end of the said bolt. The
cylindrical head of the hand lever his securely kept in its position by a key
pin m screwed into the side of the body c, the plain fore end of the said pin entering
a groove at n, the said groove being made partly in the body of the gun, and partly
in the cylindrical head or block of the hand lover, as represented. The pin m serves
as a stop to regulate the motion of the hand lever in opening and closing the
gun, and by its withdrawal permits of the removal of the hand lever h from the
body.
I will now describe my improved mechanism for lifting the hammers to half-cock
on the withdrawal of the sliding bolt e to open the gun.
P, P, are rods or lifters working in oblique slots in the break-off d; one of these
rods or lifters is represented in elevation and soction in Figure 7. On opposite
sides of the sliding bolt e and near the rear end thereof are inclines q, q, against
which the bottoms of the lifters p, p, respectively bear when the latter are in their
normal position (see Figure 1). The said lifters p, p, are provided with heads or
enlargements at top of the shape, best seen in Figures 2 and 7. The said heads
of the lifters are turned in opposite directions (see the plan, Figure 2), and are
situated under the throats or heads of the hammers 1', T. On each of the lifting
rods p, p, is a coiled spring bearing at bottom against the fixed abutment or
collar t, and at top against the loose collar u. At the middle and rear end of the
break-off is a fixed cross head or T piece w, the arms of which bear respectively
against the tops of the loose collars u, u, of the lifters 2, 1, and prevent the said
collars u, u, rising when the lifters are moved upwards to cock the hammers.
When the sliding bolt e is withdrawn to unfasten the barrels, as represented in
Figures 3 and 5, the inclines q, q, at the rear end of the said sliding bolt e act
against the bottoms of the oblique lifters p, p, and raiso the said lifters in the break-
off, as best seen in Figure 3. By the raising of the lifters p, p, their heads 2³, p²,
bear against the throats of the hammers r, r, and lift the said hammers to half-
cock. As the lifters p, p, rise they pass, through the loose collars u, u, the said
collars being prevented from rising by the cross head w. The coiled springs 8, 8,
around the lifting rods are thereby compressed between the collars t and u, and
when the sliding bolt e returns to its normal positions the rods or lifters p, p,
are returned to their lowest or normal positions by the action of the coiled
springs 8, 8.
Figure 9 represents in section a "fore end" fastening constructed according to
my Invention; Figure 10 is a plan of the upper side of the fore end detached ;
Figure 11 represents the lever catch of the fastening detached; and Figure 12
represents a plan of the lever catch and the metal box in which it works.
-

page_text: a is the wooden part of the fore end; bis the metal bar of the same; and c is
the loop on the under side of the barrels d; e is the lever catch of the fastening
jointed at f to the bar b of the fore end. The said lever catch is pressed into
its fastening position by the spring at g acting on the tail of the lever catch.
The said catch is cranked, and at the junction of the two arms of the catch
is a hook or projection h, which engages with a hook or projection i on
the loop, as seen in Figure 9. k is the metal box screwed to the wooden part
of the fore end, in which box the lever catch e works. The spring by which the
lever catch is pressed into its fastening position is double-acting, that is, the part g
acts upon the lever catch, but the part g2 on the opposite side of the fixing pin
bears against the barrels d, and effects the starting or withdrawing of the fore end,
that is to say, on lifting the lever catch e from the fore end in the direction of the
arrow, Figure 9, the said lever catch turns on its joint f, and the hook h on it is
withdrawn from the hook i on the loop c, and the fore end is released, and may be
removed. As soon as the fore end has been unfastened the compressed part g² of
the spring which is bearing against the barrels & withdraws or starts the fore end
from the barrels, as will be understood by an examination of Figure 9. To fasten
the fore end it is pressed against the under side of the barrels; the lever catch is
thereby raised by the loop c, and when the hook his brought opposite the hook i
on the loop the said hook / snaps upon the said hook i, and fastens the fore end in
its place, the part g² of the spring being compressed against the barrels ready for
the starting of the fore end when the latter is released, as before described.
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 claim as my Invention
of improvements in breech-loading small-arms of the kind called drop-down
guns,―
First. The arrangement or combination of the parts herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for withdrawing the sliding bolt to
unfasten the barrels for reloading, that is to say, by means of a hand lever on the
under side of the gun provided with a cylindrical block or head working in the
body of the gun, an excentric projection or cam on the upper face of the said block
or head working in a cross slot in the sliding bolt, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Secondly. The arrangement or combination of the parts herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for lifting the hammers to half-cock
on the withdrawal of the sliding bolt for opening the gun, that is to say, by means
of lifters or lifting rods working in oblique slots in the break-off, the said lifters or
lifting rods being acted upon on the withdrawal of the sliding bolt by inclines on
the rear end of the said bolt, the rising of the lifters or lifting rods causing their
heads or enlarged upper ends to operate upon the throats or heads of the hammers,
and lift the said hammers to half-cock, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The arrangement or combination of parts herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for fastening and unfastening the "fore
ends" of drop-down guns, that is to say, fastening the fore ends to the barrels by a
lever catch of the kind described and illustrated, engaging with a hook on the loop,
and starting or withdrawing the fore end after it has been unfastened by the action
of a spring, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bailey, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight