Improvements in Breech Loading Small-arms.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech Loading Small-arms.
We, JOHN WALFRED LUNDGREN and MOSES ZEFERIN VIAU, Gentlemen,
both residents of Duluth in the County of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,
United States of America, the former domiciled at 43rd Avenue West, and
Traverse Street, and the latter at 53rd Avenue West, in said City, 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 relates to improvements in breech-loading firearms, and has
particular relation to shell-ejecting and cocking mechanisms.
The invention consists of the combination of a breech-block containing a hammer
and operating mechanism and a trigger, a breech movably connected to said breech-
block, a spirally-grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally-movable pin
connected to the hammer, a projection of said pin engaging the spiral groove of the
projection on the breech, whereby said pin is actuated upon the movement of the
breech and a suitable barrel and stock.
It also consists of the combination of a breech-block containing a suitable
hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rotary breech connected to said
breech-block, a cartridge-ejector pivoted in the breech, a spring engaging said
ejector and adapted to throw it open or closed, a projection on the breech block
adapted to strike a portion of the ejector and start its movement, and a gun barrel
and stock.
The invention also consists of certain other novel constructions, combinations,
and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set
forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification,
Fig. 1. represents a detail perspective view of the breech of a gun embodying our
invention;
Fig. 14 represents a transverse section through Fig. 1 on the line of the securing
bolt;
Fig. 2. represents a detail perspective view of the breech-block of said gun;
Fig. 3. represents a side elevation of said breech;
Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of coil spring,
a portion of the breech being broken away;
Fig. 4. represents a detail side elevation of the gun barrel;
Fig. 5. represents a central vertical longitudinal section through a gun embodying
our invention, the stock and the barrel being broken away;
Fig. 6. represents a front elevation partly in section of the gun embodying our
invention;
Fig. 7. represents a detail central vertical section similar to Fig. 5, but with the
hammer in the cocked position; and
Fig. 8. represents a detail top plan view showing the locking-pin and its
restraining spring.
A in the drawings represents the breech-block; B, the breech; C, the gun-
stock, and D the barrel. The breech-block, as shown in the drawings, is hollow
and is provided with the usual rearwardly-extending tangs a a¹ for attaching it to
the stock of the gun. It is also provided with a trigger-guard a² and a trigger-
aperture a³. The trigger_is_pivoted in the aperture by a pin as and is provided at
its upper end with two curved arms at and a³. The hammer E is pivotally

page_text: mounted on a pine which has its ends mounted, one in the solid wall of said breech-
block and the other in the opposite removable wall as of said breech-block. The
object of this latter wall being removable is to permit ready access to the interior
of the breech-block. The hammer is either provided with a roughened thumb-
piece e', as shown in the drawings, or said thumb-piece may be omitted and the top
segmental surface of the hammer roughened to form a thumb-hold. The right side
of the hammer is provided with a curved spring-engaging arm e, against which the
free end of a hammer-spring ³ bears. This spring has approximately the shape of
a cyma and has its rear end thickened and confined against vertical movement by
the overhanging lip of a lug a', formed on the tang a'. The lower periphery of the
hammer is notched at et and e, and said notches are engaged by the end of the
arm a of the trigger, one when the hammer is in its lower position and the other
when it is cocked. Said hammer is provided upon its left side with a stud e and
an aperture e. A pawlf has its stud f' loosely mounted in said aperture +, and
bears with its opposite end against the arm a, and also against the top of a
longitudinally-movable rod g, which will be hereinafter described.
A spiral spring loosely surrounds the pin e, and has one end rigidly fixed to
the stud e and the other engaging the top of the pawl f
It will be seen from the aforegoing that the pawlf normally presses downward
upon the arm as of the trigger with the result that the arm a is elevated, so as to
engage the notches in the hammer. The top of the breech-block is provided with
the usual spring pressed firing pin g', adapted to be struck by the hammer to force
it forward.
The breech is pivotally connected to the breech-block by the rod H, which
passes loosely through the lower portion of the breech and enters a recess in the
breech block, where it is rigidly secured by a screw h¹. This rod H is grooved
longitudinally to receive the pin g. This pin is provided at its rear end with an
enlargement, having a notch 92 formed therein, whereby said pawl fis engaged by
said pin on the forward movement of the same, thus cocking the hammer. This
longitudinal movement of the said pin takes place, upon the return of the breech-
block, in the following manner.
The forward part of the breech is provided with a hollow stud b, through which
the rod H passes, the head of the rod resting against a heavy close spiral
spring, which surrounds the outer end of the rod and rests in turn against the
outer end of the stud. The spring 5 is spiral when in its normal condition, but
when compressed, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, it forms a spring-ring. The
stud is provided with a spiral slot 3, in which a projection of the pin g works.
In the construction shown in Fig. 3A the spiral spring is shown with several coils
instead of one. This construction is sometimes preferable. It will thus be seen
that. as the breech is opened or closed and revolves on the rigid rod H, the
projection will travel in the slot 3 and thus push the pin g in and out, the spiral
spring holding the breech firmly against the breech-block.
Overhanging segmental pendent flanges k are provided at the top and bottom of
the breech-block and are adapted to take into grooves k¹ of similar shape; formed
on the upper and lower sides of the breech, when the gun is in its closed position,
and thus the block and the breech proper are held firmly together. The breech-
block is also provided with a screw k³, whose head projects beyond the edge of the
breech-block and thus prevents any movement of the breech to the left.
To hold the breech in either an open or closed position we provide it with a
suitable spring-actuated friction pin k³, whose end projects beyond the inner face
of said breech and is adapted to engage recesses 7 and 1, respectively, formed in the
breech-block.
As an additional and positive means of holding the breech and breech-block in
the closed position, we provide the locking pin m.. This pin is mounted in a recess
in the breech-block with a friction-spring m bearing upon its side, and is operated
by a thumb-piece m', with which it communicates through a slot m² in the breech-
block. The pin is adapted, when the breech is in a closed position, to be thrust

page_text: forward and engage a recess m³ formed in the said breech, and thus effectually lock
the same against any lateral displacement.
The barrel D is secured in the upper part of the breech by a pin d, which passes:
through a groove in the former. The barrel is also provided with a recess d² into
which the enlarged head d³ of the pin d sets to hold the barrel firmly in place and
prevent turning. The barrel is cut away at its inner end, as at d', to accommodate
the operative end o of the cartridge-ejector O. This ejector is pivoted in a slot o
in the breech and has its lower end provided with an oblique heel o² and a sharp
bevel-sided toe o³. A U-shaped spring P is set in a recess of in the breech and
bears with its free end against a bar o, which bar is pivoted in the recess of and
bears at its free beveled end against the oblique heel o³ when the ejector is set,
thus keeping the ejector under spring tension. The recess o¹ is covered by a
suitable cover or plate o, secured in position by screws. When the ejector is set,
the toe o³ projects beyond the rear face of the breech aud moves in a segmental
groover, formed in the breech-block. A spring actuated pawl S is pivoted in the
breech-block so that it projects into said segmental groove and is provided upon
its underside with an obliquely-arranged flange s.
When the breech-block is broken after firing and the breech is rotated to the
left the toe o³ strikes the flange s, which pushes it inward, thus throwing the
beveled heel off the beveled end of the bar o, and causing the upper end of
the ejector to spring outward and eject the empty cartridge. A fresh cartridge is
then inserted and the breech-block closed, the act of closing said breech-block
cocking the hammer, as before described, and returning the ejector to its first
position by the upper end of said ejector striking against a beveled portion of the
breech-block, and being thus pushed inward and set. The hammer can also be
cocked by hand if so desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a self cocking fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a
hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a breech movably connected to
said breech block, a spirally grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally
movable pin connected to the hammer, a projection of said pin engaging the
spiral groove of the projection on the breech whereby said pin is actuated upon
the movement of the breech and a suitable barrel and stock, substantially as..
described.
2. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer
and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rotary breech connected to said breech
block, a cartridge ejector pivoted in the breech, a spring engaging said ejector and
adapted to throw it open or closed, a projection on the breech block adapted to.
strike a portion of the ejector and start its movement, and a gun barrel and stock,.
substantially as described.
3. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer
and operating mechanism and a trigger, a projecting rod provided with a longi-
tudinal groove and having one of its ends secured in said breech block, a rotary
breech mounted on said rod and provided with a hollow spirally grooved projection
through which said rod passes, a longitudinally sliding pin mounted in a groove in.
said rod and connected to the hammer and the spiral groove of the projection on
the breech whereby the hammer is cocked upon the closing of the breech, a barrel,
and a stock, substantially as described.
4. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable
hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end rigidly
secured in said breech block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod, a cartridge.
ejector operated by the rotation of said breech and comprising a pivoted ejector
proper, a spring engaging said ejector and adapted to throw it open or closed, and
a projection on the breech-block adapted to start the movement of said ejector when

page_text: the breech is rotated, a hammer cocking mechanism also operated by the movement
of said block, a barrel, and a stock substantially as described.
5. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech-block containing a suitable hammer
and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end secured to said
breech-block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod, a spirally grooved projection on
said breech, a longitudinally movable pia mounted in a groove in said rod and
having a projection engaging the spiral groove of the projection on the breech,
whereby it is moved longitudinally upon the movement of the breech, a spring
pressed pawl pivoted to the hammer and engaging both the trigger and said
longitudinally movable pin whereby the hammer is cocked upon the longitudinal
movement of said pin, a barrel, and a stock, substantially as described.
6. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech-block containing a suitable hammer
and operating mechanism and having segmental overhanging flanges, a trigger, a
rod having one end secured to said breech-block, a rotary breech mounted on
said rod and having segmental grooves corresponding and interlocking with the
said segmental flanges, a barrel, and a stock, substantially as described.
7. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech-block containing a hammer and
operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod connected at one end to said breech-block
a breech mounted on said rod, a spirally grooved projection on said breech, a
longitudinally movable pin mounted in a groove in said rod and connected to the
hammer, a projection on said pin engaging the spiral groove of the projection on
the breech, whereby said pin is actuated upou the movement of the breech, a
pivoted cartridge ejector, a spring engaging the lower end of the same, a spring
pressed pawl on the breech block adapted to engage the said ejector when the
breech is operated and start its action, the spring continuing the same, a barrel,
and a stock, substantially as described.
8. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer
and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end secured to said breech
block, and the opposite end provided with an enlarged head, a rotary breech on
said rod and a spring between the head of said rod and the breech to force the
latter firmly against the breech block, a barrel and a stock, substantially as
described.
9. In a firearm, the combination of a breech, breech block and hammer
mechanism, of a barrel set in the breech and provided with a pin engaging groove
and notch, and a pin for securing the barrel in the breech; said pin passing through
the breech and the groove in the barrel and with its head engaging the notch in
the barrel, substantially as described.
Dated the 26th day of March 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.