IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1864

page_text: Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Benjamin Franklin Joslyn, of Stonington,
in the County of New London, State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
Sealed the 30th August 1864, and dated the 2nd March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
March 1864.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enock Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," (being a
communication to me from abroad by Benjamin Franklin Joslyn, of Stoning-
ton, in the County of New London, State of Connecticut, United States of
America,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a breech-loading fire-arm having a breech adapted
to the breech block, and arranged to turn thereon in the peculiar manner
described hereafter, so as to effectually resist the reacting force of the cartridge,
and so as to afford every facility for the ready insertion of the cartridge into
the bore of the barrel, and its ready withdrawal from the same, the extraction

page_text: of the spent cartridge being effected by the peculiar mechanism described
hereafter. The barrel is screwed into the breech-block as usual, and the
latter has a tongue for attachment to the stock. I employ a moveable breech
piece, one end of which is arranged to bear against a shoulder formed in the
breech block, thereby enclosing the metallic cartridge. Near the opposite end
of the moveable breech, and forming part of the same, is a pin, which passes
through and fits snugly, but so as to turn freely in the breech block, to which the
breech is securely held by a nut or collar attached to the end of the said pin,
and arranged to turn with the same. A shoulder is also formed on the breech
pieco, and this shoulder bears against a similar shoulder formed on the breech
block. The shoulder of the breech block forms part of the circumference of
a circle described from the centre of the pin above named, and one corner of
the breech piece is so rounded that when the bore of the barrel has to be
exposed for the admission or extraction of the cartridge the breech may be
turned laterally to about a right angle with the axis of the barrel. A rod
or bolt is used to lock the breech to the breech block, the rod being arranged
to slide to and fro in an orifice in the breech, and a spiral spring intervening
between the end of the orifice and the end of the rod tends to force tho
latter outwards, and to project its outer end into a hole in the breech block.
The hammer, which is of the usual construction, is arranged to strike against
the end of a rod, which fits snugly, but so as to slido freely in the breech
piece, a portion of the rod being reduced in diameter, and being surrounded
by a spiral spring, which tends to force the rod back after it has been struck
by and released from the pressure of the hammer. The front end of the rod
is so situated as to strike the edge of the flange of the metallic cartridge.
A set screw passing through and screwing into the moveable breech projects
into a slot in the striking rod, so that the horizontal movement of the latter
may be limited. In an opening in the breech block a small block is arranged
to fit snugly, but slide freely, and through this latter block passes a rod which
is secured to the breech block, and which is surrounded by a spiral spring,
the latter tending to forco the small block outwards and to maintain it
in contact with the front end of the opening of the breech block, and
on the top of this small block there is a projection, which occupies a
position in front of the flange of the metallic cartridge. The nut or
collar previously alluded to as being secured to the pin of the breech
piece has a notch on the edge forming a projection, which is arranged to
catch against a projection on the end of a pawl, the latter being hinged to a
sliding bar, which is secured to or forms a part of the small block before
named, a spring secured to the sliding bar bearing against the back of the

page_text: said pawl. When it is desirable to withdraw the spent cartridgo and insert
a new one, the rod or bolt before referred to is moved back, thereby releasing
the breech from the breech block. The breech turning on the pin is now
moved laterally outwards. Before the breech has turned a fourth of a circle,
however, the projection on the nut or collar had caught the projection on the
pawl, so that as the breech is moved laterally, the sliding rod, and con-
sequently the small block, must be moved backwards, and must, through the
projection on the latter, be the means of withdrawing the spent cartridge from
the bore of the barrel. As the breech picce approaches a right angle to the
axis of the barrel, the rounded portion of the projection on tho collar
gradually moves the pawl outwards until the projection at the end of the
pawl is forced down from its hold on the projection on the collar, when
through the action of the spring the sliding rod is projected forwards, and
the small block with its projection assumes its former position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reigu, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Davies, Her special licence that 1, the said George Davics,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or su. h others as 1, the said
George Davies, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," (a communication to me from abroad by
Benjamin Franklin Joslyn, of Stonington, in the County of New London,
State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Davies, my executors or administrators,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands and
seals, 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 George Davies, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, that is to say:―
This Invention consists of a breech-loading fire-arm having a breech adapted
to the breech block, and arranged to turn thereon in the peculiar manner
described hereafter, so as to effectually resist the reacting force of the
cartridge, and so as to afford every facility for the ready insertion of the
cartridge into the bore of the barrel and its ready withdrawal from the same,
the extraction of the spent cartridge being effected by the peculiar mechanism
described hereafter.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for " Improvements
in Breech-loading Fire-arms," I will now proceed to describe more in detail
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly understood I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section
of part of a breech-loading fire-arm, constructed according to the improve-
ments; Figure 2, an inverted plan view of the same; Figure 3, a top view
partly in section; Figure 4, a side view with the breech piece moved out;
Figure 5, an inverted plan viow; Figure 6, a top view with the breech piece
moved out, and Figure 7, a side view of the fire-arm drawn to a reduced
scale.
A represents a portion of the barrel, and B the breech block of the
improved fire-arm, the barrel being screwed into the breech block, as usual,
and the latter having a tongue a for attachment to the stock; D is the move-
able breech piece, one end of which is arranged to bear against a shoulder
formed at a in the breech block B, thereby enclosing the metallic cartridge y,
as seen in Figure 1. Near the opposite end of the moveable breech, and
forming part of the same, is a pin d, which passes through aud fits snugly,
but so as to turn freely in the breech block, to which the breech is securely

page_text: held by a nut or collar E, attached to the end of the pin d, and arranged to
turn with the same.
It will be observed that a shoulder n is formed on the breech piece, and
that this shoulder bears against a similar shoulder m formed on the
breech block. The shoulder m, as seen in Figure 6, forms part of the cir-
cumference of a circle described from the centre of the pin d, and one corner
V of the breech piece is so rounded that when the bore of the barrel has to
be exposed for the admission or extraction of the cartridge, the breech may
bo turned laterally and assume the position shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
A rode is used to lock the breech to the breech block, the rod being arranged
to slide to and fro in an orifice in the breech, and a spiral spring fintervening
between the end of the orifice and the end of the rod, tending to force the
latter outwards and to project its outer end into a hole in the breech block.
The hammer, which is of the usual construction, is arranged to strike against
the end of a rod F which fits snugly, but so as to slide freely in the breech
piece, as seen in Figure 1, a portion of the rod being reduced in diameter, and
being surrounded by a spiral spring h, which tends to force the rod back
after it has been struck by and released from the pressure of the hammer.
It will be observed that the front end of the rod is so situated as to strike
the edge of the flange of the metallic cartridge y. A set screw b, passing
through and screwing into the moveable breech projects into a slot in the rod
F, so that the horizontal movement of the latter may be limited. In an
opening in the breech block B a block G is arranged to fit snugly, but
slide freely, and through this block passes a rod K, which is secured to the
breech block, and which is surrounded by a spiral spring p, the latter tending
to force the block G outwards and to maintain it in contact with the front
end of the opening of the breech block.
It will be observed on referring to Figuro 1, that on the top of the block G
there is a projection k, which occupies a position in front of the flange of the
metallic cartridge y.
On referring to the inverted plan views, Figures 2 and 5, it will be seen
that the nut or collar E, previously alluded to as being secured to the pin
d of the breech piece, has a notch on the edge forming a projection 2, which
is arranged to catch against a projection to on the end of a pawl W, the
latter being hinged to a sliding bar X, which is secured to or forms a part of the
block G, a spring t, secured to the sliding bar, bearing against the back of the
said pawl. When the several parts occupy the relative positions shown in
Figure 1, the cartridge is enclosed by the breech D, and is ready to bo

page_text: discharged by causing the hammer to como in contact with one end of tho
rod F, while the other end strikes the flange of the cartridge and insures the
explosion of the same. When it is desirable to withdraw the spent cartridge
and insert a new one, the rod or latch e is moved back, thereby releasing the
breech from the breech block. The breech turning on the pin d is now
moved laterally towards the position illustrated in Figure 6. Before the breech
has assumed this position, however, the projection 9 on the nut or collar E
has caught the projection w on the pawl W, so that as the breech is moved
laterally the sliding rod X, and consequently the block G must be moved in
the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, and must, through the projection k, be
the means of withdrawing the spent cartridge from the boro of the barrel.
As the breech piece approaches the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, the
rounded portion of the projection y gradually moves the pawl W outwards
(see Figure 5) until the projection w at the end of the pawl is forced
from its hold on the projection q, when through the action of the spring p
the rod X is projected forwards, and the block G, with its projection k,
assumes its former position. When the breech has arrived at the position
shown in Figure 5, the spent cartridge is so far withdrawn that it can be
readily removed and a new cartridge inserted in its place, after which the
breech may be moved back to its former position and locked to the brecch
block by the rod or bolt e.
It will be seen without further description that every facility is afforded
in the improved fire-arm for the insertion of the cartridge and withdrawal of
the saem.
One of the most important features of the improvements, however, is
the resistance which the breech presents to the reacting force exerted
on it when the cartridge is exploded. The pin d of itself affords a for-
midable resisting medium, and to this is added the resistanco presented by
the shoulder m.
It will be observed that although the improved fire-arm possesses these
important advantages, it is simple in construction, and free from enlargements
and protuberances, which are objectionable features in many breech-loading
fire-arms. The convex shoulder m may be bevilled, as shown by dotted lines
Figure 1, the concave shoulder n of the breech piece having a corresponding
bevil, so that all possibility of the said breech piece rising when the discharge
takes place is prevented.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
"Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms," together with the manner in

page_text: which the same is to be or inay be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention (communicated
to me by the aforesaid Benjamin Franklin Joslyn),-
Firstly, the breech piece D, with its pin d and concave shoulder n, in com-
bination with a breech block, having a convex shoulder m adapted to the
said shoulder n, all substantially as set forth.
Secondly, the block G or its equivalent, with a projection k, when operated
from the pin d of the breech piece D, through the medium of the devices
herein described or any equivalent to the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Georgo Davies, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.S.)