IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A communication
from abroad by Jean Mathieu Deprez, Gunmaker, of 13, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 3rd November 1868, and dated the 9th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th May 1868.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,
and consists,-
1st. In an improved mode of opening and closing the breech for
the insertion and removal of the cartridge. This action is produced
by the aid of a plate pivotted at the rear end of the breech and

page_text: describing an arc of a circle when pulled outwards in a horizontal plane
at one side of the breech; said plate is connected to a sliding plug by
the aid of a suitable link or chain, which is drawn backwards by the
outward motion of the plate as above mentioned, at same time
cocking the action.
2ndly. This improved fire-arm is adapted for firing paper or pasteboard
cartridges or central-fire metallic cartridges.
3rdly. For the above purpose two plugs are employed, one adapted for
firing paper cartridges, and the other for firing cartridges the cases of
which are wholly of metal.
4thly. Another advantage is that the breech arrangement may be
applied for the conversion of existing fire-arms.
5thly. The improvements relate to the application of a safety catch
designed with a view to prevent accidents in handling the weapon when
charged and at full cock.
This improved fire-arm by the arrangement of the breech mechanism
can be fired a great number of times in a relatively short period,
it being at same time simple in construction and not liable to get
out of order. I will here remark that the resistance at the moment of
the explosion is brought to bear directly in the line of fire, the requisite
strength being ensured by the aid of an abutment formed on the rear
end of the breech.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
of which shows a side view of the improved fire-arm; Figure 2 a
longitudinal vertical section of the same at full cock; Figure 3 shows
a plan of the gun with the breech open for the introduction of the
cartridge. The dotted lines in this Figure show the closed position of
the breech.
Figures 4 and 5 show separate views of the striker and plug for firing
paper cartridges, while Figures 6, 7, and 8 show details of the combined
hammer and tumbler, trigger, and safety catch. The same reference
letters serve for all the Figures.
a, wood stock in which is mounted the barrel b, and breech arrange-
ment c, back sight d, breech chamber screwed to barrel 6, and also fixed
to the stock, in which chamber slides the plug f containing the striker
and serving to close the breech and produce the explosion of the
cartridge. The plug Figure 2 is used with metal cartridges, and that at

page_text: Figure 5 for paper cartridges. g, striker of plug f for exploding the
cartridge; h, spiral spring of said striker; i, cartridge extractor fixed to
plug f; j, metallic cartridge. The sliding motion of plug fis pro-
duced by the aid of a link. or chain k connecting with plate ; said.
plate on being opened out horizontally on one side describes an arc of
a circle and uncovers the brecch chamber sufficiently to permit of the
insertion of a fresh cartridge, at same time cocking the action. The
plate is sccured in the closed position by a spring m fixed to the
hooked end of the plate, said spring taking on to a catch o on the side
of the barrel as shown...
The action is composed of a hammer and tumbler p shown separately
in Figure 6, for acting on the striker by the aid of sear and trigger p
and safety catch, Figure 8. This catch r when the hammer is cocked
by the backward motion of the sliding plug fenters a notch s in the
trigger so as to prevent the latter from releasing the hammer. In this
manner the trigger will not release the hammer and tumbler except
the safety catch is depressed at same time. It will be understood that I
reserve the right of making any mere modification in the apparatus
herein-before described..
› SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her
special licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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

page_text: 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 commu-
nication to me from abroad by Jean Mathieu Deprez, Gunmaker,
of 13, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands 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 Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,
and consists,-
First. In an improved mode of opening and closing the breech for the
insertion and removal of the cartridge. This action is produced by the
aid of a plate pivotted at the rear end of the breech and describing an
arc of a circle when pulled outwards in a horizontal plane at one side
of the breech. This plate is connected to a sliding plug by the aid of
a suitable link or chain which is drawn backwards by the outward
motion of the plate, as above mentioned, at same time cocking the
action.
Secondly. This improved fire-arm is adapted for firing paper or paste-
board cartridges or central-fire metallic cartridges. For this purpose
two plugs are employed, one adapted for firing paper cartridges, and the
other for firing cartridges, the cases of which arc wholly of metal.
Another advantage is that the breech arrangement may be applied for
the conversion of existing fire-arms.
Thirdly. The improvements relate to the application of a safety catch
designed with a view to prevent accidents in handling the weapon when
charged.

page_text: This improved fire-arm by the arrangement of the breech mechanism
can be fired a great number of times in a relatively short period, it
being at same time simple in construction and not liable to get out of
order.
I will here remark that the resistance at the moment of the explosion
is brought to bear directly in the line of fire, the requisite strength
being insured by the aid of an abutment formed on the rear end of
the breech.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
of which shows a side view of the improved fire-arm; Figure 2 a
longitudinal vertical section of the same at full cock; Figure 3 shows
a plan of the gun with the breech open for the introduction of the
cartridge. The dotted lines in this Figure show the closed position
of the breech.
Figures 4 and 5 show separate views of the striker and plug for
firing paper cartridges; while Figures 6, 7, and 8 show details of the
combined hanımer and tumbler trigger and safety catch. The same
reference letters serve for all the Figures.
a, wood stock, in which is mounted the barrel 6 and breech arrange-
ment c, back sight d, breech chamber screwed to barrel 6, and also fixed
to the stock, in which chamber slides the plug f, containing the striker
serving to close the breech and produce the explosion of the cartridge.
The plug, Figure 2, is used "h metal cartridges, and that at Figure 5
for paper cartridges; g, stri or of plug f for exploding the cartridge ;
h, spiral spring of said striker; i, cartridge extractor fixed to plug f;
j, metallic cartridge. The sliding motion of plug f is produced by the
aid of a link or chain k connecting with plate 1, said plate on being
opened out horizontally on one side describes an arc of a circle and
moves back the breech chamber sufficiently to permit of the insertion
of a fresh cartridge at same time cocking the action. The plate lis
secured in the closed position by a spring m fixed to the hooked end n
of the plate, said spring taking on to a catch o on the side of the
barrel, as shown. The action is composed of of a hammer and tumbler P
shown separately in Figure 6, for acting on the striker by the aid of
sear and trigger p and safety catch r, Figure 8. This catch r when
the hammer is cocked by the backward motion of the sliding plug f
enters a notch s in the trigger so as to prevent the latter from releasing

page_text: the hammer. In this manner the trigger will not release the tumbler
except the safety catch is depressed at same time.
It will be understood that I reserve the right of making any mere
modification in the apparatus herein-before described.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of
performing the same,. I declare that what I claim as improvements in
breech-loading fire-arms to be protected by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The pivotted plate for opening and closing the breech and
also for cocking the gun, arranged and operated substantially in the
manner shown and described.
Secondly. I claim the breech change plugs f, Figures 2 and 5,
enabling both paper and metal cased cartridges to be used at will, as
herein-before described.
Thirdly. I claim the safety catch r, Figure 8, acting in combination
with the hammer p and trigger q, as and for the purpose described..
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of November,.
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.