IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Clarance at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th June
1870.
I, CHARLES CLARANCE, of Takeley, in the County of Essex, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows (that is to say)
This Invention has reference to improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms, which improvements are also applicable for converting existing
muzzle-loading into breech-loading fire-arms, and the following is a
simple construction of fire-arm embrasing my said improvements.
The breech block of the arm, which is made the whole length of the
breech so as to completely close it, is hinged to the rear end of the
barrel, and works in a vertical plane to open and close the breech, and
when shut down is held in position by a spring catch, which is with-
drawn by the act of cocking the arm by means of a lever connected
with the lock or hammer, thus liberating the said breech block, which
is then instantaneously thrown back by the action of the cartridge
extractor in the manner herein-after described. Immediately at the rear
of the barrel a trough-like cavity is formed in the stock, the whole length
of the breech, for the purpose of allowing the head of the said extractor

page_text: to move backwards and forwards at a level a little lower than that of
the bore of the barrel, the said extractor being acted on by a spiral
spring working underneath the barrel, and tending to force it outwards
from the rear of the barrel. To load the arm the cartridge is placed
within the said breech, so that it rests on the said extractor with its
rim or flange on the outside thereof, when it will be on a level with the
bore of the barrel, into which it is forced by the thumb, carrying with
it the said extractor, which on its road to the rear of the barrel passes
over and depresses a blade spring fixed in a convenient position within
the said cavity to a moveable rest, the further use of which is herein-
after described. As the said blade spring does not extend quite to the
rear of the barrel it is liberated when the said extractor is pressed nearly
home, and rising up behind the said extractor keeps it in its place. The
said breech block is then turned down into the breech, in which position.
it is held by the catch hercin-before described until the gun has been
discharged by means of the hammer striking an inclined plunger or.
striker passing through the breech block. As the said breech block is
pressed down into the breech its rear end, or the end attached to the.
barrel, coming first down comes in contact with and depresses the said
blade spring, at the same time meeting the flange or rim of the
cartridge, and as it descends further into the breech presses the said
cartridge and extractor right home, whilst at the same time. a projection
on the front end of the said breech block acts on a small projection or
pin on the said moveable rest to which the said blade spring is attached,
and moves them both forward until the end of the said blade spring
enters beneath a small projection beneath the head of the said extractor,
so that when the arm is again cocked, thereby withdrawing the said
catch and liberating the said breech block, the said extractor acted on
by the said spiral spring is free to travers the said breech, and in doing
so acts on the rear end of the said breech block and throws it back, and
drawing out the discharged cartridge to its full extent strikes at the
end of its backward course the said projection or pin on the said
moveable rest, and jerking it back liberates the said blade spring, which
striking the discharged cartridge jerks it out of the breech, leaving the
arm ready to receive the next charge.