IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY, Captain Third Battalion High-
land Light Infantry of Glasgow in the County of Lanark do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE
to be as follows:-
"
This Invention consists of improvements in the breech block mechanism of
breech-loading ordnance.
According to my Invention I fit in the breech of the gun in the line of bore a
strong bush resembling the form of breech block commonly known as the French
interrupted screw but differing from it in having, in lieu of the broken screw
thread of the French screw one, two or more broken or "interrupted" rings or
collars formed on it and whose faces instead of being inclined as in the screw are in
planes at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the gun. In the breech of the
gun slotted rings are formed, the slots in which correspond to the radial projections
formed on the bush and which permit of the bush being slipped into the breech in
one position and when turned on its axis prevent its withdrawal by reason of the
inward projections in the breech coming opposite the projections on the bush.
Within this movable bush I fit a screw spindle having formed on it a strong block
on the inner side of the bush. The inner face of this screw block is adapted to fit
the gas check in the rear of the bore and it is pressed against the gas check to close
the breech before firing by turning the screw spindle within the bush by means of
a handle at the rear of the gun. After firing, this block is withdrawn by unscrew-
ing the spindle until the rear face of the block is in contact with the bush, when
the bush also is turned to such an extent that the projections on it are opposite the
slots in the breech rings, and the bush is withdrawn to permit of cleaning the gun
and inserting a fresh charge.
In order to lessen the strain on the screw spindle when firing the gun I, in some
cases insert strong wedges between the rear of the breech block and the bush, and
I operate these wedges by means of screws passing out transversely through the
body of the gun.

page_text: I, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY, Captain 3rd Battalion Highland
Light Infantry, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE;" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of improvements in the breech block mechanism of
breech-loading ordnance.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is
a sectional plan of the breech end of a breech-loading gun shown as fitted with my
improved construction and arrangement of breech block or bush B, screw plug
C, C, and retaining wedge grippers D and their fittings. Figure 2 is an end view
of the breech of the gun, and Figure 3 a corresponding end view of the bush or
block B separate, but both in the locked position as corresponding to Figure 1.
While Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a longitudinal vertical section and trans-
verse section, the latter taken on the line 1-1 of the former.
According to my Invention, I fit in the breech A¹ of the gun A, in the line of
the bore, a strong breech bush, block, or bolt B, somewhat corresponding to the
form of breech block cominonly known as the French interrupted screw, but
differing from it in having in lieu of the broken screw thread of the French
screw, made with one, two, or more broken or interrupted parallel rings or
collars b, formed on it, and whose faces instead of being inclined, as in the screw,
are in planes at right angles to longitudinal axis of the gun. In the breech A¹ of
the gun, slotted grooves al and rings a are formed, the slots a' in which correspond
to the radial projections 6 formed on the breech block or bush B, and which permit
of the block being slipped into the breech in one position, and when turned on its
axis prevents its withdrawal by reason of the inward projections b, in the breech
coming opposite the projections a, on the bush, as seen particularly in the transverse
section of the breech and block in Figures 2 and 3 respectively.
Within this movable breech block B I fit a screw spindle C¹ having formed on it
a screw plug C on the inner end of the bush or block B. The inner face of this
screw plug is adapted to fit the gas check c in the rear of the bore and it is pressed
against the gas check c, to close the breech before firing, by turning the screw
spindle C within the block by means of a handle C at the rear of the gun. After
firing, this block is withdrawn by unscrewing the spindle C¹ until the rear face of
the plug C comes in contact with the block B when the block also is turned to such
an extent that the projections b on it, are opposite the slots a² in the breech rings a
and the block is withdrawn to permit of cleaning the gun and inserting a fresh
charge.
In order to lessen the strain on the screw spindle C when firing the gun, I in
some cases insert strong wedges D between the rear of the breech plug C and the
block B, and I operate these wedges by means of screws & passing out transversely
through the body of the gun, by handles d' outside.

page_text: Referring to the arrangement of my improvements shown in Figures 4 and 5,
the block or bush B is shown as made with a greater number of the retaining
segmental rings b, as also the breech with its corresponding holding breech rings a
and grooves a¹, and having the segmental parts cut away in both, and shown dark
at a in Figure 5, rather longer than the projections a and b for the purpose of the
easy insertion and removal of the block B when the projections are turned in line
with their corresponding recesses. The block B has a handle B' on its outer end
for so turning and locking or unlocking it, or inserting in or removing it from the
breech B¹. The plug part C in this case is made separate from its screw C¹, but
attached thereto by a central rod or bar E with head inside at e, and securing nut
or head e outside of the eye of handle C of the tightening up screw C¹; working
inside the block B, and with its inner end or head turning in a recess for it in the
plug C so as to tighten the front gas tightening edge or check against that of the
breech at c, preferably made indented with sharp edges, to press up a copper or
other back or rear gas ring, shown in detached face view and section in figure 6.
While figure 7 shows corresponding face views and section of the front gas check c¹
for fitting on front end of plug C, as also shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.
A locking and unlocking pin or bolt f is fitted longitudinally in the extreme end
of the handle B¹ of the block B. The outer end of this bolt f passes out beyond
the handle C of the tightening up screw C¹, so as to hold it in a recess formed by
a projection 6x on the handle B, and the inner end, of this bolt f is fitted with a
small actuating spring lever fi fulcrumed on the front edge of the bandle B'. All
so that when the handle has been turned to the locked position of the block B, it
comes in contact with a pin g in the end of the gun A, which coming against the
tail end of the spring lever f¹ draws out the bolt f and releases the handle C
which can then be turned to screw up the centro screw C¹ and plug C as before
described and particularly seen in Figure 4, and in detached plan of these levers B'
and C and the said fittings, shown in figure 8.
In unloading, the handle Cs passes over the bolt or pin f and comes against the
projection or flange bx, and so turns the handle B¹ and breech block B, enabling it
then to be withdrawn.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
First. In breech-loading ordnance or guns, the general arrangement or com-
bination of improved breech block, tightening screw, and plug, and their fittings,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In breech-loading ordnance or guns, the construction of improved breech
block and plug separate, and both tightened up by a central screw or a central
screw and lateral screws with wedge pieces, all substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In breech-loading ordnance or guns the separate central screw through
breech block for tightening up this, and plug, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.