IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Jeffries, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich,
Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 2nd June 1863, and dated the 9th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Jeffries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th December 1862.
I, GEORGE JEFFRIES, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich, Gun Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows: -
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In the Specification of a Patent granted to me, and dated the 2nd January in
this year, No. 22, a breech-loading fire-arm is described in which the barrels
are mounted on a vertical axis or pivot placed on one side of the centre line of
the piece, and the breeches are opened by turning the barrels to one side in a
horizontal direction, the breech plate or false breech in this arm is flat and at
right angles to the centre line of the piece. Now, according to my present
Invention, I place the vertical axis or pivot in the centre line of the piece, and
the breech plate or false breech being flat and at right angles to the centre line
ás before. To enable the barrels to clear the breech plate or false breech in
moving sideways (which was previously provided for by placing the axis or

page_text: pivot out of the centre line), I so arrange the axis or pivot that it, together
with the barrels, can move longitudinally a short distance to and from the
breech plate. The axis or pivot is conveniently formed by fixing a stud in the
under side of the barrels, and causing this to enter a slot, along which it can
traverse in the fore part of the metal body. Underneath the barrels, at their
breech ends, there is, as in the piece described in the Specification of my said
former Patent, a wedge piece or incline, which entering and, acting with a
corresponding recess in the body, draws the breeches of the barrels firmly
against the breech plate or false breech, when the barrels are brought into
position for firing, the hinder part of the incline or wedge-piece also as before
projecting beyond the breeches of the barrels and entering a corresponding
groove prevents the barrels tipping. The incline or wedge in my present
arrangement is however curved in place of being straight, as formerly. The
lateral motion is conveniently given to the barrels to open and close the
breeches by a lever which fits under the trigger guard; this lever is mounted
on a vertical axis, and on the upper end of the axis, immediately under the
barrels, there is a forked arm, which embraces a pin fixed beneath the barrels,
so that turning the lever gives the desired sideway motion to the barrels.
Thus I am enabled in fire-arms in which the barrels turn sideways to employ
a flat breech plate at right angles to the centre line without the inconvenience
arising from an axis placed out of the centre line of the piece..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Jeffries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
JEFFRIES, of Golden Ball Street, Norwich, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord
'One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Jeffries, Her special licence that I, the said George Jeffries,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Jeffries, 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

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Jeffries, 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 George Jeffries, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In the Specification of a Patent granted to me, and dated the 2nd January in
this
year (No. 22) a breech-loading fire-arm is described in which the barrels
are mounted on a vertical axis or pivot, placed on one side of the centre line
of the piece, and the breeches are opened by turning the barrels to one side in
a horizontal direction, the breech plate or false breech in this arm is flat and
at right angles to the centre line of the piece. Now, according to my present
Invention, I place the vertical axis or pivot in the centre line of the piece, the
breech plate or false breech being flat and at right angles to the centre line,
as before. To enable the barrels to clear the breech plate or false breech in
moving sideways (which was previously provided for by placing the axis or
pivot out of the centre line) I so arrange the axis or pivot that it, together
with the barrels, can move longitudinally a short distance to and from the
breech plate. The axis or pivot is conveniently formed by fixing a stud in the
under side of the barrels, and causing this to enter a slot, along which it can
traverse in the fore part of the metal body. Underneath the barrels, at their
breech ends, there is, as in the piece described in the Specification of my said
former Patent, a wedge piece or incline, which entering and acting with a
corresponding recess in the body, draws the breeches of the barrels firmly
against the breech plate or false breech, when the barrels are brought into
position for firing, the hinder part of the incline or wedge piece also, as before,
projecting beyond the breeches of the barrels and entering a corresponding
groove prevents the barrels tipping. The incline or wedge in my present
arrangement is however curved in place of being straight as formerly. The
lateral motion is conveniently given to the barrels to open and close the
breeches by a lever which fits under the trigger guard; this lever is mounted
on a vertical axis, and on the upper end of the axis, immediately under the

page_text: barrels, there is a forked arm which embraces a pin fixed beneath the barrels,
so that turning the lever gives the desired side way motion to the barrels.
Thus I am enabled in fire-arms in which the barrels turn sideways to employ
a flat breech plate at right angles to the centre line without the inconvenience
arising from an axis placed out of the centre line of the piece.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a double-barrelled fowling-piece
constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same, the
barrels being in position for loading; Figure 3 is a side view of part of the
barrels and Figure 4 an under side view of the same; Figure 5 is a plan of
a portion of the stock, together with the metal body, and some other parts,
the barrels having been removed. In these Figures, a is the stock, and 6 the
metal body fitted into it. At the fore part of the piece b is a slot b', to
receive the axis on which the barrels c turn; this axis is. marked c¹; it is
secured to the under side of the barrels, and has a head c at its lower end.
When the barrels are placed at right angles to. the stock, or nearly so,, this
head is able to pass through the slot, and then on turning the barrels round
they become secured. ³ is a stud, which is fixed underneath the barrels ;
this stud enters the forked arm d, so that by turning the arm partly round,
the breech ends of the barrels are drawn in up to the breech plate or moved
out away from it according to the direction in which the arm d is moved.
The arm d works in a recess in the piece b, and its axis d¹, which is formed
.upon it, passes through a hole bored in the said piece. The axis d'is squared
at its lower end, and receives the lever e, which is held in its place by a screw e¹.
.c is a curved wedge piece or incline forged to the breech end of the barrels ;
it enters a corresponding recess in the body, as is shewn, and serves both to
draw the breeches of the barrels against the breech plate or false breech, and
also to prevent the barrels tipping. The centre from which the curved
wedge piece is struck, is indicated by the red lines, and the same point is
also the centre, from which the slot b' is struck. f is a stop, which fits into a
hole or recess in the stock, it serves to prevent the forked arm & turning too
far whilst the piece is in use; this it does in consequence of the shoulder d
on the arm d coming against its upper end; it allows, however, the lever e to
come to a position at right angles to the stock, or nearly so, and the ends of
the barrels are then exposed, so that cartridges may be introduced into them,

page_text: but the lever cannot move so far as to allow the stud c³ to escape it. By
drawing out the stop or bolt f, the lever and forked arm are enabled to move
further round, the stud c³ is set free, and the barrels may be moved round into
such a position that they may be lifted off the stock. When the barrels are
in position for firing, the lever e lays along under the trigger guard.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Jeffries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 6th day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
GEORGE JEFFRIES. (L.S.)