AN IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Woodward Morse, of the State of Louisiana,.
of the United States of America, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM,"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Woodward Morse at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 13th May 1857, pursuant to the 9th section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.
BE IT KNOWN, that I, GEORGE WOODWARD. MORSE, of the State of
Louisiana, of the United States of América, have invented." AN IMPROVED
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM;" and I do hereby declare that the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which it is to be performed, are fully described
and represented in the following Specification, and the accompanying Draw-
ings, of which Figure 1 is a top. view of such fire-arm; Figure 2; a side.
elevation of it; Figure 3; a longitudinal, central, and vertical,section of it.
These Figures exhibit but a small portion of the barrel of the said, fire-arm;
the remainder of the same being constructed like those of other guns...
Figure 4 is a horizontal action of the sliding breech block, or closer and its
nippers; Figure 5 is a top view of said breech block and its toggles; Figure 6,
a rear view of the cock or percussion hämmer; Figure 7; an under side view.

page_text: of the movable lever clasp; Figure 8, a front end view of the same; Figure 9,
a top view of the cock or percussion hammer; Figure 10, a longitudinal
section of a cartridge, such as may be used in this gun.
In the said Drawings A represents the barrel as screwed into the front end
of a metallic frame or case B, from whose rear end the stock or shoulder piece
C of the gun is extended, as shown in the Drawings. This frame B has an
open passage D made within it for the reception of the breech slide and the
hammer. Besides this the said passage has a lever clasp or cover E, hinged
to it, as shewn at a, the said cover at or near its front end being provided with
a spring bolt F, which, when the cover is closed down on the case or frame D,
should snap under a suitable catch 6, in order that the clasp may be maintained
in place. The head of the spring bolt is so arranged that when the hand
grasps it and the clasp E, for the purpose of elevating the latter, the bolt
may be unlatched or moved inward by the pressure of the thumb on it.
Within the passage D, which is open at top and bottom, as shown in the
Drawings, there is arranged a sliding block, breech slide, or closer, as it may
be termed, the same being exhibited at G in Figure 3, and also in Figures 4
and 5. It is furnished with two guide plates c, c, shown more particularly in
Figure 11, which is an under side view of the breech slide. These guides
are fastened in place by screws d, d, extending through slots formed in the
guides, and so made therein as to enable such guides to be moved laterally, in
order that they may be inserted respectively in guide grooves formed longi-
tudinally in the inner surfaces of the frame B, one of said grooves being
shown at a¹ in Figure 3. The front end of the slide block G is furnished
with a circular projection f, which is formed a little tapering on its sides, and
is made concave on its front, as represented in the Drawings. This projection,
when the breech slide is moved towards the barrel, enters a cylindrical chamber
or recess g formed in the rear end of the barrel, and of a diameter sufficient
to enable it to receive the head h of the cartridge [shown in Figure 10], when
the said cartridge is placed within the barrel, as exhibited by red lines in
Figure 3. The breech slide is connected with the cover or lever clasp E by
two toggles or links h, h*, which are hinged to a third toggle i, screwed or
fastened to or extended from the lever clasp. When the said lever clasp or
cover E is turned downward so as to close the passage D or chamber of the
frame B, the projecting parts i, i, of the hinge of the toggles come directly
in front of and rest respectively against shoulders k, k, formed at the rear end
of the passage D, as shown in Figure 12, which is a top view of the frame B.
These shoulders serve to support the toggles during the discharge of the piece
or fire-arm, or, in other words, they relieve the joint pin of the lever clasp E

page_text: from the strain which it might otherwise receive from the force of the explo-"
sion acting against the breech slide.
Two lever nippers H, H, are applied to the breech slide, or are arranged in
recesses made in opposite sides of it. These; nippers turn horizontally on
fulcra 1, l, and each has its rear part or tail formed with a cam, as shown at m,
the said cams being so arranged that the cock or hammer during its; forward
movements may pass between them and press them asunder, so as to cause
the hooks of the nippers to approach one another. A percussion pin I slides
longitudinally in the breech block. G, and is arranged therein, as shown in the
Drawings. A space n is made between the toggles h, h, in order to receive
the head of the cock or hammer K, and so as to enable the said hammer to
be moved forward and backward as occasion may require, and to strike against
the head o of the pin I.
The hammer or cock K is formed with a thumb projection p, which extents
from it and upward outside of the frame or case B, as shown in the Draw-
ings. L exhibits the mainspring of the lock, as connected to the hammer by
a bridle M, the trigger being represented at N.
The cartridge to be used in this gun consist mainly of a metallic tube or
powder case r, furnished with a head or disc s, through the center of which
there is a small touchhole t. Figure 13 exhibits a side view of the said
cartridge, and Figure 14 a rear end view of it, its head being formed with a
recess u for the reception of a percussion wafer; or it may have a nipple or
cóne to carry a percussion cap. Should the same be desirable' the body part
of the cartridge may be split longitudinally, so as to facilitate expansion of
the cartridge when explosion of its contents takes place. When loaded this
cartridge or charge holder, as it may more properly be termed, carries the
powder and shot or ball, and it is loaded previous to being inserted in the
gun.
The Drawings of the cartridge represent the ball at x and the powder at y.
Furthermore, the rear part of the cartridge should be made of lead or some
other suitable metal or yielding material, and the head should contain a small
disc of iron (shown at d¹). When the discharge of the gun takes place, the
reflex action of the charge, while the cartridge head is supported by the breech
slide, will so compress the soft or yielding metallic part of the cartridge as to
cause it to expand, and so perfectly fit the bore of the barrel as to completely
prevent the
escape of gas or flame between it and the said bore. Thus, by
means of the cartridge so constructed, a perfectly tight joint is made at the
breech of the barrel. Besides the iron disc d' the head of the cartridge is
furnished with a cavity or circular recess c¹ for the reception of a percussion
"

page_text: .
cap, a transverse section of which is seen in Figure 16, it being made like a
box cover, or, in other words, as a disc, with its edge turned down at right
angles around its outer periphery, as seen at 9, 9. The percussion powder
or paste is placed in a small recess f¹. Whenithe cap explodes, it expands
laterally by the force of the explosión of its powder and that of the lead, so as
to prevent the escape of fire or gas in radial directions, the cap under such
circumstances being prevented by the breech slide from becoming displaced.
This gun or fire-arm loads at the breech, the charge holder or cartridge
being first passed into the space within the frame B, and from thence into the
.barrel to the extent sufficient to introduce its head h into the chamber g.
This having been accomplished the lever cover E is to be turned down, so as
to force the breech slide close against the head of the cartridge, the hooks of
the nippers in the meantime being caused to pass by and come in front of the
said head. Small chambers or recesses 2, 2, are made in the rear end of the
barrel, as shown in Figures 3 and 15, the latter Figure being a transverse
section of the frame B. These chambers receive the hooks of the nippers as
the slide block G is moved forward: up to the head of the charge holder.
Two cams w, w, are arranged within the rear part of the chamber of the
frame B; .and so that when the tails of the nippers are moved back against
such cams, they shall move the nippers in a manner to enable them to release
the cartridge or charge carrier, and allow it to drop downward into the passage
D, and out of the gun.
From the above it will be seen that my said gun or fire-arm is so con-
structed that prior to being loaded, and even afterwards and before the
discharge takes place, a person may either blów air through its barrel or run
water through it with facility; but while it is being discharged it becomes
air and water-tight, and this because a cartridge case or charge holder is
employed, by which the breech joint when the discharge takes place is sealed
both as to the powder and to the priming. The percussion pin I is formed with
a valve a¹¹ to rest against a corresponding seat 611 formed in the breech block,
as shown..in Figures 3 and 4, and so that, when the pin I is driven back by
the force of..the .explosion, the valve may close on. its seat, and prevent the
escape of gas into the pin passage and from thence into the lock.
My gun is also constructed in such manner that, during the act of raising the
lever clasp E and. moving it backward, the cartridge whether exploded or not
will be drawn out of the barrel by the nippers, and be discharged from them and
dropped down through its passage D; thus it will been seen that two cartridges
cannot be in the gun at one and the same time, nor the gun become clogged
by a cartridge which may fail to explode. The gun by such operation- is

page_text: prepared for the reception of another cartridge. I would observe that, as
soon as the nippers release their hold of the cartridge, the force of the main
spring will be exerted through the cock, so as to suddenly drive forward the
percussion pin in such manner as to cause the cartridge to be separated or
forced from the breech slide..
"
The percussion hammer or cock is raised and set to cock in the meantime,
in consequence of the pressure of the percussion pin of the breech slide against
it, all being accomplished by one motion or operation, viz., that of pulling
upward and backward. the lever or clasp of the case to which the movable
parts are mostly attached, and this can be done whether the cartridge be
fired or not, according to circumstances. When the trigger is pulled the
cock or hammer will be discharged, and will strike against the head of the
pin I, and drive. the said pin forward against the priming, so as to explode
the same. In order to charge and prepare the gun to be fired, first unlatch
the clasp lever E and pull it upward and backward. This will draw back
the breech slide and cock the hammer, so as to enable the cartridge to be
inserted in the gun; having inserted it therein, the lever clasp E should be
moved back again to its place, the gun then being ready to be. fired. If
desirable the hammer may be uncocked and again cocked as occasion may
require.
My Invention in all probability may be applied to double barrel guns;
also a priming apparatus for ordnance, in order to prevent the escape of gas
at the vent hole thereof during the discharge of the piece or while it is being
swabbed.
Figure 17 exhibits a side view, and Figure 18 denates a longitudinal
section, of a cartridge for ordnance, it being formed tapering in its body, so
as to fit the vent hole. In other respects it is like the other cartridge, as herein-
before described..
What I claim in the said improved gun as of my Invention is the application
to the to the breech slide of nippers movable relatively to the said slide, and
operated by means substantially as described, or any equivalent, whereby the
said nippers may be moved irrespective of the breech slide, and caused to
grasp the cartridge, and subsequently withdraw it from the gun while the
breech slide is being retracted.
I also claim in its combination with the barrel and the sliding breech closer
an open slot or passage, so made and arranged directly in rear of the barrel
as to enable the cartridge case, after being drawn out of the barrel, to drop
down & out of the gun when the latter is held so that the trigger shall be
below the barrel.

page_text: I also claim the above-described combination and arrangement of nippers,
a sliding breech block, a percussion slide or pin, and the cock of the lock,
whereby, after the cartridge case has been drawn out of the gun, the force
of the main spring shall be caused to so act as to expel the cartridge case
from the breech block, immediately on such case being relieved from the
grasp or hold of the nippers.
I also claim the above-described arrangement and application of a cock
or hammer, a sliding breech closer, and a movable lever clasp separate from
the trigger guard, the same being so as to enable the hammer to be set to
cock by the breech slide on its percussion pin while such separate clasp is
being retracted, as set forth.
I also claim a valve and its seat in combination with the percussion pin
and the breech slide, in order that, when the said pin is driven backward
during the explosion of the cartridge, the valve may close on its seat, and
prevent the escape of gas into the pin passage and from thence into the
lock.
I also claim a cartridge or charge carrier constructed and made to operate,
substantially as herein-before described.
In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
94th April A D 1857
94th April, AD, 1857
GEORGE WOODWARD MORSE. (L.S.)