IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Villin, of Great Pulteney Street, in
the County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
RADNO "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Villin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th April 1874.
I, CHARLES VILLIN, of Great Pulteney Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement
of breech-loading fire-arm, whereby increased strength and simplicity
are obtained; the friction of the parts and the weight of the gun are
reduced, greater facility is afforded for the manufacture, and the gun is
also rendered capable of being fired more rapidly than heretofore.
In carrying out my Invention I form a slot in the breech end of the
gun or fixed breech for the reception of a moveable plug or breech block,

page_text: 4
which closes the cartridge chamber. This moveable plug or breech block
is provided at its lower end with an arm or link, which is jointed or
pivotted thereto, a slot being formed in such arm or link to admit of the
requisite amount of play, by which means an eccentric action is obtained.
The opposite end of the arm or link to that which is jointed or pivotted
to the movable plug or breech block is provided with a boss or eye,' and
is secured by a pin or spindle to the gun or fixed breech, which pin or
spindle carries a lever or key for the purpose of operating the breech.
A hooked bar or slide traversing a groove formed in the body of the gun
or fixed breech is employed for the purpose of effecting the withdrawal
of the discharged cartridge case, such bar or slide being operated by
means of a hook or projection formed on the boss or eye of the arm or
link herein-before referred to. The surfaces of the moveable plug or
breech block contiguous to the sides of the fixed breech are made
inclined, so that the parts will only be in contact when the moveable
plug or breech block is in its closed position, by which means friction is
diminished; and the sides of the movable plug or breech block have also
apertures formed therein for the reception of a certain quantity of grease
or other lubricating material, so as to obviate the necessity for lubricating
at frequent intervals.
The breech is operated in the following manner :-The lever or key is
turned round a sufficient distance, which partially rotates the arm or
link herein-before referred to, and causes the movable plug or breech
block to descend, the slot formed in such arm or link affording the
requisite play so as to admit of the downward motion, and suitable
guides being provided therefor the cartridge chamber is then exposed
and the charge may be inserted (the upper part of the movable plug or
breech block being slightly recessed so as to facilitate the introduction
of the cartridge). The lever or key is then turned in the reverse direction,
and acting on the slotted arm causes the movable plug. or breech block
to rise to its former position and close the breech ready for firing, the
slotted arm or link having the effect of locking or fixing the breech in
that position. The cock or hammer is attached by a tumbler or axis to
the gun or fixed breech and behind the movable plug or breech block,
and the discharge is effected through the intervention of a needle or
striker passing through the movable plug or breech block in the ordinary
manner. +
I

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Villin in the Great. Scal Patent Office
on the 8th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
VILLIN, of Great Pulteney Street, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant,
send grecting.
*
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Hér heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Villin, Her special
license that I, the said Charles Villin, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Villin,
my executors, administrators, or 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 miglit make,
use, excrcise, 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," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Villin, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Charles Villin, 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 accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say.
My said Invention relates to an improved construction and arrange-
ment of breech-loading fire-arm, whereby increased strength: and
simplicity arc obtained, the friction of the parts and the weight of the
gun are reduced, greater, facility. is afforded for the manufacture, and

page_text: the gun is also rendered capable of being fired more rapidly than
heretofore.
In carrying out my said Invention I form a slot in the breech end of
the gun or fixed breech for the receptacle of a movable plug or breech
block, which closes the cartridge chamber. This movable plug or
breech block is provided at its lower end with an arm or link, which is
jointed or pivotted thereto, a slot being formed in such arm or link to
admit of the requisite amount of play, by which means a cam or
eccentric action is obtained. The opposite end of the arm or link to
that which is jointed or pivotted to the movable plug or breech block is
provided with a boss or eye, and is secured by a pin or spindle to the
gún or fixed breech, which pin or spindle carries a lever or key for the
purpose of operating the breech action. A hooked bar or slide traversing
a groove formed in the body of the gun or fixed breech is employed for
the purpose of effecting the withdrawal of the discharged cartridge case,
such bar or slide being operated by means of a hook or projection formed
on the boss or eye of the arm or link herein-before referred to. The
contiguous surfaces of the movable plug or breech block and the fixed
breech are made inclined for the purpose of reducing the friction and
wear of the parts; and the sides of the movable plug or breech block
have also apertures formed therein for the reception of a certain quantity
of grease or other lubricating material, so as to obviate the necessity for
lubricating at frequent intervals.
The gun is operated in the following manner:-The lever or key is
turned round a sufficient distance, which partially rotates the arm or
link herein-before referred to, and causes the movable plug or breech
block to descend, the slot formed in such arm or link affording the
requisite play so as to admit of the downward motion, for which also
suitable guides are provided. The cartridge chamber being now exposed
the charge is inserted over the movable plug or breech block, the upper
part of which is slightly recessed so as to facilitate the introduction of
the cartridge. The lever or key is then turned in the reverse direction,
and acting on the slotted arm or link causes the movable plug or breech
block to rise to its former position and close the breech ready for firing,
the slotted arm or link having the effect of locking or fixing the movable
plug or breech block in that position.
by a tumbler axis to the gun or fixed
The cock or hammer is attached
breech, and behind the movable

page_text: plug or breech block, and the discharge is effected through the inter-
vention of a needle or striker passing through the movable plug or
breech block in the ordinary manner.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
:
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal section of
portion of a breech-loading fire-arm constructed in accordance with my
Invention; Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 a side elevation shewing
the breech action detached.
A is the movable plug or breech block, which is disposed in a slot
formed in the fixed breech B, and is capable of being lowered so as to
admit of the introduction of the cartridge into the charge chamber, and
of being elevated again for the discharge of the gun. C is the arm or
link, one end of which is jointed or pivotted by means of a pin a to the
movable plug or breech block A, whilst its opposite end is provided
with the boss or eye b, which is fast on the pin or spindle c passing
transversely through the fixed breech B. A slot d is formed in the arm
or link C for the purpose of allowing to such arm or link a sufficient
amount of play around the pin a during the operation of opening and
closing the breech, and the pin or spindle C carries the lever or key D;
by the aid of which the movable plug or breech block is actuated in the
manner herein-after explained.
In the body of the fixed breech B there is formed a groove e, in which
works the bar or slide f for effecting the withdrawal of the empty
cartridge case after the discharge of the gun. This bar or slide is
provided at one end with a hook or projection 9, against which a
segmental portion of the flange of the cartridge bears, and its opposite
end is acted upon by a projection / formed on the boss or eye b of the
arm or link C when the latter is operated in the act of opening the
breech. The movable plug or breech block A is formed with inclined
surfaces, as shewn at i, i, (Figures 2 and 3,) and that portion of the fixed.
breech B which bears against the surfaces i, i, and which receives the
force of the recoil, is also made inclined to correspond, as shewn at j;:

page_text: Figure 1. The portions of the front and rear of the movable plug or
breech block, which come in contact with the fixed breech, therefore
assume a tapered form, as shewn clearly in Figure 3, by which means
undue friction and the consequent wear of the parts by the act of
opening and closing the breech are obviated.
The movable plug or breech block may also be made of a tapered
shape, transversely if desired, and the contiguous lateral surfaces of the
fixed breech be also made of a correspondingly inclined form. k, k,
(Figure 3) are apertures, which are provided in the sides of the movable
plug or breech block A for the reception of a certain quantity of grease
or other lubricating material, which by becoming gradually distributed
to the surfaces in contact maintains them in a perfectly lubricated
condition without the necessity for frequent attention. E is the cock
or hammer carried on the tumbler axis 7, which passes transversely
through the sides of the fixed breech B. On the cock or hammer E
there is formed a segmental projection m, against which bears an
extended portion n of the movable plug or breech block during the time
of the discharge, the parts being so arranged that the portion n will
intercept the segmental projection m of the cock or hammer should the
latter be released when the movable plug or breech block is not
sufficiently elevated to bring it into its normal closed position. The
discharge of the gun is effected through the intervention of the needle
or striker o, which is fitted in an aperture formed in the movable plug
or breech block in the ordinary way.
The gun is operated in the following manner, videlicet:-Assuming
the breech to be closed, as shewn by the full lines in the Drawing, the
cock or hammer E is drawn back and the lever or key D is turned round
to the position indicated by the red lines (Figure 1), which operation has
the effect of partially rotating the arm or link C, a spring p being applied
for the purpose of maintaining the parts steady in their closed position,
and facilitating the motion of the breech action. The slot d of the arm
or link acts after the manner of a cam upon the pin a, and causes the
movable plug or breech block A to descend and expose the cartridge
chamber, the inclined portions J of the fixed breech B corresponding to
the inclined surfaces i, i, of the movable plug or breech block, forming
guides for the latter during its downward motion. The projection /
formed on the boss or eye of the arm or link.C also acts simultaneously

page_text: upon the end of the bar or slide f, and causes it to slide along its groove,
the hook or projection g, with which its opposite end is provided, drawing
with it the discharged case and effecting the expulsion of the latter from
the breech. A fresh cartridge may now be inserted, the upper portion q
of the movable plug or breech block being slightly hollowed or recessed
in order to facilitate its introduction. The lever or key D is then turned
back to the position shewn by the black dotted lines in Figure 1, and
the slotted arm or link.C being thus also partially rotated its slot d acts
upon the pin a and elevates the movable plug or breech block A to its
former position, the cartridge and the bar or slide fare at the same time
forced into their place and the gun is ready to be discharged.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The application and use to and with breech-loading fire-arms of
a tapered plug or breech block jointed to a slotted arm or link and
actuated by means of a lever or key so as to lower the plug or breech
block to admit of the loading of the gun, and simultaneously extract
or expel the discharged cartridge case and elevate such plug or breech
block for the firing, the whole arranged and operating substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Forming apertures in the sides or surfaces of a movable plug
or breech block for containing lubricating material, substantially as and
for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Villin, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of
September One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.