IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandre Schot, of No. 18, Rue de l'Echiquier,
City of Paris, in the Empire of France, Armourer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 8th June 1869, and dated the 15th January 1809.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandro Sehet at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th January 1869.
I, ALEXANDER SEHET, of No. 18, Rue de l'Echiquier, City of Paris, in
the Empire of France, Armourer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of
breech-loading fire-arms in which central-fire ammunition is employed.
In this improved arm the breech block forms the end of an arm or
lever which turns on an axis at the rear end of the breech chamber, and
is capable of being raised in a vertical direction so as to uncover the
mouth of the chamber for the admission of the cartridge. The chamber
is again closed on the block and breech pieco being depressed, and the

page_text: breech piece is held fast in position by means of shoulders placed on each
side of the breech block. The breech block is of a wedge-like form,
the sides being parallel to the triangle formed in front by the mouth of
the breech chamber and in the rear by the curve of the two shoulders.
The form of the breech block may be varied, and it may be made with
parallel and concentric curves or be triangular with straight or curved
sides. A moveable piston is placed in the breech chamber, and by
means of a cock is caused to press a spiral spring which is arranged in
the interior of the breech piece, and thus cock the gun, whilst at the
same time it causes a needle which is fixed to the piston to pass through :
a hole in the centre of the brecch picce and penetrate to the centre of
the barrel. The before-mentioned spiral spring is placed longitudinally
in a cylindrical channel in the interior of the brocch piece, one end
thereof resting on the moveable piston and the other on the rear end of
the breech piece. An angular or crank-like piece is connected with the
piston by the insertion of one of its arms therein, the head or other
extremity of such piece resting upon an excentrio which is actuated by
means of a rod furnished with a ring at the end thereof (and by which the
breech piece is also raised and lowered), the use of such excentric being
to force back the needle in order to open or shut the breech. A solid
scar spring is provided, the same being formed with a tooth or bent
which holds the tooth or bent attached to or formed on the cock, when
the latter is drawn back preparatory to firing. The cock is released from
the scar spring by means of a trigger, thus allowing the spiral spring to
carry the piston forward and cause percussion of the cartridge. A conical
cavity in which is formed a groove to receive the pin of the cartridge is
made in the enlarged part which covers and strengthens the mouth of the
breech chamber of the barrel, and serves as a guide and support to the
finger in withdrawing the cartridge or empty cartridge case after firing.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, givo
and grant unto me, the said Alexandre Sehet, Her special licenco
that I, the said Alexandro Schet, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or. such others as I, the said Alexandra Schet, 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 Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexandro Schet, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should par-
ticularly 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE,, that I, the said Alexandre Schet, do hereby declare.
the nature of my 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction
of breech-loading fire-arms in which central-fire ammunition is employed.
In this improved arm the breech block forms the end of an arm or
lover which turns on an axis at the rear end of the breech chamber, and
is capable of being raised in a vertical direction so as to uncover the
mouth of the chamber for the admission of the cartridge. The chamber.
is again closed on the block and broech pieco being depressed, and the
breach piece is held fast in position by means of shoulders placed on cach
side of the breech block. The breech block is of a wedge-like form, the
sides being parallel to the triangle formed in front by the mouth of the
breech chamber and in the rear by the curve of the two shouldors. The form
of the breech block may be varied, and it may be made with parallel and.
concentric curves or may be triangular with straight or curved sides. A
moveable piston is placed in the breech chamber, and by means of a

page_text: cocking piece which passes through a slot in the bottom of the chamber
is capable of being withdrawn towards the butt end of the gun, thereby
compressing a spiral spring which is placed in the interior of the
chamber and bringing the sear spring herein-after mentioned into
operation, thus cocking the gun. A needle is fixed to the piston and is
adapted to pass through a hole in the centre of the breech piece and
penetrate to the centre of the barrel. The before-mentioned spiral spring
is placed longitudinally in a cylindrical channel in the interior of the
breech piece, one end thereof resting on the moveable piston and the
other on the rear end of the breech piece. An angular or crank-like piece
is connected with the piston by the insertion of one of its arms therein,
the head or other extremity of such piece resting upon an excentric
which is actuated by means of a rod furnished with a ring at the end
thereof (and by which the breech pieco is also raised and lowered), the
use of such excentric being to force back the needle in order to open or
shut the breech. A solid sear spring is placed in the bottom of the
chamber, the same being formed with a tooth or bent at the end thereof
which holds the tooth or bent attached to or formed on the cocking piece
when the latter is drawn back preparatory to firing. The cock is
released from the sear spring by means of an ordinary trigger which lifts
the latter, and thus disengages the cocking piece and allows the spiral
spring to carry the piston forward and cause percussion of the cartridge.
A conical cavity in which is formed a groove to receive the pin
of the cartridge is made in the enlarged part which covers and
strengthens the mouth of the breech chamber and serves as a guide and
support to the finger in withdrawing the cartridge or empty cartridge
case after firing.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. The same
letters of reference are used for similar parts in the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a top view of the breech of the gun, with a portion of
the barrel; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the breech action
and a portion of the barrel; Figure 3 represents a cartridge to be used
with the gun, but which forms no part of my said Invention.
a is the barrel of the gun; a', the shoulders of the breech piece; b is
the breech piece forming the end of a lever which turns on an axis 2.
When raised in the direction of 6' the mouth of the chamber is uncovered
to admit the cartridge, and the chamber is again closed on its being shut

page_text: down. The cylindrical motion causes the breech piece to close the brecch.
chamber, and it is held fast in this position by the shoulders a' placed on
cach side of the lover of the breech piece. The breech picco 'is, of a
wedge-like form, the sides being parallel to the triangle formed in front.
by the mouth of the breech chamber and in the rear by the curve of the
two shoulders a'. Its form may be varied, and it may be made with
parallel and concentric curves, or may be triangular with straight or
curved sides. The annexed Drawing shews one of a triangular form with
diagonal curves. o is the needle fixed to the piston d and penetrating to
the centre of the barrel through a hole in the centre of the breech
picce; d is the moveable piston, which presses the spring by means of
thro cocking piece F, and thus cocks the gun and causes the needle to
enter the above-mentioned hole; e is the before-mentioned rod, which is
inserted in the piston d, the head resting upon the excentric h; F is the
cocking pieco fixed to the piston to press the spring 9, which is placed
longitudinally in the cylindrical chamber of the breech piece, one end
resting on the piston d and the other on the solid end of the breech
picce; is the excentric connected with the rod of the ring i, its uso
being to force back the needle c in order to open or shut the breech
picce; is a ring with a stalk, by which motion is given to the
excentrich, and serving to raise and lower the breech picco; j is the cap
or head of tho excentrich; is the cap or head of the crank lever e;
is the axis on which the breech picce 6 turns; m is the scar spring at
full cock, which rises to allow the solid part of the cocking picco l' to
pass, and falls again in its place; in this position the gun is cooked.
n is the trigger which raises the spring m to disengage the cocking picco
and cause the percussion of the piston d; o is the trigger guard plato;
P is the under portion of the trigger guard; q is the conical cavity in
which is formed the groove to receive the pin of the cartridge; this cavity
is made in the enlarged part which covers and strengthens tho mouth
of the breech chamber of the barrel and serves as a guide and support to
the finger in withdrawing the cartridge or empty cartridge case after
firing; shews a cartridge without a head or rim; & is the rod or stalk
fixed to the cartridge case by which it is inserted in or withdrawn from
the chamber of the barrel; t is the top of the cap containing the fulmi-
nate. The breech piece with its appurtenances is shewn in an elevated
position in dotted lines in Figure 2.

page_text: and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in con-
clusion, that what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as
being the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of parts and
mechanism in the construction of breech-loading fire-arms as and for the
purposes herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modifications
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexandre Sehet, have hereunto
set
my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.