IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, of the Firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." -A communication from abroad by
Friederich Von Martini, of Frauenfeld, Switzerland.
Sealed the 1st December 1868, and dated the 22nd July 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clinton Edgcumbe
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his.
Petition, on the 22nd July 1868.
I, CLINTON EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object breech-loading fire-arms in which
the discharge is effected by a needle or striker, and the breech bolt.
actuated by a lever. This arm may be constructed for exploding rim.
fire cartridges and central-fire cartridges..

page_text: I proceed to describe the arm as arranged for a rim-fire cartridge.
The Figure is a longitudinal section of the arm with an indication in
red ink of a second position of the lever and breech block.
A is the breech chamber which constitutes the junction between
the barrel B and stock C; it consists of a rectangular metal piece
in which is a parallel opening containing the movable block D,
hinged at a, with the exploding mechanism and the extractor. The
breech of the barrel is enlarged at its base to form a chamber for
the cartridge. The movable block D is raised or lowered by means
of a lever E pivotting at F. The short arm L of this lever E fits
into a groove formed in the block, and its extremity is rounded to
permit of its free movement; the block is thus supported by the lever
in such a manner as to prevent all possibility of its changing its
place from the force of the explosion when the arm is discharged.
On the upper side of the block is a hollow which corresponds with
the aperture in the barrel when it is in position for the cartridge to
be placed in it. G is a lever to withdraw the discharged cartridge
case; H is the exploding pin; J its spring; they are both held in
position by the annular retaining screw K. The lever E is forked to
receive the lever L. The longer arm of this lever L works into a
groove in the exploding pin H, and the shorter arm is furnished with
a projection which abuts against a stop on the lever E; it is also
notched to receive the upper arm of the trigger M when it is carried
back by the lever E while opening the breech, and consequently
when the lever E is returned to its place and the breech closed the
lever L is upheld; it again maintains the exploding pin at the same
time that the spring is extended for another discharge. In causing
the breech to descend by means of the lever E a shock is produced which
completely removes the discharged cartridge case, the block striking
against the free end of the extractor at the same time that the trigger
takes into the notch in the lever L; a new cartridge may then be placed
in the barrel; the block is lifted by the return to place of the lever,
and the arm is ready to discharge. When it is desired to uncock,
the block is lowered as much as possible without however with-
drawing the cartridge, the trigger is then pressed and the lever E
gently returned to position. All danger is obviated in this operation
in consequence of the spring of the exploding pin being free of all
compression while the block is down. There is also no danger if the
trigger be pressed when the breech is open, as the block rises of itself

page_text: by the setting free of the exploding pin. If the arm is loaded, but
uncocked, it can be cocked by moving the lever E sufficiently to
withdraw the trigger from its notch and then return the lever E to its
place. In order to know whether the arm is cocked or not an indicating
pin N is fitted in the end of the breech chamber, which projects
therefrom when the arm is cocked, and lies flush when it is discharged.
A blow on this pin can never cause the arm to go off. If after the
discharge has been made the cartridge case does not readily come away
at the first opening of the breech it usually suffices to repeat the
movement rapidly, but without pressing the trigger. If it still remains
recourse must be had to the ramrod. The construction of this arm
differs in many important respects from others similar to it. All the
exploding apparatus is comprised in a simple pin placed in the breech.
The movable breech during the discharge is maintained in place by
the lever E only without the intervention of springs, clutches, or
catches, and the short arm is so disposed that it is impossible for the
block to be displaced by the force of the explosion. The exploding
pin strikes against the lowest point of the rim (in rim-fire cartridges)
so that it is impossible for the arm to go off until the block is in
place, for it is only when the block is in position that the pin can
strike the cartridge. The extractor is placed by the side of the cart-
ridge and not above it; it bears against the breech case and forms a
support for the edge of the cartridge. The spring of the exploding pin
cannot have its elasticity altered, as it is submitted to a very slight
pressure, and in case of breakage it can be easily and cheaply replaced.
This arm unites great simplicity of construction with ease of repair,
it is very durable, and little liable to damage even in the most awkward
hands
SPE
in pursuance
што
filed by the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman at the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CLINTON
EDGCUMBE BROOMAN, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company,
of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, Her special
licence that I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Clinton
Edgcumbe Brooman, 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," (communi-
cated to me from abroad by Friederich Von Martini, of Frauenfeld,
.Switzerland,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, 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 Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, 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, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms of that class in
which the breech end of the barrel is closed by a block whose rear
end works on a horizontal pin having its axis at right angles to the
axis of the bore of the barrel, and consists in a peculiar combination
of mechanism whereby the arm is made stronger, more easy to operate,
simpler in construction, and more economical to manufacture than
other fire-arms of its class.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are longitudinal vertical sections of the breech
portion of this improved breech-loading rifle or fire-arm. Figure 1
shows the arrangement and position of the mechanism for "rim-
firing," Figure 2 for "central-firing," and Figure 3 shews the position

page_text: of the breech mechanism for inserting the cartridge; Figure 4 is a
transverse section of the breech mechanism through the plane x, y,
of Figure 2.
A is the breech frame into which is screwed the barrel B, the rear
end of which is enlarged to receive the cartridge which may be of
any desired shape. The barrel B is fixed to the fore part of the
stock C in any ordinary manner, the "butt" end of the stock Ơ being
by preference secured to the breech frame by the screw 8; D is the
breech block whose upper surface is hollowed to facilitate the insertion
of the cartridge into the barrel, and in the rear upper part of the
block is a hinge pin a on which it works. The breech block D contains
the firing mechanism, which is the same (excepting as to position) for
rim-fire and for central-fire, and consists of the exploding pin H,
spiral spring J, tubular screw k, and tumbler lever L. The tumbler
lever L at its upper end is of a circular form in one view with straight
sides and takes into a mortice cut through the exploding pin H. The
lower part or fulcrum of the tumbler lever L works freely upon the
pin F. The exploding pin H has a rear support or bearing in the
tubular screw k which is slotted to admit the tumbler L and is an
abutment for the spiral spring J. The tumbler lever L has a short
arm provided with a ratchet tooth for the purpose of receiving the
upper end of the trigger lever M which is pressed therein when in
suitable position by the spring m. Below this tooth and on the same
short arm is a face of metal which forms an abutment for a corre-
sponding face on the hand lever E. The trigger may be locked in
position when the piece is cocked by means of a bolt inserted under
the projection M", or by any other well-known device, so as to prevent
the possibility of accidental or other discharge till the said bolt is
withdrawn. The hand lever E has its fulcrum F behind the trigger,
and is a forked lever, that is to say, consists of a long arm to which
the hand is applied and two short arms E', E", each of which takes
into a cam recess formed in its own side of the breech block D. The
form of the two recesses is the same, and is shown dotted in Figures 1, 2,
and 3; they are of irregular shape, and so formed that the breech block
is lowered, raised, and retained or locked by the hand lever E in the
proper positions for loading and firing the piece. At N, Figures 1, 2,
and 3, is shewn the indicating pin which passes obliquely upwards
through the breech frame A, with whose upper surface the upper end

page_text: of the pin N coincides, excepting when the exploding pin is drawn back
ready for firing, in which latter position its rear end comes in contact
with the front end of the pin N, thus causing its upper end to
protrude above the surface of the breech frame A so as to indicate
that the piece has not been discharged. G is a bell crank lever for
expelling the cartridge case, and is forked at its upper end G₁ so as
to embrace the two opposite sides of the cartridge base. The short
arm G is at a right angle or nearly so with the long arm G³, and its
upper surface radiates from the fulcrum pin g. In descending the
breech block D comes at first in contact with the extreme end of
the short arm G of the bell-crank lever, and causes it to turn slowly
on its fulcrum pin g so as to loosen the cartridge case from the barrel,
and the continued downward movement of the breech block brings
its extreme end against that part of the arm G" which is nearest to
the fulcrum pin g of the bell-crank lever G, thereby accelerating the
speed of the lever and suddenly expelling the cartridge case.
trigger M is provided for safety with a fixed guard O as in ordinary
muzzle-loading fire-arms, such guard being fixed to the breech frame.
The
Having now explained the details of the mechanism of this Invention
in breech-loading fire-arms I will proceed to describe the operation of
the same. Referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the breech-loading
mechanism is in that position which obtains when the piece has been
discharged. To open the breech for a fresh cartridge the hand lever E
is depressed, thus causing the upper end of the tumbler lever L to move
in the direction of the rear end of the arm, and to carry the exploding
pin H and spring J with it until the ratchet tooth of the short arm /
receives the upper end of the trigger lever M, as shown in Figure 3.
Simultaneously with this withdrawal of the firing mechanism from the
position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3 the breech
block is caused to descend by the forked end E¹, E", of the hand lever E
acting in the cam recesses shown in dotted lines as before described.
The parts are now in position for the insertion of the cartridge. The
piece having been loaded the lever E is then to be returned to its
position against the under part of the stock, which operation will cause
the block D to be moved upward into the position for firing, leaving
the tumbler lever, exploding pir, and spring still held back by the short
arm of the trigger lever. After the lever E has been returned to the
position in which it is shown in Figure 2, then on the trigger being

page_text: pulled so as to release the tumbler lever L and spring the exploding
pin H will be forced forward by the spring J until it strikes the cartridge
80 as to explode it.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the
combination forming a breech-loading action either for rim-fire
central-fire cartridges in which the entire series of operations for opening
and closing the breech, releasing and expelling the cartridge, and cocking
the gun are performed by the hand of the operator on one lever, this
lever being so arranged as to keep the breech block in firing position,
all substantially as herein described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.