IM- PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spinks Riley, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 3rd August 1866, and dated the 16th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spinks Riley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th February 1866.
I, WILLIAM SPINKS RILEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
breech-loading fire-arms of the kind commonly called drop-down guns or
snap guns.
My improvements consist, firstly, of the following arrangement of
parts for effecting the discharge of central-fire cartridges in drop-
down or snap guns. In the break-off, and in a line with the axis of
each barrel, is a small hole, in which a cylindrical striker works, the said
striker being pressed back, that is, towards the butt end of the gun by a
spring at the back of the break-off. When the said striker is in its normal
position its end does not protrude from the break-off, and the barrels can
shut down without obstruction. In order to preserve the parallelism of
the motion of the strikers, the rear end of each striker is cranked and
made to bear against a rib or guide on the under side of the tang of the
break-off, the cranked ends of the strikers being connected with the said

page_text: rib by screws on the rib taking into slots in the ends of the strikers. At
the back of the break-off are two slots in which the cranked ends of the
strikers work, and the said cranked ends do not in their motion pass out
of the said slots. This arrangement tends still further to preserve the
parallelism of the motion of the strikers, and limits the distance to which
the strikers can be forced forwards on the discharge of the fire-arm. The
strikers are forced against the ends of the cartridges, so as to discharge
them by the descent of the hammers of the gun, the nearly vertical portion
of the hammers striking against the cranked ends of the strikers.
My improvements consist, secondly, of the following arrangement of
the parts of a cartridge extractor. Underneath each barrel, and parallel
with the axis of the barrel, is a small sliding bar, the rear ends of the
bars being joined by a plate, the upper edge of which is curved to the
figure of about one-half of the open end of each barrel. When the barrels
are shut down, the said plate is pressed by the break-off flat against the
ends of the barrels, entering a depression in the said ends and lying flush
with the said ends of the barrels. When the cartridge is put in the barrel
its rim rests against the said plate. After the discharge of the fire-arm,
and on the raising of the breech ends of the barrels, the sliding bars carrying
the plate are forced outwards, and the case of the exploded cartridge
started from the barrel in the following manner :-On the top of that part
on which the barrels turn are two recesses in which the free or fore ends
of the sliding bars engage. When the barrels are turned upon their joint,
so as to depress their muzzle ends and raise their breech ends, the ends of
the said bars are unable to travel with the barrel, so as to describe a curve
around the centre on which the barrels turn, being arrested by the fixed
recesses in which they engage. As a consequence, they perform a sliding
motion on the barrels as the said barrels are brought into the position for
charging, and start the case of the exploded cartridge. When the barrels
are reloaded and shut down, the extractor and cartridge are pressed by
the break-off into the position for discharge, to which motion the changing
position of the barrels offers no obstruction.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in making a small lump or projection on
the top of each barrel, and prolonging the head of the hammer, so that
when the fire-arm has been discharged the head of the hammer shall rest
over or upon the said lump. By this arrangement the raising of the breech
ends of the barrels lifts the hammers to half-cock and simplifies the process
of loading.

page_text: ::
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Spinks Riley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SPINKS RILEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Spinks Riley, Her special licence that I,
the said William Spinks Riley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Spinks Riley, 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
William Spinks Riley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one or their hands and seals, 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 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 Williain Spinks Riley, 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:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
breech-loading fire-arms of the kind commonly called drop-down or suap
guns.
My improvements consist, firstly, of the following arrangement of
parts for effecting the discharge of central-fire cartridges in drop-down or
snap guns. In the break-off and nearly in a line with the axis of each
barrel is a small hole in which a cylindrical striker works, the said striker
being pressed back, that is, towards the butt end of the gun by a spring
in the said break-off. When the said striker is in its normal position its.

page_text: inner end does not protrude from the break-off, and the barrels can shut
down without obstruction. The strikers are forced against the ends of
the cartridges so as to discharge them by the descent of the hammers of
the gun, the nearly vertical portion of the hammers striking against the
heads of the strikers external to the break-off.
My improvements consist, secondly, of the following arrangement of
the parts of a cartridge extractor. Underneath each barrel and parallel
with the axis of the barrel is a small sliding bar, the rear ends of the bars
being joined by a plate, the upper edge of which is curved to the figure of
about one quarter of the open end of each barrel. When the barrels are
shut down the said plate is pressed by the break-off flat against the ends of
the barrels, entering a depression in the said ends and lying flush with the
said ends of the barrels. When the cartridge is put in the barrel its rim
rests against the said plate. After the discharge of the fire-arm, and on
the raising of the breech ends of the barrels, the sliding bars carrying the
plate are forced outwards and the case of the exploded cartridge started
from the barrel in the following manner:-On the top of that part on
which the barrels turn are two recesses in which the free or fore ends of
the sliding bars engage. When the barrels are turned upon their joint so
as to depress their muzzle ends and raise their breech ends the ends of the
said bars are unable to travel with the barrels so as to describe a curve
around the centre on which the barrels turn, being arrested by the fixed
recesses in which they engage. As a consequence they perform a sliding
motion on the barrels, as the said barrels are brought into the position for
charging and start the case of the exploded cartridge. When the barrels
are reloaded and shut down, the extractor and cartridge are pressed by
the break-off into the position for discharge, to which motion the changing
position of the barrels offers no obstruction.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in making a small lump or projection on
the top of each barrel and prolonging the head of the hammer, so that
when the fire-arm has been discharged the head of the hammer shall rest
over or upon the said lump. By this arrangement the raising of the breech
ends of the barrels lifts the hammers to half-cock and simplifies the process
of loading.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the
same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the breech end of a double-
barrelled drop-down gun containing the improvements described under

page_text: the first and second heads of my Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
vertical section of the same, the stock and other parts being omitted;
Figure 3 is a plan of the under side, and Figure 4 a plan of the upper side
of the barrels; Figure 5 is an end elevation of the barrels, and Figure 6 is a
plan of the body and break-off; Figure 7 is an end and side elevation of
the cartridge extractor separately; Figure 8 represents the improvement
described under the third head of my Invention. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts in each Figure of the Drawing..
a, a, are the barrels turning on the pin on centre b in the ordinary way; c is
the break-off and d the body of the gun. In the said break-off oblique holes,
one of which is marked e in Figure 2, are made, the said holes passing
through the break-off from front to back. The inner end of each of the
said oblique holes e in the break-off terminates in the axis of the barrel.
In the said oblique holes cylindrical (or square) strikers h, h, are placed,
the outer ends or heads of the said strikers being situated at the back of
the break-off, where they are acted upon by the cocks or hammers.
Each striker is pressed back, that is towards the butt end of the gun by a
spring acting against a collar g on the said striker. When the striker
is pressed back by the said spring its inner contracted end does not protrude
from the face of the break-off as represented in Figure 2, and the barrels a
can shut down without obstruction. The collar or shoulder g on the
striker h as well as its head are of such a size that they accurately fit in the
oblique hole e, and thus ensure the proper position of the striker for dis-
charging the central-fire cartridge. The strikers h are forced against the
ends of the cartridges so as to discharge them by the descent of the
hammers of the gun, the nearly vertical portions striking upon the
heads at the back of the break-off. The part of the hammers. is bent or
cranked out of the plane of the part i, so as to enable it to act upon the
striker at the back of the break-off, the sides of the stock being hollowed
out at for the said part to work in. The distance to which the striker
can be forced forward by the hammer is limited by the collar g.
The
pin ³ prevents the withdrawal of the striker from the hole in the break-off.
On the removal of the said pin the striker can be withdrawn. In order to
readily ascertain if the barrels contain cartridges I apply to the top of the
barrel an indicator marked k, consisting of a rod working in a hole in the
barrel and pressed down into the barrel by a coiled spring . When a
cartridge is introduced into the breech end of the barrel the said rod k is
raised above the socket or case in which it works (see Figures 1, 2, and 5),
and thus when the barrels are shut down indicates that a cartridge is

page_text: situated in the barrel. My improvements in cartridge extractors are
represented in Figures 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. The said extractor consists of a
sliding forked bar n, n, the rear ends being joined by a plate o, the upper
edge of which is curved to the figure of about one quarter of the open
end of each barrel a. The said curved parts of the plate o are provided
with depressions o³, into which the rims of the cartridges enter when placed
in the breech ends of the barrels. The inner side of the said plate o is
provided with a rod p, which rod works in a hole between the barrels and
acts as a guide to the extractor. The plate o of the extractor occupies a
recess or depression in the face of the breech ends of the barrels, and
when the said barrels are shut down lies flush with the said face. The
free ends of the bars n, n, of the extractor have projections or hooks n³
upon them. The bars n, n, are fixed on the under side of the barrels, the
said bars being situated parallel with the axes of the barrels. The fixing
of the bars n, n, to the barrels is effected by springing them between the
pins q, q, the said pins permitting of the sliding of the bars by working in
the cut away parts at r. The sliding bars n, n, occupy, when the barrels
are shut down, longitudinal depressions at s in the body d of the gun and
the free and hooked ends n² of the said bars engage in deeper depressions
at t immediately above the joint pin b upon which the barrels turn, the last-
named depressions opening into those which the bars n occupy. After the
discharge of the gun, and on the raising of the breech ends of the barrels,
the sliding bars n, n, carrying the plate or extractor o are forced outwards,
and the cases of the exploded cartridges started from the barrels as
represented in Figure 3. The forcing outwards of the sliding bars n, n,
is effected in the following manner:-When the barrels a, a, are turned
upon the joint 6 so as to depress their muzzle ends and raise their breech
ends, the free and hooked ends n² of the bars n are unable to travel with
the barrels so as to describe a curve around the pin b, the ends of the said
bars being arrested by the depressions in which they engage. As a
consequence the bars n perform a sliding motion on the barrels a, the
ends n working in the depressions s, t, as the said barrels are brought into
the position for charging and start the cases of the exploded cartridges as
illustrated in Figure 3 where the extractor is represented pushed outwards
by the motion of the barrels to its full extent.
After fresh cartridges have
been introduced into the barrels, the said barrels are shut down and the
'extractor and cartridges are pressed by the break-off c into position for
discharge, the free and hooked ends of the sliding bars re-engaging in the
depressions at t; Figure 8 represents my arrangement for lifting the

page_text: hammers to half-cock when the breech ends are raised for loading.. On
the top of each barrel a I make a small lump or projection a², and I
prolong the head of the hammer i nearly horizontally so as to form a horn
or short arm marked it. The end of the horn or arm is cut away as
represented, so that when the gun has been discharged the end of the
said horn or arm shall rest over or upon the lump or projection a² on the
barrel as illustrated in the Drawing. When the gun has been discharged
and the breech ends of the barrels are raised the hammers are lifted to
half-cock by the projection a' acting upon the horn or arm and the
process of loading thus simplified.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I which it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of im-
provements in breech-loading fire-arms of the kind commonly called
drop-down or snap guns,
Firstly, the arrangement or combination of parts herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for effecting the discharge
of central-fire cartridges in the said guns.
Secondly, the arrangement or combination of the parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing of self-acting
cartridge extractors for extracting the exploded cases from the said guns.
Thirdly, the arrangement of parts herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing for lifting the hammers to half-cock when
the breech ends of the barrels are raised for loading.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spinks Riley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM SPINKS RILEY. (L.S.)