IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERLESS BREECH LOADING FIRE ARMS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Woodward of No 10 Steelhouse Lane Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Gun Maker for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HAMMERLESS BREECH LOADING FIRE ARMS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Woodward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1882.
THOMAS WOODWARD of No 10. Steelhouse Lane. Birmingham in the county of
Warwick. Gun maker. IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERLESS. BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS.
My invention relates to improvements in breech-loading hammerless guns with
drop-down barrels, and consists of improvements upon Letters Patent No 651
granted to Thomas Woodward in 1876. I use a lever placed on the top of the
break-off strap for withdrawing the bolt, and at the same time drawing back the
hammers or strikers to full-cock. The said lever works an eccentric-arm or
tumbler, which withdraws the bolt for fastening down the barrels. The said
eccentric-arm or tumbler also engages with arms on the hammers or strikers,
thereby drawing them back to full-cock at the moment of opening the gun One of
the hammers or strikers has a longer arm than the other, so as to extend across the
gun, to engage with the tumbler on the opposite side In order to steady the
working of the lever, under the great strain, it has to bear, arising from the
pressure of the main and lever-springs. I use an elongated lever-pin, passing
through the tumbler downwards, through the back of the false breech & working
in a hole therein, thereby effectually steadying the same. In one method of
construction I dispense with the tubular barrel or casing described in the afore-
said Letters Patent and in place thereof substitute the following arrangement to
guide the action of the hammers or strikers. The false breech is bored out at the
back for the hammers or strikers to slide in. The break-off strap is made wider
than usual, to cover the hainmers or strikers, and also to carry a metal-bar or
other suitably formed piece, placed across the same and secured thereto by screws
or other suitable means. The said bar has holes through it, through which the

page_text: rear ends of the hammers or strikers can work, thereby supporting or guiding the
said hammers or strikers. A strong spiral spring or springs, is placed upon the
said hammers, or strikers which bear against a shoulder on the same, and against
the metal-bar at the rear, thus constantly urging it forward. I also dispense with
the sear arrangement described in the aforesaid Letters Patent and in place thereof,
use vertically sliding pegs, with a head or shoulder thereon These pegs are pushed
downwards by a spiral-spring and pass through the metal bar before described,
close by the side of the holes in the metal-bar (before described) through which
the rear ends of the hammers or strikers work. So that when they are drawn
back to full-cock in the manner before described, the heads or shoulders on the
aforesaid pegs fall into notches or recesses in the same, thereby retaining them at
full-cock. The gun is discharged in the usual manner by pulling the triggers,
which raises the pegs before mentioned, thereby allowing the hammers to move
forward.
The second part of my invention, consists of the application of a strong spring
or springs, other than the main-springs for cocking or assisting to raise to full-cock
the hammers or strikers of Breech-loading guns at the moment of opening the gun
for loading. To accomplish this object I use a strong spring or springs. (Preferably
spiral springs) which may either push or pull directly on the hammers or strikers
or indirectly through the intervention of a lever or other suitable means, as may
be found desireable. These springs are compressed when the gun is closed leaving
the hammers free to fall in the ordinary manner. On opening the gun they are
released from control and being made stronger than the main-springs they over
come them, thereby pushing or pulling the hammers back to full-cock, without any
exertion on the part of the user of the gun. The said springs may be placed in
any position found most suitable, according to the style of gun to which the
invention is applied

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Woodward in the Great Seal Patent Office
18th November 1882.
on the
THOMAS WOODWARD of No 10 Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Gun Maker. IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERLESS BREECH-LOADING FIRE
ARMS
My Invention relates to Improvements in breech-loading hammerless guns with
drop down barrels, and consists partly of Improvements upon Letters Patent
No 651 granted to Thomas Woodward in 1876.
I use a lever placed on the top of the break off strap, for withdrawing the bolt
and at the same time drawing back the hammers or strikers to full cock. The
said lever works an eccentric-arm or tumbler, which withdraws the bolt for
fastening down the barrels. The said eccentric-arm or tumbler also engages with
arms on the hammers or strikers, thereby drawing them back to full cock, at the
moment of opening the gun.
One of the hammers or strikers has a longer arm than the other so as to extend
across the gun to engage with the tumbler on the opposite side.
In order to steady the working of the lever under the great strain it has to bear,
arising from the pressure of the main and lever-springs. I use an elongated lever-
pin passing through the tumbler, downwards through the back of the false-breech
and working in a hole therein, thereby effectually steadying the same.
In one method of construction I dispense with the tubular barrel or casing
described in the aforesaid Letters Patent, and in place thereof substitute the
following arrangement, to guide the action of the hammers or strikers.
The false breech is bored out at the back for the hammers or strikers to slide in.
The break off strap is made wider than usual to carry the hammers or strikers and
also to carry a metal bar or other suitably formed piece, placed across the same
and secured thereto by screws or other suitable means. The said bar has holes
through it, through which the rear ends of the hammers or strikers can work,
thereby supporting or guiding the said hammers or strikers. A strong spiral
spring or springs is placed upon the said hammers or strikers, which bear against a
shoulder, on the same and against the metal-bar at the rear, thus constantly urging
them forward. I also dispense with the sear arrangement, described in the afore-
said Letters Patent, and in place thereof, use vertically sliding pegs, with a head or
shoulder thereon.
These pegs are pushed downwards by a spiral-spring and pass through the
metal-bar before described close by the side of the holes, in the metal bar (before
described) through which the rear ends of the hammers or strikers work. So that
when they are drawn back to full cock in the manner before described, the heads
or shoulders on the aforesaid pegs fall into notches or recesses in the same, thereby
retaining them at full cock.
The gun is discharged in the usual manner by pulling the triggers, which raises
the pegs before mentioned, thereby allowing the hammer to move forward.
The second part of my invention consists of the application of a strong spring or
springs, other than the main-springs, for cocking or assisting to raise to full-cock
the hammers or strikers of breech-loading guns, at the moment of opening the gun
for loading. To accomplish this object I use a strong spring or springs (Preferably
spiral-springs) which may either push or pull directly on the lammers or strikers,
or indirectly through the intervention of a lever, or other suitable means as may
be found desirable. These springs are compressed when the gun is closed, leaving
the hammers free to fall in the ordinary manner. On opening the guns they are

page_text: released from control and being made stronger than the main-springs, they over-
come them, thereby pushing or pulling the hammers back to full cock, without any
exertion on the part of the user of the gun. The said springs may be placed in
any position found most suitable according to the style of gun to which the
invention is applied.
I will now proceed to describe my invention having reference to the
accompanying drawings. The same letters of reference are used in Figs 1 to 6
inclusive
Fig 1 is a side elevation of the action of a gun with the first part of my invention
applied thereto.
Fig 2 is a plan of the back of the false breech shewing the holes a in which the
strikers work also the cocking tumbler b and elongated lever pin c.
Fig 3 is a plan of the tumbler b removed from action, having dotted lines
shewing where the lever pin passes through
Fig: 4 shews one of the hammers, with a notch k in the rear end into which the
sear & falls (Fig 5)
Fig 6 is a part sectional plan of the underside of the break off strap and action,
shewing the hammers e tumbler b and sears d in their relative positions fis the
metal-bar across the same
Fig 7 is a side elevation of an action in part section shewing one method of
construction according to the second part of my invention.
On turning the lever g on the top of the gun, it carries with it the tumbler b
(Fig 3).
This tumbler has a stud upon it which withdraws the bolt h Fig 2 for fastening
down the barrels at the same time it also engages with the arms upon the hammers e
thereby forcing them backwards to the position of full cock. One of the hammers e¹
fig 6 has a longer arm than the other hammer e this longer arm reaches across the
action in such a manner as to overlap the other and bring it into a proper position
with regard to the tumbler b. These hammers e are continually urged forward by
strong spiral-springs (Figs 1 and 6) When the hammers have been pushed back
sufficiently far, the sear heads d (Figs 1 and 5) fall into the notches (Fig 4) in the
side of the hammer, thereby retaining them at full-cock. The gun is then fixed
in the usual manner by pulling the triggers m which raises the sear at peg d
Fig 1. thereby allowing the hammer to move forward. The sears at pegs d are
pushed downwards by light spiral-springs as shewn in Fig 1. This portion of
my invention is shewn as applied to double guns, it can also be applied to single
guns.
In Fig 7 I have shewn one method of applying the second part of my invention.
It is not necessary to shew more as the invention can be applied in a variety of
ways without departing from the principle involved.
I have omitted all details not necessary to shew the application of this
invention.
:
In the action a is drilled a hole b or holes, in the case of double guns. In this
hole works a sliding rod c having a hook at its rear end upon this rod c works a
strong spiral spring g which continually urges it forward (by bearing against a
burr & (Fig 7) screwed on the front of the rod c and an abutment in the action
shewn at e). On opening the gun the fore-end or knuckle joint f turns upon its
centre allowing the rod c to move forward.
The spiral-spring g being made stronger than the main-spring of the lock / it
overcomes the resistance of the same and raises the hammer j to full cock, by
pulling at the bottom of the hammer at c. The hammer is retained at full-cock
by the sear in the ordinary manner. On closing the gun the knuckle joint f
forces the rod c backwards thereby compressing the spring g and thus leaving the
hammer free to fall in the usual manner, when the trigger is pulled. The
compression of the spring g may be effected in any other manuer found desirable,
springs may be used to effect the same result as the spiral spring with slight
modifications.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my invention I wish it to be understood,
that I claim as my invention the following.
1st The combination of lock and coeking mechanism substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in Figs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and 6 of the Drawings.
2nd The use of an elongated lever-pin as described and shewn in Fig: 2 of the
drawings
3rd The use of a vertically sliding peg, for retaining the hammers at full-cock
as described and shewn in Figs 1. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
4th The use of a strong spring other than the main-spring to effect the cocking
of a gun substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Woodward have hereunto set my hand
and seal this seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
THOMAS WOODWARD (L.S.)