IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hunt, of Leman Street, Goodman's Fields,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 6th October 1866, and dated the 11th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1866.
I, THOMAS HUNT, of Leman Street, Goodman's Fields, in the City of
London, 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 improvements in breech-loading tire-arms.
In constructing a breech-loading fire-arm, and also in altering the barrels of
a muzzle-loading fire-arm so that whilst using the original stock and barrel
the piece may be converted into a breech-loading fire-arm, a separate breech
piece is formed to fit the ordinary stock and lock, such as are made at Enfield
or by other makers, and into this the end of the barrel is screwed; and when
altering an old muzzle-loading into a breech-loading gun the barrel is cut to.
reduce its length in proportion to the length of the interposed breech-piece..

page_text: The part of the breech-piece beyond where the barrel is screwed into it is
bollowed out so as to be of a diameter somewhat larger than the bore of the
barrel and corresponding with the metal flanges of the cartridges to be used.
This hollowed out part of the breech-piece is open at the top, its sides being
cut away so as to leave about half a cylinder only, into which a cartridge is
inserted in the act of loading and is afterwards pushed forward by hand into
the rear end of the barrel. Over this part of the breech-pioce is a cover, one
edge of which is hinged to the right-hand side of the hollow part of the breech-
piece; on the under side of this cover is a block which fills up the hollowed
out part of the breech-piece and so forms a stop for the base of the cartridge
to rest against. I would here remark that in respect to the above particulars
I make no claim, as breech-loading fire-arms have before been made by me
and by others of a similar construction. In the present arrangement the
cover is simply formed to turn truly on its hinge and has no sliding action on
its hinge pin. The cover has on the edge opposite the hinge a spring bolt or
catch to lock it when shut. The cover is arranged to open when the hammer
is down after firing the piece, so that the hammer has not to be moved or put
on half-cock before again loading the piece, The case of the discharged
cartridge is drawn partly back by the act of opening the cover, and this is
accomplished by an oblique or spiral thread or projection on a short cylinder
on the axis or pin of the hinge, along which the short cylinder is arranged to
slide a short distance when the cover is opened. When opening the cover
the short cylinder moves therewith, and by so doing the spiral or oblique
thread or projection of the short cylinder acts on the cartridge extractor
which is situated at the right-hand side of the barrel; the extractor thus
causes the cartridge case to be moved back a greater or less distance, as may
be desired, and either into a position to be removed further back by hand, or
by applying a projecting finger-piece to the extractor it may be slid further
back. The stem of the extractor slides in a tubular passage formed in or
affixed to the side of the breech-piece, and the extractor is brought back by a
spiral spring acting on its stem. The cartridges used have each a central
cap and anvil, such as are well known. In order to give the requisite impact
to the priming cap a piston or sliding rod is used which is contained within
the block on the under part of the cover of the breech-piece. The sliding rod
or piston may be slightly inclined to the central axis of the barrel, or it may
be in a line therewith. The piston or sliding rod is acted on by a spiral
spring which brings it back into a position to be struck when the hammer falls..
The back end of the rod or piston is connected to a sliding piece capable of.
11.oving lengitudinally of the cover of the breech-piece, and this piece is

page_text: suitably formed for being struck by the hammer. In order, after the hammer
has struck forward this sliding piece, that the sliding piece may be freed from
the hammer to allow of the cover of the breech-piece being turned up to
withdraw the empty cartridge case without first raising the hammer, the sliding
piece as it is driven forward by the hammer is also caused to rotate, and the
end of this piece that the hammer strikes is so formed as to free itself from
the hammer after it has been caused to turn a distance. When the sliding
piece has turned so as to be free from the hammer it is
original position by the spiral spring before mentioned.
brought back to its
In order for a time to convert such like breech-loading fire-arms into
muzzle-loading arms I introduce a hollow metal breech similar to the metal
parts of a cartridge of a breech-loading fire-arm, which when the cover of the
breech-piece is closed is retained in its position. The piston or sliding rod
above described is removed, and in place thereof a tube is fixed, the forward
end of which extends beyond the end of the cover and enters a recess and
passage formed through the metal which closes the breech end of the barrel
in the manner above stated, hence the cover of the breech-piece is secured
whilst the fore end of the tube by entering the recess and passage in the metal
which closes the barrel also forms a plug so as to prevent the escape of
gases in that direction; at the outer back end of the tube a nipple is formed
to receive a percussion cap in the ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HUNT, of Leman Street, Goodman's Fields, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, 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
Thomas Hunt, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Hunt, my ex-
ecutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Hunt, 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,

page_text: 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 Thomas Iunt, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their bands 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 Thomas Hunt, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In constructing a breech-loading fire-arm, and also in altering the barrels
of muzzle-loading fire-arms so that whilst using the original stock and barrel
the piece may be converted into a breach-loading fire-arm a separate breech
piece is formed which can be fitted to the ordinary stock and lock, such as are
made at Enfield or by other makers, and into this the end of the barrel is
screwed, and when altering an old muzzle-loading into a breech-loading gun
the barrel is cut to reduce its length in proportion to the length of the inter-
posed breech piece. The part of the breech-piece beyond where the barrel is
screwed into it is hollowed out, so as to be of a diameter somewhat larger
than the bore of the barrel and corresponding with the metal flanges of the
cartridges to be used. This hollowed-out part of the breech-piece is open at
the top, its sides being cut away so as to leave about half a cylinder only, into
which a cartridge is inserted in the act of loading, and is afterwards pushed
forward by hand into the rear end of the barrel. Over this part of the breech-
piece is a cover, one edge of which is hinged to the right-hand side of the
hollow part of the breech-piece; on the under side of this cover is a block,
which fills up the hollowed out part of the breech-piece, and so forms a stop
for the base of the cartridge to rest against. I would here remark that
in respect to the above particulars I make no claim, as breech-loading fire-
arms have before been made by me and by others of a similar construction.
In the present arrangement the cover is simply formed to turn truly on its
binge, and has no sliding action on its hinge pin, The cover has on the edge
apposite the hinge a spring bolt or catch to lock it when shut. The cover is
arranged to open when the hammer is down after firing the piece, so that the
hammer has not to be moved or put on half-cock before again loading the.

page_text: piece. The case of the discharged cartridge is drawn partly back by the act
of opening the cover, and this is accomplished by an oblique or spiral thread
or projection on a short cylinder on the axis or pin of the hinge, along which
the short cylinder is arranged to slide a short distance. When opening the
cover the short cylinder moves therewith, and by so doing the spiral or oblique
thread or projection of the short cylinder acts on the cartridge extractor;
which is situated at the right-hand side of the barrel; the extractor thus
causes the cartridge case to be moved back a greater or less distance, as may
be desired, and either into a position to be removed further back by hand, or by
applying an additional instrument in connection with the extractor it may be
slid further back and thrown out, or by applying a projecting finger piece
to the extractor the cartridge case may be slid further back into a position
to be readily thrown out. The stem of the extractor slides in a tubular
passage formed in or affixed to the side of the breech piece, and the extractor
is brought back by a spiral spring acting on its stem. The cartridges used
have each a central cap and anvil, such as are well known. In order to give
the requisite impact to the priming cap a piston or sliding rod is used, which
is contained within the block on the under part of the cover of the breech
piece. The sliding rod or piston may be slightly inclined to the central axis
of the barrel, or by preference it may be in a lino therewith. The piston or
sliding rod is acted on by a spiral spring which brings it back into a position
to be struck when the hammer falls. On the back end of the rod or piston
is formed a sliding piece capable of moving longitudinally of the cover of the
breech-piece, and this piece is suitably formed for being struck by the
hammer. After the hammer has struck forward this sliding piece it frees
itself from it to allow of the cover of the breech-piece being turned up to
withdraw the empty cartridge case without first raising the hammer. The sliding
piece when it is free from the hammer is brought back to its original position.
by the spiral spring before mentioned. The sliding piece is arranged so that
it can rotate in its passage in the block sufficiently to admit of the hammer
being raised without first opening the breech.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto.

page_text: parts are, however, in this Figure shown entire, and the stock is omitted.
a, a, is a portion of the stock of the gun; b is a part of the barrel; it screws
at its breech end into a breech-piece or body c. Figure 4 is a plan of the
body c, and Figure 5 is a side view of the same; Figure 6 is an under side
view; Figure 7 is a transverse section taken at the line 2, 2, Figure 5; and
Figure 8 is a similar view taken at the line 3, 3, Figure 5, but showing only
the metal actually cut through. c, cl, are lugs on the body; they are bored
to receive a pin d, which serves as the axis of the covering or closing block e
for closing the breech. Figure 9 is a plan of the block e, and Figure 10 is a
front view, and Figure 11 a back view of the same; Figure 12 is a transverse
section taken at the line 4, 4, Figure 9. The length of the block e, as will
be seen, corresponds with the open space c, Figure 4, which is left in the
body for the introduction of the cartridge, and when the breech is closed the
semi-cylindrical part e¹ of the block enters and fills this space. In opening
the breech the block turns on its pin or axis d through somewhat more than
half a circle until the block is stopped by the nib e' coming against the lock
plate; free space is thus left for the introduction of a cartridge into the trough
or space c³, from whence it is thrust on into the chamber formed for it at the
rear end of the barrel. The cartridge I usually employ is that known as
"Boxer's" cartridge, or "Daw's" cartridges may be used; these cartridges
have a flange at the back, which enters the recess c³, and the cartridge is thus
stopped in its proper position in the barrel. is the socket in the breech
block, through which the pin d passes. e is a catch which retains the
block e when the breech is closed. Figure 13 is a side view; Figure 14 an
outer end view; Figure 15 an inner end view; and Figure 16 is a
the piece it slides in a slot formed to fit it in the block e, and is retained
in the slot by a pin e passing through a portion of the block and also through
the slotted hole e* in the piece e*. A spiral spring e constantly presses the
piece & outwards, so that when the breech is closed its nib e** catches into
the recess in the hollow of the body. In opening the breech the exposed
end of the catch e' is pressed back by the thumb of the operator. Figures 17
show separately two views of the pin or axis d. Within the block e is a
sliding plug or piston f to communicate the blow of the hammer of the lock
to the priming which is in the centre of the base of the cartridge; in the
arrangement here shown the sliding plug or piston f works to and fro in the
direction of the axis of the barrel. Figure 18 is a side view, and Figure 19
a back view of the sliding plug f; it enters a cavity e' in the block e, and is
there retained by a screw entering the hole e*, so that it is free to slide to
and fro a short distance longitudinally; it is pressed constantly backwards by
plan of

page_text: the spiral spring 9, which, however, is overcome by the hammer on its
descent, and then for an instant the needle which forms the fore end of the
sliding plug is protruded beyond the face of the block e, and striking
the priming at the base of the cartridge it explodes it. The head of the
hammer, of which a front view is shown at Figure 20, has on it a raised
face h, and this strikes upon a similar raised face f¹ on the arm f³ of the.
sliding plug f. Just, however, as the hammer gets to its lowest position the
face h passes below the face f¹, and so escapes from contact with it, and then
immediately the spiral spring 9 brings back the sliding plug with the needle
which forms part of it. The incline of the faces h and f' and the position of
the hammer when down are such as to admit of the blocks being turned on
its pin or axis d, so as to open the breech without first raising the hammer to.
half-cock. In order to admit of the hammer being raised whilst the breech
is closed the sliding plug fis capable of turning partly round in the block e,
the slot in this block for the passage of the arm få being wider than the
thickness of the arm. The arm f³ is pressed constantly towards the right-
hand side of the slot es by the spiral spring e of the catch; the inner end of
this spring rests on the head of the stud e, which passes through a hole
bored for it in the side of the slot es, and bears on the side of the arm f; this
arrangement allows the face f' of the sliding plug f to move sideways to the
left as the hammer is raised, otherwise the hammer would be locked down by
it. If desired, the provision for this lateral movement of the arm f³ may be
omitted, and then the breech will require to be opened before the hammer
can be raised. c is a lug on the body c; it is bored through to form a socket
to receive the extractor or instrument i for withdrawing the cartridge case
after the charge has been fired. Figure 21 is a side view of the extractor;
Figure 22 is a plan, partly in section; and Figure 23 is a back view of the
same. The barrel of the extractor is made in two parts i¹ and ; the fore
part is locked by a screw k in the socket c; this serew enters the hole c**
in the body, and the hole * in the extractor; it also passes through a hole d³
in the head of the pin d, and so secures it. The binder part of the barrel
of the extractor is capable of sliding to and fro in the socket c', and it is
drawn constantly towards the front by the spiral spring which the barrel
contains; this spring is shewn separately at Figure 24; it is fixed at its ends
within the barrel by screwing it into screw threads tapped, as is shewn,
within the parts 2 and 3, at their ends. The head of the extractor is made
flat at to slide on the flat side of the open trough or space c³, and to keep
it truly in contact with this surface it is furnished with a hook at it, which.
catches into the groove in the body. The part of the head of the

page_text: extractor fits into a notch c in the cylindrical part of the body, which contains
the hinder end of the cartridge when it is in its place for firing, and the flange
at the back of the cartridge enters the groove in the extractor, which
groove is in fact at this time a continuation of the recess c³ in the body;
hence when the head of the extractor is caused to move back it draws back
the cartridge case with it. The extractor is actuated by a piece m, which is
shown in side view at Figure 25; Figure 26 is a back view, and Figure 27
a longitudinal section of the same. The piece m fits on to the pin or axis d
in front of the socket e³ of the breech block, and the socket enters within it a
short distance, the rear end of the piece m being bored, sufficiently large, and
being notched at the side at m¹ to receive it; thus the piece m is compelled
to turn on its axis d with the block e. There is sufficient distance between
the lugs of the body to allow the piece m to slide longitudinally a short
distance, but it is pressed forwards constantly by the spiral spring n placed
on the axis d between the pieces e and m; these parts are clearly seen in
Figure 28, which is a section taken on the line 5, 5, Figure 7. m³ is a screw
thread passing about one-third round the piece m. When the breech of the
gun is closed the fore end of the screw lies immediately beneath the part is of
the head of the extractor, and there is an inclined groove in this part
corresponding with the thread m², and with which the said thread engages as
soon as in opening the breech the piece m commences to turn, and as it
continues to turn it draws back the head of the extractor and the cartridge
case with it until presently the rear end of the thread m³ travels out of the
groove ***, and then immediately the spiral spring which was extended
whilst the head of the extractor moved backwards causes it to fly forward to
its original position. When the breech is again closed the back of the
thread m³ at its fore end comes against the part of the head of the extractor,
but these parts being inclined the piece m is pushed back, the spring n being
compressed until when the thread m³ has passed the extractor head the spring
pushes the piece m again forward, so that the thread m² is ready to catch into
the groove x when the breech is next opened. The manner in which the
piece m gears into the extractor i is clearly indicated at Figure 29, which is
a back view of these parts in their relative positions. So far as the action of
the extractor has been at present explained it withdraws the cartridge case a
distance of three quarters of an inch, or thereabout, and there leaves it. In
order to throw it entirely out of the trough or space c³ in the body another
instrument o may be employed; this instrument with the incline 9 herein-after
referred to forms no part of my present Invention, but is the subject in part
of a Provisional Specification filed by. me, and dated the 6th November 1866,

page_text: No. 2878. I have shewn it in these Drawings in order to exhibit the arm in
its most complete form. Figure 30 is a plan, and Figure 31 a side view of
the instrument o; it lies in a groove o" on the under side of the body, and is
there held by a stop screw entered into the hole c. o¹ are rack teeth on the
instrumento; they gear with a pinion p, shown separately at Figures 32;
this pinion drops into the recess c³ in the body, and turns upon a pin screwed
into the hole ; the teeth of this pinion gear with teeth * underneath the
barrel of the extractor, and so each time the extractor works the pinion p
rotates and gives motion to the instrument o. The action of these parts will
be easily understood on reference to Figure 38, which is a section taken at
the line 6, 6, of Figure 7. o is a nib on the tail o³ of the piece o; it is lodged
in a slot c" in the side of the trough or space c³ of the body. When the piece o
is at its furthest position backwards, as it is when the breech is closed, the
ñibe does not project into the trough or space c, which is then filled with
the semi-cylindrical portion e¹ of the breech block. The nib o' is at this time
held back by the end of the tail os coming against the incline o* on the body,
which springs the tail o³, and also more or less inclines the whole piece o in
its guide slot c', which it does not exactly fit. As soon as the piece o begins
to move forward the tail o' leaves the incline c*, and the spring of the tail
and the form of the guide slot c² combine to throw the nib o³ forward into the.
trough or space c. As the nib o* moves on presently it comes against the
flange of the cartridge case, which the extractor i is bringing out of the
barrel, and the nib o' being inclined in front recedes to let it pass, its tail os
bending, but as soon as it has passed the nib again starts forwards, and
immediately afterwards the thread m³ gets past the part of the extractor,
which by its spring is caused directly to fly forwards, and the same spring
simultaneously causes the piece o to fly back, and in so doing the hooked
portion of the nib o, catches the flange of the cartridge case, and throws it;
suddenly backwards, driving it against the incline q fixed at the back of the
trough or space c² by a screw entering the hole c; this incline deflects the
cartridge case upwards, so that it falls out clear of the gun. The notch e at
the bottom of the block e and the notch f³ in the sliding plug f are to
accommodate the incline q..
When an inclined needle is employed the parts are arranged as is shown
at Figure 34. e is the block which closes the breech, and f is the inclined
needle and plug, which is more clearly represented at Figure 85. A passage
is bored through the block to receive the piece f, and f* is a screw, the end
of which projects into the passage. The piece f is put into. its place in the
block e by pressing it down with a turnscrew entered into the neck in its

page_text: head, and turning it half round, then when the pressure is withdrawn the
spiral spring between it throws it up, and the end of the screw f* entering
the shorter limb of the groove in the piece f holds it securely. This method of
securing the inclined needle forms no part of my present Invention; it is the
subject in part of the Provisional Specification filed by me on the 6th day of
November 1866, No. 2878.
Figure 86 is a plan, and Figure 37 is a side view of an arrangement on
the same principle as that already fully described and shown, in so far as that
the extractor receives its motion from an incline on the block, which incline
is able to yield or move back with a spring when the block is turned over to
close the breech, so as to allow it to clear the projection on the extractor on
which it acts when.the block is moved in the contrary direction; in this case,
however, no supplementary instrument is used to withdraw the cartridge case,
but the extractor itself by means of a thumb piece upon it can be drawn back
so as to withdraw the cartridge case to the full extent desired.
case.
Figure 38 is a side view of the covering or closing block separately;
Figure 39 shew the extractor separately; Figure 40 is a section through the
line 7, 7, Figure 36. c, c, is the body, to which is jointed by the lugs c', c¹,
the block e, e, for closing the breech of the barrel. Through the forward lug
the hollow stud D passes, and enters a recess in the block, and the pin d
passes through the stud D, and screws into the hinder lug c². The extractor I
is able to slide within the socket E on the block e, and upon the pin d which
passes through it; this extractor is shown separately at Figures 39. I¹ is a
spiral spring which returns the extractor after it has withdrawn the cartridge
At one end it is screwed into the interior of the extractor, and at the
other into the cap D*, which fits into the top of the stud D, as is shown.
I is an incline on the extractor, and E¹ a corresponding incline on the
block e, and by the meeting of these inclines the extractor receives the first
part of the motion. The incline E¹ is able to yield with a spring in the
direction of the red arrow, so as to allow it to pass the incline I' when the
block is turned over to close the breech. As will be seen the spiral spring I'
is of considerable length so as to allow more play to the extractor than it had
in the arrangement first described, so as (after it has been started by the
inclines in the manner already stated) to admit of its being drawn back by
the thumb piece Is on it to the back of the trough or space left for the
introduction of the cartridge. In this way the cartridge case is brought into
a position such that it can be thrown out with great facility.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine

page_text: myself to the exact details described, but what I claim is the combining with
the covering or closing block which is hinged at the side and turns over to
close the breech of the barrel a sliding plug or piston, which when the breech
is closed is in a line with the axis of the barrel, so that when forced forward
by the action of the lock it may strike fairly on the priming at the centre of
the base of the cartridge.
I also claim the arranging the hammer of the lock and the instrument
which it strikes to explode the cartridge in such manner that the two parts
escape from each other as soon as the sliding plug or piston which com-
municates the blow to the priming has been driven by the hammer sufficiently
forward.
I also claim the arranging the sliding plug or piston so that it can rotate
partly in the breech block, as described.
I also claim the giving motion to the extractor by means of a spiral or
oblique thread or projection moving in connection with the breech block
when it is turned over to one side to open the breech, such spiral or oblique
thread or projection acting against a corresponding thread or projection on
the extractor.
I also claim the arranging the said spiral or oblique threads or projections
so that they may escape each other by a spring action on the breech being
closed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hunt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
THO. HUNT.
(L.B.)