Improvements in Breech Mechanism for Breech-loading Ordnance.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech Mechanism for Breech-loading Ordnance.
1, ROBERT BROOKE DASHIELL, Ensign in the United States Navy, commanding
Naval Ordnance Proving Ground, Indian Head, Maryland, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in the breech mechanism of breech-
loading ordnance, and is specially adapted to that system of ordnance wherein the
breech is closed by a slotted screw plug adapted to swing about a pivot on a gun;
the said slotted screw plug being adapted to register with a corresponding slotted
female screw in rear of the powder chamber of the gun.
The said interrupted screw enables the plug to be given three motions; the one
an angular motion about its axis to engage or disengage the screw; the second a
motion in the direction of its axis to move the screw plug out or into its chamber;
and the third a circular motion on the tray which is pivoted to the gun near one
side of the breech.
The objects of my invention are, first, to provide improvements in the breech
mechanism of such guns, whereby they can be worked, loaded and fired more
rapidly than usual, the withdrawing the empty cartridge case and the several
movements of the breech-plug being effected, in succession, by the continuous
swinging of a single hand lever, by the movements of which in two opposite
directions the breech of the gun can be completely opened and closed; second, to
provide an improved firing-attachment which, during the closing of the breech, is
automatically cocked or made ready for the next discharge, whereby the gun can
be fired with safety the instant the breech is closed; third, to so construct said
firing attachment and combine the same with the breech plug that the explosion
of the charge previous to the locking of said plug in place will be impossible; and
fourth, to provide a simple and effectual means whereby the empty cartridge case
may be removed from the powder chamber after the gun has been fired.
These objects are accomplished by peculiarly constructed and arranged mechanisms
illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification, in
which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts, and in which,―
Fig. 1 represents a rear view of the breech of a breech-loading gun constructed
in accordance with my invention, the breech being closed;
Fig. 2 a broken, top-plan view of the same, partly in section;
Fig. 3 a rear view of the same, the breech-plug being withdrawn or released from
its seat and resting upon the tray;
Fig. 4 a top-plan view of the same;
Fig. 5 a detail, bottom-plan view of the breech-plug;
Fig. 6 a side view of the gun breech, showing the tray and the plug thereon
moved to the right to their full extent, or about 90°;
Fig. 7 a left side view of the gun breech, showing the operating mechanism
closed;
Fig. 8 a right side view of the same;
Fig. 9 a vertical section on the line x x on Fig. 3;
Fig. 10 a section on the line y z on Fig. 1;
Fig. 11, a section on the line y, x, on Fig. 1;
Fig. 12 a view the same as that in Fig. 10, except that the latter shows the gun
fired, while the former shows it ready for firing, or with the firing pin cocked, and
Fig. 13, a detail, perspective view of the horizontally and vertically cogged
rack-har

page_text: Fig. 14 represents a top view of a modification of the breech mechanism with the
breech closed.
Fig. 15 represents a central horizontal sectional view of the mechanism shown in
Fig. 14, and illustrates the cartridge case extractor.
Fig. 16 represents a central horizontal section of the breech plug and breech
partially closed, and illustrates the operation of the cartridge case extractor.
Fig. 17 represents a similar section to that shown in Fig. 16, but with the plug
about to be drawn out, and illustrates the operation of the cartridge extractor.
Figs. 18 and 19 represent a side view, and an inverted plan view, respectively of
the extractor for the empty cartridge cases.
Figs. 20 and 21 represent front and rear views respectively, of the cartridge
extractor.
In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the body of the gun; 2 the breech block
or plug, which is formed with exterior, mutilated screw-threads and fits into a
correspondingly screw-threaded, interior opening or seat formed in the breech of the
gun, and 3 the carrier or tray for supporting said. breech-plug after it has been
removed from its seat in the breech.
which rises from its front edge and is formed on one side with the vertical
This tray is provided with the collar 4,
extension 5 having the socketed lugs or bearings 6 at its upper and lower ends,
which project forwardly and fit loosely within the recesses
surface of the breech, as more plainly illustrated in Fig. 8. Through these lugs or
formed in the rear
bearings and the intermediate socketed part 8 of the breech is passed the vertical
bolt or pin 9, upon which the tray is pivoted or hinged.
This collar 4, not only strengthens said tray, but has the other peculiarities of con-
struction hereinafter described. Near the front edge of the tray and upon its
under side it is provided with the pivoted and spring-pressed double toothed
latch 10, which is automatically disengaged from and engaged with the catch-pin 11
by the action of the breech-plug 2, which occurs during the completion of its
outward and the commencement of its inward movement from and into its seat in
the breech, the purpose of said latch and catch-pin being to hold said tray to and
release it from the breech; also the rear tooth 12 of said latch, which projects up
through a hole in said tray, assists in holding the breech-plug fast upon the latter
after they have been released from the breech, and, also upon the upper side of
said tray are formed the ribs or guides 13, which are adapted to enter corresponding
grooves formed in said breech-plug after the latter has been turned to its unlocked
position and moved out upon said tray.
The mechanism which I have invented and employ for withdrawing the breech-
plug from and returning the same into its seat in the breech is the following-
The hand lever 14 is horizontally arranged, supported upon the tray 3 and
provided at one end with the handle 15, and at the other end with the circular,
cogged segment 16; also it is pivoted upon the bolt or pin 17, which passes down
through the curved slot 18 formed in said tray and forms the fulcrum upon which
said hand lever is turned. This pin is kept from rising by the nut 19 upon its
lower end, while said curved slot permits it and said lever to be moved in either
direction desired; also, said pin passes through a hole in the elbow of the bell-
crank lever 20, the end of the short or outer arm of which is pivoted upon the tray
by the screw-pin 21, while the end of its long or inner arm is formed with the
vertical toe or stud 22, which is fitted into the circular, undercut groove, 23, formed
in the periphery of the breech plug near its rear end, as shown most plainly in
Figs. 10, and 12. Along the front part of the tray is formed the channel or guide 5
way 24, in which the cogged rack bar 25 is slid back and forth, and which is formed
along its right portion with the series of horizontal cogs 26 and along its left portion
with the series of vertical cogs 27. The former cogs mesh or gear with the cogged
segment 16 on the end of the hand lever 14, while the latter gear with the series of
cogs 28 on the periphery of the rear end of the breech plug 2.
For limiting the travel of the rack bar 25 across the face of the breech and
presenting the plug at the proper point for delivery upon the tray, the stop-pin 32
5

page_text: is secured to the rear end of said breech in alignment with the left end of said rack
bar; also this stop-pin converts the right end of said rack bar into a fulcrum for
the cogged segment 16, of the hand lever to revolve upon, and thus, by means of
the bolt or pin 17, to move the long arm of the bell-crank lever rearwardly for
withdrawing the breech-plug and placing the same upon the tray. The first cog 29
at the right end of the vertical series of cogs 27 on said rack bar is arranged in
alignment with the longitudinal groove 30 formed in the lower screw-threaded
section of said breech-plug, (as shown in Fig. 5), when the latter has been turned
to its unlocked position, so that the said groove_can pass over said cog and be
moved out of its seat and upon the tray; also this cog remains engaged in said
groove as long as the plug rests upon the tray and thus prevents endwise movement
of the rack-bar until the plug has been moved from the ribs or guides 13, on the
tray and placed in its seat, or until it is in proper position to be turned by the rack
bar and locked. The first cog 31 at the right end of the horizontal series of
on the rack bar forms the fulcrum upon which the hand-lever turns when the bolt
or pin 17 moves the bell-crank lever 20 forward for forcing the breech-plug into its
seat.
cogs
26
In addition to what is evident in the operation of the mechanism thus far described,
it may be further stated that, when it is desired to open the breech of the gun and
the breech-plug 2 is locked in its seat, or in the position represented in Fig. 1, the
hand lever 14 is turned around to the rear and right, this movement being effected
upon the bolt or pin 17 as a centre, as said pin is held in the bell-crank lever 20
and passes down through the curved slot 18 in the tray 3. As the end of the
short or outer arm of this bell-crank lever is pivoted upon the screw-pin 21, which
is fastened in said tray, and as the long or inner arm of said lever is formed with
the vertical toe or stud 22, which projects upwardly and into the undercut groove 23
in the breech-plug, it is obvious that, by turning said hand lever and its cogged
segment 16 to the right, the latter will engage the horizontal cogs 26 of the rack-
bar 25 and slide the same to the left, that the vertical cogs 27 of said rack-bar will
simultaneously engage the cogs 28 of the breech-plug 2 and turn the same one-sixth
of a revolution, from left to right, and that, when this revolution is completed,
further movement of said rack-bar to the left will be prevented by contact of its
left end with the stop-pin 32. The revolution of the hand lever on the bolt or
pin 17 as a centre ceases at this point and is transferred to the first horizontal
cog 31 on the right end of the rack-bar as a centre or fulcrum. As the centre of
this cog is so arranged as to be in a vertical line with the axis of the screw-pin 21,
when the left end of said rack-bar is held against the stop-pin 32, a continued pull
upon said hand lever, around to the right, will cause it to swing on said axis as a
centre, and by means of the bolt or pin 17, which passes through the bell-crank
lever 20, the latter will also swing rearwardly on said screw-pin as a centre and ·
withdraw the breech-plug to the rear and out upon the tray. The bolt 17 during
this motion passes along the curved slot 18 to its right end. At the completion of
the motion which withdraws the breech-plug, its rear and lower end will strike
against and depress the vertical rear tooth 12 of the latch 10 and thus release the
tray from the breech of the gun. When the parts named are in these positions the
breech-plug and tray are in proper condition for being swung on the hinge bolt or
pin 9 to the rear and right for opening the breech of the gun.
After the tray and breech-plug have been moved to their greatest extent to the
right, or into the position shown in Fig. 6, and it is desired to close the breech of
the gun, the hand lever will be first turned to the left, or to the position shown in
Fig. 4, so that said tray and breech-plug will be returned to the breech and said
tray automatically fastened thereto by the catch-pin 11 and the double-toothed and
spring-pressed latch 10, the rear tooth 12 of the latter acting to simultaneously
unfasten said plug from the tray; then in order to effect the return of the breech-
plug to its seat, a continued turning of said hand lever 14 to the left will cause it to
revolve again on the vertical line passing through the centre of the first horizontal
cog 31 on the right end of the rack bar 25, because, as before described, said rack

page_text: bar is held in its proper place in the tray by reason of the engagement of the first
or right vertical cog 29 on said rack-bar with the longitudinal groove 30 in the
lower part of the breechfplug; then further turning of the hand lever on said centre
will cause the bell-crank lever 20 to swing forward on the screw pin 21, and thus
cause the breech-plug to be thrust into its seat, and also, during this movement,
the bolt 17 will have been moved to the left end of the curved slot 18, and the
breech-plug, being off the ribs or guides 13 and in its seat in the breech, will have
its cogged portion in mesh with the vertical cogs 27 on the rack-bar; then, and
finally, the hand lever is moved further to the left, turning on the bolt 17 as a
centre, when the breech-plug will be turned one-sixth of a revolution to the right
and locked in its seat in the breech by the mutilated screw-threads thereon and
therein, the positions of the parts at this time being represented in Figs. 1, 2, 7, and 8.
As the improvements thus described are intended and designed for employment
in connection with rapid-firing breech-loading ordnance, in which is preferably used
fixed ammunition having the percussion cap 33 in the base of the cartridge 34, I
have constructed and combined therewith an improved firing attachment, and also
an improved extractor for the empty cartridge cases. For simplicity in the drawings,
the said extractor is shown only in Figs. 14 to 19 inclusive.
The breech-plug is centrally bored to receive the firing pin 35, which is provided
at its rear end with the shouldered hook 36 and around which is placed the spiral
spring 37 and the grooved sleeve 38, with which latter engages the lower forked end
of the cocking lever 39, which is pivoted to the rear face of the breech-plug, and
which, when the latter is in its seat in the gun, has its upper end engaged in the
curved or cam groove 40, which is formed in the projection 41, on the upper portion
of the collar 4 and extends for one-sixth of the circumference of the latter. The
lower end of this cocking-lever will be moved forward or backward in accordance
with the position of its upper end in said cam-groove. The firing-pin 35 is held in
its cocked position by the inner point of the horizontally-arranged sear 42 and by
means of the spring 43 pressing against the stud 44 on the front side of said sear.
The other or outer end of this sear is formed with the toe 45 for engaging the;
toe 46 of the trigger 47, against the rear side of which bears the spring 48. To
the left side of the body of the gun is attached the small bell-crank lever 49, the
end of its inner arm being connected to the outer end of the trigger 47, while to
the end of its other arm is connected the lanyard 50, which I prefer to have lead
forward to pass around a pulley located on the gun near its trunnions and to thence
return within convenient reach of the person firing the gun, so that it may be out
of the way of the operator of the breech-plug actuating mechanism. One or more
ordinary or suitable extractors 51 are secured to the front end of the plug for
effecting the withdrawal of empty cartridge shells or cases from the gun; but I
prefer the form of extractor shown in Figs. 14 to 21.
The operation of my improved firing-attachment is as follows:-
After firing, or when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 10, and when
the breech of the gun is to be opened, as previously described, the rotation of the
brecch-plug to the right, by the left trend of the mutilated screw-threads of said
plug and its seat, will cause the upper end of the cocking lever 39 to move in the
inclined, circular cam-groove 40, which is formed, as stated, in the projection 41 of
the collar 4, (as shown in dotted and full lines in the drawings).
This movement of the upper end of said cocking-lever will cause its lower forked
end to move the grooved sleeve 38 and the firing-pin 35 to the rear until the
vertical surface of the rear shoulder of the latter becomes seated or cocked upon
the inuer point of the horizontally-arranged sear 42. During this unlocking move-
ment the inclination or taper of the rear shoulder of the said firing pin will cause
the sear 42 to move outwardly until its inner point reaches the vertical surface of
said shoulder, when the spring 43 will throw said sear inwardly or in front of said
shoulder and hold said firing pin locked.
All of these parts and their described adjuncts will remain in these positions until
the breech-plug has been placed in the breech and it has commenced to be turned

page_text: for locking it in its seat; then, as said plug is rotated, the upper end of the
cocking-lever will move back in the cam-groove, slide the grooved sleeve forward
on the firing-pin and compress, the spiral spring to its full extent. In the meantime
the sear toe 45 will come into engagement with the trigger toe 46, when the gun
will be ready for firing. All of this is done quickly and automatically, and it only
remains to pull the lanyard 50, for withdrawing the point of the sear 42 from the
front of the shouldered hook 36, to effect the firing of the gun; also, as is evident,
my improved firing attachment possesses unusual safety, as it is impossible to fire
the gun until the trigger 47 and the sear 42 become engaged, or until the spiral
spring 37 has been compressed, neither of which can take place until the breech
plug has been locked in its seat.
The improved extractor for the empty cartridge case or shell is illustrated in
Figs. 14 to 21. It consists essentially of a bar of metal 52, having at one end a
part of a flanged ring 51, the flange or hook 53 being turned inwards and adapted
to engage the rim of the cartridge case. In rear of this flange the head of the
extractor has a shoulder which brings up against the face of the nose-plate and
prevents the flange from being drawn closer to said nose plate than the thickness
of the rim of the cartridge case. The bar 52 passes through a slot 56 in the
breech-plug and has a hook 57 at its rear end adapted to catch on the outer
face of said breech plug thus preventing the extractor from slipping out of said
plug.
On the outer face of the bar 52 a weak spring 58 is attached, and in front
of this spring a shoulder 59 which slides easily under a rib 60 in the breech of
the gun.
A small groove 61 is cut in the rear end of the inner tube of the gun to admit
the end carrying the flange 51 of the extractor. The operation of the extractor is
as follows:-
Suppose the breech plug to be open as shown in Fig. 15; when the cartridge is
inserted and the breech plug swung to; the extractor 51 strikes the rim of the
cartridge and is pushed back until the rib 59 is clear of the rib 60; the bevel on
the flange 53 then allows the said flange to slip up over the rim of the cartridge,
and spring 58 snaps it behind said rim.
Now when the breech plug is drawn backwards, it passes through a short
distance before it strikes the hook 57; during which time. the rib 59 slides
beneath the rib 60 and the extractor is held against upward motion when the
breech plug strikes the hook 57. This it does with a sharp blow, which is
amply sufficient to start the cartridge case from its seat; and once started it
is readily drawn out by the continued motion of the breech plug. When the
breech plug is swung around, the empty cartridge case falls to the ground, or may
be removed by hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In ordnance in which the seat in the breech and the breech plug are formed
with correspondingly mutilated screw-threads, and in which said breech plug is
first withdrawn rearwardly, and then swung horizontally, the combination, with a
breech seat and a breech plug thus constructed, the latter being provided with a
series of cogs on its periphery at its rear end, of a pivoted tray, a movable rack
bar connected thereto and formed with a vertical and horizontal series of cogs, the
former series engaging with the series of cogs on the said breech-plug, and a hand
lever formed with cogs which directly engage with and operate said rack bar,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In ordnance in which the seat in the breech and the breech-plug are formed
with correspondingly mutilated screw-threads, and in which said breech-plug is
first withdrawn rearwardly and then swung horizontally, the combination, with a
breech seat and a breech plug thus constructed; the latter being provided with a
.

page_text: series of cogs at it's rear end and on the lower side of its periphery, of a pivoted
tray, a movable rack-bar connected thereto and arranged on a plane below said
plug and formed with a vertical and a horizontal series of cogs, the former series
engaging with the series of cogs on said breech plug, and a hand-lever formed at
one end with a cogged segment which directly meshes with the horizontal series of
cogs on said rack-bar and moves the same longitudinally, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
3. In ordnance in which the seat in the breech and the breech plug are formed
with correspondingly mutilated screw threads, and in which said breech-plug is first
withdrawn rearwardly, and then swung horizontally, the combination, with a breech
seat and a breech plug thus constructed, the latter being provided with a series of
cogs on its periphery at its rear end and with a longitudinal groove in the lower
section of its screw-thread, of a pivoted tray, a movable rack bar thereon which is
arranged on a plane below said. plug and formed with a vertical and a horizontal
series of cogs, the former series engaging with the series of cogs, on said breech-
plug, and a hand-lever formed at one end with a cogged segment which directly
meshes with the horizontal series of cogs on said rack bar and moves the same
longitudinally, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination, with
the breech of a gun formed with recesses in one side of its rear surface and with an
intermediate socketed portion, of a tray formed with a collar having upper
and lower socketed lugs or bearings, which are seated within said recesses, and
a vertical bolt or pin upon which said tray is pivoted, substantially as described.
5. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination
with the breech of a gun formed with recesses in one side of its rear surface and
with an intermediate socketed portion, of a tray formed with a collar having upper
and lower socketed lugs or bearings, which are seated within said recesses, a
vertical bolt or pin upon which said tray is pivoted, means for locking said tray to
and unlocking it from said breech, a breech-plug and means for sliding the same
upon and from said tray, substantially as described.
6. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination with
the breech of a gun, a breech-plug provided with a series of cogs on the
periphery of its rear end, a pivoted tray and a cogged rack bar thereon, the
latter being connected with the series of cogs on said plug, of a hand lever
formed with cogs for operating said rack bar, and a bell-crank lever connected to
said hand-lever and plug for moving the latter onto and from said tray, substantially
as described.
7. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination with
the breech of a gun, a breech-plug provided with a series of cogs on the periphery.
of its rear end and formed with a circular undercut groove, a pivoted tray formed
with a guide-way along its front edge, and a movable rack-bar fitted in said guide
way and formed with a vertical and a horizontal series of cogs, the former series
engaging with the series of cogs on said breech-plug, of a hand-lever formed at one
end with a cogged segment for operating said rack bar, and a bell-crank lever
connected to said hand-lever, pivoted at one end to said tray and provided at
its other end with a vertical toe or stud which projects up into said undercut
groove in the breech-plug, substantially as and for the purposes described.
8. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination, with
the breech of a gun, a breech-plug provided with a series of cogs on the periphery
of its rear end and formed with a circular undercut groove, a pivoted tray formed
with a curved slot and, also, with a guide-way along its front edge, and a movable
rack-bar fitted in said guide way and formed with a vertical and a horizontal series
of cogs, the former series engaging with the series of cogs in said breech plug, of
a hand lever formed at one end with a cogged segment for operating said rack bar,
a pivot-pin passing through said curved slot and connecting said tray and hand
lever, and a bell-crank lever, which is connected to said pivot-pin and hand lever,
pivoted at one end to said tray and provided at its other end with a vertical toe or

page_text: stud which projects up into the undercut groove formed in said breech-plug,
substantially as described.
9. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination,
with the centrally-bored breech plug and a firing pin arranged therein and pro-.
vided with a shoulder near its rear end, and with a spiral spring and a grooved
sleeve, both being arranged in front of said shoulder, of a pivoted cocking-lever
engaging said grooved sleeve, means for moving the lower end of said lever forward
or backward, a horizontal sear having its inner end or point arranged to be engaged
with or disengaged from said shoulder, and means for operating said sear, substan-.
tially as described.
10. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination,
with the centrally-bored breech-plug and a firing-pin arranged therein and
provided with a shoulder near its rear end and with a spiral spring and a grooved
sleeve, both being arranged in frout of said shoulder, of a pivoted cocking-lever
having a forked lower end engaging said grooved sleeve, a revoluble surface formed
with a cam-groove for engaging the upper end of said lever and moving the lower
end thereof forward or backward, a horizontal sear having its inner end or point.
arranged to be engaged with or disengaged from said shoulder, and means for
operating said sear, substantially as described.
11. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination,..
with the centrally-bored breech-plug and a firing pin arranged therein and provided
with a shoulder near its rear end and with a spiral spring and a grooved sleeve,
both being arranged in front of said shoulder, of a pivoted cocking-lever having a
forked lower end engaging said grooved sleeve, a pivoted tray provided with a
collar having a projection upon its upper portion which is formed with a cam-
groove for engaging the upper end of said lever and moving the lower end thereof
forward or backward, a horizontal sear having its inner end or point arranged to.
be engaged with or disengaged from said shoulder, and means for operating said
sear, substantially as described.
12. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination,
with the centrally-bored breech-plug and a firing pin arranged therein and provided
with a shoulder near its rear end with a spiral spring and a grooved sleeve, both
being arranged in front of said shoulder, of a pivoted cocking-lever having a forked
lower end engaging said grooved sleeve; a pivoted tray provided with a collar
having a projection upon its upper portion which is formed with a cam-groove for
engaging the upper end of said lever and moving the lower end thereof forward or
backward, a horizontal sear having its inner end or point arranged to be
engaged with and disengaged from said shoulder and its outer end formed with
a toe, a trigger formed with a toe which is adapted to be engaged with and
disengaged from said sear toe, and means for operating said sear and trigger,
substantially as described.
13. In breech-loading ordnance of the character described, the combination
with the centrally-bored breech-plug and a firing-pin arranged therein and provided
with a shoulder near its rear end and with a spiral spring and a grooved sleeve,
both arranged in front of said shoulder, of a pivoted cocking-lever having a forked
lower end engaging said grooved sleeve, a pivoted tray provided with a collar
having a projection upon its upper portion which is formed with a cam-groove for
engaging the upper end of said lever and moving the lower end thereof forward or
backward, a horizontal sear having its inner end or point arranged to be engaged
with and disengaged from said shoulder and its outer end formed with a toe, a
trigger formed with a toe which is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged
from said sear toe, springs in engagement with said sear and trigger, a bell-crank
lever attached to the side of the body of the gun and having one end connected.
to the outer end of said trigger and a lanyard connected to its other end and
leading, first, forwardly, and then rearwardly, substantially as described.
14. In a breech-loading gun of the character described, a movable rack-bar

page_text: having two sets of cogs set at right angles to each other, and adapted to act as a
movable fulcrum for the breech-opening mechanism, substantially as described.
15. In a breech loading gun of the character described, the mechanism for
opening and closing the breech by one motion of a lever, described in the Specifi-
cation and shown in the drawings hereunto annexed.
16. An extractor for cartridge cases, adapted for use in breech-loading ordnance,
consisting of a bar with a hook at either end thereof, and a spring at the back of
said bar, arranged substantially as herein described and as shown in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
17. In a breech loading gun of the character described, the combination with
the breech-plug of a metal bar adapted to slide therein, and having a hook at either
end of said bar, and a rib and spring at the back thereof; the said rib being
adapted to engage beneath a corresponding rib in the breech plug when the latter
is drawn out, substantially as and for the purposes described.
18. In a breech loading gun of the slotted screw system, the extractor for the
cartridge case constructed substantially as herein described and as shown in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
19. The herein-described apparatus for firing the gun, reference being had to
the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 9th day of February 1892
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London. Agents for the Applicant.