IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS SOUTHGATE of 6 Burton Crescent in the County of Middlesex Gun-
maker do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING SPORTING FIRE-ARMS to be as follows:-
»
My invention relates to certain improvements in breech loading sporting fire-
arms and preferably to the so called hammerless or inside hammer guns.
»
According to my invention I cock the locks which may be the ordinary side
locks, backwork, or bar, by the opening and closing of the breech actuating a pair
of cocking levers as hereinafter described; having fitted the action on the barrels
I form a vertical slot in each side of the action extending from the back of action
towards the knuckle joint parallel but at right angles with the ordinary bolt hole;
at the front ends of these vertical slots the flat of the action is cut through to allow
on the opening of the gun
"spurs
on the front ends of the cocking levers to pass
through upwards, bearing on the "flats" of the barrels. The cocking levers are
pivotted on or near the side pin of the lock and are provided at the back end with
a jointed sear or lifter, which I will call No 1 sear, which latter is by a small spring
kept pressed against the front or breast of inside hammers in which a bent or notch
is cut in such a manner that when the gun is opened the front ends of the cocking
levers are allowed to pass upwards through the openings at the front ends of the
vertical slots; the sears or lifters No 1 at the back ends of the cocking levers
engage in the bent No 1 cut in the fronts of the inside hammers. On the gun being
closed and the front ends of the cocking levers pressed downwards through the
action slots, the back ends of cocking levers rise carrying up and holding the
hammers in their cocked position until the trigger is pulled, when the front of
the trigger blade pressing against the tail of the lifting sear No 1 pushes it out of
the bent and the back of trigger blade exactly reaching the tail of the ordinary
sear No 2 allows the hammer to fall.
It is impossible for the hammer to fall unless the trigger is pulled as the tumbler
or inside hammer is formed with a deep bent or notch No 2 into which the ordinary
sear No 2 fits and should the hammer be jarred out of its place when at full cock,
at which time it is resting on the lifting sear No 1, the said hammer would be
caught by the ordinary sear No 2 and prevented from falling on the striker.
The bent or notch N° 2 in the tumbler or hammer just mentioned is so arranged
that the nose of sear No 2 does not rest in the bent or notch N° 2 cut in the tumbler

page_text: but rests on the tumbler beyond the bent No 2 and in such a position that the back
end of the trigger blade is some distance from the tail of sear No 2 it being only
necessary to just reach No 2 sear in order to keep it up from engaging in its bent.
Should No 1 sear be knocked or jarred out of bent No 1 without the trigger being
pulled No 2 sear would enter N° 2 bent which is shaped like the old half cock bents
in ordinary locks the tail of the sear No 2 would then come down on the trigger
blade and effectually bolt the trigger and tumbler with all the strength of the main
spring should this ever occur, the opening and closing of the breech would replace
the limbs and the gun is then again ready to fire. The front end of trigger blade
is made to move forward, either a slide through the action over the bolt hole or a
rocker into such a position that it will intercept the short arm of a lever pivotted
in the steel lump of barrel the long arm of which lies under the extractors in such a
manner that when the gun is opened the cartridge or cartridges will be ejected;
when the right hand trigger is pulled the right hand cartridge is alone ejected and
similarly for the left.

page_text: We, THOMAS SOUTHGATE of 6 Burton Crescent in the County of Middlesex Gun
Maker and JAMES LANG of the Firm of Joseph Lang and Son of 22 Cockspur Street.
Pall Mall in the County of Middlesex Gun Manufacturers do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING SPORTING FIRE-
ARMS" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following stateinent :--
Our invention relates to certain Improvements in Breech Loading Sporting Fire-
arms and preferably to the so-called hammerless or inside hammer guns.
In order that our invention may be easily understood and readily carried into
effect we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings;
"
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a so-called "Hammerless Gun
constructed according to our invention the bridle plate of same being removed and
the woodwork merely indicated by dotted lines in order to show the action of the
lock mechanism more clearly (the gun is shown in the cocked position) Figure 2
shows a portion of the mechanism the bridle plate being fitted thereto and the
hammer "jarred" off. Figure 3 is a part longitudinal vertical section showing
the gun in the position after firing, or the uncocked position and the barrels open.
Figure 4 is a part sectional plan of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective view
showing the hammer, cocking lever, and lifter removed from the gun. Similar
letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
According to our Invention we cock the locks A which may be the ordinary side
locks, back work or bar by the opening and closing of the breech B the flat por-
tion B¹ actuating a pair of cocking levers C C as is hereinafter described.
Having fitted the action on the barrels D we form a vertical slot E in each side
of the action extending from the back of action toward the knuckle joint parallel
but at right angles with the ordinary bolt hole, at the front ends of these vertical
slots E the flap of the action is cut through at E¹ to allow on the opening of the
gun the spurs C' on the front ends of the cocking levers C to pass through upwards
bearing on the "flats" B' of the barrels. The cocking levers are pivoted at C³ on
or near the side pin of the lock and are provided at the back end C³ with a pointed
sear or lifter F which is by a small spring G kept pressed against the front or breast
of inside hammers A in which a bent or notch A' is cut in such a manner that
when the gun is opened the front end or spurs C₁ of the cocking levers C are
allowed to pass upwards aided by a spring C through the openings at the front
ends of the vertical slots E. The sears or lifters F, which might be jointed to the
tumbler, instead of to the cocking lever, at the back ends C³ of the cocking levers
CC engage in the bent A' cut in the fronts of the inside hammers A. On the gun
being closed and the front ends C₁ of the cocking levers C pressed downwards
through the action slots E¹ the back ends C³ of cocking levers Crise carrying up
and holding the hammers A in their cocked position until the trigger H is pulled
when the front of the trigger blade H¹ turning on its pivot H³ and pressing against
the tail F1 of the lifting sear F pushes it out of the bent A' and the back of
trigger blade H¹ exactly reaching the tail of the ordinary sear K allows the hammer
to fall,
It is impossible for the hammers A to fall unless one of the triggers H is pulled
as the tumbler or inside hammer A is formed with a deep bent or notch K¹ into
which the ordinary sear K fits and should the hammer A be jarred out of its place
when at full cock and at which time it is resting on the lifting sear F the said
bammer A would be caught by the ordinary sear K and prevented from falling on

page_text: the striker L. The bent or notch K¹ on the tumbler or hammer A is so arranged
that the nose of sear K does not rest in the bent or notch K¹ cut in the tumbler A
but rests on the tumbler A beyond the bent K' as shown at Figure 1 and in such a
position that the back end of the trigger blade H' is some distance from the tail of
sear K. it being only necessary to just reach the sear K in order to keep it from
engaging in its bent K₁on the tumbler A, but should the sear F be knocked or
jarred out of bent without the trigger being pulled the sear K would enter bent K'
and occupy the position shown at Figure 2. This bent is shaped like the old half
cock bents in ordinary locks the tail of the sear K would then come down on the
trigger blade H and effectually bolt the trigger H and tumbler A with all the
strength of the main spring. Should this ever occur the opening and closing of
the breech would replace the limbs and the gun is then again ready to fire.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed We declare that we do
not claim when taken alone or separately, except as hereafter claimed, a cocking
lever or levers operated by the opening and closing of the barrels to cock the
hammers but what We claim is :-
First In breech loading sporting fire-arms the combination with a cocking
lever C of a jointed sear or lifter F on the back end thereof which latter engages
in a notch A¹ on the breast of the hammer whereby the gun is cocked through the
closing of the barrels and the hammers also securely held in position until the
triggers are pulled all substantially as described and illustrated with, reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Second-The forming of a deep bent K' in the tumblers for the ordinary sear K
the said sear and bent acting as a safety so that the tumbler is caught if accidentally
jarred off without the trigger being pulled substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Third The prolongation of the trigger H¹ to actuate the front sear or lifter F
to discharge the gun in combination with the cocking lever and jointed sear of.
lifter all substantially as set forth.
Dated this Sixth day of December 1884.