IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Georges Schneider, Gunsmith, of 14,, Rue Ste. Anne,
Paris, in the Empire of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 28th January 1868, and dated the 5th August 1867.
1. 15)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Georges Schneider at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
5th August 1867.
19.
I, GEORGES SCHNEIDER, Gunsmith, of 14, Rue Ste. Anne, Paris, in the
Empire of France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relates to that
class of arm technically known as the break-down in, which the stock is
jointed to the barrel, and in which the breech is opened by breaking down or
depressing the butt end of the stock.
My first improvement has reference to a mechanism for maintaining the
arm closed. For this purpose I make use of a bolt a, Fig. 1, adapted to
slide backwards and forwards in the breech piece 6 by means of a lever'c,
which bolt when the arm is closed enters a cavity d formed under the barrel
or barrels employ a spring e to keep the bolt in position.
My second-imurovement has reference to the pistons-which strike the

page_text: ment I raise the piston automatically by the closing of the gun without the
use of springs or any additional complication..
This arrangement is shewn in the Figures 2, 3, and 4; Fig. 2 is an elevation,
partially in section, of such parts of the arm having reference to this construc
tion, the arm being closed; Fig. 3 is a similar elevation, the arm being open;
and Fig. 4 an end elevation of the barrels shewing the cartridge extractor.
ff, are the barrels; g, the stock; h, the cartridge; and i the piston which
. consists in a steel pin provided with a small shoulder in order to limit its descent
in the hole in which it works. In Fig. 2 this piston is represented in position
before the explosion, and in Fig. 3 after the explosion, the arm being opened;
and in order to raise the same I make use of two small ears k³, k¹, adapted
to the extractor k, which by the act of closing the arm come in contact with
the pistons and raise them into their place ready for firing, as seen in Fig. 2.
My Invention relates, secondly, to that class of arm in which the barrels and
stock are rigidly connected, and my first improvement in the same bas reference
to the moveable breech piece and its accessory parts and is represented by the
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, in which Fig. 5 is a plan with the barrel partially in
section; Fig. 6 a similar view with the cartridge drawn out, and Fig. 8 a
transverse sectional elevation.
6 is the swinging breech piece mounted on the left side of the arm in such a
manner that it can both swing and slide on the pin which is secured at
either extremity to ears m and m³.
My second improvement has reference to the extraction and expulsion of
the cartridge, which I effect in one single operation. For this purpose
I
make a perforation n through the breech of the gun in such a position that
after the extractor has drawo the cartridge h entirely out of the barrel e,
whether it be charged or exploded it will fall from the arm through the said
perforation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Georges Schneider in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGES
SCHNEIDER, Gunsmith, of 14, Rue St. Anne, Paris, in the Empire of France,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Georges Schneider, Her special licence that I, the said Georges Schneider,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Georges Schneider, 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 Georges Schneider, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands 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 montis next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Georges Schneider, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms" relates to
tbat class of arin technically known as the break-down in which the stock is
jointed to the barrel and in which the breech is opened by breaking down or
depressing the butt end of the stock.
My first improvement has reference to the mechanism for maintaining the
arm closed. For this purpose I make use of a bolt adapted to slide back-
wards and forwards in the breech piece by means of a lever, which bolt when
the arm is closed enters a cavity formed under the barrel or barrels. A spring
is employed to keep the bolt in position.
My second improvement under this head has reference to the pistons which
strike the cartridge to produce its ignition. Hitherto these pistons have been
raised by a spring, generally a helical spring) coiled round the piston. By my
improvement raise the piston automatically by the closing of the gun.
without the use of springs or any additional complication.
5 My Invention relates, secondly, to that class of arm in which the barrels
and stock are rigidly connected, and my first improvement in the same has
reference to the moveable-breech-piece-and its accessory parts.
My-next-improvement-bas-reference to the extraction and expulsion of the
cartridge, which is effected in one single operation. For this purpose I make

page_text: a perforation through the breech of the gun in such a position that after the
extractor has drawn the cartridge entirely out of the barrel, whether it be
charged or exploded, it will fall from the arm through such perforation.
In order that my improvements may be clearly understood I will proceed
to explain them conjointly with the three Sheets of accompanying Drawings,
in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 of Sheet I., and the four Figures of Sheet II.,
have reference to that class of arm in which the stock is jointed to the barrel,
and in which the breech is disclosed by opening these parts; whereas Figures
4, 5, 6, and 7 of Sheet I., and the four Figures of Sheet III., bave reference
to that class of arm in which the barrel or barrels and stock are rigidly
connected. Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a sectional elevation of the arm closed; Fig. 2
is another sectional elevation shewing the arm open; in these Figures e is the
breech piece, projecting from the stock and jointed by a pin g to the part f
adapted under the barrels a, a. The closing bolt i is adapted to slide
backwards and forwards in the breech piece e, and when it is closed this bolt
énters an aperture formed underneath and between the barrels a, a; this
bolt is actuated directly by a little lever 1, mounted on a pin m and its upper
extremity enters a cavity cut in the tail of the bolt i, and in order to guide this
latter and prevent it from rotating 1 form on the breech piece a projection j.
The spring causes the bolt i and the lever to return automatically after
each manual operation.
The next improvement has reference to the pistons which strike the
cartridge to produce its ignition, and consists in a mechanical means of raising
the same automatically, thereby dispensing with the spring hitherto used or
any additional complication. This arrangement is shewn in the two Figures of
Sheet I. above referred to, and in Fig. 3 which is a front view of the barrels
with the extractor. d is the piston which consists in a steel pin provided with
a small shoulder in order to limit its descent in the hole in which it works,
and which is kept in position by means of the tapped nipple d'. In Fig. 1
this piston is represented in position before firing, and in Fig 2. after firing,
the arm being shewn open. In order to raise the piston without the usual
coiled spring, which acted immediately the cock was raised, I make use of the
cartridge extractor k which raises the pistons by the closing of the arm; to
this end I make the extractor with two small ears p, p, which on closing the
arni come in contact with the pistons, which have fallen by their own gravity
into the position shewa at Fig. 2 on opening the arm, and raise them to their
proper place ready for firing, as shewn in Fig. 1.
:
Hitherto the action of the cartridge extractor has been such that when
fully pushed out by the opening of the arm it could only be returned by
:

page_text: reclosing the same; when using pin cartridges particularly this fixity of the
extractor is found inconvenient and dangerous, because the sportsman is never
sure of inserting the cartridge in such a manner that on closing the arm the
pin will enter the nick made in the barrel to receive it. To remedy this defect
I have arranged the extractor in such manner that when the arm is completely
open the extractor can be thrust completely home with the pin of the cartridge.
lodged in its nick. For this purpose the extremities q of the extractor k are
made in the shape of a wedge, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of Sheet II.,
and it is thrown forward on opening as well as on closing the arm by contact
against an equally wedge-shaped point e forming part of the breech piece.
Fig. 1 serves to shew the position of the extractor when the arm is closed,
Fig. 2 immediately after opening, and Fig. 3 with the cartridges pushed home
in the barrels. On closing the arm the extractor by contact of its points q
against e draws out the cartridges, which are immediately returned to their
former position by their contact with the breech face e². In order to keep
the breech joint tight and compensate for wear and tear I make use of a screw
f, Figures 1 and 4, Sheet II.; this screw has a screwdriver head tapped
into the part f at the end of the breech piece in such a manner that on
closing the arm the tenone comes in contact with the head of this screw, as
seen in Fig. 1, and brings the face of the barrels in close contact with the
breech face. When the arm is open this screw is easily accessible for an
ordinary screwdriver so as to regulate exactly the extent to which it should be
drawn out, the same result can be obtained by tapping the screw in the tenon
es, as shewn in red in Fig. 1, and by causing its point to come in contact
with the part f³.
The second part of the Invention relates to rigidly connected breech-loaded
fire-arms, and has reference to the swinging breech piece and its accessory
parts with the view of giving to the same greater facility and security of its
motion. Figures 4 to 7, Sheet I., serve to illustrate this improvement, Fig. 4.
being a plan of the arm open with the breech piece and extractor brought
back; Fig. 5 is a similar plan with the breech piece merely flung open; Fig. 6
is a longitudinal elevation, and Fig. 7 a transverse section through A, B, of
Fig. 5.
a is the breech piece which both swings and slides on the bolt b
secured at each extremity in the ears c and c¹ projecting from the left side of
the arm; f is the extractor which is also adapted to the bolt 6 on which it
slides only. Great stability and security is thus obtained, and at the same
time the swinging breech piece can be brought back sufficiently in the
direction of the stock to withdraw the cartridge d entirely from the barrel.

page_text: The breech piece is locked by means of a caten g, Fig. 7, actuated by the
spring h¹, and turning on the pin i; this catch is provided with a small lugj
that enters a cavity in the breech piece shewn in dotted lines at Figures
4, 5, and 7, or this lug can be fixed on the breech piece and the cavity made
in the catch g. To open the arm it is merely necessary to apply a slight
pressure on the part h, which liberates the lug and admits of the breech piece
a being swung round.
The four Figures of Sheet III. illustrate a modification of this last improve-
ment, in which Fig. 1 is a plan, with the breech swung open and drawn back;
Fig. 2 a similar view, the breech being only swung open; Fig 3 a
longitudinal elevation; and Fig 4 a section through A, B, Fig. 1; in this case
the moveable breech piece a is attached to the bolt B by a pin or otherwise, so
that, the .bolt, is obliged to follow the to-and-fro motion of the part a by sliding
in the ears c and c','a third ear ca being provided if necessary to support the
extremity of the pin b. when the gun is cocked, see Figures 2 and 3; the
extractor fis pinned on the bolt, so. that it is also forced to follow the to-and.
fro movements of the breech piece, and it is owing to the form of this extractor
which slides on both sides of the breech piece at 7 that not only it cannot turn
on the bolt, but prevents the latter also from rotating. In order to keep the
breech piece against the face of the barrel, unless held open by the hand, a
small spring n is fixed on a stationary pino in such a manner that it shall
press against a fixed shoulder p and also against the ear r forming part of the
extractor f. On the breech piece being drawn back this spring is compressed
and this compression is sufficient to bring it back to its original position as
soon as it is liberated by the hand.
The next improvement has reference to the extraction and expulsion of the
cartridge, and is illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of Sheet 1, as well as in the four
Figures of the Sheet 3. Hitherto two movements have been deemed
necessary to accomplish this; the first to effect the extraction from the barrel,
and the second to discharge it from the gun. By the present improvements
these two objects are effected by one single movement and without necessitating
any change in the position of the arm; to this end an aperture or opening k
is made in the bottom of the breech, and in such a position that when the
cartridge d has been entirely removed from the barrel e by means of the
extractor fit will whether still loaded or exploded fall to the ground through
the opening k, as shewn.
Having thus explained the nature of my Invention, and the best means that
I am acquainted with for putting the same into practice, I desire it to be

page_text: understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim with
regard to that class of breech-loading fire-arms known as the break-down
in which the stock is jointed to the barrel or barrels,-
Firstly. The mechanical construction of parts above described for opening
and closing such arms.
Secondly. The mode herein set forth of raising the pistons.
Thirdly. The peculiar construction of the extractor whereby the cartridges
can be pushed home in the barrels whilst the arm is open.
Fourthly. The mode set forth for bringing the face of the barrels in contact
with the breech face.
And with regard to that class of arm in which the barrel or barrels and
stock are rigidly connected I claim,-
Firstly. The two different constructions of parts shewn and described with
respect to the breech block and extractor.
And, secondly, the mode herein set forth for extracting and expelling the
cartridge or exploded shell by one and the same operation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Georges Schneider, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the 22nd day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
D. H. BRANDON,"
No. 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris.
G. SCHNEIDER. (L.S.)