IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND BAYONETS FOR THE SAME.
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Wyley, of Barker Street, Aston Manor, in
the County of Warwick, Geological Surveyor, for the Invention of
66
IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND BAYONETS FOR THE SAME.
Sealed the 24th September 1867, and dated the 25th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Wyley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th March 1867.
I, ANDREW WYLEY, of Barker Street, Aston Manor, in the County of
Warwick, Geological Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND BAYONETS FOR
THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My improvements have reference to fire-arms in which the breech is closed
by a bolt having a reciprocating motion in a breech case forming a
continuation of the barrel. The improvements consist in so constructing and
disposing the various parts of the breech-loading action in reference to each
other and to the lock as to combine symmetry, safety, and a capacity of
rapid manipulation; they comprise certain modifications of the lock and
trigger plate, certain alterations in the means for removing the cartridge, in
the arrangements for locking the bolt in its place for firing, in the details of the
A

page_text: sights and bands where such are used, in the sling attachment, in the bayonet,
and in the mode of fixing the same in military fire-arms; they also comprise
a method of applying the repeating principle to such arms; some of them are
applicable to other breech-loaders. I apply to fire-arms of the kind above
mentioned a central lock similar to that described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to Andrew Wyley, and dated the 2nd day of October 1862, No. 2453,
and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the first Sheet and partly in Figure 1 of
the second Sheet of Drawings annexed to such Specification, the said lock being
modified as follows:-The trigger sear engages with the hammer head not at
the extreme part of the curve but nearer to the centre pin. The mainspring
is made more easily removablė; in some cases the trigger sear engages with
the fore part of the hammer boss, both being mounted in a slotted lump
on the trigger plate, the mainspring being placed behind. The blade of
the trigger sear in either case is made narrow, being left broad where it
takes into the bent, and sometimes at the eye, and the trigger plate is so
constructed as to admit the enlarged part. The opening required for this
purpose is filled up or concealed by the guard, which I prefer of the shape
known as Purdey's, but plain in the hand part, the scroll being formed by
bending the rear end of the trigger plate. I sometimes make the hand part
on the trigger plate instead of the guard, and screw or fix near the end of
the same a button, to which the sling furnished at its rear end with a button
hole slit may be attached. In military fire-arms another button may be
placed before the guard, on which the end of the sling is fixed when drawn
up tight along the stock. The breech bolt when drawn back from the barrel
brings the hammer to full-cock, and then rides over the face of the same like
the breech chamber described in the above Specification, but to a much
greater distance so as to fully withdraw the spent cartridge and admit a fresh
one; that part of the bolt which comes first, in contact with the hammer face
is somewhat rounded, and the part that follows is cut away so as to avoid
unnecessary friction. The hammer strikes the rear end of a long percussion
pin or needle placed centrally in the bolt or inclined as in the case of a rim-
fire cartridge being used, and having sufficient traverse to explode the cap or
priming. A central-fire metallic cartridge is preferred, but other kinds may
be employed. In loading the cartridge is introduced through a long slot in
the top. of the breech case, such slot being afterwards closed by a rib forming
part of or made to travel with the bolt or in one form by the locking piece.
The forward motion of the bolt pushes the cartridge into the barrel, and by
the reverse motion it is withdrawn, an extractor being attached to or forming
part of the bolt. The first form of extractor, or that used for flanged

page_text: cartridges, has a jaw somewhat of the usual shape, but it is formed with a
collar at its rear end which has a short traverse on a reduced part of the
bolt. A disc or collar attached by a screw to the head of the bolt serves
as a stop and guide for such extractor; instead of a single jaw it may have
two hooks, one on each side. When the barrel forms one piece with
the breech case the recess in the former for the extractor jaw is made by
a cutter working excentrically to the axis of the barrel. The recess is
sloped or bevelled forwards, the jaw corresponding, and is thus less liable to
catch hold of the cartridge. The cartridge is so inserted that its flange falls
between the jaw and the end of the bolt. The second form or that used with
a plain or unflanged metallic cartridge forms part of the bolt, and is in fact a
continuation of the cartridge chamber in the barrel. It is a cylindrical cavity
with oblique or spiral grooves on its circumference, which grip the base of
the cartridge when expanded by the explosion and enable it to be drawn
away from the barrel. The cartridge chamber in the latter has one or two
longitudinal grooves to prevent the cartridge turning on its axis when being
withdrawn. When the bolt is drawn back to its full extent the cartridge
base is pushed out of the said cavity by a pin with or without a disc head
having a motion in the fore part of the bolt coming against a fixed stop; or
in lieu of the above the inside of the cup may be chequered instead of grooved,
leaving a number of small protuberances which will take hold of the cartridge
bore without any undue expansion or danger of bursting the latter. Supposing
the cartridge used be of a more or less combustible kind no special extractor
is used, but an air cavity is made in front of the bolt to blow out the fragments.
The rear part of the breech case may be left open or cut away so as to admit
of the hammer being cocked or uncocked by hand, but I prefer to close it
by a tail piece attached to the rear of the bolt. In this case as the act of
opening the breech for loading leaves the hammer at full-cock a sliding bolt
is made to engage with the hammer head, either by the action of closing the
breech or by hand; it is withdrawn before firing by means of a thumb piece
at its rear end; other safety appliances may be used, such as a false hammer
outside, the axis of which permits the internal hammer to strike the pin in
one position only.
The foregoing arrangements are applicable generally to fire-arms which
have the breech closed by a bolt sliding sufficiently far and having no levers
or other mechanism in the way, some of theni may be omitted and the more
usual arrangement substituted. The improvements in the locking arrange-
ments, which remain to be described, vary according as it is desired to fix
the breech bolt to the breech case for firing by a transverse bolt or cotter, by
2

page_text: Jugs or segments of screw threads, and a partial turn by a long block piece
interposed between shoulders on the bolt and an abutment in the breech
case, or by shorter curvilinear pieces attached to a radial arm or arms
passing into recesses partly in the breech case and partly in the bolt.
In the first case I make the transverse bolt of a T shape, the vertical part
passing through a wide slot in the closing bolt and bottom of the breech case,
here somewhat enlarged, while the cross head drops into a groove formed across
the top of the latter, thus giving three nearly equidistant points of support.
The T-piece is raised by hand till disengaged from the breech case, and then
forms the handle for working the bolt. A spring falling into notches prevents
its drawing quite out of the bolt, and holds it in place when pressed home. It
may be made to rise higher if the upright stem of the T is continued down-
wards through the stock as far as the trigger plate, with a wide slot to allow
it to pass over the end of the mainspring when the last is in its way. A
narrow slot is also made to allow it to pass over the percussion pin, which is
here somewhat thinned; advantage is taken of this to prevent the pin
advancing till the bolt is in a secure state. The stem of the T-piece may be
wholly divided, each part falling into a recess partly in the breech case and
partly in the bolt; thus the percussion pin is not interfered with.
In the second case, where the bolt is locked by segments of screw threads on
its two opposite sides, I form the outside screw upon a short ring or collar on
which the usual handle; this collar turns on an intermediate piece connecting
the bolt proper, and the tail piece used to close up the inclined gap in the rear of
the breech case; thus the bolt is made in three parts, bolt proper, tail piece,
the one screwed into the other, and the locking ring, which engages with
segments of screw threads on the inside of the breech case. Instead of a
number of threads two inclined lugs may be used, the lever handle being a
continuation of one of them. The rear of the breech case is partially cut
away so as to allow the under set of screw threads or lug to pass when the
bolt is drawn back; the upper travelling in the open slot on the top of the
breech case, which in the locked state is closed by a rib formed on the bolt
and continued in a bridge form over the locking ring. The part of the tail
piece behind the locking ring is so shaped that the hammer cannot strike the
central pin till the gun is securely locked, and thus the turning of the lever
into an inclined or upright position serves instead of half-cock. A spring
click may be used to retain it in the upright position. I sometimes make
the bolt, tail piece, and lever so as to form one piece; in this case the rib
which closes the slot in the top of the breech case is detached, but is so
arranged as to travel backward and-forward with the bolt; it may be united
:.

page_text: If a flanged
to a disc or collar working freely on the fore end of the bolt.
cartridge and an extractor of the first kind are used, besides the longitudinal.
traverse the bolt can turn in the extractor through the quarter of a circle,
being guided by a pin working in a bayonet groove. In any of the above
forms the percussion pin or needle may be actuated by a spiral spring placed.
in the bolt instead of a hammer and mainspring. A projection is formed.
upon the needle or needle carrier extending downwards into a notch in which
The sear is
a sear pivotted behind the locking arrangement engages.
released by a trigger. A second notch may be added, and a thumb piece
formed at the rear end of the needle or carrier for cocking and half-cocking.
I use a lock of this kind and a bolt fitted with a T-piece, as in the first form,
for pistols and walking-stick guns; the latter are made with a handle at
right angles to the breech case and under the locking T-piece, which may
extend into the said handle; this may also include the sear. The trigger which
acts on the sear in any convenient way I prefer to place about an inch in.
advance of the handle.
In the third form or that in which the bolt is locked by a block piece I cut
away the sides and some of the upper part of the bolt, leaving a short plug at
the fore end which closes the end of the barrel; this plug is hollowed out and
furnished with a pin to serve as an extractor of the second kind, or it may
carry a sliding extractor of the common form in a reversed position. The
reduced part of the bolt, usually of upright rectangular section, is free to
slide back in a groove in the abutment at the back of the breech case and
tang thereof far enough to draw the cartridge. The lock is placed as in the
two preceding forms, the percussion pin in the axis of the bolt. The locking
is made by a block piece of inverted U section, which slips over the reduced
part of the bolt and fills up the breech case or nearly so; it bears against the
head of the bolt and the abutment already mentioned; it is raised by hand,
projecting ears being formed on its upper part, and then serves as a handle for
drawing back the bolt. It may have a parallel motion vertically, being guided
and stopped by two pins or studs projecting somewhat over the narrow part of
the bolt. When raised far enough it is free to slide back in a hollow formed
in the top of the breech abutment, carrying with it the bolt and drawing the
cartridge. A projection on the tail piece fills this hollow when the breech.is
closed. In loading the above motions are reversed. The tail piece is of the
same thickness as the reduced part of the bolt, and has a gap for the hammer
to work in, and a safety sliding bar is used as in the first form described; or
the tail piece and safety bar may be dispensed with and the hammer exposed
so as to permit of uncocking by hand. Instead of rising vertically the block

page_text: piece may be hinged to the bolt at the fore part or rear end, and open and
close by an angular motion. In this form of fire-arm an ordinary side lock
may be used, striking an inclined percussion pin made in two parts, the longer
in the block piece, the shorter in the bolt head; in this case the block piece is
nearly solid and the bolt so far reduced as to leave only a round pin, which
slides in a hole in the lower part of the breech abutment.
The fourth form differs from the first only in this respect, that instead of
the locking taking place by a T-piece sliding vertically it is made by two
short curvilinear pieces passing into recesses partly in the breech case and
partly in the bolt. These pieces project from a radial bar or bars hinged to
the bolt; these with the locking pieces are raised by hand nearly through a
quarter circle, and serve as a handle for working the bolt. In the case of
rifles constructed with the improvements above mentioned I prefer to use. the
backsight described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Andrew Wyley
and John Grainger, dated 1st July 1864, No. 1645, and shewn in Figures 21
and 22 of the Drawings annexed to such Specification, but modified as
follows: The stud of the sight frame is slit nearly to the bottom to enable the
ring to grip the barrel by its elasticity merely, while admitting of expansion,
and the slit is sometimes so enlarged as to pass over the foresight block or the
sling loop if this is attached to the barrel; it also admits the cleaning rod, which
may be placed immediately under the barrel. To prevent the sight from drawing
away clear of the frame a pin is screwed into one leg, the end of which travels
in a groove in the sight frame and stock. I construct the working head,
which is adjustable by two screws, with a semicircular groove, which last may
be extended into a circular shade; across this groove or ring extends a thin
leaf, which may be cut away so as to leave two sector-shaped pieces nearly
meeting at the centre, between which the line of sight is taken; or the leaf
alone may be adjustable and fitted with the usual notch or line. Bands are
made similar to the above sight frame, but lighter, and without the side pro-
jections. The stud of one of them passes through the stock to carry the
sling; it is fitted with a tightening nut, or a loop may be made on a tighten-
ing screw similar to that used with the sight, or it may be made on the
escutcheon. The foremost band, and sometimes the one behind it, must be
cut away, or so made as to pass over the bayonet screw about to be described
if such is used. I employ for military rifles a shaded foresight having for
bead a small round headed pin; it is let into an upright hole in the sight
block, and fixed by a small pinching screw. The bayonet used with such
sight is fixed by an internal screw on its handle or shank engaging with an
outside screw on the end of the barrel, parts of the threads of each being cut

page_text: way so as to allow them to pass before interlocking. A sliding stop passing
nto the gap between the threads and worked by a pin projecting through a
slot retains it in the locked position. The fore part of the bayonet is a tubular
continuation of the shank, but scarfed or cut away obliquely to a broad point
with sharpened edges. I make the internal screw on a short shank or piéce
of steel tube slightly larger than the bayonet tube, afterwards. cut away the
opposite segments of the threads (or the tube may be drawn with sunken
portions to save the trouble of cutting away these), and then insert the
steel bayonet tube in the fore end by screwing, soldering, or brazing.
Instead of this the internal screw may be cut in the bayonet tube itself, then
opposite parts of the tube being wholly cut away, it is inserted in a short
outer tube and brazed or soldered to the same. Where brazing is used the
hardening of the bayonet takes place after the operation, and need not be
continued quite up to the screw part. The bayonet formed as above, but
without the screw, may be made to lock upon the block of the foresight in
the ordinary way.
Several of the improvements embodied in the above description, such as
the improved backsight, sight frame, and bands, and the shaded foresight in
connection with a bayonet using arm and the bayonet itself, are applicable
to other breech-loaders.
The particular form of fire-arm above described, in which the breech bolt
is locked by a T-piece, with certain modifications, may be made to act as
a repeater. To this end the usual cartridge tube with its spiral spring and
piston or follower is placed below the barrel. The tube may be removed
for filling, being readily fixed in place by a projection working in a bayonet
slot. The spring is compressed by the cleaning rod and held back by a
detent till the tube is filled with cartridges. The act of turning the tube.
round to fix it in its place releases the detent and allows the spring to
act. It is secured in place by the cleaning rod through a hole in a plate
fixed to the head of the tube; or the tube may be a fixture. and the
spring compressed by drawing forward the cleaning rod after it has been.
passed through a hole in the tube head, through the spring, and screwed
into or otherwise made to catch on the follower. The spring is held back by.
a detent till the cartridges are inserted in a hole in the side of the tube; this
hole is closed by a sliding cover and the detent released by hand. The breech
case behind the barrel is open at the bottom, and the opening is continued
downwards in the stock or framing. A carrier placed in this opening and in-
a line with the tube receives a cartridge from the latter, and by the action of
a spring or springs brings it up to the level of the barrel as soon as the bolt is

page_text: drawn back out of its way, at the same time ejecting the spent cartridge from
the breech case. The forward motion of the bolt pushes the fresh cartridge
into the barrel, acting at the same time on an incline in the carrier it
depresses the latter out of its way. The locking T-piece when pushed down
still further depresses it till it comes again opposite to the tube to receive a
fresh cartridge. A trigger or detent may be used to hold it in this position
until released by the next ascent of the T-piece. The lock is central and of
the kind already referred to, having the mainspring in the rear and the
trigger in front, or a needle lock may be used. An unflanged metallic cart-
ridge and an extractor of the second form is preferred, but a flanged cartridge
may be used, the extractor being of the ring form with two opposite hooks.
The improvements above described, omitting such as are specially restricted
to military and other rifles, are applicable to smooth-bore sporting fire-arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Wyley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
WYLEY, of Barker Street, Aston Manor, in the County of Warwick, Geological
Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Andrew Wyley, Her special licence that I, the said Andrew Wyley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew
Wyley, 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 AND BAYONETS FOR THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Andrew Wyley, 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

page_text: 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 Andrew Wyley, my 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention has reference to fire-arms in which the breech is closed by
a bolt having a reciprocating motion in a breech case forming a continuation
of the barrel. Viewed generally it consists in so constructing and disposing
the various parts of the breech-loading action as to combine the qualities of
symmetry and safety with a capacity for rapid manipulation. It comprises
certain improvements in the ! and trigger plate, in the means for removing
the cartridge, in the arrangem s for locking the bolt, in the details of the
sights and bands where such a ned, in the sling attachment, in the bayonet,
and mode of fixing the same military fire-arms; it comprises also a
method of applying the repeating principle to military and sporting arms.
Some of the improvements are applicable to other breech-loaders; they are
illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters
has usually reference to the same or corresponding parts. I apply to fire-
arms in which a sliding breech bolt is used a central lock, in which the parts
are formed, pivotted, and arranged in reference to the trigger and trigger
guard, as shewn in Figures 1, 4, 32, 34, 35, 37, and 39. In the first form
the mainspring acting also as sear spring is fixed in a dovetail on the trigger®
plate. The trigger slot is continued to meet the hole into which the trigger
guard is screwed or otherwise fastened, as by transverse pins, Figure 1;'
through this hole the enlarged part of the trigger sear which engages with
the hammer can be passed; the excess of slot is covered by the guard. The
slot in the lump, Figure 1, in which the hammer works is wider than the
trigger slot. I sometimes form the trigger guard and plate as shewn in
Figure 34, the scroll proper w being part of the plate. The hand part may
form part of the trigger plate instead of the guard, Figure 16, and have a
button v fixed on its rear end to which the sling is attached by a button-hole-
slit. In military arms another button v¹ may be placed in front of the guard;"
the sling when transferred to this may be drawn up close to the stock.
In all forms of my improved arm in which a hammer and mainspring are
used the breech bolt A when drawn back brings the hammer to full-cock and
rides over its face till brought up by a stop, such as the pin P, Figure 1,
P, Figure 36, the detent head P, Figure 16, or the spring catch R,

page_text: Figure 30, each of which acts in a groove in the bolt A or its adjuncts, such
as O, Figure 34. That part of the bolt which presses on the hammer face
is sloped and rounded, and the rest of A so formed as to pass the hammer face
without acting thereon. The hammer acts on the striker C placed centrally
in the bolt (or inclined if a rim-fire cartridge is used), and having sufficient
traverse to explode the cap or priming. The cartridge slot in the breech
case B is filled up by a fixed rib on the bolt a, Figure 1, or a moveable rib a¹
Figure 35, or by the block piece U and part of A, Figure 39. The forward
motion of the bolt A pushes the cartridge into the barrel, and the reverse
motion withdraws it, an extractor being attached to or forming part of the
bolt. The extractor preferred for flanged cartridges E, Figures 11 and 11",
is formed with a collar sliding on a reduced part of A. The rib a is undercut
to admit the collar, Figures 1 and 4, or it may be solid and a gap cut out of
the ring, as shewn in Figure 11ª. A gap in the lower part of the collar
admitting the stop pin P allows of greater traverse. E may be so shaped
(Figure 11") as to tilt. out the cartridge when brought up against the bolt
head G by the said stop pin, returning elastically to its former position; a slit
in the trough part of E will aid this action. The cartridge may be tilted
as in the "Snider" gun, or thrown out by a spring indicated in dotted lines
in Figure 1, striking upwards through a slot in E. The disc G attached by a
screwed shank to A serves as a stop and guide for the extractor. G is united
to the rib a by the pin p². G may be replaced by a central screw pin and a
segment G¹ screwed to A, Figure 13. The extractor jaw e, of more or less
conical shape, fits into a recess in the rear of the barrel, which thus presents
a smooth incline instead of a sharp angle to the entering cartridge. The
recess may be formed by a conical cutter z, Figure 28, carried in a guide
plug which is moved from side to side by a rod at right angles thereto. The
recess may be made with a larger cutter and of simple conical form. The
cartridge is dropped with its flange behind the jaw e. The second form of
extractor used with an unflanged cartridge consists of a cylindrical cap E',
Figures 21 and 22, with spiral grooves, which grip the base of the cartridge
when expanded by the explosion.
One or two longitudinal grooves may be
made in the cartridge chamber to prevent the cartridge turning on its axis
and slipping out of E¹; or in lieu of this the cup may be chequered, as in
Figure 21°. In either case the cartridge or cartridge base is pushed out by
the sliding pin F, F¹, a small stud on which comes against a fixed stop, such
as is shewn at P, Figure 1, when A is drawn back. When the central pin
Figure 21, is unscrewed F can be got into place. The chamber in the barrel
is recessed, so that the cartridge base may have a slight shoulder to rest

page_text: on.
may
With a flanged cartridge the ordinary spring hook may be employed.
It may be placed in various positions, but when used with a tilting arrange-
ment I place it on the top of A, protected by a part of the rib E, Figure 34,
or by a special covering piece E³, Figure 25. When the cartridge is drawn
it be tilted by a spur on the trigger, Figures 25 and 45, catching against
its flange. A lever L, recessed in the head of the bolt, Figures 34 and 34*,
may be used, which when caught by the fixed pin p tilts the cartridge and
disengages the book E at the same time; it permits of the use of a
larger book and stronger spring. A recess for the cartridge flange may be
made in the end of A. With a cartridge like that used in the "chassepot "
gun no special extractor is required, but an air chamber, Figure 16, is made
in the front of A to blow out the wad and other residue; it is closed in front
by the perforated disc supported on a central stem H, and on the edge of
the conical expanding thimble forming the end of A. All these parts should'
be of spring tempered steel. The rear of the breech case B¹ may be open
so as to give access to the hammers, see Figures 35, 39, and 45, but I prefer
to close it by a tail piece on the bolt A', conforming to the usual outline of the
stock, as shewn in Figures 1, 4, 16, 34, and 37; parts are cut away. to reduce
its weight, see Figure 1. Wood may be used to fill up the gap so formed.
The above arrangements are applicable generally to fire-arms closed by a.
bolt sliding far enough and having no levers or other mechanism in the way..
The bolt A may be locked for firing in various ways, preferably by a trans-
verse bolt of T-shape, the stem of which passes through a mortise in A, and
the lower part of B here somewhat enlarged, while the head of the T drops
into a groove cut across the top of B, Figures 4 and 5. The stem, which is.
made as long as the depth of stock will admit of, may present in section a
square, rectangle, circle, ellipse, or rectangle with circular ends. It is slit
vertically except when the hammer is in advance, as in Figure 37, and slips
over a flattened part of the striker which can only fire the cartridge when
opposite the recess X, that is when the breech bolt is locked. The stem of
the T may have a wider slot, its two legs sliding in suitable recesses on the
opposite sides of it, continued downwards through the breech case, see
Figures 6, 32, and 33. With this the striker C2 is used, the enlarged head
of which can only enter the recess X' when the arm is safely locked. When
a tail piece is used, the pin C2 is introduced through a hole in the same, .
afterwards plugged up. The T piece is raised by hand, and being thus
disengaged from B forms a handle for working the bolt A, Figure 4. A
spring click k, Figures 24 and 45, falling into notches in one side of the
stem, detains it in this aud in the locked position. One side of the breech.

page_text: case is channelled out, as seen in section in Figure 24, to allow the spring
to play.
Figure 37 shews a modification of the above.
Another arrangement is shewn in Figure 45, where the T bolt is held in
one position by the spring g and its motion upwards stopped by the small
projections y coming into contact with the sides of the bolt A, Figure 4.
These are shewn in Figures 5 and 12 as attached to studs screwed into the
legs of the bolt, but in the form shewn in Figure 6 they may form part of
same, as they can be sprung over the narrow part of A. Another stop may
be a transverse pin, Figure 16, which comes against C¹ when T is raised.
On drawing back the bolt its lower end slides in A¹. When the last is
truncated, as in the walking-stick gun, Figure 25, the click k is preferred.
When a tail piece is used in connection with a T bolt, a sliding safety bar D
is mounted in a dovetail in the lower part of A, or it might be mounted
on B' if the thumb piece were bent out of the way. When pushed in it
blocks the hammer face at full-cock, and need not be withdrawn for firing
till the gun is at the shoulder. A modified form of this is shewn in
Figure 37. The sliding bar D' is turned up at the end so as to intercept
the swivel arm of the hammer in its normal position, that is when pushed
forward by the spring s. It is manipulated by the outside stud d, which is
pressed back by the left hand when firing. It then frees the hammer by
entering a notch in the swivel arm.
In the Drawing various constructions are shewn in which a T bolt is used.
In the form shewn in Figure 37 the hammer is placed before the bolt,
striking on a short pin through a slot in A. The trigger acts on the sear by
a link passing through a notch in the solid stem T. Here the lock might
be mounted on a separate piece of T form let into the stock from above. The
free end of the mainspring, Figure 32, is made narrow so as to play into the
slot of the bolt T. In the form shewn in Figure 45 the tail piece is carried
no further than.the hammer head, which fits into a slot in the former. The
actions of the sear and mainspring are reversed.
In the second method of locking the T bolt is replaced by a ring or collar
turning on an intermediate rod connecting the bolt proper with the tail
piece, see Figures 34 and 36. The ring O has segments of screw threads on
its opposite sides which engage with corresponding threads on the inside of
the breech case when the ring is turned a quarter round by its lever handle;
or the ring may be locked by a strong lever thereon entering a gap in the
thick part of B, while an opposite lug engages in a like opening. The rear
part of the breech case B' is hollowed out or cut through to allow the lower

page_text: set of threads or lug to pass back, the other set and lever moving in a con-
tinuation of the cartridge slot. This is filled up as seen at a, a¹, Figure 34,
as before by a rib. The rib a is continued in a bridge form over the locking
ring. A transverse gap is left in the rib for the lever to work in, which gap
may be covered by a curved plate attached to the latter. I sometimes use a
simple bolt A2, Figure 35. In this case the rib a³ is not fixed to the bolt, but
travels with it, sliding under an arch forming part of the breech case. It is
united to a collar working freely on the fore end of A2, which collar may be
continued into an extractor of the first form E. The pin p³ working in a
bayonet groove permits the bolt to turn through a quarter circle and then
slide away from the extractor lip so as to leave space to drop the cartridge into
its proper position. The cartridge slot has inclined sides, Figure 34", which
are cut to the vertical to make room for the cartridge flange. The cam-
shaped projection D' intercepts the hammer when the bolt is in the unlocked
state. A cam D³ projecting from the ring O, Figures 34 and 36, serves the
same end; a space is cut out for it in the disc-shaped part of A¹. The cam
should project beyond the screw threads, and it alone should act on the
hammer; it passes into a recess in B₁ when the ring O is locked.. A spiral
or volute spring and striker C may be used instead of a hammer and main-
spring in the form of gun shewn in Figure 34, but they are better adapted to
the first form, where a T bolt is used. Examples are given in Figures 16,
23, and 25. The spring is bent in a way well known by a trigger sear,
Figure 28, or a spring detent, Figure 16, catching against a toe on the
striker disc c, when the bolt A is pushed home.
Figures 16 and 17 shew the detent P2 as linked to a hook on the trigger
by the stirrup 6. To screw the striker C into the disc c when it and the
spring are in place, a tubular wrench, Figure 18, is passed over the needle
part of C till it engages with a square or flat on the same. A second trigger D²
engages with the rear of the striker pin, and is pressed down by the thumb
before pulling the ordinary trigger; or the detent head På may be locked by
The striker shewn
a bar like D, Figure 1, forked so as to pass the toe of c.
in Figure 25 is doubled back in U fashion, its lower leg working in the slit
in T and a hole in the rear of A, and having notches in which the sear m²
engages, thus admitting of cocking and half-cocking by hand as well as by
the action of the bolt. The sear in this form, as in that shewn in Figure 45,
works through the slit in T. In the form seen at Figure 23 the striker is
carried through the slit in T, and cannot strike home till the last is in the
locking position. D³ is a further safety detent, the force of which intercepts
the striker until pulled down as shewn by the dotted lines; the toe of the

page_text: disc is here formed on a separate piece driven into a taper hole in c, through
the slot in A, in which the toe travels. The breech case shewn in Figure 34
is formed in two parts, Figure 42, so that the barrel may be removed without
disturbing the lock. The pin P' working in a bayonet groove in the bolt A³,
Figure 35, serves as a guide and stop, and also pushes out the extractor.
A third form of locking is shewn in Figures 38, 39, and 40. Here the
breech bolt takes the form of a flat bar A3, having a short plug in front
which closes the barrel; it slides back in an upright groove in the abut-
ment N and tang B. The locking is by the grooved block piece U, which
slips over the bar A3 and fills up the breech case or nearly so, one end bearing
against A, the other against N; it is raised by projecting ears on its upper
part, and then forms a handle for working the bolt; it rises vertically, being
guided by two stnds o projecting over the bar A³; these may be formed by
screwing down rings over fixed studs left on the bar, Figure 38, or may be
simple pins screwed into it, Figure 44. These studs work in parallel holes
extending from the top of U nearly to its lower edge, coinciding with and
slightly projecting beyond the slot. When U is raised as far as the studs o
will allow it is free to slide back in a hollow in N, carrying with it the bolt,
and drawing the cartridge by the spring hook E' or by another known form of
extractor E, Figure 43, placed in the same position. The cartridge is
dropped in and then pushed home by the bolt head A*. The cartridge slot
in the top of B is widened out at one part to allow A' to be got into place.
A cross bolt t passing through the slot in the bar A³ serves to retain and
guide the latter. The enlarged part of the slot readily admits the cartridge
flange; in the closed state it is filled up by projections on the block piece Y,
and the gap in N is filled up by projection on the bar A³, Figure 41. In
the last a spring click may be carried to prevent the block piece from
shifting when in place. The tang B* may be enlarged so as to conform to
the usual outline of the stock, in which case the hammer would be covered in
by a narrow tail piece on As, as in the first form; on such tail piece a safety
bar acting like D, Figure 1, may be made to slide.
For rifles I use the forms of backsight shown in Figures 1, 7, 14, and 15,
modified in a few points from one already known.
First, the stud of the sight frame is slit to enable the ring to grip the
barrel by spring action, and the slit is sometimes enlarged so as to pass over
the sight or other fixtures on the barrel and to admit the cleaning rod which
lies in a groove in the stock, Figures 1 and 7.
Secondly, to prevent the sight leaving the frame, a pin p is screwed into
one leg and travels in a groove reaching nearly to the top of the frame.

page_text: Thirdly, the working head has a semicircular groove, across the middle
of which runs a thin leaf, Figure 15, and the groove may be extended
into a ring, Figures 1 and 7, and the leaf be replaced by two sectors of
a circle nearly meeting at the points. The head may be fixed or
adjustable by two screws passing through short slots; or the head may
be shaped as in Figure 14, the leaf being slightly adjustable. The bands
differing but little from the sight frame and the sling loop are shewn in
Figures 2 and 3..
I sometimes use for military rifles a shaded foresight K³, Figure 30°, con-
sisting of a small round-headed pin let into a hole in the sight block, and fixed
by a screw. The straight tubular bayonet used with this sight is shewn in
Figures 26 and 27. I construct the shank in this way:-A screw is cut in the
end of a bayonet tube, opposite portions of the tube are removed, and on one
side a space is cut out for the sliding stop M. An outer tube S is soldered or
brazed to the bayonet tube, and the stop M fitted into a sort of circular
dovetail. M is worked by a pin projecting through a slot in S, or by the
thumb piece N¹. Opposite screw threads project from the barrel, Figure 30°,
and the bayonet interlocks with these in a way well known, its motion being
guided by a pin and bayonet groove. When locked it is secured by pushing
the stop M into the vacant space between the screw threads. The fore part
of the bayonet tube is scarfed off obliquely to a broad point and brought to a
cutting edge. A bayonet resembling this, but without inside screw, may be
made to lock against the foresight, block in the usual way. The locking
ring may be modified, as shewn in Figures 3, 8, and 9, where it is retained
on the shank by a free working screw. A portion of the ring Q' in advance
of the screwed part Q is nearly severed to act as a spring, and has a hook
turned down at its free end, which engages in notches in the shank S', the
one to hold it in the locked state, the other in a position to permit the
sight block to pass up the short straight slot in S₁ and through the arch of
the locking, ring. The fore part of the bayonet may be in one piece with S',
or it may be screwed or soldered to the same. All the parts are made of
hardened and tempered steel. The point should be slightly deflected downwards.
The screw may be dispensed with, and Q kept in place by beads or projections
on S¹.
The first form of fire-arm may be modified to act as a repeater, as shewn at
Figures 30 and 31. The cartridge tube of greater or less length is carried in
loops or in the fore end of the stock; it is removed for filling. The spring is
compressed by the cleaning rod till the follower I is caught by the detent S³.

page_text: When filled it is slipped into place, its open end being inclined upwards; it is
turned round by the eye at its outer end and locked by the stud ; in a bayonet
slot; may pass quite through the loop and lock against its rear edge; the
cleaning rod is then passed through the eye of the tube. If a wooden casing
is used a metallic segment in it discharges the functions of the loop, one of
which is to release the detent s; this is done by an incline on its margin
when the tube is turned round; or the tube may be a fixture and the spring
bent by drawing forward the cleaning rod after it has been passed through a
hole in the tube head, down through the spring, and screwed into or made to
catch on I. The cartridges may be fingered in through the breech case slot it
the bolt A is brought gently back without releasing the carrier J, or they may
be put in through a hole in the fore part of the tube, afterwards closed by a
sliding cover, the fore end of which underruns the detent, similar to S, and
disengages the same; a small stud on I working in a groove stops the former
when the cartridges are run out. The breech case B2 has an upright mortice
of a width to admit the body of the cartridge; opposite the tube this slot is
bored out of a width to allow the cartridge flange to pass till it meets two
upright grooves, one in each cheek of B³.
The carrier J consists, firstly, of a hollow cylinder free to move vertically in
a cylindrical enlargement of the above slot, which extends downwards in a
lump on the trigger guard; and, secondly, of a bracket standing out from
such cylinder; the carrier being in the position shewn in Figure 29 receives a
cartridge from the cartridge tube'; the bolt A being drawn back in the usual
way the fixed hook E³ draws the spent cartridge. A is stopped by the spring
catch R, which releases the carrier J; this is forced up by the inclined spring
into the position shown in Figure 30, carrying with it the cartridge, which is
caught between the bracket and the bridge n over the fore part of the slot.
If the muzzle is inclined upwards the spent cartridge will be more certainly
ejected by the ascent of the loaded one. A flap in the fore part of J partially
closes the cartridge tube, Figure 30; the forward motion of A pushes the
cartridge into the barrel, its fixed hook E' underrunning the flange; it
slightly depresses the carrier, which is then forced down by the locking bolt T
into its former place, where it is caught by the trigger R and receives a fresh
cartridge. A sliding stop r is used, which when pressed up cuts off the supply
of cartridges; the arm may then be used as an ordinary breech-loader, the
cartridge being pushed in between the carrier bracket and n, and rammed
home by the bolt. Several of the above improvements are applicable to other
breech-loaders.

page_text: And having now. described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed,. I declare that I claim as new the
following features, the first five of which are applicable to all fire-arms in
which the breech is closed by a sliding bolt having no mechanism to interfere
with their application:-
Firstly, the particular methods herein-before described and indicated in
Figures 1, 25, 32, 34, 35, and 39 of mounting the lock or discharging
apparatus generally, including the trigger.
Secondly, the sling attachments herein-before described and represented in
Figure 16.
Thirdly, the improvements in the details of the sights herein-before
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 7, 14, and 15.
Fourthly, the extractor E, Figures 3 and 4, tilting or non-tilting when
constructed and mounted as herein-before described.
Fifthly, the methods herein-before described and shewn of mounting the
ejecting pins F and F¹, Figures 21 and 21ª, in connection with the cup
extractor E
Sixthly, the transverse bolt T and its modifications acting as herein-before
described.
Seventhly, the safety arrangements herein-before described in connection
with the above.
Eighthly, the locking ring O with its projecting cam mounted as shewn and
bridged over a continuation of the rib a.
Ninthly, the mode herein-before described of mounting the movable rib a³,
Figure 35.
Tenthly, the construction shewn in Figures 38, 39, 40, and 41.
Eleventhly, the application of the T bolt to repeating fire-arms as
exemplified in Figures 29 and 30.
Twelfthly, the modes herein-before described by which the cartridge tube
spring is bent and the detent s released, applicable to all repeaters carrying
the cartridge tube below the barrel.
Thirteenthly, extending the breech case shell and breech bolt backwards, so
as to form an inclined tail piece conforming to the usual outline of stock, in
the form and manner berein-before described and shewn in the Figures, such
tail piece not being necessary to the manipulation of the breech bolt, and
being applicable to all analogous arms where the breech is closed by a sliding
bolt.
Fourteenthly, the straight tubular bayonet herein-before described, whether

page_text: locked by screw threads or against the sight block in the usual way, and its
application to all breech-loading arms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Wyley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ANDREW WYLEY. (L.S.)