IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Restell, of The Laurels, Palace Square;
Norwood, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 12th May 1865, and dated the 15th November 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Restell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1864.
I, THOMAS RESTELL, of The Laurels, Palace Square, Norwood, in the County.
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates first to improvements on my Patents of 1857 and
1858 for breech-loading fire-arms (Nos. 2630 and 1497) wherein a sliding
breech-piece of peculiar construction is used for the purpose of converting
Enfield or muzzle-loading rifles into breech-loaders. This breech-piece is
secured in position by means of a transverse bolt, which bolt in my Patent
of 1858 prevented the hammer from moving while the breech was open.
In order to facilitate the removal of the breech-piece I now form two
longitudinal grooves or recesses in the bolt, into which two shoulders formed
by notching the hammer boss respectively but alternately take. The partial
withdrawal of the bolt to allow of the breech-piece being drawn back to

page_text: charge the gun can only be effected when the hammer is down. To allow of
the removal of the breech for the purpose of cleaning the fire-arm, the
hammer is pulled back slightly, and at the same time the bolt is drawn
further out, when the shoulder that locked the bolt by resting in the
longer recess is lifted out and allowed to bear on the periphery of the
bolt, the other shoulder entering the second and shorter recess to admit
of this movement. A spring lever having two catches is fitted into this
bolt to prevent it from falling out when disengaged from the hammer. A
pin in the centre of the bolt head forms the pivot of the spring lever.
To remove the necessity which has hitherto existed in converting muzzle-
loaders into breech-loaders for reducing the thickness of the tumbler and
seer (so as not to increase the original thickness of the lock), I now retain
the acting portion of the tumbler and seer at their original thickness, and
provide a space for the bridle piece (which secures their fulcrum pins by
recessing the centres of both the tumbler and seer. Into these recesses
1 drop the rounded ends of the bridle piece, which also carries the stop
for the tumbler, and I secure the bridle piece to the lock plate by a screw
as usual.
In order to convert my improved breech-loader into a needle gun
I pierce
the centre of the sliding breech piece and insert a pin loosely therein, having
a shoulder, against which a fine spring coiled around the pin bears. This pin
projects rearwards into a-transverse recess cut in the breech piece to receive
the transverse bolt, and by that bolt its forward end or point is driven out
through the head of the breech piece, so that it may pieroe the cartridge and
ignite the charge. An. incline upon the shoulder of a lever which takes the
place of the hammer, operates the bolt, and by pressing it inwards causes it
to drive the needle forward. The pulling back of this lever withdraws the
bolt to permit of the gun being re-charged.
Instead of the lever for operating. the bolt working in a vertical plane, I
may place it longitudinally of the stock, and let the main spring into the
stock in a line with the lever. This bolt I connect to the lever, and I draw,
out the bolt by means of a ring attached to the free end of the. lever. On its;
inner face this lever carries a pin, which when the lever is drawn out and let
go, bears against the face of a projection of the trigger. The withdrawal,
however, of this stop, by acting on the trigger in the ordinary way, will's
release the lever, and allow the main, spring to act as in the former
arrangement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Restell, in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
15th May 1865.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
5 RESTELL, of The Laurels, Palace Square, Norwood, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters'
Patent; bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the' year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself,. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Restell, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas'
Restell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas Restell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should.
at any time agrée with, and no others, from time to time and at all
5 times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, usé, 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 FIREARMS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that' I, the said Thomas Restell, my executors'
▸ of 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters' Patent.
'NOW KNOW YẺ that I, the said Thomas Restell, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed;"
and to the letters' and figures marked thereon (that is to say),:-
This: Invention relates first to "improvements on my Patents of One-
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven and One thousand eight hundred:
and fifty-eight for breech-loading fire-arms, Noś: 2630 and 14978, wherein.
a sliding breech piece of peculiar construction is used for the purpose of
converting Enfield or 'muzzle-loading rifles into breech-loaders. This breech
piece is'in my Patent of One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight secured
in position by means of a transverse bolt, which'bolt prevented the hammer
from 'moving while the breech was open.

page_text: In order to facilitate the removal of the breech piece for the purpose or
cleaning the fire-arm, I now form the bolt as shewn at Figures 1 in
Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, which Figures represent it in side
view, end view, and longitudinal section. The bolt is made cylindrical, and
its outer end terminates in a thumb piece, by means of which it is withdrawn
from the sliding breech piece.
In the bolt A two longitudinal grooves or recesses are formed, into which
two shoulders, formed by notching the hammer boss respectively, but alter-
nately take, and by this means the movements of the hammer are brought
under control. This will be clearly understood by reference to the Figures
which shew the bolt a applied to the arm. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation
of a breech-loading rifle constructed according to this part of my Invention,
and shewing the hammer B thrown forward on the nipple and locked in that
position. In this instance a shoulder of the hammer boss notch is caught by
the longer groove 1 of the bolt. This groove permits of the bolt being with-
drawn the distance shewn by the longitudinal section, Fig. 3, that is clear of
the bolt hole of the sliding breech piece C, when the breech piece is free to
be drawn back to allow of the opening of the breech to receive a cartridge.
Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of the rifle, shewing a shoulder of the
hammer. boss notch in the shorter groove 2 of the bolt A; and Fig. 5 is a
corresponding sectional plan view of the same. This position of the parts
allows of the removal of the sliding breech piece C for the purpose of cleaning
the fire-arm. To attain this position the hammer B is pulled back slightly
and at the same time the bolt is drawn further out, by which means the
shoulder of the hammer boss that rested in the longer recess 1 is lifted out
and allowed to bear on the periphery of the bolt, the other shoulder entering
the shorter recess 2 to admit of this movement. At this time the bolt is clear
of the sliding breech piece C. A deep central recess is made in the bolt A to
receive a spring lever 8, which has for its fulcrum a pin in the centre of the
bolt head. This spring lever is formed with two notches on its edge which
catch into the head of a screw 4 (see the detached view, Fig. 6) screwed
into the lock plate, and by this means the bolt is prevented from falling out
when disengaged from the hammer.
The second head of my Invention relates to an improvement in the con-
struction of the lock of breech-loading fire-arms, which improvement is shewn
in Sheet II. of the Drawings. The object of this improvement is to remove
the necessity which has hitherto existed, when converting muzzle-loaders into
breech-loaders, for reducing the thickness of the tumbler, bridle piece, and
secr. To attain this end I recess the tumbler and seer at their centres to

page_text: receive the ends of the bridle piece by which the fulcrum pins of these
moving parts are securely held. This will be clearly seen by referring to
Figures 1 and 2, the former of which shews the lock in side elevation, and
the latter in plan view. A is the lock plate, to the inner face of which the
mains pring B is secured. An anti friction roller, carried by the tail of this.
spring, presses upon the tumbler C, which is mounted on the pin 1, that
carries the hammer D, and moves therewith as usual. E is the seer which
takes into the notches of the tumbler, and turns on a fulcrum pin 2. It is
held in contact with the tumbler by the seer spring E*, shewn detached at
Figures 3. F is the bridle piece, shewn detached at Figures 4; it is secured:
to the lock plate A by means of a screw 8. The acting portions of the.
tumbler and seer, or those which are most subjected to wear, are retained.
at their original thickness, while their centres are recessed, as shewn in the
detached views, Figures 5, to receive the rounded ends of the bridle piece,,
which piece serves to hold the pins 1 and 2 firmly in position, and also forms
a stop for the tumbler. Fig. 6 shews in side elevation, and Fig. 7 in plan
view, the like arrangement of bridle piece applied to a lock in which the
main spring is connected by a link G to the tumbler C. By reference to
Fig. 7 it will be seen that owing to the insertion of the ends of the bridle
piece F into the recesses of the tumbler and seer, there is no lateral enlarge-
ment of the lock, notwithstanding the working parts are retained of their
usual strength and thickness.
The third head of my Invention relates to a mode of converting my:
improved breech-loader into a needle gun. This arrangement is shewn .in.
Sheet III., where Fig. 1 shews the converted gun in side view; Fig. 2.is .a.
vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section.. The sliding
breech piece A is pierced at its centre to receive a pin B, which plays freely
therein. This pin is furnished with a shoulder (see Fig. 3), against which a
fine spring coiled around the pin bears. The pin projects rearwards into ai
transverse recess cut in the breech piece to receive the transverse bolt c..
The inner end of this bolt is formed with an incline, as shewn best in the
detached view Fig. 4. Against this incline the inner end of the needle
bears, and by the projection inwards of the bolt the forward end or point
of the needle is driven out through the head of the breech piece, so that it
may pierce the cartridge and ignite the charge. D is the lever for working
the bolt C. It is placed longitudinally of the barrel, and set in a recess
formed for it in the stock. The main spring which actuates the lever is
let into the stock in a line with the lever, as shown at e; the lever D is

page_text: pivotted to the stock by means of a screw d, and its rear end is borne
against by the main spring E, which is also attached securely to the stock.
The bolt CI connect to the lever D by means of a screw, as shewn in the
detached view Fig. 4, whereby a slight oscillation is permitted to the bolt to
enable it to accommodate itself to the motions of the rocking fever: The
bolt C I draw out by means of a ring attached to the free end of the
lever D. On its inner face this lever carries a segment-shaped pin d (see
the partial plan view, Fig. 5) which, when the lever is drawn out and let
go bears against the face of a projection F of the trigger. In order to
fire the gun it is only necessary to withdraw this stop F by acting on the
trigger in the ordinary way, when the lever being free to move will allow
the main spring to act and drive in the bolt C, whereby the needle will be
thrust forward into the previously inserted cartridge, and the charge will thus
be ignited.
.: In Sheet IV. I have shewn a modification of my improved needle gun, in
which, instead of employing the side lever and spring for actuating the
bolt C; I form an incline upon the shoulder of a lever, which takes the
place of the hammer for operating the bolt. Fig. 1 a side elevation,
and Fig. 2 a plan view of so much of the gun as will serve to explain
this: modification, and Fig. 3 is a section at the line 1, 2 of Fig. 1, shewing
the mode of mounting the lever on the tumbler pin of the lock. The lever A
is worked in precisely the same manner as the hammer of an ordinary gun-
lock, and on its shoulder in inclined feather edge a is formed, which takes.
into a notch cut in the head of the bolt C. By pulling back this lever the
bolt is by the lateral pressure of the incline a drawn out free of the sliding
breech piece, to permit of the gun' being charged. When this is effected.
and the sliding breech piece is pushed' home and the lever is brought
back to full cock, the gun will be ready for firing, and may be discharged
by pulling the trigger in the ordinary way. In order to withdraw the bolt
sufficiently to allow of the removal of the sliding breech piece, a slight
lateral. motion must be given to the lever. This I effect by means of a
screw b, which is screwed into the tumbler pin c, and by its enlarged head'.
serves to secure the lever A. to the tumbler pin. An annular groove is
turned in the head of the screw, into which small screws project from the boss
or shoulder of the lever by turning the screw b, therefore the lever may be
shifted: to the dotted: position of Fig. 3, when the bolt will be drawn out to
the required extent.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in

page_text: Breech-loading Fire-arms," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,-
First, the arrangement for facilitating the removal of the breech-piece, as
described with reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings.
Secondly, reducing the thickness of gun locks without detracting from their
strength, in the manner above described.
Thirdly, the mode of converting my improved breech-loader into a needle
gun, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Restell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
THOMAS RESTELL. (L.S.)