IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Mathews, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 12th January 1864, and dated the 6th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Mathews at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
October 1863.
I, SAMUEL MATHEWS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in bolting
lown and liberating the breech ends of such breech-loading fire-arms as are
opened and closed at the breech end by the barrels being made to turn upon
a joint in a vertical plane, by which means the open ends of the barrels are
brought against the face of the break-off when the said barrels are shut down
for firing and raised above the break-off for the purpose of charging.
My improvements are also applicable to the bolting down and liberating of
the closers of such breech-loading fire-arms as have fixed barrels opened and
closed at the breech end by a plug or closer turning upon a joint so as to be
lifted out of the line of the barrels.
In appplying my Invention to fire-arms of the kind first described I make
a lump on the under side of the breech end of the barrels, the said lump
having a recess in it in which the bolt herein-after described may engage.

page_text: In the body of the break-off is a trough or recess into which the said lump
enters when the barrels are shut down. A bolt having a motion parallel to
the axis of the barrels slides in the said trough or recess. The said bolt is
worked from the tang of the break-off in the following manner:-A lever on
the top of the tang is connected by means of an axis passing through the tang
with a crank or quadrant underneath the break-off, the said crank or quadrant
being connected by means of a link to the end of the bolt, that end of the
bolt to which the link is connected being cranked so as to work against the
under side of the break-off. By turning the lever on the top of the break-off
through an angle of about forty-five degrees the crank or quadrant actuated
by the said lever withdraws the bolt into the break-off and liberates the
barrels. The muzzle ends of the barrels fall by their own weight and lift the
breech ends from the break-off. The bolt is urged forward by a spring, and
when the barrels are shut down after charging the lump on their under side comes
in contact with the inclined end of the bolt, and forces the bolt back until the
recess in the said lump comes opposite the end of the bolt when the bolt
springs forward and bolts down the barrels. I prefer to fix the lever on its
axis so that its free end may be turned towards the butt end of the gun.
In applying my Invention to breech-loading fire-arms having fixed barrels
I make the end of the sliding bolt slide into and out of the end of the chamber
into which the plug or closer shuts down, the end of the bolt engaging in a
recess in the end of the said plug or closer. I prefer in this application of
my Invention to fix the lever on its axis so that its free end may be turned
towards the muzzle end of the gun. By this arrangement the hammer of the
gun cannot be raised to full cock until the lever has been brought into the
position proper to bolt down the plug or closer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Mathews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
MATHEWS, of Birminghnm, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of 3
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: me, the said Samuel Mathews, Her special licence that I, the said Samuel
Mathews, my executors, administrators, and assigns; or such others as I, the said
Samuel Mathews, 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 Samuel Mathews, my executors or administrators; by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 YE, that I, the said Samuel Mathews, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in bolting
down and liberating the breech ends of such breech-loading fire-arms as are
opened and closed at the breech end by the barrels being made to turn upon.
a joint in a vertical plane, by which means the open ends of the barrels are
brought against the face of the break-off when the said barrels are shut down
for firing and raised above the break-off for the purpose of charging.
My improvements are also applicable to the bolting down and liberating of
the closers of such breech-loading fire-arms as have fixed barrels opened and
closed at the breech end by a plug or closer turning upon a joint so as to be
lifted out of the line of the barrels.
In applying my Invention to fire-arms of the kind first described I make a
lump on the under side of the breech end of the barrels, the said lump having
a recess in it in which the bolt herein-after described may engage. In the
body of the break-off is a trough or recess into which the said lump enters
when the barrels are shut down. A bolt having a motion parallel to the axis
of the barrels slides in the said trough or recess. The said bolt is worked
from the tang of the break-off in the following manner :-A lever on the top:
of the tang is connected by means of an axis passing through the tang with a
crank or quadrant underneath the said tang, the said crank or quadrant being:
connected by means of a link to the end of the bolt, that end of the bolt to
which the link is connected being cranked so as to work against the under

page_text: side of the break-off. By turning the lever on the top of the break-off
through an angle of about forty-five degrees the crank or quadrant actuated
by the said lever withdraws the bolt into the break-off and liberates the
barrels. The muzzle ends of the barrels fall by their own weight, and lift the
breech ends from the break-off. The bolt is urged forward by a spring, and
when the barrels are shut down after charging the lump on their under side
comes in contact with the inclined end of the bolt and forces the bolt back
until the recess in the said lump comes opposite the end of the bolt when
the bolt springs forward and bolts down the barrels. I prefer to fix the lever
on its axis so that its free end may be turned towards the butt end of the
gun.
In applying my Invention to breech-loading fire-arms having fixed barrels
I make the end of the sliding bolt slide into and out of the end of the
chamber into which the plug or closer shuts down the end of the bolt,
engaging in a recess in the end of the said plug or closer. I prefer in this
application of my Invention to fix the lever on its axis so that its free end
may be turned towards the muzzle end of the gun. By this arrangement the
hammer of the gun cannot be raised to full cock until the lever has been
brought into the position proper to bolt down the plug or closer.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
--
Figure 1 represents partly in longitudinal vertical section, and partly in side
elevation, a portion of a double-barrelled gun of the first-described kind, con-
structed according to my Invention, the barrels being bolted down for firing;
Figure 2 is a plan of the under side of the same; and Figure 3 is a plan of
the upper side of the body without the barrels.
gun
In each of the said Figures the stock and other unessential parts are
omitted. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1,
2, and 3. a is the bolt working in a hole b in the break-off c, the said bolt
having motion parallel to the axis of the barrels d. The barrels & of the
turn in a vertical plane upon the joint e in the usual way; fis the lump on
the under side of the breech ends of the barrels d, which lump when the barrels
are shut down enters a recess g in the body h of the break-off, as represented
in Figure 1. When the barrels are shut down, the free end of the bolt a 3
enters the recess f in the lump f, and holds or bolts down the barrels ready
for firing. The bolt a is worked from the tang of the break-off in the
following manner :-i is a lever, having motion parallel to the plane of the
tang c².
The said lever i is connected by an axis k-passing through the tang

page_text: with a crank or quadrant underneath the tang. The crank or quadrant / is
connected by a link m to the top of the cranked end a of the bolt a, the cranked
end working underneath the tang as represented in Figure 1. Or the bolt
may be connected with the quadrant by a pin on the bolt engaging in a slot in
the quadrant. The shape of the crank or quadrant is best seen in the plan
Figure 2. By turning the lever i through an angle of about forty-five degrees,
as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, the crank or quadrant actuated by
the said lever, withdraws the bolt a from out the recess f into the break-off'c,
and liberates the barrels d. The barrels being liberated, the muzzle ends fall
and lift the breech ends from the break-off' c, and the charges can be intro-
duced. The bolt a is urged forward by a spring n, one end of which is fixed
to the tang &, and the other and free end bears against a shoulder on the
crank or quadrant 1 (see Figure 2). By means of the said spring n the
bolt a is pressed into the lump f on the barrels being shut down, or into the
opening g in the body when the barrels have been lifted from the break-off.
After the barrels have been charged, they are shut down against the break-off.
On shutting down the barrels, the front of the lump f strikes against and
pushes back the inclined end of the bolt a into the break-off until the recess f
in the lump comes opposite the end of the bolt when the said bolt is pressed
forward by the action of the spring n, and made to engage with the said
recess in the lump. The barrels are thus bolted down, and the gun is
ready for firing.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a modification of the arrangement of my Inven-
tion last described. Figure 4 being a longitudinal vertical section, and Figure 5
a plan of the under side of the same. The same letters indicate the same parts
in Figures 4 and 5. In this modification I prolong the cranked end of the bolt,
and connect the prolonged end directly to the crank, and work the said crank
by means of a lever on the side of the gun instead of a lever above the tang of
the break-off. a is the bolt, having a long cranked arm a², which arm is
connected to the upper end of the crank or quadrant b by a pin on the said
arm engaging in a slot in the said crank or quadrant b. The crank b is
situated in a vertical plane, and is fixed on the horizontal axis
which axis is a lever c situated at the side of the gun.
forward by the spring c. By depressing the lever c the
moved from the break-off, and the bolt a withdrawn from the recess in the
lumpf, and the barrels are liberated.
d, on the end of
The bolt a is urged
top of the crank b is
After the barrels have been lifted
from the break-off, and the lever c loosed from the hand, the bolt a is shot
into the open space in the body 9. ready on shutting down the barrels to
re-engage with the lump f.

page_text: Figure 5 A represents in longitudinal vertical section an arrangement in
which the barrels are locked down by means of a bolt working in the body of
the gun, the said bolt moving from the said body into the front of the lump.
a is the bolt sliding in the hole 6 in the body c; the free end of the said bolt a
is made to enter a recess in the front of the lump d on the under side of the
barrels c, and hold down the said barrels for firing. The bolt a is moved into
the lump d, and withdrawn therefrom by means of a lever findicated in dotted
lines situated at the side of the gun. On the axis g, upon which the lever f
is fixed, is an arm or link h, to the lower end of which arm the rear end or
tail piece of the bolt a is connected by a pin on the said tail piece engaging
in a slot in the said arm h. By depressing the lever f, the end of the bolt a is
withdrawn from the recess in the lump d, and the barrels can be raised for
charging; after charging, the barrels are shut down. The leverf is then raised
into the position indicated in dotted lines, when the bolt a is shot into the
lump d and the barrels thus bolted down for firing.
.
Figure 6 represents in side elevation a portion of a breech-loading gun,
having a fixed barrel and moveable plug or closer, to which my Invention is
applied. is the fixed barrel of the gun in a chamber, at the breech end of
which is a plug or closer c closing the said breech end. The plug or closer c
turns on a joint on the fixed barrel b. a is the bolt by which the plug or
closer c is held or locked in its place during discharge, the bevilled end of the
said bolt passing through the end of the chamber, and engaging in a recess d
in the said plug-or closer c. The -bolt a and parts connected-therewith are
constructed and worked in the manner herein-before described with reference
to the gun, Figures 1, 2, and 3 (excepting that the bolt is not cranked,) and
are marked with the same letters as corresponding parts in the said Figures
1, 2, and 3.
In order to reload the gun, Figure 6, after discharge, the
lever is moved about a quadrant, and the end of the bolt a thereby withdrawn
from the plug or closer c. The bolt a being withdrawn, the closer is slightly
raised by the action of the spring e. By means of the finger plate f, the plug
or closer c can be turned on its joint c², and lifted out of the line of the
barrel b, and the said barrel can be charged; after charging the plug or
closer is shut down, and locked in its place by the spring bolt a.
Figure 7 represents another arrangement of parts to be used in guns of the
kind last described. In this arrangement of my Invention I place the lever, P,
which actuates the bolt a at the side of the gun, as represented. The bolt a
is connected to the crank 9 by the link r. When the lever p is in the position
represented, the bolt a is withdrawn from the recess d in the plug or closer c,
and the said plug or closer can be raised for charging the barrel b. To lock

page_text: or bolt down the plug or closer c after charging, the lever p is depressed so as
to shoot the bolt a into the plug or closer c when the gun is ready for dis-
charge. If by accident the lever p has not been depressed, and the plug or
closer c thereby left unfastened on raising the hammer t for discharge, a pro-
jections on the back of the said hammer bears upon the free end of the said
lever p, and depresses it, and shoots the bolt a, and fastens down the plug or
closer c.
My improvements may be applied to single and double-barrelled
breech-loading fire-arms.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I
claim, as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in breech-loading fire-arms, herein-before
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 5 A of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, the arrangements described and represented
for locking or bolting down and liberating the barrels of such breech-loading
fire-arms as turn in a vertical plane upon a joint on the body.
Secondly, the improvements herein-before described and represented in
Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings, in locking or bolting down
and liberating the plugs or closers of such breech-loading fire-arms as have
fixed barrels, opened and closed at the breech end by a plug or closer turning
upon a joint so as to be lifted out of the line of the barrels, that is to say,
locking or bolting down the said plugs or closers by means of a bolt engaging
in the end of the said plug or closer.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Mathews, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
0 Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
SAMUEL MATHEWS. (L.S.)