IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Rock Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 15th October 1867, and dated the 27th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper at
the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th June 1867.
I, JOSEPH ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the arrangement or combination herein-
after described of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms for effecting
the opening and closing of the breech, and the cocking and discharging of the
said fire-arms, by which arrangement or combination the manipulating of the
gun is made very simple, and great rapidity of firing and exemption from
accidental discharge are secured. I will describe this part of my Invention
with reference to a gun in which the breech is opened and closed by a sliding
plug working in the breech chamber or shoe, in which breech chamber or shoe
when the plug is withdrawn the cartridge may be introduced into the barrel.

page_text: The plug has a motion of partial rotation in addition to the sliding motion for
-opening and closing the breech. The plug is moved by means of a handle
fixed on it near its rear end. The plug is fixed in its place when pushed
home by the turning down of the handle into a cross slot at the rear of the
breech chamber or shoe, a lug or projection on the plug opposite the said
handle at the same time taking into a recess in the breech chamber or shoe
opposite to the cross slot into which the handle takes. The needle or striker
works in the axis of the plug, being urged forward by a coiled spring. The
end of the needle carrier projects from the rear end of the plug, and carries a
cylindrical block of the same diameter as the plug. On the under side of the
said cylindrical block is a rib which takes into a longitudinal slot in the bottom
of the shoe. By means of the said rib and slot the needle carrier and the
cylindrical block described are prevented from rotating. The said cylindrical
block carries on its upper side a projecting plate, the fore end of which, when
the handle of the plug is turned down into its slot and the gun has been
discharged projects over the rear end of the plug. The end of the projecting
plate is inclined on that side presented to the slot in which the handle engages.
On raising the handle front the said "slot its stem comes against the inclined
end of the projecting plate, and forces it back, so that when the handle has
reached the vertical position the said plate and the parts connected therewith
are forced back beyond the point necessary for the sear of the lock to engage
with the rib on the under side of the cylindrical block; the needle or striker
is thus withdrawn into the plug. On raising the handle into the position.
.described a stud on the projecting plate snaps into a depression in the stem of
the handle, and thereby temporarily locks them together during the with-
drawal and advance of the plug to open aud close the breech. While the
handle is in a vertical position the plug can be drawn back, and the breech
end of the barrel opened for the introduction of the cartridge.
After the gun
has been charged the plug is pushed forward, and the handle turned down
into its slot. By the turning down of the said handle it passes from the
inclined end of the projecting plate, and the said plate and parts connected
therewith advance slightly, but are arrested by the sear of the lock, which
holds the said parts in their withdrawn or cocked position; and it is only by
pressure on the trigger while the handle is in its depressed or locked position
that the projecting plate and needle carrier can be liberated and permitted to
advance to discharge the gun. On the discharge of the gun the projecting
plate advances over the rear of the plug into the position herein-before
described ready to be forced back on raising the handle to release the plug.

page_text: Instead of making the end of the projecting plate inclined it may be made
square, and the shank of the handle be inclined. The motions necessary for
charging and making the. gun ready for firing are very simple. The bandle
is raised into a vertical position, and the plug drawn back, the cartridge is
introduced and the plug returned to its place, and the handle turned down
again into its slot, when the gun is ready for firing, the cocking of the gun
having been effected by the raising of the handle from its slot. Although
I have only described this part of my Invention with reference to a gun in
which the breech is opened and closed by a plug or closer having a sliding
motion, yet this part of my Invention may also be applied to guns in
which the breech is opened and closed by a closer turning upon a joint.
My Invention consists, secondly, of a safety bolt to be applied to central-
fire breech-loading fire-arms. The said bolts consists of the following parts:
On the outside of the shoe or breech chamber a spring arm provided with two
studs or bolts is situated, the said bolts passing through the said shoe or
breech chamber. By means of a slide having a thumb plate for working it
the spring arm can be raised so as to withdraw the studs or bolts from the
shoe or permit them to enter the shoe. When it is wished to prevent the
discharge of the gun the slide is moved so as to permit the studs or bolts to
enter the shoe when one of them engages in the side of the plug, so as to
prevent its rotation, and the other engages in front of the cylindrical block of
the needle carrier and prevents its longitudinal motion. The spring arm and
slide may also be so arranged that the studs or bolts are forced inwards by
drawing the slide over the spring arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Rock Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Rock Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Rock

page_text: Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 Joseph Rock Cooper, 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, firstly, of the arrangement or combination herein-
after described of the parts of central-fire breech-loading-fire-arms for effecting
the cocking and discharging of the said fire-arms, by which arrangement or
combination the manipulating of the gun is made very simple, and great
rapidity of firing and exemption from accidental discharge are secured. The
breech is opened and closed by a sliding plug working in the breech chamber
or shoe, in which breech chamber or shoe when the plug is withdrawn the
cartridge may be introduced into the barrel; the plug has a motion of partial
rotation in addition to the sliding motion for opening and closing the breech;
the plug is moved by means of a handle fixed on it near its rear end; the
plug is fixed in its place when pushed home by the turning down of the
handle into a cross slot at the rear of the breech chamber or shoe, a lug or
projection on the plug opposite the said handle at the same time taking into a
recess in the breech chamber or shoe opposite to the cross slot, into which the
handle takes. The needle or striker works in the axis of the plug, being
urged forward by a coiled spring. The end of the needle carrier projects from
the rear end of the plug and carries a cylindrical block of the same diameter
as the plug; on the under side of the said cylindrical block is a rib which
takes into a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the shoe; by means of the
said rib and slot the needle carrier and the cylindrical block described are
prevented from rotating; the said cylindrical block carries on its upper side a

page_text: projecting plate, the fore end of which when the handle of the plug is turned.
down into its slot and the gun has been discharged projects over the rear end.
of the plug; the end of the projecting plate is inclined on that side presented
to the slot, in which the handle engages; on raising the handle from the said
slot its stem comes against the inclined end of the projecting plate and forces-
it back, so that when the handle has reached the vertical position the said.
plate and the parts connected therewith are forced back beyond the point
necessary for the sear of the lock to engage with the rib on the under side
of the cylindrical block; the needle or striker is thus withdrawn into the
plug. On raising the handle into the position described a stud on the pro-
jecting plate snaps into a depression in the stem of the handle, and thereby
temporarily locks them together during the withdrawal and advance of the
plug to open and close the breech. While the handle is in a vertical position
the plug can be drawn back and the breech end of the barrel opened for the-
introduction of the cartridge. After the gun has been charged the plug is
pushed forward and the handle turned down into its slot; by the turning.
down of the said handle it passes from the inclined end of the projecting plate;.
and the said plate and parts connected therewith advance slightly, but are.
arrested by the sear of the lock which holds the said parts in their withdrawn
or cocked position; and it is only by pressure on the trigger while the handle
is in its depressed or locked position that the projecting plate and needle
carrier can be liberated and permitted to advance to discharge the
gun. On.
the discharge of the gun the projecting plate advances over the rear of the
plug into the position herein-before described ready to be forced back on
raising the handle to release the plug. Instead of making the end of the
projecting plate inclined it may be made square and the shank of the bandle.
be inclined. The motions necessary for charging and making the gun ready
for firing. are very simple. The handle is raised into a vertical position and
the plug drawn back, the cartridge is introduced, and the plug turned down
again into its slot, when the gun is ready for firing, the cocking of the gun
having been effected by the raising of the handle from its slot.
My Invention consists, secondly, of a safety bolt to be applied to central-
fire breech-loading fire-arms; the said bolt consists of the following parts:-
On the outside of the shoe or breech chamber a spring arm provided with two
5 studs or bolts is situated, the said bolts passing through the said shoe or
breech chamber. By means of a slide having a thumb plate for working it
the spring arm can be raised so as to withdraw the studs or bolts from the shoe
or permit them to enter the shoe. When it is wished to prevent the discharge

page_text: of the gun the slide is moved so as to permit the studs or bolts to enter the
shoe, when one of them engages in the side of the plug, so as to prevent its
rotation, and the other engages in front of the cylindrical block of the needle
carrier and prevents its longitudinal motion; the spring arm and slide may
also be so arranged that the studs or bolts are forced inwards by drawing the
slide over the spring arm.
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 in longitudinal vertical section, and Figure 2 in plan
the breech end of a needle gun containing my improvements, Figure 1
representing the parts of the gun in the positions which they respectively
occupy when the plug has been pushed home to close the breech, but before
the said plug has been fastened in its place by the turning down of the
handle, and Figure 2 representing the parts of the gun in the positions which
they respectively occupy when the plug has been fastened in its place and the
gun cocked ready for discharge; Figure 3 represents in longitudinal vertical
section and Figure 4 in horizontal section the breech end of the barrel of the
said gun without the plug and cylindrical block, the stock and other parts being
omitted; Fgure 5 represents in longitudinal section the plug and cylin-
drical block separately, the parts being in the same position as represented
in the gun Figure 1, and Figure 6 represents the same after the gun has
been discharged; Figure 7 represents an end elevation of the said plug. The
same letters of reference are employed to indicate the same parts in each
Figure of the Drawings.
a is the breech chamber or shoe at the rear of the barrel b. The said.
breech chamber is open at its rear end, and is provided with an opening c
through which when the plug is withdrawn the cartridge is introduced into
the barrel. Sliding and capable of a motion of partial rotation in the said
breech chamber or shoe a is a plug d the motion of which is guided and
limited by a pine working in a longitudinal slot and cross slot f in the said
plug d. The motions of the plug d are effected by the handle h at: its rear
end. When the plug d is pushed home and the breech closed as represented
in Figure 1, the said plug is fastened in its place by the turning down of the
handle h into a cross slot i in the shoe a, as represented in Figure 2, a. lug or
projection k on the said plug at the same time taking into a recess 1 (see
Figures 3 and 4) on the inner side of the breech chamber. opposite the cross
slot i. The needle m (see Figures 5 and 6). works in the axis of the plug d

page_text: being secured to a rod or carrier .n; the said needle and carrier are urged
forward by a coiled spring p bearing against abutments on the plug and
needle carrier respectively. The end of the needle carrier n projects from
the rear end of the plug and carries a cylindrical block of the same diameter
as the plug d. The said block q slides with the plug d but does not partake
of the partial rotation of the said plug. On the under side of the block q is a
rib q³ which takes into a longitudinal slot r in the bottom of the rear end of
the shoe or breech chamber, the said rib and slot preventing the rotation of
the said block g.and the needle carrier n connected with it.
On the upper
side of the cylindrical block 9 is a projecting plate s, the fore end 8 of which
is inclined or bevilled (see Figures 1 and 2), t is the sear of the lock pressed
upwards by the spring u, and v is the trigger. When the cartridge w bas
been introduced into the barrel b through the opening c and the plug d, and
parts carried by it have been brought into the positions represented in
Figure 1, the rib on the bottom of the block q is immediately behind the
sear t, the needle m carried by the said. block 9 having been brought by a
previous operation (herein-after particularly explained) into a cocked or with-
drawn position, that is to say, the spring p by which the advance of the
blockq, needle carrier n, and needle m is effected has been compressed or
brought into a state of tension, as illustrated in Figure 5. By turning down
the handle it passes from the inclined end of the projecting plates, and
the said plates and parts connected therewith advance slightly but are
arrested by the sear t bearing against the rib q, and held by the said sear in
their withdrawn or cocked position as illustrated in Figure 2. The gun is
now ready to be discharged. By pressing the trigger v the sear t is depressed
and released from the rib q' of the block q, when the said block by the action
of the compressed spring p advances and projects or forces the needle out of
the fore end of the plug d, causing it to penetrate the cartridge w and discharge
the gun, the projecting plates at the same time advancing over the rear end
of the plug d. When the gun has been discharged the parts of the plug
assume the positions represented in Figure 6. On raising the handle h from
the cross slot i to recharge the gun its stem comes against the inclined, end s³
of the plates and forces it back with the. block q into the position represented
in Figure 1, that is, beyond the point.necessary for the sear t to engage with
the rib q3 of the said block q, the said rib on the retiring of the block
depressing the said sear t. The needle m is thereby withdrawn into the
plug d and at the same time cocked or brought into a state of tension by the
compression of the spring p, On raising the handle h to unfasten the plug d

page_text: a stud on the plate snaps into a hole or depression h³ (see Figure 7) in
the stem of the handle h, and thereby temporarily locks the said stem and
plate together during the withdrawal of the plug d from and its advance into
the breech chamber a. When the plug d has been unfastened it may be
drawn back and the breech end of the barrel b opened for the introduction of
a fresh cartridge. After the gun has been charged the plug is pushed forward
into the position represented in Figure 1, the handle h is then turned down.
into its slot i, so as to leave the needle m and parts connected with it in their
cocked or withdrawn position, and held by the sear t, as illustrated in
Figure 2, when the gun is again ready to be discharged by pressure on the
trigger as herein-before particularly explained.
It will be understood from the foregoing description and an examination
of the Drawings, that so long as the handle h is in its vertical position the
gun cannot be discharged by pressure on the trigger, the advance of the
plate-s, block g, and needle carrier n being prevented by the fore end of the
said plate & bearing against the handle h, as illustrated in Figure 1, but when
the handle h has been turned down so as to lock the plug the projecting
plates and block q, together with the needle and needle carrier, are free to
move, and by pressure on the trigger the said parts are made to advance
and discharge the gun. By these means the accidental discharge of the
gun is effectually prevented while the plug is unfastened. Instead of making
the end of the plate s inclined it may be made square, and the stem of
the handle h be inclined. I prefer, however, the arrangement of parts herein-
before described and illustrated in the Drawings. The cases of the exploded
cartridges are removed from the barrel by means of a hook or extractor 1
situated and working in a groove or slot (see Figures 3 and 4) forming a
continuation of the slot : in the bottom of the shoe or chamber a. The said
hook or extractor is worked by the plug d, being connected thereto by a pin 2
on the extractor rod, working in a longitudinal and cross slot 3 in the said
plug. When the plug has been partly withdrawn from the chamber a, the
end of the longitudinal slot 3 strikes the pin 2, and the hook or extractor 1
is carried with the plug, and the case of the exploded cartridge is started or
partly withdrawn from the barrel b. The improvements described may be
applied to guns in which a pin or striker is used for discharging the cartridge
in place of a needle.
The safety bolt constructed according to my Invention is represented in
connection with the gun already described. The said bolt consists of a
spring arm 4 (see Figures 3 and 4) outside the breech chamber a.
The

page_text: said arm is fixed at the end 5, and its other and free end is provided with
two studs or bolts 6, 7, which in the normal position of the said spring arm
pass through and project into the chamber a; near the free end of the said
spring arm is a slide 8 having a thumb plate 10 for moving it. The slide is
guided and its motion limited by a screw 11, a slot in the slide working upon
the stem of the said screw; on the spring arm 4 is an inclined projection 12,
and in the slide 8 are two inclined notches. By moving the slide 8 towards
the muzzle of the gun its lower notch or that nearest the thumb plate 10
acting against the inclined projection 12 pushes the said spring arm outwards
and withdraws the bolts or studs 6, 7, from the chamber a, making the said
bolts or studs lie flush with the interior of the said chamber. When the
parts of the gun have been brought into the positions represented in Figure 2
and it is wished to prevent the accidental discharge of the gun by pressure
on the trigger, the slide 8 is moved in the contrary direction to that already
described, so as to bring the other notch in the said slide opposite the
projection 12 of the spring arm 4. When in this position the projection 12
drops into the said notch, and the studs or bolts 6, 7, are permitted to enter
the shoe or breech chamber as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the bolt or
stud 6 engaging with the hole * in the lug k of the plug, and preventing the
rotation of the plug and the other bolt or stud 7 engaging in front of the
cylindrical block 9 of the needle carrier and preventing its longitudinal
motion. Instead of arranging the spring arm so that in its normal position
the studs or bolts are forced inwards, the said spring arm and the slide may
be so arranged that the studs or bolts are forced inwards by drawing the
slide over the spring arm.
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 cocking and discharging and preventing the
accidental discharge of breech-loading fire-arms herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, affixing the needle
carrier or striker of the gun to an independent sliding block at the rear of
the plug or closer, the said block being provided with a projecting plate
whereby the needle or striker is cocked on the unfastening of the said plug
or closer and held in its cocked position by the sear of the lock, on the
fastening of the said plug or closer the said block and plate and parts

page_text: immediately concerned in their action being constructed and combined or
arranged substantially in the manner herein-before described and illustrated.
Secondly, combining or arranging the parts of a safety bolt for breech-
loading fire-arms substantially in the manner herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER. (L.S.)