Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
J, WILLIAM PEAKE of 67 Manor Road, Erith, Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to simplify the opening and closing the breech of
guns and to facilitate the extraction of the empty cartridge cases.
"
«
In accordance with my Invention the breech is formed with an interrupted" screw
thread in the interior, three spaces of said "interrupted screw thread being cut
away leaving three sixths of the thread in the gun. In the bottom space there is a
slideway for the cartridge extractor to work in a slot is also cut through the bottom
space in the slideway aforesaid to allow of the passage therethrough of the lever which
operates the cartridge extractor.
Two eyes or bearings are formed on the underside of the gun one on either side of
the slot aforesaid, and to which eyes or bearings the cartridge extractor lever is
pivotted. There is also another eye or bearing on the lower part of breech, about
flush with rear of and running parallel to gun this bearing is at a given distance to
the right hand side and receives a "combination bolt and striker." One end of this
bolt carries the breech screw carrier, and the other end serves as a striker and works the
lever aforesaid which operates the cartridge extractor.
"
The breech screw is a parallel "interrupted screw with thread cut away to
correspond with breech of gun. A pin is formed on rear end of breech screw and
erves to allow of unlocking the breech screw and to draw it out of the breech into the
case of the "breech screw carrier "for replacing the breech screw and locking it into
breech of gun. The "breech screw carrier" is made with a fast and a loose case disposed
concentrically: the fast case is formed on the carrier, and the loose-which is also the
exterior-case works over it, the fast case has a slot cut partly round one end
(and of the same pitch as breech screw) and continued straight along one side to
end of case.
The external case has a screw-formed groove in it of a suitable pitch to accord
with the size of the
The pin herein before referred to on rear end of
gun.
breech screw, passes through the slot in the external fast case and enters

page_text: into the groove in the loose case: and when the latter is turned part of a
revolution the breech screw is unlocked and drawn out of the breech of gun
into the carrier case and is passed quickly on one side; whereupon, the empty
cartridge case is extracted. The carrier has a short arm with a projecting boss
on the lower part on the right hand side by which it is fitted to the carrier bolt before
mentioned.
As subordinate appurtenances to the above described mechanism I provide a starting
hook and firing lock; and the necessary stops are fitted on the carrier and on the
breech of gun to prevent the latter being discharged before being properly locked.
Also, in some cases I employ two pins on end of each screw instead of one only, and
two slots and grooves in the carrier cases.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
I, WILLIAM PEAKE, of 67, Manor Road, Erith, Kent, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:-
The object of my invention is to simplify the opening and closing of the breech of
guns and to facilitate the extraction of the empty cartridge case.
"3
In accordance with my invention the breech is formed with an interrupted screw-
thread in the intérior, three spaces of said "interrupted screw-thread being cut
away leaving three sixths of the thread in the gun as in the French breechloading
system. In the bottom space there is a slideway for the cartridge extractor to work in.
A slot is also cut through the bottom of the gun to allow of the passage therethrough
of a lever which operates the cartridge extractor.
Two eyes or bearings are formed on the underside of the gun one on either side of
the slot aforesaid and to which eyes or bearings the cartridge extractor lever is pivotted.
There is also another eye or bearing on the lower part of breech about flush with rear
of and running parallel to gun; this bearing is at a given distance from that side of
the centre line of the gun towards which the breech-screw and carrier turn or travel
in order to open the breech ready for the extraction of the empty cartridge case. This
eye or bearing is adapted to receive a spindle or bolt the forward end of which

page_text: spindle is formed with a projection or striker to operate the lever of the said cartridge
extractor. The breech-screw carrier has a short arm with a projecting boss in a
position corresponding to that of the said eye or bearing and this projecting boss is
fitted to the said spindle or bolt in such manner that the breech-screw carrier shall
be capable of rotating around the said spindle or bolt until the breech is open
ready for the extraction of the empty cartridge case and the two shall revolve together
and effect the extraction of the empty case.
The breech-screw is a parallel "interrupted" screw with thread cut away to
correspond with breech of gun as in the French breechloading guns. A pin is formed
on rear end of breech-screw which allows of the breech-screw being unscrewed and
withdrawn out of the breech into the fast case or breech-screw carrier which is then
ready to turn or travel to one side of the gun in order to open the breech of the gun
ready for the extraction of the empty cartridge case and when the gun has been
reloaded permits of the breech-screw being replaced in its recess and screwed into the
gun ready for firing. The breech-screw carrier is made with a fast and loose case
disposed concentrically; the fast case is formed on the carrier aforesaid or forms part
of the carrier, and the loose case which is also the exterior works over it. A closing
or end plate is fixed to the fast case or the breech-screw carrier which serves to retain
the loose case in its place on the fast case or breech-screw carrier.
The central part
of this closing or end plate is cut away to allow of the firing mechanism being worked.
The fast case or breech-screw carrier has a slot cut partly round its front end to
enable the pin on the end of the breech-screw to work in the same and the breech-
screw to evolve therein during the unscrewing motion given to the breech-screw.
This slot which is of the same pitch as that of the breech-screw threads is continued
straight along rearwards to end of the fast case so as to enable the breech-screw to
move rearwards in the fast case or breech-screw carrier during the withdrawing motion
given to the breech-screw.
The external or loose case has a screw-like groove formed in it of a suitable pitch
to accord with the size of the gun. The pin hereinbefore referred to on rear en of
breech-screw passes through the slot in the internal or fast case and enters into the
groove in the loose case. The loose case is provided with a handle or handles for
giving motion to the same.
As subordinate appurtenances to the above described mechanism I provide a starting
hook and firing lock; and necessary stops are fitted on the breech-screw carrier and
on the breech of the gun to prevent the latter being discharged before the breech is
properly closed.
The starting hook engages with the said pin on the end of the breech-screw and
consists of a pivotted lever fitted to the loose or external case aforesaid one end of
which is recessed to hook over the said pin on the end of the breech-screw and the
other end is provided with a spring pin engaging in a cam-groove on the rear face of
the breech-screw carrier. This cam-groove is so shaped that the recessed end of the
starting hook cannot be disengaged from the said pin until the breech-screw is
properly unscrewed. In order to effect the disengagement of the starting hook from
the said pin I provide a spring the tendency of which is always to disengage the starting
hook and is prevented from doing so until the breech-screw is entirely unscrewed.
When the breech-screw is unscrewed the spring pin is pressed into its recess by the
cam-groove and on the return movement the starting hook is again caused to engage
with the pin on the end of the breech-screw and the cam-groove by a projection on the
breech-screw carrier.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-
Supposing the gun to have been fired and it is required to open the breech and
extract the empty cartridge case motion will be given (in the proper direction) to the
external or loose case by means of its handle, and the starting hook assisted by the sides of
the screw-like groove acting on the pin at the rear end of the breech-screw will cause
the pin to travel in the front part of the slot formed in the fast case and unscrew the
breech-screw. During this portion of the breech-opening movement only a very
small motion of the said pin in the screw-like groove formed in the external or loose

page_text: case will take place the said small motion amounting to about one sixth of the pitch of
the thread of the breech-screw.
When the breech-screw has been unscrewed further rotary movement of the same
will be prevented by the pin on the breech-screw arriving at the end of the circum-
ferential slot in the fast case and by continuing to move the handle of the external or
loose case the screw-like groove formed in the same will cause the pin on the end of
the breech-screw to travel in the same and also in the straight part of the slot formed
in the fast case and the breech-screw thereby to be withdrawn from the gun. The
breech-screw and fast case and loose case will then be locked together and further
motion given to the handle of the loose case will cause the three to turn as one piece
around the spindle or bolt aforesaid in the eye or bearing provided on one side of the
centre line of the gun until the breech is open ready for the extraction of the empty
case. The fast case will then be locked to the aforesaid spindle or bolt the projection
or striker on the front end of which will operate the extractor lever.
I also provide a stop on the breech of the gun to limit the travel of the said breech-
screw carrier.
In some cases I employ two pins on the end of the breech-screw instead of one only
and two slots and grooves in the said fast and loose cases.
In those cases where I do not employ metallic cartridges or "fixed ammunition" I
dispense with the striker and extractor mechanism aforesaid.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood and carried into
practical effect I have caused to be annexed to this specification the accompanying
sheets of drawings and now refer to the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
Fig. 1. is an elevation of the rear end of a gun fitted with this mechanism the
breech being closed and the gun ready for firing.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the rear end of the gun, the breech being open and the
cartridge case having been extracted.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section along the line a - -
to breech.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section along the line c
closed.
-
b Fig. 4 looking from muzzle
-
-
d Fig. the breech being
Fig. 5 is a vertical section along the line cd Fig. 1 the breech-screw having
been withdrawn into the breech-screw carrier preparatory to being turned to one
side.
Fig. 6 is a view of the loose or exterior case, and
Fig. 7 is a view of the fast case or breech-screw. carrier.
In all these figures similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
No firing mechanism is shown in these figures as I may
percussion or electric.
use any one either
A is the breech-screw provided with interrupted screw-threads B are the
corresponding segmental threads formed in the breech of the gun. C is the pin
on rear end of breech-screw. D is the fast case on breech-screw carrier formed
with a slot E of the same pitch as that of the threads of the breech-screw A,
and straight slot E' continuous with E. F is the loose or external case. G is the
screw-like groove formed in F, and H is the handle for giving motion to the
external case F. 1 is the closing or end plate. J are the eyes or bearings on
underside of gun to which is pivotted the cartridge extractor lever K. L is the
extractor and L¹ the groove or slideway in which L works. M is the eye or bearing
to receive the spindle or bolt N to which is fitted the projecting boss 0 of the
breech-screw carrier D. P is the striker to operate the extractor lever K.
Q is the recessed end of the starting hook and R is the spring pin at the other
end of same. S is the cam-groove formed in breech-screw carrier. T is the
spring for causing the starting hook to be disengaged and U is the projection on
the breech-screw carrier.
V is the stop provided on breech of gun to limit the movements of the breech
mechanism in opening and closing the breech.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In breechloading ordnance having the French or "interrupted" breech-
screw, the combination with the interrupted breech-screw A and the corresponding
segments of thread B in the gun of the pin C on the rear end of the breech-
screw A and its starting-hook Q R the fast case or breech-screw carrier D with
its slot E E¹ the loose or external case F with its screw-like groove G and
handle H the closing plate I and the spindle or bolt N.
2nd. The extractor mechanism consisting of an extractor K the extractor
lever L fitting into and operating K and pivotted to bearings J formed on the
gun and the striker P-formed on the end of the bolt N fitted to and operated by the
breech-screw carrier.
3rd. Breech mechanism for ordnance substantially as set forth amd illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
D
1
1000