IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH- LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Dines, of 3, Abingdon Villas, Kensington, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 28th May 1867, and dated the 8th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Dines at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th December
1866.
I, HENRY DINES, of 3, Abingdon Villas, Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In constructing breech-loading fire-arms according to this Invention the
breech end of the barrel has connected to it a tubular body forming a
continuation of the barrel, the upper portion of the forward end of the tubular
body is cut away in order to admit of a cartridge being inserted into the rear
end of the barrel through the opening so formed. Sliding to and fro within
the body is a tubular breech piece closed at both ends. When the fire-arm
is loaded ready for firing the forward end of the breech piece closes the rear
end of the barrel; to the rear end of the breech piece is pinjointed a lever, one
arm of the lever when the breech is closed enters a slot or recess formed in'
the top of the body near its rear end, and prevents the breech piece from being

page_text: driven back on the explosion taking place; the other and longer arm of the
lever at this time lies in a groove in the top of the "small" of the stock, and
its rear end is held by a spring catch; a thumb-piece is also formed on this
end of the lever arm, by which the arm can be turned upwards in order to
withdraw the short arm from the slot in the rear end of the body; the tubular
breech piece can then be slid backwards until its forward end has been
drawn back beyond the portion of the body that is open at the top. When
the breech piece is in this position a cartridge can be inserted through the
open top of the body into the rear end of the barrel. In the centre of the
breech piece is a rod capable of sliding to and fro concentrically within it;
around the rod is a spiral spring which presses constantly against a disc formed
on the rod near its forward end; the rear end of the spring bears against a
collar in the interior of the tubular body so that the sliding rod is pressed
constantly towards its foremost position. In front of the disc is a small
projecting piece, which passes through a hole in the forward end of the breech
piece, and acts as a "striker" to explode a cap or percussion arrangement in
the centre of the base of the cartridge placed in the barrel. When the tubular
breech piece is drawn back the disc above mentioned on the stem of the striker
is moved back beyond a spring catch which retains it; this catch passes up
through a slot in the under side of the tubular breech piece. The catch is
connected to the trigger, so that (the breech having been closed) the catch
may be withdrawn by pulling the trigger, and the striker be thus set free to
be driven forward by the spiral spring to explode the cartridge. If after
loading it is not desired to explode the cartridge immediately, the trigger may
be prevented from withdrawing the catch that holds back the striker by pushing
forward a sliding bolt so that it shall come just below the catch and prevent
it moving; this bolt is by preference so shaped as to prevent the catch
descending at any time entirely out of its slot in the breech block, and thus
prevents the breech block being drawn back entirely out of the body. In
order to withdraw the empty cartridge case after the piece has been exploded
the forward end of the breech piece carries on its opposite sides two springs
formed at their ends with lugs or hooks, which when the breech is closed pass
beyond the flange formed around the base of the cartridge, and spring inwards
behind it, so that when the breech piece is drawn back the cartridge case will
be drawn back with it. After the breech piece has been drawn back a
distance the cartridge case is by a stop at the bottom of the body stopped
from being drawn further back; the spring lugs or hooks which were drawing
back the cartridge case will then by springing outwards pass over the flange
of the case at the same time that the case will be somewhat tilted upwards by

page_text: reason of its being free on the top, and stopped on its under side. When the
spring lugs have passed over the flange they again spring inwards, and by so
doing throw away the empty case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Dines in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DINES, of 3, Abingdon Villas, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Dines, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Dines, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Dines,
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 Henry Dines, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Henry Dines, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-arms.
In constructing breech-loading fire-arms according to this Invention the
breech end of the barrel has connected to or formed on it a tubular body
forming a continuation of the barrel, the upper portion of the forward end of
the tubular body is cut away in order to admit of a cartridge being inserted

page_text: into the rear end of the barrel through the opening so formed. Sliding to
and fro within the body is a tubular breech piece, the forward end of which-
closes the rear end of the barrel when the arm is loaded ready for firing, the
rear end of the breech piece is closed by a lever pinjointed to it, and by this
lever the breech piece is fixed when the breech is closed. By this arrangement
the breech plug only slides to and fro, and is locked by pressing down a
ever pinjointed to its rear end in place of the sliding breech plug being
When the breech
ocked by turning it round on its axis as heretofore usual.
is closed the lever lies along the top of the "small" of the stock, and its
rear end is held by a spring catch; a thumb-piece is also formed on this end
of the lever arm, by which the lever can be turned upwards to allow of the
breech block being drawn back; the tubular breech piece can then be slid
backwards until its forward end has been drawn back beyond the portion of
the body that is open at the top. When the breech piece is in this position a
cartridge can be inserted through the open top of the body into the rear end
of the barrel. In the centre of the breech piece is a rod or plunger capable
of sliding to and fro concentrically within it, behind the rod is a spiral spring
which presses constantly against its rear end. The rear end of the spring
bears against the front of the lever which closes the rear end of the sliding
breech plug, so that the sliding rod is pressed constantly towards its formost
position; on the forward end of the plunger is a small projecting piece which
passes through a hole in the forward end of the breech piece and acts as a
"striker" to explode a cap or percussion arrangement in the centre of the
base of the cartridge placed in the barrel. When the tubular breech piece
is drawn back a projection on the plunger above-mentioned is moved back
beyond a spring catch which retains it, this catch passes up through a slot
in the under side of the tubular breech piece. The catch is connected to the
trigger, so that (the breech having been closed) the catch may be withdrawn
by pulling the trigger, and the striker be thus set free to be driven forward by
the spiral spring to explode the cartridge. If after loading it is not desired
to explode the cartridge immediately the trigger may be prevented from
withdrawing the catch that holds back the striker by a bolt, so that it shall
In order to withdraw the empty
prevent the catch from being moved.
cartridge case after the piece has been exploded, the forward end of the
breech piece carries on its upper end an extractor composed of a spring
formed at its forward end with a lug or hook, which, when the breech is
closed passes beyond the flange formed around the base of the cartridge and
springs downwards behind it, so that when the breech piece is drawn back
the cartridge case will be drawn back with it; or two such springs may be

page_text: employed one on either side of the forward end of the plug. After the breech
piece has been drawn back a distance the cartridge case is by a stop at
the bottom of the body stopped from being drawn further back, the spring
lug or lugs which were drawing back the cartridge case will then pass
over the flange of the case at the same time that the case will be some-
what tilted upwards by reason of its being stopped on its under side, and the
spring lug or lugs by pressing on the flange in passing over it throw out the
empty case.
Figure 1 shows a plan view, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of
the breech end of a breech-loading fire-arm constructed according to my
Invention.
In these Figures a is the breech end of the barrel screwed into a tubular
body b; this body is shown separately in section at Figure 3; the upper portion
of the body is cut away at 6', as shown to admit of a cartridge being inserted
into or withdrawn from the breech end of the barrel; c is the tubular breech
piece; d is the lever handle pinjointed to the rear end of this block; on this
lever is a projection d, which when the breech is closed enters a slot 6³ in a
tang formed in a continuation of the tubular body b, and thus forms. a
bearing to prevent the breech piece c being driven back on the explosión taking
place; this bearing being below the central line of the breech block the
backward thrust on the breech block when the explosion takes place will
have a tendency to lock down the lever still more securely. When the piece
is loaded ready for firing the lever d is held in its place by a spring catch e,
so that the lever may not be turned up by striking it accidentally. At the
rear end of the lever is a thumb piece d², by which the lever can be turned
upwards to open the breech; this thumb piece is set well over to the right
of the lever, so as to be out of the line of sight and to be more conveniently
grasped by the forefinger of the right hand when loading. f is the sliding rod
or plunger which slides to and fro within the tubular breech piece c; 9 is the
spring placed behind the plunger, the forward end of the spring bearing
against the rear end of the plunger, and the rear end of the spring bearing
against the forward end of the lever d which closes the rear end of the breech
piece. In front of the plunger is a projection f' which is capable of passing
through a bole in the forward end of the breech piece c, and acts as a striker

page_text: to explode the cap or percussion arrangement in the centre of the base of the
cartridge. When the breech c is drawn back by its lever handle the plunger
is drawn back with it until the projection f on its under side is drawn back
beyond the catch g', which is constantly pressed upwards by a spring 9, which
acts as a sear spring, the catch g! then holds back the plunger and prevents it
again moving forward when the breech plug. c is moved forward to close the
breech. The catch g works through a slot in the under side of the body b,
and the upper portion of the catch also enters a slot in the under side of the
sliding breech plug; the breech plug is thus kept from turning round in the
tubular body. The catch g' is connected to the trigger so that when the breech
plug has been slid forward to close the breech, and has been locked by forcing
down the lever at its rear end, the catch may be withdrawn by pulling the
trigger; the plunger is then set free, and is driven forward by the spiral spring g
to explode the cartridge. If after loading it is not desired to fire at once, the
trigger may be locked so that it cannot be moved to withdraw the catch by
turning the lever bolt h on its axis by means of a thumb-piece h¹ upon it,
which projects from the right hand side of the stock, as shown; the inner end
of the lever is then brought just above a flat surface & formed on the trigger k,
and thus the trigger is securely locked. If when closing the breech the
leverd is not pushed down to lock the breech plug the spiral spring g' will
again press back the breech plug, so that the gun cannot be fired unless the
breech is properly closed. is the extractor, composed of a spring fixed to
the top of the forward end of the breech plug c, and projecting beyond it the
forward end of the spring is made with a lug or hook ", which when the breech
is closed passes beyond the flange at the base of the cartridge. When the
piece has been fired and the breech plug is drawn back the extractor draws
back the empty cartridge case with it; in order to start the cartridge case
so that it may readily be drawn back by drawing back the breech plug, the
lever, piujointed to the rear end of the breech plug, has upon it a small
projection d³, which, when the lever is lifted up to open the breech comes
against the rear end of the top of the body b, and acts as a powerful lever to
draw back for a short distance the sliding breech plug c; this motion starts
back the empty case, and the case having once been moved can readily be
withdrawn by drawing back the breech by its lever handle. After the breech
plug has been drawn back nearly to the end of its motion the base of the
cartridge case comes against the forward end of the catch g', and is stopped
from being drawn further back, and as the breech plug is moved further
back the spring extractor is drawn over the flange on the base of the
cartridge; the cartridge case is thus tilted up, and is thrown out by the spring

page_text: pressing down upon it. If it is desired at any time to render the arın useless,
or to clean the barrel from end to end, the breech plug c may be drawn back
entirely out of the body by pulling the trigger well back, so as to free the
catch g from the slot in the under side of the sliding breech plug; the breech
plug may thus be drawn back and removed entirely from the rifle or fire-arm.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First, the general arrangement or combination of breech-loading mechanism
herein described.
Second, I claim separately the employing a lever d pinjointed to the rear
end of a sliding breech plug to lock the breech plug, as herein described.
Third, I claim separately the combined arrangement of mechanism herein
described for withdrawing the empty cartridge cases.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Dines, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eight day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
HENRY DINES. (L.8.)