IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Morris Milbank, of Greenfield Hill, in the
State of Connecticut, United States of America, for the Invention of
T
Sealed the 24th April 1867, and dated the 23rd February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Morris Milbank
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd February 1867.
I, ISAAC MORRIS MILBANK, of Greenfield Hill, in the State of Connecticut,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
At the rear of the barrel the metal is extended in the form of a short trough
open either at the top or the side of the piece and receiving a swinging breech
block that is hinged loosely to the rear end of the barrel, so as to swing either
upward or out to the right side. My improvement consists in applying to
such a swinging breech block a swinging claw that occupies a recess at the
front end of the breech block, the fulcrum of the claw being furthest from
the hinge of the breech block, while the hooked end of the claw comes towards
such hinge and by a spring in the breech block is hooked over the flanged base
of the metallic cartridge case as it lies in the barrel, so as to draw the same
out a sufficient distance for the cartridge case to be delivered from the barrel
as the breech is swung open, thereby overcoming the difficulty heretofore
experienced in getting the cartridge case entirely out of the barrel. The
breech block is secured by a cylindrical bolt passing through it and having a

page_text: segment of such cylinder removed so as not to obstruct the swinging of the
breech block into its place, after which a partial turn of the said bolt brings
the unremoved portions thereof into contact with a notch or cavity in the
metal at the bottom or end of the trough receiving such breech so as to block
the swinging breech and prevent its opening by the recoil of the explosion.
I also provide a wing on the rear end of the swinging breech block which
closes against the side of the piece, so that the hammer stock swings outside
of it. This wing also prevents the hammer falling sufficiently far to explode
the piece if the breech is not properly shut to place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaac Morris Milbank in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
MORRIS MILBANK, of Greenfield Hill, in the State of Connecticut, United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, A.D. One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Isaac Morris Milbank, Her special license that I, the said Isaac
Morris Milbank, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Isaac Morris Milbank, 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 Isaac Morris Milbank, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 YE, that I, the said Isaac Morris Milbank, 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
Heretofore fire-arms have been made with a breech block that swings on a
hinge and turns into or out of an opening or trougli-shaped recess at the
breech of the fire-arm, being a continuation of the barrel. Difficulty has
been experienced in this character of arm in withdrawing the flanged metallic
cartridge case from the barrel.
My Invention consists in a swinging spring claw f that is introduced in an
opening or mortice in the swinging breech block c and acts to catch over the
flange of the metallic cartridge case g and draw the same out of the rear end
of the barrel as the breech block c is swung back to open the breech. The
breech block c is hinged at d to the top or side of the barrel according to which
way the breech is to be opened, as my claw to draw out the cartridge is equally
available with either form of breech-loading fire-arm. The hinge pin dis
loose in its hole, so that the breech block is free to take a firm bearing to the
rear against the explosion and relieve the hinge from strain. The claw fis
on a fulcrum pin 1 and the hooked end 2 is kept in contact with the cartridge
by the spring 3 and holds on to the flange of the cartridge as the breech is
swung open and draws the metallic shell out of the barrel, as seen in Fig. 2,
so that it is entirely free to fall out or be ejected from the trough at the rear
of the barrel, the claw when the breech is closed occupying the position shown
in Fig. 1. The cartridge itself is formed with a sheet metal shell or case
flanged at the base, and inside said base is a disc of metal 4 that is formed
with a central opening and is soldered firmly within the shell; through this
central opening. passes a tube with a flanged and closed end containing
fulminating material, and the explosion is effected by a blow from the
hammer m acting through the pin p upon the back of the claw f near its
fulcrum, and forcing a projecting hammer on the front of the claw against
the fulminate tube, and exploding the same. The hole for the fulcrum pin 1
is widened to allow of this motion. The devices employed for securing this
swinging breech against the explosion have to be adapted to the direction in
which the breech swings. In the elevation Fig. 3 and plan Fig. 1 I have
shown the breech block c.as formed with a wing 5 that shuts against
the side of the piece, and the shank of the hammer m passes down outside
of the said wing so as to hold it from flying open when the explosion
takes place, and this wing will prevent the hammer striking the pin 'p to
explode the piece when the breech is not properly closed. To aid in sustaining
the hammer I have a book-shaped flange a projecting from the lock plate,
behind which the shank of the hammer passes. To prevent the breech

page_text: swinging open accidentally when the piece is being carried I use a spring
detainer r, see section Fig. 5; this has an inclined end entering a recess
in the side of the trough for the breech. As an additional security to the
breech I make use of a round bolt s with a lever end, said bolt passing through
a hole in the breech block and into a hole in the metal at the bottom of the
trough; this bolt can be turned about a quarter rotation, and one side of the
end is cut off diagonally so that the end will enter the hole in the bottom of
said trough as the breech block is swung in to close the breech, and by giving
the said bolts about a quarter rotation by its lever t the end of said bolt is
brought around, as seen in Fig. 1, where the part that is not cut off prevents
the breech swinging open.
When my claw is used with a breech block that swings upwards, as
in Figs. 2 & 4, I prefer to allow the side of the turning bolt to secure
the breech block in place; the hole for this turning bolt is bored so as to be
about one-sixth part in the rear abutment and the remainder in the breech
block c.
The bolts occupies this hole, having a pin 6 at one end, seen by
dotted lines in Fig. 6, to guide it as it is rotated by the lever t at the other
end. The amount of rotation is limited by a pin or screw in a groove, see
Fig. 2, and one side of the bolt is cut away so as to be flush with the rear.
end of the breech block to allow that to close, after which by turning the
levert the bolt is turned into the portion of its hole that is in the abutment e,
and thereby the breech is prevented from opening. A stop may be provided
on the outside of the gun to arrest the movement of the lever t, and that
lever prevents the hammer descending if the breech is not properly closed, see
Fig. 4. In order to deliver the metallic cartridge case freely when withdrawn
I provide an incline at the back end of the recess or trough containing the
swinging breech block, as seen at 8, Fig. 2; the rear end of the cartridge case
running up this incline throws it out from the said recess. This incline may
be made by a movable piece of metal either solid or formed with grooves or
channels into which any dirt may pass to prevent the breech being obstructed.
In Fig. 7 I have shown my cartridge case with the base 4 soldered into
the sheet metal case, and with the cavity therein made sufficiently deep to
receive a percussion cap into which is inserted a little piece of sheet metal
rolled up (see Fig. 8, which shows the cap detached) so that when the cap is
struck on the end the piece of rolled up metal will form an anvil, causing the
explosion of the cap.
In Fig. 9 I have shown a spring bolt that may be used in connection
with my swinging claw f; this bolt is held back within the breech block c by
a latch 10, and as the claw is projected by the spring 3 a part of the claw

page_text: disconnects the latch 10, and the spring throwing the bolt x forward against
the back of the claw head gives additional motion to the same, fully ejecting the
cartridge case.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First, a swinging claw in combination with a swinging breech block,
said claw acting to withdraw the metallic cartridge case, substantially as set
forth.
Second, securing the swinging breech block by a bolt that has a portion
of it removed to allow the breech to close, and when turned the unremoved
portion of the bolt holds the breech from opening, substantially as set
forth.
Third, a wing projecting from the swinging breech, outside of which the
hammer shank passes to secure the same when the piece is fired, substantially
as set forth.
Fourth, firing the cartridge by a pin struck by the hammer and acting
upon the hammer head of the claw to give the blow in the center of the
cartridge.
Fifth, the fulminate tube or cap introduced in the cartridge, as shown.
Sixth, a metallic disc forming the base of the cartridge and soldered within
the sheet metal flanged case, as specified.
Seventh, an incline at the rear end of the breech trough to aid in delivering
the cartridge case, as set forth.
Eighth, the swinging breech mounted upon a hinge that is loose so as to
allow the recoil to be taken in the rear abutment, as specified.
Ninth, the spring bolt in combination with the claw f, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Morris Milbank, have bereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witnesses,
CHAS. H. SMITH,
121, Nassau St., N.Y.
GEO. D. WALKER,
121, Nassau St., N.Y.
ISAAC M. MILBANK. (L.S.)