IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A
communication from abroad by Barton Howard Jenks, of Bridesburgh,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th August 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
to be as follows:-
$9
This Invention relates to an improvement on that class of breech-loading
arms which are adapted for the use of fixed ammunition and cartridge shells
having the percussion powder confined within flanges which are formed around
the butts of the shells, so that when these flanges are struck by a hammer
the powder in the shells will be ignited.
The main object of this Invention is to combine with a slotted frame of an
arm a vibrating breech closer, a vibrating locking latch and brace for keeping
the breech closer firmly against the breech end of the barrel when the arm is
charged for firing, and also a vibrating hammer, which latter is applied on one

page_text: side and outside of the breech closer, so that in the act of exposing the breech
of the barrel by drawing back. the breech closer the hammer will be cocked;
then upon returning the breech closer to its place against the breech of the
barrel, and locking it there, the hammer will be in a position for firing the
piece.
Another object of this Invention is to provide for securely locking the
breech closer in its proper position against the breech of the barrel before
the hammer can be released to explode the cartridge: The metallic frame
to which the barrel and the other parts of the arm are secured consists of a
hub piece, two vertical cheeks, having a longitudinal space between them,
which extends back to the tang and forward to the breech end of the barrel;
the lower forward extensions of the cheek plates also form a space below the
hub, and have secured between them a longitudinal portion, which projects
forward and is secured to the bottom of the barrel at its forward end by means
of a. screw which also secures the main spring in place. The rear end of the
barrel is screwed or otherwise secured into the hub, so that the rear end of the
barrel is flush with the rear vertical end of the hub portion. The rear end of
the barrel is reamed out to receive the cartridge shell, and a semicircular
portion is cut out, of the barrel at its rear end, and below its axis, for receiving.
the cartridge shell retractor; within the vertical space enclosed by the cheeks
is pivotted a vibrating breech closer of a segment form. The front flat face of
this closer is constructed with an enlarged solid portion having lateral pro-
jections so as to present a strong abutment to the breech end of the cartridge
shell, and to fit snugly against the vertical ends of the barrel and hub when the
arm is in a condition for firing. In the front face of the enlarged solid
portion of the breech closer there is a perforation, through which the nose of
the hammer passes to strike upon the flange of the cartridge. This segmental
breech closer is slotted vertically so that all that portion of it which is in
rear of and below the solid cheek piece forms two cheeks for receiving
between them the locking latch or brace and also the tumbler to which the
hammer is secured; this segment is pivotted between the two cheeks of the
metallic frame by means of a transverse pin below the longitudinal axis of
the barrel and the upper edges of its cheeks are curved concentrically to the
axis of the pin so that these edges will pass freely without touching the forward
end of the tang as the segment is vibrated about its axis. Between the two
cheeks of the vibrating segment is the locking latch which is pivotted by a
transverse pin, and is allowed to have a vibratory movement independently of
the movement of the segment to which it is pivotted. The pivot pin of this

page_text: latch is located near the solid breech portion, and from its upper edge near
its forward end a finger piece projects. The forward end of this locking
latch is bevilled so as to allow it to have a limited motion about its axís.
The bottom edge of the latch has a nose projecting from it for a purpose
which will be herein-after explained. The object of the latch is chiefly to
hold the segment breech closer firmly in position, so that the recoil or shock
of the discharge will be resisted by the solid portion or tang, the forward' end
of which is curved. In order to expose the breech of the barrel it will be
necessary to force the rear end of the latch down clear of the abutment or
tang, when by a further backward movement of the hand the segment can be
drawn back and will give sufficient space in front of the closing segment for
the insertion of a ball cartridge or the removal of the exploded shell. On the
outside of the segment breech closer is the hammer, which corresponds in
segmental form to this closer, and is pivotted upon the same pin. The
hammer is constructed with a finger piece projecting from its forward upper
corner, and also with a nose which is of sufficient length to pass through the
perforation which is made through the breech piece and strike the flange of
the cartridge and explode the same when the hammer is allowed to fly from
a full-cock. The front edge of the hammer is notched so that it will fit
snugly against the back surface of the projection. This hammer is secured to
a tubular bearing which passes through the cheeks of the segment, and to
this tubular bearing the tumbler is secured so that the hammer and tumbler
sball both move together. The tumbler is notched as usual to receive the
sear of the trigger; and it is also constructed. with an extension which will
strike the lower edge of the locking brace and force this latch upward before
the hammer can explode the cartridge. When the locking latch is released
from its shoulder abutment on the tang portion, and the segment breech
closer is drawn back, the hammer with its tumbler will be cocked; the
segment is then moved forward again and locked, leaving the hammer cocked.
During the act of exposing the breech of the barrel by drawing back the
segment the nose on the latch will impinge upon and move over the back edge
of the trigger and prevent any movement of the same until the breech of the
barrel is again closed and the segment locked in place. The main spring is
connected at its rear end to a link which is pivotted to the tumbler, and causes
the hammer to explode the cartridge when it is released from the trigger.
Directly above the link is the slide carrying the cartridge extractor; this slide
moves in a slot at the bottom of the barrel, and is constructed with a semi-
circular portion which embraces the flange of the cartridge shells and withdraws
the shells. On the end of this extractor is an enlargement with an oblong-

page_text: slot, through which a pin passes and connects the slide to the vibrating breech
closer directly beneath the closing or check. plate. When the breech of the
barrel is exposed by drawing back the segment the cartridge shell will be
'drawn out.
It will be seen from the above description that there is a combination of a
vibrating breech closer, a vibrating hammer, and a vibrating locking brace or
latch, and at the same time the hammer is so arranged that it may be at
pleasure cocked or half-cocked or released from a full-cock without moving
'the breech closer. The hammer will also be brought to a full-cock by
drawing back the breech closer to insert a cartridge or extract a blank shell.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office.ou
the 28th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
"Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, 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 William Edward Newton, Her special, licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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," being a communication
from Barton Howard Jenks, of Bridesburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to an improvement on that class of breech-loading
arms which are adapted for the use of fixed ammunition and cartridge shells,
having the percussion powder confined within flanges which are formed around
the butts of the shells, so that when these flanges are struck by a hammer the
powder in the shells will be ignited.
The main object of this Invention is to combine with a slotted frame of an
arm a vibrating breech closer, a vibrating locking latch and brace for keeping
the breech closer firmly against the breech end of the barrel when the arm is
charged for firing, and also a vibrating hammer, which latter is applied on one
side and outside of the said breech closer in such manner that in the act of
exposing the breech of the barrel by drawing back the breech closer the
bammer will be cocked, then upon returning the breech closer to its place
against the breech of the barrel, and locking it there, the hammer will be in a
position for firing the piece, as will be herein-after described.
Another object of this Invention is to provide for securely locking the
breech closer in its proper position against the breech of the barrel before
the hammer can be released to explode the cartridge, as will be herein-after..
described.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a view of that side of the arm
upon which the hammer is arranged, showing both the breech closer and
the hammer in a forward position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the
hammer and also the locking latch drawn back to their fullest extent to cock
the piece and to insert a cartridge; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section
through the arm, showing the position of the parts when the breech closer is
locked in a proper position against the breech of the barrel; Fig. 4 is a top
view of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sliding cartridge shell
retractor; Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the position
of the parts when the breech closer is drawn back, as in Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a
vertical cross section of the arm taken at the point indicated by line y, y, in
Fig. 3, showing the forward end of the breech closer; Fig. 8 is a side view of
the hammer and breech closer, and the locking latch in the position of Fig. 1;
Fig. 9 is a similar view of the same parts, showing the hammer cocked and
the breech closer in the position of Fig. 3.

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
Figures. The wooden stock and hand pieces of the arm are not shewn in the
Drawings, as these parts may be made of the usual well-known forms and
constitute no part of the present Invention.
The metallic frame to which the barrel and the other parts of the arm are
secured consists of a hub piece A, two vertical cheeks B, B, having a
Jongitudinal space between them which extends back to the tang B', and
forward to the breech end of the barrel C; the lower forward extensions of
the cheek plates B, B, also form a space below the hub A, and have secured
between them a longitudinal portion C¹, which projects forward and is secured
to the bottom of the barrel C at its forward end by means of a screw, which
also secures the main spring a in place, as shewn in Fig. 3. The rear end of
the barrel C is screwed or otherwise secured into the hub A, so that the rear
''end of the barrel is flush with the rear vertical end of the hub portion A.
The rear end of the barrel is reamed out to receive the cartridge shell, as
shown in Figures 3 and 6, and a semicircular portion is cut out of the barrel
at its rear end and below its axis for receiving the cartridge shell retractors,
as will be herein-after described, and below this space the rear end of the
portion C is cut away for the purpose of allowing the retractor stem and
portions to be moved up to their place. Within the vertical space
-enclosed by the cheeks B, B, is pivotted a vibrating breech closer D of a
segment form. The front flat face of this closer D is constructed with an
enlarged solid portion b, having lateral projections 61, 6¹, so as to present a
strong abutment to the breech end of the cartridge shell, and to fit snugly
against the vertical ends of the barrel and hub when the arm is in a
condition for firing, as shewn in Figures 1, 3, and 4. The front face of this
portion is shewn clearly in Fig. 7, where it will be seen that there is a
perforation through it on one side of its centre, through which the nose of the
hammer passes to strike upon the flange of the cartridge. This segmental
breech closer is slotted vertically, so that all that portion of it which is in
rear of and below the solid check piece 6 forms two cheeks for receiving
between them the locking latch or brace and also the tumbler to which the
hammer is secured. This segment D is pivotted between the two cheeks
B, B, of the metallic frame by means of a transverse pin c, which is located
below the longitudinal axis of the barrel C and slightly in rear of its breech,
as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6, and the upper edges of its cheeks are
curved concentric to the axis of said pin c, so that these edges will pass freely
without touching the forward end of the tang B', as the segment is vibrated

page_text: about its axis. The range of vibrating movement of the segment D will be
seen by reference to the two Figures 3 and 6, one of which shows it when
it is forced forward against the barrel, and the other shows it when drawn
fully back. Between the two cheeks of the vibrating segment is the locking
latch E, which is pivotted by a transverse pin d, and allowed to have a
vibratory movement independently of the movement of the segment to which
it is pivotted. The pivot pin d of this latch is located near the solid breech
portion 6, and from its upper edge near its forward end a finger piece e
projects, as shown in several Figures of the Drawings. The forward end of
this locking latch E is bevilled, so as to allow it to have a limited motion
about its axis, and the rear end of this latch is curved concentrically to the
axis of the pin d. The bottom edge j of the latch E has a nose e¹ projecting
from it for a purpose which will be herein-after explained. The object of the
piece E is chiefly to hold the segment breech closer D firmly in the position
shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, so that the recoil or shock of the discharge
will be resisted by the solid portion or tang B¹. To effect this object, and also
to allow this closer D to be drawn back to the position shown in Figures 2
and 6 for the insertion of a cartridge, the removal of a cartridge shell or
blank, and for other purposes, the forward end of the tang B¹ is curved con-.
centric to the axis of the pin d of said latch, when the closer is forced forward
to the position shewn in. Figures 1 and 3. In order to expose the 'breech
of the barrel C it will be necessary to place the hand upon the projection e,
and force the rear end of the latch down clear of the abutment or tang B¹,
when by a further backward movement of the hand the segment D can be
drawn back to the position shewn in Figs. 2 and 6, which will give
sufficient space in front of the closing segment for the insertion of a ball
cartridge or the removal of the exploded shell. On the outside of the
segment breech closer D is the hammer F, which corresponds in segment form.
to this closer, and which is pivotted upon the same pin c therewith, but not.
to this pin. This hammer F is constructed with a finger piece f projecting:
from its forward upper corner, and also with a nose g on its forward edge,.
which nose is of sufficient length to pass through the perforation which is
made through one of the lateral projections 61 of the solid closing portion 6, and.
strike the flange of the cartridge and explode the same when the hammer is
allowed to fly from a full-cock to the position shewn in Figures 1 and 8. The
front edge of the hammer F is notched, so that it will fit snugly against the
back surface of the projection 61, when in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 8.
This hammer is secured to a tubular bearing h which passes through the

page_text: cheeks of the segment D, and to this tubular bearing the tumbler G is secured,
between said cheeks so that the hammer and tumbler shall both move
together about the axis of the pin c. The tumbler G is notched on its lower
rounded edge to receive the sear of the trigger H, and it is also constructed
with an extension i, which is of such length that in moving forward its extreme
upper end would strike the lower edge j of the locking brace E and force this
latch upward before the hammer could strike and explode the cartridge; but
when the latch or brace E is in a position in which it will sustain the shock of
the discharge against the abutment of the tang B¹, as shewn in Fig. 3, then
the hammer will not be arrested in its forward movement; this projection or
inclined plane i on the tumbler G will effect the secure locking of the breech
closer D before the hammer can explode the cartridge. When the locking
latch E is released from its shoulder abutment on the tang portion B¹, and the
segment breech closer D is drawn back to the position shewn in Figures 2 and
6, the hammer F with its tumbler G will be cocked; the segment D is then.
moved forward again and locked in the position shewn in Fig. 9, leaving the-
hammer cocked. During the act of exposing the breech of the barrel by.
drawing back the segment D the nose e¹ on the latch E will impinge upon and
move over the rounded back edge of the trigger H, and prevent any movement
of the same until the breech of the barrel is again closed and the segment
locked in place. The mainspring a, which may be applied as shown in the
Drawings, or in any other suitable manner, is connected at its rear end to the
link k, which is pivotted to the tumbler G, and causes the hammer to explode,
the cartridge when said hammer is released from the trigger. Directly above
the link k is the slide J carrying the retractor for withdrawing the cartridge
shells from the breech of the barrel after every discharge of the piece. This
slide J moves longitudinally in a slot at the bottom of the barrel C, and is
constructed with a semicircular portions on its rear end, which embraces one-
half of the cartridge shells and their flanges, and withdraws the shells. On
the extreme rear end of this sliding retractor is an enlargement t, transversely,
through which is an oblong slot; through this slot a pin v passes which con-
nects the slide to the vibrating breech closer D directly beneath the closing or.
check plate b as shown in Figures 3 and 6. When the breech of the barrel
is exposed by drawing back the segment D the cartridge or the blank cartridge
shell, as the case may be, if there is one in the barrel, will be drawn out as
indicated in Fig. 6 in red colour. Before closing the breech of the barrel a
cartridge is partially inserted therein, so that its flange will be in front of the
retractors, after which it may be forced in place by moving the parts in the

page_text: position for firing the arm. It will be seen from the above description that
there is a combination of a vibrating breech closer, a vibrating hammer, and
a vibrating locking brace or latch, and at the same time the hammer. is so
arranged that it may be at pleasure cocked or half-cocked, or released from a
full-cock without moving the breech closer. Also that the hammer will be
brought to a full-cock by drawing back the breech closer to insert a cartridge
or retract a blank shell. It will also be seen that the tumbler which is
connected to the tubular bearing of the hammer, as above set forth, is so
arranged between the cheeks of the segment D that it will prevent a
premature discharge of the piece should the hammer be released when the
locking latch is not in a position to sustain the shock of the discharge against
the abutment of the tang B'.
Having now described the nature of the Invention which has been com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent, as aforesaid, and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First, combining a vibrating slotted breech piece D, a vibrating locking
latch E, and a hammer F, in such a manner that these parts are confined
between the cheeks B of the frame, and the hammer is on the outside of the
breech piece as described.
Second, arranging the tumbler G between the cheeks of the vibrating breech
piece D and affixing the hammer to one end of the tubular bearing of the
tumbler as described.
Third, so combining a vibrating hammer F, which is arranged outside.
of a vibrating breech piece, and between the frame cheeks B, that such
hammer can be full-cocked or half-cocked without moving the breech piece as
described.
Fourth, in a fire-arm having a vibrating breech piece D, a vibrating
locking portion E, and a hammer F, which is applied on the outside of the
breech piece so as to vibrate about the axis thereof, I claim securely locking
the breech piece in its place before the hammer ean be released to explode the
cartridge as described.
Fifth, I claim cocking a hammer which is arranged outside of and pivotted
to the axis c of a vibrating breech piece in the act of drawing back the latter
by means of an extension 6' or its equivalent, as described.
Sixth, arranging the hammer on one side outside of the vibrating breech
piece D in such a manner as to strike upon the flanges of the cartridges as
described.

page_text: Seventh, the relative arrangement of the breech piece D, locking portion E,
tumbler G, and trigger H, the same being constructed and operating as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.B.)