IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE AND OTHER BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE AND OTHER BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND
CARTRIDGES." A communication from abroad by Andrew Burgess,
of Owego, County of Tioga, and State of New York, United States
of America.
Sealed the 31st December 1872, and dated the 7th August 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th August 1872.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGAZINE AND OTHER BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
According to this Invention I form grooves in both sides of the
interior of the opening of the breech bed piece of the fire-arm, one of

page_text: which extends longitudinally the whole length of the opening and into
the end of the barrel, while a vertical groove extends from the other
downward at a right angle to the bottom of the bed piece.
The breech block at the rear end turns downward, and its further
continuation forms the lever guard by which it is operated. The breech
block has pins or projections working in the grooves above mentioned,
thus serving as guides to control its movements when it is operated by
the lever guard. On the projecting pins of the breech block are hung
the extractors, the points of which pass before a spring over the flange
of the cartridge when the breech is closed. There is also a cap connected
with the breech block by a link, which is pivoted to said breech block
near the forward end, the rear end being secured to the cap. A cartridge
carrier is also provided, having vertical slots, into which are fitted hands
for holding the cartridge in place, projecting a little from the carrier
block and running in corresponding grooves of the bed piece.
The magazine is secured under the barrel, and is furnished with a
spiral spring in the ordinary manner. To operate this arm the magazine
is filled by inserting the cartridges through an opening in the side of the
bed picce, the lever guard is then pushed forward which brings down
the rear of the breech block, and the pins on the same following the
grooves in the bed piece give the forward end of this block a backward
motion which is communicated to the sliding cap, before mentioned,
by the aid of the link, and so cocks the arm by its rear end operating
against the hammer and pushing it back. The cartridge shell is at the
same time withdrawn by the extractors, and the cartridge carrier being
no longer confined by the breech block rises by the force of a spiral
spring disposed beneath it and carrying up a cartridge throws out the
withdrawn shell, while the hands on the same close inward at the top by
their upper projecting parts striking the shoulders formed by the
termination of their corresponding grooves in the bed piece and thus
hold the feeding cartridge from flying out. The lever guard is now
pulled back which closes the breech, the breech block driving the
cartridge before it into the bore of the gun and also forcing down the
cartridge carrier, and the hands are opened by their lower ends striking
the shoulder left by the lower termination of their grooves so as to
admit a new cartridge.
In a modification of this arm the breech block is pivoted at its front
end, and the sliding cap is secured firmly to the forward piece of tho

page_text: breech block to which it acts as a guide by sliding in the longitudinal
grooves in the top of the bed piece, so that said forward piece slides
horizontally. In this arrangement the breech block can be operated
without the grooves before referred to, or one or both of them may be
retained. A pivoted double-ended spring is also used to operate the
carrier block by its longer forward arm acting against it, and its shorter
vertical arm acting against the combined breech block and guard,
thereby retaining the breech block in place when closed as well as
actuating the breech block.
In another modification the breech block is pivoted to the bed piece
at its rear end, and connected to the forward piece by a link. The lever
guard is also made in a separate piece, pivoted to the bed piece and
connected to the breech piece by a link, so that the forward end of the
breech piece is swung downward to draw the forward piece back by the
swinging of the lever guard forward on its pivot. The cap is made much
shorter, and a dog is attached to the under side of the breech piece to
raise the hammer when said breech piece is pulled down. A jointed
lever is used for throwing up the cartridge carrier, said lever being
pivoted to the bed piece and having its jointed arm extending rearward
through suitable guides toward the lever guard so as to be acted on by a
shoulder thereon to throw the carrier up. A hook is also arranged on
said guard lever to pull the jointed lever and with it the carrier block
back or down. When the guard lever is pulled back the forward breech
block piece forces the cartridge before it into the bore of the arm, and
the cartridge carrier block is forced down by its lever, operated by the
look on the guard lever.
In adapting these improvements to single loaders the cartridge carrier
and magazine are dispensed with, and a spring is so arranged in con-
nection with the breech block as to hold it in place when closed, and to
be released when said block is withdrawn to open the breech and throw
the discharged cartridge shell out as it is drawn back over the spring by
the extractors.
To prevent the cartridges when in the magazine from taking too much
motion by the recoil or any other jar or rapid movement of the arm, and
also to prevent the coils of the spiral spring of the magazine from
pressing upon each other injuriously, a short rod is extended into the
centre of the magazine from the screw which closes its muzzle, which

page_text: rod is of sufficient length to reach the follower when the magazine is
full of cartridges and prevent the spring from being contracted to an
injurious extent.
To exclude all danger of accidental explosion, or battering up or
driving in the balls of the cartridges when in the magazine, I fasten a
ring or disc of rubber, felt, or leather, or any other clastic material as a
cushion for the point of the ball of the cartridge behind, upon the rear
end of the cartridge shell. This is conveniently done in the case of
central-fire cartridges by crimping a thin piece of metal over the edge of
the elastic ring and flange of the cartridge, leaving the cap in the centre ]
exposed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Oflice on the 22nd January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
year
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the
of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
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

page_text: Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14, show the application of the clastic disc or
ring to the rear end of the metallic cased cartridges, to prevent con-
cussion and accidental explosion.
Figure 15 shows a section of the bed piece and working mechanism
of the gun, arranged for single loaders.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In both sides of the interior of the opening of the bed piece in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, are the grooves a, b, the longitudinal one a ex-
tending the whole length of the opening and into the end of the barrel,
the vertical groove b extending from the other downward at a right
angle to the bottom of the bed piece.
The breech block A at the rear end turns downward, and its further
continuation forms the lever guard C¹, by which it is operated. The
breech block has pins or projections at e, working in the grooves a, b,
thus serving as guides to control its movements when it is operated by
the lever guard C. On the projecting pins of the breech block are hung
the extractors (shown in dotted lines, Figure 2), the points of which
pass before a spring over the flange of the cartridge when the breech is
closed. The cap C is connected with the breech block by the link D,
which is pivoted to said breech block near the forward end, the rear end
being secured to the cap. The cartridge carrier has vertical slots, into
which are fitted the hands g, which project a little from the carrier
block and rim in the corresponding grooves of the bed piece.
The magazine is secured under the barrel, and is furnished with a
spiral spring in the ordinary manner. To operate this arm, the magazine
is filled by inserting the cartridges through the opening in the side of
the bed piece, the lever guard is then pushed forward, which brings
down the rear of the breech block, and the pins e following the grooves a, b,
give the forward end of the block a backward motion, which is com-
municated to the sliding cap C by the link D, and the cap cocks the
arm by its rear end operating against the hammer and pushing it back.
The cartridge shell is at the same time withdrawn by the extractors,
and the cartridge carrier being no longer confined by the breech block,
rises by force of the spiral spring F, and carrying up a cartridge throws
out the withdrawn shell, and the hands g close inward at the top by their
upper projecting parts striking the shoulders i formed by the termination

page_text: of grooves h, and thus hold the feeding cartridge from flying out. The
lever guard is now pulled back, which closes the breech, the breech
block driving the cartridge before it into the bore of the gun and also
forcing down the cartridge carrier E, and the hands are opened by
their lower ends striking the shoulder i left by the lower termination of
the grooves h, so as to admit a new cartridge.
In the first modification of this arm, Figure 8, the breech block is
jointed at G, and the sliding cap C is secured firmly to the forward
piece A' of the breech block, to which it acts as a guide by sliding in
the longitudinal grooves in the top of the bed piece, so that said piece A'
slides horizontally. In this arrangement the breech block can be operated
without the grooves a, b, or one or both of them may be retained. I
also use the pivoted double-ended spring H to operate the carrier block E
by its longer forward arm acting against it, and its shorter vertical arm
acting against the combined breech block and guard, thereby retaining
the breech block in place when closed, as well as actuating the breech
block.
In operating the breech block in this modification by the guard
lever O', as in the former arrangement, the back part of the breech block
turns on the pivot G, and the forward part A¹ is guided to a longitudinal
motion by the cap C which is secured firmly to it, and slides in the
grooves in the top of the bed piece the same as in Figure 1, and the rear
of the back part of the breech block takes a vertical motion by being
guided by the projection e in the groove b, or if said projection and
groove are omitted, as may be, it will be guided by the opening in the
bottom of the bed piece. The sliding cap C operates against the
hammer and cocks it, and the cartridge carrier rises by force of the
pivoted spring H.
In the modification represented in Figure 9, the breech block A is
pivoted to the bed piece at I, and connected to the piece A' by the link K
(shown dotted). The lever guard C' is made in a separate piece, pivoted
to the bed piece at L, and connected to the breech picce by a link M, so
that the forward end of the back breech piece A is swung downward to
draw piece A' back, by the swinging of the lever guard forward on its
pivot. The cap C is made much shorter and a dog or spur N is attached
to the under side of the breech piece to raise the hammer when said
breech piece is pulled down. A jointed lever O is used for throwing up

page_text: the cartridge carriers, said lever being pivoted to the bed piece at P, and
having its jointed arm Q extending rearward through suitable guides
towards the lever guard C³, so as to be acted on by its shoulder R to
throw the carrier up. A hook S is arranged on said guard lever, as
shown, to engage said arm Q in a hole or notch provided therefor to pull
lever O back, to draw the block E back or down by acting on the picce T.
To operate the arm when arranged according to the modification
shown in Figure 9, the magazine is filled by inserting the cartridges at
the side as before, then by turning the guard lever down the breech is
opened by means of the link M pulling down the forward part of the
back breech block A, which being connected with the forward breech
block piece A¹ by the link K, and the said forward piece of breech block
being guided by the sliding cap C as in the former case, impart a
backward longitudinal motion to said piece A¹. At the same time the
back breech block piece cocks the hammer by its dog N, the rear end
of which comes in contact with the hammer in a depression U pushing
it backward.
When the guard lever has been turned so far as to open the breech to
nearly its whole extent, the shoulder R on it near its pivot reaches the
arm Q of lever O, and raises the cartridge carrier block by being forced
forward and upward thereby simultaneously with the complete opening
of the breech. As the guard lever is pulled back the forward breech
block picce A¹ forces the cartridge before it into the bore of the arm,
and the cartridge carrier block is forced down by the lever O, operated
by the hook S, being pulled back by said hook catching in the slot.
In Figure 15 I have represented the improved arm in a modification
adapted for single loaders, dispensing with the cartridge carrier and
magazine, and using a spring W, so arranged with the breech block A,
as to hold it in place when closed, and to be released when said block is
withdrawn to open the breech, and throw the discharged cartridge shell 8
out as it is drawn back over the spring by the extractors.
To prevent the cartridges when in the magazine from taking too much
motion by the recoil or any other jar or rapid movement of the arm, and
also to prevent the coils of the spiral spring of the magazine from com-
pressing upon cach other injuriously, a short rod y, Figure 10, is extended 3
into the centre of the magazine from the screw Z which closes its muzzle,

page_text: 5thly. The combination of the hands g with the cartridge carrier E
and bed piece of a magazine fire-arm, in which said hands are caused to
embrace and hold the cartridges by shoulder i, substantially as specified.
6thly. The combination with the breech block A, arranged and
operating as specified, of a piece A' pivoted to the front end, and rigidly
attached to the cocking cap C, so as to slide with it and guide the front
end of the breech block.
7thly. The construction of the breech block in two parts A and A'
jointed together, the rear part operating as described, and the front
part A' arranged to slide horizontally in opening and closing, sub- 1
stantially as specified.
8thly. The combination of the cartridge carrier E, spring II, and lever
guard C', substantially as specified.
9thly. The arrangement of the spring H with the lever guard C' for
holding the breech block closed, substantially as specified.
10thly. The lever guard C' pivoted to the bed piece, and connected to
the breech block A by a link M, the said breech block being pivoted to
the bed piece at I, and provided with a spur or dog N for raising the
cock, substantially as specified.
11thly. The breech block A pivoted to the bed piece at its rear end, 2
and connected to the front piece by the links K in such manner as to
impart longitudinal movements to said front picce by the oscillating
movements of said block A, in opening and closing the breach of the
gun.
12thly. The jointed lever O in combination with the cartridge carrier E 2
when operated by the shoulder R of the lever guard for raising the
cartridge carrier and by the hooks for lowering it, substantially as
specified.
13thly. In a single loader the combination of the spring W with the
breech block A, in such manner as to hold it to its place when closed, a
also to throw out the withdrawn cartridge shells, substantially as repre-
sented in Figure 15.
14thly. The combination with the magazine spring Z and follower Z¹
of a stop rod y to limit the contraction of the spring, substantially as
specified.
]

page_text: as specified.
W LEV
AINST AND
In witness whercof, I, the said Alexander Melville Olark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.
Witness,
JAS. O. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
•
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)