IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Rock Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 9th April 1867, and dated the 22nd December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd December 1866.
I, JOSEPH ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iк-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the arrangement or combination herein-after
described of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms, the said arrange-
ment or combination having for its object the discharge of the gun, and the
prevention of the discharge of the gun excepting when the breech plug or
closer is fastened in its place and the breech securely closed.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the arrangement herein-after described
of the parts of a cartridge case extractor for extracting the cases of the
exploded cartridges from the barrel.
The arrangement or combination of parts constituting the first part of my
Invention is as follows:-The rear end of the sliding plug or closer (by which
the breech is opened and closed and in the axis of which the pin or striker

page_text: works) is capable of a motion of partial rotation by means of a handle fixed
thereto, and by which handle the longitudinal as well as the rotary motion of
the plug is effected. When the plug is pushed home to close the breech the
handle is turned down into a slot in the side of the shoe or breech chamber,
the said handle engaging in the said slot fixes the plug in its place, a lug or
projection on the under side of the rear end of the plug at the same time
engaging-in a groove in the-shoe-or-breech--chamber opposite_to_the_slot in
which the handle engages; the plug is thus supported at opposite sides of
the shoe or breech chamber. On the extreme rear end of the plug or closer
and at that side which when the handle is upright is lowest is a "nearly semi-
circular cam or incline, the said cam or incline having the same curvature as
the plug or closer; the said cam or incline extends through somewhat less
than one half the circumference of the plug or closer. The gun is discharged
by means of a quadrant-shaped hammer working through a slot in the under
side of the rear of the shoe or breech chamber, and striking up through the
said slot on the discharge of the gun against the end of the striker projecting
from the rear of the plug or closer. An arm on the under side of the said
quadrant hammer carries a small roller, against which the mainspring of the
gun presses. The pin on which the quadrant hammer turns works in bearings
on the under side of the shoe or breech chamber, and the mainspring is fixed
on the under side of the said shoe or breech chamber. The upper side of the
trigger bears against the under side of the quadrant hammer. The action of
the parts is as follows:-In order to charge the gun the handle of the plug or
closer is raised into a vertical position and the said plug or closer thereby
liberated; it is next drawn back by the said handle, by which means the
breech chamber is opened for the introduction of a cartridge into the barrel;
on the withdrawal of the plug or closer it passes over and depresses and cocks
the quadrant hammer described. The depressed or cocked hammer is retained
in that position by the roller on its arm being advanced so far on 'the main-
spring that the said 'spring no longer tends to give the quadrant bammer
motion on the pin or axis on which it 'turns. After the introduction of the
cartridge the plug or closer 'is pushed forward by its handle and "the said
handle turned down in the manner already described. By pressing upon the
trigger the quadrant hammer is slightly raised, and by the' changed position
of the roller and arin with respect to the main spring the said spring forces
the quadrant hammer up through the slot in the shoe or breech chamber,
causing it to strike the pin or striker at the rear of the plug or closer and
discharge the gun. If the handle of the plug or closer has not been turned
into its slot, and the breech' of the" barrel is consequently not securely closed,
煮る
•
14,

page_text: the pulling of the trigger will not effect the discharge of the gun, for when the
plug or closer is in the position described the curved cam or incline on the
end of the said plug is in such a position that it receives the blow of
the quadrant hammer and prevents the striker being struck by the said
hammer.
The arrangement of the parts of a cartridge case extractor, constituting the
second part of my Invention, is as follows:-At the front of the sliding plug or
closer of the gun is a spring lying flush with the top of the plug; the under
side of the projecting end of this spring is made of a hook form; a slot is
made at the upper side of the breech of the barrel, into which when the plug
is pushed home the said spring book or extractor enters, and rising passes
over and engages in front of the rim or flange of the cartridge placed in the
barrel. In order to close the slot in the barrel in which the hook enters, and
thereby prevent the expanding of the cartridge into the said slot during the
explosion, I employ a ring which turns upon the end of the barrel, and is
situated between the barrel and the hole in the shoe into which the barrel
screws. The said ring is divided or has a slot in it of the same size as that
in the end of the barrel. In guns in which this extractor is employed the fore
end of the plug or closer is made to perform a partial rotation in the act of
locking the said plug or closer. By this partial rotation of the plug or closer
the slot in the ring, which when the plug was pushed home was coincident
with that in the barrel, is brought opposite a solid part of the barrel, and the
slot in the said barrel is virtually closed by the ring. On unlocking the plug
or closer the ring is carried back to its normal position, and the slot in it and
that in the barrel made to coincide. On the withdrawal of the plug or closer
the spring book brings with it the case of the exploded cartridge which springs.
out of the shoe or breech chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Rock Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer,
C
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Rock Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Rock
Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the
said Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 :-
My Invention consists of the arrangement or combination herein-after
described of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms, the said arrange-
ment or combination having for its object the discharge of the gun and the
prevention of the discharge of the gun, excepting when the breech.plug or closer
is fastened in its place and the breech securely closed.
The arrangement or combination of parts constituting my Invention is as
follows: The rear end of the sliding plug or closer (by which the breech is
opened and closed, and in the axis of which the pin or striker works) is
capable of a motion of partial rotation by means of a handle fixed thereto, and
by which handle the longitudinal as well as the rotary motion of the plug is
<ffected. When the plug is pushed home to close the breech the handle is
turned down into a slot in the side of the shoe or breech chamber, the said
handle engaging in the said slot, fixes the plug in its place, a lug or projection
on the under side of the rear end of the plug at the same time engaging in a
groove in the shoe or breech chamber opposite to the slot in which the handle
engages. The plug is thus supported at opposite sides of the shoe or breech
chamber. On the extreme rear end of the plug or closer, and at that side
which when the handle is upright is lowest, is a nearly semicircular cam or
incline, the said cam or incline having the same curvature as the plug or
closer. The said cam or incline extends through somewhat less than one half

page_text: the circumference of the plug or closer. The gun is discharged my means of
a quadrant-shaped hammer working through a slot in the under side of the
rear of the shoe or breech chamber, and striking up through the said slot on
the discharge of the gun against the end of the striker projecting from the
rear of the plug or closer. An arm on the said quadrant hammer carries a
small roller, against which the main spring of the gun presses. The pin on
which the quadrant hammer turns works in bearings on the under side of the
shoe or breech chamber, and the mainspring is fixed on the under side of the
said shoe or breech chamber. The upper side of the trigger bears against
the under side of the quadrant hammer. The action of the parts is as follows:
-In order to charge the gun the handle of the plug or closer is raised into a
vertical position, and the said plug or closer thereby liberated; it is next
drawn back by the said handle, by which means the breech chamber is opened
for the introduction of a cartridge into the barrel. On the withdrawal of the
plug or closer it passes over and depresses and cocks the quadrant hammer
described. The depressed or cocked haminer is retained in that position by
the roller on its arm being advanced so far under the mainspring that the
said spring no longer tends to give the quadrant hammer motion on the pin
or axis on which it turns. After the introduction of the cartridge the plug or
closer is pushed forward by its handle, and the said handle turned down in
the manner already described. By pressing upon the trigger the quadrant
hammer is slightly raised, and by the changed position of the roller and arm
with respect to the mainspring the said spring forces the quadrant hammer.
up through the slot in the shoe or breech chamber, causing it to strike the
pin or striker at the rear of the plug.or closer, and discharge the gun. If
the handle of the plug or closer has not been turned into its slot, and the
breech of the barrel is consequently not securely closed, the pulling of the
trigger will not effect the discharge of the gun, for when the plug or closer is
in the position described the curved cam or incline on the end of the said plug
is in such a position that it receives the blow of the quadrant hammer and
prevents the striker being struck by the said hammer.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a breech-loading central-fire gan
containing my improvements, the parts of the gun being represented in position
for discharge; Figure 2 is a plan of the gun before the plug or closer is
fastened in its place, and exhibits the arrangement for preventing the haminer
acting upon the pin or striker. to discharge the gun; Figure 3 is a side

page_text: elevation of the gun after it has been discharged, the hammer being represented
depressed upon the pin or striker; Figure 4 is also a side elevation with the
plug or closer withdrawn and the breech open for the introduction of a cartridge
into the barrel; Figure 5 is a. longitudiual section; and Figure 6, a cross
section of the rear end of the breech chamber or shoe of the gun; Figure 7
is a plan of the under side of the plug or closer separately; and Figure 8
represents the cock or hammer of the gun separately. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts in each Figure of the Drawings.
a is the barrel, and b. the breech chamber or shoe through an opening in
which the cartridge is introduced into the barrel; c-is-the-plug or closer,
capable of sliding and partly rotating in the said chamber or shoe b. In the
axis of the plug or closer is a pin or striker d, by means of which the gun is
discharged. The return motion or withdrawal of tho pin or striker d into the
plug or closer c is effected by the coiled spring e. The plug or closer c is
moved longitudinally, and partly rotated by means of a handle f fixed at its
rear end. The plug c is guided in its motions by a pin c working in the
longitudinal and cross slots g. By removing the pin c the plug may be with-
drawn from the breech chamber b for cleaning or otherwise. When the
plug c is pushed home to close the breech, the handle f is turned down into a
slot. in the side of the shoe or breech chamber. By the engaging of the
said handle in the said slot the plug or closer c is securely fixed in its place, a
lug or projection i on the under side of the rear end of the plug at the same
time engaging in a groove k in the shoe or breech chamber opposite to the
slot h, in which the handle f engages. The plug is thus supported at opposite
sides of the shoe or breech chamber. On the extreme rear end of the plug or
closer, and at that side which when the handle is upright is lowest (see
Figure 4) is a nearly semicircular cam or incline l, the said cam or incline
having the same curvature as the plug or closer. The said cam or incline
extends through somewhat less than one half the circumference of the plug or
closer. The gun is discharged by means of a quadrant-shaped hammer m,
turning on the centre m², and working through a slot 6 in the under side of
the rear of the shoe or breech chamber 6, and striking up through the said
slot on the discharge of the gun against the end d³ of the pin or striker d
projecting from the rear of the plug or closer c. An arm on the said quadrant
hammer m carries a small roller m³, against which the mainspring ? of the
gun presses. The pin m² on which the quadrant hammer m turns works in
bearings on the under side of the shoe or breech chamber, and the main-
spring n is fixed on, the under side of the said shoe or breech chamber, as seen
in Figure 1. The upper side of the trigger p bears against the under side of

page_text: the quadrant hammer. The action of the parts is as follows:-In order to
charge the gun the handle f is raised into a vertical position, and the plug or
closer c thereby liberated. The hammer m-is next lifted by hand from the
pin or striker d and depressed so as to cock.it in the manner:represented in
Figure 1. The plug or closer c is now drawn back by its handle f, by which
means the breech chamber is opened for the introduction of a cartridge into
the barrel, as illustrated in Figure 4. When the gun is required to be fired
rapidly the lifting and cocking of the hammer m by hand may be dispensed
with, and the same effected by the withdrawal of the plug or closer c, the cam
or incline at the rear of the plug first lifting the hammer from the end d³ of
the striker, and afterwards passing over and cocking the said hammer. The
depressed or cocked hammer m is retained in that position by the roller. m³
on its arm being advanced so far under the mainspring n that the said. spring,
no longer tends to give the said hammer motion on the pin or axis m² on
which it turns. After the introduction of the cartridge into the barrel a the
plug or closer c is pushed forward by its handle, and the said handle turned
down into its slot, as herein-before explained. The gun is now ready to be
discharged. By pressing upon the trigger p the quadrant hammer m is slightly
raised, and by the changed position of the roller m³ and arm carrying it with
respect to the mainspring n, the said spring forces the quadrant hammer m
up through the slot 62 in the shoe or breech chamber, causing it to strike the
end dof the pin or striker d-at the rear of the plug or closer, and discharge
the gun.
If the handle fof the plug or closer c'has not been turned into its slot h,
and the breech of the barrel is consequently not securely closed, the pulling
of the trigger n will not effect the discharge of the gun, for when the plug or
closer is not fastened in its place the curved cam or incline is at the lowest
part of the plug, and receives the blow of the quadrant hammer m, and
prevents the rear end d³ of the striker being struck by the hammer, and the
gun accidentally discharged. The last described position of the incline / is
represented in Figures 2 and 4, the discharged hammer m being represented
bearing on the said incline in the said Figure 2.
The improvements described and represented may be applied to needle guns
as well as to central-fire percussion guns. In this case I substitute for the
front end of the rod or striker d a needle and needle carrier of the ordinary
kind.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same

page_text: may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but
I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the arrangement or combination of parts herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for discharging central-fire
breech-loading fire-arms, that is to say, by means of a quadrant-shaped
hammer constructed and acted upon by the mainspring, and liberated by the
trigger, substantially in the manner described and illustrated.
Secondly, the arrangement or combination of parts herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for preventing the discharge of
-the gun until the plug or closer is properly secured in its place, and-for-lifting
and cocking the hammer by the liberation and withdrawal of the plug or closer,
that is to say, by means of a cam or incline at the rear end of the plug or
closer constructed and made to shield and lift and depress the hammer,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER: (L.S.)