IMPROVE MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1870

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LETTERS PATENT to Henry Jones, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 1st July 1870, and dated the 12th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January 1870.
I, HENRY JONES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING, FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:
My Invention has reference to those kinds of- breech-loading fire-arms;
called drop-down guns, and consists of the combination or arrangement
of parts herein-after described for fastening the breech ends of the
barrels of the said guns to the break-off during discharge more effectually
than in drop-down guns of the ordinary construction.
According to my Invention I employ the ordinary Lefaucheux or grip
mechanism for fastening down the barrels, and in addition thereto I

page_text: employ a horizontal bolt working in the break-off and taking into a
hole or recess made in the rib between the barrels. This horizontal 'bolt
is worked by the lever which works the ordinary grip fastening in the
following manner :-Into the recess in the under side of the body of
the gun in which the cylindrical head or grip part of the ordinary
Lefaucheux fastening lever works the end of a small horizontal sliding
bar projects. The end of the said bar is inclined, and the part of the
-cylindrical head or grip of the lever against which it bears is cut away
so as to form an excentric portion or cam. When the lever is turned
*for unlocking the barrels the said excentric portion or cam presses back
.the sliding bar, and when the lever is turned to fasten the barrels it
permits the said sliding bar to enter the recess or cut away part in the
grip. This sliding bar acts upon two small vertical levers at the back
of the break-off. The said levers are placed one above the other, the
upper arm of the bottom lever 'bearing upon the bottom arm of the top
lever. To the top arm of this combination of levers the horizontal bolt
herein-before described is jointed. A strong spring at the back of the
break-off operates upon the said horizontal bolt and tends to press it
through the face of the break-off. When the fastening lever is turned
to unfasten the barrels it acts upon the sliding bar and through the
combination of levers described upon the horizontal bolt in the rib and
withdraws the said bolt from the rib and permits the barrels to be raised,
from the break-off. So long as the fastening lever is in the unfastened
position the horizontal bolt cannot advance in consequence of the
excentric or cam part of the grip of the lever bearing upon the sliding
bar. After loading the barrels and on shutting them down the lump on.
their under side acting against the grip of the lever causes the said grip
to turn on its centre and engage with the said lump and fasten down the
barrels. By the partial rotation of the grip of the lever the recess or
cut away part herein-before referred to is brought opposite the sliding
horizontal bar. The said sliding bar is thereby permitted to advance
in the opening in which the grip works, and by the action of the spring
at the back of the break-off the horizontal bolt is made to snap into
the hole in the rib. The barrels are thus simultaneously fastened down
at two points, namely, at the body of the gun and at the rib between
the barrels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on
tlic 8th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM. THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
JONES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the ycar of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and
grant unto me, the said. Henry Jones, Hor special licence that I, the
said Henry Jones,. my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I,. the said Henry Jones, 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, exércise, and vond, 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
Jones, 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 Henry Jones, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tlie same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and' ascertained in and by tlio.
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention has reference to those kinds of breech-loading fire-arms:
called drop-down guns, and consists of the combination or arrangement.
of parts herein-after described for fastening the breech ends of the
barrels of the said guns to the break-off during discharge more effectually
than in drop-down guns of the ordinary construction..
According to my Invention I employ the ordinary Lefaucheux or grip
mechanism for fastening down the barrels, and in addition thereto. I.

page_text: employ a horizontal bolt working in the break-off and taking into a
hole or recess made in the rib between the barrels or face of the barrels,
This horizontal bolt is worked by the lever which works the ordinary
grip fastening in the following manner:-Into the recess in the under
side of the body of the gun in which the cylindrical head or grip part
of the ordinary Lefaucheux fastening lever works the end of a small
liorizontal sliding bar projects. The end of the said bar is inclined, and
the part of the cylindrical head or grip of the lever, against which it.
bears is cut away, so as to form an excentric portion or eam. When
the lever is turned for unlocking the barrels the said excentric portion
or cam presses back the sliding' bar, and when the lever is turned to
fasten the-barrels it permits the said sliding bar to enter the recess or
cut away part in the grip. This sliding bar acts upon two small vertical
levers at the back of the break-off. The said levers are placed one above
the other, the upper arm of the bottom lever bearing upon the bottom
arm of the top lever. To the top arm of this combination of Icvers the
horizontal bolt herein-before described is jointed or connected. A strong
spring at the back of the break-off operates upon the said horizontal
bolt and tends to press it through the face of the break-off to bolt the
barrels on their face. When the fastening lever is turned to unfasten
the barrels it acts upon the sliding bar and through the combination of
levers described upon the horizontal bolt in the rib and withdraws the
said bolt from the rib and permits the barrels to be raised from the
break-off. So long as the fastening lever is in the unfastened position
the horizontal bolt cannot advance in consequence of the excentric or
cam part of the grip of the lever bearing upon the sliding bar. After
loading the barrels and on shutting them down the lump on their
under side acting against the grip of the lever causes the said grip to
turn on its centre and engage with the said lump and fasten down the
barrels. By the partial rotation of the grip of the lover the recess or
cut away part herein-before referred to is brought opposite the sliding
horizontal bar. The said sliding bar is thereby permitted to advance in
the opening in which the grip works and by the action of the spring
at the back of the break-off the horizontal bolt is made to enter the
hole in the rib or face of the barrels. The barrels are thus simultaneously
fastened down at top and bottom, that is, at the body of the gun and
at the face of the barrels. The Lefaucheux grip described may be
dispensed with, and the sliding bar, may be arranged to act as the
bolt for engaging with the lump on thic under side of the barrels.

page_text: 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 partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly
in elevation the breech end of a drop-down gun containing my improve
ments, the barrels being represented fastened; Figure 2 represents the
same with the barrels unfastened'; Figure 3 represents a plan (partly in
horizontal section) of the body of the gun the grip being in its unfastened
position, and. Figure 4 represents the same with the grip in its fastened
position; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent parts of the same detached
as herein-after described. In Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 the stock hammers
and other parts of the gun are omitted. The same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 9. a are the barrels of the gun
turning on the joint 63, as usual b is the rib between the barrels ; c is
the break-off, and d is the body of the gun; e is the lump on the under
side of the barrels a, with which the cylindrical head of the Lefaucheux
grip engages to hold down the barrels; g is the lever by which a portion
of a rotation is given to the grip for removing it from the recess h in
the lump e. Into the recess at i in the body d of the gun in which the
head f of the grip works the end of the horizontal sliding. bar k pro-
jects when at liberty to move. The end of the said bar & is inclined, and
that part of the head or grip fagainst which it bears when the barrels
are fastened down is cut away so as to form an excentric or cam l.
The shape of the cam of the gripfis best seen in Figures 3 and 4.
The horizontal sliding bar k is represented separately in Figure. 5.
When the lever 9. is turned for unlocking the barrels the excentric
portion or cam 7 of the grip fpresses back the sliding bark as represented
in Figures 2 and 3, and when the said lever is turned to fasten the
:barrels the said excentric portion or cam is brought opposite the inclined
inner end of the said bar k, and the said bar is permitted to enter the
cut away part in the gripfas represented in Figures 1 and 4. At the
back of the break-off c are two levers or a combination of levers m, n,
the lever m is shown separately in Figure 6, and the lever n is shown
separately at Figure 7. The said levers m, n, are placed one above the
other the upper arm of the bottom lever m bearing upon the lower arm
of the top.lever 12. To the top. arm of the upper lever. n a horizontal
sliding bolt p is connected by the said arm engaging in a slot or opening
in the said bolt in the manner shown in the Drawing, and the bottom

page_text: arm of the lower lever m bears against the outer end of the sliding liori-
zontal bark of the grip.f. Under the tang of the break-off is a strong
spring q, which acting through the upper lever n tends to press the
horizontal bolt p through the break-off c into the recess in the rib
between the barrels a: The horizontal bolt p is shown separately in
Figure 8, and the spring q is shown separately in Figure 9. When the parts
of the gun occupy the respective positions represented in Figures Land 4.
the barrels a are locked down by the grip-f engaging with the recess / in
the lumpe on the under side of the barrels, and by the horizontal bolt p
engaging in the recess in the rib b between the barrels. When the
fastening lever g is moved through a quarter rotation for unfastening
the barrels it removes the grip f from the recess h, and causes the cam
or excentric part 7 of the said grip to act upon and press outwards the
sliding bark. By this movement of the bar k it acts upon the lower
lever m, and through the combined levers m, n, upon the horizontal
bolt p, and withdraws the said bolt p from the recess in the rib b, and
unlocks the barrels, as represented in Figures 2 and 3. When the
fastening lever g is in its unfastened position, as in Figures 2 and 3; the
horizontal bolt p cannot be advanced by the action of the spring q in
consequence of the position of the grip with respect to the sliding bar k
(see Figure 3). After the introduction of fresh. cartridges. into the
barrels a and on shutting down the said barrels the lump e entering the
openings in the grip f causes the said grip to turn on its centre and
engage with the recess in the said lump and fasten. down the barrels.
By the partial rotation of the grip f the recess at 6 in the said grip fis
brought opposite the sliding bar k. The said bar being now pressed
forward by the action of the spring through the combination of
levers n, m, enters the recess at 7in the grip and the horizontal bolt p.
at the same time is made to enter the hole or recess in the rib between
the barrels. The barrels are thus simultaneously fastened down at the
body d of the gun and at the rib b between the barrels.
Figures 10 and 11 represent in longitudinal vertical section a double
snap breech-loading-drop-down gun containing my improvements, in
which a horizontal sliding bolt working in the lump on the under side
of the barrels is substituted for the Lefaucheux grip and sliding rod
hercin-before described. In Figure 10 the barrels are represented
fastened, and in Figure 11 unfastened; is the horizontal bolt (shown
separately in Figure 12) working in the body d of the gun and taking

page_text: into the recess in the lump e. The said bolt t is withdrawn by a lever u
on the under side of the gun, the upper arm of the said lever working
in a slot in the said bolt. A lever on the side of the gun may be used
for withdrawing the bolt t instead of the lever u. The combination of
levers m, n, spring q, and horizontal bolt p for engaging with the
recess between the barrels a are the same as those herein-before
described. The lower horizontal bolt t in addition to engaging with the
lump e performs the same function as the rod k in the first described
arrangement, that is, the rear end of the said bolt-t acts upon the lower
lever m to withdraw the upper bolt p. When the barrels.a arc fastened
down by the two horizontal bolts t, p, the parts of the gun assume the
respective positions represented in Figure 10. When it is wished to
unfasten the barrels a the lever u is pulled in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Figure 10 so as to withdraw the lower horizontal bōlt t
from the recess h in the lump e. As the horizontal bolt t'is withdrawn
its rear, end acts upon the lever m, and through the combination of
levers m, n, upon the horizontal bolt p, and withdraws the said bolt p;
and brings the spring 7 into a state of tension. After the ends of the
barrels have been lifted from the face of the break-off c and on loosing
the lever the bolts t, p, are projected by the spring q from the body
and break-off. On first shutting down the barrels the bolts t, p, arc
pushed back, and when the said barrels have been completely shut down
the two bolts t, p, snap into their respective recesses by the action of the
spring q and levers m, n, and thereby fasten down the barrels at the
body of the gun and at the rib between the barrels.
My improvements are applicable to single-barrel guns as well as to
double-barrel guns.
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 may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-
loading fire-arms of the kind called drop-down guns,―
Firstly. The construction and combination or arrangement of parts
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 both inclusive
of the accompanying Drawings for simultaneously fastening down the
barrels of the said guns at the body and at the face of the barrels, that
is to say, the combination or arrangement with the Lefaucheux grip

page_text: constructed as herein-before described of the sliding bar k, levers m, n;
spring q, and horizontal bolt p, substantially as hercin-before described
and illustrated.
. Secondly. The combination or arrangement of parts herein-before
described and illustrated in Figures 10, 11, and 12 of the accompanying
Drawing for simultaneously fastening down the barrels of the said guns
at the body and at the face of the barrels, that is to say, the combination
with the two sliding horizontal bolts t, p, engaging respectively with
the lump on the under side of the barrels and with the face of the barrels
of the levers m, n, and spring q substantially, as herein-before described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Jones, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy..
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
HENRY JONES. (L.S.)