IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by David Bentley at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1880.
DAVID BENTLEY, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS."
My Invention has reference to breech loading small arms of the kind called drop
down guns having internal or concealed hammers; and my said Invention
consists, first, of the construction and arrangement herein after described of the
hammers and sear mechanism of the said drop down guns.
The principal object of this part of my Invention is to provide the guns with
internal or concealed hammers of a greater length than those ordinarily employed,
whereby the hammers are made to effect the discharge of the gun in a more
efficient manner than is effected by the use of hammers constructed and arranged
in the ordinary way. I combine with the lengthened hammers holding and sear
mechanism of the kind herein after described, the said holding and sear mechanism
permitting of a very easy "pull off" or releasing of the hammers.
Internal hammers of the ordinary kind have bents below the axes or centres
with which the sears engage to hold the hammers at full cock.
According to my Invention I joint the internal hammers of the drop down gun
to the trigger plate or body, the hammers being without bents below their axes or
centres. The lengthened hammer is furnished at its side and near its upper end or
head with a stud or projection, with which the sear of the lock mechanism engages
to hold the hammer at full cock. The front arm of the said sear is bent upwards,
and is situated at the side of the hammer. The end of the front arm of the sear is
hooked, the upper face of the hooked part being bevilled or rounded. When the
hammer is cocked the stud or projection on its side passes over and depresses the
hooked end of the sear, and when the hammer has been fully cocked the said
hooked end of the sear rises by the action of its spring, and engaging with the
front of the stud or projection holds the hammer in its cocked position. The sear
is thus made to act upon the hammer above its joint or centre instead of below
it as usual. When the trigger is pressed to discharge the gun the inner hooked
arm of the sear is withdrawn by a descending motion from the stud or projection
on the side of the hammer, and the latter is discharged by the action of its spring.
Instead of a stud or projection constituting the bent being made on the side of
the hammer for the sear to engage with, a bent may be formed on the back of the
hammer for the same purpose.

page_text: I prefer to cock the hammer by means of a hand lever on the underside of the
gun, the short upper arm of the said hand lever bearing against a projection on the
side of the hammer, but the hammer may be cocked in other ways.
My Invention consists further of the following improvement in self cocking
guns: The object of this part of my Invention is to reduce the strength of the
main springs of the locks during the opening of the gun, thereby facilitating the
cocking of the hammers. For this purpose I arrange above the main spring of
the lock a horizontal lever against which the short side of the main spring bears
tending to press upwards the said lever. The free bent end of this lever or a stud
carried by it passes through the body and bears against the underside of the
barrels, the lever and the main spring being in their normal positions when the
barrels are closed. When the breech ends of tho barrels are lifted the lifting
motion is assisted by the action of the main spring and lover, the said main spring
being relaxed and the gun is cocked with little resistance. On closing the barrels
they act upon the lever, and the short side of the main spring is closed or com-
pressod, and the full strength of the spring is restored for discharging the gun.