IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS: PATENT to Joseph Rock Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 5th September 1865, and dated the 8th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th June 1865.
I, JOSEPH ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the following arrangement or combination
of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms. At the breech end of
the barrel is a prolongation or chamber open at top, at which opening the
cartridge is introduced, and at the end of the said chamber is a further
prolongation of the barrel, in which last-named prolongation the principal
part of the mechanism for discharging the gun is situated. The breech of the
barrel is opened for charging and closed for firing by means of a plug sliding
in the open chamber described; an arm or lever jointed to the front end of the

page_text: said tube, that is
said plug serves to give motion to the said plug, and a cross piece on the said
lever engages when the said lever is shut down in a transverse slot in the
chamber, and secures the plug firmly in its place. In the axis of the plug is
a cylindrical hole in which a striker is situated, the striking of the rear end
of which striker by the mechanism herein-after described causes its free end
to strike and discharge the percussion cap in the cartridge. The discharging
mechanism is contained in a tube of a length equal to that of the two
prolongations of the barrel described. The fore end of the
the part which when the tube is in its place occupies the open chamber, is cut
away at top, rather more than one-third of the upper part of the tube being
removed. This part of the tube is situated concentrically between the plug
and the open chamber in which the plug works, and serves to hold down the
plug in the chamber. The remaining half of the said tube contains a sliding
cylindrical block or hammer; urged towards the muzzle of the gun by a strong
coiled spring. On the under side of this hammer is a bent or notch, which
enters a slot on the under side of the tube and traverses the said slot on the
motion of the sliding hammer.. On the under side of the barrel, and near its
éxtreme rear end, is a sear capable of engaging with the bent, or notch on the
under side of the hammer; the said sear is acted upon by the trigger in the
ordinary way. The tube containing the hammer and coiled spring is inserted
in the prolongation in the barrel at the rear end of the said prolongation, and
is fixed in its place by a ring or annular bolt. The action of the parts
is as follows:-By lifting the lever the plug which closes the breech of
the barrel is liberated and may be drawn back; in its retiring motion
it forces back the hammer and compresses the coiled spring, the bent
or notch in the hammer engaging with the sear retains the hammer in
position for discharging the gun. The cartridge is introduced into the open
chamber, and the plug pushed forward and fixed down by means of the lever;
the
gun is now ready for firing. By pressing the finger upon the trigger the
sear is liberated from the bent or notch on the hammer, the hammer is urged
forward by the coiled spring and strikes the striker in the axis of the plug,
which latter strikes the detonating cap and discharges the cartridge. By
means of an aunular bolt on the barrel the sear may be locked and the
accidental discharge of the gun prevented. The cross piece by which the
plug is fixed for discharge may be jointed to the lever instead of being fixed
rigidly thereto; it thereby more readily takes a bearing in the transverse
slot in the chamber. When it is wished to remove the plug, it is only
necessary to withdraw the tube containing the discharging mechanism, when
the plug can be lifted from its chamber; which it is not required to remove

page_text: the plug the sear may be turned in a direction opposite to that it occupies in
the arrangement described, and the action be thereby made much shorter.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following arrangement or
combination of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms. In this
arrangement the breech end is closed by a sliding plug, which is fixed and
liberated by a motion of partial rotation, the plug in its fixed position being
supported at one side in a manner similar to that employed in the ordinary
needle gun, and on the other side by a projection taking into a slot in the
barrel. On the under side of the barrel a quadrant-shaped hammer is jointed,
the said hammer being connected by means of a link to a lever in front of the
trigger guard; the said hammer is urged upwards by means of a strong flat
spring. On the under side of the barrel a sear is jointed, which sear takes
into a notch or bent in the quadrant hammer when the latter is sufficiently
depressed, and holds the said hammer in its depressed position; the hammer
is then in position for discharging the gun. In the fore part of the plug is
a cylindrical hole in which the striker works, and in the under side of the plug
is a slot, through which slot the striker is acted upon by the quadrant hammer.
When the plug is in its locked position the said slot is immediately over the
quadrant hammer, and by pressing the trigger the quadrant hammer is
liberated and is forced upwards by its spring, and enters the slot in the plug,
and
urges forward the striker, and discharges the cartridge. As the slot in the
plug is over the hammer only when the plug is in its locked position, the gun
cannot be discharged except when the plug is locked. One side of the plug is
filed flat, and if before the plug is locked the trigger is accidentally pressed
the hammer is liberated and presses against the flat part of the plug. By
turning the plug so as to lock it a cylindrical portion of the said plug is
brought against the liberated hammer and presses it downwards sufficiently to
re-engage it with the sear. Thus the accidental discharge of the gun is
prevented, as the act of bolting the plug re-cocks the quadrant hammer and
renders pressure upon the trigger necessary after the bolting in order to
discharge the gun. Instead of effecting the cocking of the hammer by means
of a lever in front of the trigger guard, it may be cocked by means of a second
trigger; or the cocking may be effected by a lever at the side of the gun.
The action described may be put on the trigger plate.
The improvements herein-before described may be applied to' pistols as
well as to uns

page_text: 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
7th December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROCK COOPER, 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 Eighth day of June, in the year, of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
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 I,
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the con;
dition (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 per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say
"
My said Invention consists, firstly, of the following arrangement or
combination of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms. At the
breech end of the barrel is a prolongation or chamber open at top, at
which opening the cartridge is introduced, and at the end of the said chamber
is a further prolongation of the barrel, in which last-named prolongation the
principal part of the mechanism for discharging the gun is situated. The
breech of the barrel is opened for, charging and closed for firing by means of
a plug sliding in the open chamber described; an arm or lever jointed to the

page_text: front end of the said plug serves to give motion to the said plug, and a cross
piece on the said lever engages when the said lever is shut down in a transverse
slot in the chamber, and secures the plug firmly in its place. In the axis of
the plug is a cylindrical hole in which a striker is situated, the striking of the
rear end of which striker by the mechanism herein-after described causes its
free end to strike and discharge the percussion cap. in the cartridge. The
discharging mechanism is contained in a tube of a length equal to that of the
two prolongations of the barrel described. The fore end of the said tube, that
is the part which when the tube is in its place occupies the open chamber, is
cut away at top, rather more than one-third of the upper part of the tube
being removed. This part of the tube is situated concentrically between the
plug and the open' chamber in which the plug works, and serves to hold down
the plug in the chamber. The remaining half of the tube contains a sliding
cylindrical block or hammer, urged towards the muzzle of the gun by a strong
coiled spring. On the under side of this hammer' is a bent or notch, which
enters a slot in the under side of the tube, and traverses the said 'slot on the
motion of the sliding hammer: On the under side of the barrel, and near its
extreme rear end, is a sear capable of engaging with the bent or notch on the
under side of the hammer; the said sear is acted upon by the trigger in the
ordinary way. The tube containing the hammer and coiled spring is inserted
in the prolongation in the barrel at the rear end of the said prolongation; and
is fixed in its place by a ring or annular bolt. The action of the parts is
as follows: By lifting the lever the plug which closes the breech of the
barrel is liberated and may be drawn back; in its retiring motion it forces
back the hammer and compresses the' coiled spring. the bent or notch in the
hammer engaging with the sear retains the hammer in position for discharging
the gun. The cartridge is introduced into the open chamber, and the plug
pushed forward and fixed down by means of the lever; the gun is now ready
for firing. By pressing the finger upon the trigger the sear is liberated from
the bent or notch on the hammer, the hammer is árged forward by the coiled
spring and strikes the striker in the axis of the plug, which latter strikes the
detonating cap and discharges the cartridge. By means of an annular bolt on
the barrel the sear may be locked and the accidental discharge of the gun
prevented. The cross piece by which the plug is fixed for discharge may be
jointed to the lever instead of being fixed rigidly thereto; it thereby more
readily takes a bearing in the transverse slot in the chamber. When it is
wished to remove the plug it is only necessary to withdraw the tube containing
the discharging mechanism, when the plug can be lifted from its chamber;
when it is not required to remove the plug the scar may be turned in a

page_text: direction opposite to that it occupies in the arrangement described, and the
action be thereby made much shorter.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following arrangement or
combination of the parts of central-fire breech-loading fire-arms. In this
arrangement the breech end is closed by a sliding plug, which is fixed and
liberated by a motion of partial rotation, the plug in its fixed position being
supported at one side in a manner similar to that employed in the ordinary
needle gun, and on the other side by a projection taking into a slot in the
barrel. On the under side of the barrel a quadrant-shaped hammer is jointed;
the said hammer being connected by means of a link to a lever in front of the
trigger guard; the said bammer is urged upwards by means of a strong flat
spring. On the under side of the barrel a sear is jointed, which sear takes
into a notch or bent in the quadrant hammer when the latter is sufficiently
depressed, and holds the said hammer in its depressed position; the hammer
is then in position for discharging the gun. In the fore part of the plug is a
cylindrical bole in which the striker works, and in the under side of the plug
is a slot, through which slot the striker is acted upon by the quadrant hammer.
When the plug is in its locked position the said slot is immediately over the
quadrant hammer, and by pressing the trigger the quadrant hammer is
liberated and is forced upwards by its spring, and enters the slot in the plug,
and urges forward the striker and discharges the cartridge. As the slot in the
plug is over the hammer only when the plug is in its locked position, the gun
cannot be discharged except when the plug is locked. One side of the plug
is filed flat, and if before the plug is locked the trigger is accidentally pressed
the hammer is liberated and presses against the flat part of the plug. By
turning the plug so as to lock it, a cylindrical portion of the plug is brought
against the liberated hammer and presses it downwards sufficiently to re-engage
it with the sear; thus the accidental discharge of the gun is prevented, as the
act of bolting the plug re-cocks the quadrant hammer, and renders pressure
upon the trigger necessary after the bolting in order to discharge the gun.
Inste a of effecting the cocking of the hammer by means of a lever in front
of the trigger guard it may be cocked by means of a second trigger; or the
cocking may be effected by a lever at the side of the gun. The action
described may be put on the trigger plate.
The improvements herein-before described may be applied to pistols as well
as to guns.
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.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in plan of upper side, and Figure 2 in plan of under
side the breech end of a central-fire gun constructed according to the first
part of my Invention; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, and Figure 4
is a longitudinal section of the same, the stock and other parts of the gun
being omitted in the said Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. In the said Figures 1, 2,
3, and 4 the parts of the gun are represented in the respective positions wbich
they occupy when the gun is ready to be discharged; Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8
represent portions of the gun as herein-after explained. The same letters
indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 8, both inclusive.
h
a is the barrel, and
Beyond the breech
6 the prolonged or breech chamber open at top.
chamber 6 is a further prolongation marked c. In the breech chamber is a
sliding plug d, by means of which the breech of the barrel a is opened for
charging and closed for firing. In the prolonged end c the discharging
mechanism is contained, consisting of a sliding cylindrical block or hammer e
urged towards the muzzle of the gun by the strong coiled spring f. The sliding
motion of the plug d is effected by the arm or lever g, jointed at gå to the front
end of the said plug d. The free end of the said arm or lever is provided
with a cross piece h, which cross piece when the arm or lever g is shut down
enters a transverse slot or slots i on either side of the breech chamber b, and
thus securely holds down the plug in its place during the discharge of the
gun. The shape of the cross piece and slot or slots into which it enters is
best seen in the end elevation of the arm or lever and plug, Figure 5, and
cross section of the breech chamber, Figure 6. The cross piece on the free
end of the lever g is pressed down and maintained in the transverse slot i by
the pressure of the spring g³. The cross piece h may either bo rigidly con-
nected to the arm or lever or jointed thereto. I prefer to joint it as repre-
sented in the Drawing. When the cross piece h is jointed to the arm or lever
g it very readily takes a bearing in the transverse slot i in the chamber b. The
jointed cross piece h is preserved perpendicular to the lever g by the pressure of
the spring h³. In the axis of the sliding plug d is a cylindrical hole in which
a striker & works, by which striker the cartridge is discharged. The end of
the striker is pressed into the nose of the plug when not acted upon by the
hammer e by the coiled spring 1. In the two prolongations b and c of the
barrel a tube m, m2, is placed. That portion of the tube marked m which
occupies the open breech chamber b is cut away at top, rather more than one-
third of the upper part of the tube being removed. The said portion m³ of
the tube is situated concentrically between the plug d and the open chamber 6
in which the said plug works, and serves to hold down the plug in the
chamber, the said plug being capable of a sliding motion in the tube m². Tue

page_text: manner in which the nearly complete tube m³ prevents the lifting of the
plug d out of the breech chamber 6 will be best understood by referring to the
cross section of the said tube, plug, and chamber, Figure 7. The sliding
hammer e contained in the part c is provided with a projecting piece 6, in
which a bent or notch is made. The projecting piece * enters a slot n made
in the under side of the tube m and part c, and traverses the said slot on the
motion of the sliding hammer e. On the under side of the prolonged part c is
a sear p, which can be made to enter the notch or bent in the hammer e, and
hold the said hammer in its cocked position. The said sear is acted upon by
the trigger in the ordinary way.
The action of the parts of the gun is as follows:-By lifting the lever g by
its handle g the cross piece h is removed from the slot i, and the plug d
liberated and may be drawn back into the part c by means of the said lever g,
and the breech chamber 6 opened. In the retiring motion of the plug dit
forces back the hammer e and compresses the coiled spring f, the bent or
notch in the projecting part of the hammer e engaging with the sear p retains
the hammer in position for discharging the gun, as represented in Figure 4.
The charge is now introduced into the open chamber 6, and the plug d pushed
home and fixed down by the lever g in the manner herein-before explained;
the gun is now ready to be discharged, as represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and
4. By pressing the trigger the sear p is liberated from the bent or notch in
the hammer e, the hammer is urged forward by the coiled spring f, and strikes
the striker k, which latter strikes the central-fire cartridge in the barrel a and
discharges the gun. In order to prevent the accidental discharge of the gun
after the cocking of the sliding hammer e I employ an annular bolt a work-
ing on the part c and immediately in front of the projecting part e' of the
said hammer e, when the said hammer is in its cocked position. The motion
of the annular bolt is limited by the stop g³, and a portion of the bolt is cut
away at 9. When the hammer is cocked as represented in Figure 4 the
bolt q is turned, so that an uncut part of the said bolt is made to cross the
slot n, in which the lower part of the hammer traverses. The said hammer
is thereby securely fixed, and its accidental discharge prevented as represented
in Figure 8. When the gun is to be fired the annular bolt q is turned so that
its slot q* and the slot n coincide, as represented in Figure 2, when the said
hammer may be discharged by pressure on the trigger. Instead of prevent-
ing the accidental discharge of the hammer by means of an annular bolt being
made to cross the slot in which the hammer traverses, an annular bolt may be
situated between the longer arm of the sear p and the bottom of the part c,
so that by turning a projecting part of the said bolt against the said longer
?

page_text: arm of the sear the motion of the said arm is prevented and the gun cannot
be discharged until the projecting part of the bolt is turned aside out of the
range of motion of the said longer arm of the sear. When it is wished to
remove the plug d from the chamber 6 for cleaning or otherwise, the cap'r at
the end of the prolonged part c is removed, and the tube m, m³, withdrawn.
The plug d can now be lifted from the chamber 6 through the open top.
Instead of the cap r a ring or annular bolt, similar in construction to that used
for preventing the accidental discharge of the hammer, may be employed
for fixing the tube m, m³, in its place.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 represent the breech end of a central-fire gun con-
structed according to the second part of my Invention, Figure 9 representing
the gun in side elevation, and Figure 10 in longitudinal section, the parts
being in the positions which they respectively occupy when the gun is ready
for discharge; Figure 11 is also a longitudinal section of the gun, the parts
being in the positions which they respectively occupy after the gun has been
discharged; Figure 12 represents in elevation, and Figure 13 in plan, the
prolonged breech end, barrel, and plug detached from the stock, the plug being
withdrawn from the prolonged breech and ready for the introduction of a
cartridge; Figure 14 represents a cross section of the plug and breech end,
and Figure 15 represents an elevation of the plug removed from the breech
end; Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19 represent parts of the gun, Figures 9, 10,
and 11; and Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23 are modifications of the same as
herein-after particularly explained. The same letters indicate the same
parts in Figures 9 to 19, both inclusive. a is the hollow sliding plug
working in the prolonged breech end 6 of the barrel c. The said end b
is open at top, the opening being marked d, through which opening d the
cartridge is introduced into the 'barrel c. The said opening d is closed
when the gun is ready for discharge by a covering plate e, connected to
the plug à in the manner best seen in Figure 14. The said plug a is
fixed for firing and liberated for charging by a motion of partial rotation
in the following manner:-At the bottom of the plug a 'is a projection f
and in the inner side of the barrel is a slot g, in which the projection f
may enter.
This slot g is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 16, and opens
into the longitudinal slot h, in which latter slot the projection f works in
advancing or withdrawing the said plug a. Near the front end of the plug is
a solid projection i, and the opening d in the top of the prolonged breech'end b
is expanded on one side so as to form a shoulder k. When the plug a has
been pushed home by means of the handle a so as to close the breech
end of the barrel c, the projection f on the bottom of the plug is brought to

page_text: g
the end of the slot h and opposite the cross slot g, and the projection i on the
top of the plug is brought opposite the cut away part in the side of the
opening d in the breech end 6 of the barrel.. By depressing the handle a³ so
as to give the plug a a partial rotation, the projection f is made to enter the
cross slot g, and the projection i is at the same time made to bear against the
shoulder k; the plug is thereby securely locked in its place for firing, and
the opening d is covered by the covering plate e. By raising the handle a³
into a vertical position, as represented in Figures 12 and 13, the projection i
is removed from the shoulder k, and the projection f at the same time removed
from the cross slot 9 into the longitudinal slot h. The plug a is thus liberated
and can by a sliding motion be withdrawn from the breech end of the barrel c,
and the prolonged end 6 opened for the introduction of a cartridge. In the
axis of the front end of the plug a the peg or striker 1 is situated, by which
the cartridge is discharged, the said striker being withdrawn into the nose or
fore end of the plug by the coiled spring m, placed between the head of the
striker and the end of the said nose of the plug as represented. The striker
is advanced from the fore end of the plug for the discharge of the gun by
means of a sliding rod A, acted upon by the mechanism next described. On the
under side of the prolonged end 6 of the barrel a quadrant-shaped hammer n
is jointed at n³, the said hammer turning in a vertical plane. The said
hammer n is connected by the link o to a lever p, situated in front of the
trigger guard g; the lever p turns upon the centre p³, and is raised against
the trigger guard by the spring p²; the hammer n is urged upwards by means
of a strong flat spring n³ acting on its tail n. On the under side of the
breech end b a sear r is jointed at 2, which sear takes into a notch or bent n
in the quadrant hammer n when the latter is sufficiently depressed by moving
the lever p, and holds the said hammer n in its depressed position, as repre-
sented in Figure 10. When the quadrant hammer is in the last-named
position it is ready to discharge the gun. The sear r is removed from the
notch or bent n, and the hammer n liberated by the action of the triggers on
the free end of the longer arm of the said sear. In the under side of the
plug a is a slot t, and opposite the said slot the sliding rod is cranked or
bent so as to form a shoulder u; when the plug a has been pushed. home and
locked down in the manner herein-before described the slot t is immediately
over the quadrant hammer n, and by pressing the trigger s the sear ris
removed from its notch and the quadrant hammer liberated. The said hammer
is forced upwards by the spring n³, and entering the slot t in the plug a
strikes against the shoulder u of the sliding rod 1, which rod urges forward
the striker 7, and causes it to dischargo the central-fire cartridge in the breech

page_text: end of the barrel c. As the slot t in the plug a is over the quadrant
hammer n only when the said plug a is in its locked position, the gun cannot
be discharged except when the plug is locked; the gun having been dis-
charged the parts occupy the respective positions represented in Figure 11.
In order to re-load the gun the lever p is depressed so as to pull down and
cock the quadrant hammer n in the manner represented in Figure 10. The
said hammer having been cocked the lever p is released, when it is pressed by
its spring against the trigger guard, the pin which connects the link o of the
said lever to the hammer rising to the top of the curved slot in the said
hammer. On the depression of the hammer the end of the striker / is with-
drawn into the plug, and the rod advanced in the plug by the pressure of
the compressed spring m, and the striker is ready to be again advanced out
of the plug on the liberation of the hammer n. By now giving a partial
rotation to the plug a by raising the handle as the plug is unlocked and can
be drawn back into the position represented in Figures 12 and 13, so as to
open the prolonged breech end 6 for the introduction of a fresh cartridge into
the barrel c; after the introduction of the cartridge the plug a is advanced
and locked down and the gun is again ready for discharge. In order to
re-engage the quadrant hammer n with the sear r, if the trigger of the gun
be accidentally pressed before the plug a is locked, one side of the said plug
is filed flat, as represented in Figures 14 and 15, and marked v, against
which flat part the head of the liberated hammer bears.
When the plug is
partly rotated for locking it in its place a cylindrical portion of the said plug,
marked w in Figure 15, is brought over the head of the liberated hammer
and presses it downwards sufficiently far to re-engage it with the sear r; thus
the accidental discharge of the gun is prevented, as the act of bolting the
plug a re-cocks the quadrant hammer n and renders pressure upon the
triggers necessary after the bolting of the said plug to discharge the gun.
Instead of effecting the cocking of the quadrant hammer by means of a lever
in front of the trigger guard, a lever at the side of the gun may be employed
for that purpose as herein-after described, or the hammer may be cocked by a
second trigger.
:
In order to enable the plug a to be readily removed from the breech end b,
for cleaning or otherwise, and also to securely fix it in the said breech end, I
arrange the parts in the manner which will be best understood by referring to
Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19, Figure 16 representing the prolonged breech end
in position for removing the bolt therefrom; Figure 17 the said breech end
in position for fixing the bolt therein; Figure 18 a plan of the under side,

page_text: b
b
and Figure 19 a cross section of the same. On the extreme end of the pro-
longed part 6 a cap 6 is situated and turns, the motion being limited by a pin
on the part b, working in a slot in the cap 62, as seen in Figure 18; an
opening 6 is made in the said cap 6, which can at pleasure be made to
coincide or not, either with the opening d in the top of the part b, or with an
opening be in the side of the said part b. When the plug a is in its place in
the part 6, the openings in the cap and part 6 coincide, a solid portion 6* of
the part 6 crossing the opening in the cap 63, as represented in Figures 17
and 19, and preventing the withdrawal of the plug. To withdraw the plug a,
it is first drawn back to its full extent, that is, the projection is placed in
the slot ³ and made to bear against the cross piece b*; by now turning the
cap upon the end of the part 6 by pressure upon the handle a² of the bolt a
until the opening 63 coincides with the side opening 6, and the solid part b*no
longer crosses the opening 63, as illustrated in Figure 16, the plug a can be
withdrawn from the prolonged part 6 through the said openings 6 and 65.
In introducing the plug into the prolonged breech part 6 the projection i is
placed in the coincident openings 63, 65, in the cap 6, and part 6, as repre-
sented in Figure 16, and pushed to the top of the said openings. By rotating
the cap 6 by the handle a of the plug, the openings 68 and d are made to
coincide, as represented in Figure 17, and the plug can be passed into the
part b, the withdrawal of the plug being prevented by the solid part 6 crossing
the opening in the cap 62. Instead of employing a cap as last described
for preventing the withdrawal of the plug, a band, or annular bolt working
in a groove in the prolonged end of the barrel may be used. Figure 20
represents this modification applied to the prolonged breech end of a barrel,
and Figure 21 is a cross section of the same; the band or bolt is marked be,
and works in a groove at d in the part b. 'A portion of the band or bolt is
cut away at 6, the said cut away part being somewhat broader than the
slot d in the part b. When the band or bolt 6 is turned upon the end b so
that its slot or cut away part 67 coincides with the slot d the plug can be
withdrawn; when however an uncut portion of the band 66 is made to cross
the slot d, as shown in the Drawing, the bolt is securely fixed in the part b.
Figure 22 represents in elevation, and Figure 23 in plan the arrangement of
my Invention in which the cocking of the quadrant hammer is effected by
a lever at the side of the gun, the mechanism being put on the trigger plate.
1 is the quadrant hammer; 2, the sear by which the said hammer is held in
its cocked position; 3, the trigger, and 4, the trigger plate carrying the said
parts. The way in which the hammer 1 is discharged by the lifting of the

page_text: sear from the bent in the said hammer by pressure on the trigger 8 will be
readily understood by an examination of the Drawing. The axis of the
quadrant hammer 1 is prolonged through the side of the stock, and upon its
end a lever 5 is fixed. By depressing the said lever 5 the hammer 1 can be
cocked, as represented in the Drawing, and the said hammer made ready to
discharge the gun.
1.
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 in the
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in central-fire
breech-loading fire-arms,-
Firstly, the arrangement or combination of the parts described and repre-
sented with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying
Drawings for fixing or locking down the sliding plugs of the said fire-arms.
Secondly, the arrangement or combination of the parts, described and repre-
sented with reference to Figures 4 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings for
preventing the sliding plugs from being lifted from the open breech chambers
of the said fire-arms.
Thirdly, preventing the accidental discharge of the fire-arm by means of a
ring or annular bolt applied essentially in the ways herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings, also
fixing the tube situated in the prolonged breech end by means of a ring or
annular bolt as described.
Fourthly, the arrangement or combination of the parts described and. illus
trated in Figures 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the accompanying Drawings for
locking down and liberating the plugs of the said fire-arms by giving the said
plugs a motion of partial rotation.
Fifthly, the construction or arrangement of the quadrant hammer and
parts connected with it for acting upon the striker to discharge the fire-arm,
and for cocking the said quadrant hammer herein-before described, and
illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, 22, and 23 of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixthly, the arrangements or combinations of the parts described and illus-
trated in Figures 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15 of the accompanying Drawings for
preventing the discharge of the fire-arms until the plugs of the same have
been bolted down, and for re-cocking the liberated hammer by the act of
bolting the said plugs.
Lastly, the arrangements or combinations of the parts herein-before

page_text: described and illustrated in Figures 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 of the accom-
panying Drawings for preventing the withdrawal of the plugs from the breech
end of the barrel, and for enabling the said plugs to be readily withdrawn
when required for cleaning or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER. (L.S.).