Improvements in Breechloading Small Arms.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 21st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breechloading Small Arms.
I THOMAS PERKES of 119 Jermyn Street Saint James's in the County of
London Gunmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
4
This invention relates to improvements in the ejecting and extracting mechanism
of breechloading small arms whether hammer or hammerless single or double
barrelled. Whereby the construction of the mechanism is rendered more simple and
compact is easily adjusted, the separate ejecting lever is or can be done away with,
the resistance usually found on closing the gun by the necessity of compressing the
ejector spring on closing the barrells is entirely avoided, the compression taking
place on the opening thereof and the full extraction of the unfired cartridge case is
permitted.
My improvements consist in so forming the extractor cam as to take into a recess
formed therein the free ends of a V shaped or other suitable spring such spring
having a suitable extension or tang on its lower arm so as to permit to come in
contact either directly or indirectly with the knuckle of the gun or any moveable
part therein such as a slide rod or lever. I also employ a novel form of detent,
which is actuated by a rod working from or in connection with any convenient part
of the lock or cocking mechanisms.
On opening the gun the extractor cam comes in contact with the knuckle or
other moveable part therein as aforesaid which causes it to be rotated slightly to give
the extractors a start. At the same time the knuckle or said moveable part is
engaging with the extension or tang of the spring and compressing it upwards thus
giving the upper arm of the spring the necessary force to rotate the extractor cam
and give full extraction. On closing the gun the lower arm of the spring which
has been compressed on the opening of the gun as hereinbefore mentioned is
allowed to gradually expand as the pressure of the knuckle or other moveable part
therein is withdrawn from the extension or tang. The extractor cam being in
contact therewith as aforesaid is thereby returned to its original or cocked position
withdrawing at the same time (or removing out of the way of) the extractor and
thus allowing the gun to close entirely without resistance. In order to give ejection
to the spent cartridge case I so form and adjust a detent or catch which may have
either a swinging or sliding movement that it engages directly or indirectly with a
rod or lever working in the action. This rod or lever when the gun is unfired is
held forward and pushes the detent or catch out of a bent in the extractor cam or its
spring (allowing thereby full extraction). On firing the gun the resistance at the
rear of the rod or lever being withdrawn and the rod or lever being free it allows
the detent or catch to fall into its bent. The detent or catch thus holds the
extractor cam back till the tumbler being cocked on opening the gun the rod or
lever is forced forward again pushes the detent or catch out of bent and permits
the upper arm of the spring which by this time has been fully compressed to
sharply expand and rotate the extractor cam and thus cause the ejection of the
spent case.
Although I have described my invention as giving a return motion to the
extracting cam and thereby facilitating the closing of the gun I can equally
facilitate the closing without the return motion. For this purpose I do not place
the lower arm of the spring in contact with the extractor cam. give however the
same compression to the spring on opening the gun.
My said improvements are equally applicable to a lever which is used for ejecting

page_text: purposes only but in that case it would be necessary to employ in addition the
ordinary starting or extracting cam.
The ejecting and extracting mechanism is carried by the fore end but may be
placed in any suitable part of the gun.
Instead of the extension or tang on the end of the lower arm of the ejector spring
a separate lever may be used in conjunction with an ordinary V shaped spring.
In the event of there being a tendency in the gun to close before required owing
to the action of the springs I can check this by forming a bent in the extractor
cam with which the knuckle or moveable part therein as aforesaid may engage but
this would not be usually necessary.
Although I have described the detent or catch as being taken out of bent by the
forward movement of the rod this operation can according to the construction of
the gun be equally well performed by the rod lever or other communication from
the lock or cocking mechanism in its backward movement.
Dated this 20th day of October 1892.
THOMAS PERKES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breechloading Small Arms.
I THOMAS PERKES of 119 Jermyn Street St. James's in the County of London
Gunmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the ejecting and extracting mechanism
of breechloading small arms whether hammer or hämmerless, single or double
barrelled; whereby the construction of the mechanism is rendered more simple and
compact, is easily adjusted, the separate extracting lever or cam is, or can be, done
away with, the resistance usually found on closing the gun by the necessity of
compressing the ejecting spring on closing the barrels is entirely avoided, the
compression taking place on the opening thereof, and full extraction of the unfired
cartridge case is permitted.
My improvements consist in so forming the extractor cam as to take into a recess
formed therein, the free ends of a V shaped or other suitable spring, such spring
having a suitable extension or tang on its lower arm so as to permit it to come in
contact, either directly or indirectly, with the knuckle of the gun, or any moveable
part therein, such as a slide rod or lever. I also employ a novel form of detent
which is actuated by a rod working from, or in connection with any convenient
part of the lock or cocking mechanism.
'The
Figures 1, 2, 3, of the accompanying drawings shew in section the ejecting, and
part of the lock mechanism, of a gun fitted with my improvements. Figure 1 shows
the gun closed with the tumbler in the fired position and the ejecting mechanism
cocked, the spring of the ejecting cam being without operative or material tension.
Figure 2, shows the gun partly opened, the tumbler in the action of being cocked,
the cartridge extracted, and the detent engaging with the bent in the cam and.
checking full extraction so as to allow of ejection at the proper time.
releasing rod working in the action is in position to be operated forward by the
tumbler and act on the detent. Figure 3, shows the gun opened and the position
of the parts when ejection has taken place, the releasing rod being held forward
and keeping the detent out of the bent in the cam, the lower arm of the spring
having sufficient compression to return the cam into the cocked position as the gun
is closed. The position of the releasing rod shewn in this figure is the same as it
would take when the gun is opened without firing the barrel, that is to say,
holding the detent out of bent and thereby permitting full extraction.
Figure 4 shews a detailed view of the detent, ejecting cam, and detent spring,
mounted on its frame or plate.

page_text: Figures 5, 6, and 7, show parts of the ejecting mechanism in respectively similar
positions to those shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, with a modified form of detent
constructed so as to be operated by a rod retiring as the gun is being opened. In
this case, the detent is normally held out of bent by its spring, to permit full
extraction of the unfired cartridge.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 show detailed drawings of the ejector cam, tang spring, and
detent, as applied to a gun with a releasing rod having a forward movement in
cocking the tumbler, such as is shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figures 11 and 12 show detailed drawings of the ejector cam, and detent, used
in a gun with a rod retiring into the action on cocking the tumbler, the tang spring
being in both cases similar.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters refer to similar parts.
A is the extractor leg, B the ejecting cam, 13 the bent therein, B² the recess
into which the free ends of the spring take, 13 the point of contact for extraction;
C is the detent, C₁ the projection thereon for engaging with the bent in B. D is
the ejector spring, having a tang D' on its lower arm for giving compression. E is
an extension on the knuckle for the purpose of operating D. Fa bearing surface
on the knuckle for operating the cam B, to extract or start the cartridge. H the
rod working in the body of the action, and J the tumbler.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the drawings and lettering the
operation of the various parts.
On opening the gun after firing, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings, the extension E comes in contact with the tang D' of the spring D and
compresses it upwards. The bearing surface on the knuckle almost at the same
time engages with the cam B, at B³, and thereby moves out the extractor leg A
the required distance to give the cartridge case a start. The free ends of the
spring D are taken into the recess B2 formed in the cam B, and as the extension E
still continues to compress the lower arm of the spring D upwards as the gun is
opening, the upper arm receives the necessary force to create ejection, the cam B
being held in the required position by the action of the projection on the detent C
which engages with the bent B' on the cam as shown in Figure 2. The said
detent is operated in the usual way by a spring which I show at Figure 4.
Continuing to completion the opening of the gun, gives the full compression for
ejection to the spring D, the tang Di being still in contact with E. At the same
time the rod H is being pushed forward against the detent C, by the tumbler Jin
cocking, and pushing it out of the bent B' at the required moment, allows the
cam B, by the expansion of the upper arm of the spring, to cause ejection; as
shewn at Figure 3. On closing the gun, the extension E is withdrawn from the
tang D, and allows the lower arm of the spring D to expand against the lower
part of the recess B2, thereby returning B to its cocked position, as shewn in
Figure 1. The tumbler now being cocked, continues to hold the detent C clear of
the cam B, and if the gun were opened again without firing, the cam B would, by
the action of the spring assisted if necessary by the bearing surface F, give the
full travel to the extractor; the result being, that the cartridge would be drawn
from the barrel to the full extent of the travel of the extractor; but the cam B not
having been checked by the detent, the motion would be gradual, and there would
be no ejection.
At Figures 5, 6, and 7, of the accompanying drawings, I show a modification of
my improvements applicable to a gun constructed with a rod which on the opening
retires into the body of the action. The operation of the parts as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 is similar, with the exception of the
action of the detent C and the rod H.
Instead of pivotting the detent C at the bottom, I do so at the top, forming the
projection at the bottom thereof; and the bent in the cam B also at the bottom of
the cam, as shewn in detail at Figures 11 and 12. The bent in the cam is formed
so as to correspond with two circles, as shewn at Figure 12. The projection on the
detent, until the detent is operated by the rod, passes freely round the lower

page_text: circular portion of the bent.
When however the rod operates the detent, it causes
it to pass round the upper circle of the bent, and, being on a different centre,
checks the cam, until after passing the higher point, it escapes and allows the cam
to freely revolve and eject.
On opening the gun after firing, the detent C, which (contrary to the case with
the one described in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is normally held out of the path of the cam B
by the action of its spring) comes in contact with the rod H, and is thereby rotated,
so as to meet the cam B. The projection then passes on to the upper circular
portion of the bent, and is drawn round it by the rod. This checks the cam B,
until, the projection passing beyond the higher point, allows the cam to operate the
extractors for ejection in the usual way. Should the gun be unfired, the rod H,
being in its neutral or backward position, does not come in contact with the
detent, which then freely passes round the under part of the bent without engaging
with it.
Although have described my invention as giving a return motion to the
extracting cam and thereby facilitating the closing of the gun, I can equally
facilitate the closing without the return inotion. For this purpose I do not place
the lower arm of the spring in contact with the extractor cam, I give however the
same compression to the spring on opening the gun.
My said improvements are equally applicable to a lever or cam which is used
for ejecting purposes only, but in that case it would be necessary to employ, in
addition, the ordinary starting or extracting cam.
The ejecting and extracting mechanism is carried by the fore end but may be
placed in any suitable part of the gun.
Instead of the extension or tang on the end of the lower arm of the ejector
spring, a separate lever may be used in conjunction with an ordinary V shaped
spring.
In the event of there being a tendency in the gun to close before required, owing
to the action of the spring, I can check this by forming a bent in the extractor cam
with which the knuckle or moveable part therein as aforesaid may engage, but this
would not be usually necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination of the improved ejecting mechanism B3, B4, B², B³, C, C¹,
and D, D for the purpose and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of August 1893.
THOMAS PERKES.