IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Henry at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1873.
I, ALEXANDER HENRY, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, Gun and Rifle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,
and it consists in a striker hinged or jointed on a pin or stud fixed in the
under or the upper part of the breech piece to effect the ignition of the
cartridge. The striker is situate within a slot or opening formed in the
breech piece, and it is impelled forwards in firing the cartridge by a
hammer caused to act against the striker by the main spring of the
fire-arm.
The Invention also relates to a combined bolt and catch, by which the
lever hinged to the under side of the fire-arm for operating the breech
action is retained in its position against the under side of the trigger
plate, and by which the trigger may also be locked, so as to prevent the

page_text: hammer from being moved from the "cocked" position. The upper end
of the bolt which is formed with a hook or projecting piece passes
through a slot in the trigger plate, and at its lower end the bolt is
terminated in a pin situate in the upper part of the rearward extremity
of the lever, in which it is free to move from side to side, so that by t
pushing the pin to one side the head of the bolt is brought opposite the
rearward part of the trigger, and catches upon the upper side of the
trigger plate, whereby the trigger and also the lever are bolted in
position.
Under another arrangement the combined bolt and catch is attached
to the under side of the trigger plate by a pin or stud. A. notch is
formed in the back of the trigger, and an opening is made in the rear-
ward end of the lever into which a projection on the under side of the
trigger plate enters when the lever is at its raised position. A notch or.
slot is formed in the projection into which the rearward end of the bolt 1
enters through a slot formed in the lever, and thereby locks the lever in
position, the trigger being simultaneously locked by a portion of the
bolt or catch entering the notch formed therein.
In lieu of forming the breech pieces in fire-arms wherein vertically
sliding breech pieces are used rectangular as hitherto, the breech pieces :
under this Invention are circular, and have a flat side which bears
against the cartridge chamber for the purpose of closing it, or the breech
piece may be made with a flat or rectangular front and sides, and a
circular, elliptical, or triangular back.
Under this Invention the barrels of breech-loading fire-arms in place
of being fixed into the breech action by a screw as hitherto are formed
with "lugs," which when the barrel is slipped or pushed into the hole
wherein it is held, enter recesses or grooves in that hole; and on being
turned round therein, the "lugs" and grooves lock the barrel in
position, whilst it may be still further secured by a plate projecting
under the barrel, into which one or more pins enter. By this mode of
fixing the barrels the fire-arm may be rapidly taken to pieces and so be
put into a shorter and more convenient package for travel or transport.