IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas George Sylven, of Bedford Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas George Sylven at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1866.
I, THOMAS GEORGE SYLVEN, of Bedford Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS," to be as follows:-
This Invention applies to that class of gun now commonly known as "drop-
down barrel guns, and consists principally of an arrangement for striking
and exploding the cap in the central-fire cartridges. In the centre of the
breech block, immediately opposite to the position occupied by the cap when
the cartridge is in its place, I drill or form a hole, in which is placed the pin
for striking the cap; this pin is capable of sliding a short distance horizontally
or in a line with the axis of the barrel, and is held back, so that its forward
end is flush with (or slightly behind) the face of the breech block, by means
of a spring, excepting on the descent of the hammer, when it is suddenly
thrust forwards with a force sufficient to explode the cap by the following
means-At the back of this hole, and in connection with it, I form a square
hole in a perpendicular direction, in which I place a pin, the lower end of

page_text: which forms a wedge, and acts against the rear end of the striking pin. The
hammer on its descent strikes on the top of the square pin, and the wedge-
shaped lower end of the latter drives the striking pin forwards. The square
pin is held in its place by means of a small screw, the end of which works in
n slot in the back of the pin; on taking out this screw the pin may be removed.
By these means the striking pin acts in a line with the axis of the barrel, and
thus gives a direct blow to the cap at the same time that the ordinary hammer
and lock are used. The same gun may also be used for firing "pin cartridges,"
if recesses for the pins are made in the rear end of the barrels, projecting nibs
being made on the breech block for closing these recesses when the pin
cartridges are not in use; or if centre-fire cartridges with "dummy" pins are
employed these nibs will not be required.
I also employ a self-acting cartridge extractor operated by a lever, which is
actuated by its end coming into contact with part of the breech block when
opening the breech; but I do not claim this as any part of my Invention..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas George Sylven in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GEORGE SYLVEN, of Bedford Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas George Sylven, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
George Sylven, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas George Sylven, 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 BREECH-LOADING GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas George Sylven, 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,

page_text: 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 Thomas George Sylven, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is
to say:-
This Invention applies to that class of gun now commonly known as
"drop-down barrel" guns, and consists principally of an arrangement for
striking and exploding the cap in the central-fire cartridges. In the centre
of the breech block, immediately opposite to the position occupied by the cap
when the cartridge is in its place, I drill or form a hole, in which is placed the
pin for striking the cap, the pin being introduced from the front by means of
a screw disc; this pin is capable of sliding a short distance horizontally, or
in a line with the axis of the barrel, and is held back, so that its forward end
is flush with (or slightly bebind) the face of the breech block, by means of a
spring, excepting on the descent of the hammer, when it is suddenly thrust
forwards with a force sufficient to explode the cap by the following means:-
At the back of this hole, and in connection with it, I form a square hole in a
perpendicular direction, in which I place a pin or drift, the lower end of which
forms a wedge and acts against the rear end of the striking pin. The hammer
on its descent strikes on the top of the square pin, and the wedge-shaped lower
end of the latter drives the striking pin forwards. In some instances I prefer
to dispense with the spring for withdrawing the striking pin, the latter being
pushed backwards by the rear end of the cartridge on closing the breech. In
this instance the position of the square pin will always indicate the presence or
absence of a cartridge in either barrel (or in both) when the breech is closed.
The square pin is held in its place by means of a small screw, the end of which
works in a slot in the back of the pin. On taking out this screw the pin may
be removed. By these means the striking pin acts in a line with the axis of
the barrel, and thus gives a direct blow to the cap, at the same time that the
ordinary hammer and lock are used. The same gun may also be used for
firing pin cartridges," if recesses for the pins are made in the rear end of the
barrels, projecting nibs being made on the breech block for closing these
recesses when the pin cartridges are not in use; or if centre-fire cartridges
with "dummy" pins are employed these nibs will not be required.
"
I also employ a self-acting cartridge extractor operated by a lever, which is
actuated by its end coming into contact with part of the breech block when

page_text: opening the breech, but this arrangement I do not claim as any part of my
Invention.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Breech-loading Guns, I will now proceed to describe more in detail
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly understood I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say:―
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 represents part of a double barrelled
breech-loading gun with my Invention shown as applied thereto, the breech
being represented as open for loading with the hammer at half-cock; and
Figure 2 shows the same with the breech closed, and the hammer down, as
in the act of firing the piece.
In the front of the breech block a, and in the centre thereof, I form a hole
in a horizontal direction, into which is fitted a screw disc or socket 6, (see also
detached views, Figures 3 and 4). The centre of this disc is drilled to fit the
shank of the striking pin c, (see also detached view, Figure 5), and in the
back part thereof is formed a recess, into which the head of the pin c fits,.
the head being slightly rounded, as clearly shown in the Drawing. It will be
evident that this pin c is capable of a short horizontal movement to and fro in
the disc or socket b. The pin may be either used without a spring, as shown
in the Drawing and above described, or by deepening the recess in the back
of the disc and inserting a short spiral spring between the bottom of the recess
and the head of the pin, the end of the latter will always be held back in the
position shown in Figure 1, except when thrust forward by the descent of the
hammer.
In order to cause the movement of the hammer to drive the pin forward
I make a vertical hole (of a square section) at the back of and in connection
with the horizontal hole above named, and I insert therein the square pin or
drift d, the lower end of this pin or drift is formed in a wedge shape and
slightly curved to reduce the frictional surface, so that as the hammer descends
it forces the pin c sharply forwards, as shown in Figure 2, and as the pin is
pressed back (when the hammer is put back to full or half cock), either by
the short spiral spring before named, or by the rear end of the cartridge when
closing the breech, the rounded end of the pin c forces the pin or drift d up
into the position shown in Figure 1 ready to be struck on the descent of the
hammer. The back part of the pin or drift d (see also detached view,
Figure 6), is provided with a recess or notch e, into which the end of a small

page_text: screw f projects so as to hold it in its place. By withdrawing this screw
slightly the pin or drift d can be removed, and by unscrewing the disc, or
socket 6 the pin c. can also be taken out.
Having now.described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Breech-loading Guns," together with the manner in which
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the improved arrange-
ment of "central-fire" action for breech-loading guns, as shown in the
annexed Drawing and herein-before described, and especially, I claim the
combination of the parts shown detached at Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, in the said
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas George Sylven, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
THOMAS GEORGE SYLVEN. (L.B.)