IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bethel Burton, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bethel Burton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
June 1859.
I, BETHEL BURTON, of Brookly., in the State of New York, United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
NTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The rear end of the barrel opens into a chamber wherein is a sliding breech
pin, on which is a cone or nipple receiving a detonating pill or cap to be
exploded by the cock or hammer as usual; the aforesaid chamber bas an
opening in the top thereof, so that a cartridge can be laid in when the breech
pin is drawn back and forced into the barrel by projecting said breech pin
forward. The breech pin and rear end of the barrel have conical surfaces,
and a sliding and expanding ring in the rear end of the barrel keeps the joint
tight. The breech pin sets into a socket in a sliding carrier, where a receptacle
is formed for oil or grease, and around this carrier is a screw, and within the
rear part of the chamber is a corresponding screw. Sections of each of these
screws are removed, so that the one will slide into the other, being guided by a
slot and pin, and when the breech pin is pushed up to the barrel, a partial turn

page_text: An -P༦, ཨ B-4ཙ ES STTA6., uD
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bethel Burton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BETHEL
BURTON, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, A. D. One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Bethel
Burton, Her special license that I, the said Bethel Burton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Bethel Burton, 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 FIRE-ARMS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bethel Burton, by an
instrument in writing under my band and seal, should particularly describo
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 mouths next and immediately after the
clate of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bethel Burton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my improved tire-arut at the breech;
33
2 is a plan of the same; and
"
3 is a cross section of the breech slide.
Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.
The nature of my said Invention consists in a peculiarly constructed sliding
breech pin combined with a sliding and turning sectional screw plug, con-

page_text: structed in such a manner that the parts must be brought properly to place
before the said 'screw can be turned to confine the breech pin to the barrel,
thereby liability to accident by a hurried movement with the piece is entirely
removed; the arm is cheap and simple in construction, durable and efficient
in use.
In the Drawing, a is the stock; b is the barrel, to the rear of which a
chamber c is formed, with the slings that pass to the stock; d is a breech pin
sliding in this chamber, and provided with the nipple or cone 1, against which
the hammer or cock e acts in discharging the piece. The front end of this
breech pin is made with a circular recess, receiving the ring cup 2, the edges
of which enter within the rear end of the barrel, and 8 is a plug or nipple,
securing this ring cup 2 in place, and forcing the catridge into the barrel and
past the ring 4 that occupies a recess at the rear end of the barrel, and is
secured permanently in place. This cup 2 and ring 4 are to be formed of
such metal as will not be corroded by the explosion of the powder, and the
ring 2 is expanded by the explosion against the ring 4 in the rear end of the
barrel to make a perfectly tight joint. The breech pin itself is guided in the
chamber c by the base of the coue 1, and a projection 6 on the opposite side
sliding on the upper edges of the open part of the chamber c; and when the
breech pin is drawn back, the cartridge can be entered and then forced into
the barrel by said breech pin, which is secured against the explosion by the
following means:-f is a sliding breech supporter, formed hollow, and receiving
the rear end of the breech pin d, which is made as a pin 7, setting within said
breech supporter f, and the two are connected by a cross pin or screw entering
a groove 8 in said pin, so that the breech supporter is free to turn without
revolving the breech itself, but both are tightly connected together, and a
space is left, as at 9, to form a chamber for oil or grease. The rear part of
tbis breech supporter f is made as a sectional screw 10, and a similar sectional
screw is formed on the inside of the chamber c in such a manner that the
sections can be slidden in endways, that is to say, that each sectional part of
the screw passes through where there is no thread on the inside of the
chamber c, and when in place a partial rotation of the breech by the handle, g
brings the sectional screw threads into each other and forces the breech pin
home to its place. In order, however, to prevent the screw sections coming
in contact until the breech is properly into place, and thereby allowing the
arm to be discharged when improperly secured, I make use of a longitudinal
guiding slot 11, in which is the end of a screw or pin 12, that passes through
the chamber c, so that the breech supporter is guided thereby until the breech
is up to place, when a transverse slot running around said breech sup--

page_text: porter allows the rotation of the parts to bring the screw threads into each
other. See Figs. 1 & 3. An opening is left in the bottom of the chamber c,
as at 13, which allows any dirt that may fall into the chamber to escape, and
also allows air to pass into the chamber when open, so as to go off with any
smoke, and also cool the parts, and prevent them becoming heated.
It will now be evident that, by my Invention herein set forth, the escape of
gases at the breech is entirely prevented by the ring cup 2, and there is no
possibility of clogging, because the screw and turning breech supporter are not
only lubricated, but also removed sufficiently to the rear, that no loose powder
or dirt can get into or clog the same...
I do not claim a sliding breech pin in itself, neither do I claim sectional
screw threads, but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent, is the sliding breech pin d in combination with the sliding and
turning breech supporter f, having the sectional screw threads around the
rear end thereof, so that the screw is removed from the barrel sufficiently to
prevent clogging by dirt or powder, as set forth.
I also claim constructing the sliding and turning breech supporter f hollow,
so as to receive the pin 7 of the breech d, as specified, whereby the surfaces
subject to motion are thoroughly lubricated, and prevented from clogging, as
set forth.
I also claim the guiding slot 11 formed in the breech supporter f, and
acting as set forth to ensure the proper movements of the parts, as specified.
I also claim constructing the sliding breech d with the ring cup 2 of alumi-
nium, platina, or equivalent metal, secured by the plug 3 in combination with
the ring 4 in the rear end of the barrel, for the purposes and as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bethel Burton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witnesses,
LEMUEL W. SERRELL,
121, Nassau Street,
New York City.
THO. GEO. HAROLD,
121, Nassau St.,
New York City.
BETHEL BURTON. (L.S.)