IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Purdey, of Oxford Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 23rd October 1863, and dated the 2nd May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Purdey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the 2nd
May 1863.
I, JAMES PURDEY, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms" relates to
that description of fire-arm in which the barrel of the gun is made to turn on a
horizontal pin, so as to raise and expose the open end or breech of the gun, in
order that a cartridge may be placed therein.
One of my improvements relates to a novel mode of securing or locking
the barrel when it is brought down into a horizontal position on the stock
ready for being discharged. For this purpose a locking bolt, working through
the body of the action enters a slot in the steel lump on the under side of the
barrels; this locking bolt forms part of a sliding bar which is worked by a
lever placed in the middle of the body, a projection on the said lever working
through a slot in the sliding bar, the lever being kept up to its work by one or

page_text: more springs acting either at the back of the bolt or against the lever, or
both, as may be found necessary. The bolt forming part of the sliding bar
and the end of the steel lump are bevilled, so that in the action of closing up
the barrels, the bolt first slides back, and when the barrel is in its place,
the bolt is by means of the spring made to slide forward and lock the gun
securely.
Another improvement, which may be worked with the action or not, as may
be found necessary, is a self-acting mode of locking the triggers of the gun by
means of a slide and lever worked by the back part of the sliding bar or
bolt, so that until the bolt slides into the proper place, the gun cannot be
discharged.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Purdey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PURDEY, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Purdey, Her special license that I, the said James
Purdey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Purdey, 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 James Purdey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 bo
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 James Purdey, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
.
My Invention of "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms" relates to
that description of fire-arm in which the barrel of the gun is made to turn on
a horizontal pin, so as to raise and expose the open end or breech of the gun
in order that a cartridge may be placed therein.
The Invention consists of a novel mode of securing or locking the barrel
when it is brought down into a horizontal position on the stock ready for being
discharged. For this purpose a locking bolt, forming part of a sliding bar
working through the body of the action, enters two slots or notches in the steel
lump on the under side of the barrels; this locking bolt forms part of a
sliding bar which is worked by a lever placed in the middle of the body, and
made to fit snugly in or against the trigger guard. A projection on the lever
or the tail, or upper end of the lever works through a slot in the sliding bar,
which is kept up to its work by one or more springs acting either at the back
of the bolt or against the lever, or both, as may be found most advisable.
The bolt that forms part of the sliding bar and also the end of the steel lump
are both bevilled, so that in the action of closing up the barrels the bolt is first
made to move back, and when the barrel is in its place the bolt is, by means
of the spring, made to slide forward and lock the gun securely.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn various views of a double-
barrel breech-loading fire-arm with my improvements adapted thereto.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation shewing the principal working parts with the
barrel secured in position ready for firing; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with
the breech end of the barrel raised up out of its seat ready to receive a new
cartridge; Fig. 8 is a plan or bird's-eye view with the barrels entirely
removed; Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same.
In Figures 1 and 2, a is the barrel which is capable of turning on the pin b
as a centre, as indicated by the dotted lines. On the under side of the barrels
is welded a steel block c, in which are made two notches c', &, to receive
the inclined tongues of a sliding bolt d, shewn detached in plan at Fig. 5.
This bolt & slides or works in grooves cut in the stock, as shewn in the cross
section, Fig. 4. The blot d is forced forward by a spring e, assisted to some
extent by the spring f, hereafter referred to. By this arrangement of parts,
the bolt d is inade to act somewhat in the same manner as the spring bolt of
common door lock as when the barrels are brought on to their seat; the
rear end of the block c will forco back tho bolt until it passes the same, when
he latter will fly forward, and catch in the notches c, c, of the block. When

page_text: it is desired to release the barrel, the bolt d is forced back so as to relieve the
tongues of the bolt from the notches in the block c; this is offected by means
of the lever g, the outer end of which fits snugly against or in the trigger guard;
but when depressed, as shewn in Fig. 2, the upper end of the lever will over-
come the force of the springs, and push back the bolt. When the bolt is
released, the breech end of the barrels may be elevated, as shewn in Fig. 2.
When the lever g is released, the force of the spring f, by acting on the short
arm of the lever g, will force it up, and thereby draw the belt d forward, and
at the same time bring the lever g into the position shewn in Fig. 1. If it be
desired to detach the barrel entirely from the stock, this may be done by
drawing out the tongue or pin h, when the barrel may be at once lifted out
and away from the pin b.
Having now described my Invention of improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, tho
mode herein set forth of securing the breech part of the barrels to the stock
when brought into a position ready for exploding or firing the charge.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Purdey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, tho Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
H. K. WHITE,
66, Chancery Lane,
JAMES PURDEY. (L.S.)