IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS OR FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the Firm of Tongue
& Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS OR FIRE-ARMS.'
"
-
A communication from abroad by George Merrill, of New York,
United States of America.
Sealed the 28th November 1871, and dated the 29th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th September 1871.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck,
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS OR FIRE-ARMS,"
to be as follows:-
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of breech-
loading guns or fire-arms in which a sliding bolt is employed to close
the opening in the breech piece or receiver where the cartridge is

page_text: inserted, a central firing pin or needle being combined with the sliding
bolt, which also acts to withdraw the case of the exploded cartridge
when the bolt is withdrawn for the insertion of a fresh cartridge.
The combined cock and hammer is actuated by a single spring, and the
act of withdrawing the bolt extracts and throws out the empty cartridge
case and also sets the hammer at full cock.
According to one part of these improvements the breech end of the
barrel terminates with a bevilled or other shaped ring, which is
arranged so as to be capable of rotating with the cartridge and bolt
when the bolt is slid into the breech piece to close it. A spring catch
or extractor is carried by the bolt and passing into a slot cut in the
ring, and over the flange or rim of the cartridge, thus causing them to
rotate with the bolt when the knob or lever thereon is turned over to
lock the sliding bolt firmly in position ready for firing. The ring at
the end of the barrel forms a gas check, and does not weaken the end
of the barrel by cutting away for the extractor spring to rotate. A
lug or projection on the sliding bolt acts as a stop in the slot for
extractor spring to prevent the gas from blowing back through the slot
in case of a defective shell or cartridge; and the lug also serves to
steady the bolt in operating it by keeping the knob or lever arm on the
bolt in correct position until it is pushed forward sufficiently to enable
the cam upon the bolt to go to its place when locking the bolt. A screw
through the side of the receiver operates in connection with the lug or
projection on the bolt, to prevent the latter from being withdrawn
entirely in the manipulation of the parts when loading. A friction
spring on the end of the barrel and ring acts to prevent the ring
from revolving, in case of a blow or jar when the bolt is drawn back.
The extractor spring is secured to the bolt without fastening, being held
like a pinch-bar so as to be easily removed and replaced.
The firing pin is controlled automically by an incline and recess
formed at the end of the receiver or breech piece, which act upon an
arm or projection upon the firing pin in such manner that the gun
cannot be fired until the bolt is locked; and according to this part of
these improvements the firing pin is held securely back until the very
last part of the locking movement is effected. The firing pin offset
must be upon the shoulder on the bolt when the bolt is put into the
gun. When the breech is locked the firing pin is free to go forward to
explode the cartridge, and not until then.

page_text: It is preferred to forge the sliding bolt solid, and insert the firing pin
from the rear, the opening being covered by a large-headed screw which
can be tightened to give the necessary friction to prevent the offset or
projection on firing pin leaving the shoulder until it is drawn off in
locking the bolt. The sliding bolt may be fixed with the knob
or lever in an upright or other desired position by means of a lever
and stop on the right-hand side of the stock of the gun, the stop
by turning the lever being caused to enter a slot or recess formed in
the bolt.
.
The arrangement of the hammer in a central position at the rear is
such that the act of withdrawing the sliding bolt will cock the gun,
and so that no cut is required through the receiver or breech piece by
which the gas could get at the stock to injure it. A single spring is
employed to operate the hammer and trigger.
Corrugation or cross cuts are formed in the bottom of the receiver to
act upon the head or rim of the shell of the cartridge in the act of being
withdrawn, the pressure of the extractor spring causing the shell to
trip and be thrown out of the breech when it reaches the cross-cuts or
corrugations.
▸ SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters' Patent,
filed by the said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, Patent Agents
5 and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
O thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Garrett Tongue, Her special
licence that I, the said John Garrett Tongue, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Garrett Tongue,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: 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 OR FIRE-ARMS," a 'communication 5
to me from 'abroad by George Merrill, of New York, United 'States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the 'said John
Garrett Tongue, 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,
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 John Garrett Tongue, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and 'ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is 'to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of breech-
loading guns or fire-arms, in which a sliding bolt is employed to close
the opening in the breech piece or receiver where the cartridge is a
inserted, a central firing pin or needle being combined with the sliding
bolt, which also acts to withdraw the case of the exploded cartridge when
'the bolt is withdrawn for the insertion of a fresh cartridge. The
combined cock and hammer, which is central, is actuated by a single
spring, and the act of withdrawing the bolt extracts and 'throws out the
'empty cartridge case and also sets the hammer at full cock.
According to one part of these improvements the breech end of the
barrel terminates with a bevilled or other shaped ring, which is arranged
so as to be capable of rotating with the cartridge and bolt when the
'bolt is slid into the breech piece to close it. A spring catch or extractor
is carried by the bolt and passing into a slot cut in the ring and over the
'flange or rim of the cartridge, thus causing them to rotate with the bolt
"when the knob or lever 'thereon is turned over to lock the sliding bolt
firmly in position ready for firing. The ring at the end of the barrel
"forms a gas check, and does not weaken the end of the barrel by cutting
away 'for the extractor spring to rotate. A lug or projection on the
sliding 'bolt acts as a stop in 'the slot 'for extractor spring 'to prevent the

page_text: gas from blowing back through the slot in case of a defective shell or
cartridge, and the lug also serves to stead the bolt in operating it, by
keeping the knob or lever arm on the bolt in correct position until it is
pushed forward sufficiently to enable the cam upon the bolt to go to its
place when locking the bolt. A screw through the side of the receiver
operates in connection with the lug or projection on the bolt to prevent
the latter from being withdrawn entirely in the manipulation of the
parts when loading. A friction spring on the end of the barrel and ring
acts to prevent the ring from revolving in case of a blow or jar, when
the bolt is drawn back. The extractor spring is secured to the bolt
without fastening, being held like a pinch bar, so as to be easily removed
and sonlaged
The arrangement of the hammer in a central position at the rear is
such that the act of withdrawing the sliding bolt will cock the gun, and
so that no cut is required through the receiver or breech-piece by which
-the gas could get at the stock to injure it. A single-spring is employed
'to operate the hammer and trigger.

page_text: Corrugations or cross-cuts are formed in the bottom of the receiver to
act upon the head or rim of the shell of the cartridge, in the act of being
withdrawn, the pressure of the extractor spring causing the shell to trip
and be thrown out of the breech when it reaches the cross-cuts or
corrugations.
And in order that the Invention may be perfectly understood and
readily put into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the breech part and ]
mechanism of a breech-loading gun or rifle, arranged and constructed
in accordance with these improvements, the breech being closed.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the breech open. Figures 3, 4, 5,
and 6 are separate views of some of the parts.
The receiver A is of similar character and construction to fire-arms ]
of this description, the barrel B being screwed into its front end. The
rear end of the barrel is turned off conical, as shown at Figure 1, and
has a corresponding conical ring J placed loosely thereon, the ring J
being free to turn in its seat on the end of the barrel. An inclined
notch or recess S is cut in the outside of this ring, as shewn in Figures 2
4 and 5, for the point of the extractor hook h to enter, when pushed
forward in the act of closing the breech; C is the breech plug or bolt,
furnished with a firing pin c placed through its centre and protruding at
the rear end of the breech where it is struck by a hammer (not shown
in the Drawing).
Near its rear end the breech plug is reduced in diameter, a ring or
collar R being fitted thereon between the locking lug or projection E
and the head D, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ring R being shewn in
perspective at Figure 3. The ring or collar R has an incline n formed
on one side at its rear end, against which the projecting arm d of the a
firing pin works or bears when the plug or bolt C is turned to unlock
the breech, the ring R being held stationary whilst the bolt C is being
turned as herein-after described.
On the under side of the bolt C a longitudinal groove a is formed in
which a spring e is placed, as shewn in Figure 2, this spring extending
backwards, and resting at its free end in a notch o, cut in the front edge

page_text: of the ring R. A screw 6 is inserted through the under sides of the
recesses A, with its point passing into the grooves a, which serves as a
stop to limit the backward movement of the breech plug, and also to
prevent it from turning when it is moved to and fro to open and close
the breech. As the breech plug or bolt is forced in the spring e is
carried forward over the point of the screw b, by which the free end of
the spring is pressed in out of the notch o in the ring R, and the point
of the screw b at this time passes into the notch or recess o, thus locking
the ring R fast so as to prevent it from turning with the plug or bolt C;
at the same time the spring e being pressed within the hollow of the
ring R turns with the bolt or breech plug C. In this manner the
ring R with its incline n is held stationary to draw back the firing
pin c, whilst the bolt C is turned preparatory to opening the breech.
When the bolt C is moved back a short distance the spring e being
released from the pressure of the screw 6 springs out again into the
notch or recess o cut in the ring R, thus again locking the ring fast on
the bolt C so that it turns with it until again closed, at which time the
deepest part of the incline n is in front of the arm d of the firing pin,
thus permitting the latter to be driven forward when struck by the
hammer.
In the bed of the receiver a recess f is formed with a shoulder at its
rear end against which the head of the cartridge strikes as it is drawn
back by the extractor hook h, whereby it is thrown suddenly upward
and out of the receiver.
By the application of the loose conical ring J at the rear end of the
barrel, the extractor hook h can be fixed to the breech bolt C so as to
turn with it, the ring J turning with the bolt C when the extractor hook
is forced forward, and passes into the notch or recess s of the ring J.
The ring J also serves to support the conical end of the barrel and
prevents it from being expanded by the force of the gas when the
charge is fired.
A sliding bolt or catch / is inserted in the side of the receiver, and
arranged so as to lock into the head D of the breech bolt when closed,
and thus prevent it from being accidentally unlocked.
Sheet 2 of the Drawings shows several views of a breech-loading gun
and parts detached, full size, similar in construction to the arrangement
shown in Sheet 1, and as corresponding parts are marked with similar

page_text: It will be seen that the hammer x is arranged in a central position at
the rear end of the barrel, and that a single spring y only is employed to
actuate it and the trigger z.
Having thus described the nature of these improvements in breech-
loading guns or fire-arms, what I claim under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, on behalf of the said George Merrill, is, —
First. The application of the ring J to the rear end of the barrel and
arranged so as to turn or partially rotate with the extractor h, sub- ]
stantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of the breech bolt C
with its groove a and spring e, the loose collar R formed with a recess o,
and incline n, together with the firing pin c, the whole being constructed 1
and arranged so as to operate substantially in the manner herein
described and shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Thirdly. The combination and arrangement of the breech bolt C with
the extractor hook hand the ring J, all constructed and arranged to
operate substantially as and for the purpose hercin-before described and 2
shown in the Drawings annexed.
Lastly. The improved arrangement, construction, and general com-
bination of parts of breech-loading guns or fire-arms, arranged to operate
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.
2