Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the closing or obturating of the rear end or ends of the
barrel or barrels, by means of a breech piece hinged to the said barrel or barrels at
the place usually occupied by the vent or vents and held closed by a key which
operates in a manner similar to that of the Lefaucheux gun, but which, in the move-
ment required for the opening of the breech, cocks the striker mechanism placed in
the breech piece. The invention is applicable to both sporting and military guns,
with one, two or three barrels, to pistols and generally to all breech-loading firearms,
and the novel features are the following.
First Means of fixing the barrel instantaneously when in use on a frame (carcasse)
by means of a hook and a bolt.
Second Arrangements for closing the breech by means of a block turning on a
transverse axis fixed in a prolongation of the band (bande) the said block bearing
in front beneath this prolongation and being fixed behind by a half tee or broken
screw thread taking into a mortice formed in the frame (carcasse).
ZA
Third A striking apparatus without a visible hammer composed of spiral
springs and special strikers moved by the same piece which effects the closing of
the breech.
ADDY
Fourth A cartridge extractor having two automatic movements, the one for

page_text: withdrawing the cartridge case by means of a cam jointed by a spring and the turning
movement of the block, and the other for returning the extractor to its normal
position by the escape of the cam at a given point of the travel of the extractor and
by means of a spring disengaging arrangement.
Fifth A Safety apparatus which prevents the action of the triggers on the parts
which release the strikers, such apparatus consisting of locking mechanism composed
of an eccentric lever placed behind the triggers and operated by a spring releaser
acted on by the hand.
Figure 1 of the drawings hereto annexed, is a longitudinal section of a double
barrelled sporting gun with these improvements applied thereto. Figures 23, 4 and 5
are detail views of some of the parts here-after described.
The barrels a are fixed on a frame c when the gun is in use by a hooked tenon d
formed with them (see Figure 2) and a bolt f placed below the front part of the
frame c.
This bolt slides in the piece c being acted on by a spiral spring so
that the part 2 enters a mortice formed in a tenon e¹ of the barrel. This bolt fis
disengaged from its mortice by pressing on the end 2 which projects a little beyond
the end of the wooden mounting or stock.
The frame c is let into the wooden mounting or stock band is fixed therein firmly
by screws.
The closing or obturation of the breech is effected by a block g connected thereto
by a hinge the axis g' of which is placed transversely in a prolongation of the band.
In opening the breech the block g is turned over on the band as shown in Figure 2
in closing the breech the said block comes under the prolongation and is fixed firmly
by a half tee or broken screw thread h which takes into a suitable mortice cut at k in
the hinder part of the frame c. Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show clearly the breech block
and the mode of keying or fixing which results from its abutting under the prolongation
of the band of the barrel. The half tee h holds the end of the block g firmly applied
against the trued surface of the piece c. It is pivoted on the block at h and forms
a cam by its helicoidal surface which when the half tee is turned on its pivot enters
the mortice k in the frame c. 'The half tee is furnished on its under side with a
spring intended to engage in one or other of the notches of the tail of the
block g; this spring holds the bolt in positions corresponding to full cock breech open
and safety.
In the block 9 are formed mortices for the reception of the strikers ; with their
springs. These strikers may be in two pieces jointed together or in a single piece
as shown in Figure 1. They are acted on by a piece which forces them backwards
by compressing their spiral springs, the rectilinear movement from front to back being
communicated to the said piece by the bolt to which it is connected by a small
chain . By turning the bolt or half tee, the movements required for cocking the
strikers are imparted to the sinall chain l¹ and its piece l.
The piece is kept in the block g by a cover m fitted with a dovetail into the front
face of the block and held in place by means of a spring pin m¹.
Two spring pieces n n¹ placed in the head of the block are pushed in by their
contact with the vertical hinder face of the cartridge cases so that they project
upwards at n³ ³ (Figure 5) when the block is closed and the gun cocked or at least
contains cartridges or cartridge cases.
The extraction of the cartridge cases is effected automatically by means of a cam o
(Figure 2) mounted on the axis g¹ of the block g. This cam presents a projection o¹
against which comes the hook o' of a spring o³ fixed on the biock g. When the latter
is raised for opening the breech this spring o³ forces the cam o to turn and to push
the extractor outwards by means of the lever o*. But slightly before the completion
of the movement of the block the hook o' escapes from the notch of the cam and the
extractor of is released to the returning action of the spring of which forces it back
into the hollow reserved for it in the breech end of the barrel.
The whole of the mechanism of the triggers is fixed on the plate p of the trigger
guard fixed in the stock 6 by means of screws and guided into correct position
with regard to the frame c by a projection p' which enters a mortice in the latter.

page_text: The triggers pivoting at 2 are cut sloping to receive and support two pins s
(Figure 1) which put them in communication with the hooks of the strikers. Spring
branches s¹ hold the pieces s in place.
The safety mechanism for preventing the premature action of the triggers ¹ is
composed as follows (see Figure 1).
An eccentric levert pivoted at t¹ is pressed against the ends of the triggers by
means of a spring a placed below the plate p. To effect the release of the levert from
the triggers it is only necessary to press the spring with the hand so as to force it
against the plate of the underguard p.
1
3001
1
1
100⑈

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying two
sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This invention relates to the closing or obturating of the rear end or ends of the
barrel or barrels by means of a breech piece hinged to the said barrel or barrels at
the place usually occupied by the vent or vents and held closed by a key which
operates in a manner similar to that of the Lefaucheux gun, but which, in the movement
required for the opening of the breech, cocks the striker mechanism placed in the
breech piece. The invention is applicable to both sporting and military guns with
one, two, or three barrels, to pistols, and generally to all breechloading firearms, and
the novel features are the following
:-
First Means of fixing the barrel instantaneously when in use on a frame (carcasse)
by means of a hook and a bolt.
Second Arrangements for closing the breech by means of a block turning on a
transverse axis fixed in a prolongation of the band (bande), the said block bearing in
front beneath this prolongation and being fixed behind by a half tee or broken screw
thread taking into a mortice formed in the frame.
These arrangements for closing the breech consist therefore in keying or fixing the
block in position on the one hand beneath a fixed piece, and on the other by a cam or
half-tee.
Third A striking apparatus without a visible hammer, composed of spiral springs
and special strikers moved by the same piece which effects the closing of the breech.
Fourth A cartridge extractor having two automatic movements, the one for
withdrawing the cartridge case by means of a cam jointed by a spring, and the turning
movement of the block, and the other for returning the extractor to its normal position,
by the escape of the cam at a given point of the travel of the extractor, and by means
of a spring disengaging arrangement.
Fifth A safety apparatus which prevents the action of the triggers on the parts
which release the strikers, such apparatus consisting of locking mechanism composed
of an eccentric lever placed behind the triggers and operated by a spring releaser
acted on by the hand.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereto annexed is a longitudinal section of a double
barrelled sporting gun with these improvements applied thereto. Figures 2 to 27
are detail views of all the parts hereafter described.
The barrels a a' are fixed on a frame c (Figures 2, 3 and 4) when the gun is in use
by a hooked tenon d formed with them (see Figures 5 and 6), and a bolt ƒ placed
below the front part of the frame c. This bolt, formed as shown, slides beneath the

page_text: piece c, being acted on by a spiral spring f¹, so that the part 2 enters a mortice e¹
formed in a tenone of the barrel. This bolt f is disengaged from its mortice by
pressing on the end which projects a little beyond the end of the wooden mounting
or stock.
с
The frame c is let into the wooden mounting or stock band is fixed therein firmly
by screws v¹ and v².
The closing or obturation of the breech is effected by a block g connected thereto
by a hinge, the axis q₁ of which is placed transversely in a prolongation of the band.
In opening the breech, the block g is turned over on the band as shown in Figure 5,
in closing the breech, the said block comes under the prolongation and is fixed firmly
by a half tee or broken screw thread which takes into a suitable mortice cut at k
in the hinder part of the frame c. Figures 5, 7, 8, and 9 show clearly the breech
block and the mode of closing and keying or fixing which results from its abutting
under the prolongation of the band of the barrel. Figures 10 and 11 show in
elevation and plan the half tee h which is let into the mortice k of the frame c and
holds the end of the block g firmly applied against the trued surface of the piece c.
It is pivotted on the block g at h¹ and forms a cam by its helicoidal surface k¹ which,
when the half tee his turned on its pivot, enters, wedge fashion, the mortice k in the
frame c.
The half tee is furnished on its under side with a spring h² intended to
engage in one or other of the notches i i¹² of the tail of the block 9; this spring h²
holds the bolt which is formed in one piece with the half tee in the positions
corresponding to full cock, breech open, and safety.
In the block g are formed mortices for the reception of the strikers ; with their
springs. These strikers are in a single piece as shown in Figures 12 and 13. They
are acted on by a piece 1, (Figures 14 and 15) which forces them backwards by
compressing their spiral springs j¹, the rectilinear movement from front to back being
communicated to the said piece by the bolt to which it is connected by a small
chain . By turning the bolt or half-tee, the movements required for cocking the
strikers are imparted to the small chain and its piece l.
The piece is kept in the block 9 by a cover m fitted with a dovetail into the
front face of the block and held in place by means of a spring pin m³.
Two spring pieces n n', placed in the head of the block, are pushed in by their
contact with the vertical hinder face of the cartridge cases, so that they project
upwards and become visible at n² n³ (Figure 9) when the block is closed and the
gun cocked, or at least contains cartridges or cartridge cases.
When there are no
cartridges in the gun, the said pieces n n¹ do not project, but if the gun is loaded,
or if empty cartridge cases are left in the barrels, the pieces n n¹ project and indicate
the fact to the shooter.
The extraction of the cartridge cases is effected automatically by means of a
camo (Figure 5) mounted on the axis g¹ of the block g. This cam presents a
projection against which comes the hook o² of a spring o³ (Figures 16 and 17)
fixed on the block g. When the latter is raised for opening the breech, this spring o³
forces the cam o to turn and to push the extractor 9 outwards by means of the lever
or arm o. But slightly before the completion of the movement of the block, the
hook o escapes from the notch of the cam and the extractor 9 is released to the
returning action of the spring g' which forces it back into the hollow made for it in
the breech end of the barrel.
The whole of the mechanism of the triggers is fixed on the plate p of the trigger
guard fixed in the stock 6 by means of screws and guided into correct position with
regard to the frame c by a projection p' which enters a mortice in the latter (see
Figures 26 and 27).
The triggers (Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21) pivoting at ³ (Figures 1, 26 and 27)
are hollowed out at to receive and support two pins s (Figure 1) which put
them in communication with the hooks of the strikers. Spring branches s' hold the
pieces s in place.
The safety mechanism for preventing the premature action of the triggers r r is
composed as follows. (see Figures 1. and 22 to 27 inclusive).

page_text: An eccentric levert (Figures 22 and 23) pivoted at t¹ is pressed at its forked end
against the ends of the triggers by means of a spring x (Figures 24 and 25) placed
below the plate p. To effect the release of the levert from the triggers, it is only
necessary to press the spring a by hand against the underside of the plate p.
In the Drawings hereto annexed Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and 18 to 27 inclusive
are drawn to one half full size, and Figures 5 to 17 inclusive are drawn to full size.
The combination of the parts above described produce a breechloading gun without
visible hammers, and without tilting barrels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First The devices for fixing the barrel or barrels to the frame c, consisting of
the hooked tenon d, the tenone the sliding bolt and the spring f¹ arranged,
combined and operating as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings
hereto annexed.
Second-The breech block g connected to the breech by a binge the axis of which
is placed transversely in a prolongation of the band, the front end of the breech
block taking, when the same is closed, under the said prolongation and the rear end
of the breech block being secured by a half-tee or broken screw thread / taking into
a mortice k in the hinder part of the frame c, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated
in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third-The striking apparatus without a visible hammer, consisting of the strikers j,
the striker springs, the piece 1, the small chain 1, the cover m and the spring
pieces n n' combined, arranged and operating as hereinbefore described, and illustrated
in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth The cartridge case extracting apparatus consisting of the cam o mounted
on the axis g¹ and furnished with a projection o¹, the spring hook o³, the arm o³, the
extractor and the spring q¹ combined, arranged and operating as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth The mechanism for preventing the premature action of the triggers,
consisting of the eccentric lever t and the spring a combined, arranged and operating
as herein-before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Sixth-The various devices for fixing the barrel or barrels to the frame c, for closing
the breech, for discharging the weapon, for extracting the cartridge cases, and for
preventing the premature action of the triggers, combined, arranged and operating
so as to form a breech-loading gun without visible hammers and without tilting
barrels, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
ד
.-. 100
T
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