Improvements in Extractor Mechanism for Breech Loading Small Arms.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1892
· Complete Spécification-Left, 13th July, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extractor Mechanism for Breech Loading
Small Arms.
JOHN Ross 5 Grayshott Road Lavender Hill London Gunmaker do hereby
declare the nature of this. invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to that class of extractor mechanism for drop down
small arms in which the cases of exploded cartridges only are automatically ejected
from the barrels by the opening of the gun for the purpose of reloading. The
usual mechanism employed for the above purpose consists for each barrel of an
extractor rod fitted with a suitable head for thrusting out the cartridge case. On
opening the gun, the first. part of the movement causes a limb to thrust the
extractor rod forward, & so push the cartridge case out a short distance, & on the
further opening of the gun an ejector hammer is released which strikes the extractor
rod a smart blow so ejecting the empty cartridge case.
1
To control the ejector hammers, retaining devices (technically sears) of various
description are in use, to operate these sears so as to release the ejector hammer at
the required time, sliding rods with a forward and backward motion are placed in
the body of the gun action. If the gun has been fired, the rod takes a forward
position, as the gun is being opened the end of the rod operates on the sear to
release the ejector hammer, and at the same time the rod itself is receding to a
backward position, and is held in that position by the hammer of the gun lock.
In some instances the sliding rod is attached to the cocking lever of the gun, or to
the mainspring of the gun lock, both of which are in turn attached to the hammer.
In some instances springs are used to hold the sliding rod in a backward position.
Instead of a sliding rod, I obtained Letters Patent No. 19395, 1890 for a swinging
slide, carried by the cocking lever; or by the hammer of the gun lock, and working
in combination with the same. My improvements relate to this part of the ejector
mechanism, according to my present invention, I separate the swinging slide from
the cocking lever, or the hammer of the gun lock, or the mainspring of the lock.
I so arrange the swinging slide that it is free to move up and down, and instead of
operating the ejector sear the ejector sear operates on it throwing it out of gearing.
When the gun has been discharged this operation is reversed, the swinging slide
then operates the ejector sear releasing the ejector hammer, which strikes the
extractor rod in the usual manner ejecting the cartridge.
The reverse operation is obtained in the following manner, the operating point
of the swinging slide is made with an incline, and the arm of the sear with which it
comes in contact is. made round, if the gun is opened without being discharged the
round arm of the sear presses on the inclined point of the swinging slide, which
being free is swung out of the way, and the sear is not operated and no eject takes
place. If the gun has been discharged, the opposite and free end of the swinging
slide rests on the breast of the lock hammer, or on the swivel of the hammer, or on
the mainspring, or other part, and is thus prevented from swinging, and the sear is
operated, and the eject takes place. This form of swinging slide may be made to
operate ejector hammers not controlled by a sear, but held back by the ejector
spring.
:
The advantages of this arrangement are obvious, the cocking lever is allowed to
return to its normal position on closing the gun, and the lock hammers, and the lock
mainspring are entirely free to perform their respective duties.
20: 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extractor Mechanism for Breech Loading,
Small Arms.
1
I, JOHN Ross, of 5 Grayshott Road, Lavender Hill, S.W. London, Gun
Maker, 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 :-
My improvements relate to that class of extractor mechanism for drop down
small arms. in which the cases of exploded cartridges only are automatically
ejected from the barrels by the action of opening the gun for the purpose of
reloading.
The usual mechanism employed for the above purpose consists for each barrel of
an ejector rod with a suitable head for thrusting out the cartridge case.
On opening the gun the first part of the movement causes a limb to thrust the
ejector rod forward and so pushes the cartridge case out a short distance and on the
further opening of the gun the ejector hammer is released and strikes the ejector
rod a smart blow so ejecting the empty cartridge case.
In order to control the action of the ejector haminer, retaining devices, technically
known as sears, of various descriptions are in use, and these sears are acted upon
by other mechanism in order to release the ejector hammer at the required
instant.
My invention relates to improvements in the particular mechanism which is
employed to release the sear and allow the action of ejection to take place..
obtained Letters Patent No. 1955 dated February 5th 1890, No. 14886 dated
September 20th 1890, and No. 19395 dated November 28th 1890, all of which
relate to improvements in the cocking and ejector mechanism of drop down small
arms. The present invention however relates to certain limbs which I place in
the action of the gun; these limbs are applicable to various forms of sears although
I have only illustrated their employment with one particular type. The usual
method of actuating the sear is by means of a lever or limb which is placed in the
action of the gun. If the gun has been fired this limb is thrown into a forward
position and as the gun is being opened the end of the limb acts upon the sear and
causes it to release the ejector hammer. During this time the limb is itself moving
towards the stock of the gun and is held at its back position by the hammer of the
gun lock. There are various methods of actuating the limb, for example, it may
be attached to the cocking lever of the gun, or to the mainspring of the gun lock,
each of which is connected. to the hammer...
In some cases springs are used to retain the limb in its backward position. My
Patent No. 19395 of 1890 related to a swinging limb which was carried by the
cocking lever or by the firing hammer and worked in combination with the hammer.
In
my present invention I employ an independent swinging slide_ entirely
separate from the cocking limb, and from the hammer and mainspring. I arrange
this swinging slide so, that it is free to move up and down and the ejector sear
throws. it out of gear. When the gun has been discharged the action of opening it
causes the swinging slide to act upon the sear and causes it to free the ejector
hammer. This form of swinging slide may be made to operate ejector hammers
which are held back by the ejector spring instead of by a sear.
The part of the sear with which the swinging slide comes in contact is made
round so that when the gun is opened without having been fired this round pȧrt presses
upon the inclined point of the swinging slide which being free is swung out of the
the sear therefore is not operated and no.ejection takes place.
way,
If the gun has been discharged the end of the swinging slide next to the stock
butts against the breast of the lock haminer, or against the swivel of the hammer or

page_text: against the mainspring or other convenient part and is thus prevented from swinging
and so the sear is acted upon by the other end.
The advantages of this arrangement are obvious, the cocking lever is allowed to
return to its normal position upon the closing of the gun and the lock hammer and
lock mainspring are quite free to perform their respective duties.
In order to make my invention more clearly understood I will now describe it
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters refer to
similar parts throughout the different figures.
Figures 1 and 2 represent two views of a gun with the lock in the action,
Figure 1 showing the gun closed and Figure 2 open.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a gun in which the lock is fitted behind the action,
and known as a back lock gun.
Figures 5 to 11, and 14 & 15, are views of the separate details of the two guns.
Figures 12 and 13 represent a gun in which the ejector hammer is held back by
means of the ejector mainspring, no sear being used at all.
In the various figures a is the hammer of the gun which is shown in Figure 1 in
the cocked position. is the ejector rod. e the head of the rod which strikes the
cartridge. is a rigid limb solid with the action of the gun. e: is the ejector
hammer. the ejector spring, and the sear.
9
The independent swinging slide.
which forms the subject of the present invention is lettered and is shown
separately in Figures 6 and 11.
I shall first describe the working of the gun represented in Figures 1 and 2.
In Figure 1 the gun is closed and the hammer a is at full cock, the ejector rod >>
is pressed home, and the ejector hammer e is held back by the rotary sear g which
I have fully described in my earlier Patent No. 14886 of 1890.
If the gun be opened as in Figure 2 without having previously fired it, then the
limb merely pushes the ejector rod bout a short distance. As the gun is
opened further the cocking linib i which is more clearly shown in Figure 5, is,
acted upon as follows:-The end j Figure 5 is forced down by the fore part of the.
gun and the point k comes in contact with the hammer a Figure 7, at 1.
same time the sear g strikes the projection m Figure 6, upon the swinging slide h,
and causes it to slide back and swing round so that the end n lifts until it strikes
the hammer a at o.
At the
But if the gun has been fired then the hammer a is forward and when the gun.
is opened the following action takes place :-The point Figure 5, strikes 4.
Figure 7 and cocks the hammer, meanwhile the point m Figure 6, strikes the
seary and the end which is against the point o of the hammer prevents the
movement of the swinging slide h, the sear is therefore caused to rotate and
the ejector hammer e is released and the cartridge is thrown out by the action
of b.
As
When the gun is fully open the position of the part is shown in Figure 2.
the gun closes the rod b is forced back by the limb d, the sear is rotated by its
special spring which is not shown, and the limb and the swinging slide take up
again the position shown in Figure 1. This is brought about as follows:-
The limb is caused to return by the action of the fore part and the only
movement of the limb is a swinging motion on the pin p. The swinging slide /
however is inade as shown in Figures 6 and 11 or of some similar shape according
to the relative position of the rest of the gun mechanism. The slot is so placed
as to work upon the pin p. The fore projection has two slants m and s, the slant m
is acted upon by the sear itself as has been stated when the gun has not been fired,
and actuates the sear when the gun has been fired. The slants comes into action
during the closing of the. gun. During this period the part u on the fore part of
the gun acts on the slants and forces back the swinging slide. It is thus obvious,
that the swinging slide is perfectly independent of the rest of the mechanism of
the gun.
The arrangement in Figures 3 and 4 is exactly the same in principle as in

page_text: Figures 1. and 2 the only difference being that as the hammer a is further back the
limb and the swinging slide 1, Figures 10 and 11, are longer and of a slightly
different shape. The hammer a Figure 9, is provided with a small roller against
which the slant k Figure 10, acts. The part n Figure 11, strikes against. the
hammer in a similar way to the part n Figure 6 against the hammer Figure 7.
The arrangement of the parts shown in Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15, is intended to
render the use of a special sear for the ejector hammer unnecessary.
The hammer a is the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the limbs h
and are exactly similar to those shown in Figures 5 and 6 and hereinbefore
described.
manner.
The fore part of the gun however is made in a different
The ejector
hammer e, shown more clearly in Figure 15, is specially designed so that the
spring may retain it in its cocked position. A notch w is cut at the back of the
hammer and into this notch enters the end of the longer limb of the ejector main-
spring. A special limb is added, which is more clearly shown in Figure 14.
This limb is free to swing upon a pin which passes through the two sides of the
fore part.
The action is as follows:-
Figure 12 shows the gun in its closed position ready for firing. If now the gun
be opened without having been previously fired then the limb is turned up and
the limb swings and slides back clear of the limb which is not affected. The
ejector hammer e is thus still retained by the spring f. If now the gun be closed
and fired and after that it be again opened then the hammer a is forward and the
limb is held by it in its forward position. During the opening of the gun
therefore the point x¹, Figure 14, of the special limb x is struck by the projecting
end of the limb and the end of the limba, Figure 14, passes down the curve y
of the hammer e, Figure 15, throwing the hammer slightly forward. This action.
puts the several parts into such a position that the spring is free to throw the
ejector hammer e forward, this strikes the end of rod and the empty cartridge
case is thrown out. The final position of the fully opened gun is shown in
Figure 13, the limb is there shown in its backward position but that has been
brought about by the action of the cocking limb which in cocking the main
hammer a has left room for the limb h to rise up.
I do not confine myself to the particular form of sear g and hammer a which
are represented in the figures as it is obvious that other forms may be used with
the independent swinging slide which forms the subject of my invention.
It is obvious that although I have described my swinging slide with reference
to guns which are provided with sears yet I do not debar myself from using it in
connection with guns which are not provided with sears proper, the action of the
ejecting spring in the latter case holding back the ejector hammer.
ין
An obvious modification of my swinging slide in its construction would be that
in lieu of the slot I take away the upper portion of the metal in which the slot
is now made and I fix a pin on the lower portion about its middle; the said pin
operates in the slot in the gun action the result being that the action of the
swinging slide is the same in both cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In drop down small arms an independent swinging slide so constructed as to
be normally perfectly free, substantially as described and illustrated and for the
purposes specified.
2. In drop down small arms an independent swinging slide so formed that it
can both swing and slide and be controlled in its range of slide by the slot r,
Figures 6 and 11, substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes
specified.

page_text: 3. In drop down small arms an independent swinging slide h so formed that a
tail piece n is controlled by the hammer of the gun, substantially as described and
illustrated and for the purposes specified.
4. In drop down small arms an independent swinging slide having a projection
at its fore end upon which are formed two slants m ands of which i acts or is acted
upon by the sear and s is acted upon by some portion of the fore part of the gun,
all substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes specified.
5. In drop down small arms the combination of an independent swinging slide /
of the general form shown in Figures 6 and 11, with suitable fore part, sear and
hammer of a gun, all substantially as, described and illustrated and for the purposes
specified.
6. In drop down small arms an independent swinging slide constructed that by
means of its tail piece n the said slide is controlled by the hammer of the gun,
substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes specified.
7. In drop down small arms not provided with sears proper, the provision of an
independent swinging slide h substantially as described and for the purposes
specified.
8. In drop down small arms the combination of a swinging slide of either of the
forms disclosed with any known method of ejector mechanism.
9. In drop down small arms the combination of the swinging slide with a
special limb x, Figure 14, to enable the ejector hammer to be worked without a
special sear the ejector spring f serving the purpose of a sear, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
Doted this 12th day of Jul, 1909.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
2, Great George Street, Westminster, S. W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
2, Great George Street, Westminster, S.W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.