Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance.
We, LOUIS LABODIE DRIGGS, of 120, Liberty Street, in the City, County and
State of New York, U.S.A., Vice President of the Driggs-Seabury Gun &
Ammunition Company of the State of New Jersey, U.S.A., and VERNON COMPTON
TASKER, of 1416 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., U.S.A., Ordnance Engineer, 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:
Our invention relates to improvements in breech-loading rapid-fire guns; and it
consists in certain improved mechanism for opening and closing the breech, and an
improved form of extractor for removing and ejecting the empty cartridge-case
after the projectile has been fired.
The invention relates particularly to that class of guns in which the breech-
block is first lowered in opening and is then swung backwards and downwards to
open the breech.
Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout
the several views.
Fig. 1 represents a rear view of the breech of the gun with the breech-block in
the closed position.
Fig.
represents a section along the broken line 2, 2, of Fig. 1 and looking to
the left, the breech-block being shewn in the open position.
Fig. 3 represents a section along the line 3, 3, of Fig. 4 and looking to the
right.
Fig. 4 represents a section similar to that shewn in Fig. 2, except that the
breech-block is shewn in full lines and in the closed position.
FR 877

page_text: Fig. 5 represents a section of the breech of the gun similar to that shewn in
Fig. 2, but with the breech-block and all connected parts removed from the gun.
Fig. 6 represents a rear perspective view of the cartridge-case extractor.
Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of the rock-shaft with breech-block-
operating cams and cocking-toe connected thereto; and
Fig. 8 is a sectional diagram shewing the various positions of the breech-block
and extractor as the breech-block is first lowered and then swung to the rear, or
vice versa.
A represents the body of the gun, which is provided with a chamber for the
breech-block in rear of the powder chamber, which chamber for the breech-block
is provided with ribs or shoulders a a¹, set at a small angle, preferably about
three degrees with the perpendicular. In rear of these shoulders the sides A2
of the breech of the gun are cut away to admit the introduction from the rear of
the fixed ammunition, and to facilitate this introduction the rear of the gun is
coned out, as at a³. The lower portion of the sides A2 terminates in the inwardly
projecting arms A³, with ribs a", on which arms the breech-block is supported
when it is rotated to the open position.
The front portion of the upper part of the breech-block is provided with a rib b,
having its rear face adapted to engage against the shoulder a, while the rear
portion of the upper part 61 of the breech-block bears against the shoulder a¹,
while the breech-block is closed.
Owing to the angular direction of the shoulders a a¹, the breech-block is wedged
home when lifted to the closed position and may be readily withdrawn to the rear
when opening.
The sides of the breech-block are provided with lugs B', having the cam-
surfaces 62 and 63 and the supporting-surface 64, and the sides of the breech-block
are also provided with the lugs B², having curved ends 6, the flat tops 66, the flat
backs b, and curved front face 68. These two lugs B1 and B2 on each side of the
breech-block travel in the wing chamber A¹ in the side of the breech-block
chamber in the breech of the gun. This wing chamber A¹ has the side walls a¹
a³ a a² a³, all substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane, and the said chamber
opens into the extractor slot a while the side walls of the gun are perforated,
as at a³, to receive the rock-shaft C. The curved wall at of this wing chamber A¹
is adapted to fit the top of the lug B1, while the flat side of this lug fits against
the flat face a while the breech-block is in the closed position, as shewn in Fig. 4,
and thus the back of this lug and also the back of the lug B offer additional
bearing-surfaces against the shock of discharge and add to the strength of the
'breech-closure. The wall a is in the form of an arc of a circle whose center is
the center of the opening a³ for the rock-shaft C, while the wall a is practically
vertical. The rib as on the other side of the chamber A¹ is rounded, as shewn in
Fig. 5 above which is the curved slot a for the lug of the extractor. The breech-
block B is also provided along its front face with a groove bu to engage the heel Q³
of the extractor Q, as shown in Fig. 2. The breech-block is also provided with a
central chamber for the firing mechanism, with a nose-plate H dovetailed, as at h,
in front of said chamber and held in place by means of the pin K, which projects
into the nose-plate from the rear through the opening 6.
The rock-shaft C is preferably made in the form of three concentric cylinders
of increasing diameter and separated from each other by the hexagonal bosses c
and, which fit in the holding ends and d³ of the sleeve D, carrying the breech
opening and closing cams D¹. This rock-shaft is journaled in the side walls A²
of the breech of the gun and is rotated by means of the hand lever C¹.
Assuming the parts to be in the position shewn in Fig. 4, it will be seen that a
motion of the hand-lever to the left will cause the cams D' to swing down, striking
the face 66 of the lugs B2 and drawing down the breech-block from engagement
with the shoulders a and a¹. The breech-block will then fall until the top of the
curved recess B³ rests on the sleeve D, at which time the curved upper surface of
the lugs B' will be in position to swing under the curved surface aº, and the whole

page_text: on the arms A³
will now swing
will act on the
breech-block will be swung to the rear about its pivot until it rests
in the position shewn in Fig. 2. A reverse motion of the lever C
the breech-block to the vertical position, and then the cams 1
cam-surfaces be of the lugs B', forcing the parts b and 6' to engage the shoulders a
and a and locking the breech-block.
The operation of opening and closing the breech-block in connection with operat-
ing the extractors and the firing-mechanism will be hereinafter more fully
explained.
E represents the firing-pin, which is provided with the point e, adapted to pass
through an opening in the nose-plate H in the usual way. This firing-pin ter-
minates in the eye e¹ for cocking by hand, if desired. The firing-pin E carries
the cocking-arm E forward of the firing-spring held in the chamber 135 for the
firing-pin. This cocking-arm E' and the cocking toe D2 on the rock-shaft D
travel in the central chamber B of the breech-block in rear of the nose-plate H.
The rear end K' of the pin K, which holds the nose-plate in position is made
resilient, with a limited lateral travel in the hole 60 of the breech-block and the
head of this pin projects through and engages in the slot m in the sliding
plate M, attached to the rear of the breech-block, which plate travels between
suitable guides N and is provided with an overhanging lip m' so as to prevent the
same from being accidentally lost in case the head of the pin K should be
broken off. The top of this sliding plate M is caused by the resiliency of the
part of the pin K to engage in a notch e in the firing-pin and to hold the same
cocked when the firing-pin is drawn to the rear. The firing-pin is released by
drawing the sliding plate M downward, which may be done by means of the
lanyard P hooking in the eye m² and passing through the eye on one of the
arms A3, or any suitable means for drawing the plate M out of engagement with
the firing pin may be adopted.
The extractor Q is formed of two engaging arms Q¹, rounded somewhat, as at
g to shift the leverage somewhat in from the point of the extractor during the
operation of starting the empty cartridge-case from its seat. Between these
arms the extractor is rounded, as at y. The sides 2 of the extractor are made
vertical to fit between the vertical walls of the chamber for the breech-block,
while projecting from these vertical sides are lugs Q2, adapted to engage in the
slots a, which slots are curved somewhat, so that the engaging faces of the
extractor may travel in a rearward direction as the cartridge-case is being with-
drawn. The heel of the extractor Q3 is rounded, as shewn, to engage in the
curved recess 611 in the face of the under side of the breech-block, as shewn in
Fig. 2.
Having thus described the several parts, and also the operation of opening and
closing the breech, the conjoint action of the various details of the invention is
as follows, special reference being had to Fig. 8.
Suppose the breech-block to be in the position indicated by the solid lines in
Fig. 8 and the extractor to be in the position shewn in section in said figure.
The first movement of the rock-shaft C to the left about its axis would be to swing
the cams D from beneath the supporting-faces 63 of the lugs B', and the move-
ment of the cams will continue further until the rear sides of said cams will
strike on top of the lugs B2. This, assisted by the weight of the
breech-block, will drag the
same downward to the position shewn by
the light dash-lines indicated at 2 in Fig. 8. During this portion
of the motion of the breech-block the extractor will not be disturbed.
When the breech-block has reached the position shewn by these dash lines in
Fig. 8, the shoulder 6 on the breech-block will rest upon the curved part q of
the extractor and the upper edges of the breech-block will just clear the
shoulders aa. Slight farther downward motion of the breech block will cause
the block to tilt backward to the position shown by the heavy dash lines at 3 in
Fig. 8, when the top of the recess B³ will rest upon the sleeve D and all the
parts will swing together about the sleeve D as a pivot, to the position indicated

page_text: by the light dot and dash lines indicated at 4 in Fig. 8. The recess 611 in the
breech block will now begin to act on the heel Q3 of the extractor, pushing the
heel of the extractor in and causing it to rotate about a pivot very near the points
of the engaging arms Q', thus giving a long lever arm for starting the cartridge
case. As the breech block continues to swing downward, it will roll the extractor
along on its front curved surface, causing the operative lever arm to become
shorter and shorter, and consequently the speed for ejecting the cartridge case to
rapidly increase until all the parts are in the open position indicated by the heavy
dot and dash lines at 5 in Fig. 8. In closing the breech the reverse of these
operations takes place.
The operation of the firing mechanism was omitted from the description of the
drawings and the description thereof in Fig. 8 for the sake of clearness, but will
be understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 4. Suppose the breech block to be in
the closed position, shown in Fig. 4, and the breech block to he opened by turning
the hand lever C.
The first action of the hand-lever before the block is moved at all will be to
cause the toe D³ to engage the cocking-arm. E' withdrawing the point e of the
firing-pin from the face of the nose-plate, and thus protecting the same against
possible injury. As the rock-shaft C continues to revolve to the rear the toe D
continues to withdraw the cocking-arm E' until the notch e² passes the top of the
locking-plate M when this plate springs up and engages the said notch, holding
the firing-pin in the cocked position shewn in Fig. 2. The parts will be in the
position shewn in Fig. 2 when the breech is entirely open. Now when the breech
is closed the rock-shaft C will be revolved in the opposite direction and the toe D³
will be rotated out of engagement with the arm E', when the firing-pin will remain
cocked and ready for firing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
:-
1. The improvement in breech mechanism for opening and closing the breech
of guns, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. The improved extractor for withdrawing the empty cartridge case substan-
tially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
3. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun body provided with a
breech-block chamber in rear of the powder chamber, with bearing surfaces in the
walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at the sides of said breech-
block chamber of a breech block mounted in said chamber and provided with
bearing surfaces adapted to engage the bearing surfaces of the gun, lugs or projec-
tions on the sides of said breech-block projecting into said) wing chamber, and
rearwardly engaging the walls of the same and cams rotating between the lugs
on the breech-block, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
4. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the combination with a gun body pro-
vided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder chamber and wing
chambers at either side of the breech-block chamber, with bearing surfaces in the
walls of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said breech-block
chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engaging those of the gun, lugs pro-
jecting from the side of said breech block into the wing chamber and rearwardly
engaging the walls of the same, cams rotating between said lugs, and means for
moving said cams and thereby opening and closing said breech-block, a firing
mechanism operated by the motion of said cams, substantially as herein described
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. In a rapid-fire breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body pro-
vided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder chamber, with bearing
surfaces in the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at either
side of said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and

page_text: provided with bearing-surfaces engaging the bearing surfaces on the gun, lugs
on the breech-block projecting into said wing chamber and rearwardly engaging the
walls of the same, cams journaled in said wing chambers between said lugs, means
for rotating said cams and operating the breech block, and a cartridge-case
extractor mounted in front of said breech-block and operated by the breech-block as
the latter is opened, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
6. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a gun-body provided with
a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder chamber with bearing surfaces in
the walls of said breech-block chamber and wing chambers at the sides of said
breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said chamber and provided
with bearing-surfaces adapted to engage the bearing surfaces on the gun, and also
provided with an inverted-U-shaped recess across the base thereof, lugs or projec-
tions on the sides of said breech-block projecting into said wing chambers and
rearwardly engaging the walls of the same, a rock-shaft journaled transversely in
the gun, and rotating freely in said inverted-U-shaped: recess, and cams rigidly
secured to said rock-shaft and rotating between the lugs on the breech-block, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
7. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the combination with a gun-body pro-
vided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder chamber and wing
chambers at either side of the breech-block chamber with bearing-surfaces in the
walls of said breech-block chamber and of said wing chamber, of a breech-block
mounted in said breech-block chamber and provided with bearing-surfaces engag-
ing those of the gun lugs projecting from the side of said breech-block into the
wing chamber, and bearing rearwardly against the walls of said wing chamber,
cams rotating between said lugs, and means for moving said cams and thereby
opening and closing said breech-block substantially as herein described and shewn
in the drawings hereunto annexed.
8. In a breech-loading rapid-fire gun, the combination with a gun-body pro-
vided with a breech-block chamber in rear of the powder-chamber and wing
chambers at either side of the breech-block chamber with bearing- surfaces in the
walls of said breech-block chamber, and with inwardly-projecting arms in rear
of and below said breech-block chamber, of a breech-block mounted in said breech-
block chamber and provided with bearing surfaces engaging those of the
gun when in the closed position, and adapted to rest on said arms
when in the open position, lugs projecting from the side of said breech-block into
the wing chambers and bearing against the walls of said wing chamber when the
breech-block is in the closed position, cams rotating between said lugs, and means
for moving said cams and thereby opening and closing said breech-block substan-
tially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
9. In a breech-loading gun in which the block is first lowered in opening, and
is then swung to the rear about a pivot, the combination with a breech-block,
provided with side projections, of a gun-body provided with a breech-block
chamber and bearing surfaces engaging said breech-block above, at the side of,
and below the bore, and cams rotating between said side projections to open and
close the breech, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
10. A cartridge case extractor made substantially U shaped with rounded engag-
ing arms projecting inwardly, with vertical sides to said arms, lugs projecting
laterally from the base of said arms and the heel bent at an angle rearwardly,
the face of said extractor being curved with an increasing curvature, substantially
as described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
11. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a breech-block adapted to be
rotated rearwardly about a pivot, of a cartridge case extractor provided with guide
lugs engaging in recesses in the gun mounted in front of said breech-block and pro-

page_text: vided with a heel adapted to be struck by the breech block as it is swung open, the
front of said extractor being struck with a curve of increasing curvature substan-
tially as described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 9th day of November 1898.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.