Improvements in the Construction of Breech-loading Small Arms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Breech-loading Small Arms.
I, WILLIAM ANSON, of Slaney Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
Whereas in the construction of breech-loading drop-down guns, made in accordance
with Letters Patent No. 15,29984 and No. 16,13886, in which the fired cartridge cases
are ejected by my improved extractor-ejector, it is advantageous to provide increased
strength and surface-bearing in and to the lumps of the barrels: to increase the
length of the extractor-ejector leg and spring, and to provide for the taking up of
wear; and the object of my present Invention is to effect such improvements.
In carrying out my Invention, I form the underside of the body of the action from
one half to three quarters of an inch longer than heretofore, and increase the lengths
of the lumps in proportion.
This increased length of the lumps supplies the necessary increased strength to
compensate for any weakness arising from the position of the hole provided for the
extractor-ejector leg.
This arrangement enables me to increase the length of the extractor-ejector leg and
spring, whereby the steadiness of the same is increased. This necessitates an altera-
tion in the cocking arrangement, which is effected as follows:-Instead of the cocking
lifter working on the ordinary joint pin, I provide a fulcrum for the cocking lifter
about half an inch backward, clear of the joint pin. I joint a tail-piece to the cocking
lifter, the front end of which bears against the fore-end, in the act of cocking. This
jointed tail-piece accommodates itself to the eccentricity of the motion arising from
the use of the two separate centres.
By the foregoing arrangements I am enabled to use a loose joint pin, and thus
provide for taking up the wear of the gun.
In some cases I joint the tail-piece to the fore-end, or provide a slide on the lump
of the barrel, or in the centre of the body of the action, for working the cocking
lifter.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Breech-loading Small Arms.
I WILLIAM ANSON of Slaney. Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Gun maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and' ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Whereas in the construction of breech-loading drop-down guns made in accordance
with my Letters Patent Nos. 1529984 and No. 161388 in which the fired cartridge
'cases are ejected by my improved extractor-ejector it is advantageous to provide
increased strength and surface-bearing in and to the lumps of the barrels: to increase
the length of the extractor-ejector leg and spring; and to provide for the taking up
of wear; and the object of my present invention is to effect such improvements.
In carrying out my invention, I form the underside of the body of the action from
one half to three quarters of an inch longer than heretofore, and increase the lengths
of the lumps in proportion.
The increased length of the lump supplies the necessary increased strength to
compensate for any weakness arising from the position of the hole provided for the
extractor-ejector leg.
This arrangement enables me to increase the length of the extractor-ejector leg
and spring, whereby the steadiness of the same is increased. This necessitates an
alteration in the cocking arrangement, which is effected as follows:-Instead of the
cocking lifter working on the ordinary joint pin, I provide a separate fulcrum for the
cocking lifter about half an inch backward (more or less) clear of the joint pin. I
joint a tail piece to the cocking lifter, the front end of which bears against the fore
end in the act of cocking. This jointed tail piece accommodates itself to the eccentricity
of the motion arising from the use of the two separate centres.
By the foregoing arrangements I am enabled to use a renewable joint pin, and
thus provide for taking up the wear of the gun.
In some cases I joint the tail piece to the fore end, or provide a slide on the lump
of the barrel, or in the centre of the body of the action for working the cocking
lifter.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the breech portion of a drop down gun, constructed. in
accordance with my present invention.
Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section.
Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of my improved cocking lifter and tail piece and Fig. 5
is a plan of the same.
Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of lifter. Fig. 6 showing 'the lifter with the
hammer a raised 'and the barrels dropped and Fig. 7 showing the gun discharged.
3
Fig. 8 is a front view of the extractor-ejector, and Fig. 9 is a section on the line 1-20
of Fig. 8 drawn to an enlarged scale.

page_text: a is the hammer. 6 is the sear. c is the cocking lifter. c¹ is the bridge piece.
² is a curved slot in the inner wall of the breech action to accommodate the bridge
piece c¹ when the lifter lifts the tail of the hammer. d is a tail piece, pivotted to the
cocking lifter at e. The front end of this tail piece bears against the fore end f. g is
the fulcrum upon which the cocking lifter pivots; this pivot being independent of
the joint pin. is the joint pin consisting of a steel screw bolt which is capable of
being renewed without disturbing any part of the mechanism.
When the barrels are dropped down for loading, the tail d of the lifter c pivots at e,
and thus accommodates the action to the two centres g and h.
It will be obvious that the tail piece d may be jointed to the fore end, and may
be caused to operate the lifter c by contact, or by means of a slide in the centre of
the body of the action.
Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, & is a movable plate, screwed to the extractor-ejector,
as shown, and which plate, being subject to considerable wear is made so that it may
readily be removed by unscrewing the screw I, and a new plate may be substituted.
The upper end of the plate at m is formed to act as a spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
i. In the construction of breech-loading small-arms of the description aforesaid,
the improved method of compensating for any weakness, arising from contiguity to
the lumps, of the hole in which the extractor-ejector leg works, by lengthening the
underside of the body of the action, substantially as hereinbefore described and illus-
trated by the drawings.
2. In the construction of breech loading small-arms as aforesaid, the combination
therewith of the improved cocking-lifter mounted to work upon a centre pin g inde-
pendent of the joint pin, and operated by a tail piece d or its equivalent, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The improved method of pivotting the barrels upon the movable joint pin h
to provide for taking up wear and securing precision of action, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
4. The improved method of fitting the plate k to the extractor-ejector, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings.
5. The general combination and arrangement of the several and respective parts
together forming my improvements in the construction of breech-loading sinall
arins, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.