IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES AND BULLETS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES AND BULLETS FOR THE SAME."-A com-
munication from abroad by Hiram Berdan, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th January 1868.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS AND IN CARTRIDGES AND BULLETS FOR THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
The Invention consists, firstly, in the use of a longitudinally sliding
locking bolt in combination with a breech picce hinged to the top of
the barrel or breech receiver with a sliding connection. This breech
A

page_text: piece closes against a recoil bearing which is square or at right angles
or nearly so to the line of bore of the barrel. The direct action or
centre bolt hammer is provided with a comb at its rear end for the
purpose of drawing it back. The swinging breech piece opens with
an upward and forward movement over the barrel or breech receiver
and the centre bolt hammer serves also as a means of locking the
brecch piece. The centre bolt hammer has a longitudinal slot made
therein to receive a stationary pin which is inserted through the hollow
breech pin and through the slot for the purpose of keeping it square.
The trigger sear and spring are constructed in one piece, or are rigidly
connected, and the sear. takes into notches made on the under side of
the hammer bolt, which is thereby held back until the scar is depressed,
when it will be thrown forward by a helical spring. The hinge joint
which connects the breech piece with the top of the barrel or brecch
receiver is made concave at top so that when the breech piece is
turned back it may lie snugly down on the barrel. A plate or strap
piece serves the two purposes of attaching the hinge joint of the breech
piece to the barrel and as a base for the sight. The spring of the
strap piece also serves the two purposes of locking the strap piece or
plate which forms the attachment of the hinge connection of the
breech piece with the barrel or breech receiver and of a sight spring.
A passage for the escape of gas is provided between the strap piece
and the top of the barrel or breech receiver. The cartridge shell ejector
is enclosed within the hinge which connects the brecch piece with
the barrel or breçch receiver. A recess is provided in the brecch
piece for the reception of the spur of the ejector when there is no
cartridge or cartridge shell in the chamber of the fire-arm and con-
sequently the action of the ejector is prevented. An opening or
openings between the swinging breech piece and one or both sides of
the breech receiver are provided for the escape of gas should any get
there owing to a defective cartridge bursting.
The next improvement consists in cutting away or forming one side
of the breech receiver so that the fulcrum point on which the swinging
breech piece works as a lever in closing may be brought down nearly
to the level of the centre of the borc. There is a brace to secure the
moveable breech piece, and this brace is provided with a shoulder to
operate or bear on the upper part of the breech piece. The brace is
hinged to the breech piece and is provided with a handle for operating
it; this and the guard for the firing pin are all in one piece. The

page_text: strap piece or plate which forms the attachment of the hinge connection
of the breech picce is secured to the barrel by means of studs and a
button. The whole of the chamber of the breech-loading fire-arm, or
at least so much of it as contains the shell of the cartridge, is made
within the breech receiver. That part of the barrel which is held by
the left hand when firing is surrounded with a band of india-rubber
or other equivalent poor conducting material so as to prevent the hand
from being burned by the heat of the barrel.
The improvements in cartridges consists in providing on the exterior
of the cartridge head a projecting boss for the purpose of preventing
the cartridge from binding or sticking in the barrel when pushed
forward by the breech piece. A reinforce, cup, or disc is placed within
the cartridge shell by driving it on to an internal boss. The head of
the cartridge shell is reinforced by melting solder in the head and
allowing it to run into the rim and all round the fulminating cap.
The next improvement consists in boring out cylindrically the mouth
of a taper cartridge shell so as to receive the bullet. The bullets are
clongated with a conical point and are constructed with a series of
circumferential grooves for the purpose of receiving the lubricating
material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
A 2

page_text: agree 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 FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES AND BULLETS
POR THE SAME," being a communication to me from abroad, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say)
These improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relate for the most
part to those breech-loaders which have a swinging breech piece and
more especially to those in which such a breech piece works on a
hinge above the bore of the barrel, and is opened by an upward and
forward movement over the upper part of the barrel. The improvements
are in part applicable to breech-loaders of other kinds and either to
the manufacture of new arms, or to the conversion of muzzle-loaders
into breech-loaders.
:
The first part of the Invention relates to the use in a breech-loading
fire-arm of what may be termed a centre bolt, that is to say, a bolt
serving as the hammer of the fire-arm arranged in line with and
concentric or nearly so with the bore of the barrel in combination
with a breech piece which opens with an upward and forward swinging
movement on a hinge above the bore, and the hinge connection of
which has a sliding movement lengthwise of the barrel or parallel
with the bore to permit the breech piece to open and close freely, and
yet when closed will come to a proper bearing against a recoil shoulder
which is square with the line of bore. This part of the Invention
consists principally in the construction and application of such centre

page_text: bolt to serve not only as the hammer of the fire-arm, but as a locking
bolt to the breech piece, thereby giving additional security against
the blowing out or opening of the breech piece at the time of firing,
and also serving to prevent the accidental discharge of the fire-arm
when the breech piece is not perfectly closed and properly in place
against the recoil shoulder.
In carrying out this feature of the Invention the centre bolt or
hammer works within or through a stationary hollow breech pin, and
has a comb at its rear end by which to cock it, and this bolt or
hammer is prevented from turning by being provided with a longitudinal
slot, through which passes a stationary pin which is inserted transversely
through the above-mentioned stationary hollow breech pin.
This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 3*.
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the breech parts of
a breech-loading fire-arm; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a
side view of the same; and Figure 3* is a transverse section of the centre
bolt and hollow breech pin. A is the barrel, the rear portion of which
is cut away to form the breech receiver A*, and into the rear end of
which (where the breech pin of a muzzle-loader is screwed in) there
is screwed in the long hollow breech pin B*, which is bored out centrally
for the reception of the centre bolt or hammer M. The spiral spring N
surrounds the bolt M and produces the blow for firing the cartridge.
B is the moveable breech piece connected by the hinge joint h, h, i, m,
with the sliding strap piece C which attaches it to the top of the barrel.
a is the square recoil shoulder against which the breech piece B has
its bearing when the arm is fired,' the shoulder being formed by the
front end of the breech pin B. The bore of the breech pin B is (as
shown in Figure 1) of uniform size nearly through the entire length, but
in the front portion it is reduced in size, and in the rear portion it is
made of larger size to receive the collar P, which with the smaller
front portion of the bore form the guides for the centre bolt, the front
portion of which is made smaller than the rest of the bolt so as to fit
the smaller front portion of the bore. The main spring N has its
front end bearing against a pin 30 which is inserted through the centre
bolt, and the rear end of the spring has its bearing against the front
of the collar P, which is secured in place in the rear portion of the
breech pin B by the stationary transverse pin 31, which passes through
the collar and the breech pin, and also through the longitudinal slot 32
in the centre bolt, and so prevents the bolt from turning. The smaller

page_text: front portion of the centre bolt is made long enough to protrude some
distance through the front of the breech pin, so that it may when the
breech piece B is closed enter the hole 33 bored in the rear end of the
breech piece for the purpose of locking the latter. The centre bolt
strikes upon a firing pin F which is inserted into a hole bored for its
reception in the breech piece B. It is provided in its under side with
a cocking notch 34, into which when it is drawn back by applying the
thumb to the comb M at its rear end, the scre S enters, and it is also
provided further back with a safety notch 35.
The second part of the Invention consists in a novel construction of
the trigger, the scre, and a spring, which serves the purpose both of
trigger spring and sere spring all in one piece, or permanently and
rigidly connected together, the spring serving also as a means of
attaching the trigger and sere to the fire-arm.
This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figure 1 of the Drawing,
where T, T, is the trigger; S, the sere; and S*, the spring, which
may be all made of one piece of steel. The trigger is in the form of
an inverted letter L, and the scre extends in an upward direction from
the angle thereof, while the spring extends in a forward direction
from the same point. The spring is connected firmly by a screw 38
at its front end with the bottom of the stationary breech piece B*,
and the sere enters the bore of the breech piece through a hole 39 in
the bottom of the latter. The tail piece T* of the trigger is held by
the clasticity of the spring S° against a bearing under the rear part of
the breech piece, and the finger piece T extends downwards through the
bottom of the stock. When the finger piece is pulled back in the usual
manner for firing the point where the end of the tail piece is in contact
with the bottom of the breech pin becomes the fulcrum of a lever,
and the serc is pulled directly downward from the notch in the centre
bolt or hammer, and when the trigger is relieved of the back pressure
of the finger the spring throws the scre up again ready to enter either
notch in the centre bolt or hammer. This construction of the trigger
sere and spring makes a very simple lock, and it has the advantage
of producing very little wear of the notches in the bolt or hammer in
the act of cocking, for when that act takes place the rear part of the
spring is free, and its great length and flexibility permit it to be very
easily depressed, but when the piece is cocked the pressure forward
of the bolt or hammer on the sere (produced by the main spring)

page_text: tends to produce an inverted bow-like flexure of the spring, and
although it is very flexible when free at the rear end its resistance to
this bow-like flexure is very considerable. As a matter of convenience
the spring may be made separate from the trigger and scre and rigidly
dovetailed. It is represented in the Drawing as thus constructed.
The third part of the Invention consists in providing in the hinge
joint (which connects the swinging breech piece to the upper part of
the barrel or breech receiver of a breech-loading fire-arm) a recess the
profile of which taken in a plane passing longitudinally through the
axis of the hinge is in the form of an arc, concentric with the axis of
the bore of the barrel, and which thus enables, the chamber of the
barrel to be left thicker at the upper part of the rear than it could be
if the hinge were made with a straight profile instead of with a recess
of arc form, and so avoids the weakening of the top of the rear portion
of the chamber, which would be the case if it were cut away to fit. a
hinge with a straight profile.
This part of the Invention is partly illustrated in Figure 1 of the
Drawing, but more clearly in Figure 4, which is a transverse section of
the barrel and the hinge joint in the plane indicated by the line x, x, of
Figure 1. The arc formed recess above mentioned, which is indicated by
the letter in Figure 4, is formed in the portion i of the hinge, which is
permanently attached to or forms part of the breech piece B, and it will
be observed by reference to that Figure that although the upper part of
the barrel is cut away to make room for the hinge it is cut in the form
of an arc 36, which is concentric with the axis of the bore, thereby
leaving considerable thickness of the metal of the barrel under the hinge.
To explain the effect of this arc-formed recess more clearly a straight red
line is drawn in Figure 4 to indicate the manner in which the barrel
would have to be cut away (and in which it has been cut away in other
fire-arms with a similar breech piece) to make room for the hinge if
the latter were made with a straight axial profile. It will be seen that
if the barrel were cut away to this line the top of the rear portion of
the chamber would be very thin and weak over the centre of the bore.
The same thing may be observed in Figure 1, where the outer circle of
the hinge joint indicates how the barrel would have to be cut away to
make room for the hinge if it were not for the recess i*.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the attachment of the
hinged sight to the strap piece or plate which attaches the hinge joint

page_text: of the swinging breech piece to the top of the barrel or breech receiver
of a breech-loading fire-arm, or in other words in so constructing and
applying one piece as to serve the two purposes of a connection of the
hinge of the breech piece to the barrel or breech receiver and of a bed
plate for the sight. It also consists in the construction and arrangement
of and mode of applying a spring to serve as a means of securing to
the barrel or breech receiver the strap piece or plate which serves as the
connection of the hinge of the swinging breech piece, and as a sight
either in its upright position for use or in the turned down position
it occupies when not in use. It further consists in providing a passage
between the under side of the strap piece and the top of the barrel
or breech receiver for the escape of any gas that may get under the
strap piece from a defective cartridge, and the prevention of the blowing
off of the breech piece which without such passage is likely to occur.
This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and to
some extent in Figure 5, which is a transverse section of the barrel and
strap piece in the plane indicated by the line y, y, in Figure 1. The
strap piece C has its under side grooved, as shown in Figure 5, to fit and
slide freely upon a flanged spline c, which is dovetailed into and firmly
secured upon the top of the barrel, as shewn in Figure 1. Between
the spline and the bottom of the strap picce there is secured to the
spline by a screw d the spring e, by which friction is produced upon
the strap piece to prevent it from sliding too casily in the movements of
the breech piece, and the forward end of which by entering an opening g
in the bottom of the strap, as shown in Figure 1, serves to lock the
strap upon the spline until it is desired to detach it from the barrel
by drawing it backward longitudinally off the spline. Qis the sight
hinged at 37 to the strap piccc C in substantially the same manner as
it usually is to the base plate ordinarily employed for attaching it to
the barrel. The part of the hinge which is formed upon the frame of
the sight is constructed in the usual manner with two flat surfaces u
and ; and this part of the hinge is situated, as shown in Figure 1,
within the opening 9 before mentioned, as provided in the strap piece,
so that when the sight is down, as shown in Figure 1, the spring e
presses against the flat surface v, and so holds it down, and when the
sight is raised up to the upright position the spring will press against
the flat surface u and hold it up, thus operating substantially like
and serving the purpose of the sight spring commonly employed. The
angle formed between the two flat surfaces and of the hinge of

page_text: the sight also serves as a cam to depress the forward end of the
spring e out of the opening 7 in the strap picce C, and thus permit
the strap piece to slide backward off the spline c when it is desired
to detach the breech piece from the gun the angle or cam being made
so to operate by bringing the sight to a position in which it inclines at
about forty-five degrees to the barrel. The passage provided between the
strap piece and the barrel for the escape of any gas that may get under
the strap piece is formed by the groove that is made in the bottom of
the strap piece for the reception of the spring c.
The fifth part of the Invention relates to the employment in a breech-
loading fire-arm (the breech piece of which works on a hinged joint
above the bore of the barrel) of a cartridge shell ejector which works
between the leaves of the hinge upon the pin thereof or upon a hub
provided on the hinge, and is actuated by a spring which is set by the
act of closing the breech piece. This kind of ejector is no part of the
present Invention, which so far as it relates to the ejector consists in
enclosing the said ejector or covering it for protection from dirt by
providing for its reception a cavity on the face of one of the leaves of
the hinge, and also in providing in the face of the breech piece a cavity
for the entrance of the spur of the ejector when there is no cartridge
in the chamber, and thereby rendering the ejector in such case inactive,
and so avoiding all unnecessary friction and wear upon it in opening
and closing the breech piece.
This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10,
and 11 of the Drawings. Figure 7 is an inverted plan of the hinge joint
of the breech piece and the ejector; Figure 8 is a face view of one of the
two leaves of the hinge which is formed on the strap piece C or other
connection of the hinge with the barrel or breech receiver; Figure 9 is
a front view of the ejector; Figure 10 is a side view of the same; and
Figure 11 is a side view of that side of the rear part of the breech piece
on which the ejector is placed. The ejector D instead of having its
central hub of an external diameter equal to that of the leaves of the
hinge as has heretofore been customary with ejectors of its class has the
radius of the upper part of its circumference so reduced, as shown in
Figure 10, that it may be received, as shown in Figure 4, within the
cavity 39 (see Figure 8) provided on the face of the adjacent leaf h of the
hinge. This cavity is open at the bottom to allow the ejector to enter the
chamber of the barrel through the slot provided therein for the purpose,

page_text: but the metal left on the leaf h above the cavity forms a hood piece 25,
which completely covers in the ejector, so that no dust or dirt can reach
it from the outside of the hinge joint. The adjacent side of the leaf i of
the hinge, which is formed on the breech piece B, has formed in it an
annular recess 149, as shown in Figures 4 and 11, to receive a projection 28
(see Figures 4, 7, 9, and 10) on the inner side of the ejector, and within
this annular recess is a pin 27, which acts upon the projection 28 to
produce the operation of the ejector by the movements of the breech
piece. E (Figures 1 and 7) is the ejector spring applied within a
cavity on the under side of the strap piece C, and t (Figures 1, 9,
and 10) is the notch provided in the edge of the ejector for the reception
of one end of the spring. When a cartridge has been placed in the
breech receiver and introduced into the chamber of the gun the breech
in the act of closing pushes forward the cartridge into the chamber and
presses the flanged head of the cartridge shell against the spur end of
the ejector and causes the ejector to turn upon the pin of the hinge
till the notch t which receives the end of the spring passes a position
above the axis of the hinge, as shown in Figure 2, and the spring then
exerts a tendency to. hold forward the spur n so that when the opening
movement of the breech has commenced the spur does not act upon
the cartridge shell until the pin 27 in the leaf i of the hinge comes
in contact with the projection 28, and so causes the ejector to move with
the breech piece and causes its spurn to start back and commence
drawing out the shell from the chamber. By the time the ejector thus
actuated by the breech piece has moved far enough for the notch t and
the entering point of the spring E to pass a little below the axis of the
hinge the spring acts upon the ejector suddenly and independently of
the breech piece and so rapidly turns it that the spur n suddenly ejects
the loosened cartridge shell completely from the chamber and out of
the breech receiver, its exit from the breech receiver being facilitated
or directed by an inclined projection 8 (Figure 1) in the bottom thereof.
The above described means and mode of operation of the ejector do
not differ essentially from those of other ejectors of similar class, and
are only explained here to make it clear by what a simple contrivance
the operation of the ejector is prevented when the breech is opened and
closed without a cartridge in the chamber. This contrivance consists
simply of the recess 41 (shown clearly in Figure 11, and in dotted
outline in Figure 1), provided in the face of the breech block for the
reception of the spur of the ejector when the breech piece is closed.

page_text: This spur being always left in a forward position by the opening of
the breech piece (whether there has or has not previously been a
cartridge or shell in the chamber is allowed by entering the recess to
remain in the position during all succeeding movements of the breech
piece so long as no cartridge is inserted, the presence of the flanged
head of the cartridge shell being necessary to "set" the ejector for
operation and the spring E being inactive the ejector will be relieved
of unnecessary friction and wear so long as the cartridge or shell remains -
absent.
The sixth part of the Invention consists in providing an opening
between the swinging breech piece and one side of the breech receiver
for the free escape from under the breech piece of any gases which
might (owing to a defective cartridge or otherwise) escape under the.
breech at the time of firing, and so tend to blow out or lift the breechi
piece. This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figure 3 and also in
Figure 6, which is a transverse section of the breech receiver and breech -
piece in the plane indicated by the line 2, 2, in Figures 1 and 3. This
opening is indicated by the letter 20, extends nearly the whole length
of the breech piece, and communicates with the space between the
breech piece and the bottom and sides of the breech receiver.
The seventh part of the Invention consists in so cutting away one
side of the breech receiver of a breech-loading fire-arm (having a
breech piece working on a hinge joint above the barrel, and closing
against a square recoil shoulder with a sliding movement of the hinge
connection) that the fulcrum point on which the breech picce in closing
works as a lever to draw itself back to the square recoil shoulder is
brought down to or nearly to a level with the centre of the bore of.
the barrel, and the breech piece in closing is thereby caused to get
a more direct backward pressure against the recoil shoulder and
This
brought more positively to a firm bearing against the same.
feature of the Invention is shown in Figures 3 and 6 of the Drawing,
in which the lower line indicating the space to before described
represents the depth to which the side of the breech receiver is cut
away, viz., down nearly to a level with the centre of the bore. The
fulcrum point is indicated at 42 in Fig. 3, and is formed by the contact
of the breech piece with the lower part of a nearly upright shoulder
formed upon the side of the breech receiver. The breech piece as it
completes its closing movement works on this fulcrum, and has the

page_text: upper part of its rear end drawn back against the square recoil
shoulder a, represented in Fig. 1, and hercin-before referred to.
The eighth part of the Invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms,
in which a breech-piece swinging on a hinge above the barrel or
breech receiver has hinged or pivotted to its rear end a brace which
drops into the back part of the breech receiver, and braces the breech
picce while firing against a recoil bearing in the rear of the receiver.
In such combination of the breech piece and brace, as heretofore con-
structed, the only resistance to the doubling upward of the hinge
or pivot joint between the breech piece and brace, and consequent
forcing upward of the breech piece from the receiver (which might be
produced by any gas from the exploding charge getting under the
breech piece) has been furnished by small shoulders in the breech
picce, and brace under the said hinge or pivot joint. This part of the
Invention consists in obtaining a more efficient prevention of the
doubling up of the joint by providing on the brace a shoulder, which
projects over the rear part of the top of the breech piece. This part
of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 12, 13, and 14, of the
Drawings. Fig. 12 exhibits a longitudinal vertical section of the
breech receiver and breech piece and a side view of the brace; Fig. 13
is a plan of the same, and Fig. 14 is a transverse section in the line * *
of Figures 12 and 13. In the above Figures A³ is the breech receiver;
B' is the breech piece connected with the breech receiver by a hingef;
C is the brace connected with the breech piece by a pivot j. This
brace is morticed into the breech piece, which is long enough to
extend back nearly to the recoil bearing a at the extreme rear of the
breech receiver, and the rear portion of the brace which extends
upward above the breech piece has on one side a long shoulder k, which
projects over the top of the breech piece, as shown in Fig. 14, and so
effectually counteracts all tendency of the jointj to double upwards.
The ninth part of the Invention consists in making the jointed brace
hinged or pivotted to the rear of the breech piece a guard, which serves
the purpose of preventing the ordinary swinging hammer of a fire-arm
from striking upon the firing pin which passes through the breech
picce, and the knob or handle by which the brace is raised from the
recoil bearing and the breech piece opened all in one piece. This
part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 of the Drawing,
and is carried out by forging or otherwise forming on the right-hand

page_text: side of the brace C a lateral projection C³, which forms a knob or
handle projecting over the right-hand side of the breech receiver in a
convenient shape and manner to form a handle, and a part of which
indicated by C serves to cover the head of the firing pin 1, in case
when the breech is closed the brace is not quite down to its place in
front of the recoil shoulder, thereby preventing the hammer from striking
the firing pin and preventing premature explosion of the cartridge.
The tenth part of the Invention relates to breech-loading firearms in
which the breech piece is hinged to the top of the barrel or breech receiver,
without a sliding attachment of the hinge joint to the barrel or breech
receiver, and it consists in a simple mode of providing for casily detaching
the breech piece and re-attaching it when desired. The hinge joint is
connected with the barrel or breech receiver by a strap piece or plate,
and this strap piece or plate is connected with the barrel by two fixed
studs secured to the barrel and to a button so secured in the strap piece
that by turning it to one position the strap piece is secured by the studs,
and by turning it to another position its liberation from the studs is
permitted. This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 15 and 16
of the Drawings, in which Fig. 15 is a top view, and Fig. 16 a longi-
tudinal vertical section of the strap piece and hinge joint and parts of
the barrel and breech piece. A is the barrel, B' is the breech piece, C³ is
the strap piece forming the attachment of the hinge connection f" of the
breech piece to the barrel; 7, 71, are the two studs screwed permanently
into the barrel; and U is the button fitted to turn in a suitable hole in
the strap piece into which it is rivetted or otherwise secured.
of the studs are of oblong form, as
away at the front to form a lip 5.
and size corresponding with its head provided for its reception in the
strap picce, and the front stud has a notch of a form corresponding
with its head cut for its reception in the front end of the strap piece.
The rear ends of this slot and notch are recessed to receive the lips of the
studs, as shewn in Fig. 15. The button U has a broad head with a slit to
receive a screwdriver, and below this head there is a circular shoulder 6
which is fitted to a countersink in its hole in the strap piece, and in one
side of which there is a recess 7, shown dotted in Fig. 15, and also shown
in Fig. 16. The button is so situated relatively to the slot provided in
the strap piece for the rear stud that by turning it to a suitable position
the recess 7 will conform to the front end of the said slot. To place the
strap piece on the barrel the button is first turned to the above-mentioned
The heads
shown in Fig. 15, but are each cut
The rear stud » has a slot of form.

page_text: position, that is to say, with its recess 7 toward the hinge joint, and the
strap picce is placed with its slot and notch each over its respective stud
and the strap piece is pressed down upon the barrel and then drawn
forward so that the lips 5 of the studs enter and lap over the recesses
provided for them in the slot and notch, as shown in Fig. 16. The button
is then turned half way round to turn the notch 7 away from the stud
and cause the collar 6 to abut against the stud and thereby prevent the
strap piece from moving forward and causing the lips 5 of the studs to
remain, overlapping the recessed ends of the slot and notch and to hold
the strap piece securely to the barrel.
The eleventh part of the Invention relates to all kinds of breech-
loading fire-arms in which the breech receiver is made of a separate piece
and has the barrel inserted into it, and is more especially applicable
to breech loaders which have been converted from muzzle-loaders by
using the old barrels; and it consists in making the whole of the
chamber, or at least so much of it as contains the shell of the cartridge,
entirely within the breech receiver, thereby avoiding the weakening of
the barrel by counterboring it to form the chamber, and also avoiding
joints within the chamber. This part of the Invention is illustrated in
Fig. 12, where p represents the chamber formed in the breech receiver A
which is extended far enough in length forward of the so formed chamber
for the insertion of the barrel A.
The twelfth part of the Invention consists in surrounding that part
of the barrel of a breech-loading fire-arm which is grasped by the left
hand in firing with a band of vulcanized india-rubber or other equivalent
material which is a bad conductor of heat for the purpose of protecting
the hand from the heat of the barrel consequent upon frequently and
rapidly repeated firing. This part of the Invention is illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, in which G represents an india-rubber band which
is drawn. tightly over the barrel from the muzzle to within a suitable
distance forward of the breech. This band may be about six or seven
inches in length, and may be secured in place by any suitable means, as
for instance, as in the example represented by being clamped between
the barrel and the stock of the fire-arm.
The thirteenth part of the Invention relates to cartridges to be
employed in breech-loading fire-arms, the breech of which is connected
with the barrel or breech receiver by a hinge joint having a sliding

page_text: attachment to the barrel or breech receiver. It consists in constructing
the shells of such cartridges with a boss on or around the centre of the
head, the boss in rim-fire cartridges being preferably in the centre of
the head, and in centre-fire cartridges as close as possible around the
centre of the head; the object of this boss is to prevent the binding
of the upper part of the rim or flange of the head of the cartridge shell
between the face of the hinged breech piece and the front of the
counterbore provided in the chamber of the barrel for the reception of
the cartridge head as the upper part of the face of the breech piece
moves forward away from the recoil shoulder in the act of opening the
breech piece. This part of the Invention is illustrated in Fig. 17 of
the Drawing which represents a central longitudinal section of a centre-
fire cartridge shell. 42 represents the boss of annular form surrounding
the central recess provided in the head of the shell for the reception of
the percussion primer. To explain more fully the effect of this boss it
may be stated that as the breech piece commences to open, and as the
breech piece and its hinge connection move forward from the recoil
shoulder in the rear of the breech receiver the face of the breech
presses against that point on the head of the shell with which it is in
contact, and the breech piece works upon that point like a lever upon
a fulcrum. When the head of the shell is flat this point of contact is
at the top edge of the head and the breech piece in opening is very
apt to "bind" there, but the boss forming a point of contact or fulcrum.
lower down, and where consequently less forward movement of the
breech piece occurs in commencing to open the tendency to "bind "
is reduced.
The fourteenth part of the Invention relates to cartridges, the metallic
shells or heads of which are internally reinforced or strengthened by a
cup or disc of metal or other material, and it consists in securing this
cup or disc in place by providing a hole in its centre, and forcing it
down tightly on a boss formed in the interior of the head of the shell
by the depression of the exterior to form a cavity for the reception of
a percussion cap or primer. This part of the Invention is illustrated in
Fig. 18 of the Drawing, in which W represents the cartridge shell,
and 47 a circular boss formed on the interior of its head by the depression
produced in the exterior to form a recess or cavity for the reception of
the primer. 43, 44, is the reinforcing cup fitted to the interior of the
shell and having a central hole in its bottom, which fits over the

page_text: hub 47, upon which the cup is driven tightly and thus secured in the
shell.
The fifteenth part of the Invention consists in reinforcing the head
of the metallic shell of a centre-fire cartridge by means of solder applied
in the interior. A piece of solder of suitable size is inserted into the
shell while the latter stands on its head in an upright position, and then
heating the shell sufficiently to melt the solder and cause it to flow
over the interior of the head and into the hollow flange.
The sixteenth part of the Invention consists in boring out the mouth
of a metallic cartridge shell cylindrically for the reception of the bullet.
The shells of metallic cartridges are commonly made slightly taper from
the head to the front end or mouth to enable them to be casily withdrawn
from the chamber, and when left taper on the inside it is difficult to
insert the bullet truly, or with its axis coincident with the axis of the
shell, and the consequence is that the bullet in leaving them does not
enter truly into the bore of the fire-arm; but by placing the cartridge
shell in a suitable die and boring the mouth cylindrical and concentric
with a suitable tool, the whole of that part of the bullet which is
received in the shell fits truly into the bore of the gun, and an accurate
aim is thereby insured.
The seventeenth part of the Invention relates to bullets for breech-
loading rifled fire-arms, and its object is to ensure greater accuracy of
aim in firing, and to this end it consists in making an elongated bullet,
the greater portion of the length of which is grooved circumferentially
for the reception of lubricating material, and is of such circumference
on the ridges between the grooves as to fit snugly but casily to the
hands between the grooves of the rifled bore of the barrel, but which
has upon its rear end a band or bands of such circumference that they
may be driven into the rifle grooves. This part of the Invention is
illustrated in Fig. 19 of the Drawing, in which Y represents the
bullet; W, the shell of the cartridge into which it is inserted, and
A, the barrel of the fire-arm. The grooved portion 45 of the bullet
constituting the greater part of its length fits to the bore of the barrel
without entering the grooves. The band 46 which is received within
the cartridge shell is considerably larger, so that when it is discharged
from the cartridge it may be driven into the grooves of the borc. In
order to ensure greater accuracy the cartridge shell is prepared for

page_text: Fifth. I claim enclosing the cartridge shell ejector D within the hinge
which connects the breech piece with the barrel or breech receiver, as
and for the purpose herein set forth. Also the recess 41 in the breech
piece for the reception of the spur of the ejector when there is no
cartridge or cartridge shell in the chamber of the fire-arm, and con-
sequently preventing the action of the ejector as herein described.
Fifth. I claim enclosing the cartridge shell ejector D within the hinge
which connects the breech piece with the barrel or breech receiver, as
and for the purpose herein set forth. Also the recess 41 in the breech
piece for the reception of the spur of the ejector when there is no
cartridge or cartridge shell in the chamber of the fire-arm, and con-
sequently preventing the action of the ejector as herein described.
Sixth. I claim providing an opening or openings between the swinging
breech piece, and one or both sides of the breech receiver, as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
Seventh. I claim cutting away or forming one side of the breech
receiver so that the fulcrum point on which the swinging breech piece
works as a lever in closing may be brought down nearly to the level of
the centre of the bore as herein described.
Eighth. I claim providing a shoulder on the brace to operate on the
upper part of the breech piece as and for the purpose herein described.
Ninth. I claim constructing the hinged brace of the breech piece,
the handle for operating it, and the guard for the firing pin all in one
picce as herein described.
Tenth. I claim securing the strap piece or plate which forms the
attachment of the hinge connection of the breech picco with the barrel
by means of studs r, r, and a button U as herein described.
Eleventh. I claim making the whole of the chamber of a breech-
loading fire-arm, or at least so much of it' as contains the shell of the
cartridge within the breech receiver, as herein described.
Twelfth. I claim the use of a band G of india-rubber or other
equivalent bad conducting material surrounding the barrel of a fire-
arm as herein described.
Thirteenth. I claim the boss 42 provided on the exterior of the
cartridge head, as and for the purpose herein described.
Fourteenth. I claim securing the reinforce cup or disc within the
cartridge shell by driving it on to an internal boss 47, as herein
described.

page_text: Fifteenth. I claim reinforcing the head of the cartridge shell by means
f solder as herein specified.
Sixteenth. I claim boring out cylindrically the mouth of a taper-
artridge shell so as to receive the bullet as herein set forth.
Seventeenth. I claim constructing bullets as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.