AN IMPROVED CARTRIDGE EXTRACTOR FOR BREECH-LOADING GUNS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Emme, of Portland Street, Soho, in the County
of Middlesex, Breech-loading Action Maker, for the Invention of "AN
Sealed the 23rd November 1866, and dated the 25th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Emme at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
May 1866.
I, JOHN EMME, of Portland Street, Sobo, in the County of Middlesex,
Breech-loading Action Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED CARTRIDGE EXTRACTOR FOR BREECH-LOADING GUNS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention is applicable to that class of breech-loading guns known as
"drop-down barrel guns," wherein the barrels fall down upon a hinge (so as to
raise up and expose the breech for loading) whether such guns are adapted to
dischargo the "pin cartridges" or the "central-fire cartridges," or both.
The general character of the "extractor" is somewhat similar to that
usually fitted to such guns, consisting of a slide having a double segmental
head, which latter is recessed into the breech end of the barrels, and is
furnished with a groove to receive the flanges of the cartridges, the said
segmental groove forming a continuation of the groove, which extends round
the remainder of the brecch end of the barrel. The slide of the "extractor."

page_text: is divided, and works immediately below the barrels on each side of the "steel
Jump" without being recessed into (and consequently without weakening)
either the barrels or the "lump," and works in grooves cut or formed in the
upper surface of the action on each side of the recess in which the "steel lump"
fits when the barrels are locked. The forward ends of the slide are each
provided with a foot projecting at an angle downwards and forwards, and
fitting into slots or recesses formed in the action at the forward ends of the
grooves before referred to. The front and rear surfaces of the foot are
parallel to each other, and the front surface of the corresponding slot is at the
same angle as the foot, whilst the rear surface is at a slightly different angle,
so that whilst the mouth of the slot is about the same width as the foot, the
lower portion of the slot is somewhat wider; this peculiar conformation of
the foot and the slot causes the extractor to be thrust outwards whenever the
barrels are turned down, and drawn inwards when they are raised up and
locked in such a manner that the head of the "extractor" never comes in
contact with the face of the action. The two feet are connected together by
means of a screw pin passing through a slot in the "steel lump," upon
removing which the "extractor" can be withdrawn for cleaning or other
purposes. The head of the "extractor" is also provided with a guide pin
working in a hole drilled in the metal between the barrels. The lower ends
of the feet are rounded, so that in whatever position the extractor may be
when the barrels are hooked on they will always find their way into their
respective slots.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Emme in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
EMME, of Portland Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Breech-loading
Action Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters,
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Emme, Her special licence that I, the said John Emme,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Emme, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.

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 "AN IMPROVED
CARTRIDGE EXTRACTOR FOR BREECH-LOADING GUNS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Emme, my executors or administrators, by an in-
strument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands 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 immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jobn Emme, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention is applicable to that class of breech-loading guns wherein
the barrels fall down upon a hinge (so as to raise up and expose the breech
for loading) whether such guns are adapted to discharge the "pin cartridges"
or the "central-fire cartridges," or both.
The general character of the "extractor" is somewhat similar to that usually.
fitted to such guns, consisting of a slide having a double segmental head,
which latter is recessed into the breech end of the barrels, and is. furnished
with a groove to receive the flanges of the cartridges, the said segmental
groove forming a continuation of the groove, which extends round the remainder
of the breech end of the barrel. The slide of the "extractor" is divided, and
works immediately below the barrels on each side of the "steel lump" with-
out being recessed into (and consequently without weakening) either the
barrels or the "lump," and works in grooves cut or formed in the upper surface
of the action, on each side of the recess in which the "steel lump" fits wben
the barrels are locked. The forward ends of the slide are each provided with
a foot projecting at an angle downwards and forwards, and fitting into slots
or recesses formed in the action at the forward ends of the grooves before
referred to. The front and rear surfaces of the foot are parallel to each other,
and the front surface of the corresponding slot is at the same angle as the foot,"
whilst the rear surface is at a slightly different angle, so that whilst the mouth
of the slot is almost the same width as the foot, the lower portion of the slot
is somewhat wider; this peculiar conformation of the foot and the slot
causes the extractor to be thrust outwards whenever the barrels are turned

page_text: down, and drawn inwards when they are raised up and locked, in such a
manner that the head of the "extractor" never comes in contact with the
face of the action. The two feet are connected together by means of a screw
pin passing through a slot in the "steel lump," upon removing which the
"extractor" can be withdrawn for cleaning or other purposes. The head of
the "extractor" is also provided with a guide pin working in a hole drilled in
the metal between the barrels. The lower ends of the feet are rounded, so
that in whatever position the extractor may be when the barrels are hooked
on they will always find their way into their respective slots.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "An Improved
Cartridge Extractor for Breech-loading Guns," I will now proceed to describe
more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect. And in order that the same may be distinctly
understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof,
and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 represents a side view, partly in section,
of part of a breech-loading gun with my improved cartridge extractor shown
as applied thereto, the gun being shown in its open or loading position, and
Figure 2 is a similar view with the gun closed; Figure 3 is a transverse
section through the action immediately behind the barrels, showing an end
view of the "extractor;" Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the extractor
detached; and Figure 5 is a side view of the same.
a, a, is the head of the extractor, which is of the ordinary form, and b, b,
are the slides, which lie on each side of the steel lump c, c, being neither
recessed into it, nor into the barrels, but lying in shallow grooves or
recesses d, d, cut in the upper surface of the action. The extractor is held in
its position against the barrels by means of a pin e, e, working in a hole
between the two barrels and a second pin f.f, working in a slot 9 cut through
the steel lump. The slides b, b, are each provided with a foot h, h, projecting
at an angle downwards and forwards, and fitting into slots or recesses i, i,
formed in the action on each side of the steel lump at the forward ends of the
recesses d, d. It will be observed that the front and rear surfaces of the foot
are parallel to each other, whilst the front surface only of the recess is about
the same angle, the rear surface being at a slightly different angle, so that the
recess is wider at the bottom than at the top, and neither the foot nor the slot
touch or interfere with the hinge pin k in any way; and it is this peculiar
conformation of the foot and the recess which constitutes a chief feature of my
Invention, and causes the extractor to be thrust outwards whenever the

page_text: barrels are turned down, as shown at Figure 1, and drawn inwards when they
are raised up and locked, as shown at Figure 2, without the head of the
extractor coming in contact with the face of the action at the same time that
the foot is always kept perfectly steady, and the extractor is held firm during
the whole of its movement.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for "An
Improved Cartridge Extractor for Breech-loading Guns," together with the
manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention
the peculiar construction and action of the cartridge extractor, substantially
as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Emme, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
Patent Agent,
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn.
JOHN EMME. (L.8.)