IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jeremiah Murphy, of Cork, in the County
of the City of Cork, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES."
Sealed the 9th April 1868, and dated the 21st November 1867.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Jeremiah Murphy
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 21st November 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JEREMIAH MURPHY, of Cork, in the County of the City of Cork, Ireland,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am
the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said William Jeremiah Murphy, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement
in writing and on reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is
to say:
My Invention relates to breech-loading guns or rifles either for military
or snorting purposes I propose to attach to the breech end of the barrel of

page_text: the gun or rifle a cylindrical cartridge holder open at both ends; this cartridge
holder is mounted so as to swing out sideways clear of the barrel on a pin (or
on the cleaning rod) for loading and then swing back again into a line with
the barrel ready for firing. This cartridge holder works in a shoe screwed on
to the breech end of the barrel and is released and locked by sliding the
trigger guard backwards or forwards. The central-fire cartridges are used
and the striker for igniting the cap is drawn back to half cock by a projection
from the trigger guard so that as the latter is slidden back to release the
cartridge holder it puts the piece on half cock; this projection also prevents
the accidental discharge of the piece before the cartridge holder has been
locked in its place by the sliding forward of the trigger guard. The striker
when released by the trigger is thrust forward to discharge the cartridge by
means of a spiral spring and is retained at half-cock or full-cock by means of
two teeth, against which the upper end of a sliding pin catches; this pin is
forced up by a flat spring which is drawn downwards by pressing on the
trigger.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Breech-loading Fire-arms and Cartridges," 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 bave 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 in elevation the left-hand side
of so much of a gun as is necessary to illustrate my Invention, and Figure 2
represents the right-hand side of the same with the breech closed; Figure 3
is a transverse section of the same through the line A, B, the breech being
in a similar position; Figure 4 shows the right side of the gun with the
breech open for loading, and Figure 5 is a transverse section of same in the
open position; Figure 6 is a plan view with the breech closed, and Figure 7
a similar view with the breech open; Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of
the gun.
a, a, represents part of the stock of the gun, and 6, 6, part of the barrel.
I propose to make the stock of the gun in two parts dividing it vertically in a
longitudinal direction, the grain of the two parts being reversed and the parts
being screwed together and glued with marine glue or other cement. If
preferred, however, the stock may be made in the ordinary way. The barrel b, b,
is bored through and its rear end screwed into a shoe or breech piece c, c, part
of one side of which is cut away for the introduction of a cylindrical cartridge

page_text: holder d, d, one side of which is so formed as to fit into the interior of the
shoe c, c, and the other to fill up the space in the shoe which has been cut
away, so that when the cartridge holder is in its place the outside of the shoe
is an unbroken cylinder; this cylindrical cartridge case is open at both ends,
being bored out rather larger than the bore of the barrel, and swings in and
out upon the cleaning rod e, e, as a pivot, being provided below with a lug f, f
for that purpose. It may however, if preferred, swing upon an independent
pin or pivot adapted for the purpose. The rear face of the lug f, f, is pro-
vided with a tooth g (see Figure 2) which is held and locked (and released
when required) by means of a sliding catch h, h, attached to the trigger
guard, The trigger guard is so mounted as to be capable of being slidden
backwards or forwards, as shown by the dotted lines, the former movement
releasing and the latter locking the cartridge chamber; this sliding of the
trigger guard also effects the half-cocking and locking of the piece as here-
after described. The trigger guard may be held in either position by a small
catch or bolt. The cleaning rod e, e, I prefer to make so as to slide in from
the breech end in front of the right hand and to serve as a breech pin by
passing through the lug k, k, attached to the breech piece for that purpose at
the same time that it forms a guide for the sliding catch h, h, and the pivot or
fulcrum of the swinging cartridge holder d, d, the heavy end of the cleaning
rod is thus brought to the rear and serves to assist is balancing the gun in the
left hand. Upon withdrawing this cleaning rod the cartridge holder can be
taken out for cleaning or other purposes, and upon simply removing the
ordinary bands the barrel can be dismounted. The striking pin 1, 1, (see
Figure 8) which discharges the cartridge is fixed in a cylinder m, m, which
slides on a stationary hollow tube n, n, and is thrust forward (when released)
by means of a spiral spring, or instead of this spring compressed air may be
used. Projecting from one side of the cylinder m, m, is a catch o, o, which
projects behind the upper end of a finger p, p, attached to the sliding trigger
guard so that when the latter is moved back to release the cartridge holder
the finger p, p, pulls the striker back to half-cock and prevents the possibility
of its release until the cartridge holder has been locked by the sliding forward
of the trigger guard, so that the gun cannot be accidentally discharged until
the cartridge holder has been securely locked in its place. On the upper side
of the cylinder m, m, towards the right-hand side is a thumb piece 9, 9, which
projects through the outer casing a, x, and is for the purpose of drawing the
striker 1,, to full-cock or of easing the same down to half-cock when
required. On the under side of the cylinder m, m, are two teeth r, r, one for
the half-cock and the other for the full-cock position; these teeth are caught

page_text: by a pin 8, 8, which is forced upwards by a flat spring t, t, to which its lower
end is attached, and to the free end of which the trigger u, u, is jointed by &
pin. On pressing the trigger with the finger the heel of the trigger acts as
a fulcrum against the plate v, v, and the pin is drawn downwards, thus
releasing the striker 1, 1, and discharging the piece. The pin 8, 8, is made
with a loop through which the cleaning rod passes.
I propose to cover the metallic cartridge with cloth, leather, or other like
substance; so that it fits tightly in and will not fall out of the cartridge holder,
and in order to prevent the case from starting forward when the cap is struck
by the striker I propose to furnish the inside of the shoe c, c, with two small
dogs or teeth, and the side of the cartridge holder with two corresponding
holes or slots, so that when the cartridge holder is in its place the dogs or teeth
shall project through the openings and take hold of the side of the cartridge
.case.
I also propose in some cases to furnish the breech block against which the
cartridge recoils with a protected buffer of cork, gutta percha, or other com-
pressible substance which will reduce the recoil, the needle or striker passing
out through the centre of the said buffer.
The action of the gun is as follows:-Holding the gun in a horizontal
position about level with the right hip (or in any other convenient position),
draw back the trigger guard into the position, shown in Figure 4, which will
bave the effect of withdrawing the catch h, h, and allow the cartridge holder
to fall outwards into the position, shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7, at the same
time that by means of the finger p, p, and catch o, o, it puts the striker on
half-cock. If the cartridge holder does not swing out of itself it may be
drawn out by means of the thumb piece w, w; a cartridge is now passed into
the cartridge holder, pushing out before it the empty shell or case of the
previous cartridge which falls out in front. The cartridge holdet is now
closed and simultaneously the trigger guard is pushed forward into the position
shewn at Figures 1 and 2, thus locking the former firmly in its place by
means of the catèh h, h. The striker is now drawn to full-cock by means of
the thumb piece ġ, q, and the piece is discharged by pressing the trigger u, u.
I may here observe that instead of the cartridge holder swinging out on a
fulcrum as described above and shown in the Drawings, the same sliding
action of the trigger guard may be made to cause the cartridge holder to
slide out either at the side or at the top, and that in the case of a double-
barreled gun both cartridge holders may be thrown out simultaneously and
drawn back by the sliding movement of the trigger guard.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for

page_text: Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms and Cartridges," I claim as my
Invention the "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms and Cartridges,"
as exhibited in the annexed Drawings and herein-before described, or any
mere imitation or modification constructed and operating in substantially the
same or a similar manner, and especially I claim,-
Firstly. The sliding action of the trigger guard for locking and releasing the
cartridge holder.
Secondly. The cylindrical cartridge holder open at both ends and sliding or
swinging outwards for loading as described.
Thirdly. The arrangement of the cleaning rod.
Fourthly. The construction and arrangement of the striking pin and
trigger.
And, fifthly. Covering the metallic case of the cartridge with leather cloth
or other similar material, as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jeremiah Murphy, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord 1867.
WILLIAM JEREMIAH MURPHY. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
Patent Agent,
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn.