Iм- PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Farrington, of No. 63, Grande Rue
Passy, in the City of Paris, Engineer, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 10th June 1870, and dated 22nd April 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Ernest Farrington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 22nd April 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
FARRINGTON, of No. 63, Grande Rue Passy, in the City of Paris,
Engineer, send greeting.
$
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ernest Farrington, 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,
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The principal features of my Invention may be classified under three
heads :-
:-
First. That part relating to the application beneath the breech of a
lock mechanism composed of a tumbler percutient, a spring and trigger,
in combination with an internal lever support, destined to cock the
tumbler as well as to move the breech, and to secure it firmly when in
position without having recourse to auxiliary springs (other than that
employed in percussion) for maintaining the breech or lever in their
respective positions while manoeuvring.
The second part relates to the form and disposition of the double
branched lever in connection with the breech which it is destined to
move, the external arm of this lever facilitating the opening or closing.
of the breech whether the gun be cocked or not.
The third part concerns the extraction of the cartridge, and relates to
a special mode of action on a pivoting cartridge withdrawer (in con-
nection with the breech) by means of an eccentric projection pivoting
under the breech and admitting (by a gentle movement) of its acting on
the cartridge withdrawer with a certain and regular manner without
the necessity of force, as is the case with arms of a similar character,
and in which, the extraction depends on a shock communicated to the
cartridge withdrawer by the movable breech, which necessitates a long
and inconvenient lever.
In the accompanying Drawings A represents the metal box which
connects the barrel B with the butt end C, and which bears a mortise or
opening with parallel sides for the reception of the pivoting breech D,
which is maintained by a screw or pin d, on which it turns, and
traversing the box at the upper part and towards the rear. This box.
or chamber bears the axes of the different pieces of the lock, which
consists of the tumbler F (see Fig. 3); secondly, of the bent lever E (see
Fig. 4). connected to the external lever H by means of the screw f
(shown in detail Fig. 6) and thus forming part of it, and constitutes by
its arrangement with the breech D, and the percutient mechanism one

page_text: of the principal features of my Invention; thirdly, the elbowed cartridge,
withdrawer G, Fig. 5, pivoting on the screw g of the trigger guard;
the upper arm lodges in a mortise made in the breech chamber and
barrel, whilst leaving free access to the body of the cartridge. All the
foregoing parts are actuated by the external lateral lever H. The
breech piece D bears at its upper part a hollow or neck, slightly
rounded, which when the breech is lowered corresponds with the
chamber for admitting of the introduction of the cartridge; it bears
also at its lower part a shoulder d', which is submitted to the action of
the bent lever E, when the lever His turned back.
t
The following is the manner of action of the several parts or pieces
when the external lever H is acted on. In drawing back the lever H,
the internal or bent lever E which forms part of it (see Fig. 4) rests at its
upper extremity on the shoulder d' of the breech D and forces it to descend
by turning on its axis d. The lever E acts simultaneously on the breech
on the percutient P, and brings the cartridge withdrawer G into
operation; it acts on the breech piece D by its upper extremity, and on
the cartridge withdrawer G by its lower eccentric projection e, which
latter when the lever E is pressed back gradually advances on the
branch g' of the cartridge withdrawer G, and forces it to pivot on its
axis g. The tumbler F is subjected to the action of the bent lever E
in its backward movement, by aid of a small boss 7 forming a projection
on the lateral adjacent face of this lever arm, in order to prevent its
quitting its position or advancing beyond the arm of the lever. The
tumbler F is morcover subjected to the action of the spring m by aid of
the chain which if necessary may be done away with, the upper part
of the tumbler percutient when raised grazes the lower surface of the
breech D, which latter bears at its extremity next the chamber a central
canal for giving passage to the needle percutient P, and which when
the breech is raised or closed corresponds with the central prime of the
cartridge. The needle percutient P may be either connected with the
tumbler or hammer or with the breech D. In Fig. 3 the needle P is
connected by a hinge or joint p to the tumbler F, to admit of its lowering
itself and following the movement of the breech D, the canal or opening
in which is widened towards the entrance, with the double object that
the needle does not impede the movements of the breech D, and that it
does not
escape it.
22

page_text: Fig. 1 represents the breech, with the tumbler and needle employed
in conjunction, and seen in detail, Fig. 7; a spiral spring brings back
the needle after acting on the cartridge, the length of the needle would
vary according as the pivot of the lever and tumbler is put forward or
back. By connecting the percutient to the breech instead of to the
tumbler the latter may more readily be placed on a distant pivot or
axis, more or less in rear of the lever E, in this case the tumbler receives
motion from the breech when the latter is lowered instead of receiving
it directly from the lever support, but whilst reserving to myself the
application of this system I consider the combination of these two pieces
on the same axis as much preferable on account of its simplicity, solidity,
stability, and elasticity of play.
The spring o of the trigger I and that m of the tumbler F may form
one spring with double branches secured to the trigger guard plate J.
In the same manner instead of the lever E bearing a polygonal shaft t
(see Fig. 4) it may be the lever H which is so arranged. The arm of
the lever E will be retained on the six sides by a pin. The external
lever H may vary in form and position, thus it can consist of a shaft
arranged in a longitudinal sense with the gun, or, as in many other cases,
it may be a lever trigger connected to the inner branch E by an opening
in the guard plate.
Having thus described my Invention what I claim is,—
Firstly. The employment beneath the pivoting breech D (and in con-
junction with the cartridge withdrawer) of an intermediate pivoting
piece E, commanded or connected to an external lever and bearing at
its lower part an eccentric projection for causing the cartridge with-
drawer G to pivot in the manner already described when the breech is
opened.
Secondly. The use (in combination with the said breech) of the double
branched lateral lever, herein-before described, for opening or closing
the breech and supporting it, and for acting on the arm k of the
cartridge withdrawer G, as already mentioned, and for cocking the
spring percutient P, whether for effecting these objects singly or simul-
taneously.
Thirdly. The connexion with the same lever (under the pivoting
breech, and whatever may be the shape or disposition of its external
branch) of the lock mechanism consisting of a tumbler F, trigger detent o,

page_text: and flat spring m, single or double, the said tumbler being made to pivot
on the same axis as the lever E, and receiving motion directly from it,
or turning on a distinct shaft placed more in the rear, and then receiving
motion from the breech piece D, when the latter is lowered or opened
by means of the external lever H.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Farrington, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
or turning on a distinct snart placed more in the rear, and then receiving
motion from the breech piece D, when the latter is lowered or opened
by means of the external lever H.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Farrington, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
by means of the external lever 1.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Farrington, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.