IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sidney Heath, of Thomas Street, Oxford
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 5th December 1871, and dated the 8th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sidney Heath
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th June 1871.
I, JOHN SIDNEY HEATH, of Thomas Street, Oxford Street, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:―
My Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,
more particularly applicable to central-fire, drop, and other sporting
guns.

page_text: 66
In carrying out my Invention I dispense with the spring usually
employed to draw back the striker when the gun is cocked, and effect
this object by the aid of a lever acting on the striker and pivoted to the
breech lump, the lever being operated by the tumbler, so that the striker
is drawn back by the act of cocking the gun. I employ for this purpose
a "back-action" lock. In connection with the above I provide a
"safety" apparatus for preventing the accidental discharge of the gun,
which can only be fired when at full cock by pulling the trigger with
the hand in position on the small of the butt, so as at same time to
depress a projecting thumb lever on the end of the tail piece. The
discharge of the gun is prevented by a small bolt or stop fitted to slide
at the back of the breech lump, and acted on by a lever and spring, by
which the bolt is caused to interpose as a stop to the motion of the lever
before mentioned as working in connection with the striker, which is
thereby locked, so that should the hammer fall the gun would not be 1
discharged. This sliding bolt is withdrawn by the aid of a lever or
series of levers mounted under the tail piece, and operated by the thumb
lever before mentioned. In the case of a double-barreled gun the
sliding bolts would be doubled, one for the lever of each striker working
independently, but both operated or withdrawn when the gun is to be 2
fired by the depression of the thumb lever, as above described.
Another improvement of my Invention consists in cutting away the
middle portion of the trigger, or that part of the same which works
through a slot in the trigger guard plate, retaining only that portion by
which the trigger is pivoted at the front end, and at the other end that 2
portion which acts on and releases the sear in firing. Each of these
parts of the trigger works through a short slot in the trigger guard
plate, which is thus formed with two short slots instead of one con-
tinuous slot as hitherto, whereby the liability of the action becoming
clogged by the admission of dust is diminished, whilst the stock may be 3
strengthened by the removal of less wood for the lock action.
Another improvement, which is applicable only to drop-guns, consists
in locking the barrel or barrels by means of a spring bolt working
transversely in the breech bed and through a slot in the barrel lump.
This bolt replaces the ordinary snap, and is operated or withdrawn by a 3
hand lever pivoted to the breech bed. A projecting incline on the barrel
lump comes into contact with the spring of the bolt, which is thus held

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said John Sidney Heath in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SIDNEY HEATH, of Thomas Street, Oxford Street, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her‍
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Sidney Heath,. Her special licence that I,.
the said John Sidney Heath, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Sidney Heath, my executors, admi--
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Sidney Heath, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Sidney Heath, 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:-
My Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,.
more particularly applicable to central-fire, drop, and other sporting

page_text: In carrying out my Invention I dispense with the spring usually
employed to draw back the striker when the gun is cocked, and effect
the object thereof by the aid of a lever acting on the striker and pivoted
to the breech lump, the lever being operated by the tumbler so that the
striker is drawn back by the act of cocking the gun. I employ for this
purpose a "back action" lock.
In connection with the above I provide a "safety" apparatus for
preventing the accidental discharge of the gun, which can only be fired
when at full cock by pulling the trigger with the hand in position on
the small of the butt so as at same time to depress a projecting thumb 1
lever on the end of the tail piece. The discharge of the gun is pre-
vented by a small bolt or stop fitted to slide at the back of the breech
lump and acted on by a lever and spring by which the bolt is caused to
interpose as a stop to the motion of the lever before mentioned as
working in connection with the striker which is thereby locked, so that ]
should the hammer fall the gun would not be discharged. This sliding
bolt is withdrawn by the aid of a lever or series of levers mounted under
the tail piece and operated by the thumb lever before mentioned. In
the case of a double barrelled gun the sliding bolts would be doubled
one for the lever of each striker working independently, but both 2
operated or withdrawn when the gun is to be fired by the depression of
the thumb lever as above described.
Another improvement of my Invention consists in cutting away the
middle portion of the trigger or that part of the same which works
through a slot in the trigger guard plate, retaining only that portion 2
by which the trigger is pivoted at the front end, and at the other end
that portion which acts on and releases the sear in firing. Each of
these parts of the trigger works through a short slot in the trigger
guard plate, which is thus formed with two short slots instead of one
continuous slot as hitherto, whereby the liability of the action becoming 8
clogged by the admission of dust is diminished, whilst the stock may
be strengthened by the removal of less wood for the lock action.
Another improvement, which is applicable only to drop guns, consists
in locking the barrel or barrels by means of a spring bolt working
transversely in the breech bed and through a slot in the barrel lump. 8
This bolt replaces the ordinary snap and is operated or withdrawn by a

page_text: hand lever pivoted to the breech bed. A projecting incline on the barrel
lump comes into contact with the spring of the bolt, which is thus held
back until the barrel is closed, when the spring is released and throws
forward the bolt, thus locking the barrel.
The foregoing is a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in order to particularly describe and ascertain in
what manner the said Invention is to be performed or carried into
practical operation, I will now refer to the accompanying Drawings as
follows:-
Fig. 2, transverse section of Fig. 1 (taken on line a, b, Fig. 1); the
thick dotted lines show the position of the locking bolt when unlocked.
Fig. 3, view of another arrangement showing the lever that draws
the striker fixed on the lock plate.
Fig. 4, plan view of an improved snap arrangement for fastening
down the barrel for firing.
Fig. 5, plan view of an improved form of trigger plate.
In these Drawings A denotes the stock of the gun, and B the barrel ;
O, action body or breech bed; D, tail piece, to which a system of levers
No. 1 (thumb lever), No. 2, No. 3, are secured, as shown by the Drawing
at Fig. 1. These levers operating to draw the bolt by reason that lever
No. 3 has a pendant part E, the lower end of which is when the angle
levers. are acted on pressed upon one or both of the angle levers f, ƒ,
whose office is to draw the bolts f*,f*, whenever the gun is cocked and
the thumb lever pressed in firing. 9, 9, are the strikers, which are
actuated by their levers g*, g*. h, h, are springs secured by screws to
the action body, the upper ends of which springs act in notches formed
in the lower horizontal parts of the aforesaid angle levers so as to bolt
the gun and prevent the action of the striker, except when the thumb
lever No. 1 is duly pressed by the user. The spring which is secured
to the tail piece as shown and operates on the end of No. 3 lever, is

page_text: for the purpose of giving elasticity to the action of the system of levers
No. 1, No. 2, No. 3. I, I, denote the triggers, which are of the kind
herein-before described and are shown by the Drawing (Fig. 1) as being
secured to the trigger plate J. K denotes a snap piece or barrel lump
for drop guns, and K*, a bolt working transversely in the breech bed and 5
through a slot in the snap piece or barrel lump. For use a spring is
secured to the breech bed or body of action, the end of which spring acts
against the projection *, *, formed in one side of the piece K, the action
of this arrangement being as herein-before described in this Specification.
L denotes a trigger plate of novel construction inasmuch as it is pro- 10
vided with four small slits L* (though two only placed on the same line
longitudinally would be used for single barrel guns).
In Fig. 3 the arrangements herein-before described are represented
as modified in respect of the striker lever 9* being secured to the inside
of the lock plate instead of to the action body as above described, the 15
end of the striker lever being acted on by the usual tumbler M kept in
position by the bridle N. The sear Sr, sear spring Sg, main spring ms,
and swivel Sw are such as are ordinarily used in gun locks.
•
The use and action of the above arrangements will be understood
upon inspection of the Drawings referred to and perusal of the foregoing 20
statements and therefore need no further description. But I have to
remark that although double barrel guns have been specially referred to,
it will be obvious to the practical man that this Invention is, as before
mentioned, applicable to single barrel guns. Also that the triggers are
applicable to various kinds of fire-arms. The lever that works on the 25
tumbler that draws the striker is applicable to all kinds of breech-
loading central-fire fire-arms, and also to holding the sear nose in half
cock. It is also applicable to rebounding locks. The safety bolting
or fastening the striker is applicable to all kinds of breech-loading
central-fire fire-arms.
30
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed
or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the herein-before
described "Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms, the nature
whereof is set forth and described in the first part of this Specifi- 35
cation by the words preceding the words Description of the Drawings,
.

page_text: it being understood that individual mechanical parts are not claimed
per se but only as constituent parts of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sidney Heath, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
J. S. HEATH. (L.S.)
.
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.