Improvements in or connected with Safety Locking Devices for Guns with Wedge Type Breech Closing Mechanism.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
Improvements in or connected with Safety Locking Devices for Guns
with Wedge Type Breech Closing Mechanism.
I, AUGUST REICHWALD, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London, Steel,
Iron, Metal and Mineral Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from abroad by the Firm of Fried. Krupp, of Essen, in
the German Empire, Cast Steel Manufacturers) and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The present invention relates to the safety locking device of a horizontal breech
closing mechanism of the wedge type for guns.
This safety locking device has for object, whilst the breech is closed, to prevent
when desired the firing of the loaded gun and the opening of the breech.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will describe same by
reference to the accompanying drawings.
In these accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the breech
closing mechanism (the mechanism being shewn closed and not locked).
Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the centre of the breech closing
mechanism (breech closed and not locked).
Figure 3 is a similar side elevation of the breech mechanism to that shewn at
Figure 1, but with the breech closed and locked. Figure 4 is a horizontal section
taken through the centre of the breech mechanism, as in Figure 2, but with the
breech closed and locked.
Figure 5 is a vertical section looking from the rear taken on the line A B of
Figure 1, shewing the breech closed and not locked. Further, Figures 6 shew
three views of the cocking piece detached. Figures 7 shew in two views a portion
of the breech closing screw detached. Figure 8 the coiled spring. Figure 9
two views of the safety locking bolt detached, and Figures 10 two views of the
safety locking handle detached.
The safety apparatus comprises the following parts: -The safety handle C
(Figures 10); the safety bolt D (Figures 9); and the coil spring E (Figure 8).
All these parts are mounted in the insertion piece F (Figure 5), which is inserted
into the right hand front end of the breech block or wedge.
The safety bolt D (Figures 5 and 9) consists of the short square part which is
connected with the safety handle C by means of a pin, of the smooth cylindrical
shaft or shank surrounded by the coil spring E; of the cylindrical collar which
serves as an abutment for the coiled spring E, and of the safety pin d. The latter
in cross section has the shape of a half cylinder.
In order to understand the mode of operation of the safety device, it is to be
noted that the cocking piece B which is mounted in the breech wedge A, and is
pivotted on the bolt b, and constitutes a two-armed lever, executes, when the gun
is fired, a forward movement with its left lever arm, and a rearward movement with

page_text: its right lever arm. The safety locking against firing the gun, is based on the
principle of rendering a sufficiently great rearward movement of the right hand
lever arm of the cocking piece B impossible. The safety locking against the
opening of the breech is based on the principle of making the rotation of the
locking screw impossible.
In order to safety lock the closed breech, the gunner pulls the safety handle C
towards him, and turns it through 90 degrees to the left (Figure 3). The round
pin c, which is provided on the safety handle is caused thereby to move out of the
upper into the lower of two holes formed in the right hand front end of the breech
wedge (Figures 3 and 4), so as to place itself over the nose e which is provided on
the breech screw G. All rotation of the breech screw is now impossible, and the
breech cannot therefore be opened.
In the rotation of the safety handle C, the safety bolt D connected therewith has
also been rotated through 900 (Figures 3 and 4). Before the rotation of the safety
handle C, the position of the safety bolt D is such that the plane surface of its
pin dis turned towards the upper surface of the upwardly directed nose a of the
cocking piece B (Figure 5), so that the cocking piece is able with its right hand
lever arm, to move without hindrance under the pin d of the safety bolt (Figure 2).
After the safety handle C has been turned round, the position of the safety bolt D
is such that the plane surface of its pin is turned towards the rear surface of
the nose a of the cocking piece B (Figures 3 and 4.) By rotation through 90 degrees
the pin d has also moved to such a distance in the downward direction that it stops
the way of the right hand lever arm of the cocking piece, as soon as the said arm
moves towards the rear in firing.
After the closed breech has been safety locked, the firing pin J is caused to
advance by "letting off" the breech mechanism for the purpose of relieving the
firing spring H. As the breech is locked, the firing pin cannot move so far forward
as to allow its point to strike the percussion cap contained in the base of the
cartridge case. But as soon as the right hand lever arm (which moves to the rear
on "letting off") of the cocking piece B has found a bearing or abutment with
its nose a against the pin d of the safety bolt 1 (Figure 4), the forward movement
of the left hand lever arm of the cocking piece is also at an end. This lever arm
stops the firing pin from moving forward at the moment where the point of the
latter is still 2 mm. distant from the base of the cartridge case.
In order to unlock the breech the gunner pulls the safety handle C towards him,
and turns it through 90 degrees to the right (Figure 1). The pin c of the safety
handle then again enters the upper of the two holes provided in the right hand
front end of the breech wedge (Figure 1), and the pin d of the safety bolt D again
turns its plane surface towards the nose a of the cocking piece B (Figures 2 and 5).
In unlocking the breech, the firing pin J moves completely forward, but without
exerting any force. In order to again cock the firing pin, the crank K is turned
as if it were desired to open the breech. This cocking is effected as soon as the
crank arm (which is formed with an annular turned groove) has been raised
through about 30 degrees.
The coiled spring E that surrounds the smooth shank of the safety bolt
(Figures 2, 4, 5, 8) holds the safety handle, and therewith also the safety bolt fast
in the two positions of "locked" and ". unlocked."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
A safety locking device for horizontal breech closing mechanisms of the wedge
type for guns, consisting of a safety piece (DC), mounted so as to be capable of
rotation and capable of shifting on the breech wedge or block, said safety piece
being adapted to enter in its two extreme positions into rests or notches of the
breech block; one of the noses (d c) of which being situated in the path of a

page_text: shoulder or projection a, provided on the cocking lever B, when the breech is
locked, whilst the other nose c bears against a shoulder or projection e of the
breech disc.
Dated this 18th day of November 1897.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.