IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Matthews, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 11th January 1867, and dated the 6th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Matthews
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1866.
I, WILLIAM JAMES MATTHEWS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS. IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say::
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after, described in
breech-loading fire-arms, where the breech end of the barrel is closed by a
block moving sideways on a hinge.",
These: improvements are: as: follows:-The breech block which moves
sideways on a hinge is bored through its entire length, so that when shut
down this: bore forms a continuation of the bore of the barrel of the gun and
forms the chamber for the cartridge, which is placed in it at the back';: the
extractor moves in a chamber parallel to the hinge, the block thus having
three parallel aholes, vidilicet, one for the hinge, one in the centre for the
cartridge. chamber, and one for the. extractor.; The block is provided with
aring or gas check formed by placing a ring or collar in the cartridge
chamber; so that when the discharge takes place the said ring, which I propose
-to make either of steel or gun metal, is pressed against the aperture of the

page_text: barrel. The block is held fast when closed or shut down by a suitable spring.
A lever or handle works on the extractor, the top part of the said lever or
handle coming in contact with a projecting piece or block for the purpose
of starting empty cartridge cases. On the end of the extracting rod I propose
to have a button to regulate the length of drawing out the said extracting
rod, and if found necessary or advantageous a coil spring may be adapted
to the extracting rod for the purpose of taking it back to its place after it
has been drawn out. The needle or striker is fitted in the tail piece, and
the piece which carries the striker is carried up by the side of the tail piece,
so that when it receives the blow of the hammer it forces forward the striker
or needle, which when relieved from the pressure of the hammer is brought
back by a small coil spring fitted inside the carrier. The striker is formed
with a screw for regulating its penetration, so that if broken it may be renewed.
The hammer I propose to use is the ordinary government regulation hammer,
except that instead of the nose being hollowed out to fit over the nipple it is
so formed as to clasp or strike the projection of the piece carrying the needle.
The cartridge to be employed with my improved gun is that known as the
Boxer cartridge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William James Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th April 1867.
::
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JAMES MATTHEWS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me; the said William James Matthews, Her special licence that I, the
said William James Matthews, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William James Matthews, my executors,
administrators, 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-

page_text: ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William James
Matthews, 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 William James Matthews, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
.
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in breech-
loading fire-arms, where the breech end of the barrel is closed by a block
moving sideways on a hinge.
These improvements are as follows:-The breech block which moves side-
ways on a hinge is bored through its entire length, so that when shut down this
bore forms a continuation of the bore of the barrel of the gun and forms the
chamber for the cartridge, which is placed in it at the back; the extractor moves
in a chamber parallel to the hinge, the block thus having three parallel holes,
vidilicet, one for the hinge, one in the centre for the cartridge chamber, and
one for the extractor. The block is provided with a ring or gas check, formed
by placing a ring or collar in the cartridge chamber, so that when the discharge
takes place the said ring, which I make either of steel or gun metal, is pressed
against the aperture of the barrel. A lever or handle works on the extractor,
the top part of the said lever or handle coming in contact with a projecting
piece or block for the purpose of starting empty cartridge cases. On the end.
of the extracting rod I propose to have a button to regulate the length. of
drawing out the said extracting rod, and if found necessary or advantageous a
coil spring may be adapted to the extracting rod for the purpose of taking it
back to its place after it has been drawn out. The needle or striker is fitted
in the tail piece, and the piece which carries the striker is carried up by the
side of the tail piece, so that when it receives the blow of the hammer it forces
forward the striker or needle, which when relieved from the pressure of the
hammer is brought back by a small coil spring fitted inside the carrier.
In order to make my Invention better understood I will now' describe it by
reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of a part of a gun shewing my improvements;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 4, trans-

page_text: verse section on line C, D, of Figure 1; and Figure 5, section on line E, F, of
Figure 1, the breech block however being open; Figure 6, side and end
elevations of needle or striker and needle carrier detached from the gun;
Figure 7, plan and end elevation of extractor, and lever or handle separated:
from the breech block; and Figure 8, end elevation of breech block. Similar
letters of reference are used in the several Figures to represent parts which
are similar.
a, a, a, stock of the gun; b, b, barrel furnished with the breech box c, c;-in
this box moving sideways on the hinge e is the breech block d; d, having-three
chambers as shewn, viz., the centre one f forming a continuation of the bore.
of the barrel, and serving as the cartridge chamber; one 9 on the left-
hand side for receiving the hinge e, and one on the right-hand side for
receiving the extractor i. The block d is provided with a steel or gun metal
ring or collar k forming a gas check, which when the discharge takes place is
pressed against the aperture 7 of the barrel. The breech block is held fast-
when closed by a suitable spring catch; m, m, is the lever or handle on the
pivot n of the extractor i, on the end of which latter is the projection o fitting
into a space p corresponding to it in the end of the breech block. When an
empty cartridge case is to be removed the breech block is opened and the
extractor is drawn out by the lever m, and draws with it, by means of its
projection o, the empty cartridge case, and the lever m being sharply turned
partly round the pivot n belps to jerk out the cartridge 'case. The length of
drawing out the extractor is regulated by the screw or button q", the shoulder
of which stops against a shoulder in the chamber h; or the drawing out can be
regulated by a pin q (shewn in dotted lines), which could stop against a pin or
screw q (Figure 1) projecting into the chamber h; if found necessary
advantageous a coil spring may be adapted to the extractor for taking it back:
to its place after it has been drawn out; j, stop block; ris the needle or striker
fitted in the tail piece s, s, and carried by the piece t, t, passing up by the side
of the tail piece, in which it is held by the screw a. When it receives the blow
of the hammer u, u, it is forced forward, carrying with it the striker r, and
when relieved from the pressure of the hammer it is carried back to its normal
position by the coil spring v; the striker is screwed into the piece t, t, as shewn,
so that its penetration may be regulated. The hammer and lock are the
ordinary government regulation hammer and lock, except that the nose w of
the hammer instead of being hollowed out is formed as shewn, so as to strike
the piece t, t carrying the needle.
The triden I amulov is that known
the DAOR

page_text: "The improvements herein-before described are applicable to the conversion
of muzzle-loading fire-arms into breech-loading fire-arms.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details herein laid down; but what I claim is,―
. Firstly, the improved form or construction of the breech block d, substantially
as and for the purposes herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly, the improved arrangement and construction of the extractor
as herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly, the improved mode of fitting the needle or striker and carrier as.
herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly, the improvement in the form of the hammer as herein-before
described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Matthews, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
i
WILLIAM JAMES MATTHEWS. (L.B.)
BERTRAM JAMES CALISHER.