IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Westley Richards, of Birmingham, in the County.
of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES.”
Scaled the 17th May 1870, and dated the 18th January 1870...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Westley Richards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January 1870..
I, WESTLEY RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention' for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in breech-loading fire-
arms and cartridges.
My Invention relates to breech-loading guns in which the breech
block is jointed at its hinder end to the frame or body, and in which the
block descends by turning about this joint in order to open the breach
for loading.
;

page_text: I employ in order to actuate the breech block an arm turning on an
axis in front of the trigger guard, and on the same axis I mount the
hammer, and so far the gun is similar to that described in the Provisional
Specification filed by me and dated the 13th August 1869, No. 2427, but
in place of forming the hand lever in one piece with the arm which works
the block, as is there described, I use a separate hand lever turning on a
centre immediately behind the axis of the arm and hammer.
Or according to another modification in place of mounting the hammer
on the same axis as the arm and hand lever I mount it on a separate
axis in rear thereof and behind the trigger. The hammer nose or striker
which passes through the block is not formed in one piece with the
hammer, but is jointed or connected to it so as to allow of its working
in a horizontal position and rectalinear direction. The hammer nose has
a projection upon it on which the arm which works the block operates
to raise the hammer to the cocked position. The spring is of the
ordinary mainspring form and is placed behind the hammer. In some
cases I employ a striker such as that above described, but entirely
detached from the hammer, the blow of which, however, it receives, and
when the breech is opened the binder end of the striker abutting on the
hammer forces it back to the cocked position where the sear retains it
whilst the striker returns with the breech block; when the breech is
closed I prefer to mount both the mainspring and hammer upon the
trigger guard. In some cases I make drop block guns with the hammer
turning on a centre in the block.
The mainspring is within the block
The
and in rear of the hammer. The sear also is upon the block.
extractor which I employ is a finger turning on the axis of the arm
which supports the breech and moved by projections in connection with
this arm, I according to my present Invention provide it with a spring
acting upon it in such manner that when it is started by the projection
above mentioned the spring operates so as to cause it to recede from the
breech end of the barrel with a rapid motion, it thus projects the cartridge
case out of the chamber of the gun and leaves it free to be reloaded. In
order to protect the trigger from being pulled when the arm is at full-
cock a cam is fixed upon an axis at the back of the trigger and worked
by an arm on the side of the stock or iron body or frame. The cam may
be worked in a slot in the trigger plate or guard, or it may be outside
and bent so as to enter behind the trigger. The arm of the lever
working the cam can be varied in shape to suit the various forms of

page_text: different guns. The cam can also be worked on a separate centre to that
on which the lever works.
According to another modification I employ a striker so arranged as
to be able to slide in a passage cut for it in the block. The arm of the
hand lever which works the breech block in opening the breech thrusts
back this striker overcoming its spring until it is caught by a scar.
jointed to the block. The striker spring is a bent spring of the ordinary
mainspring form and its other end presses on the back of the striker.
The sear has an arm upon it which when the breech is closed is in such
a position as to be acted upon when the. trigger is pulled, so as to lift
the scar nose out of the notch or bent on the striker. In breech-loading
fire-arms which are used with central-fire cartridges, the cap of the
cartridge which receives the blow of the hammer or striker is liable by.
the explosion to be forced into the hole in the block through which the
hammer or striker passes.
Now acording to my Invention I blockade the hole in the centre of
the block through which the hammer or striker passes. In order to do
this I employ an anvil and cap combined and made in one solid piece.
The anvil is a solid piece of metal formed in the crown of the cap and
having a coned or pointed top whereby to ignite the percussion powder,
which is placed in the top of the cap chamber, either in a recess there
made to receive it or in a separate ring or patch of fulminate, as may be
most convenient. The base of the anvil is so large as effectually to
prevent it and the crown of the cap which is in one piece with it being
blown back into the hole in the centre of the block through which the
striker passes when the discharge takes place, this means admits of a
striker or hammer of a larger diameter being used, and it also prevents
the gun from becoming disabled by the hole in the block getting too
large from wear or other causes. This cone may be made hollow at the
base so as to form an arch over the hole in the block.
The construction may be modified, still retaining the principle of
blockading the hole in the centre of the block, if a separate anvil be
used I prefer to form it of a solid disc larger than the hole in the breech
block and having three grooves in the sides and a countersunk hole at
the top or at the bottom, or at both top and bottom to receive the
priming.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Westley Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WESTLEY
RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Westley Richards, Her special licence that
I, the said Westley Richards, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Westley Richards, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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
AND CARTRIDGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Westley Richards, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Westley Richards, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in brecch-loading
fire-arms and cartridges.
My Invention relates to breech-loading guns in which the breech
block is jointed at its hinder end to the frame or body, and in which
the block descends by turning about this joint in order to open tho
breech for loading. Such guns I shall call "drop block" guns.
I employ in order to actuate the breech block an arm turning on an
axis in front of the trigger guard, and I mount the hammer on a

page_text: separate axis in rear thereof and behind the axis of the trigger. The
striker, which passes through the block is detached from the hammer
the blow of which it receives, and when the breech is opened the hinder
end of the striker abutting on the hammer forces it back, the block.
then comes in contact with it and carries it to the cocked position.
where the sear retains it whilst the striker returns with the breech.
block; when the breech is closed I prefer to mount the mainspring
and hammer upon the trigger guard. The spring is of the ordinary.
mainspring form and is placed behind the hammer.
-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a breech-loading
fire-arm constructed according to my Invention.
a is a portion of the barrel, and 6 the body or frame into the socket at
the fore part of which the barrel is screwed; c is the drop block jointed
at its rear end to the body; d is the hand lever for supporting and
working the breech block, it turns on a pin or axis a¹ carried by the
side cheeks of the body; e is a small lever which by the spring e¹ is
caused to bear on an incline on the boss of the hand lever giving the
hand lever a tendency to remain at either end of its course; f is the
trigger plate and guard, it is fixed to the side checks of the body by
pins f¹ and f; it carries the hammer g on the axis g¹, the mainspring h,
the trigger i, and the sear k, which, as is shown, is mounted on the
same pin as the trigger. The mainspring may either press directly on
the hammer or act upon it through a swivel or link. The sear spring lis
also carried by the trigger plate and guard; m is the striker capable of
sliding in a straight line in a hole bored and slotted for it in the breech
block c.
The stop pin n limits the motion of the striker in a backward
direction and prevents it escaping from the block; m¹ is a projection
on the striker with which, in opening the breech, the inner end or
arm dx of the hand lever d comes in contact, the striker is thus pushed
back a short distance sufficient to retire its nose beneath the face of the
breech block c before the lever acts on the block to cause it to drop..
The back of the striker pushes back the hammer until the breech is
partly open and then the sides of the drop block act against projections
g on the hammer and carry it back until the full cock bent it
is caught by the sear. On shutting the breech the drop block and
striker return leaving the hammer retained by the sear.
On pressing
the trigger the sear nose is lifted out of the bent and the hammer
delivers its blow upon the striker and the cartridge is fired. o is the
.
upon

page_text: extractor and p a lever bolt for locking the, trigger; these parts are.
herein-after again referred to.
I claim the combination in drop block guns of a lever handle turning
on an axis in front of the trigger axis and a hammer turning on an
axis in rear thereof, such parts being arranged and operating substantially
as described.
I also claim in the construction of drop block guns the mounting the
separate axis of the hammer and the mainspring which actuates the
hammer on the trigger guard or part carrying the trigger, such guard
or part being fixed between the side cheeks of the body or frame,
'substantially as described.
I also claim the combination in drop block guns of a hammer turning
on an axis separate from that of the hand lever and in rear thereof, such
hammer being actuated by a mainspring placed behind it, fixed at one
end and at the other acting on the back of the hammer, substantially as.
described.
I also claim the construction of drop block guns substantially as
described and shewn in Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings.
According to another modification I employ a striker so arranged as
to be able to slide in a passage cut for it in the block. The arm of the
hand lever which works the breech block in opening the breech thrusts
back this striker, overcoming its spring until it is caught by a sear.
The striker spring is a bent spring of the ordinary mainspring form and
its end presses on the back of the striker. The sear has an arm upon it
which when the breech is closed is in such a position as to be acted
upon when the trigger is pulled so as to lift the sear nose out of the
notch or bent on the striker. Figure 2 is a side view partly in section of
this arrangement..
a is the barrel; b, the frame or body; c, the drop block; and d, the
lever handle, as before. The striker m works in a passage in the block,
as in Figure 1, but in place of being acted on by a hammer it receives
the direct pressure of the ordinary two limbed or bent mainspring h.
The retaining bent is formed in the striker. The sear k turns on a
pin ¹ inserted into the body, and when in opening the breech the
striker is pushed back by the lever hande the scar catches the bent in
the striker and retains it, and it does not lose its hold when the
breech block is again raised to close the breech; is the scar spring fixed
to the body or frame, and i is the trigger jointed at ¹ to the trigger

page_text: plate or guard, and the same pin which serves as the axis of the
trigger also holds the trigger plate or guard in its place between the
side cheeks of the body or frame b. A cavity in the trigger plate or
guard retains the bend of the mainspring. When the scar has hold of
the striker and the breech is closed the tale of the sear lies close behind
the upper part of the trigger, and when the trigger is pulled the sear
also is caused to turn on its centre sufficiently to liberate the striker;
o is the extractor and p is an axis passing through the trigger guard and
through the side cheeks of the body or frame, and which serves as a bolt
for locking the trigger."
Figures 3 show the drop block; Figures 4, the striker; Figures 5, the
sear; and Figures 6 the trigger separately from the other parts.
I claim the combination in drop block guns of a striker sliding in the
block and a two limbed or bent mainspring: pressing on the back of
the striker substantially as described.
I also claim the construction of drop block guns substantially as
described in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the annexed Drawings.
The extractor which I employ is a finger turning on the axis of the
arm which supports the breech and moved by projections in connection
with this arm; I according to my present Invention provide it with a
spring acting upon it in such manner that when it is started by the
projection above mentioned the spring operates so as to cause it to
receed from the breech end of the barrel with a rapid motion; it thus
projects the cartridge case out of the chamber of the gun and leaves it
free to be reloaded. The extractor is seen at o in Figures 1 and is also
with its spring o¹ shewn separately at Figures 7. A similar extractor is
also seen in Figure 2. The extractor spring o' is in Figure 1 mounted on
the side cheek of the body b which has a stud and stud hole to hold it as a
mainspring is usually held in Figure 2; it is simply held by a stud upon
it dropping into a stud hole in the side cheek of the body or frame. In
opening the breech when towards the end of the movement a shoulder or
projection on the hand lever d comes against the extractor and pushes
it back, immediately the angle or nose o* passes the nip of the spring o¹
the extractor flics forward until the spring comes to a bearing on the
flattened part at o**, the point of the extractor bears against the
flange of the cartridge case, and this sudden motion of the extractor
throws the cartridge case out of the chamber of the barrel and clear of the

page_text: gun. When a fresh cartridge is inserted the extractor is carried back
with it.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the combination with
drop block guns of an extractor turning about a centre or axis, and
provided with a spring causing it when it has been moved a short
distance to fly rapidly outwards, substantially as described.
•
In order to protect the trigger from being pulled when the arm is at
full cock, a cam or stop is fixed or formed upon an axis at the back of
the trigger and worked by an arm on one side of the stock or iron body or
frame. The cam or stop may be worked in a slot in the trigger plate
or guard as is shown in Figure 2, or it may be outside and bent so as
to enter behind the trigger as in Figure 1. The arm of the lever
working the cam or stop can be varied in shape to suit the various forms
of different guns.
In Figure 2 the axis p forms the locking cam or
stop, it has a handle or arm p' on the right hand side (or it might be on
the other side) of the gun. The axis p is immediately behind the
trigger so that the trigger cannot move back, except when the axis is
so placed. (as the Drawing shows it) that a notch filed in the axis is
immediately behind the trigger, the requisite amount of motion can
then take place, but when the handle or arm p' is upright the trigger
is locked. There is a small tooth on the inside of the handle or
arm p³ near its outer end, and this catches into notches in the side of
the gun and retains it sufficiently firm either in the bolted or unbolted
position to prevent it from moving accidently. In Figure 1 there is no.
axis going through the trigger guard and side checks, but the handle or
arm is continued below the centre (which in this case is the pin f¹) and.
is cranked in behind the trigger, as is shewn.
I claim the arrangement of locking bolts substantially as described.
In breech-loading fire-arms which are used with central-fire cartridges,
the cap of the cartridge which receives the blow of the hammer or
striker is liable by the explosion to be forced into the hole in the block
through which the hammer or striker passes.
Now according to my Invention I blockade the hole in the centre of
the block through which the hammer or striker passes. In order to do
this I employ an anvil and cap combined and made in one solid piece.
The anvil is a solid piece of metal formed in the crown of the cap and
having a coned or pointed top whereby to ignite the percussion powder,

page_text: which is placed in the top of the cap chamber, either in a recess there
made to receive it or by preference in a separate ring, or patch, or
priming cup, as may be most convenient. The base of the anvil is so
large as effectually to prevent it and the crown of the cap which is in
one piece with it being blown back into the hole in the centre of the
block through which the striker passes when the discharge takes place,
this means admits of a striker or hammer of a larger diameter being
used, and it also prevents the gun from becoming disabled by the hole
in the block getting too large from wear or other causes.
The coue
in the cap may be made hollow at the base so as to form an arch over
the hole in the block.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section to an enlarged scale of a cartridge.
case with the igniting arrangement. a is the cartridge case, or capsule
with a hollow in the centre of its base and the bottom of this hollow
is pierced with small holes to allow the flame to pass. b is a small cup
perforated at the bottom and containing the fulminating priming, the
holes in it are so arranged that one or other of them may be sure to
correspond with one of the holes in the bottom of the case or capsule a,
however it may be placed; this cup is shewn separately at Figures 9;
c is tlic cap and anvil made in one piece, this part is shown separately
at Figures. 10, it fits as a cover over the part 6 and also fits truly into
the cavity in the cartridge case, so that when placed thercin it will
remain. When the cartridge is discharged the rim or sides of the cap
make a gas-tight joint against the sides of the hollow or cavity in the
base of the cartridge. The thickened part or anvil in the middle of
the cap is of such size and substance that it cannot be driven into the
hole in the face of the breech block. The bottom of the cap around
the thickened part or anvil is made sufficiently thin to allow of the
blow of the striker on the bottom of the cap to be so frecly communi-
cated through the anvil to the fulminate as to ensure the ignition of the
charge.
I claim the construction of central-fire cartridges for breech-loading
fire-arms with a cap and anvil in one piece, and arranged and operating
substantially as described.
The construction may be modified, still retaining the principle of
blockading the hole in the centre of the block by employing a separate
anvil in the form of a solid disc larger than the hole in the breech
block, and having three grooves in the sides and a countersunk hole

page_text: at the top or at the bottom, or at both top and bottom to receive the
priming. This anvil being flat at its end where it overlaps the edges
of the hole in the breech block bears solidly on the cap behind it,
and acts as a valve when the priming is fired, it lets the flash past it and
then immediately there is pressure in front of it it returns and tightly
holds the bottom of the cap against the face of the breech block, and
in this way and also by protecting it from the influence of the com-
pressed gases it prevents the cap being carried into the hole in the face
of the breech block. A section of a part of a cartridge provided with
a priming thus arranged is shown at Figure 11; a is the cavity in
the base of the capsule or cartridge case; b is the anvil with a patch
of fulminate upon it at 6, and c is the cap to make a gas-tight joint
with the sides of the cavity in the capsule or cartridge case. Figures
12 show the anvil separately.
I claim the construction of central-fire cartridges for brccch-loading
fire-arms substantially as described and shown in respect to. Figures 11
and 12 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Westley Richards, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WESTLEY RICHARDS