IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Greville Harston, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Scaled the 14th November 1873, and dated the 11th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Greville
Harston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th September 1873.
I, CHARLES GREVILLE HARSTON, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows, that is to say :—
My Invention refers to an improved cartridge extractor more
especially adapted for breech-loaders constructed upon the falling block.
principle, and the improvements consist in the employment of a loose
extractor without a pin or centre to work upon and fitted in position in the
body of the breech, the extractor has two arms set at a suitable angle to
each other as seen sideways, and the outline of the extractor nearest the

page_text: barrels may be a continuous curve from end to end with a rounded nose
in such curve at the junction of the two arms; the end of the one arm is
shaped for throwing out the cartridge and fits up to the barrels in the
ordinary manner when the parts are in position for firing, the end of the
lower arm bearing against a portion of the under side of the block.
When the breech block is caused to fall it presses upon the top surface
of the lower arm of the extractor, and such lower arm will be depressed
when by reason of the curved outline of the block the lower arm will
slide from under the block slightly in the direction of the barrels, the
extracting arm and cartridge being at the same time freed from the
barrels, and the rounded nose will ride slightly up the inside edge of the
breech body next the barrels, thus ensuring a more certain action of
the extractor, and obtaining increased force in the throw out of the
cartridge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Charles Greville Harston in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GREVILLE HARSTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Greville Harston, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Greville Harston, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Greville Harston, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Greville Harston, my executors or adminis-

page_text: trators, 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
Tattoo Dabout
|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 Charles Greville Harston, do
.hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention refers to an improved cartridge extractor more
especially adapted for breech-loaders constructed upon the falling block
principle, and the improvements consist in the employment of a loose
extractor without a pin or centre to work upon and fitted in position in
the body of the breech; the extractor has two arms set at a suitable
angle to each other as seen sideways, and the outline of the extractor
nearest the barrels may be in a continuous curve from end to end with
a rounded nose in such curve at the junction of the two arms; the end of
the one arm is shaped for throwing out the cartridge and fits up to the
barrels in the ordinary manner when the parts are in position for firing,
the end of the lower arm bearing against a portion of the under side of
the block.
When the breech block is caused to fall it presses upon the top surface
of the lower arm of the extractor, and such lower arm will be depressed
when by reason of the curved outline of the block the lower arm will
slide from under the block slightly in the direction of the barrels, the
extracting arm and cartridge being at the same time freed from the
barrels and the rounded nose will ride slightly up the inside edge of the
breech body next the barrels, thus ensuring a more certain action of
the extractor and obtaining increased force in the throw out of the
cartridge.
I will now proceed to describe my Invention more fully in detail by
aid of the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters
and figures marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal scations of the

page_text: In Figures 1 and 2 (A) is the improved cartridge extractor in section,
Fig. 3, illustrating the extractor on side and front elevations respectively.
The extractor (A) is loose as shewn without a pin or centre to work
upon and is fitted in position in the body of the breech; (b, b¹,) are the
top or extractor arms and (c) is a bottom arm, which are set at a
suitable angle to each other, and the outline of the extractor (A) nearest
the barrels (d) may be a continuous curve from end to end with a
rounded nose (e) in such curve at the junction of the top and bottom
arms, the ends of the arms (b, 6',) are shaped for throwing out the
cartridge and fit up to the barrels (d) in the ordinary manner when the
parts are in position for firing, as shewn in Fig. 2, the end of the lower
arm (c) bearing against a portion of the under side of the block (ƒ)
suitably shaped for such purpose, when the breech block is caused to
fall as shewn in Fig. 1, it presses upon the top surface (g) of the lower
arm (c) of the extractor, and such lower arm (c) will be depressed when
by reason of the curved outline of the block (f) the lower arm (c)-will
slide from under the block (f) slightly in the direction of the barrels (d),
the extracting arms (b, 6',) and cartridge being at the same time freed
from the barrels, and the rounded nose (e) riding slightly up the inside
edge of the breech body next the barrels (d), thus ensuring a more
certain action of the extractor and obtaining increased force in the
throw out of the cartridge.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim
without confining myself to these precise details the improved form of
cartridge extractor by which the peculiar motion for extracting and
throwing out the cartridge is obtained, substantially in manner as
herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Greville Harston, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
CHARLES GREVILLE HARSTON. (L.s.)
CHARLES GREVILLE HARSTON. (L.s.)