IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." -A communication from abroad by
Joshua Gray, residing at Medford, in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration on the 29th March 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," (a communication to me from abroad by
Joshua Gray, a person resident at Medford, in the State of Massachusetts,
United States of America,) and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thercon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a side view showing the arrangement and position of the several
parts when the fire-arm is not in use or when loaded; Figure 2 is a top

page_text: view, the lever arm L being removed to disclose more clearly the construction
of the several parts and their position while the cartridge is being introduced;
Figure 3 is a side view showing the lever arm L raised to bring the parts into
the same position shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view, and Figure 5 a
top view of the lever arm L; Figures 6 and 7 are respectively top and side
views of the sliding breech block B; Figure 8 is an isometrical view of the
cartridge retractor.
The Invention is especially adapted to the conversion of muskets like thoso
for example known by the name of "Springfield" and "Enfield rifles "
into breech-loaders from the fact that such arms can with great facility and
with the preservation of most of their parts be provided with the improvement.
In the Invention the breech block B, which when the piece is in position
for firing closes the rear end of the cartridge chamber is placed in a mortise
or slot A, so that it can be slid backward when it is desired to uncover the
mouth of the chamber to insert a cartridge. This breech block has combined
with it a lever L for operating it, one portion of which (L') when the breech
block is covering the mouth of the chamber will with such block completely
fill the mortise A, and abutting at one end against the breech block and at
the other end against the end of the mortise, as shown in Figure 1, hold the
block in the most effectual way to resist the effects of recoil. The other
portion of the lever L extends along a recess cut in the back of the stock,
where the hand will naturally strike it in holding the piece to the shoulder,
and is latched in any convenient way as shown at c, Figure 1.
The Invention also contemplates the use of a metallic cartridge case, and I
therefore provide a means for extracting the same from the chamber after it
has been discharged, and also a means for ejecting the same clear of the piece,
the devices to accomplish both of which results are operated automatically
by the movement of the breech block, and will be presently particularly
explained.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings it will be seen that in the act of
loading the lever arm L is raised to the position shown in Figure 3. The
effect of raising the lever is in the first instance to remove so much of it as is
when in the position for firing an obstacle in the way of sliding back the breech
block B in the slot A; and, secondly, to draw backward the block from the
fact that the portion of such lever L' is connected by the link with the rear
end of the mortise, around the upper pivot a of which as a fulcrum the lever L
turns, and thus carries the block to the rear end of the mortise. The distance
to which the lever can be carried will be limited by the stop 6, which works
in the curved slots as well as by the bringing up of the breech block against

page_text: the end of the mortise. The manner in which the lever L is jointed to the
breech block is shown in detail in Figures 4 and 8, the spur or shoulder r
upon the end of the neck piece
(Figure 4) fitting into a corresponding
socket (Figure 8) in the block. The breech block is kept in its proper
relation to the mortise A, so as not to be tilted by the action of the lever Lin
operating it by means of a feather k (Figure 8) on each side of the block
which fits into corresponding channels 9 (Figure 2) cut in the sides of the
mortise A. Although I have shown in the Drawings the link whose office.
has been explained, it is not necessary to make use of it, though by dispensing
with it the breech block will not be moved backward in the mortise by the
continued movement of the lever, as is now the case, but it will then become
necessary after the lever is raised sufficiently to enable the portion L³ to clear
the mortise to bring back the block by pulling upon the handle of the lever.
This arrangement is a further simplification of the arm and is quite as
convenient in practice as the arrangement shown in the Drawings, and for
rapid manipulations would be preferred. The cartridge retractor E is shown
separately at Figure 8, and in its relation to the breech block at Figures
1 and 8. It consists of a flat piece of metal with its front end turned up at
right angles, the edge of which end is cut out semicircularly to correspond
with the diameter of the cartridge shell. It is also provided with a raised
piece or start u at the rear end, and with a longitudinal, slot o in the bottom,
the offices of which will presently be seen. When the retractor is in proper
position it rests upon the bottom of the mortise A, and the breech block B is
placed upon it, the under side of the breech block having a recess or pocket y
cut in it for the accommodation of the raised piece u. To load the
gun the
ball end of the cartridge is entered into the chamber and the shell permitted
to rest in the semicircular space upon the end of the retractor E, the flanch of
the shell in which the fulminate is placed fitting an annular recess d (Figure 8)
cut out for its accommodation. The shell also rests upon the end of the long
arm of the lever E, whose special office will be presently described, but in this
relation of the parts serves as a guide for the cartridge. The lever L being
now depressed, if the arrangement of the parts be such as is shown in the
Drawings, or pushed forward, if the link is not used, the breech block B is
carried up to the end of the barrel, moving with it the retractor E and
thrusting home the cartridge into the chamber.
The ejector is shown at J, Figure 3; it consists of a curved arm located in
a slot or mortise cut in the bottom plate of the chamber A and pivotted at m.
When tho retractor is moved forward the rear end of the ejecting lever i is
permitted to enter the slot o in the bottom of the retractor (see Figure 1),

page_text: whereby the forward end becomes depressed far enough to allow the said
retractor to slide over it.
All the parts are now in the position shown in Figure 1, and the piece can
be fired by causing the hammer H to strike the needle P to ignite the
fulminate. When the breech piece is drawn back, as before described, the
projection upon the retractor is struck by the end of the slot y, and is thus
made to partake of the motion of the breech piece and consequently draw out
of the chamber the empty cartridge case. As soon as the cartridge shell is
clear of the chamber the long arm of the ejector J is thrown up with force in
consequence of the projection i on the short arm being struck by the end of
the slot o of the retractor in its backward movement, whereupon the empty
shell is tossed clear of the piece.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First, the cartridge retractor E, constructed substantially as described
in combination with the ejector J, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
Second, the sliding breech block B, retractor E, and ejector J, combined
and operating together, substantially as described.
Third, the lever L, L', possessing the characteristics and performing the
functions as described in combination with a sliding breech block B, sub-
stantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.B.)
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.B.)