Year: 1874

page_text: lever of the bolt, and which acts upon an inclined plane made upon a
plate P, P, P, P, brazed under the elbow of the cock or of one piece with
it, and which turns round the upper right side of the breech box. This
plate carries a half-cocking notch at R and one for full cock at A, into
which the tooth D takes when a quarter turn is given to the handle,
during this movement the inclined plane traverses beneath the tooth, and
consequently causes the cock to retire as much as is necessary to cock
the gun. When the lever is brought down again the tumbler holds the
cock until the trigger is pulled to fire the gun. The percussion takes
place by means of a strong pin T, T, terminating in front by a shoulder
which bears against the spring, and a conical part the point of which
strikes the cap; this pin is held in the cock by a cottar C, C, which rests
upon a flat part F formed at the end of the pin. This cottar passes
through the body of the cock and projects on each side, two grooves 1º, 1º,
made behind the breech-box giving passage to it. This arrangoment
permits the taking to pieces of the fire-arm without a turn-screw. If
desired the cottar need not project in which case the grooves 1, r, would
not be required.
The body of the bolt and its reinforce are notched to receive the
obturator plug or closing piece O, O. This piece is a steel cylinder
pierced throughout its length by a conical hole to give passage to the
hammer or striker. The piece O, O, is held by a spur or stud E fixed
under the reinforce of the bolt, and which plays in a groove V, V, cut in
the piece O, O. The closing piece or plug O, O, has another notch at d, d,
which lodges the extractor; the piece O, O, simply follows the bolt when
it advances or retires, but does not turn with it when the lever handle is
raised or lowered. When the arrangement is open the spur prevents it
from turning and the extractor plays the same part when it is closed
and the lever brought down. The extractor L, L, is lodged in the notch
a, a, its heel Z has its two ends greatly inclined upon its base. The
object of this arrangement is to cause the catch to press against the
cartridge cylinder or case when the bolt is drawn, and on the contrary to
cause it to rise when the chamber is closed. The cartridge case carried
along by the catch O meets a stop at X, which knocks it over and throws
it out of the gun.
The combination of this arrangement is shown Sheet I. of the Drawing
in plan, in elevation, and in longitudinal section, and beneath are shown
all the pieces detached.

page_text: Firstly, the cock shown back and front, it is also seen in plan,
clevation, and section in the Figures shewing the combination; the plate
carrying the inclined plane is seen at P, P, P, P. The hammer or
striker is shown in plan and in elevation; F, F, indicating the flat part
for receiving the cottar. The cottar is shown in plan at 1, in elevation
at 2, and in section at 3. The obturator or closing piece O, O, is shown
in plan, in elevation, in front and back view; a section A, B, shows the
groove v, v, in which plays the spur or stud E of the bolt, and another
section C, D, shows the notch a, a, into which takes the extractor. The
closing piece O, O, is seen in section through its axis in the longitudinal
section of the combined arrangement.
The extractor is represented in elevation seen from the right at 1, in
elevation seen from the left at 2, in front view at 3, back view at 4, top
view at 5, and bottom view at 6. The body of the extractor is shown at
L, L, its catch or hook at c, and the heel at z; Q is an extension
which bears against the left side of the slot and thus keeps the
piece O, O, from turning during the movement of the bolt.
The various details of conversion above described and illustrated upon
Sheet I., are susceptible of certain modifications, which without in any
way changing the system which I have adopted, nevertheless facilitate
its execution. These improvements are represented Sheet II., and the
following is a description thereof:-
1°. The stop screw of the breech cylinder is suppressed; the stop is
produced by the tumbler against which strikes the moveable head or an
additional piece termed the cartridge driver or pusher.
2°. The tumbler is rendered moveable by means of a pin q; this
arrangement preserves the tumbler spring from breakage by the shock,
and its screws from being clipped.
3º. The spur or stud E¹ is flat instead of being round, it has the same
breadth as the reinforce of the bolt, and thus it occupies the whole
breadth of the groove V' and supports the picce O', O¹, over a greater
surface, giving greater stability and fixedness to this piece.
4°. The obturator or closing piece O¹, O¹, has at a a longitudinal dove-
tail groove holding the cartridge driver, which is thus simply fixed.
5°. The cartridge driver is intended to replace the stop X. Thus when
its heel comes against the tumbler upon the bolt being drawn backward

page_text: it slides in its groove under the piece O¹, O¹, and strikes against the
bottom of the shell or cartridge case which turns over and is thrown out
of the gun.
6°. The tail Q of the cartridge drawer is suppressed; it is replaced
either by a fixed projection on the piece O¹, O¹, at the spot where the 5
lodgment of this piece was, or by a cartridge drawer of the same breadth
as the slot of the breech box.
The result of the improvements which I have just described is, that
my gun may be entirely taken to pieces by hand without the aid of any
special tool, and that the breech cylinder may be disengaged from its box
by simply pressing on the trigger. This permits the cleaning of the
mechanism or the substitution of a piece with the greatest facility.