IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Alexander James Bergen, of Brooklyn, in the
State of New York United States of America
Sealed the 24th October 1866, and dated the 13th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th August 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to that description of breech-loading fire-arm in
which two rectangular blocks are employed at the rear of the barrel, the
forward one sliding longitudinally, the rear one sliding transversely, so as to
pass in behind the forward breech block and sustain the same when closed
for firing the piece. These blocks are actuated by a lever having its fulcrum
The present Invention consists in attaching the lever
that gives motion to the breech blocks to the forward one of breech blocks,
and in providing such lever with a slot, through which passes a pin in the
pin across the stock.

page_text: rear breech block, so that the lever on being depressed at its rear end will
first draw down the rear breech block, and then slide back the forward breech
block to open the breech and expose the rear end of the barrel for the
reception of the cartridge. The reverse movement will force the cartridge
into the breech by sliding the forward block along, and then raising the rear
block to sustain the explosion. A flat spring is employed at the forward end
of the lever that presses upon a pin placed across the mortice in the front
breech block (in which the lever moves); this spring will prevent the lever
from dropping when the breech is closed, and also gives friction to prevent
the lever from swinging loosely when the breech is open. The two breech
blocks and their actuating lever can be taken right out of the gun for cleaning,
or otherwise, by simply removing a cross screw or pin, which when in place
will prevent the rear breech block from dropping too far. The metallic
cartridge case is withdrawn by spring catches at the sides of the forward
breech block, and which take hold of the projecting rim or flanges of the
case; and this forward breech block is guided in grooves in its forward and
· backward movement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th February 1867.
TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON,. of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, 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 Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 Inven
tion for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," (a communication
from abroad from Alexander James Bergen, of Brooklyn, in the State of

page_text: New York, United States of America,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what inanner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the fire-arm with the breech closed.
"
2 is a similar view with the breech open; and,
"
8 is a cross section at the line x, x.
+
The present Invention is an improvement upon that for which Letters
Patent were granted in Great Britain to Daniel Moore, August 22nd, 1862,
No. 2349, and a reference to the Drawing annexed to the Specification of
that Patent will render the nature of the present Invention more apparent.
In that Patent two rectangular blocks are employed at the rear of the barrel,
the forward one sliding longitudinally, and the rear one sliding transversely,
so as to pass in behind the forward breech block and sustain the same when
closed for firing the piece. These blocks were actuated by a lever having its.
fulcrum pin across the stock.
The nature of the present Invention consists in attaching the lever / that
gives motion to the breech blocks d & e to the forward one d of such breech
blocks by a joint 12, and fitting such lever with a slot 18, through which
passes a pin 14 in the rear breech block e, so that the lever in being
depressed at its rear end will first draw down the rear breech block e; and then
slide back the forward breech block d to open the breech and expose the rear
end of the barrel a for the reception of the cartridge. The reverse movement
forces the cartridge into the barrel by sliding forward the block d and then
raising the rear block e to sustain the explosion. A flat spring 15 is employed
at the forward end of the lever h, and presses upon a pin 16 that is across the
mortice in the front breech block d (in which the lever moves); this spring
prevents the lever from dropping when the breech is closed, and also gives
friction to prevent the lever from swinging loosely when the breech is
open. The two breech blocks and their actuating lever can be taken entirely
out of the
gun,
for cleaning or otherwise, by simply removing a cross screw or

page_text: 'pin 17, which when in place prevents the rear breech block from dropping too
far. The metallic cartridge case is withdrawn by spring catches 18 at the
sides of the forward breech block, and this forward breech block is guided in
grooves 19 in its forward and backward movement. The cartridge when
dropped into the breech rests upon ledges 28, and is slidden forward into the
rear end of the barrel. When the cartridge case is withdrawn by the spring
catches 18 taking the flanged base of the case, a finger 20 on the under and
forward part of the lever comes up as the lever is moved, and presses the
case up from between the catches 18. :
What is claimed and to be secured by Letters Patent is,-
☐ First, the breech blocks (d, e,) in combination with the lever h attached to
one of such blocks, and giving motion to both, substantially as set forth.
Second, the spring 15 in combination with the lever h and breech blocks d, e,
for the purposes and substantially as specified.
Third, the spring catches 18 in combination with the block d and finger 20
for the purposes and as set forth.
Fourth, the ledges 28 for receiving the cartridge, in combination with the
breech blocks d and e, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)