Improvements in Small Arms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
Improvements in Small Arms.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES GREEN of 35, Lefevre Koad, North Road, Bow, in the
County of Middlesex, and Albany Villa, Grove Road, Leytonstone, in the County
of Essex Gunmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The Improvements in Small Arms constituting my invention applies more
particularly to breech loading rifles as used for sporting and military purposes, and
is designed to attain tbe following objects and advantages as compared with such
arms hitherto made and used.
The general and compact arrangement of the shoe or body of the rifle permits
this to be attached to the stock without the need of side or covering plates for this
purpose, by means of which I am enabled to provide a stock entirely in one piece,
thus materially reducing the weight of the whole. The cocking device has a double
grip when locked, and provides a means for recocking the piece without the need
of opening the breech, and the striker being entirely hidden or enclosed by, and
after the process of, cocking, prevents the possibility of the piece being fired during
the said process, and by reason of provision being made for quickly and easily
entirely removing the bolt from the shoe of the rifle, and this being of such small
dimensions as to be carried in the pocket, the sportsman, gamekeeper or other
person by simply removing this may safely leave his gun or rifle without the
slightest possibility of the same being fired in his absence by inexperienced or other
persons, thus preventing serious and possibly fatal accidents.
I carry my invention into effect by connecting by suitable means to the breech
of the barrel a metallic grooved shoe or body and when both are attached to the
stock I place in said groove a hollow bolt capable of sliding longitudinally therein,
and provided with a projection and arm, both of which engage with suitable slots
or recesses in the right hand side of said shoe or body when the rifle is cocked, and
these collectively, constitute a double lock for the prevention of possible displace-
ment of said bolt through vibration arising from recoil. Upon the front or barrel
end of said hollow bolt is screwed or otherwise fixed a block ended attachment or
nosing, which serves the double purpose, of a guide for the end of the striker, and
for automatically removing the empty cartridge after firing, the latter being
effected by the means of a suitable spring catch in the end of said nosing.
Within the said hollow bolt is placed the striker or striking pin, provided with
a suitable spring, preferably spiral, the tension of which operates in carrying the
striker in a forward direction, the distance of said forward travel being regulated
by a heel piece upon the back end of the striker, which abuts against the end of
the hollow bolt, and is so adjusted as to permit the striker to protrude through and
beyond the before mentioned nosing a sufficient distance to make the desired
impact with the cap of the cartridge. The back end of the hollow bolt is tapered
or coned whereby a shoulder is formed by the front end of the heel piece of the
striker. Within the bottom of the before mentioned groove in the shoe in which
the said hollow bolt moves, a hole is provided in which slides a vertical pin or
plunger, which is caused by the agency of a suitable spring to protrude above the
level of the groove a sufficient distance to engage with the shoulder of the said
heel piece, and upon the lower end of said plunger a rim or its equivalent is formed
with which the lever of the trigger permanently engages. The manner of operation
is as follows.

page_text: -
To load the piece the hollow bolt is released from its locked position and drawn
back as far as the nosing upon its front end will permit, by which operation the
said vertical pin or plunger automatically engages with the shoulder of the before-
mentioned heel piece of the striker, the cartridge would then be placed in the breech,
and the hollow bolt again pushed forward and locked as before, thus cocking the
gun, which operation would cause the spring catch of the front attachment or
nosing to engage with the rim of the cartridge. At the pushing forward of said
hollow bolt the heel of the striker would be left behind by reason of its engagement
with the said plunger, thus placing the striker spring in tension, and concealing the
striker within the hollow bolt. When the gun is to be fired a pull upon the trigger
would lower the plunger and release the heel of the striker, when the striker
would be violently thrust forward by the agency of its.spring, the impact of which
with the cap of the cartridge would explode the charge.
To reload the piece the bolt would be unlocked and drawn back as before, when
the spring catch of the said nosing would withdraw the empty cartridge from the
breech, and cast it away, leaving the breech clear to receive the next charge.
The back nd of the said heel piece of the striker would be provided with a
suitable finger hold, so that should the gun misfire, the said heel may be thereby
pulled back and the gun recocked, and as the striker is capable of rotation within
the hollow bolt this would ensure more even wear of both these and there lives be
. thereby prolonged.
The said hollow bolt and the whole of its accessories can be entirely removed in
two seconds and carried in the pocket, thereby permitting the rifleman, sportsman,
gamekeeper, or other person in charge of the gun to leave the stock and barrel
behind without fear of accident occurring to any inexperienced or unauthorized
person who might handle the same in his absence.
Dated the 3rd day of November 1893.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1. Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Small Arms.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES GREEN of 35 Lefevre Road, North Road, Bow, in the
County of Middlesex, and at Albany Villa, Grove Road, Leytonstone, in the
County of Essex, Gunmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to Improvements in Small Arms, and applies more
particularly to breech loading rifles, as used for sporting and military purposes,
and is designed to attain the objects and advantages set forth in my Provisional
Specification.
In order that my invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect may
be fully and clearly understood, I have hereunto appended two sheets of drawings,
in which,
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a plan view of my improved shoe or bolt carrier, as it would
appear when fixed to the barrel of the rifle and both in position upon the stock
of same.
Fig. 2 is a top surface or plan view of the hollow spring bolt, capable of sliding
in the shoe Fig. 1 as hereinafter explained.
Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the left and right hand ends respectively, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the shoe Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which the
lever of the trigger permanently engages with the lower end of a vertical plunger
or tumbler, in said shoe.

page_text: Fig. 6 is an end view of the said shoe as viewed in the direction of the arrow in
Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is another view of the bolt Fig. 2, illustrating the manner in which the
heel or cocking piece of said bolt engages with the upper end of the said vertical
plunger or tumbler.
Figs. 8 and 9 are end views of Fig. 7 while in this position, the latter showing
the position in which the said bolt is placed when entering the shoe Fig. 6.
Fig. 10 is another view of said bolt, illustrating the manner in which the plunger
or tumbler arrests the said heel or cocking piece when the rifle is cocked, as
hereinafter explained.
Figs. 11 and 12 are end views of the bolt when in this position, the latter being
similar to Fig. 9.
Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 Sheet 2 are views similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the
positions the bolt occupies within the shoe, during the loading, cocking and firing
of the rifle, and the afterward removal of the empty cartridge therefrom.
Fig. 17 is an enlarged view of the said heel or cocking piece, partly in section.
Fig. 18 is an end view of Fig. 17 as viewed from left to right, illustrating the
manner in which the pull off regulating spring engages therewith, and hereinafter
explained.
Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of the front end of the said bolt, illustrating the
formation of this, and the spring catch for extracting the empty cartridge, which
engages therewith.
The same reference letters are used throughout the several views when referring
to the same or like parts.
[ carry my invention into effect, by constructing in one piece the stock A, the
fore part of which is grooved to form a seating for the barrel B and the metallic
grooved shoe C, these being connected together by any suitable means and both
connected to A by the means of screws or bolts D, in the usual way, a tongue or
projection D' being formed upon C to facilitate this.
In the
The said grooved shoe C, is provided at its back end, and upon the right hand
side thereof, with two curled projections or lips E and E', between which a space F
is left for the reception of the projecting or locking arm of the bolt.
lower surface of the groove, and at the back end of the shoe C a hole is provided,
in which slides a vertical plunger or tumbler G, which is caused, by the agency of
a suitable spring a, to protrude slightly above the level of the groove in C, the
lower end of G being hidden within the stock of the rifle, and is provided with a
rim or its equivalent a' at this end, with which the lever 6 of the trigger H
permanently engages, when this is fixed to the stock A. The outline of the stock
is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. Upon the outer surface of the left hand side
of the shoe C, a spring I is fixed, which carries a stud c extending through a hole
in C and projecting slightly within the groove, and facing this upon the opposite
outer side of C, a second spring J is fixed, pivotted at d, and this also carries a
stude (shewn by dotted outline in Figs. 1, 6, 13, 14, 15 and 16) which extends
through a hole in C, and projects slightly within the groove.
The shoe C receives a hollow bolt K constructed as follows. Upon the outer
surface of K a projecting ridge or locking bar I is formed, of such a width as to
pass freely between the left hand side of C, and the opposite lip E of same. The
bolt K also carries a curved projecting arm M, of such a width as to fit easily
within the space F in C, and upon the front end of K is screwed or otherwise fixed,
or formed integrally therewith, a block ended nosing N, this being reduced in
diameter and so formed at N', as to receive a hook nosed attachment or cartridge
extractor O, the formation of which in conjunction with N', permits, a spring like
movement in O when used as hereinafter explained. The particular formation of O,
and the recess N' for the reception of same will be clearly understood by the
enlarged view Fig. 19. Through the bolt K, and nosing N, passes the striker or
striking pin f, surrounded by a spiral spring g' (shewn extended by dotted lines in
Fig. 7) the tension of which operates in imparting a forward thrust to the striker

page_text: when released. The back end of the pin f is connected to, or formed integrally
with, a heel or cocking piece P, and so arranged that when P abuts against the
back end of K, protrudes just sufficiently beyond or out of the nosing N to make
the desired impact with the cap of the cartridge g.
The outer end of P is.
provided with a rim or its equivalent j to serve as a finger hold for pulling P
backward against the tension of the spring g' when required. The back or heel
end of K may be tapered, or recessed or cut away at k in order that the cocking
piece P may thereby have or form a shoulder, to be arrested by the plunger or
tumbler G in C. The manner of operating the rifle is as follows.
The bolt K would be slid into the groove in C, and the extractor O upon the
nosing N, be turned over to the right as at Fig. 13, when the bolt would be pulled
back by the lever arm M, or the finger hold j, until O abuts against the fore end
of the lip E, as at Fig. 16. The cartridge g would then be inserted in the breech
of the barrel B in the usual way and the bolt K be then pushed forward by j or M,
until P was arrested by the stud e of the spring J, the position of e being such
that P would encounter this before reaching the plunger G. When the gun is to
be cocked, the lever arm M would be pushed further forward by the palm of the
right hand, in the direction of the arrow Fig. 13, and dropped into the recess F
leaving behind the cocking piece P, arrested by the stud e, when, by pressing M
downwards, this would impinge upon the front end of the spring J, and cause its
opposite end to move outwardly from C, as at Fig. 14, thereby removing the stud e,
and permitting P to slip forward until arrested by the plunger or tumbler G, as at
Fig. 10, the gun being now at full cock, and the bolt K doubly locked in this
position, partly by reason of the lever arm M engaging with the recess F, and
further by reason of the projection L, being in front of the lip E. This forward
movement of the bolt K, would have the effect of compressing and placing in
tension the spring g', and withdrawing the striker pin f within the nosing N, thus
obviating the possibility of the striker exploding the cartridge through impact
during cocking, and the same forward movement of the bolt K would cause the
hooked portion of the extractor () to enter a recess m (Fig. 16) in the barrel
portion of C, and spring over the rim of the cartridge g as shewn in Figs. 14 and 15.
The object and purpose of the spring catch e, in arresting the cocking piece P
during the cocking of the rifle, is, in order to provide an equivalent for half cock,
and until e is withdrawn by depressing the spring J by the lever arm M, as
described the trigger H is quite inoperative, and the gun could not be fired thereby.
This also acts as a preventative against recoil of the bolt, should the piece be fired
before the arm M and the projection L were fully locked, the former by
engagement with the recess F, the latter by abutting against the lip E, and to
ensure that the bolt is so locked against recoil, the arm M must be turned sufficiently
to the right to press the spring J and release the stud e before the gun or rifle can
be fired, as shewn in Fig. 14.
In firing the rifle, a pull would be exerted upon the trigger H in the usual way,
the lever b of which engaging with the rim a¹ of G, would lower this against the
tension of the spring a, thus releasing the heel or cocking piece P, which would
then be violently thrust forward by the tension of the spring g', until arrested by
the back end of the shoe C, the said forward movement of P carrying with it the
striker f, and permitting this to extend beyond the nosing N sufficiently to strike
and explode the cartridge g. The position of the cocking piece P immediately
before firing is shewn in Fig. 14, and immediately after by Fig. 15.
To reload the rifle, the arm M would be turned to the left out of the recess F,
which movement would also remove the projection L clear of the lip E, still
leaving the spring catch or extractor O in contact with the rim of the cartridge g,
when, by pulling the bolt backward by the arm M or ring j the catch O would
withdraw the cartridge, and cast this away in the manner shewn by Fig. 16, thus
leaving the breech clear ready for reloading as before described.
Should the gun or rifle at any time mis-fire, the same may be again recocked by
simply pulling back the cocking piece P, by means of the rim or its equivalent j,
. t

page_text: until P again makes contact with the plunger or tumbler G, and as both P
and are capable of rotation, the latter within the bolt K, the wear and tear of
both these will be more evenly distributed than would be the case if such means of
rotation was absent, and the life of both, and the bolt K would be thereby
prolonged.
In all rifles or guns of this class, where a sliding bolt is operated for exploding
the cartridge, the power needed in pulling the trigger for releasing the device
employed for holding back the said bolt, is technically known as the pull off, and.
in the manufacture of such guns or rifles, the said pull off is constant, and could!
be altered by a gunsmith only, and that part of the tumbler or other device
employed, which engages with the said bolt is technically known as the bent, and
when the angle of this is too acute, the pull off is excessive, and I am not aware.
that, hitherto, any means has been provided in the manufacture of such guns or
rifles by which the pull off could be adjusted by the rifleman, sportsman or other
person using the same. Referring to Fig. 17, with a view to obviate this incon-
venience, and to enable the user to adjust the pull off to his liking, I divide the
outer surface of the cockpiece P into four or more divisions, by forming therein a
sufficient number of longitudinal grooves n, and in the front face of P I form an:
annular recess p, the angle of which is graduated from end to end, so that the
angle of said recess at the end of any one division of P, differs from that of the
others, consequently the bite of the bent p' of the plunger or tumbler G, there-
with, is greater or lesser according to the angle of that part of the said annular
recess with which p¹ engages at the cocking of the gun or rifle, and therefore, the
pull off would be greater or lesser according to the angle of the end of the division
of P employed. By referring to the dotted diagram beneath Fig. 17, the manner
of contact between the recess p and the bent pl will be better understood.
In the manufacture of the gun or rifle according to my invention, a test would
be made of each pull off, and the number of pounds required to operate each,.
would be indicated upon the outer surface of the finger hold i, as shewn at Fig. 12,
and whichever of said numerals would be uppermost (or in any other predetermined
position) this would indicate that that number of pounds pull upon the trigger H
was necessary to effect the pull off, and as P is capable of being rotated by j, the
desired pull off could be adjusted at will, and whichever division of p may be
brought in contact with p', one of the grooves n would be in a position to receive
the stud c of the spring I as shewn in Fig. 18, thereby retaining P in this position
as long as desired, or until the "pull off" is to be altered, notwithstanding the
sliding motion of P during the use of the gun or rifle.
This arrangement of the cocking piece for effecting the adjustment of the pull
off and the maintenance of same, is capable of adaptation to the cocking pieces.
of other rifles and guns of this class as at present made and used, and I reserve to
myself the right of such adaptation.
The bolt K, and the whole of its attachments, can be entirely removed from the
shoe C in a moment, and carried in the pocket if desired, thereby permitting the
rifleman, sportsman, gamekeeper or other person in charge of the gun, to leave
the stock and barrel behind without fear of accident occurring to any inexperienced
or unauthorized person who might handle the same in his absence.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. In the construction and manufacture of guns and rifles for sporting or
military purposes, the herein described combination of parts, connected and
operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth, and shewn by the
accompanying drawings.
2nd. In an improved rifle or gun for military or sporting purposes, the combi-
nation of a stock A in one piece, arranged to receive and hold a barrel B, screwed
or otherwise connected to a grooved shoe C, the latter being provided with lips or

page_text: projections E and E', spring studs I c and Je, and vertical plunger or tumbler G,
the latter being retained in its highest position therein by the tension of any
suitable spring, such as shewn by a, and having at its lower end a rim or
projection a', with which permanently engages the lever 6 of a trigger H,
the hollow bolt K, arranged to slide in the groove of C, and provided with a
locking projection L and locking arm M, and carrying internally a striker f,
surrounded by a spiral spring g', and connected to, or formed integrally with a heel
or cocking piece P, with rim or its equivalent finger hold ;, and provided with
grooves n for engaging with a stud c upon the spring I, and operating in conjunction
with a graduated annular recess p in the front of P, and the bent p' of G, for
adjusting and maintaining at will the pall off of the rifle or gun, and the method
of indicating the tension of said pull off by means of numerals upon j, the
nosing N fixed upon or formed integrally with K, operating as a guide for the
striker f, and formed at N¹ to receive, hold, and permit a spring like action in
the extractor O, for engaging automatically with the rim of the cartridge g during
the cocking of the gun or rifle, and automatically extracting same during the
reloading thereof, the whole connected and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In an improved rifle or gun for sporting or military purposes, such as that
set forth in the preceding clain, or others of its class, the combination therewith
and application thereto of a spring J carrying a stud e, for ensuring the perfect
locking of the bolt before firing, as a preventative against the unlocking of bolt by
recoil, substantially as herein described and shewn.
4th. In combination with the improved gun or rifle set forth in the second claim
hereof, and others of the same class, the application thereto of a cocking piece P,
having grooves n, engaging with a spring stud I c, and provided with a graduated
annular recess p, operating in conjunction with the bent p', for adjusting and
maintaining at will the " pull off" of the gun or rifle, and the manner of indicating
same upon the finger hold j, substantially as herein described and shewn by the
accompanying drawings, more particularly by that of Figs. 17 and 18.
Dated this 7th day of April 1894.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Building, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.