IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Rock Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 26th January 1866, and dated the 17th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th November 1865.
I, JOSEPH ROCK COOPER, 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:-
My Invention relates to such breech-loading fire-arms as have charge
chambers hinged or jointed to the breech end of the barrel, and consists of
the improvements herein-after described, whereby the loading and discharge
of the arm are rapidly effected and the case of the discharged cartridge rapidly
removed. The charge chamber, which is open at both ends, is hinged or
jointed to the open breech end of the barrel, and turns either in a vertical or

page_text: horizontal plane. When shut down in the position proper for firing, the said
charge chamber fits in a rectangular frame fixed to the breech end of the
barrel. In the end of the rectangular frame a quick-threaded screw works,
the end of the said screw engaging in the open free end of the charge chamber
and closing the said end when the said charge chamber is in the position
proper for firing. In the axis of the said screw is a hole in which a pin or
striker is supported by a spring, and on the discharge of the rifle the hammer
strikes the said pin or striker, and through it discharges the percussion cap in
the end of the cartridge. Near the free end of the charge chamber a lever
is jointed, which lever when the charge chamber is shut down lies flat upon
the said said chamber, the short end of the said lever bearing against the end
of the rectangular frame, into which the charge chamber shuts. By lifting
the longer arm of the said lever after the withdrawal of the screw which
closes the end of the charge chamber, the said charge chamber is moved out
of its position in a line with the barrel and can be turned back by the said
lever. On the outer side of the said lever and near its joint is a fixed rod or
projection, which when the longer arm of the lever is brought over the free
open end of the charge chamber enters the said end and releases the case
of the exploded cartridge, so that the said case may be pushed out by the
cartridge next introduced or be removed by hand. The length of the charge
chamber is somewhat less than that of the cartridge, so that when the
cartridge is pushed home in the charge chamber the fore end of its case
projects from the fore end of the said chamber, and when the said chamber is
shut down enters the breech end of the barrel. By this arrangement all
escape of gas is prevented on discharge, as the end of the cartridge case is on
discharge expanded in the breech end of the barrel. Instead of jointing the
charge chamber to the breech end of the barrel in the manner described, that
is to say, by its end, it may be jointed by its side to the rectangular frame, so
that on moving it out of the line of the barrel for the purpose of charging
its axis preserves its parallelism to that of the barrel. The arm or lever for
removing the cartridge case may be affixed to the barrel instead of to the
charge chamber, the said arm or lever being placed in such a position on the
barrel that when the charge chamber is thrown back the rod or projection on
the said lever may be made to enter the said end and release the cartridge
case. I do not limit myself to the closing of the open end of the charge
chamber by means of the screw described, nor to the method described
for discharging the rifle, as the said end may be closed by a wedge or other
closer, and the discharge be effected by an oblique or other striker.
The essence of my Invention consists in making a hinged charge chamber

page_text: open at both ends, and of such length that when the cartridge is pushed into
the chamber and the said chamber shut down the fore end of the cartridge
case projects from the fore end of the said chamber into the breech end of
the barrel; also in the arrangement of rod and lever described for releasing
the case of the discharged cartridge from the charge chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Rock Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROCK COOPER, 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 Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Rock Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Rock Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo
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 Joseph Rock Cooper, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to such breech-loading fire-arms as have charge

page_text: chambers hinged or jointed to the breech end of the barrel, and consists of
the improvements herein-after described, whereby the loading and discharge
of the arm are rapidly effected and the case of the discharged cartridge readily
removed. The charge chamber, which is open at both ends, is hinged or jointed
to the open breech end of the barrel, and turns either in a vertical or horizontal
plane. When shut down in the position proper for firing, the said charge
chamber fits in a rectangular frame fixed to the breech end of the barrel. In
the end of the rectangular frame a quick-threaded screw works, the end of
the said screw engaging in the open free end of the charge chamber and
closing the said end when the said charge chamber is in the position proper
for firing. In the axis of the said screw is a hole in which a pin or striker is
supported by a spring, and on the discharge of the rifle the hammer strikes
the said pin or striker, and through it discharges the percussion cap or primer
in the end of the cartridge. Near the free end of the charge chamber a
lever is jointed, which lever when the charge chamber is shut down lies flat
upon the said chamber, the short end of the said lever bearing against the
end of the rectangular frame, into which the charge chamber shuts. By
lifting the longer arm of the said lever after the withdrawal of the screw which
closes the end of the charge chamber, the said charge chamber is moved out
of its position in a line with the barrel and can be turned back by the said
lever. On the outer side of the said lever and near its joint is a fixed rod or
projection, which when the longer arm of the lever is brought over the free
open end of the charge chamber enters the said end and releases the case of
the exploded cartridge, so that the said case may be pushed out by the
cartridge next introduced or be removed by hand; or instead of the fixed
rod or projection described for pushing out the cartridge case, the end of the
lever may be curved so as to enable it to enter the open free end of the
charge chamber. The length of the charge chamber is somewhat less than
that of the cartridge, so that when the cartridge is pushed home in the charge
chamber the fore end of its case projects from the fore end of the said
chamber, and when the said chamber is shut down enters the breech end of
the barrel. By this arrangement all escape of gas is prevented on discharge,
as the end of the cartridge case is on discharge expended in the breech end
of the barrel. The arm or lever for removing the cartridge case may be
affixed to the barrel instead of to the charge chamber, the said arm or lever
being placed in such a position on the barrel that when the charge chamber
is thrown back the rod or projection on the said lever may be made to enter
the said end and release the cartridge case.
I do not limit myself to the closing of the open end of the charge chamber

page_text: y means of the screw described, nor to the method described for discharging
he rifle, as the said end may be closed by a wedge or other closer, and the
ischarge be effected by an oblique or other striker..
Having explained the nature of my Invention will proceed to describe
vith reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the
ame is to be performed..
Figure represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in plan, the breech
end of a breech-loading rifle constructed according to my Invention, the parts
being in the positions which they respectively assume after the rifle has been
discharged; Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the rifle (the
stock, hammer, and other parts being omitted), the parts being in position for
discharge; and Figure 4 is a plan of the rifle, the charge chamber being
turned back for the starting or removal of the exploded cartridge case from
the said chamber. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a is the charge chamber of the rifle open at both ends, and hinged or
jointed at b. to the open breech end of the barrel c, the said charge chamber
At the rear of the
turning in a vertical plane upon the said hinge or joint b.
barrel c is a chamber d, into which the charge chamber a enters when shut
down. In the end of the chamber d a quick-thread screw e works, the
end of the said screw engaging in the open free end of the charge chamber a,
and closing the said end when the charge chamber is in the position proper
for firing, as illustrated in Figure 8. The screw is turned by the thumb.
plate fon its end. In the axis of the screw is a hole in which a pin or
striker g (see Figure 3) is situated for discharging the rifle. The return.
motion of the said pin or striker after the rifle has been discharged and the
hammer raised to half-cock is effected by the coiled spring h. The motion
of the screw is limited by a spring stop i, which stop when the
been driven home springs into a hole in the said screw.
withdrawn one of its threads acting against the bevilled edge of the said
stop i presses it downwards, and thus permits the screw to be withdrawn. On
the side of the charge chamber a is an arm or lever k, k³, jointed at k³, near
the free end of the said chamber, the said arm or lever moving in a horizontal
plane. The said arm or lever k, k³, serves. both to raise and lower the charge
chamber, and to start or liberate the discharged cartridge case from the
chamber. When the charge chamber is shut down into a line with the
barrel c the arm or lever k, k, lies against the side of the chamber d, as
illustrated in the Drawing. The short arm k³ of the lever is curved, so that
when the charge chamber a is turned back upon the barrel in the manner
screw e has.
When the screw is.

page_text: represented in Figure 4, and the longer arm is raised or brought at right
angles to the barrel, the said curved arm k² enters the free end of the charge
chamber and pushes or starts the exploded case therefrom. The length of
the charge chamber a is somewhat less than that of the cartridge l, so that
when the said cartridge is pushed home in the charge chamber the fore end
of its case projects from the fore end of the said chamber, and when the said
chamber is shut down and fixed ready for firing enters the breech end of the
barrel c..
In charging the rifle preparatory to firing I proceed as follows:-The
charge chamber a being thrown back on to the top of the barrel c, I introduce
the cartridge into the said charge chamber at the open jointed end of the
chamber, the cartridge being introduced with its projectile outwards, its rear
end coming against a spring stop m. The charge chamber a is shut down
into the breech end d of the barrel c, the fore end of the case of the cartridge
entering the open end of the barrel c, and the end of the screw e is driven
into and made to close and hold down the said charge chamber, the end of
the screw pressing back the spring stop m. By the driving home of the
screw e the fore end of the cartridge is pushed further into the breech end
of the barrel c, as represented in Figure 3, and on the discharge of the rifle
the cartridge case is expanded in the said breech end, and thus all escape of
gas at the joint is prevented. When the parts of the rifle are in the
respective positions represented in Figure 3, the said rifle may be discharged
by the descent of the hammer n, the said hammer striking against the pin
or striker g, and the latter against the percussion cap or primer in the rear
of the cartridge . On the fall of the hammer n it bears upon the thumb
plate of the screw e, and holds down the said thumb plate during the
discharge of the rifle. After the discharge of the rifle the hammer n is
raised to half-cock, and the thumb plate f turned half a revolution, so as to
withdraw the screw e from the end of the charge chamber a.
The charge
chamber can now be raised from the chamber d, and thrown back on to the
top of the barrel c by means of the lever k, k³, as illustrated in Figure 4.
By raising the longer arm k of the lever k, k², from the side of the rifle, its
curved arm k³ is made to enter the charge chamber a, and push or start the
discharged cartridge case from the said chamber, as illustrated in the said
Figure 4. A fresh cartridge having been introduced into the charge chamber
the motions already described are repeated.
Figure 5 represents in side elevation, and Figure 6 in plan another arrange-
ment of my Invention, in which the charge chamber, open at both ends, is
jointed to the side of the breech frame or chamber instead of to the top, as

page_text: in the first-described arrangement; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the
same, the stock and other parts being omitted; Figure 8 is a plan of the
rifle after it has been discharged, and illustrates the manner in which
the discharged cartridge case is pushed or liberated from the charge chamber;"
and Figure 9 is a side elevation of the breech frame or chamber. The same
letters indicate the same parts in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
a is the barrel of the rifle, and 6 the breech frame, into which the charge
chamber c, open at both ends, is introduced for discharge, and from which it
is withdrawn for loading, the said charge chamber c turning in a horizontal'
plane upon the hinge or point cs at the side of the breech frame b. The breech
frame b is open on opposite sides, as best seen in Figure 9. d is a screw
passing through the rear of the breech frame b, which screw when driven'
home is made to close the free open end of the charge chamber c, and hold
it securely down during discharge. The screw d is turned by the thumb
plate d. Passing through the axis of the said screw d is a pin or striker e
(see Figure 7), for discharging the cartridge f in the charge chamber
c; the
said pin or striker e is constructed in the manner herein-before described'
with reference to the pin or striker of the rifle represented in Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4. The said pin or striker e is urged forward to discharge the cartridge f
by means of a pin or projection 9 on the hammer h, which projection on the
fall of the hammer enters the opening d³ in the thumb plate d', and pushes
forward the pin or striker, the said hammer at the same time holding down'
the thumb plate d³. The length of the charge chamber c is somewhat less
than that of the cartridge f, and the fore end of the said cartridge enters the
breech end of the barrel a, when the charge chamber is introduced into the
breech frame b, and is further pushed into the said breech end by the driving
home of the screw d, as herein-before explained with respect to the rifle first'
described; i,, is the arm or lever for operating the charge chamber c, and
for starting or releasing the exploded cartridge case from the said charge
chamber; the said lever turns on a joint at near the free end of the
charge chamber, and when the charge chamber is shut down lies flat upon
the said.chamber, the short end of the said lever bearing against the breech
frame b (see Figure 6). On the outer side of the lever and near its joint 2
is. a fixed rod or projection *, for releasing the exploded cartridge case. After
the discharge of the rifle, in order to extract or release the exploded cartridge
case from the charge chamber c for reloading, the hammer his raised to half
cock, and the screw ḍ turned so as to withdraw its end from the open end of
the charge chamber; this having been done, the arm or lever i, 2, is raised into
a position at right angles to the axis of the charge chamber, by which motion

page_text: the charge chamber is slightly withdrawn or lifted from the breech frame b
by the short arm of the said lever bearing upon the said breech frame.
By pulling the lever i the charge chamber c can be readily placed at right
angles to the breech frame b, as illustrated in Figure 8; the said charge
chamber being maintained firmly in the said position by a roller k, carried by
the free end of the spring 1, dropping behind the projecting fixed knuckle m
of the joint c. By now turning the lever i into a position parallel with tho
breech frame b, its fixed rod or projection is brought over and made to
enter the open free end of the charge chamber c, and partially push out or
liberate the discharged cartridge case f from the said charge chamber, as
illustrated in Figure 8, so that the said case may be pushed out by the
cartridge next introduced or be removed by hand. The cartridge case is
removed through the open sides of the breech frame b. The arm or lever
for removing the cartridge case may be affixed to the barrel instead of to the
charge chamber, the said arm or lever being placed in such a position on the
barrel that when the charge chamber is thrown back a rod or projection on
the said lever or the curved arm of the said lever may be made to enter the
said end and release the cartridge case. I do not limit myself to the closing
of the open end of the charge chamber by means of the screw described and
represented in the Drawings, nor to the method described for discharging
the rifle, as the said end may be closed by a wedge or other closer, and the
discharge be effected by an oblique or other striker.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in
the Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-
loading fire-arms,
Firstly, making such charge chambers of breech-loading fire-arms as are
hinged at one end to the open breech end of the barrel (or to a breech frame
attached to the barrel) open at both ends, and of such a length that on the
shutting down and closing of the charge chamber the fore end of the
cartridge shall be made to protrude from the said charge chamber into
the open breech end of the barrel, and thereby prevent the escape of gas a
the junction of the said charge chamber with the barrel, substantially in
the manner herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly, the arrangements of the parts of mechanism for operating the
said charge chambers, and starting or releasing the exploded cartridge case

page_text: from the said charge chambers, substantially in the manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER. (LS.)