IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gordon, of Goswell Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Distiller, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gordon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th February 1869.
I, CHARLES GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Distiller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improved combinations and
arrangements of mechanism in the construction of breech-loading fire-
arms in which central-fire ammunition is employed.
The mechanism herein-after described may be inserted in and carried
by a "shoe" attached to the rear end of the barrel (a portion of which
has been previously removed), or the "shoe" may be dispensed with
and a portion of the rear end of the barrel removed for the admission of
the mechanism.

page_text: cr
The breech block is what may be termed a compound" breech
block, and consists of two parts, the forward portion, which may be
termed the "breech piece," being next the barrel when the breech
chamber is closed, and the rear portion, constituting the breech block
proper, filling up the remainder of the chamber. The breech piece and
breech block are respectively hinged to a transverse pin, and upon the
breech block being elevated towards the barrel by means of a lateral
projection at the hinder end thereof may be caused to traverse backwards
and forwards in the breech chamber. A loose striker is placed in the
centre of the breech piece, the same being of such a length that upon
the cartridge being inserted and the breech piece pushed up to the end
of the barrel (which is recessed for the admission of the cartridge head
as well understood) the rear end of the striker will project beyond the
back face of the breech piece into the end of the breech block which is
open. A crank-shaped piece of metal is mounted upon the before-
mentioned transverse hinge pin, one arm whereof fits into a recess
formed in the upper part of the breech piece and of the rear end of the
barrel, and is terminated by a projecting tooth which, upon the breech
piece being withdrawn, extracts the cartridge case. A stud or projection
is placed on the bottom of the chamber (which may be slightly
hollowed), against which the head of the cartridge case strikes upon
being withdrawn, the result being that the latter is ejected from the
chamber. The other arm of the crank-shaped piece rises vertically
from the breech and is slotted down the centre, thus serving the purpose
of a sight guide. The rear face of the last-mentioned arm is inclined 'or
curved from the bottom to the top thereof in a forward direction for the
purpose of enabling the gun to be cocked for firing, as herein-after
mentioned. The breech block is hollow and contains the discharging
mechanism. A partially hollow cylindrical striking bolt having a
solid face and a vertical projection at its forward end is placed in the
forward end of the hollow breech block. A notch or bent is formed at
the back of the projection for the reception of the tooth of the sear, as
herein-after mentioned. The hinder end of the discharging bolt is
recessed to admit the end of the helical spring herein-after mentioned.
At the rear end of the breech block chamber is placed a bolt over which
is passed a helical spring, and having on the rear end thereof a recess for
the reception of the trigger pin, as herein-after mentioned. The sear
consists of a bent piece of metal placed within the breech block chamber
over the before-mentioned mechanism, and mounted on a transverse pin,

page_text: upon which it works as upon a pivot. The forward end of the sear is
furnished with a tooth capable of taking into the notch or bent in the
discharging bolt. The rear end of the sear is provided with a bevilled
face which enters into a hollow formed in the head of the spring bolt for
its reception. The trigger pin is a bar which works through the breech
plate or tang, having at the rear end thereof a suitable head for the
purpose of receiving pressure, and which may be protected by a suitable
guard. The forward end of the trigger pin is cleft or divided for the
admission of the rear end of the sear, and entering the recess in the
head of the spring bolt forms a locking bolt to the breech block.
The mode of actuating the mechanism before described is as follows:-
Upon the breech block being elevated towards the barrel the vertical
projection at the end of the discharging bolt is carried up the inclined
or curved face of the sight guide, the helical spring being thereby
compressed and the bolt forced backward until the tooth of the sear
takes into the notch or bent on the discharging bolt and holds it in
position for firing. The breech piece is then returned to its normal
position and the breech block depressed, thus closing the chamber. The
gun is discharged by pressing the head of the trigger pin, whereby the
hinder end of the sear is depressed and the forward end thereof removed
from the notch or bent in the discharging bolt, which is then carried
forward by the action of the spring and impinges upon the loose striker
carried by the breech piece, which latter strikes upon the cap of the
cartridge and causes ignition. The cartridge case is then extracted by
elevating the breech block and drawing back the breech piece, when the
tooth on the crank-shaped piece acts upon the rim of the cartridge head
and withdraws the case from the barrel, as before mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Gordon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GORDON, of Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex, Distiller, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Gordon, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Gordon, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Gordon, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Gordon, 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 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 Charles Gordon, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the annexed Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improved combinations and
arrangements of mechanism in the construction of breech-loading fire-
arms in which central-fire ammunition is employed.
The mechanism herein-after described may be inserted in and carried
by a "shoe" attached to the rear end of the barrel (a portion of which is
previously removed for that purpose), or the "shoe" may be dispensed
with and a portion of the rear end of the barrel removed for the admission
of the mechanism.
The breech block is what may be termed a "compound" breech
block, and consists of two parts, the forward portion, which may, be
termed the "breech piece," being next the barrel when the breech
chamber is closed, and the rear portion, constituting the breech block
proper, filling up the remainder of the chamber. The breech piece and
the breech block are respectively binged to a transverse pin, and upon
the breech block being clevated towards the barrel by means of a lateral

page_text: projection at the hinder end thereof may be caused to traverse backwards
and forwards in the breech chamber. A loose striker is placed in the
centre of the breech piece, the same being of such a length that upon
the cartridge being inserted and the breech piece pushed up to the end
of the barrel (which is recessed for the admission of the cartridge head
as well understood) the rear end of the striker will project beyond the
back face of the breech piece into the end of the breech block which is
open. A crank-shaped piece of metal is mounted upon the before-
mentioned transverse hinge pin, one arm whereof fits into a recess formed
in the upper part of the breech piece and of the rear end of the barrel,
and is terminated by a projecting tooth which, upon the breech piece
being withdrawn towards the stock, extracts the cartridge case. A stud
or projection is placed on the bottom of the chamber (which may be
slightly hollowed), against which the head of the cartridge case strikes
upon being withdrawn, the result being that the latter is ejected from
the chamber. The other arm of the crank-shaped piece rises vertically
from the breech and is slotted or divided down the centre, thus serving
the purpose of a sight guide. The rear face of the last-mentioned arm
is inclined or curved from the bottom to the top thereof in a forward
direction for the purpose of enabling the gun to be cocked for firing, as
herein-after mentioned. The breech block is hollow and contains the
discharging mechanism. A partially hollow cylindrical striking bolt
having a solid face and a vertical projection at its forward end is placed
in the forward end of the hollow breech block. A notch or bent is
formed at the back of the projection for the reception of the tooth of the
sear, as herein-after mentioned. The hinder end of the discharging bolt
is recessed to admit the end of the helical spring herein-after mentioned.
At the rear end of the breech block chamber is placed a bolt over which
is passed a helical spring, and having on the rear end thereof a recess for
the reception of the trigger pin, as herein after mentioned. The sear
consists of a bent piece of metal placed within the breech block chamber
over the before-mentioned mechanism, and mounted on a transverse pin,
upon which it works as upon a pivot. The forward end of the sear is
furnished with a tooth capable of taking into the notch or bent in the
discharging bolt. The rear end of the sear is provided with a bevilled
face which enters into a hollow formed in the head of the spring bolt for
its reception. The trigger pin is a bar which works through the breech
plate or tang, having at the rear end thereof a suitable head for the
purpose of receiving pressure, and which may be protected by a suitable

page_text: guard. The forward end of the trigger pin enters the recess in the head
of the spring bolt and forms a locking bolt to the breech block.
A modification of the arrangements before described consists in dis-
pensing with the ordinary breech plate or tang, and employing in lieu
thereof a plate fixed to the rear end of the breech block and moving
therewith, and through which the trigger pin functions in a manner
similar to that before described. In this modification the trigger head
is placed within a bow or guard fixed at the rear end of the breech block,
and by which the latter is actuated instead of by means of a lateral pro-
jection as before mentioned. It will be observed that in this modification
none of the principles embraced by my said Invention as previously
described are departed from.
The mode of actuating the mechanism before described is as follows:
-Upon the breech block being elevated, either by means of the lateral
projection or of the bow or guard at the end thereof, as before mentioned,
towards the barrel the vertical projection at the end of the discharging
bolt is carried up the inclined or curved face of the sight guide, the
helical spring being thereby compressed and the bolt forced backwards
until the tooth of the sear takes into the notch or bent on the discharging
bolt and holds it in position for firing. The breech piece is then returned
to its normal position and the breech block depressed, thus closing the
chamber. The gun is discharged by pressing the head of the trigger
pin, whereby the hinder end of the sear is depressed and the forward
end thereof removed from the notch or bent in the discharging bolt,
which is then carried forward by the action of the spring and impinges
upon the loose striker carried by the breech piece, which latter strikes
upon
the cap
of the cartridge and causes ignition. The cartridge case is
then extracted by elevating the breech block and drawing back the same,
together with the breech piece, when the tooth on the crank-shaped
piece acts upon the rim of the cartridge head and withdraws the case
from the barrel, as before mentioned.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of the said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gun shewing the breech chamber
closed and ready for firing; Figure 2 is a side elevation in section
shewing the sear and discharging bolt in position for firing and the

page_text: locking apparatus and extractor; it will be observed that the trigger
is somewhat modified from the arrangement before described, but the
same principle of action is preserved; Figure 3 is a top view of the
breech mechanism shewing the side bar upon which the breech piece
slides; Figure 4 is a side elevation shewing the breech block raised
and the breech piece drawn back for the purpose of loading; Figure 5 is
a side elevation of the same shewing the breech piece pushed forwards
and the breech block ready to be shut down; Figure 6 is a side view of
the breech block and breech piece removed from the breech chamber
shewing the mode of cocking the gun; Figure 7 is an end view of the
same; Figure 8 is a top view of the last-mentioned parts, but not
cocked; Figure 9 is a side elevation of the same parts, and Figure 10
an end view; Figure 11 is the discharging bolt and cocking piece;
Figure 12 is an end view of the breech block shewing the discharging
bolt. In Figures 1, 2, and 4 a projection on the lower part of the breech
block is shewn which, when the latter is closed, passes through an opening
in the shoe or barrel and locks the breech block. A sliding plate may be
arranged to cover the upper part of the breech block. The same letters
of reference relate to similar parts in the several Figures.
A is the barrel; B, the breech block; C, the breech piece; c, the striking
piston which works through the latter; D is the crank piece, and d the
extractor; E is the discharging bolt, and e the helical spring by which
it is actuated; F is the sear; G, the trigger; H is a locking lump
attached to the bottom of the breech block and passing through an
aperture in the bottom of the shoe or barrel; g is a bolt which is placed
in the lump I and actuated by the lever g', the end of the bolt taking
into an aperture in the lump J formed for its reception and thus locking
the breech block; K is the bow or guard for the trigger and by which
the breech block is raised; L is the bar upon which the breech piece
slides.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in con-
clusion that I do not claim the several parts of the mechanism herein-
before mentioned separate and apart from each other as being of my
Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement
of parts and mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Gordon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUNT VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane.
CHARLES GORDON. (L.S.)