Improvements in Break-down Guns, Rifles, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left 11th Feb. 1895-4ccepted. 16th Mar. 1895
Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left 11th Feb. 1895-Accented. 16th Mar.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Break-down Guns, Rifles, and the like.
We, HENRY ALFRED ALEXANDER THORN, trading as Charles Lancaster,
of 151, New Bond Street, Guninaker, and WILLIAM FREDERICK WILKINSON,
of 41, Upper Kennington Lane, Gun-action Filer, both in the County of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to guns, rifles and the like and especially to guns of the
kind having a flat spring-lever pivotted at the front end of the action at or near the
knuckle joint.
Hitherto such flat spring-lever has had a projection extending into a slot in
the "fore-end in such a manner that when the barrel is tilted the hammer will be
cocked.
This arrangement for cocking the hammer limits the extent to which the barrel
can be tilted and necessitates the very accurate timing of ejecting mechanism
relatively with the drop in order to prevent the ejected cartridge case being
obstructed by the top of the breech.
According to this invention the flat spring-lever does not project into the fore-
end (which can thus be made solid so that possesses greater strength than when
slotted) but is provided with a curved surface the curvature of which corresponds
with the curvature of the knuckle joint, the said spring-lever being so pivotted that
its curved surface is at one side capable of projecting above the surface of the
knuckle joint into a slight depression in the fore end but is partially rotated by the.
action of the fore end upon its pivot when tilting the barrels and remains in this
position while the barrels are being tilted to the required extent without further
actuating the spring-lever thus obviating the necessity for providing for an
excessive overdraft of the tumbler.
In the curved surface of the fore end a concave pin can be used or a piece of steel
can be dovetailed to form a bearing surface.
Dated thin 11th don of Ån 1901
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Break-down Guns, Rifles, and the like.
We, HENRY ALFRED ALEXANDER THORN, trading as Charles Lancaster,
of 151, New Bond Street, Gunmaker, and WILLIAM FREDERICK WILKINSON,
of 41, Upper Kennington Lane, Gun-action Filer, both in the County of London,
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:-
This invention relates to guns, rifles and the like and especially to guns of the
kind having a main spring in the form of a flat spring-lever pivotted at the front
end of the action at or near the knuckle joint.

page_text: Hitherto such flat spring-lever has had a projection extending into a slot in
the "fore-end" in such a manner that when the barrel is tilted the hammer will be
cocked by the impingement of the barrel against the projecting end.
This arrangement for cocking the hammer limits the extent to which the barrel
can be tilted and necessitates the very accurate timing of the ejecting mechanisin
relatively with the drop in order to prevent the ejected cartridge case being
obstructed by the top of the breech.
According to this invention the flat spring-lever does not project through the
fore-end (which can thus be made solid so that it possesses greater strength than
when slotted) but is provided with a curved surface the curvature of which
approximately corresponds with the curvature of the joint surface of the fore-end,
the said spring-lever being so pivotted that its curved surface is at one side of its
pivot capable of projecting beyond the surface of the knuckle joint into a slight
depression in the fore end but is partially rotated upon its pivot by the action of the
fore-end when tilting the barrels and remains in this position while the barrels are
being tilted to the required extent without further actuating the spring-lever thus
obviating the necessity for providing for an excessive overdraught of the
tumbler.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of a fire-arm as is necessary to
illustrate our invention, the parts being shewn with the breech closed and the
hammer cocked; and;
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but shewing the position of the parts when
the breech is opened:
Figure 3 is a view of the main spring detached :
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrating a
modification of our invention; and,
'
Figure 7 is a view of a spring illustrating another slight modification.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts in the several
figures.
I
a indicates the barrel, 6 the fore-end, c the cross pin of the knuckle joint, d the
hammer, e the sear, and the main spring. By referring to Figures 1 to 3 it will
be observed that the rear end of the main spring f is curved to approximately
correspond with the curvature of the fore-end, a slight projection being formed at
which when the breech is closed lies in a corresponding depression g formed in the
fore-end, as shewn in Figure 1, the upper end of the curved end of the main spring
being out of contact with the fore-end to an extent approximately corresponding
with that to which the end f projects into the depression g.
When with this arrangement the barrel is dropped to open the breech and eject
the empty cartridge case, the part of the surface of the fore-end at i immediately
above the depression g acts against the part of the main spring which projects
into the said depression and slightly rotates the main spring on its pivot j, whereby
the free end of the said spring is moved sufficiently to cock the hammer d whilst the
barrel may be dropped to any extent without causing any further overdraught of
the hammer than is usual, the joint surface of the fore-end sliding over the part f
of the main spring, as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 2.
With the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 to 3 there is a very slight margin for
wear and tear of the parts, that is to say, if owing to continual use the barrels
should become slightly loose on the cross pin c or the curved surface of the end of
the main spring for the corresponding surface in the fore-end which comes in
contact with the main spring be worn, sufficient movement of the said main spring
might not be obtained in order to cock the hammer. In order to overcome this we
advantageously adopt the arrangement shewn in Figures 4, 5 and 6, that is to say,
we somewhat enlarge the projecting part of the main spring and correspondingly
enlarge the depression g in the fore-end and we also raise the pivot j of the main
spring more or less above the axis of the cross pin c; by which arrangement in

page_text: dropping the barrel we move the main spring to the position shewn in Figure 5, that
is a distance considerably in excess for that required for cocking the hammer.
In order that with this arrangement the bending of the main spring f (which
would take place when the barrels were opened unless an excessive overdraught of
the hammer were provided) shall be obviated, we cut away the part of the hammer
above the notch with which the said main spring engages as shewn at k, Figures 4
and 5, thus allowing the free end of the spring to move out of engagement with the
hammer.
In order to render a main spring of the kind described in the last modification as
"lively" as possible, we advantageously construct the same as shewn in Figure 7,
that is to say, we form a recess at I so as to carry the root of the spring as near as
possible to the fore end. The spring shewn in Figure 7 is adapted to be pivotted
immediately above the axis of the cross pin c.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a break-down gun, rifle or the like a main spring the rear end of which is
curved to approximately correspond with the curvature of the fore-end, a portion of
the curved surface of the said spring lying when the gun is closed in a corresponding
depression in the fore-end in such a manner that when the gun is opened, the
movement of the barrel, relatively with the body serves to push the said projecting
part of the main spring out of the said depression, substantially as described.
2. In a fire-arm in which the main spring is at one end shaped and adapted to
come into contact with an approximately corresponding surface on the fore-end,
pivotting the said main spring above the axis of the knuckle joint upon which the
barrels move, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
3. The manufacture and use of fire-arms having the main springs constructed,
arranged and operated to cock the hammer substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings
for the purpose specified.
G. F. REDFERN & Co..
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.