IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

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 22nd November 1867, and dated the 12th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th September 1867.
1, 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 consists in constructing and arranging the parts of
breech-loading fire-ärms in the manner herein-after described, whereby the
opening of the breech, the withdrawal of the case of the exploded cartridge,
and the cocking of the hammer are effected at one operation.
My Invention is especially applicable to central-fire guns, but may also be
applied to guns in which the firing is not central. I close the breech of the "

page_text: gun by means of a closing block hinged to the side of the shoe or open
breech chamber, and capable by turning upon its hinge of being shut down
into or raised from the said breech chamber; a spring acting on the joint of
the closing block lifts it from the breech chamber, and supports it in its raised
position when the said block is at liberty to move. The hammer is situated
on the under side of the barrel, and on its liberation by pressure upon the
trigger is urged upwards and made to strike the striker and discharge the
cartridge. The arrangement of the hammer and mainspring resembles that
described and represented in the Specification of a Patent granted to me,
dated the Twenty-second of December 1866, No. 3383. I do not however
limit myself to this arrangement of hammer and mainspring. On the centre on
which the hammer turns, is an arm or lever which works in a slot at the
back of the breech chamber. The top of this lever is provided with a comb
or thumb plate by which it is moved. A spring presses the said lever into its
raised position; a projection on the front of this lever projects over the breech
block when the latter is shut down, and fixes it in its place during discharge.
On shutting down the breech block it presses upon the inclined upper side
of the said projection, and forcing it back causes it to snap over the said
block and bolt it down. When the said arm or lever is depressed it bears
against the front of the hammer and carries the hammer down until it reaches
its cocked position.
The cartridge case extractor consists of a bar sliding in a slot in the breech
chamber. The said bar carries at its front a book against which the rim of
the cartridge bears, and at its rear end engages with the lever described.
When the said lever is drawn back it draws back the extractor, and when the
said lever advances the extractor moves forward.
The action of the gun is as follows:-In order to charge the gun the lever
is pulled back by pressing the thumb upon its comb; the block being
liberated is thrown up into its raised position by its spring. The depressing
of the lever has at the same time withdrawn the extractor and brought into
the breech chamber the case of the exploded cartridge, should there have been
such a one in the barrel. The lever has also in its descending motion
depressed and cocked the hammer. Immediately after the lever has been
depressed and has effected the operations described the thumb may be removed
from it, when it returns by the action of its spring, the projection on its front
coming over the rear end of the breech chamber; the exploded cartridge
case (should there be one) is removed from the breech chamber and a
cartridge introduced; the breech block is shut down, and the projection on
the front of the lever snaps over it and fixes it down. The gun is now ready

page_text: for discharge. In order the more certainly to secure the raising of the closing
block on the drawing back of the lever the lever spring is made to bear
against a pin which passes through the breech chamber. By the operation"
of the said spring the breech block is started from its depressed position with
great force on drawing back the lever. Instead of making the lever depress
the hammer to full-cock it may be made to depress it only to half-cock the
hammer in this case is provided with a comb or plate by which it can be
brought to full-cock by the application of the thumb.
The cocking of the hammer, the releasing of the closing block, and the
working of the cartridge case extractor may be effected by means of a spring
sliding bolt working on the side of the breech chamber instead of by the
lever described. Slight niodifications are required to adapt the several parts
to the said sliding bolt. I prefer however to employ the lever described.
The arrangement of parts described may also be applied to guns in which
the closing block is hinged to the open breech end of the barrel.
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 11th March 1868.
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 Twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first 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 aud
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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the con-
dition (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 bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of

page_text: 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 consists in constructing and arranging the parts of breech-
loading fire-arms in the manner herein-after described, whereby the opening
of the breech, the withdrawal of the case of the exploded cartridge, and the
cocking of the hammer are effected at one operation.
My Invention is especially applicable to central-fire guns, but may also be
applied to guns in which the firing is not central. I close the breech of the
gun by means of a closing block hinged to the side of the shoe or open breech
chamber, and capable by turning upon its hinge of being shut down into or
raised from the said breech chamber. A spring acting on the joint of the
closing block lifts it from the breech chamber and supports it in its raised
position when the said block is at liberty to move. The hammer is jointed
on the under side of the barrel, and on its liberation by pressure upon
the trigger is forced upwards and made to strike the striker and discharge
the cartridge. The arrangement of the hammer and mainspring resembles
that described and represented in the Specification of a Patent granted to
me, dated the Twenty-second of December 1866, No. 3383.
I do not
however limit myself to this arrangement of hammer and mainspring. On
the centre on which the hammer turns is an arm or lever which works in a
slot at the back of the breech chamber. The top of this lever is provided
with a comb or thumb plate by which it is moved. A spring presses the said
lever into its raised or original position; a projection on the front of this lever
projects over the breech block when the latter is shut down, and fixes it in its
place during discharge. On shutting down the breech block it presses
upon the inclined upper side of the said projection, and forcing it back causes
it to snap over the said block and bolt it down. When the said arm or lever
is depressed it bears against the front of the hammer, and carries the hammer
down until it reaches its cocked position. The cartridge case extractor
consists of a bar sliding in a slot in the breech chamber. The said bar carries
at its front a hook, against which the rim of the cartridge. bears, and at
its rear end engages with the lever described. When the said lever is drawn
back it draws back the extractor, and when the said lever advances the
extractor moves forward.

page_text: The action of the gun is as follows:-In order to charge the gun the
lever is pulled back by pressing the thumb upon its comb; the block being
liberated is thrown up into its raised position by its spring; the depressing
of the lever has at the same time withdrawn the extractor and brought into the
breech chamber the case of the exploded cartridge, should there have been
such a one in the barrel. The lever has also in its descending motion
depressed and cocked the hammer. Immediately after the lever has been
depressed and has effected the operations described the thumb, may be
removed from it when it returns by the action of its spring, the projection on
its front coming over the rear end of the breech chamber. The exploded
cartridge case (should there be one) is removed from the breech chamber
and a cartridge introduced; the breech block is shut down, and the projection
on the front of the lever snaps over it and fixes it down; the gun is now
ready for discharge. In order the more certainly to secure the raising of the
closing block on the drawing back of the lever the lever spring is made to
bear against a pin which passes through the breech chamber. By the
operation of the said spring the breech block is started from its depressed
position with great force on drawing back the lever. Instead of making the
lever depress the hammer to full-cock it may be made to depress it only to
half-cock; the hammer in this case is provided with a comb or plate by
which it can be brought to full-cock by the application of the .thumb. The
cocking of the hammer, the releasing of the closing block, and the working
of the cartridge case extractor may be effected by means of a spring sliding
bolt working on the side of the breech chamber instead of by the lever
described. Slight modifications only are required to adapt the several parts
to the said sliding bolt; I prefer, however, to employ the lever described.
The arrangement of parts described may also be applied to guns in which the
closing block is hinged to the open breech end of the barrel.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in plan, the breech
end of a breech-loading gun constructed according to my Invention, the
breech block being shut down and the parts of the gun being in position for
discharge; Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal vertical sections of the gun (a
portion being omitted in Figure 4); Figure 5. is a side elevation of the
breech end of the gun separated from the stock; Figures 6 and. 7 are
transverse sections of the gun, Figure 6 representing the block closed, and
Figure 7 the block open; Figure 8 represents a longitudinal section of

page_text: Figure 5 without the breech block, and Figures 9, 10, and 11 are parts of
the gun. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1
to 11 both inclusive.
.
a is the shoe or breech chamber at the rear end of the barrel b, and c is
the breech block hinged or jointed at c² to the side of the said breech chamber.
By turning the block c upon its joint it is capable of being shut down into
or raised from the breech chamber. In the said block is the striker d by
which the cartridge is discharged. The said block c is jointed to the side of
the breech chamber by the knuckle e, the under side of which knuckle is
shaped in the manner best seen in Figures 6 and 7. A spring or spring
lever ff, is fixed to the side of the breech chamber in the manner seen in
Figure 5. The free end f2 of the said spring lever f is bent at right angles
to the other part, and the top of the said part f bears upon the knuckle e
at e². When the block c is at liberty to move the said spring lever f. f³,
lifts it from the breech chamber a and also supports it in its raised position.
By an examination of Figures 6 and 7 the manner in which the spring
lever operates upon the knuckle e and raises and supports the breech block
will be readily understood. 9 is the hammer of the gun turning on the pin
or centre g², and urged upwards to strike the striker d and discharge the
cartridge by means of the mainspring i. An arm on the hammer g carries
a small roller g³ against which the free end of the spring i bears. The upper
side of the trigger k bears upon the under side of the hammer g, when the
hammer g is cocked or depressed in the manner herein-after described it is
retained in that position by the roller g³ on its arm being advanced so far
under the mainspring i that the said spring no longer tends to give the said
hammer motion on the pin or centre g². By pressing upon the trigger k
the hammer g is slightly raised, and by the changed position of the roller g³
and arm carrying it with respect to the mainspring i the said spring i raises
the said hammer and causes it to discharge the gun. The trigger k may be
dispensed with and the tail of the hammer g lengthened so as to project from
the body of the gun. In this case the finger may be applied directly to the
tail of the hammer g for the purpose of discharging the gun; or instead of the
trigger a pin passing through the side of the gun and inclined on its upper side
may be made to raise the hammer and discharge the gun. Although where
a full-cock action of the hammer is required I prefer to use the arrangement
of the hammer and mainspring described and represented, yet I do not
limit myself to the said arrangement of the hammer and mainspring. On
the centre g³ on which the hammer g turns is an arm or lever 7 working in a
slot m at the back of the breech chamber a, the top of the said lever lis

page_text: provided with a comb or thumb plate by which it is moved. A spring n
acting against the tail of the said lever presses the said lever into its raised
1
position, as represented in Figure 3. In Figure 4 the lever is omitted in
order the better to exhibit the position of the cocked hammer g. The hammer g
is shown separately in Figure 10, and the arm or lever is shown separately
in Figure 9. A projection is made in front of the thumb plate 12 of the
lever for the purpose of fixing the breech block c in its place during the
discharge of the gun. After the block c has been raised from the breech
chamber a the projection occupies the position represented in Figures 1, 2,
3, and 5, and on the shutting down of the block c the curved or inclined end
of the projection c* of the block c presses upon the inclined upper side of the
projection 1, and forcing it back causes it to snap over the said block and
bolt the said block down. The hammer g is provided with a pin g' which
enters the recess at in the lever 1, when the latter acts upon the said
hammer. When the said lever is depressed by its thumb plate its bears
against the pin g* on the hammer g and carries the hammer down until it
reaches its cocked position, in which position it is retained by the main-
spring i, as herein-before explained. On loosing the lever it is returned to
its raised position by the action of the spring n leaving the hammer in its
cocked position. When the lever is raised the slot at me in which it works
is closed by the curved upper side of the said lever (see the Plan, Figure 2).
p is the cartridge case extractor working in a slot in the side of the breech
chamber a opposite that at which the breech block is jointed. The bar of the
extractor has a hook på at its front end and a plate p³ at its rear end; the
said plate ps is provided with a curved slot p', in which slot a pin q on the
lever works. The extractor is shown separately in Figure 11, and its position
in the gun is best seen in Figure 8. When the lever l is depressed to open
and cock the gun the pin q traverses the nearly horizontal part of the slot p*
without operating upon the extractor. When however the lever is depressed
sufficiently low to permit of the liberation of the block c the further motion
of the said lever carries the pin 9 into the nearly vertical part of the slot p
and the said pin now draws back the extractor p. On the return of the
lever to its raised position the hook of the extractor is advanced to its place
in the barrel by the action of the pin q and slot p*.
The action of the gun is as follows:-The parts of the gun being in the
relative positions represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the gun is ready to be
discharged. On pressing upon the trigger k the hammer g is forced upwards
by the action of its spring i, and the heads of the said hammer passing

page_text: through the hole t in the rear end of the breech chamber a strikes upon the
rear end of the striker d in the block.c and causes the front end of the said
striker to explode the cartridge h and discharge the gun. In order to recharge
the gun the lever is pulled back by pressing the. thumb upon its comb ;
the breech block being liberated is thrown up and maintained in its raised
position, as represented in Figure 7, by the action of the spring lever f, f
The depressing of the lever 7 has at the same time by the action of the pin q
and slot p withdrawn the extractor p and brought into the breech chamber a
from the barrel b. the case of the exploded cartridge. The said. lever has
also in its descending motion depressed and cocked the hammer g; immediately
after the lever 7 has been depressed and has effected the operations described
the thumb may be removed from it, when it returns by the action of the spring
n to the position represented in the Drawings, the projection of the said
lever coming over the rear end of the open breech chamber. The exploded
cartridge case is now removed from the breech chamber a and a fresh cartridge
is introduced into the barrel; the breech block c is now shut down by its
handle or thumb plate c³, the said block pressing back in its motion the
projection on the level 1. When the block has been completely shut down
the said projection / snaps over the block c and securely fixes it down; the
gun is now ready to be discharged, as illustrated in the Drawings.
The gun may be provided with mechanism for starting the breech block on
the drawing back of the lever 7. This arrangement of my Invention is repre-
sented in connection with the gun shown in Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17,
Figure 13 representing a side elevation of the gun (without the stock);
Figure 14, a transverse vertical section of the same; Figure 15, the cocking
lever; Figure 16, the hammer; and Figure 17 the lever and hammer combined
Near the free end of the spring n which raises the lever la pin n² is connected
in the manner shown in the cross section Figure 14. The upper end of the
pin n³ passes through and works in a hole at a in the bottom of the breech
chamber a, and when the breech block c is in its place bears upon the under
side of the said block; as the lever is drawn back to open the breech the
spring n is raised and brought into a state of tension. The pin n² carried by
the said spring is consequently raised and made, to bear with great force
upon the block c and start the said block c from the breech chamber a; as
the lever is raised by the spring n the said spring descends, carrying with it
the pin n² to the position represented in the Drawing. The bottom of the
breech block c is cut away to permit it to shut down without interfering with
the projecting upper end of the said pin n³. In this arrangement the lever

page_text: has a projection formed upon it, which when the said lever is depressed
strikes against the face of the hammer g and carries the said hammer down to
its cocked position:
.. 1
Figure 18 represents partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal
vertical section another gun containing, my improvements, in which said gun
the hammer is provided with half-cock mechanism; Figure 19 is an elevation
of the same (without the stock), taken from the opposite side of the gun to
that at which the elevation of Figure 18 is taken; Figure 20 represents the
lever separately, Figure 21 the hammer separately, and Figure 22: the
cartridge case extractor separately. In addition to the half-cock mechanism
the arrangements for actuating the cartridge case extractor and for raising the
breech block are different in Figures 18 and 19 from those represented in
Figures 1 to 11 of the Drawings.
:
;
is the lever for holding down the breech block, for depressing the
hammer 9, and for actuating the extractor p; n is the spring for raising the
said lever. The hammer g is furnished with mechanism similar to that of
the hammer or cock of an ordinary gun, that is to say, the tumbler of the
said hammer g is furnished with half-cock and full-cock bents at u, and also
with a sear v for engaging with one or other of the said bents. w is the sear
spring. The said sear turns on the side of the breech chamber, and its
longer arm is acted upon by the trigger k in the ordinary way. The main-
spring i of the hammer is connected to the said hammer by the ordinary link i².
The hammer g has a comb g' for bringing it to full-cock by the thumb. In
this arrangement both the lever and hammer 9 project through the slot
behind the breech chamber, as represented in Figures 18 and 19. After the
discharge of the gun and on depressing the lever the said lever carries down
in the manner herein-before explained the hammer g, the sear v falling into
the half-cock bent at u in the tumbler of the hammer, and holding the said
hammer in its half-cocked position. The gun having been reloaded and the
breech block bolted down the hammer g is brought to full-cock by pressure on the
comb 9 of the said hammer when the gun may be discharged by pulling the
trigger k. In this arrangement the front end p³ of the extractor p is turned
at right angles to the other part, and the said part p³ is operated upon by
ineans of a fixed arm a and study on the lever 1; on depressing the lever l
to open the breech chamber the fixed arm a acts against the part ps and
withdraws the cartridge case extractor p, and when the lever is raised the
said extractor p is returned to its place by means of the stud y acting against
the said part ps, as will be understood by an examination of Figure 18.
}

page_text: Instead of employing a spring lever for acting against the knuckle e of the
breech block ca double spring of the kind represented in Figure 19 and
marked 2 may be used. In this case the free end of the said spring 2 is
connected with a sliding bar 3 working in a slot in the breech chamber, the
upper end of the said bar 3 acting upon the knuckle of the block c in the
manner herein-before described with respect to the spring arm or lever f, f;
the parts of the gun, Figures 18 and 19, which I have not described are
marked with the same letters as corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 11.
Instead of placing the lever by which the breech block is held down, the
hammer cocked, and the cartridge case extractor worked at the back of the
breech chamber, as in the several arrangements herein-before described, the
said lever may be placed outside the gun in the position usually occupied by
an ordinary cock or hammer.
gun.
This arrangement of my Invention is represented in Figures 23, 24, 25, 26
and 27 of the Drawings; Figure 23 representing a side elevation of the gun;
Figure 24, the same, partly in section, without the stock; and Figures 25, 26,
and 27, parts of the same. g is the hammer of the gun of the kind herein-before
described turning on the pin or centre g³ carried by bearings on the under side
of the breech chamber; is the lever situated at the side of the gun by which
the bicck c is held down, the hammer g cocked, and the extractor h worked.
The said lever 1 turns in the plate m, which plate is fixed to the stock of the
On the axis of the lever and situated on the inner side of the plate m
is a forked arm n. The return motion of the lever 1 and arm n is effected by
the spring p bearing against the tail of the said arm n, as seen in the separate
view, Figure 25. A bole n² is made in the forked arm n which fits loosely
upon the pin or axis 92 of the hammer g; also turning loosely upon the axis
9² of the hammer g is a second arm 9 (shown separately in Figure 27). The
said arm q is provided with three projections r, s, 't, with the projection r the
fork of the arm n of the lever 7 engages, and thereby on the motion of the said
lever gives a corresponding motion to the loose arm g. The projections of
the arm q engages between the fork h² of the extractor h (shown separately in
Figure 26), and the projection t of the said arm 9 bears in front of the
hammer g. Ou pulling back the lever the forked arm n gives motion to the
loose arm g, which latter arm by means of its projections s, t, depresses and
cocks the hammer g and withdraws the cartridge case extractor h. On
loosing the lever it is raised by the spring p, and the cartridge case extractor
is at the same time pushed back by the arms acting upon the opposite side of
the fork of the said extractor.

page_text: As the hammer of the gun is concealed I provide the said gun with an
indicator by means of which the position of the hammer is readily ascertained.
This indicator consists of a small rod u sliding radially in a slot at v made in
the side of the breech chamber, a spring w acting on a pin or projection on the
said rod pressing it towards the hammer 9. The edge or periphery of the
bammer g is excentric to the axis 93 on which it turns, so that when the
hammer is cocked the said excentric edge bears upon the rod and projects it
outwards, as indicated in dotted lines, and thus indicates that the hammer is
cocked. On the discharge of the gun the indicator u is returned to the
position represented by the action of the spring w. The indicator described
and represented may be applied to the guns previously described, and the said
indicator may be employed for discharging the gun by giving it a position
more nearly horizontal than that represented. By making a shoulder at the
back of the head of the hammer, against which' the end of the indicator abuts,
pressure on the said indicator causes it to start the hammer and thereby to
discharge the gun.
.
Figure 28 represents in side elevation, Figure 29 in plan, and Figure 30
in horizontal section a breech-loading gun constructed according to my
Invention in which a spring sliding bolt is employed to release the breech
block, actuate the cartridge case extractor, and cock the hammer; Figure 31
represents the sliding bolt separately; and Figure 32 represents the extractor
separately. a is the breech chamber; 6, the barrel; and c, the hinged breech
block ;9 is the hammer of the gun of the kind herein-before described; h is the
sliding bolt at the side of the gun, the said bolt being urged towards the
muzzle end of the gun by the coiled spring i. A sliding motion in the opposite
direction is given to the said bolt by means of the handle h2, and the motion of
the bolt is limited by the pin k and slot ; on the side of
is a hooked projection m, and on the bolt h is a hook n.
is shut down the bolt his pressed back and its hook n
that of the projection m, and thereby securely hold down the said block, as
illustrated in the Drawing; p is the cartridge case extractor working in a slot g
in the breech chamber. The plate of the extractor p works in a slot r made
in the inner side of the sliding bolt h. Near the rear end of the sliding bolt h is
a projection h³, and on the hammer g is a stud 9. When the gun
5. is required to be loaded the bolt h is pulled by its handle h towards the butt
end of the gun. By the sliding of the bolt h its hook n is withdrawn from
the hooked projection m, when the block c is raised by the action of its spring
assisted by the pressure of the roller h of the sliding bolt upon the inclined
the breech block c
When the block c
made to snap upon

page_text: side of the projection m. The sliding of the bolt h also cocks the hammer g
by the projection h³ of the said bolt bearing against the stud 92. The sliding
of the bolt h finally withdraws the cartridge case extractor. p, the motion of the
extractor being effected by the end of the slot r in which the extractor plate
works coming against the said extractor plate. On releasing the bolt h after
it has effected the operations described it is returned to its normal position by
the action of the coiled spring i, in doing which the opposite end of the slot r
bears against the opposite end of the extractor plate and pushes the extractor
to its place at the mouth of the barrel, as illustrated in the Drawing.
The various lock actions herein-before described may be applied to guns in
which the closing block is hinged to the open breech end of the barrel instead
of to the side of the breech chamber or shoe, and the said lock actions may also
be applied to double-barrel breech-loading guns and pistols as well as to single
breech-loading guns and pistols; and to breech-loading fire-arms in which the
breech is opened and closed in ways different from that herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
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 described and illustrated, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my
Invention,
Firstly. The several arrangements or combinations of the parts of breech-
loading fire-arms substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, whereby the opening of the breech, the withdrawal of
the case of the exploded cartridge, and the cocking of the hammer are effected
at one operation, whether the hammer be brought to full-cock or to half-cock.
Also the application of the lock actions to breech-loading double-barrelled
fire-arms, and to breech-loading fire-arms in which the breech is opened in ways
other than that herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. Lifting the hinged breech blocks of breech-loading fire-arms from
the breech chambers or shoes of the said fire-arms, and supporting the said
blocks in their raised position by means of a spring or spring lever arranged
and operating upon the joint of the block, substantially in the manner berein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. Fixing the breech or closing block in its place during the discharge
of the
gun by means of the lever or bolt which cocks the hammer and works
the cartridge case extractor substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Fourthly. The arrangement or combination of parts described and illustrated
n the accompanying Drawings for starting the breech block from the breech
hamber or shoe on releasing the said block.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER. (L.S.)