AN TO HAMMERLESS GUNS WHICH MAY BE IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING APPLIED TO OTHER WEAPONS
Year: 1883

page_text: :
LETTERS PATENT to John Darby of Loveday St Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun furniture and safety-maker. for an Invention of "AN
TO HAMMERLESS GUNS WHICH MAY BE
IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING
APPLIED TO OTHER WEAPONS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Darby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd May 1883.
:
JOHN DARBY, of Loveday St, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
furniture and safety-maker, "AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING TO HAMMERLESS
GUNS WHICH MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER WEAPONS
"
This Invention bas reference to an improvement in or relating to hammerless
guns and also applicable to other such weapons: and the purpose of utility to which
the improvement has reference is to lock all parts of the "action" by a single
motion and thus to prevent the accidental discharge of the contents of the weapon.
The Invention is particularly applicable to guns of the hammerless class, in
which the action comprises a sliding bar; and according to the Invention there is
located at or towards the front end of the sliding bar a dual bolt, which partakes
of the motion with the bar. The bolt is made with two upward or outward
locking parts the shape of which may be varied, and the tumblers of the action are
formed with slots of corresponding shape.
S
To attain the object of the Invention, the sliding bar is actuated by usual means,
and its dual bolt caused to engage with the slotted tumblers, and securely lock the
same; the sliding bar simultaneously locks the triggers and sears :—and the parts
can only be released at the design of the user of the weapon.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Darby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd November
1883.
JOHN DARBY, of Loveday Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
furniture and safety Maker. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING TO HAMMERLESS
GUNS WHICH MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER WEAPONS
"
This Invention has reference to an improvement in or relating and applicable to
hammerless guns and fire arms, and the purpose of utility to which the improve-
ment has reference is to lock all parts of the action by a single motion, and thus to
prevent the accidental discharge of the contents of the weapon.
Two modifications of carrying the Invention into practical effect are illustrated
on the accompanying drawings, and will be hereinafter described as applied to a
gun of the hammerless class to which they are especially applicable.
The improved contrivance is carried by a bed or frame plate 1, which is screwed
or otherwise suitably secured to the trigger plate 2, In the modification illustrated
in Figs 1 to 3, the plate 1, is fitted with two sliding bolts 3, 4, which lock the
sears 5, 6, and extend forward as shown in Fig 3. into the tumblers 7, 8; the
bolt 3, is attached to the lower end of a lever 9, and has a lateral projection 10,
which engages within an opposite slot or opening 11, in the bolt 4. The slot 11,
is of longer extent than the projection 10, and allows of the bolt 3, being withdrawn
(by moving the slide 12, in the ordinary manner) from off the sear 5, it covers, and
out of the tumbler 7, it bolts (permitting only of the one barrel being fired)
without withdrawing the bolt 4, from off the sear 6, it covers, and out of the
tumbler 8, it bolts, and which parts are not released until a further movement of
the slide 12, causes the bolt 4, to be actuated with and carried along by the bolt 3,
when the second barrel can be fired.
When the gun is opened. for reloading, the bolts 3, 4, are acted upon in the
usual manner, but are arrested before reaching the sears and tumblers by a rod or
bar 13, (see Fig 4) which is in front of the bolts, and passes between the
triggers 14, to the back end of the bolt 15, in the breech piece 16, and when the
bolt 15, goes back into the breech, the bolts 3, 4, follow, and lock the sears and
tumblers. The arrangement of the bar 13, and bolts 3, 4, may be made to suit
any particular make of gun.
•
The lever 9, is centred on a stud 17, rising from the bed-plate 1, and extends
upwards engaging with the usual slide 12, carried by the strap 18; a lower part
of the lever is made V-shaped; and one or other of its V-faces rests on the
correspondingly formed free end of a spring 19, which is carried by the bedplate 1 ;
near the free end of the spring is a notch 20, into which the V-end of the lever 9,
snaps when the lever is only sufficiently moved to withdraw the bolt 3, from off
its sear, and out of its tumbler, the bolt 4, holding its sear and tumbler perfectly
safe until the lever :9, is further moved sufficiently to withdraw the bolt 4, also.
Thus both sears and tumblers can be automatically locked and unlocked by moving
the slide in the usual way, and the sear and tumbler bolts can be released or locked
both at once or one at a time.
According to another modification illustrated in Fig 5, three bolts 3, 4, 21, are
carried by the bed plate, the middle bolt 21, being attached to the lever 9, as
herein before described, and being acted upon in the same manner, but being solid
it is drawn off both sears by one moveinent. On each side of the bolt 21, the
bolts 3, 4, are placed, acting quite independently of each other, their rear ends are
formed of a reduced size (as is that of the bolt 4, in the preceding modification)

page_text: and pass through studs 22, on the plate 1, and are encircled by spiral springs 23,
which have a constant tendency to keep the bolts pressed forward over the
Bear tails.
When the gun is opened, all three of the bolts are acted upon by the intercepting
rod 13, which pushes them off the sears, to allow of the latter travelling in and out
of the tumbler bents.
When the gun is closed, the bolts go back and bolt the sears into the tumbler
bents.
When the slide 12, is moved forward, it withdraws the bolt 21, from off both of
the sears, leaving the bolts 3, 4, one over each sear until the trigger is pulled,
when the bolt is drawn, and by the same movement the one barrel is fired, the
other one being held safe until the other trigger is pulled, thus the bolts being
self-acting, the sears are always locked unless acted upon by the intercepting rod
or by pulling the triggers. The bolts 3, 4, and the bolt 21, can be used
independently of each other.
Amongst the advantages arising from the use of the present improvement, may
be mentioned that the contrivance can be modified and fitted to all finished guus
of whatever pattern they may be, that it requires less wood to be cut from the
stock than other devices for a similar purpose, and that by means of it one or both
of the safety bolts can be released or locked.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
The application to fire-arms of parts combined arranged and operating substan-.
tially as and for the purpose bereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
In Witness whereof, I, the said John Darby, have hereunto set my hand and
Seal, this 25th day of October in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
Witness
JOHN KENDRICK
Patent Agent
Broad St Corner
Birmingham
JOHN DARBY (LS.)