IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kerr, of 36, King William Street, in the City
of London, Gun Maker, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 26th May 1868, and dated the 19th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kerr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1867.
I, JAMES KERR, of 36, King William Street, in the City of London,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in that class of central-fire
breech-loading fire-arms constructed with a sliding plug or plunger, and known
as piston and cylinder breech-loading guns, and consists, firstly, in applying to
that construction of gun the ordinary gun lock so that wet or dirt is prevented
from getting into the action as is the case with the arrangement now in-
ordinary use. In my improved arrangement no slots or holes are required
to be made in the shoe or cylinder in which the plug or plunger slides for the
gun action the lock being embedded in the stock.
Secondly, this Invention relates to improvements in the striking pin of
central-fire arms of the before-mentioned construction, whereby a direct
action on the striking pin is obtained by the ordinary hammer and side lock,

page_text: and consists in constructing the pin in one or more parts. When two parts
are employed one works horizontally in the plug or bolt and the other obliquely
and bears at its lower end against the end of the horizontál pin so that by
the impact of the hammer on the oblique pin the firing of the gun is
effected.
This Invention relates, thirdly, to cartridge extractors employed with the
above-mentioned class of gun whereby the extractor remains stationary whilst
locking the breech or bolt. This is effected by forming the extractor with a
ring which is free to turn on the closing plug or bolt, the extractor being
prevented from turning with the plug, by a recess formed in the cylinder in
which the plug slides; by which arrangement the necessity for cutting a recess
in the rear of the barrel for the traverse of an extractor turning with the
plug is obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES KERR,
of 36, King William Street, in the City of London, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, 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 beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Kerr, Her special license that. I, the said James Kerr,
mny executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Kerr, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Kerr, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Kerr, 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 accompanying Drawings and to the.
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in that class of breech-.
loading fire-arms- constructed with a sliding plug or plunger and known as
piston and cylinder. breech-loading guns, and consists,
Firstly, in applying to that construction of gun the, ordinary gun lock and.
bammer so that all wet or dirt is prevented from getting into the action.. In
my improved arrangement no slots or holes for the lock action are required to
be made in the cylinder or in the plug or plunger..
Secondly, this Invention relates to improvements in the striking pin, of.
central-fire fire-arms of the before-mentioned construction, whereby a direct
action in the sliding pin. is obtained by the ordinary hammer and side lock,.,
and consists in constructing the pin in one or more parts. When constructed
in one part the entire pin works obliquely through the bolt, but when two.
parts are employed one works horizontally in the plug or bolt and the other.
obliquely, and bears at its lower end against the end of the horizontal pin, so
that by the impact of the hammer on the oblique pin the firing of the gun is.
effected..
This Invention relates, thirdly, to cartridge extractors employed with the;
above-mentioned class of gun whereby the extractor remains stationary whilst
turning the breech or bolt for the purpose of locking, or unlocking the saine..
This is effected by forming the extractor with a ring or portion of ring or
cross piece, which is free to turn on the closing plug or bolt, the extractor.
being prevented from turning with the plug by a recess or channel formed in
the cylinder in which the plug slides; by which arrangement the necessity for
cutting a recess in the rear of the barrel for the traverse of a fixed extractor
turning with the plug is obviated.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now..
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer
to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters. of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures..
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a side elevation of a portion of a gun
with my improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of
the same, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the sliding plug detached.
shewing the arrangement of the striking pin.
A is the hammer of an ordinary gun lock, which lock is fitted in the stock

page_text: in the usual way; B is the closing plug made to slide freely in the shoe C. In
this plug is arranged the striking pin or pins D and E. The pin D is arranged
to work horizontally in the plug B, and may be provided with a spring F
which bears at one end against the shoulder a formed on the pin D, whilst
the other end bears against the shoulder 6 formed in the closing plug. In
niy Drawing (Figure 3) I have shown the shoulder b as being formed in the
metal of the plug B itself, which is bored from the rear end and is then closed
by a screw plug 6', but if preferred the plug B may be bored from the front
end and a bush be inserted, such bush being drilled for the passage of the
striker and forms at the same time the shoulder for the spring to bear against.
In this modification the rear end of the plug B will be left solid. The
spring F tends always to prevent the pin D from projecting beyond the end
of the closing plug. The pin E is arranged to work in an oblique direction
in the closing plug and bears at its lower and inner end against the rear end
of the pin D, the upper end passing through the nipple c, through which
uipple it is made to project when the pressure of the hammer is removed by
the action of the spring F when the plug B is closed and is in a position for
firing as shown in Figure 1 of my Drawings, the projecting end of the pin E
will be in such a position as that when the hammer is released it will strike it
and by reason of the lower end thereof bearing against the end of the pin D
such pin will be forced into or against the priming of the cartridge and thus
discharge the gun.
d is an instrument for extracting the spent cartridge case from the barrel,
it consists of a thin strip of steel (see Figure 4) fitted into a longitudinal
recess formed in the closing plug B and having one end secured thereto by a
screw or otherwise. The free end of the strip e projects beyond the end of the
plug and is formed with a book which catches on to the metal rim of the
cartridge, so that on withdrawing the closing plug after having discharged
the gun the cartridge case will be drawn by it from the barrel and may be
entirely expelled by simply turning the gun over a little on one side. By
rounding or curving and inclining slightly the front face of the breech as
shown at the plug B when being unlocked tends to start or losen the
cartridge should it be found to fit the chamber lightly. A recess is formed
round the interior of the breech end of the barrel to enable the extractor to
turn with the plug when locking and unlocking the same.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 represent a modification of this cartridge extractor, the
strip of steel e in this arrangement in lieu of being fixed to the closing plug is
connected to or formed with a ring or portion of a ring or cross piece of
metal f, which cross piece is fitted to turn freely in a recess or groove 9 formed

page_text: round the whole or a portion of the body of the plug B, the strip e projects
above the surface of the plug and is prevented from turning therewith (when
locking and unlocking) by a longitudinal recess or groove h formed in the
shoe C, but is free to slide in such recess when the plug B is slid along the
shoe C in opening or closing the breech. A recess is formed in the interior
of the breech end of the barrel to admit the projecting hooked end of the
strip e, but as in this arrangement the extractor does not turn with the plug
this recess is not required to be so large as in the previously described
arrangement, and thereby a better support is afforded for the cartridge. i is
a safety stud or projection for the hammer to rest upon when the arm is
not required for immediate firing; and k is a screw which passes through a
portion of the trigger guard and through the stock and shoe, and enters a
groove in the plug B for the purpose of preventing it from falling out of its
place. By simply unscrewing this pin slightly the plug B is free to be removed
for cleaning or repairs.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,
First. The application and use to and in that class of guns herein-
before mentioned of the ordinary gun luck and hammer as herein-before
described.
Second. Constructing guns of the class herein-before mentioned with a
striking pin consisting of one or more parts arranged and operated substantially
in the manner herein-before described.
Third. The combination with the extractor d of the cross piece f
working in the groove 9 of the plug B, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Kerr, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JAMES KERR.
L.S.)