Improvements in the Breech Closing Mechanism of Quick Firing Guns.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech Closing Mechanism of
Quick Firing Guns.
I. HENRI SCHNEIDER of Le Creusot in the Republic of France Manufacturer
lo hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention relates to improvements in the breech closing mechanism of quick
firing guns. In working these guns it is sometimes very difficult to extract the
cartridge cases after firing; great force is often necessary and the firing is con-
sequently delayed and may even have to be suspended. The breech mechanism
according to this invention facilitates the extraction of the cartridge cases after
cach shot the operation being automatically performed by a powerful extractor
which acts with a sudden jerk as hereinafter 'described.
The
The breech closing mechanism comprises a breech screw with interrupted threads
divided in three equal sectors in the usual manner.
This screw is received on a
bracket or support and a hooked lever rigidly connects the bracket either to the
breech or to the breech screw. This lever is preferably arranged at the upper part
of the face of the breech the lower part being reserved for the extractor.
breech screw is worked by a hand lever carrying an excentric or catch which a
spring tends to force into a recess in the breech face in order to retain the breech
screw in position. The extractor is constituted by a triangular bar turned up at
the front to form a claw engaging with the rim of the cartridge case and provided
on one side with teeth forming a rack. This bar slides in a groove in the barrel
and in a guide bracket attached to the breech face. A stop screw on this bracket
limits the backward movement of the extractor. The breech screw is provided
with a spring bolt or tappet capable of engaging with a recess or projection on
the extractor bar. A screwed pin limits the movement of this tappet.
. When the breech is closed the claw of the extractor is engaged with the rim of the
metal cartridge case. On taking hold of the land lever in order to rotate or turn it
thro' one sixth of a revolution for the purpose of releasing the breech screw the
hand grasps at the same time 'the small lever connected to the eccentric or catch
hereinbefore referred to and moves it towards the handle thereby disengaging the
said catch and releasing the hand lever. After releasing the threads the breech
screw is drawn backwards out of the breech by pulling back the hand lever. This
causes the lever situated' over the breech screw to be disengaged from a catch on
the breech face and the other end of this lever engages with a recess in the breech
screw so as to connect it to the bracket at the same time as the striking tappet under
the breech screw engages in a recess in the extractor bar.
By now pulling the hand lever quickly the bracket and the screw are caused to
turn upon the hinge of the bracket and at the commencement of the rotation the
striking tappet is brought forcibly in contact with a projection on the extractor and
jerks the latter backwards; this jerk has the effect of loosening the metallic case
in the breech. The rotation of the bracket continuing the tappet draws back the
bar of the extractor and the rack teeth on the said bar which is afterwards engaged
then come in gear with a toothed quadrant on the bracket at the moment when it
is quitted by the tappet. The backward movement of the extractor thus continues
until the whole of the teeth of the quadrant have acted on the extractor. At this
moment the extractor is again released but it has been drawn back to such a distance
that the metallic case projects from the breech face to such an extent that it can be
readily removed by hand. The operator then removes this case and inserts a fresh
cartridge in its place pushing it home by hand. The rim of this fresh case returns
the extractor to its initial position and the breech is afterwards closed in the usual

page_text: manner. Inclined planes on the bar of the extractor raise the striking tappet thus
enabling the breech screw to be pushed into its place and the hand lever resumes
its original position the eccentric or catch on the hand lever re-engaging with the
recess in the breech face. The firing may be effected by means of a percussion
apparatus similar to that commonly employed or preferably by means of an electric
firing apparatus. For this purpose the metallic cartridge case is provided with an
electric igniter at the centre of its rear face. The electric contact for firing is
obtained by a pin sliding in the front part of the breech screw and a helical brass
spring also working in a chamber in the said screw between the said pin and another
pin in the rear of the screw. A plate in contact with the pin in the rear of the
breech acts as a spring contact maker and presses on a fixed terminal when the
breech is completely closed. All these parts are carefully insulated. One of
the conducting wires is connected. to the aforesaid fixed terminal, the other wire
communicates with the barrel.
Dated lot day of Novomhan 1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech Closing Mechanism of
Quick Firing Guns.
1, HENRI SCHNEIDER of Le Creusot in the Republic of France Manufacturer
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 improvements in the breech closing mechanism of quick
firing guns in which metallic cartridges are employed. In working these guns
difficulty is frequently experienced in extracting the empty metallic cartridge from
the breech chamber great force is often necessary and the firing is delayed and may
even be temporarily suspended in consequence. The breech mechanisin according
to this invention as hereinafter described facilitates the extraction of the empty
cartridge cases after each shot the operation being automatically performed by a
powerful extractor which acts with a sudden jerk loosening the empty case 'and
placing it in a convenient position for removal, being partly withdrawn from the
breech chamber by the action of the extractor.
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 of the accompanying drawings represents in elevation the breech end of
a quick firing gun provided with mechanism according to this invention.
Figure 2 represents the breech and breech block in longitudinal section the breech
block being drawn out of the chamber.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the axis of the gun and showing
one side of the breech, the breech block being removed.
'
Figure 4 represents a horizontal section through the axis of the gun and through
the working or hand lever, the breech screw being represented in the closed position.
This breech mechanism comprises a breech block 1 provided with a screw having
three interrupted threads divided in three equal sections in the usual manner.
This breech block is received on a bracket or support L swinging on a vertical
pivot L' and a hooked lever G E (Figure 2) on the bracket rigidly connects the
latter to the breech face and to the breech block alternately. The extremity E of
this lever engages with a catch F preferably arranged at the upper part of the
face of the breech, the lower part being preferably reserved for the extractor.
The breech screw is worked by means of a hand lever A (Figures 1 and 4) and a

page_text: spring lever attached to the lever A is provided with a tooth a acted on by a
spring which causes the said tooth to engage with a recess or notch c.in the
breech face (Figure 4) in order to retain the breech block in the closed position.
The extractor is constructed with a straight shank B working in a suitable groove
in the breech chamber and turned up at the front to form a claw Bi engaging with
the rim of the cartridge case 2 Figure 2. Rack teeth 3 Figure 3 are provided on
the side of the extractor which is further supported by a bracket projecting
from the breech face. A stop screw don this bracket limits the backward move-
ment of the extractor. The breech block is provided with a spring bolt or
tappet D, which when the breech block is drawn backwards into the position.
represented in Figure 2 engages with a recess in the upper side of the extractor B.
A screwed pin represented in dotted lines in Figure 2 limits the movement of the
tappet D which is depressed by the action of a spring. f..
"ACTION OF THE MECHANISM."
When the breech is closed the several parts occupy the positions represented in.
Figures 1 and 4. The claw B of the extractor B being in front of the rim of
the metal cartridge case as shewn in Figure 2. On taking hold of the hand
lever A in order to rotate it through one sixth of a revolution for the purpose of
releasing the breech screw the hand grasps at the same time, the small lever & con-
nected to the catch or tooth a. The pressure thus applied to, this lever k
disengages the catch a from the notch' in the breech face and releases the lever A
so as to enable the breech block to be rotated for the purpose of disengaging the
interrupted threads of the breech screw. The breech block is then drawn, back-
wards by pulling back the hand lever A assisted by a handle K attached to thic
block which slides on the projections or claws on the bracket" until it assumes
the position represented in. Figure 2. The end of the lever GE, is now dis-
engaged from the catch and the end G of the said lever engages with a recess 4
in the breech block so as to connect the latter to the bracket. At the same
time the striking tappet D engages in a recess m n o p in the extractor bar: 49.
The hand lever A being drawn back with a quick motion the bracket and, the
screw are now caused to swing or revolve upon the hinge L and the tappet D is.
brought forcibly in contact with the shoulder or side m n of the recess so that the
empty cartridge case receives a jerk, which loosens it in the breech chamber. The
motion of the bracket continuing the tappet D draws back the bar of the extractor B
for a certain distance after which a toothed quadrant M represented in dotted lines
in Figure 3 engages with the rack teeth 3 on the side of the extractor and com-
pletes the backward movement of the latter thereby drawing out the cartridge
case to a suitable distance to enable it to be conveniently removed by hand. When
all the teeth of the quadrant M have acted on the extractor B. it is released.
The operator then removes the empty case and inserts a fresh cartridge in its
place pushing it home by hand into the breech chamber. The rim of this fresh
casc comes in contact with the claw of the extractor and returns the latter to its
initial position. The breech is afterwards closed in the usual manner by suitable
manipulation of the breech block mechanism. The inclined planes r sop on the
bar of the extractor raise the bolt or tappet D thus enabling the breech screw to
be pushed into its place and the hand lever A resumes the position represented in
Figure 1 the catch or tooth a re-engaging with the recess c so as to retain the parts
in the closed position. The firing may be effected by means of a percussion
apparatus similar to that commonly employed or preferably by means of an electric
firing apparatus such as is represented in Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the annexed
drawings. For this purpose the metallic cartridge case is provided with an electric
igniter at the centre of its rear face. The electric contact for firing.is obtained by
a pin N sliding in the breech block being acted on by a helical spring O of brass
arranged between the pin N and a pin or plunger P. A plate R in connection
with the handle or lever A makes contact with this plunger at one end and is

page_text: provided at the other end with a springy Figure 4 which when the breech is com-
pletely closed causes contact to be made with a fixed terminal S. All these parts
are carefully insulated. One of the conducting wires is connected to the terminal S,
the other wire communicates with the barrel. The materials, proportions, forms
and dimensions as well as the accessory arrangements of the mechanism herein-
before described may be modified according to circumstances without departing
from the principles of the invention.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In a quick firing gun the arrangement of mechanism for closing the breech
consisting of a breech screw with interrupted threads in combination with a hand
lever A moving with the breech block and carrying a lever provided with a catch
or tooth a engaging with a notch or recess in the breech face so as to retain the
breech block in the closed position substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In a quick firing gun the arrangement of the extractor B3 provided with a
claw engaging with the rim of the metallic cartridge case and with a recess or
shoulder m n so arranged that when the breech is opened a tappet D carried by the
breech block comes.suddenly in contact with the said shoulder and jerks back the
extractor so as to loosen the cartridge case the said extractor being further operated
during the retiring movement of the breech block by teeth M on the bracket and
being returned to its original position by the insertion of a fresh cartridge and
presenting incliness, o facilitating the passage of the tappet on the return of
the breech block all substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
3rd. In a quick firing gun the combination of the hand lever A. provided with
locking tooth a for retaining the breech block in the closed position and an
extractor B loosening the cartridge case with a jerk obtained by means of a
tappet D for the purpose of facilitating the extraction of the said case when the
breech block is swung to one side all arranged and operating in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
4th. The arrangements and combination of parts constituting improvements in
the breech closing mechanism of quick firing guns substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of August. 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.