A NEW OR IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign
Patent Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 6, Piccadilly,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW
OR IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM." A communication from Oscar
Moselli, residing at Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Gentleman.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1876.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM." Commu-
nicated by Oscar Moselli, residing at Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Gentleman.
The Invention relates to a new or improved breech-loading fire-arm, the exceed-
ingly simple mechanism of which is no longer inserted in the stock which consists
of one single piece, and the disadvantages resulting from the weakening produced
in the stock itself by the fitting of the lock are no longer apparent. This is
recognised to constitute a particular and most important improvement in the
solidity of the arm. The lock which forms at the same time the breach of the arm
consists outside of a solid plate or piece oscillating at the upper part of the stock
like the lid of a snuff box. For this purpose it is connected with the barrel by
means of a hinge at its upper part above the cartridge chamber. On the lower
surface of this solid plate or piece is fitted a semicircular notched plate acting on
the trigger and connected with or terminated outside by a hammer handle, by
means of which the opening of the breech lock is effected, by pulling the said handle
horizontally towards one's self with the forefinger of the right hand, the thumb
being pressed against the shutting shoulder of the false breech. The moveable
breech is thus loosened, and may be opened by swinging on its hinge from back to
front, and by acting at the same time upon an extractor lying on the bottom of the
breech box which draws back the socket of the fired cartridge which is caused to
fall by inclining the gun from left to right.
The hermetical closing of the arm is operated by sharply dropping the moveable
breech which is keyed under the shutting shoulder of the false breech.

page_text: On the lower surface of the solid hinged plate or piece forming the lid of the snuff
box are fitted or lodged the trigger, a hammer cylinder, and the spiral spring acting
on the latter. To fire the gun the trigger is pressed and disengaged from the notches
of the nut or tumbler, and the spiral spring being uncocked projects the hammer
cylinder against the bottom of the cartridge and promotes the firing or discharge of
the gun.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Henri Adrien Bonneville in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th May
1877.
•
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM." Com-
municated by Oscar Moselli, residing at Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Gentleman.
The Invention relates to a new or improved breech-loading fire-arm, the exceed-
ingly simple mechanism of which is no longer inserted in the stock which consists
of one single piece, and the disadvantages resulting from the weakening produced in
the stock itself by the fitting of the lock are no longer apparent. This is recognised
to constitute a particular and most important improvement in the solidity of the
arm. The lock, which forms at the same time the breech of the arm, consists outside
of a solid plate or piece oscillating at the upper part of the stock like the lid of a
snuff box. For this purpose it is connected with the barrel by means of a hinge at
its upper part above the cartridge chamber. On the lower surface of this solid plate
or piece is fitted a semicircular notched plate acting on the trigger and connected
with or terminated outside by a hammer handle, by means of which the opening of
the breech lock is effected by pulling the said handle horizontally towards one's self
with the forefinger of the right hand, the thumb being pressed against the shutting
shoulder of the false breecli. The moveable breech is thus loosened, and may be
opened by swinging on its hinge from back to front, and by acting at the same
time upon an extractor lying on the bottom of the breech box which draws back
the socket of the fired cartridge which is caused to fall by inclining the gun from
left to right.
The hermetical closing of the arm is operated by sharply dropping the moveable
breech which is keyed under the shutting shoulder of the false breech.
On the lower surface of the solid hinged plate or piece forming the lid of the
snuff box are fitted or lodged the trigger, a hammer cylinder, and the spiral spring
acting on the latter. To fire the gun the trigger is pressed and disengaged from the
notches of the nut or tumbler, and the spiral spring being uncocked projects the
hammer cylinder against the bottom of the cartridge and promotes the firing or
discharge of the gun.
The different pieces of the arm above described and their arrangement are
illustrated in Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings.
Sheet II. of the Drawings represents an improved modification of the said arm.
This improvement consists in the suppression of the spiral spring, which allows
of reducing to four in number the pieces of the mechanism contained in the box of
the breech lock or moveable breech. The said pieces are,-1, the large spring;
2, the trigger; 3, the nut or tumbler; and 4, the hammer cylinder. The mechanism
is naturally completed by 1, the shutting plate, and 2, the two screws which secure
respectively the said plate and the nut or tumbler.
The spiral spring is replaced by a large spring with two branches which are
curved and propped together like buttresses on meeting each other, the smaller one
with the trigger which it pushes by its pressure and causes to engage with the
⚫ notches of the nut or tumbler when the gun is to be cocked; the larger one with

page_text: the nut or tumbler by which it is held back by means of a swivel or catch with
which it is provided, and thus effects the union of the pressure power of the two
branches for strengthening the action of the trigger.
The gun being cocked, the large branch of this said spring, at the moment when
the trigger is pressed to disengage the notches of the nut from the beak or point of
the tumbler, is slackened to resume its position, and thus forces the nut to perform
its rotary motion and to throw forward the hammer cylinder so as to produce the
shock which determines the firing of the powder in the cartridge previously
introduced into the gun.
In the moveable breech box will be noticed the hinge ring for connecting the said
box to the gun, the setting of the upper plate which closes and covers the mechanism,
the setting for the lodging of the large spring and for the trigger, the hole tapped
for fixing the nut screw and the one for fixing the upper plate screw, the two holes
for the lodging of the pivot of the trigger and for its branch, the setting for the
lodging of the hammer cylinder and for the play of the nut on the front part the
hole which gives passage to the hammer spike, and on the back part the hole which
gives passage to the hammer for its introduction into the moveable breech box.
All the parts of the mechanism are so made and mounted that if one of them
should wear out or break it can easily be replaced.
The arm may be taken to pieces or put together again by means of a simple
screwdriver.
Besides the important simplification in the whole mechanism and in the manu-
facture, these improvements possess this immense advantage over the improvements
of all breech-loading arms that they can be applied to the transformation of all old
guns and rifles, to whatever system they may belong.
Having thus described the said Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise.
details above enumerated as these may obviously be modified without departing
from the principle of the Invention, but what I claim is,-
1st. The displacing of the lock which is lodged in the moveable breech on the
handle, nut, or tumbler which contributes to the shutting of the arm.
2nd. The method of shutting which is completed by firing in such a manner that
the firer need never be under any further apprehension of his arm opening in
consequence of the bursting of a bad cartridge in the gun.
And, 3rd. The percussion which is limited in such a way as to avoid the perfora-
tion of the bottom of the cartridge.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have hereunto set my
hand. and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
H. BONNEVILLE. (L.S.)