IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Walker, of Handsworth, in the County
of Stafford, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS,”
Sealed the 17th November 1872, and dated the 5th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th September 1871.
I, HENRY WALKER, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS," to be as follows:-
-
My Invention has reference to those kinds of breech-loading small-
arms called bolt guns, that is, guns in which the breech end is opened
for charging and closed for discharging by means of a tubular bolt
sliding and partly rotating in the breech end of the gun, the said tubular
bolt containing the discharging mechanism, which may actuate either a

page_text: needle or a striker. The Prussian ncedle gun and French chassepot
rifle are small arms of the type described, and my improvements may be
readily applied to existing guns of this kind.
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of parts
herein-after described, for half cocking the breech bolt of the gun during |
its motion to close the breech or to open the breech; that is, so
constructing and arranging the breech bolt and the holding sear of the
discharging mechanism, that the sear cannot be moved by pressure upon
the trigger and the discharging mechanism released until the breech bolt
has been fully locked. By this means, when the bolt is in the act of
being pushed home for closing the breech or withdrawn for opening the
breech the discharging mechanism cannot be released by the scar, great
safety in the use of the gun is thereby secured.
My Invention also consists in constructing and arranging in the
manner herein-after described the parts of the discharging mechanism
of the said guns.
I construct and arrange the parts of my Invention as follows:-The head
of the spring sear of the lock which works in a longitudinal slot and cross
slot in the breech bolt, and holds the discharging mechanism at full cock,
is provided with a projecting flange on its rear end and also on one side.
On one of the sides of the longitudinal slot in the said breech bolt is a
projecting flange which engages under the flange in the side of the sear,
and during the longitudinal motion of the bolt prevents the descent of
the sear and the discharge of the gun. The said longitudinal slot opens
into a cross slot at right angles thereto near the rear end of the bolt.
The rear side of this cross slot in the bolt is in part cut away internally,
the uncut away portion being of a thickness proper to engage under the
projecting flange on the rear end of the sear. When the bolt has
advanced to close the breech the projecting flange at the rear side of the
cross slot in the said bolt engages under the projecting flange on the rear
of the sear,
the said sear being now disengaged from the flange on the
longitudinal slot. By giving a motion of partial rotation to the bolt by
means of the ordinary handle the said bolt is locked down in position
for firing. As however the flange on the rear of the sear is not disengaged
from the flange in the cross slot of the bolt until immediately before the
locking motion is complete, the gun cannot be discharged until fully
locked. The position of the bolt immediately before it reaches its locked

page_text: position constitutes a half cocked position, and the bolt may be fixed in
this half cocked position by means of a projection on the shoulder of the
breech shoe, against which the locking handle of the bolt bears, taking
into a recess in the shoulder of the said locking handle.
The discharging mechanism of the gun consists of a rod or carrier to
which the needle or striker is affixed, the said rod or carrier being
provided with a collar or flange near its middle working against the inner
side of the bolt and acting as a guide to the discharging mechanism.
The sear engages with the collar or flange described to cock the gun.
The fore end of the needle rod or carrier is of larger diameter than its
rear end and is hollow or tubular, the rear end of smaller diameter is
fixed in the bottom of the tubular fore end. The open end of the fore
end carries a hollow cap or guide. On the fore end of the rod or carrier
is a tubular cap, a shoulder on the rear end of which, bearing against a
shoulder on the front end of the rod or carrier prevents the said tube
from sliding off the said rod or carrier. The mainspring is situated
around the rear end of the rod or carrier, the fore part of the said spring
entering the fore part of the rod or carrier. In addition to the main-
spring is a secondary or rebound spring, situated around the fore part of
the rod or carrier, and having its abutments against the hollow collar or
guide and cap respectively. On the discharge of the gun, the compressed
mainspring urges forward the needle or striker of the rod or carrier,
which after the discharge of the gun is brought back to a position of
safety by the rebound spring. The precise position to which the needle
or striker is withdrawn by the rebound spring is determined by the thick-
ness of the flange against which the cap described abuts, or where the cap
is not used the position of the shoulder in the hollow bolt against which
the spring abuts.
Where there is sufficient length the construction of the discharging
mechanism may be simplified; that is, the carrier for the needle or
striker may consist of a single rod having a collar or guide at its middle,
and provided with the cap described at its fore end. The cap however may
be dispensed with, in which case the rebound spring takes its bearing
against a bearing at the fore end of the breech bolt.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WALKER, of Ilandsworth, in the County of Stafford, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Walker, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Walker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Walker, 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 and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vond,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING SMALL-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Walker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Walker, 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 has reference to those kinds of breech-loading small-
arms called bolt guns, that is, guns in which the breech end is opened
for charging and closed for discharging by means of a tubular bolt sliding
and partly rotating in the breech end of the gun, the said tubular bolt
containing the discharging mechanism, which may actuate either a needle
or a striker. The Prussian needle gun and French chassepot rifle are

page_text: small-arms of the type described, and my improvements may be readily
applied to existing guns of this kind.
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of parts
herein-after described for half cocking the breech bolt of the gun during
its motion to close the breech or to open the breech; that is, so con-
structing and arranging the breech bolt and the holding sear of the
discharging mechanism that the sear cannot be moved by pressure upon
the trigger, and the discharging mechanism released until the breech
bolt has been fully locked. By this means when the bolt is in the act of
being pushed home for closing the breech or withdrawn for opening the
breech the discharging mechanism cannot be released by the sear, great
safety in the use of the gun is thereby secured.
My Invention also consists in constructing and arranging in the
manner herein-after described, the parts of the discharging mechanism of
the said guns.
I construct and arrange the parts of my Invention as follows:-The
head of the spring sear of the lock which works in a longitudinal slot
and cross slot in the breech bolt and holds the discharging mechanism at
full cock, is provided with a projecting flange on its rear end, and also on
one side. On one of the sides of the longitudinal slot in the said breech
bolt is a projecting flange which engages under the flange in the side of
the sear and during the longitudinal motion of the bolt prevents the descent
of the sear and the discharge of the gun. The said longitudinal slot
opens into a cross slot at right angles thereto, near the rear end of the
bolt. The rear side of this cross slot in the bolt is in part cut away
internally, the uncut away portion being of a thickness proper to engage
When the bolt
under the projecting flange on the rear end of the scar.
has advanced to close the breech, the projecting flange at the rear side
of the cross slot in the said bolt engages under the projecting flange on
the rear of the sear, the said scar being now disengaged from the flange
on the longitudinal slot. By giving a motion of partial rotation to the
bolt by means of the ordinary handle the said bolt is locked down in
position for firing. As however the flange on the rear of the scar is not
disengaged from the flange in the cross slot of the bolt until immediately
before the locking motion is complete the gun cannot be discharged
until fully locked. The position of the bolt immediately before it reaches
its locked position constitutes a half cocked position, and the bolt may
be fixed in this half cocked position by means of a projection on the

page_text: shoulder of the breech shoe, against which the locking handle of the bolt
bears, taking into a recess in the shoulder of the said locking handle.
The discharging mechanism of the gun consists of a rod or carrier, to
which the needle or striker is affixed, the said rod or carrier being
provided with a collar or flange near its middle, working against the
inner side of the bolt and acting as a guide to the discharging mechanism.
The sear engages with the collar or flange described to cock the gun.
On the fore end of the rod or carrier is a tubular cap, a shoulder on the
rear end of which bearing against a shoulder on the front end of the rod
or carrier prevents the said tube from sliding off the said rod or carrier.
The mainspring is situated around the rear end of the rod or carrier, the
fore part of the said spring bearing against the collar or flange on the rod
or carrier. In addition to the mainspring is a secondary or rebound
spring situated around the fore part of the rod or carrier, and having its
abutments against the tubular cap and collar or guide respectively. On
the discharge of the gun the compressed mainspring urges forward the
needle or striker of the rod or carrier, which after the discharge of the
gun is brought back to a position of safety by the rebound spring. The
precise position to which the needle or striker is withdrawn by the
rebound spring is determined by the thickness of the flange against
which the cap described abuts, or where the cap is not used the position
of the shoulder in the hollow bolt against which the spring abuts.
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 longitudinal vertical section the breech end of a
bolt gun for firing metallic cartridges, containing my arrangement for
half cocking the breech bolt during its motion to close or to open the
breech; the breech bolt in the said Figure 1 being represented pushed.
home for closing the breech but unfastened. Figures 2 and 3 represent
transverse vertical sections of the same, taken on the dotted line a of
Figure 1; Figure 2 representing the bolt in the unfastened position, and
Figure 3 the same in its fastened position. Figure 4 represents in side
elevation and plan of under side the breech bolt detached, and Figure 5
represents in side elevation and end elevation the sear of the gun detached.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.

page_text: b is the barrel of the gun, c is the breech shoe having a longitudinal
slot in the top of its rear end and also the usual opening through which
the cartridge is introduced into the barrel and the empty case removed,
d is the tubular breech bolt capable of sliding and partly rotating in the
said shoe c, the rib e³ carrying the locking handle e working in the slot
in the said shoe o as is well understood; f is a rod or striking pin
working in the tubular bolt d. The said striking pin is urged forward to
discharge the cartridge by the coiled spring i around the rear part of the
said rod or striking pinf, the said spring i bearing at one end against the
collar or guide g and at the other end against the tubular cap h, closing
the rear end of the tubular bolt d. kis the sear carried by the spring
arm by means of which sear the striking pin f is held in its cocked
position as represented in Figure 1, the collar g on the said striking pin
on withdrawing the bolt d for opening the breech passing over the head
of the sear and engaging at the back thereof. The sear k is supported
in its place by the short arm ♬ of the trigger in the manner shown in
Figure 1. When the trigger is pulled the sear & descends and releases
the striking pin which is urged forward by the compressed spring i,
and its front end striking the percussion cap of the cartridge ³ ignites
the said cartridge and discharges the gun. The head of the sear k works
during the motion of the bolt d to open and close the breech in the
longitudinal slot m (see Figure 4) in the bottom of the said bolt d, and
when the bolt is turned through a part of a circle to lock it preparatory
to firing the gun the said head of the sear works in a cross slot n (see
Figure 4) in the bolt. The sliding and rotating motions of the bolt d
are effected by the handle e, the rib e' of the said handle when turned
down as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 bearing against the usual
shoulder on the side of the shoe c to lock the bolt for discharge. In
order to half cock the breech bolt d during its motion to close the breech
or to open the breech I construct and arrange the parts of the bolt d and
holding sear in the following manner:-I provide the head of the sear
k with projecting flanges p, p, on its two opposite sides and similar
projecting flanges q, q, on its other opposite sides, and on each side of
a portion of the longitudinal slot min the breech bolt d I make projecting
flanges marked respectively r, r, and I also make similar projecting
flanges 8, 8, on each side of the cross slot n in the said bolt. The top of
the cross slot n opens into a part of a larger size, the said part having
such a size that the head of the sear k has freedom of motion therein.
On the longitudinal movement of the bolt d to open or close the breech

page_text: the projecting flanges r, r, of the bolt engage under the flanges p, p, on
opposite sides of the head of the sear (see Figures 1 and 2) and prevent
the descent of the scar and the discharge of the gun. When the bolt a
has been advanced to the position represented in Figure 1 so as to close
the breech the projecting flanges 8, 8, on the sides of the cross slot » now
engage under the projecting flanges q, q, on the other opposite sides of the
head of the said scar (see Figure 1), the said scar being disengaged from
the flanges p, p, of the longitudinal slot m. By giving a partial rotation
to the bolt a by means of the handle e the said bolt is locked down in
position for firing; the flanges 8, 8, moving under the flanges q, q, of the
sear, and the enlarged part t of the cross slot n is brought opposite the
head of the scar k. The said sear is thus disengaged from the bolt
and is capable of descending in the part of the slot to release the
discharging mechanism of the gun. As, however, the flanges q, q, on
the scar are not disengaged from the flanges 8, 8, until immediately
before the locking motion is complete the gun cannot be discharged until
fully locked. The position of the bolt d immediately before it reaches
the locked position described constitutes a half cocked position, and the
bolt may be fixed in this half cocked position by means of a projection
-on the shoulder of the breech shoe against which the locking handle
bears taking into a recess at e³ in the rib e³ of the said locking handle. .
Instead of employing a projecting flanger on each side of the longi-
tudinal slot m and a similar projecting flanges on each side of the cross
slot n, a projecting flange on one side only of each of the said slots m, n,
may be employed. In this case projecting flanges only are made on two
of the adjacent sides of the head of the sear k, that is to say, one of the
flanges p and one of the flanges 9 are dispensed with.
q
After the discharge of the gun I extract the empty metallic case of
the cartridge /³ from the barrel b into the shoe c and eject the said case
from the shoe by the arrangement of parts represented in longitudinal {
.section in Figure 6 and plan of under side in Figure 7. is the extractor
(shown separately in Figure 8) working in the longitudinal channel w in
the side of the shoe c, the said extractor being operated by the bolt d.
The extractor is connected to the bolt d by the pin or stud v engaging
in the cross slot a (see Figure 4) in the said bolt, in which cross slot g
the stud works during the partial rotation of the bolt to lock and
unlock it. The cartridge case ejector consists of a lever 2, 3, having
arms of unequal lengths and turning in a vertical plane on the centre 4.
16

page_text: The ejector takes the normal position represented in Figure 6 by the
weight of its longer arm 2. The acting or ejecting end of the longer.
arm 2 has the figure of an inverted V and works through a slot 5 in the
bottom of the shoe c, and the end of the other and shorter arm 3 works
through the slot 6 in the bottom of the shoe c. On withdrawing the
brecch bolt & the extractor & brings the case of the exploded cartridge
with it, and when the said bolt has been nearly withdrawn to its full
extent and the cartridge case has been fully extracted from the barrel b
the shoulder d' (Figure 4) of the bolt d acts upon and depresses the
projecting end of the arm 3 of the ejector. The opposite arm 2 of the
said ejector is thereby suddenly raised through the shoe (as indicated in
dotted lines) and striking the extracted cartridge caso ejects it from the.
shoo. After the shoulder has passed from over the end of the arm 3 of
the ejector the said ejector resumes the position represented by the
continuous lines in Figure 6.
My improvements in constructing and arranging the parts of the
discharging mechanism of bolt guns are represented in Figures 9, 10, and
11 of the Drawings, Figure 9 representing the tubular bolt and dis-
charging mechanism in clevation, and Figure 10 the same in longitudinal
vertical section; Figure 11 is a modification of Figures 9 and 10.
fis the rod or carrier to which the needle * (or striker) is affixed, the
said rod 'having the collar or flange g near its middle. The scar engages
with the said collar to cock the gun as herein-before described. The
needle is connected to the rod or carrier ƒ by means of a head ƒ³ on
the said rod or carrier, engaging in a cross opening or recess ƒ' in the
rear end of the needle stem f" (see Figure 10). On the fore end of the
rod or carrier is a tubular cap 7, shown in section in the detached view
Figure 10. A shoulder 8 on the rear end of this cap 7 bears against a
flange 10 on the front end of the needle stem f" and prevents the said.
cap from sliding off the rod or carrier. Tho said tubular cap 7 is capable
of a limited sliding motion on the shank f³ of the needle f. 11 is the
mainspring situated around the rear end of the rod or carrier f, the fore
end of the said spring bearing against the collar or flange 9 and the rear
end against the screw cap h. 12 is the secondary or rebound spring
situated around the fore part of the rod or carrier f, and having its
abutments against the tubular cap 7 and collar 9 respectively. When
the trigger is pulled as herein-before described so as to release the
needle rod or carriers, the mainspring 11 which has been compressed.

page_text: urges forward the needle f* (or striker) and discharges the gun. By the
advance of the needle rod or carrier f the tubular cap 7 strikes against
the part at 13 of the tubular bolt d and remains stationary, the needle
carrier advancing through the said cap. The secondary or rebound
spring 12 is thereby compressed between the said stationary cap 7 and 5
the advancing collar g of the needle carrier, and after the discharge of
the gun the said compressed spring 12 brings back the needle ƒª (or ·
striker) to a position of safety as represented in Figure 10; that is, with-
draws its extreme end into the nose of the bolt. The accidental discharge.
of the gun on driving home the bolt d is thereby prevented. The 1
precise position to which the needle f* (or striker) is withdrawn is deter-
mined by the thickness of the flange 10 against which the shoulder 8 of
the sliding cap 7 abuts. Or when the cap 7 is dispensed with the
position to which the needle or striker is withdrawn is determined by the
position of the shoulder in the hollow bolt d near its front end, against. 1
which shoulder the fore end of the spring 12 is in that case made to
abut.
Instead of arranging the secondary or rebound spring at the front of
the rod or carrier f of the needle or striker the said spring may be placed'
at the rear of the mainspring 11.
116
In
This arrangement of my Invention is represented in Figure 11.
the screw cap h at the rear of the bolt d is a fixed tube 14 having at its
end a flange 15, and on the extreme rear end of the rod or carrier ƒ is a
head f* provided at its inner end with a flange f". Around the rear end of
the rod or carrier f and bearing against the flanges f" and 15 is a' 2
secondary or rebound spring 16. On the discharge of the gun the head*
f" of the rod or carrier advances in the screw cap h and compresses the-
spring 16 between its flange f and the flange 15 of the fixed tube 14,
and after the discharge of the gun the needle or striker is brought back
to a position of safety by the said compressed spring 16, the parts after
the withdrawal of the needle or striker occupying the respective positions
represented in Figure 11. The rod or carrier f, Figure 11, is furnished
with a striker f³ instead of with a needle as in Figure 10.
ر
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 g
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention,

page_text: but I claim as my Invention of improvements in breech-loading small-
arms of the kind commonly called bolt guns,—
Firstly. The construction and arrangement of parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for half cocking
the breech bolt during its motion to close or to open the breech, that is
to say, preventing the movement of the holding sear until the breech
bolt has been fully locked by means of a projecting flange on one or on
each side of the longitudinal and transverse slots in the said breech bolt
engaging with projecting flanges on the head of the holding sear, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The construction and arrangements of the parts of the dis-
charging mechanism of the said guns herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, for the purpose of bringing
back the needle or striker after the discharge of the gun to a position of
safety or within the bolt.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
0 Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
HENRY WALKER. (L.B.)