IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Gustav Adolph Blittkowski at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
January 1856
I, GUSTAV ADOLPH BLITTKOWSKI, of New York, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a peculiar method of constructing and operating
certain parts at the breech, together with the lock, whereby I obtain greater
security against accidental discharge, effect a perfect joint at the union of the
breech pin with the barrel, together with great simplicity of parts.
The principal part consists of what I call a rotating and oscillating breech
piece, into which the charges are put in loading., The detaching of this from
the barrel effects the cocking of the piece, erects the open end, and brings it
into a convenient position to insert the cartridge. In restoring the breech-
piece, the joint between it and the barrel is made perfect by a grinding action,
due to the turning of the former partly round in locking the same in place, until
which locking has been accomplished the firing could not be.effected, as were
the cock let off, either purposely or by accident, it would not be able to reach
and strike the nipple, by reason of an obstruction, which is not removed until
he breech piece is exactly in place and fully locked. The breech piece is a
cylindrical plug of metal, conforming in diameter with the barrel. The front

page_text: end is cone-shaped or hemispherical, being designed to fit into a like shaped
cavity in the end of the barrel. The plug is, bored out also to a certain depth,
but so as to leave sufficient thickness of metal, for the necessary degree of
strength at the end. On the end is the nipple for the cap, of usual con-
struction, and to one side of this a projection or stud, which stands out beyond
the nipple, and is a safety or guard-piece, and stands in the line of travel of the
hammer in all positions in which the breech may be other than that proper
for firing. Near the back end of the plug there is a recess cut, which is
embraced by a clamp ring.. The plug is held by the ring when detached from
the barrel, and the ring itself is secured to the side plates by two links, which
are attached to the clamp ring by a pin or trunnion on each side, and to the side
plates of the lock by a cross bolt. By this means the plug may be drawn
directly backward in the first instance, in order to clear the forward end from
the socket in the barrel, and next to turn upon the trunnion pins, whereby the
detached end may be thrown upward and clear of the barrel, and then the
charge may be introduced. When the plug is in place in connection with
the barrel, the joint is made tight, and is locked by giving it a rotary motion,
whereby two strong projecting arms or pins attached to the cylindrical plug
are brought into two holes cut in the side plates, and a wedging effect given
by a slant on one side of said holes, so that the plug is driven forward, and
the end brought to a bearing by a grinding action. One of these pins is
prolonged to form an arm or handle, to turn and otherwise operate the plug.
The side plate where this pin enters has its notch cut from the top edge
downward; the other pin enters a höle cut through the-side plate, and is
chamfered off on the outside, to let the end of the pin enter as it is brought
round by the turning of the plug, though, instead of this hole, a projection on
the inside of the plate would answer as well. The lock is of very simple con-
struction; the cock or hammer is formed in one piece with the tumbler, and
stands immediately back of the plug, midway between the two plates. There
is a main spring, and the sear with the trigger.
The operation is as follows:-To detach the breech piece, first revolve the
plug by turning the handle from the horizontal position to the vertical one.
The pins are now clear of their fastenings, and the plug may accordingly be
drawn back. In turning the plug, the guard piece or safety stud is brought
round and strikes the front edge of the hammer, pushing it back to half cock
and the drawing of the plug out of the socket in the barrel carries it to full
cock. The plug may now have its open end canted upward, turning upon
its trunnion pins on the clamp ring as an axis, when the cartridge may be

page_text: dropped in; the end is now to be turned down, pointed toward the barrel,
and pushed forward, so that the conical part will enter the socket, so that
the pins will enter their clamp notches and be driven firmly home. The cap
may then be applied to the nipple, when the piece may be fired. The
guard piece does not get clear of the hammer shank until the locking studs
are fully in place, so that by leaving these slightly out of their proper position,
the gun cannot be accidentally discharged.