IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward' Newton, of the Office for' Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex; Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN
CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by
Hiram Berdan, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America.
Sealed the 20th February 1866, and dated the 23rd September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd September 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
AND IN CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
All breech-loading fire-arms heretofore constructed for the use of metallic
cartridges with hollow flanged heads have been defective in one respect,
viz., that in firing them the heads of the cartridges have been very
liable to burst or be blown off, or to bulge out in such manner as to render it

page_text: very difficult to open the breech. This has been generally owing to variations
in the thickness of the flanges of the heads of the cartridges, but in some
cases owing to imperfections in the construction of the gun, which left too
much room for the said flanges, in either case the head of the cartridge being
prevented from coming to a bearing against the breech piece before firing.
With a view to obviate this defect one part of this Invention consists in
adapting a presser to act upon the front of the flange of the cartridge so as to
draw it back against the breech before firing. This presser may form part of
the cartridge shell retractor or of a piece applied especially for the purpose.
It also consists in applying a detonating pin upon which the hammer strikes
to fire fixed ammunition cartridges. The pin strikes the cartridge at a point
opposite to where it is held back by the presser above mentioned, which draws
back the cartridge against the breech. The presser being of hardened steel
will not be bruised or marred by the repeated operation of the pin, as the barrel,
which is soft, is apt to be. The Invention also consists in elongating the hole
provided in the swinging breech of a breech-loading fire-arm for the reception of
the pin upon which it works, so that the breech may have a direct rear support
in the breech receiver at the time of firing, and yet be free to swing back loosely
to open the rear end of the barrel for loading. It also consists in arranging
the detonating pin and hammer and the swinging breech relatively to each
other and to the line of bore of a breech-loading fire-arm, whereby the line of
bore is unobstructed, and the loading when the hammer is at half cock is
facilitated. To this end the detonating pin and hammer are placed at the
side of the breech piece. It also consists in the combination with one main
spring of two or more stirrups, one for operating the hammer, and another for
operating or controlling the operation of a movable brace which locks the
breech at the time of firing. It also consists in the employment in combina-
tion with a swinging breech piece of a suitable projection on the lower and
front side of a movable brace, or upon the tumbler, whereby the loading at
full cock is prevented. It also consists in the employment in a breech-
loading fire-arm with a swinging breech of a brace for bracing the breech at
the time of firing, swinging on the tumbler shaft detached from the tumbler, but
connected with the main spring, so as to give a greater motion than is given
to the tumbler. It also consists in combining a movable brace which
operates to lock the breech at the time of firing with a three-notched tumbler,
a sear, and a swinging breech, so that while the hammer is locked by the sear
into the first or safety notch of the tumbler just out of contact with a
detonating pin by which the cartridge is fired, the breech is locked by the said
brace. It further consists in constructing the breech receiver of a breech-

page_text: loading fire-arm.with horizontal and vertical side flanges, and fitting the sanie
into the stock, so that the ends of the pins upon which the breech, the hammer,
and the sear work may be inserted into the vertical flanges and may abut
against the cheeks of the stock and be kept in place without the pins being
screwed into the receiver, thereby affording greater facility for taking the
lock.änd breech. operating mechanism to pieces when the breech receiver is
taken out of the stock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 23rd March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting,
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September; in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and-successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES
TO BE USED THEREWITH," being a communication from abroad, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do bereby
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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
All breech-loading fire-arms heretofore constructed for the use of metallic
cartridges with hollow flanged heads have been defective in one respect, viz.,
that in firing them the heads of the cartridges have been very liable to burst
or be blown off, or to bulge out in such a manner as to render it very difficult
to open the breech. This has been generally owing. to variations in the
thickness of the flanges of the heads of the cartridges, but in some cases owing
to imperfections in the construction of the gun, which left too much room for
the flanges. In either case the head of the cartridge is prevented from
coming to a bearing against the breech piece before firing. With a view to
obviate this defect one part of this Invention consists in adapting a presser to
act upon the front of the flange of the cartridge so as to draw it back against
the breech before firing. This presser may form part of the cartridge shell
retractor or of a piece applied especially for the purpose. The Invention
also consists in so applying and arranging a detonating pin upon which the
hammer strikes to fire fixed ammunition cartridges that the pin shall strike
the cartridge at a point opposite to where it is held back by the presser above
mentioned, and which draws back the cartridge against the breech. The
presser is of hardened steel, and therefore will not be bruised or marred by
the repeated operation of the pin as the barrel, which is soft, is apt to be.
The Invention also consists in elongating the hole provided in the swinging
breech of a breech-loading fire-arm for the reception of the pin upon which it
works, so that the breech may have a direct rear support in the breech
receiver at the time of firing, and yet be free to swing back loosely to open
the rear end of the barrel for loading. It also consists in a novel arrangement
of a detonating pin and hammer and the swinging breech relatively to each
other and to the line of bore of a breech-loading fire-arm, whereby the line of
bore is unobstructed, and the loading when the hammer is at half cock is
facilitated. It also consists in the combination with one main spring of two
or more stirrups, one for operating the hammer, and another for operating or
controlling the operation of a movable brace which locks the breech at the
time of firing. It also consists in the employment in combination with a
swinging breech piece of a suitable projection on the lower and front side of a
movable brace, or upon the tumbler, whereby the loading at full cock is
prevented. It also consists in the employment in a breech-loading fire-arm
with a swinging breech of a brace for bracing the breech at the time of firing
swinging on the tumbler shaft detached from the tumbler, but connected with
the main spring, so as to give a greater motion than is given to the tumbler.

page_text: It also consists in combining a movable brace which operates to lock the
breech at the time of firing with a three-notched tumbler, a sere, and a
swinging breech, so that while the hammer is locked by the sere into the first
or safety notch of the tumbler just out of contact with a detonating pin by
which the cartridge is fired, the breech is locked by the brace. It further
consists in constructing the breech receiver of a breech-loading fire-arm with
horizontal and vertical side flanges and fitting the same into the stock, so
that the ends of the pins upon which the breech, the hammer, and the sere
work may be inserted into the vertical flanges, and may abut against the
cheeks of the stock, and be kept in place without the pins being screwed into
the receiver, thereby affording greater facility for taking the lock and breech
operating mechanism to pieces when the breech receiver is taken out of the
stock.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawings exhibits a longitudinal section of the
breech receiver and portions of the stock and barrel, and a side view of the
breech and lock of a breech-loading fire-arm, constructed according to
the present Invention, and showing the hammer down; Fig. 2 is a similar
view to Fig. 1, but showing the hammer cocked; Fig. 3 is a top or plan
view of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section in the plane indicated by
the line, a, in Fig. 1; Figures 5 represent side and end views of the
breech; Figures 6 represent side and end views of the independent brace by
which the breech is partly supported at the time of firing; Figure 7 is a
similar view to Fig. 2, but shows the parts in different positions; Fig. 8
is a transverse sectional view illustrating a modification of the tumbler and
brace connections.
A is the breech receiver having the barrel B firmly screwed into it, and
having in rear of the socket which receives the barrel a suitable opening for
the reception of the swinging breech C, the hammer D, and the cartridge
shell retractor E. The cartridge shell retractor represented also serves the
purpose of drawing back the cartridges against the face of the breech pre-
paratory to firing, and for this purpose it is arranged in front of the hammer
on the left side of the breech where it swings on the same piu a as the breech,
and it has an upward projection 6 in front which enters a recess provided for
it in the left hand side of the rear end of the barrel, and in the back of this
projection there is a rebate-shaped recess c (Fig. 3) for the reception of the
front part of one side of the flange d at the head of the fixed ammunition
cartridge F. For the sanie purpose the bottom of the rear part of the
retractor has a rearward projection e, upon which a forward projection fon
the hammer' strikes as the hammer descends in firing before the head of the
.

page_text: hammer strikes the detonating pin g, by which the priming of the cartridge
contained in the flange d is fired. By this action of the hammer. upon the
projection e the projection 6 is pressed back against the front of the flange of
the cartridge shell, and so made to press back the head of the cartridge
against the face of the breech before the cartridge is fired, and thus bring it
to a firm bearing against the breech and prevent its head from being burst
or blown off, or so bulged out as to render it difficult to open the breech, as is
likely to be the case if the flange does not fill the space provided for it, and
the head does not bear against the breech before or at the time the firing of
the charge takes place. The retractor E is made to draw back the discharged
cartridge shell as the breech is opened by means of a pin h, which is secured
in the retractor and projects laterally from the innner side thereof into a curved
groove in the contiguous side of the breech C, the groove i being of such
length as to prevent any action upon the pin h until the breech has been
opened nearly wide enough for the withdrawal of the cartridge shell from the
barrel, when the upper end of the groove i comes in contact with the pin hand
the completion of the opening movement of the breech C causes the end of
the groove to depress the pin h and so draw back the upper projection b of
the retractor far enough to draw out the head of the cartridge shell a little
way from the barrel. This operation is illustrated in Fig. 7, where the
breech is represented open. The shell being taper is now loose, and may be
easily pulled out by taking hold of the head with the thumb and finger, or
allowed to drop out by elevating the muzzle. The detonating pin 9. is
arranged, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, to slide in a groove in the left side of
the breech C, and through a projection p on the same, so that its point will
strike on the back of the head of the cartridge near the edge of the flange,
and opposite to where it is supported in front by the projection 6 of the
retractor or device by which it is drawn back against the breech. This pro-
jection 6 being of steel and hardened is not marred by the repeated striking
of the cartridge, as the barrel (which is always soft) is after much use, when
the cartridge is supported by it opposite to where the detonating pin strikes.
The swinging breech C swings upon the pin a, which is situated a short
distance below, and in rear of the rear end of the barrel; the fate of the breech
is flat, so that when the breech C is closed it fits square up against the rear
end of the barrel, and the upper part of the back is of aro form concentric
with the pin a, so that it may swing back into the opening at the top of the
receiver to open the barrel for loading, but the lower part of the back is made
with a projecting face j to abut against a bearing k at the back of the opening
in the receiver, and thus receive support at the rear at the time of firing.

page_text: At the top there is an upward projecting thumb-piece to which to apply the
thumb to open it. The hole in this breech through which the pin a passes
is elongated in a direction obliquely upward and backward, as shown at m, to
allow the necessary play of the breech upon the pin to permit its shoulder j
to abut against the bearing k at the time of firing, and yet to allow the breech
to swing back loosely to open the barrel. During the commencement of the
opening of the breech by a back pressure upon the thumb-piece 7, the lower
edge of the head of the cartridge (and not the pin a) is the fulcrum, and to
enable the face j to swing clear of the bearing k this face, and the corre-
sponding face of the bearing k, are made concentric with the point in which
the lower edge of the cartridge shell is situated. When the breech has
swung back far enough for the shoulder; to clear the bearing k, the hole m has
moved so far downward and forward upon the pin a that this pin becomes
the fulcrum, and upon this fulcrum the backward swinging movement of the
breech is completed. By bringing the fulcrum of the breech on the lower
edge of the cartridge shell as above described, the resistance of the bearing k
to the back pressure on the breech at the time of firing is made to act more
nearly in the line of such pressure. In order to make the movement of the
breech concentric with the pin a after it has cleared the bearing k, a spring 17
is attached to the receiver A in rear of the breech so as to press the breech
upward against the bottom of the pin when the face of the breech is clear of
the lower edge of the cartridge shell which constitutes its fulcrum during the
first part of the opening movement. This spring is represented simply pressing
against the bottom of the breech, but it may be connected therewith by means
of a stirrup; the connection of the stirrup with the breech is to be very slightly
in rear of the pin a when the breech is open, but to be in rear of the pin when
the breech is closed.
It has been herein-before stated that the detonating pin 9 is arranged
on the left-hand side of the breech. This is because the hammer D is
arranged on that side, and the reason for arranging the hammer on that side
is that an unobstructed passage may be left in rear of the barrel when the
breech is open, as shown in Fig. 7, with room for the thumb of the right
hand to draw out the discharged cartridge shells from the barrel and push
new cartridges thereinto while that hand is on that side of the stock. The
hammer is arranged so far to the left that its inner side is not only outside of
the line of the barrel on that side, but outside of the line of the counter bore r,
as shown in Fig. 3, so that the cartridge or shell may pass freely in or out
of the barrel. This arrangement of the hammer enables it to be brought
much more forward and nearer to the barrel, which is very desirable, but

page_text: the detonating pin g having to strike the cartridge and to work in the breech
cannot be arranged in line with the so-arranged hammer, and therefore it is
furnished with a projection g¹ on its outer side for the hammer to strike upon.
The detonating pin may be so constructed and fitted to the breech as to strike
upon the centre of a centrally primed cartridge, the projection g¹ being left
on the pin protruding from the left side of the breech for the hammer to strike
upon. The object of using the detonating pin is that if the hammer were con-
structed and arranged to strike directly upon the cartridge the hammer would
have to move much further back, and too far for half cock before the breech
would open.
The hammer D swings in the usual manner upon a pin or shaft n, in-
serted transversely through the breech receiver. Upon the same shaft is
arranged the independent double action brace H (Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6,)
by which the breech is partly supported in a closed position at the time of
firing. This brace turns freely upon the shaft n, but is not attached to either
hammer or tumbler. It has its form shown in Figures 1 and 2, but more
distinctly in the detached view, Fig. 6. Its upper end w, which acts against
a shoulder u on the breech, as shewn in Figure 1, while the hammer is down
is made concentric with the shaft n and its face v, which acts against the
bottom of the breech, as shown in Fig. 2, when the hammer is at full cock is
radial, or nearly so, to the shaft. The brace H is connected by a stirrup q
with the end of the main spring I, by which the blow of the hammer is pro-
duced, the connection of the stirrup with the spring being by means of the
same pins, which connects the hammer stirrup t, but the pin q' which connects
the stirrup q with the brace H is very much nearer to the pin t which con-
nects the hammer stirrup with the tumbler D'. This connection of the brace
II with the main spring causes the upper end of the brace H to be
moved on the shaft n by the main spring at the same time and in the same
direction as the hammer, but the arrangement of the stirrup connections q¹
and t¹ of.the brace and the tumbler relatively to the hammer shaft n causes the
brace to move quicker than the hammer upon the shaft n, and to have a greater
movement thereon. The result of this greater movement, with a proper
arrangement of the end w and face v is that while the brace is thrown entirely
out of contact with the breech, as shewn in Fig. 7, and so leaves the breech
free to open when the hammer is at half cock, it locks the breech not only
while the hammer is down, but while at full cock. This locking at full cock
is not obtained when the hammer itself or the tumbler is made to serve as a
brace to the breech, and is very important, as it prevents the breech from
being opened, either accidentally or otherwise, while the hammer is at full

page_text: cock, and renders it impossible to load while at full cock, which is a very
dangerous operation in the excitement of battle. Another advantage of the
quicker and greater movement of the brace as compared with that of the
hammer is that it brings the half-cock position of the hammer farther forward,
so that if in letting the hammer down it slips from the thumb, it does not fall
with force enough to explode the priming of the cartridge. The quicker and
greater movement of the brace it is obvious cannot be obtained when it is
rigidly attached to the hammer or tumbler.
In the modification of the Invention shown in Fig. 8, the hammer D* is
made with two tumblers D¹ and D**, which are rigidly connected at 20 below
the hammer shaft n*, and connected by two separate stirrups t*, t*, with the
main spring I, and the brace H is arranged between the two tumblers and
connected with the main spring by a third stirrup q*. In this way the
hammer is made to have a firmer bearing on its shaft n*, and the shaft is
relieved of unnecessary strain. The tumbler has three notches for the
reception of the point of the sere J, viz., the full-cock notch 10 and the half-
cock notch 11 common to the tumblers of most fire-arms, and a more forward
notch commonly termed a safety notch 12, such as is provided in the tumblers
of some other fire-arms in front of the half-cock notch. The sere operates in
this first or safety notch in the usual manner to lock the hammer a short
distance out of contact with the detonating pin. The upper end w of the
brace H is so constructed and arranged that when the hammer is drawn back
far enough to be thus locked, the brace still remains under the shoulder u of
the breech, and prevents the breech from being accidentally opened. This
condition of the hammer, the sere, and the brace H is illustrated in dotted
outline in Fig. 1. The construction of the breech receiver A, and mode, of
fitting the same into the stock, by which screw threads are dispensed with ou
the pins a, n, and y upon which the breech, the hammer, and the sere work,
are illustrated in the transverse section Fig. 4. The breech K is mortised out
from the top as shown at 13, 18, leaving cheeks 14, 14, of suitable thickness
at the sides. The breech receiver is made with vertical flanges 15, 15, to fit
into the mortice between the cheeks 14, 14, and with horizontal flanges
16, 16, to rest upon the upper edges of the cheeks. The flanges 15, 15, are
simply drilled at suitable opposite points for the reception of the several pins,
which are made cylindrical or perfectly plain, and of such length that when
in place their ends are flush with the outer faces of the flanges, and when the
breech receiver is secured in place in the stock the pins are kept in their
places by the cheeks 14, 14, of the stock.. When the receiver is taken out
of the stock the pins can easily and quickly be pushed out to take out the

page_text: breech, hammer, and sere, and as quickly replaced after the breech, hammer,
and sere have been replaced..
The improvement in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms consists in the
employment in the same cartridge of two or more balls of different degrees of
hardness, each one being of a harder metal or alloy than the one in front of it,
the object being to discharge two or more bullets in a volley without their
interfering with each other. This is illustrated in Fig. 9. of the Drawing,
which is a central vertical section of a cartridge containing three bullets. In
carrying out this part of the Invention, I prefer to construct the cartridge
shell, as shown in the Drawing, with a cylindrical tube P of paper, and an
attached metallic head Q. The bullets R', R³, R³, which may be of any
suitable form, are inserted in the tube P, one before another. The front bullet
R¹ may be of pure lead, and that or those in the rear of it may be hardened by
some suitable alloy, each harder than the one in front of it. When three
bullets are used, I would make the middle one of ninety per cent. lead and
ten per cent antimony, and the rear one seventy-nine per cent. lead, twenty
per cent. antimony, and one per cent. tin. This hardening of the rear
bullets will prevent their points or fronts from being injured by the butts of
those in front.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to ine
as aforesaid, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent,
First, the employment in a breech-loading fire-arm of a devise so applied
and operated as to press back the cartridge against the face of the breech C
preparatory to firing as herein described. ::
.
'
Second, I claim so applying and operating the cartridge shell retractor of a
breech-loading fire-arm that it shall serve the purpose of pressing back the
cartridge against the face of the breech preparatory to firing, as herein
specified..
Third, I claim so arranging the detonating pin of a breech-loading fire-
arm that it shall strike the back of the head of the cartridge opposite to where
it is supported by a movable device which serves the purpose of pressing back
the cartridge against the breech as herein set forth.
Fourth, I claim the elongation of the hole provided in the swinging
breech for the reception of the pin upon which it swings, whereby the breech
has a direct rear support in the breech receiver at the time of firing, and yet
is free to swing back loosely to open the barrel for re-loading as herein
set forth.
::
i
Fifth, I claim the relative position. and arrangement to, each other of the

page_text: hammer, firing pin, swinging breech, and line of bore, by which the line of
bore is unobstructed and the loading is facilitated when the hammer is at
half cock.
Sixth, I claim the combination with one main spring of two or more
stirrups, one or more connecting the tumbler or hammer, and another con-
necting a brace for locking the breech when the hammer is down, as herein
set forth.
Seventh, I claim in combination with a swinging breech piece the
employment of a suitable projection on the lower and front side of the brace
or tumbler, whereby the loading at full cock is prevented, as herein
specified.
Eighth, in a fire-arm with a swinging breech I claim a brace for bracing
the breech at the time of firing, swinging on the tumbler shaft detached from
the tumbler, but attached to the main spring so as to have a greater
motion than is given to the tumbler.
Ninth, so combining a moveable brace, which operates to lock the breech at
the time of firing, or three-notched tumbler and a swinging breech in a breech-
loading fire-arm, that while the hammer is locked by the sere in the first or
safety notch, the breech is locked in a closed condition by the brace, as herein
set forth.
Tenth, the combination of the flanged breech receiver or lock frame A,
the pins upon which the hammer, breech, and sere work (and the cheek pieces
of the stock) by which the pins are held in place, as herein described.
Eleventh, I claim the employment of bullets of different degrees of hardness
in the same cartridge, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
0 Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.B.)