Improvements in Hammerless Breech Loading Guns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hammerless Breech Loading Guns.
We, JOSEPH CONNER, Mechanical Engineer, of 36 East 22nd Street,
FREDERICK WILLIAM BARKER, Patent Agent, of the Bennett Building,
93 to 99 Nassau Street, and JOHN THOMAS MOORE, Contractor, of 61 Broadway,
all in the City, County and State of New York, U.S.A., 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in gun locks, the improvements
being designed with a view of simplifying the construction of "hammerless
breech-loading guns, by providing a safety device for the strikers, so as to retain
them in cocked position, and of securing an auxiliary locking device for the barrels
below the breech of the same; and the invention consists firstly, of a push piece
for setting the main spring to tension by the closing of the barrel; secondly,
of a forked slide bolt for locking the barrels below the breech to the forging;
and thirdly, of a safety device for retaining the strikers in cocked position, said
device being automatically set by the backward motion of the slide bolt. The
invention consists further of certain details of construction and combination of
parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1. represents a side elevation of my improved gun-lock showing the barrel
and gun-frame in section, and the gun in closed position.
Fig. 2, is a similar view showing the gun in open position.
Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections respectively, on lines 3-3, and 4-4,
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a detailed top-view of the safety-bar and its connection with the safety
catches.
Fig. 6 is a detailed side elevation, shown detached from the lock of the U-shaped
piece for operating the safety-catches, and
Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the locking-device, showing the
modified construction of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the stock of my improved gun-lock,
and B a forging which is attached to the stock and which serves to support the
several operative parts of the lock. The forging is made in one piece, the barrel C
being applied to the front end of the same by a pivot B. At the under side of
the rear end of the barrels, is applied a central lug C', which extends in downward
direction which enters in the forging when the barrels are closed, said lug serving
to secure the barrels in closed position. The striker D is pivoted to the forging,
one for each barrel and provided with a forward extending arm d, which is acted
upon by a main-spring D₁ which is loosely attached at its opposite end to a pin d'
of the lock, as shown in Fig. 2. A projecting shoulder ex on the lower rear part
of the striker D is engaged by the front-end of the sear E, the rear end of which
is acted upon by a spring el. Below the arm d is arranged a striker-spring d
that has a tendency to move the striker D in backward direction as soon
as the pressure of the main-spring D is released. The front part of the
forging B is provided vertically below the lowest part of each barrel C with
a slot in which is guided a loose push-pin that is rounded off at its upper
end and provided at its lower end with an anti-friction roller f'. The slot
for the push-pin f is preferably made wider at its lower end so as to form a

page_text: bevelled shoulder against which a transverse pin abuts, to prevent the dropping
out of the push-pin on turning over the gun. The anti-friction roller f
at the lower end of the push-pin f rests on the main-spring and serves to
press the same in downward direction when the gun is closed. The push-pin f
forces thereby the main-spring D' in downward direction so as to impart tension
to the same and impart the necessary force to the striker when the cartridge is to
be exploded, and can be used with or without the roller. When the barrel is open,
so as to insert the cartridge into its breech, the push-pin f is released from the
main-spring so that the latter follows the motion of the striker D, which is lifted
by its spring and placed into cocked position, as shown in Fig. 2. The
arrangement of the push-pin for setting the main-spring to tension, does not much
weaken the forging and furnishes a simple and inexpensive means for accomplishing
this object, it being also of special advantage when altering old guns to guns of the
hammerless type. In place of the push-pin f, a loose, angular push-piece /* that
is applied to the pivot-pin B' may be used, as shown in Fig. 7. This angular
piece is provided at its lower rear part with an anti-friction roller that
forms contact with the main-spring, said piece rising and descending with it. The
upper edge of the push-piece f is made slightly convex, so as to be engaged by
the underside of the barrel, when the same is pressed in downward direction so as
to set the main-spring to tension. In this case, the main-spring may be attached
at its forward end at the underside of the push-piece f*, while the forward end
of the push-piece may be provided with a projection or boss that serves to engage
an intermediate push-lever, which assists in operating the shell-extractor, as shown
in Fig. 7.
The lug C, which is arranged intermediately between the two barrels of the
gun, is provided at each side, with a projecting abutment 9, which abutments are
engaged when the gun is in closed position, by a forked slide-bolt H, that is moved
in backward direction by a cam on the spindle i of the top-lever I, and in.forward
direction by a spring H', which presses on the rear end of the slide-bolt H, so that
the front end of the slide-bolt is moved over the abutments g. The lug Cis
simultaneously engaged by a transverse piece h of the slide-bolt H, which piece
enters into a recess h¹ of the lug C₁, said slide-bolt being in line with the recess ¹
and the upper edges of the abutments when the gun is closed and forming thereby,
an auxiliary locking-device for the gun. When the gun is opened, the front ends
of the slide-bolt H press against the abutments 9 on the lug C and hold the
spring back until released by the closing of the gun. The slide-bolt H
produces a double and very effective locking action below the breech in addition
to the ordinary locking-device, by which the barrels are locked to the stock. The
cam on the spindle which is attached to the inner end of the top-lever I,
engages the rear-part of the slide-bolt H and moves the same in backward direction
when the gun is to be opened. This backward motion takes place simultaneously
with the release of the locking-device, by the action of the top-lever I. The
spring H presses on the rear end of the slide-bolt II and moves the latter in
forward direction over the abutments g on the closing of the gun.
As the top-
lever is simultaneously released and returned into initial position the cam releases
the rear-part of the slide-bolt H, and permits the latter to be moved forward by
the tension of its spring into engagement with the abutments 7 and the recess h
of the lug C, when the gun is closed.
In connection with the strikers is used a safety-device, by which they are retained
in locked position, so as to prevent the accidental discharge of the barrels, until it
is desired to get them ready for firing. The safety-device consists of an L-shaped
and spring actuated safety-catch G and of a U-shaped piece K, which works with
both locks of the barrels, and which is fulcrumed to the forging at a point near the
cocked position of the strikers.
The upper middle portion of the U-shaped piece K is pivoted to the end of the
safety-bar K', the roughened or grooved thumb-piece K2 of which projects through
an opening of the tail-piece. The safety-bar K' is provided with two notches, n

page_text: which engage with the guard-spring n¹ that serves to retain the piece K in the
different positions, to which the same is sec relatively to the strikers. The ends of
the U-shaped piece K, are provided with laterally extending pins p, that serve to
engage the L-shaped safety-catches G, which normally engage the shoulders d³ on
the rear-parts of the strikers D, so as to retain the same in cocked position, until
the safety-catches are released from the same by the backward motion of the
piece K, which is operated by the safety-bar K', and the forward motion imparted
thereto by its thumb-piece. This forward motion imparts a backward oscillating
motion to the end-pins of the U-shaped piece K and releases thereby the safety-
catches G from their engagement with the strikers, so that the gun is ready to be
discharged. The projecting ends of the U-shaped piece K hold the safety
catches G against the tension of their springs and prevent them from returning to
their normal position, until the thumb-piece of the safety-bar is moved again in
backward direction, by which the U-shaped piece K is moved forward while the
safety-catches are returned by the tension of their springs to their former position,
so as to hold the strikers in cocked position. When the safety-catches are freed
from contact with the strikers by the push-box, each striker can be quickly moved
forward by the action of its main-spring, as soon as the sear is released by the
trigger, so that the cartridge is exploded. For opening the gun, the top-lever is
moved sideways and thereby the locking-device withdrawn, so that the barrels can
be swung on the pivot B¹ in open position. The empty shells are removed and
new cartridges inserted, the barrels being then closed again, and locked auto-
matically by the return of the top-lever to its former position above the stock and
the action of the forked slide-bolt. By the closing action of the barrels, the
main-spring is set to tension by the push-pin and the slide-bolt moved over the
abutments of the lug by the action of its spring. During the closing motion of
the barrels, the ends of the slide-bolt remain in contact with the abutments until
they can pass over and re-engage the upper edges of the same. The backward
motion of the slide-bolt H, produces also by its engagement with a downwardly-
extending arm K³ of the safety-bar K', the backward motion of the safety-bar
and thereby the forward motion of the U-shaped piece K, and the forward motion
of the safety-catches by their springs, as before described, so that the locking of
the strikers by the safety-device is automatically accomplished. The gun being
closed and the safety-device applied to the strikers, it can be handled without any
danger of an accidental discharge of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of a striker, a main-spring therefor, a lock-chamber provided
with a slot in its top, a loose, sliding push-pin disposed in said slot between the
barrel and the main-spring, and operated by pressure of the barrel when closing
to set the main-spring to tension, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of a striker, a main-spring therefor, a lock-chamber provided
with a slot in its top, a loose sliding push-pin disposed in said slot between the
barrel and the main-spring and operated by pressure of the barrel when closing
to set the main-spring to tension, said push-pin being provided at its lower end
with a stop, for holding it within the lock-chamber, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a gun-stock, a detachable barrel, provided with a lug,
abutments on opposite sides of said lug, a forked slide-bolt adapted to engage said
abutments, and a spring for pressing said slide-bolt forward, thereby producing
an auxiliary locking of the barrels, substantially as described.
4. The combination of a gun having swinging barrels, a lug arranged between
said barrels, abutments on opposite sides of said lug, a forked slide-bolt, a spring
adapted to press said slide-bolt forward over said abutments, a top-lever, provided
with a spindle, and a cam on said spindle, adapted to move said slide-bolt backward,
thereby releasing the locking-device, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. In a gun, the combination of a stock, swinging barrels attached thereto, a
lug between said barrels, arc-shape abutments on opposite sides of said lug, a
recess in said lug in a line with the upper edges of said abutments, a forked
slide-bolt, provided with a transverse strip adapted to engage said recess, a spring
for moving said slide-bolt forward, a top-lever provided with a downwardly-
extending spindle, and a cam on said spindle, adapted to move said slide-bolt in
backward direction, substantially as described.
6. The combination of a forked slide-bolt, adapted to engage a lug between
the barrels of a gun, means for withdrawing the slide-bolt from said lug, and a
safety-device for the strikers, actuated by said slide-bolt, so as to set it in position
for engaging the strikers when they are moved in cocked position, substantially as
set forth.
7. The combination of a lug, arranged between the barrels of a gun, said lug
having an abutment at each side, a forked and spring actuated slide-bolt, adapted
to engage said lug, means for withdrawing the slide-bolt from the lug, and a
safety-device for the strikers, the push-bar of which is provided with an arm
extending into the path of the slide-bolt, so that the safety-device is automatically
applied to the cocked strikers by the action of the slide-bolt on the closing of the
gun, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the strikers of a safety-device, composed of a U-shaped
piece, operated by a push-bar, having a thumb-piece at its rear end, and pivoted
and spring actuated safety-catches, that are engaged or released by the U-shaped
piece, so as to be released from, or applied to the strikers, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 27th day of March 1894
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.