IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dunstan, of Greenwich, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS.
Sealed the 10th March 1871, and dated the 5th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dunstan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th October 1870.
I, JOHN DUNSTAN, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
:-
My Invention has reference to improvements in breech-loading fire-
arms with the view of simplifying the mechanical construction and
arrangement of the several parts and enable the gun to be fired with
greater rapidity, precision, & uniformity of action, by facilitating the
releasing & extracting of the cartridge cases simultaneously with the
opening of the breech plug, and the closing & securing of the same

page_text: independently of intervening mechanism or other projecting furniture
or fittings upon the stock of the gun, and consists,-
Firstly. In the breech plug being made to open longitudinally with
the barrel from a fixed hinge joint in place of a shifting one as hitherto.
Secondly. In actuating the extractor by the opening of the breech
plug through the medium of a cam & tappet link motion direct from
a stud pin attached to the said hinge, by the operation of which the
cartridge case is completely thrown out of the shoe piece clear of the
breech.
Thirdly. In the employment of a plain mainspring in lieu of a spiral
one for giving the requisite force to the lock action, which I cause to
be contained and work wholly within the breech block, provided with a
locking and self-cocking lever for opening & closing the said breech
block.
Fourthly. The mode of connecting the safety trigger stud to the lock
action aforesaid through the medium of a connecting rod and hammer
direct to the needle head.
Fifthly. Fixing the said safety trigger stud by a thumb slide for
greater security.
The action is as follows:-On releasing the locking lever from the
catch fastening and throwing the breech block back upon its hinge the
extractor brings the cartridge case forward & by a jerking movement
throws it completely out of the breech & away from the gun; the
extractor then returns to its former position to receive the next
cartridge, and the breech plug is then shut down & secured by the lock
lever & catch, at the same time the gun is cocked and in readiness for
being fired, thus rendering the operation of loading & firing simple and
complete.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Dunstan in the Great Seal Patent Office on 30
the 4th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I. JOHN
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Dunstan in the Great Seal Patent Office on 30
the 4th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I. JOHN
DUNSTAN, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Dunstan, Her special licence
that I, the said John Dunstan, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Dunstan, 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,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Dunstan, 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 John Dunstan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention has reference to improvements in breech-loading firc-
arms with the view of simplifying the mechanical construction and
arrangement of the several parts thereof, and enable the gun or musket
to be fired off with greater rapidity and uniformity of action (than those
at present in use) by facilitating the mode of releasing and extracting
the cartridge simultaneously with the opening of the breech block, and
the system of closing and securing the same independently of projecting
mechanism or the usual fittings upon the stock of the gun aforesaid, and
consists,―
Firstly. In the breech block being made to open longitudinally with
the barrel from a fixed hinge in place of the shifting one as hitherto.
Secondly. In actuating the extractor by the opening of the breech
block through the medium of a cam and tappet motion direct from the
stud pin attached to the hinge, so as to release and throw the cartridge
case completely out of the shoe piece and clear of the breech.

page_text: Thirdly. In the employment of a mainspring in lieu of a spiral one
for insuring uniformity in the action of the trigger lock contained
entirely within the breech block, which is also provided with a locking
and self-cocking lever for opening and closing the same.
Fourthly. The mode of connecting the safety trigger stud to the lock
action aforesaid through the medium of a connecting rod and hammer
direct to the needle head.
Fifthly. Fixing the said safety trigger stud by means of a thumb
slide for greater security.
Upon my improved principle of construction, as above described, the
gun (by the simple operation of opening the breech) is cocked or half-
cocked on the releasing of the locking lever from the catch fastening
for throwing the breech block back upon its hinge; the extractor by
this arrangement is put in motion, so as to bring the cartridge case
forward and eject it from the breech opening clear of the gun. The
extractor then returns to its former position to receive the next cartridge,
the breech block is again closed, and secured through the medium of the
locking lever and catch aforesaid in readiness for being discharged, and
in like manner re-opened and closed in rapid succession.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood
and readily carried into effect, I now proceed to describe the same by
the aid of the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the
letters and figures thereon marked (that is to say)
:―
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of my improved breech-loading fire-arm
showing the breech action closed; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the
same; Fig. 3, detail top view thereof, showing the cover plate removed;
Fig. 4, detached side view of the shoe piece, showing the action of the
cartridge extractor; Fig. 5, transverse vertical section taken through
the dotted line a, a, in Figure 4. In each Figure the same letters of
reference denote similar corresponding parts.
A, A, stock of the gun; B, B, the barrel; C, C, breech opening;
D, D, breech block formed with a hollow cavity or chamber D', in
which the lock action is placed and contained; E, E, mainspring;
F, F, coupling link or swivel connecting the mainspring to the hammer
or needle striker G, G; G¹, bearing pin upon which the same works;
H, H, half-cock and full-cock bents, and sear H¹ for retaining or

page_text: liberating the hammer when cocking or discharging the gun; I, I, sear-
spring for returning the sear to its position; J, J, thumb trigger giving
motion to the sear aforesaid by means of the connecting rod K, K, as
shown at Fig. 2. L, L, tail pin for securing the barrel to the stock;
M, M, countersunk plate or nut; N, N, pivot upon which the thumb
trigger works; O, O, thumb slide for fixing or holding the trigger fast
the
for greater security. P and P¹, spring and stud reacting upon
trigger; Q, Q, needle bolt or plunger; R, R, spiral spring for returning
the said needle, bolt, or plunger to its place; S, S, screw or pin working
within a grooved slot Si in the plunger aforesaid for directing and
retaining the same within its chamber; T, T, cocking lever for fastening
and securing the breech block closed when firing the gun; U, U,
cartridge extracter, mounted upon a fixed bearing U¹, within a recess
formed in the side of the breech shoe; V, V, tappet moving in gear with
the extractor for releasing the same from the stud pin on the breech
block hinge V¹, so as to return to its position for receiving the next
metallic cartridge and at the same time admit of the breech block being
closed without disturbing the extractor untill again required to open
the piece for reloading; W, W, spring for giving the requisite quick
action to the extractor when free of the stud pin on the breech hinge
aforesaid.
In conclusion to the foregoing description it may be here necessary to
note that by the above arrangement the ordinary guard and trigger has
been dispensed with, but may be employed in connection with my said
improvements in lieu of the thumb trigger above described; and I
would further note that the construction and arrangement of the
several mechanical parts thereof, together with the mode of forming and
securing the breech block and giving motion to the extractor may
receive such other modifications as in practise may be found necessary.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed
and carried into effect, I would have it clearly understood that I do not
by any means intend to confine myself to the precise details herein-
before set forth and described, a as the same may be otherwise varied
without departing from the general principle of this my said Invention,
nor do I claim as new and of my said Invention the exclusive use of
the several parts, combinations, and processes hercin-before described,

page_text: except when the same are employed in and for the purposes of my said
Invention, which I hereby declare to consist,―
Firstly. In the exclusive right of placing and employing the lock
action within the breech block.
Secondly. In actuating the lock action through the medium of the
thumb trigger and intermediate mechanism above described.
Thirdly. In constructing the said breech block to open longitudinally
with the barrel from a fixed hinge.
Fourthly. The cocking of the gun in opening the breech block by the
action of the locking lever aforesaid.
Fifthly, and lastly. The mode of employing and giving motion to the
extractor (when actuated by the opening and closing of the brecch
block) for extracting the cartridge in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dunstan, have hereunto set 1
my hand and seal, this
day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
B. F. WEATHERDON,
Law Chambers,
77, Chancery Lane.
JOHN DUNSTAN. (L.S.)