IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Redman and David
Kirkwood, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 29th July 1864.
We, RICHARD REDMAN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer, and DAVID KIRKWOOD, of the same Place, Gun Filer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our improvements relate, firstly, to the description of breech-loaders made
upon the break down and snap principle; these have hitherto depended for
their security upon one catch or snap, we propose to use either two lumps
forming two separate catches and snaps, or one lump with two snaps upon it,
thus affording perfect security in case of the breakage of one catch or snap.
A few of the forms in which this can be effected are shewn in the accom-
panying Drawings which represent in section such portions only of the breech-
loader as are effected by our improvements.
In Figure 1, Numbers (1, 2, 3,) shew three lumps attached to or. formed
upon the breech end of the barrels; of these (1) is for the purpose of forming
the hinge upon which the barrels turn, and in this part lies one of our improve-
ments; for instead of making the pin of the hinge to work through the wood of
the stock and then through the iron lump, which tends to the destruction of
the wood, we bring out metal side pieces upon the action to the entire width
of the gun, these form the cheeks of the hinge, and extend across the
part where the fore end works so that the pin of the hinge passes through

page_text: metal only, and the wear of iron against wood is avoided. Lumps (2 and 3),
are the snaps formed to work in an arc of a circle, the centre of which circle is
the pin of the hinge before alluded to; (4 and 5), are two slots in the body or
action, these slots are of a shape to exactly receive the snaps (2 and 3). In
a slot near the breech end the claw or catch (6) works upon a pin near the
under side of the action, this claw being prolonged forms a lever (7), following
the line of the trigger guard. The top of this claw bears on the solid body,
which is cut out to receive it, and this claw working in a portion of a circle
from its centre pin, the part cut out of the body is cut to the exact form of
the are which the head of the claw describes; this is for the purpose of gain-
ing strength at that part and preventing strain upon the centre pin. Attached
to this claw is a lever (8), the other end of which is again attached to a catch
(9) engaging in the snap (2), so that by pushing outwards the lever (7) both
the snaps are released from the catches simultaneously, and the barrels drop.
The spring (10) throws back the catches to their original position, and the
position of this spring is one main advantage, as it is free from the drawback
found in other snap guns of weakening the wood and the break off by letting
in the back spring.
Figures (2 and 3) represent merely modifications of Figure 1, the points
of difference being chiefly the mode of connecting and actuating the catches.
Figure 4 shews an arrangement in which two snaps are employed of
different lengths engaging in one catch having two beaks, and Figure (5)
shews the reverse arrangement in which two snaps are formed upon one lump,
two catches being employed.
Secondly, our Invention relates to an improved construction of breech-
loading pistol, the improvement being applicable also to other fire-arms of a
cheap construction. Upon the breech end of the barrel or barrels is formed
a lump piece (11), one end of which answers for the hinge pin, and the other
is hollowed into a semicircle (12) which will exactly receive a cam piece (13)
formed upon the axis of the lever (14). Drawing back the lever until it follows
the trigger guard and holding the barrels down with the hand causes the
round portion of the cam to close into the hollow (12), and thus draws and
holds the two parts together; the reverse action of the lever releases the cam
..and barrels.