IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Blakemore Allport, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Blakemore Allport
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1881.
SAMUEL BLAKEMORE ALLPORT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING SMALL ARMS."
My Invention has reference principally to breech loading small arms of the kind
commonly called Lefaucheux guns, that is, guns in which the barrels turn upon a
joint, the breech ends being raised for charging the gun and locked against the
face of the break off for firing, the said locking being effected by the motion of an
arm or lever on the underside of the gun.
My improvements consist of the construction and arrangement of parts herein
after described, whereby the turning of the cylinder or cylindrical head of the
lever of the locking mechanism for unlocking the barrels effects the cocking of
the gun.
My improvements consist further in safety mechanism of the kind herein after
described, by the action of which the act of pressing on one trigger effects the
fixing of the other, and thus prevents accidental discharge. This part of my
Invention is applicable to breech loading guns other than Lefaucheux guns.
On the cylinder or cylindrical head of the lever of the Lefaucheux mechanism I
make a cam or curved shoulder extending to about one fourth of its circumference,
the said cam or shoulder having a figure somewhat resembling a portion of a
quick threaded screw. On the axis of the hammer is an arm, the front end of
which terminates in an antifriction roller bearing on the cam or shoulder on the
cylinder. The rear end of this arm bears on a projection at the back of the hammer.
When the lever of the locking mechanism is turned aside to unlock the barrels the
cam advancing under the antifriction roller described raises it and the arm carrying
it. The rear end of the said arın depressing the projection at the back of the

page_text: hammer raises or cocks the hammer. The ordinary sear and bent retain the
hammer in its cocked position, so that when by the locking down of the barrels
the arm turning on the axis of the hammer returns to its normal or depressed
condition, the hammer remains cocked, and is liberated for firing by discharging
mechanism of the ordinary kind. The return motion of the said arm may be
effected either by a spring or by an incline on the cylinder.
In constructing safety mechanism according to my Invention I fix over the ends
of the sears a cranked lever somewhat resembling the ordinary bell crank lever,
the said lever moving in a horizontal plane. The ends of the sears, which
respectively terminate under the cranked lever at points about midway between
the centre on which it turns and its ends, are so inclined that the raising of either
sear turns that arm of the lever on which it operates from off the said sear and
brings the other arm over the other sear, so that the raising of one sear locks the
other. Instead of one cranked lever working horizontally two smaller cranked
levers working in a vertical plane may be employed.
In this case the raising of one sear raises the arm of the lever over it and depresses
the other arm upon the other sear, and thus the act of discharging one barrel effects
the locking down of the sear of the other barrel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Blakemore Allport in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st December 1881.
SAMUEL BLAKEMORE ALLPORT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING SMALL ARMS."
My Invention has reference principally to breech loading small arms of the kind
commonly called Lefaucheux guns, that is, guns in which the barrels turn upon a
joint, the breech ends being raised for charging the gun and locked against the
face of the break off for firing, the said locking being effected by the motion of an
arin or lever on the underside of the gun.
My improvements consist of the construction and arrangement of parts, herein-
after described, whereby the turning of the cylinder or cylindrical head of the
lever of the locking mechanism for unlocking the barrels effects the cocking of
the gun.
My improvements consist further in safety mechanism of the kind hereinafter
described, by the action of which the act of pressing on one trigger effects the
fixing of the other, and thus prevents accidental discharge. This part of my
Invention is applicable to breech loading guns other than Lefaucheux guns.
On the cylinder or cylindrical head of the lever of the Lefaucheux mechanism I
make a cam or curved shoulder extending to about one fourth of its circumference,
the said cam or shoulder having a figure somewhat resembling a portion of a
quick threaded screw. On the axis of the hammer is an arm, the front end of
which terminates in an antifriction roller bearing on the cam or shoulder on the
cylinder. The rear end of this arm bears on a projection at the back of the
hammer. When the lever of the locking mechanism is turned aside to unlock
the barrels the cam advancing under the antifriction roller described raises it
and the arm carrying it. The rear end of the said arm depressing the projection
at the back of the hammer raises or cocks the hammer. Or cross pieces at the
rear of the cocking arm raise the hammers on the raising of the said cocking arm.
The ordinary sear and bent retain the hammer in its cocked position, so that when
by the locking down of the barrels the arm turning on the axis of the hammer
returns to its normal or depressed condition, the hammer remains cocked, and is
liberated for firing by discharging mechanism of the ordinary kind. The return
motion of the said arm may be effected either by a spring or by an incline on the
cylinder. The antifriction roller may be dispensed with and the cam be made to
act directly upon the cocking arm.
In constructing safety mechanism according to my Invention I fix over the ends
of the sears a cranked lever, somewhat resembling the ordinary bell crank lever,
the said lever moving in a horizontal plane. The ends of the sears, which
respectively terminate under the cranked lever at points about midway between
the centre on which it turns and its ends, are so inclined that the raising of either
sear turns that arm of the lever on which it operates from off the said sear and
brings the other arm over the other sear, so that the raising of one sear locks the
other. Instead of one cranked lever working horizontally two smaller cranked
levers working in a vertical plane may be employed.
In this case the raising of one sear raises the arm of the lever over it, and
depresses the other arm upon the other sear, and thus the act of discharging one
barrel effects the locking down of the sear of the other barrel.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which my Invention is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent longitudinal vertical sections of the breech end of a
double barrel Lefaucheux gun containing cocking mechanism constructed according
to my Invention. In Figure 1 the gun is represented closed and the hammers in
their discharged positions, and in Figure 2 the barrels are represented raised from
the break off for loading and the hammers cocked; Figure 3 represents in plan
and side clevation the cocking arm separately, and Figure 4 represents one of the
hammers separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a are the barrels and b the break off of the gun. The hammers, one only
marked c being shown in the Drawings, turn upon the cross axis d; e is the
locking arm or lever situated on the underside of the gun, the cylindrical head ƒ of
which works in the body g, and carries at its top the lugs h, h, which engage with
the slots i, i, in the front and back lumps to fasten down the barrels, as represented
in Figure 1.
kis the cam or helical sholder on the cylindrical head f of the locking lever.
The said cam or shoulder extends through about one fourth of the circumference
of the cylindrical head f, and has a figure resembling a portion of a quick threaded
screw, as best seen in Figure 1. is the cocking arm by which the hammer c are
cocked (shown separately in Figure 3). The said arm 7 turns on the axis d of the
hammers, and extends from the said hammers to the cylindrical head f. The
end 12 of the front of the arm is bevilled or rounded, and bears on the cam or
helical shoulder of the head f, while its concave end bears against the cylindrical
part of the head. At the rear end of the arm l, and on either side of the knuckle
or eye part of the said arm, is a cross piece m. The cross pieces m, m, respectively
bear upon the flat parts e² of the hammers c (see Figure 4).
The gun having been discharged the several parts occupy the respective
positions represented in Figure 1. In order to unfasten and cock the gun the
lever e of the locking mechanism is turned aside, moving through a quadrant into
the position represented in Figure 2, thereby withdrawing the lugs h, h, on the
cylindrical head f from the slots i, i, in the lumps, and the gun is unfastened.
As the cylindrical head f of the locking lever moves from the position represented
in Figure 1 to that represented in Figure 2, the cam or helical shoulder of the
said head advances under the front end of the cocking arm l, and raises the said
As the arm is thus raised the
arm into the position represented in Figure 2.
cross pieces m, m, at its rear end are also raised, and acting upon the flat part c² of
the hammers c lift them to full cock, the hammers being maintained in their
cocked positions by the sears engaging with the bents at c³ of the hammers, as
illustrated in Figure 2.
After the gun has been charged the breech ends of the barrels are shut down
against the break off, and the locking levere and its head of thereby turned into
their fastening position and finally fixed by the hand. By the retiring or back
motion of the cylindrical head f of the locking lever the cocking arm travels
down the cam or helical shoulder k, and takes the position represented in Figure 1,
thereby removing its cross pieces m, m, from the cocked hammers, which are thus
left in their cocked positions, and the gun may be discharged in the ordinary way.
The return motion of the cocking arm may be assisted by a spring.
The cocking lever may project beyond the axis of the hammers, the cross pieces
on the said projecting part in this case depressing the backs of the hammers
instead of lifting their fronts, as illustrated in the Drawings.
I will now describe the safety mechanism constructed according to my
Invention.
I will first describe the simplest form of safety mechanism. This is represented
in connection with the trigger plate carrying the sears and triggers in plan in
Figures 5, 6, and 7, and side elevation (partly in section) in Figure 8, and side

page_text: elevation in Figure 9, the said Figures being drawn to a larger scale than
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4; p is the trigger plate; q, r, are the two triggers; and 8, t,
.are the two sears. At the rear of the said triggers and sears is the safety mechanism
consisting of a lever or cam u capable of turning in a horizontal plane upon the
pin or centre u² through an angle of about thirty degrees. This safety lever or
cam is shown separately in plan of underside in Figure 10. The front of the
safety lever or cam has the figure represented, and its face or edge is bevilled or
inclined downwards in the manner best seen in the section, Figure 8.
The front
of the blades of the triggers is bevilled or rounded, as seen at q², Figures 8 and 9,
so that on lifting one or other of the triggers its bevilled part bearing against the
bevilled face or edge of the lever or cam u gives a swivelling or partial rotary
motion in one or other direction to the said lever or cam, as seen in Figure 9, where
the trigger q is represented raised, and the lever or cam u turned upon its centre u².
This motion in one or other direction causes the ends of the lever or cam u to
uncover one sear and cover and lock the other sear, so that the raising of one
trigger unlocks the sear in connection with it and locks the other sear. In Figure 5
the lever or cam u is represented in its neutral position, that is, both sears are at
liberty to rise. By pulling the trigger q the lever or cam u is moved into the
position represented in Figure 6, thereby uncovering the end of the sear 8, and
covering the end of the other sear t, so as to lock the last named sear. By pulling
the other trigger r, a motion in the opposite direction is given to the lever or
cam u, and the sear t in connection with the trigger r is uncovered, and the other
sear & covered and locked, as illustrated in Figure 7. Thus the act of lifting one
trigger releases the sear in connection with that trigger, and at the same time
locks the other sear. The ends of the sears are bevilled to take a bearing against
the bevilled face of the cam, so that when both triggers are in their lowest or
normal positions the said cam is moved into its neutral position, but the ends of
the said sears may be flat instead of being inclined, as illustrated in Figures 11
and 12. In this modification the ends of the lever or cam u are stepped at u³ (see
Figure 12) for engaging over the flat ends of the sears 8, t. The other part of the
face of the lever or cam is bevilled, as before described, for the blades of the triggers
to act against for putting the safety lever or cam into action.
In this modification the ends of the sears and underside of the cam must be
slightly bevilled, as shown in the diagram, Figure 13, for the purpose of permitting
the cam after one barrel has been discharged to ride over the sear of that barrel.
In this modification I use a spring w to restore the lever or cam u to its neutral
position when no pressure is applied to the triggers.
Figure 14 represents in plan and Figure 15 in side elevation another arrange-
ment of safety mechanism constructed according to my Invention, in which the
oscillating safety lever or cam is combined with mechanism, which may be made
to lock both the sears by hand or automatically on the opening of the gun; u is the
oscillating safety lever or cam turning on the centre or pin u², as before described;
q, r, are the triggers, and s, t, are the sears. To the sides of the lever or cam u
two spring claws x, x, are screwed at x², x². The inner sides of the spring claws
are furnished with studs y, y, projecting inwards, which studs bear against the
sides of the wedge b. At the rear end of this wedge is a rod c, which has a sliding
backward and forward motion given to it by the lever d passing upwards to the
tang of the break off. The pin or centre u² of the lever or cam u serves as a
guide stud for the sliding wedge b. The free or claw ends ³, ³, of the spring
claws x, x, when the wedge b is in the position represented, cover the ends of both
the sears s, t, and the said sears are prevented from rising. When the wedge b
and rod c are in this position a stude on the underside of the rod c takes into a
notch in the rear end of the lever or cam u, and the said lever is fixed so that it is
incapable of turning on its pin or centre u². The parts of the safety mechanism
are put into the respective positions represented in the Drawing either by hand
after the gun has been loaded, or automatically on opening the gun. When the
mechanism is worked by hand the lever d is moved in the proper direction by a

page_text: thumb plate of the ordinary kind on the tang or on the side of the gun, and when
worked automatically the upper arm of the said lever d is coupled with mechanism
which on opening the gun puts the sliding rod c and wedge b into their advanced
or safety positions.
When it is wished to discharge the gun the upper arm of the lever d is pushed
by its thumb plate towards the barrels. The rods c, together with its wedge b, are
thereby drawn backwards as far as the opening or wedge box in the oscillating
lever or cam u will permit them. By the back motion of the said wedge and rod
the sides of the wedge b acting on the studs y, y, expand or press outwards the
spring claws x, x, sufficiently far to clear their claw parts ³, 23, from the ends of
the sears 8, t. The same motion withdraws the stud e from the notch in the
oscillating lever or cam u, and the latter is now free to move on its centre. If
either trigger be now pulled the said lever or cam u is made to cover and lock the
sear of the other trigger, while the sear of the trigger pulled is free to rise and
discharge the hammer of that sear, as herein before fully described. Thus both
triggers can be put into a position of safety by the spring claws, x, and when
the latter are removed out of action the oscillating lever u is free to lock one or
other of the sears.
In case one barrel only has been discharged, the tail of its sear will stand above
the level of the undischarged sear, so that when the wedge b is again moved
forward, the spring claw of the discharged sear will be prevented from contracting
upon it, but the other claw will cover the undischarged sear and lock it, as before
described.
Instead of connecting the spring claws x, x, to the oscillating lever or cam they
may be connected to the trigger plate, and the oscillating lever or cam may be
alternately fixed or released by the sliding rod c, as illustrated in Figures 16 and
17, Figure 16 exhibiting the oscillating lever or cam u fixed and both sears locked,
and Figure 17 the said lever or cam released and turned aside, and one of the
sears unlocked. When the cam is released, as in Figure 17, the pressure of
either trigger will cause the cam u to move aside one or other of its spring
claws x, x, thereby unlocking one of the sears, that claw which is not operated
upon by the cam remaining over the other sear, as shown in the said Figure 17.
When the cam u is fixed by the advance of the sliding rod c both claws are in
operation and both sears are locked. When the rod c is withdrawn the cam u is
free to be operated upon by the trigger to unlock one sear and lock the other
sear.
Figure 18 represents in side elevation and Figures 19 and 20 in plan another
arrangement of safety mechanism constructed according to my Invention.
In this arrangement the oscillating lever or cam u is supported on the slide h,
moved by the lever d, and the oscillating lever or cam is operated to lock one
sear by the action of the other sear upon it, instead of by the action of the triggers
as before described. The lever or cam u works under the fork or bracket /* on
the slide h. The undersides of the ends of the cam u are inclined, and the upper
sides of the tails of the sears s, t, are also inclined.
When the parts are in the positions represented in Figures 18 and 19 the inclined
ends of the lever or cam u are situated over the inclined ends of the sears s, t, and
the said lever or cam is free to turn upon its centre. When one or other of the
.triggers q, r, is pulled the raised trigger lifts its sear and causes the latter to turn
the lever or cam u and make it cross and lock down the other side, as illustrated
in Figure 20.
In order to lock both sears after the gun has been loaded, or automatically on
opening the gun the upper arm of the lever d is moved towards the butt end of
the gun. The slide h carrying the oscillating lever is thereby moved in the
opposite direction, and the said lever is passed onto and made to cross both sears s, t,
and lock them down. By restoring the parts to the position represented in the
Drawing by pressure upon the thumb plate 2 the two sears 8, t, are unlocked, but
each sear may be locked by the action of the oscillating lever or cam as before

page_text: explained. A spring e holds the slide h in the position into which it has been
moved.
Figure 21 represents in plan, Figure 22 in side elevation," and Figure 23 in end
elevation, partly in cross section, safety mechanism constructed according to my
Invention, in. which two oscillating levers are employed turning in a vertical
plane.
q, r, are the triggers, and 8, t, the sears; f, g, are the oscillating levers having
the shape best seen in Figure 23, where the two levers are shown in their non-
acting positions. It will be seen that the end of the inner arm of the lever fis
situated over the trigger r and the end of the inner arm of the other lever g is
situated over the other trigger g.
When either trigger is pulled its blade on rising will act on the inclined under
surface of the arm of the lever with which it is in contact, causing it to turn upon
its centre and bring its other arm over the sear, the trigger of which has not been
pulled, that is to say, if the trigger q be pulled for discharging the barrel in
connection with the sear s, the said trigger q acting on the inner arm of the lever g
raises that arm and causes the other or outer arm to advance over and lock the
sear t.
The same action takes place when the trigger r is pulled, the sear 8 of the
other trigger q being locked by the advance over it of the outer arm of the
lever f.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,-
First. The improvements in mechanism for cocking the internal hammers of
breech loading small arms of the kind called Lefaucheux guns herein before
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, of the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say: Cocking the hammers of the said guns on unfastening the barrels for
loading by means of a cocking arm turning on the same centre as the hammers,
the said cocking arm being operated upon by a cam or helical shoulder made on
the cylinder or cylindrical head of the locking lever, the several parts being
constructed and combined and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The improvements in safety mechanism for double barrel drop down
guns herein before described and illustrated in Figures 5 to 13, both inclusive, of
the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, safety mechanism for locking one sear
when the other sear is lifted for discharge, consisting of an oscillating horizontal
lever or cam situated at the rear ends of the sears, the said lever or cam being
turned on its centre by the lifting of one trigger and made to lock down the sear
of the unlifted trigger, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The improvements in safety mechanism of double barrel drop down
guns herein before described and illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, the combination with the oscillating lever or
cam of the supplementary safety mechanism described and illustrated, whereby
both sears may be locked down and the oscillating lever or cam made inoperative,
the withdrawal of the supplementary safety mechanism releasing the oscillating
lever or cam, substantially as described and illustrated; also the modification
described and represented in Figures 16 and 17, in which the spring claws of the
supplementary safety mechanism are fixed to the trigger plate, and the other parts
arranged and working, substantially as described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The improvements in safety mechanism of double barrel drop down
guns herein before described and illustrated in Figures 18, 19, and 20 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, operating the oscillating lever or cam by the
raising of the sears and the combination with the oscillating lever or cam of a
slide of the construction described and illustrated for locking and unlocking both
sears.
Lastly. The construction and combination of parts herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 21, 22, and 23 for locking one sear when the other sear is

page_text: lifted for discharge, that is to say, the two cranked vertical levers f, g, arranged
with respect to the two sears and triggers, and operating substantially as described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Blakemore Allport, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
SAMUEL BLAKEMORE ALLPORT. (L.S.)