Improvements in and relating to Double-barrelled Fire-arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Double-barrelled Fire-arms.
I, GEORGE FREDRICK WHITBY, of 27, Sainfoin Road, Balham, London, S.W.,
Gun-finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows --
This invention relates to improvements in double-barrelled fire-arms operated
by a single trigger, and has reference more particularly to means whereby the
accidental or simultaneous discharge of both barrels is entirely prevented, inas-
much as the discharge of the second barrel is rendered absolutely dependent upon,
and necessarily subsequent to, the firing of the first.
In applying my invention to an ordinary single-trigger shot-gun which may
otherwise be of the usual construction, I propose to extend the inner web of the
trigger (pivoted upon an inwardly projecting boss of the longitudinal trigger
plate) in a vertical plane. The trigger is thus fulcrumed at some little distance
above the trigger plate, and is brought back to its normal position by means of
a suitable flat or other spring. Upon this extension I mount a shaft furnished
with a crank or cam-shaped arm at each end. These cranks or arms are thus
arranged upon the ends of the transverse shaft which passes through the aforesaid
extension and are also arranged approximately at right angles to each other upon
the said shaft; they are so suitably shaped that they can in turn engage imme-
diately beneath the rear or tail end of the corresponding sears when the hammers
are cocked for firing.
When the trigger is pulled it rises and the one or other of these cams will
strike the corresponding sear of the hammer on that side, effecting the discharge
of the same.
For this purpose I may provide the usual sliding safety device with a dependent
leg, bearing against the inner face of one of the cams when the device is moved
rearwards and in so doing, imparting a slight rotary motion to the cranks or cam-
shaft, sufficient to bring one of the cams into a vertical position or so as to engage
with the rear end of the sear. In this position the crank-shaft is locked until
the safety device is released.
The first of these cams may be harp-shaped and the second may be cone-shaped,
although other suitable shapes may be given to the cams.
The dependent leg of the safety device is recessed or hollowed out and is held
at the limits of its stroke or traverse by means of a suitable pawl device passing
through the said recess; the safety device cannot, therefore, be moved uninten-
tionally, and the act of moving sideways the thumb-piece or lever to unlock the
barrels from the body of the gun, forces the sliding safety device into the rear-
ward position by means of a cam and suitable connecting rods, or other equivalent
mechanism.
Or, for the same purpose, I may provide a spring-controlled arm or rod pro-
jecting from the rear of the action and arranged to act on the cam of the crank
shaft in a corresponding manner.
When the gun has been loaded, therefore, the safety device is set, and the
barrels cannot be discharged until the safety device is pushed forward and freed.

page_text: A spring is arranged to hear upon one or other of the cam-shaped arms for the
purpose of tending to return the shaft and cams to their normal position.
The breast of the hammer on the side on which the harp-cam is employed is
provided with an enlargement acting on the sear for the purpose of giving the
tail of the latter an extra rise over and into the recess in the top of the harp-cam.
In operation, the action of the device, as at present constructed, will be as
follows: :-
On opening the gun, the sliding safety catch or device is driven rearward and
the leg dependent from the same abuts against the cone-shaped cam and tilts it
backward until one of its longer sides is approximately parallel to the trigger
plate. This movement of the cone-shaped cam also brings back the harp-shaped
cam (since both are secured to the same transverse shaft) which at the end of this
stroke is approximately perpendicular to the trigger-plate, the recess in the top
of the harp-cam being brought immediately under the tail of the sear of the first
hammer, and the said sear being thus held by this cam.
The cartridges are then inserted in the chambers and the gun closed. The
hammers will have been cocked by the opening of the gun, and upon freeing the
safety device (i.c. pushing forward the same) and pulling the trigger, the harp-
cam will raise it sear-discharging the first barrel-and this cam will, when the
trigger is freed, pass under the sear to its forward or lower position. Consequently
the opposite cone-cam will have risen and turned forward until the harp-cam is
stopped and this stroke is so arranged that in this position the cone-cam will be
under the tail of the sear of the second hammer. Upon pulling the trigger a
second time, therefore, the second sear will be raised and such barrel discharged.
The other parts of the lock may be of any suitable or ordinary construction.
This invention whilst capable of being used in all breech-loading double-
barrelled fire-arms. is more particularly applicable to and intended for break-down
sporting guns and rifles.
Improvements in and relating to Double-barrelled Fire-arms.
I, GEORGE FREDRICK WHITBY, of 27, Sainfoin Road, Balham, London, S.W.,
Gun-finisher, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in double-barrelled fire-arms operated
by a single trigger, and has reference more particularly to an improved safety
device whereby the accidental or simultaneous discharge of both barrels is entirely
prevented, inasmuch as the discharge of the second barrel is rendered absolutely
dependent upon. and necessarily subsequent to, the firing of the first.
I have illustrated my invention upon the accompanying sheet of drawings
which represent, by way of example, the breech-portion of a double-barrelled.
single-trigger, sporting-gun. On these drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of
the lock-mechanism with a portion of the left plate removed, the safety slide being
set. Fig. 2 is a similar view but with a portion of the right plate removed, and

page_text: shewing the mechanism ready to fire the first barrel, the sears of the hammer of
which are, of course, not shewn.
Figures 3 and 4 are side and plan views of the trigger plate.
Figures 5 and 5 are side views on an enlarged scale of the cams, when ready
to fire the first barrel; Figure 5b is a view of their shaft.
Figures 6, 6 and 6b are corresponding views shewing the position of the cams
when the second barrel is about to be discharged.
As will be seen from the drawings, the inner web a of the trigger bis extended
in a vertical plane, the trigger being pivoted at upon an inwardly projecting
boss c (known as a "box") of the longitudinal trigger-plate c. The trigger b
is thus fulcrumed at some little distance above the trigger plate c¹ and is brought
back to its normal position by means of a suitable flat or other spring d. Upon
this web or extension a I mount a shaft e provided at each end with a crank or
cam-shaped arm fg. These cranks or arms are thus arranged upon the ends of
the transverse shafte which passes through the aforesaid web a, and they are also
arranged the one in advance of the other and approximately at right angles to
each other upon the said shaft e see Figures 5 and 6. The cams f g are so suit-
ably shaped that they can in turn engage immediately beneath the rear or tail-
ends of the corresponding sears hk when the hammers are cocked for firing.
When the trigger is pulled it rises and the one or other of these cams will
strike and lift the corresponding sear of the hammer on that side, thus allowing
the hammer to fall and effecting the discharge of that barrel.
For this purpose I provide the usual sliding safety device having a thumb-
piece with a dependent leg m bearing against the inner face of the left cam f
when the device is moved backwards and in so doing imparting a slight rotary
motion to the cam-shaft e, sufficient to bring the right cam into a vertical or
upright position and so as to be ready to engage with the rear end of the right
sears. The shaft e is, therefore, locked until the safety device is released by
being pushed forward.
As will be seen from the drawings, the right-hand eam is approximately harp-
shaped and the left-hand cam f is somewhat cone-shaped, but other suitable shapes
may be given to the cams.
The safety slide works along the top strap in the usual manner, this being the
most convenient position, but it may be arranged at any other suitable position
and in such case the leg m will be correspondingly bent or cranked.
The dependent leg m of the safety device is recessed out at n and is held at
the limits of its stroke or travel by means of a suitable spring-pawl device, such
as n', passing through the aforesaid recess; the safety device cannot, therefore.
be moved unintentionally, and the act of opening the gun forces the safety slide /
into the rearward position, see Figure 1, by means of a suitable cam device and
connecting rod o. An ordinary lever (to the pivot of which this cam device
operating rod o is secured) is shewn upon the drawings for unlocking the barrels
from the body of the gun, and in the case of a gun fitted with a similar under-
lever or a side-lever a corresponding means for pushing back the safety slide /
would be substituted.
When the gun has been loaded, therefore, the safety. device is set and the
barrels cannot be discharged until the safety slide is pushed forward.
A spring is arranged to bear upon one or other of the cam-shaped arms for the
purpose of tending to return the shaft and the cams f g to their forward posi
tions. On the drawings, a flat springs bears upon the foot of the harp-cam and
tends constantly to tilt it to its forward position.
The bottom of the hammer on the side on which the harp-cam is employed, is
provided with a slight enlargement acting on the scars for the purpose of giving
the tails of the latter an extra rise over and into the recess in the top of the harn-
cam this particular construction is well known and is usually termed "false-
gaiting."
The working of the gun illustrated is as follows; -
--

page_text: '
Upon opening the gun, the sliding safety catch / is driven rearward and the
leg m dependent from the same abuts against the left cam f and tilts it backward
until it is lowered sufficiently to clear the sears of the left lock, as shewn Figure 1.
This movement of the left cam at the same time brings back the right cam g
(for both are secured to the same transverse shaft) which at the end of this stroke
is approximately perpendicular to the trigger-plate, the recess or waist in the
top of the right cam g being brought back beyond the tails of the sears of the
first hammer.
The gun is then loaded and closed. The hammers will have been cocked by the
opening of the gun, in the usual manner, and upon freeing the safety slide (i.e.
pushing forward its thumb-piece) the leg m will be removed from contact with
the cam f and the cam g will travel forward by reason of spring s until the recess
or waist in the top of the harp is under the tails of the sears & the cam g being
held in this position by the abutment of the "chump" of the harp against the
tails of k, see Figures 2 and 5.
**
"
Upon pulling the trigger, the right or harp cam will raise its sears-dis-
charging the first barrel-and this cam will, when the trigger is freed, pass under
these sears to its forward or lower position, see Figure 6. Consequently, the
opposite left cam will have risen and turned forward until the harp-cam is arrested
by the trigger-plate, and when in this position the left cam will be immediately
under the tails of the sears of the left hammer, see Figure 6. Upon pulling the
trigger a second time these left sears will be raised and the second barrel dis-
charged.
It will be remarked in Figure 2 that the harp-cam is upright although the scars
of the right hammer which would retain it in such position and prevent it falling
forward are not shewn; these have, been omitted for the sake of clearness and the
actual relative positions of these right sears and the harp-cam are fully shewn
on Fig. 5. After the first barrel has been fired, the larp-cam passes under the
sears to the position shewn in Figure 6.
The other portions of the lock and of the gun may be of any ordinary or suit-
able construction.
My invention, whilst capable of being used in all break-down fire-arms, (guns,
rifles and pistols) is more particularly applicable to and intended for, sporting
guns and rifles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is--
(1). In single-trigger, double-barrelled fire-arms, a safety device set by break-
ing-open the gun and fitted with a leg tilting a cross-shaft secured in a web
extending inwardly from the trigger, and fitted with cams arranged the one in
advance of the other, the said cams being so shaped that when the safety slide is
released, they in turn fall forward under the respective sears, and, upon the
trigger being pulled, effect the discharge of the corresponding barrel of the gun,
substantially as described.
(2). In single trigger double-barrelled fire-arms, a safety device comprising a
slide set by opening the gun, and having a dependent leg tilting backwards the
rearward one of two cams arranged upon a cross-shaft secured to a web or exten-
sion from the trigger, which web is pivoted upon a boss on the trigger plate, the
said cams being arranged one in advance of the other and, when the safety slide
is released, engaging in turn, and when the trigger is pulled, with the sears first
of the hammer corresponding with the advanced cam and then with those of the
second hammer, substantially as described with reference to the annexed drawings.
(3). In single-trigger double-barrelled fire-arms having a safety device, a con-
nection between the trigger and the sears of the hammer, comprising an exten-
sion inwardly from the trigger, pivoted to a "box" upon the trigger-plate, and
provided with a cross-shaft fitted with cams upon opposite sides of the said exten-

page_text: sion, the cams being situated one in advance of the other, and arranged to pivot
forward and locate themselves in turn immediately beneath the sears of the
hammer corresponding with the advanced cam, and then under the sears of the
cpposite hammer, substantially as described and as illustrated upon the accom-
panying drawings.
(4). In single-trigger double-barrelled fire-arms, a cross-shaft journaled within
an extension from the trigger-plate and provided at its ends with a harp shaped
cam and a cone-shaped cam, the harp cam being arranged in advance of the cone
cam, substantially as and for the purposes described and as illustrated on Figures 5,
5ª, 6 and 6.
(5). In single-trigger, double-barrelled fire-arms, the combination with a
safety slide working in the centre-strap and having a dependent leg, of a trigger
having a web or extension pivoted to a box or boss upon the trigger-plate, and
of a cross-shaft passing through said web or extension and fitted with cams, one
in advance of the other and tending normally to tilt forward, substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 10th day of February 1900.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C