Improvements in or relating to Drop-down Guns or Rifles.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Drop-down Guns or Rifles.
I, VAIERIAN SOLODOVNIKOFF of Erbsenstrasse Haus 56 St. Petersberg in the
Empire of Russia Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention
und in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
uscertained in and by the following statement:--
The present invention relates to a double-lock for drop down rifles and guns,
which is arranged in such manner that the return of the barrel into its closed
position after the gun has been loaded, automatically locks cne locking device so that
if the user has forgotten to push in the second locking device or if owing to an
accident one of the locking devices becomes useless, the gun can still be used with
a sufficient degree of safety.
While the automatic locking device which is operated by the thumb or index
finger of the left hand and which is hereinafter fully described, is constituted
by a bolt adjustable in a transverse direction relatively to the barrel, the second
locking bolt which is moved by the thumb of the right-hand is arranged in the
longitudinal direction of the barrel.
Both locking devices are carried in the butt part of the gun and this is shown
in the accompanying drawings together with a portion of drop-down barrel,
Fig. 1 being a vertical longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a partial horizontal
longitudinal section on the line a-b of Fig. 1.
Both locking devices are shown in their closed positions.
Figures 3 and 4 show similar sections the two locking devices being open, the
barrel being turned down and the gun ready to be loaded.
Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sections on the lines cd and e-f of Figures 2, 3, &
4, Figure 5 shows the automatically closing front locking device arranged trans-
versely relatively to the barrel in its closed position and Figure 6 in its open
position.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the barrel seen from the back and showing the
projections for engaging with the second not automatically acting locking device.
Figure 8 shows the front transverse locking bolt in perspective, Figure 9 being
a similar view of the rear longitudinal locking bolt.
The construction of the new double-lock is as follows:-
The barrel 2 pivotted about the pin 1 engages with its lower longitudinal
rib 3 provided with a transverse slot with a longitudinal groove 4 of the front
part 5 of the lock-case suorting the pivot-pin.
The longitudinal groove 4 of the lock-case 5 is interrupted by a transverse
bridge 6 corresponding to the transverse slot 7 in the longitudinal rib 3 of the
barrel 2.
The slotted rib 3 of the barrel 2 has on its flat surface angular recesses 8 which
when the barrel is closed form together with the angular recess in the lock case 5
an angular opening for receiving the locking bolt 9 which in this portion has the
Sam W

page_text: The rest of the locking bolt 9 is cylindrical and passes through the portion 5
of the lock-case.
Within the latter there is provided a small chamber 10 open at the top and
serving to receive a helical spring 11 acting on the bolt 9, said spring bearing on
one side against the wall of the chamber and on the other side against a cross-
pin 12 of the bolt 9. The free end of the latter projecting outside is provided
with a knob 13 secured by a pin 15 having a projection 14. In this way an
accidental coming apart of the parts is avoided while at the same time the lock
can be easily taken off
The opening 16 of the chamber 10 for introducing the spring 11 and the stop
pin 12 can be closed by an easily detachable sunk cover 17 (Fig. 4).
The latter may be made so that a slotted screw 18 sunk into it and capable of
being turned carries a latch for plate 19 which engages with, recesses in the walls
of the chamber when the screw 18 is suitably turned to enable the cover 17 to be
easily removed. When in open position, it is provided with a small hole 20
through which a pin or a hook can be introduced and the cover thus removed.
Owing to the spring 11 the lock acts automatically as soon as the barrel has
been brought to its closed position that is to say the prismatic portion 9 of the
locking bolt automatically engages with the similarly shaped opening formed
in the barrel 2 and in the lock-case 5 whereby these parts are locked fast
together.
The second locking device is constituted as already mentioned by a locking
bolt 22 arranged lengthwise in the gun and in the upper wall of the lock-case 21.
This bolt has also an angular or prismatic front portion which effects the
locking the remainder being cylindrical.
The prismatic portion 23 of this locking bolt 22 engages between the two projec-
tions 24 and 25 formed one above the other on a lug 28 provided with cam faces 26
and 27 and arranged at the rear face of the barrel 2. Owing to the cam faces 26
and 27 the barrel can be easily closed it being gradually and firmly pressed against
the wall of the lock-case. The back portion of the cylindrical end of the bolt 22
carries a double armed lever 30 pivoted in a longitudinal slot 29 said lever 30
engaging with its shorter end with a recess 31 of the wall 21 of the lockcase and
is capable of being turned by the thumb at its free end projecting upwards
through a longitudinal slot 32 of the wall 21 in such a manner that the locking
bolt 22 is caused to move either backwards into its open or forward into its closed
position. The locking bolt 2 is under the influence of a helical spring 34
enclosed in a chamber 33 of the wall 21 of the lock-case said spring bearing on
one side against the wall of the chamber 33 and on the other against a cross-pin 35
of the bolt 22.
The chamber 33 can be provided with a cover 36 of a construction similar to that
of the cover 17 for the chamber 10.
When loading the gun the knob 13 is pressed down by the index finger of the
left hand the lever 30 being simultaneously thrown back into the position in-
dicated in Fig. 3. by the thumb of the right hand. Then by means of a slight
shock or jerk the barrel is caused to drop down. After loading the barrel is
returned to its original position whereupon the transverse locking bolt 9 which
meanwhile rested against the flat surface of the rib 3 is caused by the spring 11
to return automaticaly into its closing position. Then the lever 30 is pressed by
the right hand forwards into the position shown in Fig. 1. In this way the gun
is locked in its closed position by both the locking devices and is ready for use.
The transverse bolt 9 may also be arranged so as to have the knob 13 on the
left hand side of the gun so that said bolt 9 can be open by the thumb of the
left hand.
If one of the locking devices has been damaged or if it has been forgotten to
lock the bolt behind the barrel by pushing forwards the lever 30 the gun can
nevertheless be used without danger for one of the locking devices is sufficient to
keep the barrel firmly pressed against and in engagement with the lock-case.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A double locking device for drop down guns or rifles consisting of two lock-
ing bolts one of which is arranged longitudinally and the other transversely
relatively to the barrel in such manner that the front bolt locks automatically
and is opened by pressing against it with the thumb or index finger of one hand
the second locking bolt being arranged at the rear of the barrel and being closed
or opened by actuating a double armed lever hinged to the locking bolt so that
should one of the locking devices become damaged or the back bolt be accidentally
left open the gun can still be securely locked by the other lock substantially as
described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete lock-
ing device for drop-down guns substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
.
1+
.. 100%
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.