IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, INCLUDING DEVICES TO TAKE UP THE WEAR IN THE JOINTS, LOCKING DEVICES AND OPERATING PARTS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wentz Wilson, Civil Engineer, and Isaac T. Milliken,
Gentleman, of the City of San Francisco, California, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,
INCLUDING DEVICES TO TAKE UP THE WEAR IN THE JOINTS, LOCKING
DEVICES AND OPERATING PARTS."
Scaled the 6th December 1878, and dated the 8th June 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said James Wentz Wilson and Isaac
T. Milliken at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June
1878.
JAMES WENTZ WILSON, Civil Engineer, and ISAAC T. MILLIKEN, Gentleman, of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
the City of San Francisco, California.
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, INCLUDING DEVICES TO TAKE UP THE WEAR IN THE
JOINTS, LOCKING DEVICES, AND OPERATING PARTS."
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and mechanism
of breech-loading double-barrelled guns or rifles, whereby we are enabled to produce
a more perfect action of the parts, a stronger and more secure locking of the barrels
in place when closed by means of a compound, treble, and rotating grip and positive
wedge fast action, and a quintriple compensating mechanism, whereby all wear of
the joints and grip or locking mechanisms may be easily taken up and compensated,
the whole gun being made strong, solid, easily operated, and having little liability
to wear, so that it makes a thoroughly satisfactory and perfect action, and is for
this reason available for express rifles, double or single, as well as for double or
single barrelled shot guns.
In order to more fully explain our Invention, reference is made to the accom-
panying Drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our gun.

page_text: And Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are detailed views of parts of the mechanism, similar
letters of reference denoting corresponding parts in each of the Figures
respectively.
The barrels in our gun are secured by a hinge pin or bolt a to the action in the
manner usual to this class of guns, but our hinge pin and joint are placed from one-
half to three-fourths of an inch further forward, and away from the standing
breech A than in guns as now made, so as to add to the strength and stability of
the gun.
The joints present broad bearings to reduce the wear as much as possible, but in
order to take up any slight wear which will take place in time in these parts we
employ a series of compensators, which embody the simple mechanical elements, and
are in the form of the screw and wedge.
To describe these compensators we begin with the one at the fore end, as shown
at o, , Figure 1 and Fig. 6; the back part of this wedge is dovetailed in form, and
slides in corresponding grooves in the fore end hinge strap.
A screw enters the catch strap v, and when turned actuates the wedge o, k,
and this pressing against the lug on the barrel moves the fore end hinge strap o, so
as to force it back and close the joint, thus ending all shake or rattle at this point
where guns first show looseness when opened.
In order to compensate any wear upon the hinge pin a' we provide it with a
sleeve a, Figure 7, which is tapered or cone shaped, and has a solid head or shoulder,
as shown in Figure 2, and detail Drawing, Figure 7.
This sleeve moves around and upon the bolt or pin, and may be turned at any
time so as to present a new surface to the hook in the lug H at 80 upon the barrels
whenever wear makes it advisable.
The conical sleeve is adjusted and held in place by means of temper or adjusting
screw and set screw a³, as shown in Figure 2.
The end of the sleeve is slotted to receive the end of the temper screw x, and
thus the sleeve is held at any point to which it may be turned upon the pin. A
slot u, t, (Fig. 7) is also made in the end of the sleeve to receive a screwdriver, by
which the sleeve is turned when desired.
It will thus be seen that the sleeve may be moved around as well as longitu-
dinally upon the bolt, and any lost motion or wear from opening or closing the gun
will thus be accurately and certainly taken up and compensated.
One of the most serious difficulties encountered in this class of guns is the
tremendous strain which is brought to bear upon the hinge by the dropping down
of the barrels in opening, and this is the prime cause of so many guns becoming
loose and shaky after short use. To remedy this we employ the check hook b,
which engages with the relief bar 6'; this check hook is formed upon the rear of
the hinge pin lug H, and when the barrels drop down it is arrested by the relief
bar, and all strain is taken off the hinge joint. This relief bar extends across the
gun, and has the buttons m, m, (Fig. 2) upon each side, so that with the thumb and
finger the bar may be drawn back and disengaged from the check hook when it is
desired to dismount the barrels.
The springs n, n, hold the bar to its position, or return it after it has been
withdrawn.
A novel, and one of the best features of, our gun, is the grip and compensator,
shewn in the bridge W of the action. This is formed, as shown at c', in an arc of
a circle, the convex surface of which is in transverse section in the form of an obtuse
triangle or dull V (see Fig. 2). The portion of the lug H', which fits over this are
when the gun is closed, corresponds with it in shape, and as it passes down quite
through the frame of the breech it provides a broad deep surface to steady and hold
the barrels in place, and when they are locked in place it will be seen that the curve
of the arc will also act as a lock to prevent their being moved vertically, and at the
same time the V form of the faces prevents, all lateral motion.
In order to compensate any wear which may take place at this point we have
employed the wedge c², which is fitted into a corresponding space, as shown. A

page_text: screw centers this wedge, and it will be seen that by turning this screw at any
time the working faces of this lock will be brought to a perfect fit.
The screw serves to keep or prevent the screw e from turning after it has been
properly adjusted. The form of these faces is also such as to give one-fourth
more wearing surface than if flat, and this portion of the device serving at once as
a guide to the barrels when moving, and a lock when closed, gives such steadiness
vertically as laterally and solidly to all parts that it may be applied to double and
single barrelled express rifles, in which it is important that the steadiness of aim
should not be deranged by any vibration of the piece when discharged.
In addition to this device we employ two other grips, which are formed as
follows: is a square bolt or spindle, passing vertically up through the breech
behind the standing breech, and carrying the upper and lower grips h and d; these.
grips project towards the front as cams, eccentrics, or lugs, and engage with corre-
sponding lugs upon the gun, as will hereafter be described.
The spindle extends from the trigger strap T, up through the solid part of the
break-off B, and has the lever L, by which the grips are operated, secured to the
upper end.
The lower grip d is fitted to enter a slot d¹ formed in the rear of the lug H₁,
while the upper grip passes over and engages with the lug h³; this lug is triangular.
in shape on its upper surface, and the grip has a recess on its lower face of the same
shape.
It will be seen that this form gives not only a more perfect lock, but also a greater
wearing surface to the parts. We have employed, for the purpose of compensating
wear in the lower grip, either the screw and wedge, as before described, or simply
the screw alone.
In the first case the operation is shown in Figure 9, where the wedge e operates
upon the plate e', and thus adjusts the grip. This wedge is actuated by the screw e²
(this screw e being held in position after adjustment by the end of the screw ),
and by it the most minute adjustinent may be obtained by the aid of the screw 9,
which holds the grip d in its position upon the spindle (see Fig. 1).
4
In some cases however the adjustment may be accomplished by means of a screw,
as shown in Figure 10, this screw standing in such a position in the standing breech.
and at such an angle to be easily reached with a screwdriver when the gun is
opened.
The adjustment of the upper grip may likewise be made by means of the
wedge and screw, operating as shewn at y', Figure 4; or it may be made by a
screw, which enters the top of the standing breech.
The rotary movement allows the grips to be adjusted by the compensators by the
aid of the adjusting screw f", which holds the grip in position after being
adjusted, so as to slightly impinge upon the lug underneath the barrels and the
lug h, and these two elements will always ensure the barrels of the gun being
tightly and solidly closed and held down upon the face of the breech, and back
against the standing breech.
By means of the spring P (see Figs. 1 and 3) which acts upon the lever L, a self-
closing or snap action is provided, but if the spring should be omitted, or if it
should become broken at any time, there would be no hindrance in working the
gun, as the lever could be simply closed by means of the thumb. is the grip bolt,
which is actuated by a light spring 7, and when the lever is moved to one side to
release the grip and allow the barrels to open, this bolt shoots up past the lower
grip, and thus holds the lever and grips out of the way until the gun is closed.
When the barrels are brought into the firing position the bottom of the lug H'
strikes a projection upon this bolt, and forces it out of the way. By this arrange-
ment the grips are relieved of all friction from the snap action, as it does not act
until just as the barrels are closed.
The lugs H, H, are of solid steel, extending up between the barrels, and having
the projecting lug h³ for the upper grip formed as a part of the same.

page_text: The peculiar angular or dovetailed shape of this lug and the corresponding recess
in the grip gives not only a greatly increased surface to resist strain and wear, but
it ensures a positive and instant action at the moment of firing, which tends to draw
the ends of the barrels and standing breech more firmly and solidly together at the
instant of discharge.
Having thus described our Invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,―-
1st. The compensator, consisting of the wedge o, k, and the screw u, in combina-
tion with the fore end o and the hinge joint, substantially as and for the purpose
herein described.
2nd. The tapered or cone-shaped sleeve a fitted upon the hinge pin a¹, and
adjusted and operated so as to compensate the wear at this point, substantially as
herein described.
3rd. The check hook b, and the relief bar b¹, with its springs n, n, in combination
with the hinge pin lug and joint of gun, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
4th. The check hook b, relief bar b', and springs n, n, in combination with the
buttons m, m, whereby the relief bar may be disengaged to dismount the barrels,
substantially as herein described.
5th. The grip c¹ formed of the arc or segment of a circle, as shown in combina-
tion with the corresponding arc in the lug H', fitting substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
6th. The wedge c² with its screw c³ in combination with the segmental grip cl,
whereby a compensation is formed, substantially as herein described.
7th. The cains or lugs h, h, mounted upon the spindle k, in combination with the
lug and slot d', whereby the grip and lock is formed, substantially as herein
described.
Sth. The lug h having its upper surface made triangular in shape in combina-
tion with the correspondingly shaped grip h, which fits over it, substantially as
herein described.
9th. The compensator consisting of the wedge e¹ and screw e, or the screw alone,
in combination with the grip d, d, substantially as herein described.
10th. The grips h, h³, in combination with the compensator h³, substantially as
herein described.
11th. The lever L, with its operating spring P in combination with the grip
bolt g and the actuating spring, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day
of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witnesses,
GEO. H. STRONG.
FRANK A. BROOKS.
JAMES WENTZ WILSON. (L.S.)
ISAAC T. MILLIKEN.
(L.S.)