Improvements in Breech-loading Small-arms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Small-arms.
I, AUGUSTE ARMAND TRINQUIER, of 17 Boulevard Rochechouart, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Gunsmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to fire-arms, and has for its object to transform existing
arms into small-bore guns.
The principal advantages of the present fire-arms lie in the first place in the
reduction of the size of the bore, which increases the range of the fire-arm, and
in the second place in the repeating action whereby the velocity of the firing is
augmented.
By the transformations hereinafter described I obtain these qualities in existing
fire-arms without necessitating such a great expense that there would be no
advantage in purchasing or manufacturing a new fire arm.
For achieving this result it is necessary to change the size of the bore and to
provide means for rapid firing.
I will proceed to describe my invention in its application to a fire arm having a
breech bolt, such as the Gras fire arm but it will be understood that it is applicable
to any fire arms having breech bolts.
The reduction of the bore takes place by replacing the existing barrel by one
which has a smaller bore corresponding to the ball of the cartridge used.
Of course the transformation must as far as possible be effected cheaply. The
barrels of ordinary fire-arms have exteriorly the form of a truncated cone,
decreasing from the breech to the muzzle. This form cannot be obtained by
drawing, which renders it needful to piece or drill a solid bar of steel and plane
the exterior, which operations considerably raise the price of the barrels thus
obtained.
In order that they may be produced cheaply I make the barrels of a form which
enables them to be obtained by drawing.
This form resembles that of a bottle with a long neck composed of two cylindrical
parts joined by a curved surface.
The rear part which is thickest and which receives the first pressure of gas,
stops generally at the first garniture from the breech. The second extends to the
muzzle. But in order to relieve the fire-arm this part may be made shorter or
longer if it is desired to increase the solidity of the barrel against the pressure of
the powder gases.
However, this augmentation of the diameter must extend at least beyond the
back sight, for it has not for its object to leave a sufficient thickness for placing
the cartridge but to prolong the resistance so that when projectile has acquired its
mean velocity the expansive force of the gases acts with less intensity.
If it is desired to increase the solidity without increasing the weight, and to
render the barrel more rigid, I may also provide two reinforces in lieu of one.
This construction is more expensive than the first but very little and it makes the
barrel more rigid. The manufacture of the barrel by drawing, besides the
diminution of the cost of manufacture, possesses the further advantage of tempering
the steel in the interior of the fire-arm without deforming the piece, and giving it
a homogeneous composition, whilst the tempering of the truncated gun barrels
heretofore used presents the inconvenience of causing the longitudinal axis to
deviate more or less from the straight line and interfering with the homogeneous-
ness of the tempered metal which is more or less hard according as certain points
are put in the water more rapidly than others. The object of the increase in the

page_text: diameter of the rear part of the barrel is not only to provide for resisting the strain
of the powder gases during the first part of the passage of the projectile, but also
to permit of cutting the back sight into the barrel instead of screwing or otherwise
fixing the same upon its surface, which cut necessitates a great thickness of metal
at the point where it is to be formed. The barrel thus obtained is planed, cut and
ground at its rear part on its two sides to obtain flats of triangular form so that the
part of the mounting which covers this portion of the barrel may decrease from
the breech forwards. With the new fire-arms the velocity of firing obtained by
means of the repeating action. This repeating action is in the old fire-arms
rendered almost impossible by reason of their particular construction and all the
attempts made in this direction have been without success.
To overcome this difficulty I make in the leading and firing mechanism certain
modifications by which the old fire-arms although they have no repeating action
can be fired as quickly as the most recent magazine guns.
These modifications relate to the mechanism and the fixing of the firing-arm by
means of a knee support. They avoid the necessity of preparing the gun for firing
and for taking aim.
They consist in the shortening of the butt end, the arranging of the lever with
its vertical downward movement more to the rear and placing the trigger nearer to
the muzzle of the barrel so that after the double operation the trigger will be
opposite the bent lever.
By shortening the butt end about two centimetres I bring the notch in the breech
casing forward this distance towards the shoulder thereby enabling the cartridge to
be placed in the barrel when taking aim, which operation is impossible with the
Gras Lebel and other existing fire-arms by reason of the great length of the butt
end. By placing the aforesaid lever backwards about six centimetres to the rear,
and shortening the butt end two centimetres as stated the said lever is brought
eight centimetres nearer to the shoulder and permits the movement of opening and
closing the breech to be easily effected when taking aim which is extremely difficult
not to say impossible with the Gras and other fire-arms used in Europe, the right
arm not being long enough for the shooter to take hold of the lever with the hand
for opening and closing the breech when taking aim.
The arrangement of the lever lower down as in the carabine of the French
cavalry but further away from the stock and the placing of the trigger more to the
front have for their object to effect the firing with the two last fingers of the right
hand in quick firing, thus obviating the necessity of relinquishing the lever to press
the trigger and vice versa, so that two more movements are done away with in the
manipulation and firing of the gun (seizing the handle and gripping the lever) and
the velocity of the firing is proportionately increased.
In the knee support, designed for use in firing when on the knees or when lying
on the ground, the pivot is generally placed at the centre of gravity of the fire-
arm or a few centimetres to the front or to the rear in case this is desirable owing
to the necessity of holding the arm with the left hand.
It is arranged to move upon a point and is placed almost vertically in firing
when on the knees the lower extremity being put upon the knee and obliquely in
firing when lying down its extremity being on the ground.
In firing the gun while standing the support is placed horizontally and against
the stock; it is fixed upon the handle by a tappet which prevents it being
automatically opened in firing the gun when standing and in the manipulation of
fire-arms. The form of this support is optional; it may be straight or bent in the
direction of the axis of the fire-arm or perpendicular to the same.
The most advantageous arrangement is that in which the lower extremity has
the form of a broad gouge which fits upon the stock and bears firmly upon the
knee or upon the ground.
This mode of transformation is general and is applicable to any fire-arms having
a breech bolt and also to the new magazine and other guns.
It is applicable either wholly or partly to any of the old and new fire-arms, their

page_text: employment being only partial in certain cases, that is to say limited to the
employment of the improved barrel and the knee support such as for example in fire-
arms having a breech block, with or without automatic mechanism.
In the case of the Comblain fire-arm for instance the modifications refer to the
barrel, the shortening of the butt-end and employment of the knee support.
Dated this 24th day of January 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Small-arms.
I, AUGUSTE ARMAND TRINQUIER, of 2 Rue Juliette Lambert, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Gunsmith, 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 :-
My invention relates to fire-arms, and has for its object to transform existing
arms into small bore guns.
The principal advantages of the present fire-arms lie in the first place, in the
reduction of the size of the bore, which increases the range of the fire-arm, and in
the second place; in the repeating action whereby the velocity of the firing is
augmented.
By the transformations hereinafter described I obtain these qualities in existing
fire arms without necessitating too great an expense.
For achieving this result it is necessary to change the size of the bore and to
provide means for rapid firing.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a view of an old fire arm provided with a new barrel and the firing
mechanism.
Figure 2 is a view of a fire arm having a breech-bolt, the mechanism being
cocked and showing the operation of the knee support.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the small bore barrel before it is finished.
Figure 4 is a view of the finished barrel.
The reduction of the bore takes place by replacing the existing barrel by one
which has a smaller bore corresponding to the ball of the cartridge used.
Of course the transformation must as far as possible be effected cheaply. The
barrels of ordinary fire-arms have exteriorly the form of a truncated cone,
decreasing from the, breech to the muzzle. This form cannot be obtained by
drawing, which renders it needful to pierce and drill a solid bar of steel and
machine the exterior of the same, which operations considerably raise the price of
the barrels thus obtained.
In order that they may be produced cheaply I make the barrels of a form which
enables them to be obtained by drawing.
This form resembles that of a bottle with a long neck, composed of two
cylindrical parts joined by a curved surface (Figure 3).
The rear part which is thickest, and which receives the first pressure of gas,
stops generally at the first garniture or shoulder from the breech. The second
extends to the muzzle. But in order to lighten the fire-arm this part may be made
shorter or longer if it is desired to increase the strength of the barrel against the
pressure of the powder gases.
However, this augmentation of the diameter must extend at least beyond the
back sight, for it has not for its object to leave a sufficient thickness for placing
the cartridge but to prolong the resistance so that when the projectile has acquired
its mean velocity the expansive force of the gases acts with less intensity. If it is

page_text: desired to increase the strength without increasing the weight, and to render the
barrel more rigid, I may also provide two reinforces in lieu of one, (Figure 4).
The manufacture of the barrel by drawing, besides diminishing the cost of
manufacture, possesses the further advantage of tempering the steel in the interior
of the fire arm without deforming the piece, and giving it a homogeneous
composition.
The object of increasing the diameter of the rear part of the barrel is not only
to provide for resisting the strain of the powder gases during the first part of the
passage of the projectile, but also to permit of cutting the back sight into the
barrel instead of screwing or soldering the same upon its surface.
The barrel thus obtained is planed cut and ground at its rear part on its two
lateral faces to obtain flats of triangular form, as indicated in dotted lines, so that
the part of the stock which covers this portion of the barrel may decrease from
the breech forwards.
With the new fire-arms the rapidity of firing is obtained by means of the
repeating action, with the old fire arms their transformation into repenting fire
arms is rendered almost impossible by reason of their particular construction.
To overcome this difficulty I make in the loading and firing mechanism certain
modifications by which the old fire-arms, although they have no repeating action,
can be fired as quickly as the most recent magazine guns.
These modifications relate to the mechanism and the fixing of the fire arm by
means of a knee support. The modifications hereinafter set forth are designed
to avoid the time occupied in preparing the gun for firing and for taking aim.
They consist in the shortening of the butt-end, arranging of the lever with its
vertical downward movement more to the rear and placing the trigger nearer to
the muzzle of the barrel so that after the double operation the trigger will be
opposite the bent lever.
By shortening the butt-end about two centimetres I bring the notch in the
breech casing forward this distance towards the sboulder thereby enabling the
cartridge to be placed in the barrel when taking aim, which operation is impossible
with the Gras, Lebel and other existing fire arms by reason of the great length of
the butt-end.
By arranging the lever D farther back say about six centimetres to the rear,
and shortening the butt-end two centimetres as stated the said lever is brought
eight centimetres nearer to the shoulder and permits the movement of opening
and closing the breech to be easily effected when taking aim, which is extremely
difficult, not to say impossible with the Gras and other fire-arms used in Europe,
the right arm not being long enough for the marksman to take hold of the lever
with the hand for opening and closing the breech when taking aim.
The arrangement of the lever lower down as in the carabine of the French
cavalry but further away from the stock and the arrangement of the trigger more
to the front have for their object to effect the firing with the last two fingers of
the right hand in quick firing, thus obviating the necessity for relinquishing the
lever to press the trigger and vice versú, so that two more movements are done
away with in the manipulation and firing of the gun (seizing the handle and
gripping the lever) and the velocity of the firing is proportionately increased.
In the knee support, designed for use in firing when on the knees or when lying
on the ground, the pivot is generally placed at the centre of gravity of the fire-
arm or a few centimetres to the front or to the rear in case this is desirable owing
to the necessity of holding the arm with the left hand.
It is arranged to move upon a point F (Figure 1) and is placed almost vertically
in firing when on the knees the lower extremity is placed upon the knee and
obliquely iu firing when lying down, its extremity being placed on the ground.
In firing the gun while standing the support is placed horizontally and against
the stock; it is fixed upon the handle by a tappet O which prevents its being
automatically opened in firing the gun when standing and in the cocking operation.
The most advantageous form is that in which the lower extremity has the form

page_text: of a broad gouge which fits upon the stock and bears firmly upon the knee or upon
the ground.
This mode of transformation is general and is applicable to any fire-arms
having a breech bolt and also to the new magazine and other guns.
The transformations hereinbefore set forth are applicable either wholly or partly
to any of the old and new fire-arms.
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 :-
:-
First. In a fire-arm a barrel composed of several cylindrical parts of decreasing
diameters, substantially as described.
Second. In a fire-arm a barrel of steel drawn directly without being either
drilled or machined exteriorly, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-arm a barrel provided with two triangular lateral-faces,
substantially as described.
Fourth. In a fire-arm the shortening of the stock to enable the loading to be
effected while the gun is held in the aiming position, substantially as described.
Fifth. In a fire-arm a bolt lever arranged to the rear in order to enable the
opening and cocking of the gun while it is held in the position for aiming,
substantially as described.
Sixth. In a fire-arm the arrangement of the trigger further to the front below
the handle substantially as described.
Seventh. In a fire arm a support articulated to the same for use in supporting
the gun when firing on the knees or when lying down, substantially as described.
Eighth. The improvements in fire-arms as herein before described with reference
to the accompanying drawings for the purpose specified.
Dated this 24th day of October 1893.
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.