IMPROVEMENTS FOR BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wellington Greener, Gunmaker, of St. Mary's
Works, Birmingham, Warwickshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS FOR
BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
Sealed the 3rd July 1877, and dated the 25th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wellington Greener
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1877.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, Gunmaker, of St. Mary's Works, Birmingham,
Warwickshire. "IMPROVEMENTS FOR BREACH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
My Invention has reference.to breech-loading small-arms of the kind commonly.
called drop down guns, and of the description known as hammerless or self-
cocking.
My improvements consist in the mode of cocking the gun, which is effected by
the raising of the breech ends of the barrels for loading. I use the ordinary double
bolt to secure the barrels to the break off; when this bolt is disengaged by a lever
the barrels on rising force the bolt farther back. I accomplish this by making the
steel lump behind the hinge pin of an eccentric form, so that the barrels on rising
forces the bolt back ward, bringing the rear end of the bolt into contact with the
tumblers of the locks, and forcing them into a cocked position. I prefer to use the
ordinary locks with the tumbler formed into strikers, their points passing through
holes in the break off in a line with the axis of the barrels, when the said barrels
are shut down for firing.
The pivot of the tumbler is made to pass through the lock plate, on which is fixed
an indicator to show when the gun is discharged, or in lieu thereof I place a hammer
which is made to strike the exploding pin on the outside. I can also use any other
description of lock suitable for hammerless guns; the barrels are intended to be
secured to the action by my patent treble wedge fast principle, which Patent was
granted to me on the 19th day of September 1873, No. 3084, or I can use the side
or bottom levers when required. I can also use a spring extractor to throw out the
cartridge cases when discharged clear of the gun.
To make the gun safe when at full cock I make a self-acting safety fixed into the
butt of the gun, having a lever projecting through the heel plate. To the upper
end of this lever is attached a long steel rod that pusses from the heel to the trigger

page_text: blades, the lever in the heel plate working on a pivot, the lower end only coming
through the heel plate, it follows that when the gun is brought to the shoulder the
lower end of the lever is pressed inwards, and the upper end being drawn back-
wards brings the steel rod away from the trigger blades, and allows the gun to be
discharged when at the shoulder; I can use any other kind of safety outside the
trigger guard, or on the side of the gun.
The second part of my Invention relates to guns and rifles in which the barrels
are fixed to the stock, and the breech block only moves for loading. I screw on to
the breech ends of the barrels a frame open at each side, the top part of the frame
being a continuation of the rib of the barrels. I make a breech block to fill up
this frame, one end closing up the breech of the barrels, and the rear end of the
block works upon a vertical pivot attached to the frame a little out of centre, and
in the right side of the axis of the barrel; this allows the front end of the block
that covers the breech end of the barrel to move the left, and to allow the cartridge
to be inserted; by moving the point of the block back to the right the breech is closed
ready for firing.
To work the breech block I make a lever resembling the lefaucheux double grip
lever having a small stud or peg pointing upwards a little out of centre. I fix this
lever in the under side of the frame, about half way between the pivot and the
breech end of the barrel. When in position the peg only projects into a slot in the
breech block. By moving the handle of the lever to the right the point of the
breech block is worked to the left, allowing the cartridge to be placed in the chamber
of the barrel, and by reversing the lever into position over the trigger guard the
breech is closed for firing.
The discharged cartridge cases are extracted in the following manner :-I make a
sliding bar on the under side of the frame, attached to the lever at one end, and at
the other fixed to one end of a vertical crank which works on a centre; the other
end of the said crank presses out the extractor and withdraws the cartridge cases
by turning the lever; to open the breech for loading, the extractor is withdrawn. I
can also use what is called the extractor, which is struck by the fore part of the
breech block, flerting out the cartridge case.
• To ignite the cartridge I make a long exploding pin passing through the whole
length of the breech block; I can use the ordinary locks for discharging the piece;
I can also use self-cocking locks worked by the lever. I place the locks and cocks
at the back of the break off under the strap, and by a sliding bar attached to the
lever I get a backward motion, which cocks the locks when the handle of the lever
is turned to the right, (thus) by one motion of the lever to the right the breach
block is opened for loading, the cartridge cases are extracted, and the locks are
brought to a cocked position.
I have another way of cocking the locks by making a spur on the back of the
breech block on the left side; when the breach block is opened for loading the
said spur comes in contact with the hammers, and forces them into a cocked
position.
I make the gun either with one barrel or with two barrels, one over the other, or
with two barrels side by side, in the latter case I place the pivot in a horizontal
position with the lever at the side.
The third part of my Invention relates to the cartridges or cartridge cases for
double barrel guns and rifles. I attach one cartridge to another at the base, making
them in pairs, so that two cartridges can be placed in a double gun as easily as one.
I also join 5 or more together in a circle suitable for revolvers or other arms; I have
also an improved plan of keeping the wads in the metallic cartridge cases; I make
two splits r cuts in the case at the muzzle, extending about half an inch downwards
and about one-twelfth of an inch apart; the narrow piece between the cuts I turn
inwards over the wad which effectually prevents the shot from shaking out; two or
more of these pieces may be used at one time.
Another improvement I claim is to make the cap chamber the proper size to take
Eley's ordinary central fire cups and anvils.

page_text: The fourth part of my Invention relates to recoil heel plates which are made of
india-rubber, hollow, to make it more yielding or elastic. I place the india-rubber
between two layers of ebonite or other hard substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Wellington Greener in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th October 1877.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, Gunmaker, of St. Mary's Works, Birmingham,
Warwickshire. IMPROVEMENTS FOR BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS."
"
My Invention has reference to breech-loading small-arms of the kind commonly
called drop down guns, and of the description known as hammerless or self-
cocking.
Figs. 1 and 2. My improvements consist in the mode of cocking the gun, which is
effected by the raising of the breech ends of the barrels. For loading I use the
ordinary double bolt A to secure the barrels to the break off; when this bolt is dis-
engaged by a lever the barrels on rising force the bolt further back. I accomplish
this by making the steel lump B behind the hinge pin of an eccentric form, so that
the barrels on rising force the bolt backward, bringing the rear end of the bolt into
contact with the tumblers of the locks C, and forcing them into a cocked position.
I prefer to use the ordinary locks with the tumbler formed into strikers, their points
passing through holes in the break off in a line with the axis of the barrels, when the
said barrels are shut down for firing.
The pivot of the tumbler is made to pass through the lock plate, on which is fixed
an indicator to shew when the gun is discharged; or in lieu thereof I place a hammer
which is made to strike the exploding pin on the outside. I can also use any other
description of lock suitable for hammerless guns; the barrels are intended to be
secured to the action by my patent treble wedge fast principle, which Patent was
granted to me on the 19th day of September 1873, No. 3084, or I can use the side
or bottom levers when required. I can also use a spring extractor to throw out the
cartridge cases when discharged clear of the gun.
To make the gun safe when at full cock I make a self-acting safety, Fig. 3, fixed
into the butt of the gun, having a lever D projecting through the heel plate; to the
upper end of this lever is attached a long steel rod E that passes from the heel to
the trigger blades F, the lever in the heel plate working on a pivot G, the lower end
only coming through the heel plate; it follows that when the gun is brought to the
shoulder, the lower end of the lever is pressed inwards, and the upper end being
drawn backwards brings the steel rod away from the trigger blades, and allows the
gun to be discharged when at the shoulder. I can use any other kind of safety
outside the trigger guard or on the side of the gun; when used on the side of the
gun I make a round pin H, Fig. A, and fix it at the back of the trigger blades, the
said pin H having a flat filed on it; a small lever or cam J is attached which fits
upon the lock plate; by pushing the said levers forward the triggers are released, and
by reversing the motion the triggers are bolted; I prefer this safety lever on the left
side of the gun.
The second part of my Invention, Fig. 5 and 6, relates to guns and rifles, in
which the barrels are fixed to the stock, and the breech block only moves for
loading; I screw on to the breech ends of the barrels a frame open at each side, the
top part of the frame being a continuation of the rib of the barrels. I make a
breech block K to fill up this frame, one end closing up the breech of the barrels,
and the rear end of the block works upon a vertical point L attached to the frame
a little out of centre, and in the right side of the axis of the barrel; this allows
the front end of the block that covers the breech end of the barrel to move to the
left and to allow the cartridge to be inserted; by moving the point of the block back
to the right, the breech is closed ready for firing.

page_text: To work the breech block I make a lever M, resembling the lefaucheux double
grip lever, having a small stud or peg N pointing upwards a little out of centre. I
fix this lever in the under side of the frame, about half way between the pivot and
the breech end of the barrel. When in position the peg only projects into a slot
in the breech block. By moving the handle of the lever to the right the point of
the breech block is worked to the left, allowing the [cartridge to be placed in the
chamber of the barrel; and by reversing the lever into position over the trigger guard
the breech is closed for firing.
The discharged cartridge cases are extracted in the following manner:-I make
a sliding bar P on the under side of the frame attached to the lever at one end, and
at the other fixed to one end of a vertical crank Q, which works on a centre R, the
other end of the said crank presses out the extractor S, and withdraws the cartridge
cases; by turning the lever to open the breech for loading, the extractor is withdrawn.
I can also use what is called the ✓ extractor which is struck by the fore part of the
breech block flerting out the cartridge case.
To ignite the cartridge I make a long exploding pin passing through the whole
length of the breech block; I can use the ordinary locks for discharging the piece;
I can also use self-cocking locks worked by the lever. I place the locks and cocks at
the back of the break off under the strap, and by a sliding bar Tattached to the
lever M, I get a backward motion which cocks the locks when the handle of the
lever is turned to the right, (thus) by one motion of the lever to the right the
breech block is opened for loading, the cartridge cases are extracted, and the locks
are brought to a cocked position.
I have another way of cocking the locks by making a spur on the back of the
breech block on the left side. When the breech block is opened for loading, the
said spur comes in contact with the hammers, and forces them into a cocked position.
I make this gun either with one barrel or with two barrels, one over the other, or
with two barrels side by side; in the latter case I place the pivot in a horizontal
position with the lever at the side.
The third part of my Invention relates to the cartridges or cartridge cases for
double barrel guns and rifles, Figs. 7 and 8. I attach one cartridge to another at
the base, making them in pairs, so that two cartridges can be placed in a double
gun as easily as one; I also join five or more together in a circle suitable for
revolvers or other arms. I have also an improved plan of keeping the wads in the
metallic cartridge cases, Fig. 9. I make two splits or cuts in the case at the muzzle,
extending about half an inch downwards, and about one-twelfth of an inch apart,
the narrow piece between the cuts I turn inwards over the wad, which effectually
prevents the shot from shaking out; two or more of these pieces may be used at
one time.
Another improvement I claim is to make the cap chamber the proper size to take
Eley's ordinary central fire caps and anvils.
The fourth part of my Invention, Figure 10, relates to recoil heel plates, which are
made of india-rubber, hollow, to make it more yielding or elastic. I place the india-
rubber U between two layers of ebonite or other hard substance W.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wellington Greener, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
EDWIN OLIVER,
15, St. Mary's Row,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER. (L.S.)