IMPROVEMENTS IN. BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Léopold Lenoir, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, and of 32, Essex Street, Strand, Londen, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN. BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 18th May 1855, and dated the 27th January 1855.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Auguste Léopold Lenoir
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 27th January 1855, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I, AUGUSTE LEOPOLD LENOIR, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 32,
Essex Street, Strand, London, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to breech-loading fire-arms, and consist in a
hinged breech cover for closing up and opening the breech bottom for intro-
ducing the cartridge or loading the gun. This breech cover is so constructed,
that when it is turned up, so as to uncover the bottom of the breech, by this
motion a flat spring with a hammer part is compressed or cocked, so as to be
ready for being let off by pressure on a trigger, and striking by said hammer
part against the fulminating matter of the cartridge. There is also in con-
nexion with said improvements a novel system of cartridges, which are so
constructed that the charge is fired in the middle line, which may be done by
the spring hammer, above mentioned, either by means of a nipple or by a
ניטו

page_text: priming needle. There is also a projecting lever or notched bar hinged to
the barrel or breech cover of the gun, which may be laid down flat on the gun
or turned at right angles to it when it is desired to carry the gun in the arm.
Having thus briefly set forth the nature of the principal parts of these
improvements, I will now proceed to describe the same in detail, and shew the
manner in which they are or may be carried into effect.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a gun fitted with my improvement, shew-
ing the breech cover, spring hammer, &, &; Fig. 2 is a cross section of
the gun through the line X, X, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section through
the line,, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an under plan of the breech cover, with the
spring for carrying bar; Fig. 5 is a detached section of the carrying bar;
Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are longitudinal sections of cartridges to be used in con-
nection with my improvements. The same letters and figures of reference
stand for like parts in the different Figures. The principal implements con-
nected with the improvements shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, are, a, a spring
haniner; b, a breech cover, which covers up the hinder breech mouth, and
extends backwards over the stock part. This breech cover is hinged on both
sides of the gun barrel c, and carries nearits hinge pin d a T-shaped branch e;
the acting implements, viz., the spring hammer a and the breech cover b, are
shewn at Fig. 1, in firm lines, in the position they occupy immediately after
the gun has been discharged. Their position, when the hammer has been
cocked and the gun is ready for loading, is shewn in dotted lines. From these
two positions it will be seen that when the gun is to be loaded, the breech
cover is turned up sufficiently to allow inserting the cartridge; by this rotary
motion the branch is carried round, and the roller fat its end is made to
bear upon the convex portion of the spring hammer a, and thus brings the
hooked part g into such position as to hook into the detent spring h. After the
cartridge has been inserted, the breech cover b is then lowered down, as shewn
in firm lines, and the gun may be let 'off by pressing npon the trigger i,
which acts upon the detent spring h, releasing the hammer spring, and
causing it to strike and inflame the fulminating matter of the cartridge, which
will be described herein-after. The breech cover has in front a plate b¹, fixed
on each side of the middle part 6, which is represented at Fig. 4 without the
plates. These plates are drilled, so as to be able to receive and turn on two
trunnions d, which are on opposite sides of the barrel. The cylindrical face of
the breech cover which is in contact with the barrel end is hollowed out
spherical, as shewn at B, Fig. 4, so as better to receive and bear upon the
spherical end of the cartridge; behind this cavity B there is a slot cut in the
metal for allowing the hammer to pass. When it is desired to raise the breech

page_text: cover, this is done by raising the lever k, which is centered at at the back
énd of the breech cover; this lever, by an inclined plane m, pushes back the
hooked spring n, and thus releases the back edge of the cover, which can then
be withdrawn. When the gun is cocked, I also sometimes use a safety appa-
ratus, which consists of a lever trigger o, which hooks on a stud or projection p
on the detent h, as shewn in dotted lines, and prevents it being lifted before
the trigger o is pushed forwards. The other parts connected with this portion
of the gun are a trigger guard q, which is widened out in front, so as to act as a
guard to the spring hammer. The trigger guard is fixed to the trigger plate u,
to which also the triggers i&o, the spring hammer a, and detent h are
secured. is the woodwork of the stock; and s, the heel plate; t is the tenon,
by which the barrel is secured to the stock, as usual; v is a casing, which sur-
rounds the parts before described, and which supports the barrel, the tenon t
hooking into the solid part of said casing.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 shew a kind of cartridges with various projectiles, said
cartridges being designed to be used in connexion with the above improve-
ments for firing the charge in a central line with the barrel. At Fig. 7,
1 is the priming of percussion needle; 2, a cartridge bottom, of pasteboard or
papier maché, which is pressed out and pierced by one & the same stroke of
à dié; 3, fine gunpowder; 4, wadding, containing the priming or fulminating
matter; 5, percussion cap; 6, projectile wadding washer, which is slightly
glued into the blank. The circumference of the cartridge is formed by several
layers of paper wound and glued round the bottom 2. The cartridges have
different lengths, but should always completely but not tightly fill up the gun
chamber both in length and diameter. The needle should be pointed at the
inner end, and also have the proper length for sticking out at the back after
the shot has been fired, so that the cartridge blank may be withdrawn by
means of the needle, which is barbed to that effect. There is also a pin stuck
through the needle just in front of the cartridge bottom 2 for preventing it
from falling out. There is also a washer under said pin bearing against the
cartridge bottom. Figs. 8 and 9 shew similar cartridges with different pro-
jectiles. In Fig. 9, where shot is used, a zinc washer 8 is placed on the
pasteboard washer 4, the cap resting on this washer as a resisting surface for
percussion. Fig.6 shews a permanent nippled cartridge blank, or false breech,
which may be used over and over again. This cartridge is also shewn at
Fig. 1 in the gun, and its mode of action will be readily understood, so as to
need no further explanation. The contrivance for carrying the gun in the arm
is shewn in under plan, Fig. 4, and longitudinal section at Fig. 5. w is a bar or
lever, which is hinged in an opening a, Fig.4,and partlynotched or roughened.

page_text: There is a spring y bearing on the flat end of the lever pivot, so as to
keep the striated bar at right angles to the barrel, as shewn in dotted lines,
when the bar may be made to rest on the fore-arm, and the gun may easily be
carried in a vertical position with its muzzle upwards. At Fig. 1 there is also
a circular sight bar z, whose under side I have provided with a rack, into
which catches a spring catch in a sight case, so as to confine the sight bar in
the position given to it. The circular sight bar slides on the top of the spring
case, being confined by dovetail slides; the spring has an arm projecting
through a side opening in the case by which it may be depressed, and the
spring case is fixed on the top of the barrel, as shewn on the Drawing.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements, and the manner in
which the same are or may be performed, I wish it to beunderstood that what
I claim as novel, and secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,―
First, a spring hammer for firing the charge in the inside of the gun, said
spring hammer being hooked or caught by a detent spring when cocked,
substantially as described above.
Second, the use and application of a hinged breech cover for cocking the
hammer, and partly covering the hinder breech mouth, as described.
Third, the use and application in breech-loading fire-arms of a system of
cartridges, the essential features of which are a paper or pasteboard bottom,
and a central needle which fires the fulminating matter between the powder
and the projectile.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Léopold Lenoir, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 25th day of January, in the year of our
Lord 1855
A. L. LENOIR. (L.s.)