IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Lindner, now residing in Vienna, Austria,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS."
Sealed the 4th August 1865, and dated the 8th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Lindner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1865.
I, EDWARD LINDNER, now residing in Vienna, Austria, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention applies more particularly to breech-loading arms in which
the breech is closed by a bolt. It consists in fitting a pin or needle at right
angles to the axis of the bore of the gun, or at any other angle thereto, for the
purpose of exploding the charge, the detonating or fulminating composition
being placed in such a position in the cartridge case as that the pin or needle
shall come in contact with it when the charge is to be fired. The pin or needle
works in a chamber fixed to the gun and through a greased and incombustible
stuffing of asbestos or other suitable substance. The needle may be driven
by a rod or lever acted upon by the lock or by the hammer according to its
position; the needle is withdrawn into a position ready for being again driven
to fire the charge either by cocking the hammer or by opening the breech.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Lindner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
LINDNER, now residing in Vienna, Austria, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Lindner, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Lindner,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Lindner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Lindner, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manuer the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Lindner, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
My Invention applies more particularly to breech-loading arms in which
the breech is closed by a bolt. It consists in fitting a pin or needle at right
angles to the axis of the bore of the gun, or at any other angle thereto, for the
purpose of exploding the charge, the detonating or fulminating composition
being placed in such a position in the cartridge case as that the pin or needle
shall come in contact with it when the charge is to be fired. The pin or
needle works in a chamber fixed to the gun, and through a greased and
incombustible stuffing of asbestos or other suitable substance. The needle
may be driven by a rod or lever acted upon by the lock or by the hammer
according to its position;. the needle is withdrawn into a position ready for being

page_text: again driven to fire the charge either by cocking the hammer, or by opening
the breech, or otherwise.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of a
portion of a breech-loading arm constructed according to my present Invention,
and in which the breech is closed by a bolt.
A, is the barrel; B, the breech, and C the bolt for closing the same. The
bolt is formed with projections a, to take into corresponding recesses in the
breech to hold the bolt in place. The fore end of the bolt carries a conical
cap D, while its back end has an arm and handle E connected thereto, by
which when the breech is to be opened the bolt is first caused to perform a
partial revolution to free the projections a, and then drawn back to the required
distance. To close the breech the reverse movements take place; is a pin
fitted at the under side of the cartridge chamber and at right angles to the bore.
of the gun for the purpose of exploding the charge, the detonating or fulmi-
nating composition being placed in such a position in the cartridge case, as
before mentioned, that the pin / comes in contact with it when the charge is to
be fired. The pin 7 works in a chamber k fixed to the gun, and through a
greased and incombustible stuffing n of asbestos or other suitable substance;
o, o, are discs which guide the pin in its up and down movements. The
needle is withdrawn into position for firing and driven as follows:-The.
Drawing shows the parts in position after the charge has been fired. As tho
bolt C is being drawn back the distance necessary for inserting a cartridge
a projection f on the under side of the cap B strikes against the top of and
forces down an arm x together with a rod L to which the arm is connected;
the rod I, is formed with an opening u to receive the pin l, and as this rod is
forced down it carries the pin with it and withdraws its point from the cartridge
chamber. These parts are retained in this position by a hook w connected to
the trigger, being forced by a spring v into a notch d in the arm x. When
the bolt C is returned to close the breech the projection f does not act upon
the top of the arm x. When the trigger is acted on to fire the gun the hook w
is released from the notch d, and a spring m forces up the rod L and with it
the pin which explodes the charge.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the rod L, arm x, hook w, and spring v. I
sometimes fit the gun with a hammer and nipple as shown to enable ordinary
cartridges and percussion caps to be used if desired; and in this case the pin
is held down by a plate I which is caused to slide between the lever L and
the button on the lower end of the pin l.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section, and Figure 4 a plan of a portion of a
breech-loading arm with the exploding pin fitted horizontally in a block G

page_text: at the right-hand side of the cartridge chamber, so that it may be acted on
by a projection p on the hammer to explode the charge; after the explosion
the pin is forced out clear of the cartridge chamber by a spiral spring as
shown. Although I have shown the exploding pin fitted at right angles to
the bore of the gun, yet it may be fitted at any other angle thereto. Its
position may be such that it will strike against detonating or fulminating com-
position at the rear of the cartridge case or immediately behind the ball or
in any other part of the case.
The Invention applies to breech-loading arms whether the breech is closed
by a bolt or by any other means.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Breech-loading Fire-arms."
First, fitting a pin or needle at right angles to or any other angle with the
bore of the gun substantially in manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, fixing a chamber to the gun and fitting in such chamber a stuffing
of asbestos or other like suitable substance in and through which the pin
or needle works, substantially in manner herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Lindner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of Auguust, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-five.
ED. LINDNER. (L.S.)