IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1885

page_text: I HENRY FROST CLARK, of No 13 Liberty Street, Poughkeepsic in the State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING FIRE-ARMS
to be as follows:-
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In this breech loading fire arm the trigger guard is pivoted at its forward end
and has a projection at its rear which being pressed downward, the hammer is
thrown back to half cock, the firing pin drawn back and the locking dog with-
drawn; the further movement in the same direction opens the breech swinging it
downward and forward and then an extractor is brought into action to pull back
and eject the shell, after which another cartridge is to be inserted, and the breech
closed. The parts are very strong and simple, and the arm is not liable to become
obstructed while in use. As the breech is closed the locking dog is thrown back
into its place in the housing, and the hammer ensures the driving of such locking
dog entirely home in the act of cocking the hammer, so that the arm cannot be
fired until the breech is properly closed and secured.
In the drawing:-
Figure 1 is a section longitudinally of the fire arm with the breech closed.
Figure 2 is a similar view with the breech open.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the front end of the breech block detached.
Figure 4, is a rear view.
Figure 5, is a plan of the cartridge support, and the housing with the breech
block depressed.
Figure 6, is a cross section of the barrel and stock, showing the sight and the
manner in which it is held on the barrel and
Figure 7 is a plan of the pusher and finger, that acts upon the hammer and
iring pin respectively.
The stock A, is of ordinary character and the frame or housing B into which is
ntroduced the breech block, is made with its sides in line with the small of the
tock and with a mortice through it. The stock is attached to the housing by the
hollow screw bolt a, introduced from the rear end of the stock, and entering
he metal of the housing at the rear as seen in figs. 1 and 2. This bolt is made
ubular to obtain the required strength without being unnecessarily heavy.
CD 1779

page_text: The barrel D of the fire arm is screwed at its rear end into the forward part of
the housing, and below the barrel D there is a stud d the base of which passes into
a dovetailed recess across the barrel. This stud d performs three duties. First, it
recieves the screw c by which the wooden part E of the stock under the barrel is
attached; Second, this stud has a hole in it, to receive the end of the wiping rod F,
and by means of which it is secured in place, such stud hole having in it a screw
thread for the reception of the threaded end of the wiping rod; Third, said stud d,
also receives and supports one end of the extractor spring hereafter described.
The breech block C, is pivoted to the housing B by the cross pin g, which pin
also forms the pivot for the forward end of the trigger guard, the dowel pins 20
ensuring the proper position of the two sides. The breech block is made in two
parts that are secured together by the screws g and the joint for the trigger
guard comes between the two parts at their forward ends.
The pin g is slightly tapering; to hold the same when properly placed, I provide
a groove or neck, and a serew 2 passing through one joint eye of the breech block
into such groove; by loosening this screw the pivot pin can be taken out.
The rear end of the breech block is a segment of a circle from the centre of the
pivot pin g, in order that the breech block may swing freely up to its proper place
within the mortice through the housing.
There is within the breech block the locking dog k, upon a pivot i, and the
spring k, acts to swing the locking dog up into its place, so that it may enter a
mortice or recess in the housing when the breech is up in its place and thereby
hold the breech and prevent the same opening by the recoil. The back end of tho
locking dog is nearly a segment of a circle and the bottom of the recess for the
same in the housing is similarly shaped, but both are slightly eccentric to
the pivot i, so that the locking dog acts as a cam and compensates for any wear,
which may take place on its face or in the recess provided for it in the housing.
Should said dog fail to go entirely to place when the breech is closed its movement
is completed as follows:-
There is an arm k² on the forward and lower part of the locking dog against
which the rear end 4 of the hammer M acts when the hammer is drawn back to
full cock thereby completing the movement of the locking dog and securely
fastening the breech block.
The hammer M is between the two halves, forming the breech block, and it is
pivoted at m and provided with a main spring m¹. This spring m¹ is preferably
extended at its lower end as the thin trigger spring n¹. The trigger n is pivoted
at 5, and is between the two halves of the breech block, and upon the hammer are
the half cock notch 6, and the full cock notch 7 for the end of the trigger or seer.
The firing pin 1 passes through the breech block and in line with the centre of
the barrel.
The trigger guard forms a lover for opening the breech, and for moving the firing
pin and hammer, the trigger guard being pivoted at its forward end upon the pin g
which is also the pivot for the breech block, the joint piece of the trigger guard
passing in between the two halves of the breech block.
The spring o, is fastened at its forward end within the breech block, and its rear
end acts upon the hook shaped projection upon the trigger guard, and holds the
same in position.
At the rear end of this trigger guard there is the retractor p which passes up
between the two halves of the breech block and acts upon the locking dog, so that
as the trigger guard is pressed downwardly at its rear end the retractor 2 swings
the locking dog downward and forward out of the housing and relieving the
breech block so that thereafter the breech block and the trigger guard can move
together, as they swing upon the pivot g.
The retractor p, may be made in any desired manner, but I prefer to slot the
locking dog vertically and centrally as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, so that the
retractor may be in the form of a segmental arm corresponding to the curvature
of the rear of the breech block, and at the top of this arm there is an L shaped

page_text: projection that acts above the locking dog to swing it downwardly when the
pivoted trigger guard is depressed. The retractor also has a lug or projection
which comes in contact with a shoulder inside the breech block after it has
performed its office of drawing down and out the locking dog which prevents any
further motion of the pivoted trigger guard away from the breech block.
gun
is
I here remark that usually the locking dog will hold the parts when the
being carried from place to place, but to avoid risk of the trigger guard being
swung away from its position in handling the gun, I provide a slide bolt q,
in the housing the forward end of which bolt passes into a hole at the base of the
retractor to hold the same and the trigger guard lever firmly in place. This boit
is moved back and forth by the hand acting upon the thumb piece q².
Above the pivot bolt g, the trigger guard is provided with an arm r having a
forked upper end and within the fork is a forked pusher, and within the forked
pusher, is a finger These parts are all secured together by a pivot, pin
or screw.
There is a limited extent of motion allowed to, and, upon the pivot, the
respective parts being made with nearly flat bases that come in contact with the
bottom of the fork in r, and prevent too great an extent of movement.
The hammer M at its forward edge is notched for the reception of the end of
the pusher, and one side of the firing pin 1 is notched for the end of the finger 18,
to pass into.
When the pivoted trigger guard is depressed, by the pressure of the hand
against its rear end, and the locking dog relieved, the hammer is simultaneously
brought to half cock, by the pusher ', acting against the hammer and giving
sufficient motion to draw back the hammer, and cause the trigger seer to enter the
half cock notch 6.
At the same time the finger, draws back the firing pin so that it is out of the
way, and the slot in the firing pin is longer than the width of the finger acting on
the same, so that said firing pin is unacted upon by the finger, when the breech is
closed, and it is free to remain in the breech block, and not to be drawn forward
by the closing of the breech and the pivoted trigger guard.
At the side of the chamber in the barrel there is an extractor t, adapted to drawing
the cartridge back as now usually employed, but I make use of a peculiar dovice
for acting upon the extractor.
The extractor is at the end of an arm t¹, having an eye through which the pivot
pin g passes. Upon the joint of the pivoted trigger guard at the forward part
thereof, there is a finger u, projecting laterally in front of the eye of the extractor,
and the parts are so shaped that the finger u does not come into contact with the
aru of the extractor, until the breech block is nearly opened, at which time the
extractor and breech all swing together during the last part of the opening move-
ment, and the cartridge is drawn back, and to give the extractor a sudden
movement to the rear, and throw out the loosened and partially extracted spent
shell, I employ the spring u³, before named as projecting from the stud d. The
end of this spring bears against the forward part of the extractor eye.
In this eye
is a notch and the end of the spring sliding down the inclined upper surface of the
notch gives the extractor a sudden backward movement to eject the shell.
The shell need only be inserted far enough to clear the end of the plate or
guide v, as it is pushed home by the breech block in closing the firing pin having
been previously drawn back there will be no danger of a premature explosion.
In order to support and guide the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel,
I make use of a swinging plate v that is hinged at the rear end at v¹ to a plate
that is screwed to the housing, and this plate is sufficiently narrow to swing down
into the mortice in the housing into the position shown in Fig. 2, and occupy a
position nearly in line with the bottom of the cartridge chamber of the gun, so
that the cartridge can rest upon the plate in being pushed into the gun, or while
the cartridge is being ejected.

page_text: It is necessary to slot this plate v of a width and length sufficient to allow the
hammer head to rise up through such plate as the breech is closed.
The plate v is pressed up by the action of the breech block, as the latter is closed,
but such plate is thrown down by a spring as the breech is opened.
I extend the plate v to the rear as a tail v, against which the spring presses.
The upper part of the tail v coming against the plate that is screwed to the
housing prevents the plate v from dropping further than is required when the
breech block is down, and I prefer to introduce a helical spring v2 into a transverse
hole in the back part of the housing, and to employ two studs, one at each end of
such spring, the top one acting upwardly against the tail of the plate v, and the
other one downwardly against the top of the sliding bolt q so as to apply to the
latter sufficient friction to prevent the bolt moving by any concussion or agitation
of the gun.
In order to apply the sight to this breech loading gun, I provide vertical channels,
one at each side of the forward end of the housing. I use a bridge w, with legs 8, 8,
having ribs which fit the channels in the housing and are held in place by suitable
shoulders on the barrel at each side. The arc spring 9 is attached to the under
side of the barrel by the screw 10, so that the ends rest against the inner surfaces
of the legs, 8, 8, and guide and hold the sight as it is moved up and down.
Dated this 12th day of October 1885

page_text: Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms.
I, HENRY FROST CLARK of No 13 Liberty Street, Poughkeepsic, in the State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer 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 :-
In this breech-loading fire-arm, the trigger guard is pivoted at its forward end
and has a projection at its rear, which being pressed downward, the hammer is
thrown back to half cock, the firing pin drawn back and the locking-dog with-
drawn. The further movement in the same direction opens the breech, swinging
it downward and forward, and then an extractor is brought into action. to pull
back and eject the shell, after which another cartridge is to be inserted and the
breech closed.
The parts are very strong and simple and the arm is not liable to become
obstructed while in use. As the breech is closed, the locking dog is thrown
back into its place in the housing and the hammer insures the driving of such
locking-dog entirely home in the act of cocking the hammer, so that the arm can.
not be fired until.the breech is properly closed and secured.
In the drawings
Fig. 1, is a section longitudinally of the fire-arm with the breech closed.
Fig. 2, is a similar view with the breech open.
Fig. 3, is an elevation of the front end of the breech-block detached.
Fig. 4, is a rear view.
Fig. 5, is a plan of the cartridge support and the housing with the breech block
depressed.
Fig. 6, is a cross-section of the barrel and stock showing the sight and the
manner in which it is held on the barrel, and
Fig. 7, is a plan of the pusher and finger that acts upon the hammer and firing-
pin respectively.
The stock A, is of ordinary character and the frame or housing B. into which
is introduced the breech block is made with its sides in line with the small of the
stock and with a mortise through it. The stock is attached to the housing by the
hollow screw bolt a. introduced from the rear end of the stock and entering the
metal of the housing at the rear, as seen in figs. 1, and 2. This bolt is made
tubular to obtain the required strength without being unnecessarily heavy. The
barrel D. of the fire-arm is screwed at its rear end into the forward part of the
housing and below the barrel D. there is a stud d. the base of which passes into a
dovetailed recess across the barrel. This stud d. performs three duties: first, it
receives the screw e, by which the wooden part E. of the stock under the barrel is
attached; second, this stud has a hole in it to receive the end of the wiping rod F
and by means of which it is secured in place, such stud-hole having in it a screw
thread for the reception of the threaded end of the wiping-rod; third, said stud d.
also receives and supports one end of the extractor spring herein after described.
The breech-block G. is pivoted to the housing B. by the cross-pin g. which pin
also forms the pivot for the forward end of the trigger-guard, the dowel pins 20:
insuring the proper position of the two sides. The breech block G. made in two

page_text: parts that are secured together by the screws g' and the joint for the trigger-guard
comes between the two parts at their forward ends. The pin g. is slightly tapering.
To hold the same when properly placed, I provide a groove or neck and a screw 2.
passing through one joint-eye of the breech block into such groove. By loosening
this screw the pivot-pin can be taken out.
The rear end of the breech block is a segment of a circle from the center of the
pivot-pin g. in order that the breech block may swing freely up to its proper placo
within the mortise through the housing.
There is within the breech-block the locking-dog k. upon a pivot i. and the
spring acts to swing the locking dog up into its place, so that it may enter a
mortise or recess in the housing when the breech is up in its place and thereby
hold the breech and prevent the same opening by the recoil.
The back end of the locking-dog is nearly a segment of a circle and the bottom
of the recess for the same in the housing is similarly shaped, but both are slightly
eccentric to the pivot i. so that the locking-dog acts as a cam and compensates for
any wear. which may take place on its face or in the recess provided for it in the
housing. Should said dog fail to go entirely to place when the breech is closed, its
movement is completed as follows:-There is an arm k¹¹ on the forward and lower
part of the locking-dog against which the rear end 4. of the hammer M acts when
the hammer is drawn back to full cock, thereby completing the movement of the
locking dog and securely fastening the breech-block.
The hammer M. is between two halves forming the breech-block and it is
pivoted at m. and provided with a mainspring m¹. This spring m³ is preferably
extended at its lower end as the thin trigger spring n. The trigger n. is pivoted
at 5. and is between the two halves of the breech block, and upon the hammer are
the half cock notch 6. and the full cock notch 7. for the end of the trigger or sear.
The firing pin l. passes through the breech block and in line with the center of the
barrel.
The trigger guard forms a lever for opening the breech and for moving the
firing-pin and hammer, the trigger guard being pivoted at its forward end upon
the pin g. which is also the pivot for the breech-block, the joint piece of the
trigger-guard passing in between the two halves of the breech-block.
The spring o. is fastened at its forward end within the breech-block and its rear
end acts upon a hook shaped projection upon the trigger guard and holds the same
in position. At the rear end of this trigger-guard there is the retractor p. which
passes up between the two halves of the breech-block and acts upon the locking-
dog so that as the trigger-guard is pressed downwardly at its rear end the
retractor p. swings the locking dog downward and forward out of the housing and
relieving the breech-block, so that thereafter the breech block and the trigger-
guard can move together as they swing upon the pivot g. The retractor p. may be
made in any desired manner, but I prefer to slot the locking dog vertically and
centrally as seen in figs. 1, 2 and 4, so that the retractor may be in the form of a
segmental arm corresponding to the curvature of the rear of the breech-block, and
at the top of this arm there is an L shaped projection that acts above the locking
dog to swing it downwardly when the pivoted trigger-guard is depressed. The
retractor also has a lug or projection which comes in contact with a shoulder
inside the breech-block after it has performed its office of drawing down and
out the locking-dog which prevents any further motion of the pivoted trigger-
guard away from the breech-block.
I here remark that usually the locking-dog will hold the parts when the gun is
being carried from place to place; but to avoid risk of the trigger guard being
swung away from its position in handling the gun, I provide a slide bolt q. in the
housing, the forward end of which bolt passes into a hole at the base of the
retractor to hold the same and the trigger guard lever firmly in place. This bolt
is moved back and forth by the hand acting upon the thumb piece q².
Above the pivot-bolt g. the trigger guard is provided with an arm r. having a
forked upper end and within the fork is a forked pusher ?' and within the forked

page_text: pusher is a finger r². These parts are all secured together by a pivot pin or
screw. There is a limited extent of motion allowed to r¹ and upon the pivot,
the respective parts being made with nearly flat bases that come in contact with
the bottom of the fork in r. and prevent too great an extent of motion.
The hammer M at its forward edge is notched for the reception of the end of the
pusher and one side of the firing-pin l. is notched for the end of the finger 7³ to
pass into.
When the pivoted trigger-guard is depressed by the pressure of the hand
against its rear end, and the locking dog relieved, the hammer is simultaneously
brought to half cock by the pusher acting against the hammer and giving
sufficient motion to draw back the hammer and cause the trigger sear to enter the
half-cock notch 6. At the same time the finger draws back the firing pin so
that it is out of the way and the slot in the firing pin is longer than the width of
the finger acting on the same, so that said firing-pin is unacted upon by the finger
when the breech is closed and it is free to remain in the breech block and not to.
be driven forward by the closing of the breech and the pivoted trigger guard.
At the side of the chamber in the barrel there is an extractor t. adapted to
drawing the cartridge back, as now usually employed; but I make use of a
peculiar device for acting upon the extractor. The extractor is at the end of an
arm t having an eye through which the pivot-pin g. passes. Upon the joint of
the pivoted trigger-guard at the forward part thereof, there is a finger u. pro-
jecting laterally in front of the eye of the extractor and the parts are so shaped
that the finger u. does not comes into contact with the arm of the extractor until
the breech block is nearly opened, at which time the extractor and breech all
swing together during the last part of the opening movement and the cartridge is
drawn back; and to give the extractor a sudden movement to the rear and throw
out the loosened and partially extracted spent shell, I employ the spring u before
named as projecting from the stud d. The end of this spring bears against the
forward part of the extractor's eye. In this eye is a notch and the end of the
spring sliding down the inclined upper surface of the notch gives the extractor a
sudden backward movement to eject the shell.
The shell need only be inserted far enough to clear the end of the plate or
guide v. as it is pushed home by the breech block in closing.
The firing pin having been previously drawn back, there will be no danger of
premature explosion.
In order to support and guide the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel,
I make use of a swinging plate v. that is hinged at the rear end at v¹ to a plate
that is screwed to the housing, and this plate is sufficiently narrow to swing down.
into the mortise in the housing into the position shown in fig. 2. and occupy a
position nearly in line with the bottom of the cartridge-chamber of the gun, so
that the cartridge can rest upon the plate in being pushed into the gun or while
the cartridge is being ejected. It is necessary to slot this plate v. of a width and
length sufficient to allow the hammer-head to rise up through such plate as the
breech is closed. A slot in the hammer securely locks the plate when the gun is
fired by its upper part passing over the cross-piece at end of the slot in the plate.
Both ends of the slot in the plate v. are rounded to allow the shell to slide freely
in either direction. The plate v. is pressed up by the action of the breech block
as the latter is closed but such plate is thrown down by a spring as the breech is
opened. I extend the plate v. to the rear as a tail against which the spring
presses. The upper part of the tail v coming against the plate that is screwed to
the housing, prevents the plate v. from dropping farther than is required when the
breech-block is thrown down; and I prefer to introduce a helical spring into a
transverse hole in the back part of the housing and to employ two studs one at
each end of such spring, the top one acting upwardly against the tail of the
plate v. and the other one downwardly against the top of the sliding bolt q. so as
to apply to the latter sufficient friction to prevent the bolt moving by any concussion
or agitation of the gun. In order to apply the sight to this breech loading gun

page_text: I provide vertical channels,-one at each side of the forward end of the housing.
I use a bridge w. with legs 8. 8. having ribs which fit the channels in the housing
and are held in place by suitable shoulders on the barrel at each side. The arc-
spring 9. is attached to the under side of the barrel by the screw 10. so that the
ends rest against the inner surfaces of the legs 8. 8. and guide and hold the sight
as it is moved up or down.
By my improvement it will be seen that the barrel may be easily wiped out from
the breech and the interior of the barrel can be examined from end to end at the
rear.
When desired the hammer may be shaped as shown by dotted lines in fig. 2.
so that the gun may be more easily carried at "support arms."
The housing and stock are so nearly in line with the barrel that there is no risk
of the parts springing when the gun is fired, thus insuring great strength and
accuracy in firing. The swinging breech-block and pivoted trigger-guard moving
together, the momentum and weight cause the extractor to act rapidly and
powerfully to withdraw the shell and throw it out of the gun.
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. The combination with the breech-block G. and swinging trigger guard H.
both pivoted upon the pin g. of the retractor p. at the rear of the trigger-guard,
the locking-dog k. over which the retractor p. passes, the spring and a
projection upon the locking-dog, and the hammer M with the projection 4. to
press upon the locking dog . and insure its action substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the breech block G. and swinging trigger guard H.
both pivoted upon the pin g. of the retractor p. at the rear of the trigger-guard,
the locking-dog k. over, which the retractor p. passes, the spring / and a projection k³
upon the locking-dog, the hammer M. with the projection 4. to press upon the
locking-dog . and insure its action, the slide-bolt q. entering a recess in the
trigger-guard, and spring v² substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the breech block G. and hammer M pivoted within
the breech-block, of the swinging trigger guard H. the retractor p. at the rear of
the trigger-guard, locking-dog . within the breech-block, the swinging-plate v.
pivoted at to the stock, the arm 7. and forked pusher rl upon the trigger-guard,
the finger upon the end of arm r. the firing-pin l. having a slot in which said
finger acts, the extractor t. and its arm t¹ swinging on the pin g. the finger u. upon
the trigger-guard, for operating the extractor, and the extractor spring u¹ the parts
being constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the breech-block G. hammer M. pivoted within the
breech-block, the swinging trigger-guard H. and the arm r. formed with the trigger
guard, a pivot g. for the breech-block and trigger-guard, the forked pusher
pivoted to the arm r. for moving the hammer M. to half cock, the finger 2 upon
the arm, and the firing-pin l. slotted for the reception of the finger, the cartridge-
extractor t. the finger u. upon the trigger-guard for operating the extractor, and
the spring u¹ for imparting to it a final movement in throwing out the shell, and
the swinging plate v. pivoted at v¹ upon the stock and over which the cartridge-
shell is passed, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the breech block G. of the swinging trigger-guard H.
pivoted upon the pin g. and having an arm r. and pusher 1 the hammer M. pivoted
within the breech-block and having the notches 6. and 7. the trigger n. pivoted
upon the trigger-guard, and its spring n³ for holding the hammer whereby the
hammer is half-cocked as the breech-block is swung open by the trigger-guard,
substantially as specified.
f
Sixth. The combination with the breech-block G. of the swinging trigger-
guard H. and its arm r. the pivot-pin g. pusher and finger upon the arm r.
the hammer M. within the breech-block and acted upon by said pusher, the-firing

page_text: pin 7. above the finger and sliding in the forward part of the breech-block, the
trigger, trigger-spring and the spring o. to the trigger-guard, substantially as
specified.
Seventh. The combination with the breech block G. of the swinging trigger
guard H. the pivot-pin g. the finger u. at the front-part of the trigger-guard, the
extractor t. pivoted upon the pin g. and acted upon by the finger u. and the
spring u pressing, upon the notched eye of the extractor, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
Eighth. The combination with the breech-block G. pivoted at g. and the hammer M.
within the breech block, of the swinging-plate v. pivoted at the rear end and
slotted for the passage of the hammer and forming a cartridge support, the tail
piece at the rear end of the plate v. and the spring v³ within the housing,
substantially as specified.
Ninth. The combination of the breech-block G. and the swinging trigger-guard H.
pivoted together on the pin g. the curved retractor p. at the rear part of said
trigger-guard, the slide-bolt q. in the stock at the rear of the breech-block, the
thumb-piece q and the spring v² there being a hole in the lower part of the
retractor into which the bolt is passed to lock the trigger guard, substantially as
specified.
Tenth. The combination of the breech-block G. and trigger-guard H. pivoted
upon the pin g. the spring o. in the breech block acting upon the trigger guard, the
retractor p.at the rear part of the trigger-guard, the locking-dog . and its spring k¹
whereby the downward movement of the trigger-guard and retractor act to
disengage the locking dog and release and swing the breech block, substantially as
specified.