Improvements in Trigger Mechanism for Double-barrelled Guns.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trigger Mechanism for Double-barrelled Guns.
We, JEAN HOURAT, Gunsmith and JEAN CASTADERE, Engineer, both of
95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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:-
This invention relates to improved trigger mechanism for double barrelled guns
by which two shots that is to say a double shot can be fired without the hand being
displaced.
In order to render the description as clear as possible, we have illustrated our
improved trigger mechanism by way of example in the accompanying drawing.
We have so arranged the mechanism that the person using the gun may be
compelled to clear the trigger after having fired the first shot, before he can
discharge the second shot, or so that the person may not be compelled to clear the
trigger between the first and the second shots.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 refer to our trigger system arranged in such a manner, that
the operator is compelled to release the trigger after having fired the first shot, in
order to cause the second discharge.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete mechanism in place.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the mechanism, with some of the parts removed;
this figure indicates the position of the constituent parts when the first shot has been
fired and before the trigger has been released.
Figure 3 is likewise a sectional view of the mechanism with parts omitted,
and represents the position of the mechanism after the second shot has been fired.
Figures 14 1 2A 3A refer to a modified form of the preceding device.
Figure 1 is a side view and shows the mechanism uncocked.
Figure 1B is a plan view thereof.
Figure 24 shows the mechanism after the first shot has been fired.
Figure 3 shows the niechanism after the first shot has been fired and before the
second shot is fired.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 refer to a modification of our trigger mechanism,
applicable to arms employed for pigeon shooting, for example, in which a greater
rapidity of firing is required than in sporting arms, to which the preceding device
is applied.
Arranged as indicated by Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, our improved mechanism
permits of two shots being fired without the trigger being cleared between the first
and second shots.
Figures 4 and 5 are side views of the trigger device.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views of details.
As indicated in Figure 1, our improved trigger device essentially comprises two
pieces M and N, one of which namely the piece N, acts jointly with the trigger n.
In Figure 1 the piece M partly covers the piece N, which is shown complete in
Figure 2.
Upon the piece N is fixed a pawl n' which is adapted to turn about the axis or
pivot n" and upon the head of which pawl acts the spring z. This pawl is
supported by a slide rod a provided with a slot a', in which a pin b is adapted to be
displaced.
Upon the piece M and on that side, which is turned toward the piece N are
fixed a cam c with two notches c' c, and a pin or projection d.
The two pieces M and N are adapted to turn about the pivot e.

page_text: When the trigger n is acted upon, the heel of the piece N will rise and act
upon those parts which serve to discharge the shot, but at the same time the
piece N, while turning about its axis of rotation e will force the pawl n' to engage
with the notch c of the cam c and will move this cam toward the tenon d as
indicated in Figure 2.
After having thus discharged the first shot, the piece N will, on releasing the
trigger n, turn about the axis of oscillation e and the pawl n' leaving the notch c²,
will place itself opposite the notch c¹. In this position, the pawl n' will, on the
trigger n being again acted upon, exert a pushing action upon the cam c by the
notch c¹, and the cam then bearing against the pin or projection d, will lift
the piece M of the left hand barrel and this latter will be discharged in its turn.
When the two shots have thus been fired, the gun is opened according to the
mechanism employed for extracting the cartridge cases, and in this movement the
hooks upon which the pieces M and N have previously acted, bear on their part
against these pieces and return them to their position. As regards the pawl and
the cam, they return to their original position in the following manner: The
connecting rod D pushed back by the bolt, actuates on the one hand the pawl by
the pin b which acts upon the slide rod a, and on the other hand the cam c, which,
as indicated in Figure 1, is forced to joint action through the medium of the axis i
traversing the piece M, of the connecting rod j, actuated by the connecting rod 9,
which is provided with a pin or the like, which is displaced in a slot provided in
the connecting rod D. All of these parts are thus returned to their original
position and the gun is ready to be again used.
In order to avoid the use of two pieces M and N connected by the parts or
mechanisms indicated, we may modify the system just described in the following
manner. This modified system is represented in Figures 1A, 1B, 24, 34.
In our modified system the trigger n actuates one single piece N which in the
different movements hereinafter described acts upon a piece M' used in place of the
piece M, which we have herein before described. This piece M' is subjected to
the action of a spring R', which constantly tends to throw the said piece back
toward the rear of the gun, that is to say from the left to the right in the figures of
the drawing. The piece M' is provided with two extending holes or siots m'm' and
its top surface is such as to present a part, inclined from 1 toward 2, an abrupt
projection at 2 and finally a level portion extending from 2 to 3.
The piece N, can, as in the preceding instance, oscillate around the pivot l. The
firing bammers which strike against the cartridges, placed in the barrels, are
engaged by the two levers or sears D' D" of different length and the extremities
of which are curved at d' d as clearly shown in Figure 1B.
The gun
is cocked by the same manipulation as that employed in analogous guns,
that is to say by turning down the barrels around the stock. The object of this
lowering movement is to bring back, as indicated in Figures 14, 1", the extremity d'
of the lever D', corresponding to the right-hand barrel against the projection 2 of
the piece M', whereby, as will be readily understood, the spring R¹ is prevented
from pushing the piece M' from the left toward the right. It follows therefrom,
that in the position occupied by the constitutent parts when the gun has been
closed, the extremity of the lever D holds the piece M' in place, whereas the
extremity d of the lever D" is placed behind the said piece, as indicated in
Figures 1A and 1B.
When the gun is thus closed and the trigger n is acted upon with the finger, the
piece N is caused to pivot around the axis l, and while pivoting, this latter lifts the
piece M by the tenon l¹. While rising, the piece Mi lifts the lever D₁ by its
extremity d¹, the effect of which being that the right-hand barrel is discharged, and
this extremity d' then places itself upon the inclined plane 1-2 of the piece M',
and as long as the finger is held upon the trigger, should even pressure be exerted
upon the same, the constituent parts of the mechanism will remain in the position,
just indicated.
When the trigger is cleared, it returns to its original position, but as the right-

page_text: hand barrel has been fired, the extremity d¹ of the rod D' will remain upon the
inclined plane 1-2, and will not prevent the spring R¹ from pushing the piece M'
back from the left to the right. This piece M' pushed back by the spring R¹ will
place itself partly, as indicated in Figure 34, under the curved extremity of the
lever D, and as will be easily understood, when the trigger n is again acted upon,
the piece N while rising, will force the piece M' to lift the extremity d¹¹ of the
lever D. The left hand barrel, in its turn, will be discharged.
The characteristic feature of this device is, to have levers or sears D' D" of
different lengths so that the movable piece M' can lift one of these pieces, without
touching the other.
In the modified system represented in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, the rapidity of
firing is still increased, since in this case it is not necessary to clear the trigger
between the first and the second shot. The trigger consists, as in the preceding
example, of two pieces M and N, capable of moving individually and brought back
in place, when the finger of the operator has been released from the trigger, by the
spring R (Figure 7). This spring R is formed by two blades bent at r at one of
their extremities, and these bent parts enter the holes q provided in the pieces M
and N. On pressure being exerted upon the trigger, the piece N which is connected
thereto, pivots about the axis e as in the preceding example, and while rising it
acts upon those parts which cause the right hand barrel to be fired. In this
movement the piece M remains immovable, since the tenon y fixed upon the piece N
slides in the slot y' provided on the piece M but when the charge of the right hand
barrel has been fired, the tenon y is at the bottom of the slot y, and on continuing
to act upon the trigger, the piece M carried along by the pin y rises on its part and
causes the left hand barrel to be fired. In this modified system, the two shots may
thus be fired without the trigger being released, so that a more exact aiming is
obtained, since the body of the operator has not to execute any movement, when
the second shot is required to be discharged almost immediately after the first.
Owing to the employment of one or the other of these trigger devices, accidents
are avoided, which sometimes occur with guns having two triggers when, after
the second shot has been fired, the gun recoils and the trigger actuating the right
hand barrel strikes the forefinger of the operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
In a single trigger-device for double barrelled guns :
1. Two pieces, one of which acts jointly with the single trigger and which pieces
are connected to each other by a pawl and a cam so arranged that during the first
course of the trigger, the pawl simply approaches the cam toward a pin fixed upon
the second piece; the said pawl being thrown out of gear with the cam, when the
trigger is cleared, after the first shot has been fired, and applying subsequently the
cam against the tenon carried by the second piece in order to lift this latter, when
the trigger is again acted upon.
2. Two pieces, one of which acts jointly with the single trigger and which pieces
are connected to each other by means of a two-branched spring and of a pin fixed
to that piece which acts jointly with the trigger and which pin during the first
displacement of this piece slides in a slot provided in the second piece which is only
actuated by the tenon during the second part of the course of the trigger.
3. A piece capable of pivoting about a fixed axis, and at the same time capable
of being horizontally displaced relatively to this axis; the said piece being lifted
when the trigger is acted upon, and being subjected to the action of a spring
tending to push the same back, which action is counterbalanced when the gun is
cocked, by the lever or sear, corresponding to the right hand shot, which lever or
sear bears against a projection arranged on the upper edge of the piece; the said
sear, after having been lifted in order to discharge the right hand barrel, placing
itself on an inclined plane, forming a prolongation of the projection, in order to

page_text: enable the spring to act, which spring when the trigger has been cleared, pushes
back the piece under the second sear, so as to lift this second sear, when the trigger
is again acted upon; all constitueut pieces of the mechanism returning to their
position under the action of the sears, when the gun is again cocked.
Dated this 9th day of April 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.