IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hohenbruck, of Vienna, at present residing
at No. 7, Park Square West, Regent's. Park, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 11th January 1868, and dated the 11th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hobenbruck at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1867.
I, EDWARD HOHENBRUCK, of Vienna, at present residing at No. 7, Park
Square West, Regent's Park, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to make a portable fire-arm which possesses
the following advantages :-
1. Simplicity and solidity of construction, so that the fire-arm may be used
by an inexperienced person.
2. Complete closing of the breech, which cannot burst or allow the gas
to escape.
3. Means for preventing the fouling of the breech plug and of the chamber
which receives it, as likewise of the striker.

page_text: 4. The sure and rapid extraction and throwing away of the empty
cartridge.
5. The facility of handling this weapon allows a considerable number of
shots to be fired in a minute (viz., about 12 from the shoulder or 15 from
the side).
6. By this system the cartridges may have the percussion either in the
centre or at the side.
7. The great facility of the manufacture of this arm allows a considerable
number of muzzle-loaders to be converted into breech-loaders in a very short
time, which operation may be performed by any gunsmith.
8. Complete safety in every respect, and above all impossibility of an
accidental discharge.
9. No spring is used either in the system of closing, or in the striker, or in
the extractor, so that all the inconveniences of springs are avoided.
10. The system is equally adapted for all calibres.
The accompanying Drawings represent a breech-loading arrangement
constructed according to my Invention.
Figure I. represents the rear portion of the gun, the breech being closed;
Figure II. represents a corresponding view, the breech being opened. These
two Figures are on a reduced scale while the following are drawn full size.
The same letters of reference refer to the same parts in all the Figures.
Figure III., back elevation of the breech plug; Figure IV., under side view
of same; Figure V., plan view; Figure VI., pivot of the breech plug with
its spring; Figure VII., plan of the striker; Figure VIII., screw which
retains and guides the striker; Figure IX., plan of the breech with
breech plug removed (Figures 3 and 4,) with the extractor, the cock
being raised; Figure X., plan of the extractor; Figure XI., elevation of the
same; Figure XII., side elevation of the cock lowered on the breech plug
to the safety notch.
a, breech plug pivotted at b, c, (Figure VI.) screw pivot with a spring d
which prevents its loosening or having play; e, end of breech plug serving
to open and shut the breech; f, breech which on the left encloses the
extractor pivotted at i; j, groove of the chamber of breech to stop the
escape of gas in the direction of the firer in case of the splitting of the
cartridge; k, k, grooves' on the breech plug for the purpose of collecting
impurities or any foreign bodies, such as grease, dust, &c.; l, inclined plane or
face on the extractor h which strikes the face m, Figure 5, when the breech
is opened more or less violently after having fired, so as to throw out the empty
cartridge. This mechanism may be used for every sort of metal base cartridge.

page_text: n, Figure VII., striker free and without spring, guided and retained by the
screw (Figures III. and VIII.) lodged in the mortise p. This striker,
made in one piece, is furnished with a system of fluting q, which forms an
obstacle to the escape of gas, and like the grooves k, k, receives the grease,
&c., so that the play of the striker may not be impeded. The shoulder r
of the head of the striker is sloped so as adapt it to its oblique position.
To make the point of the striker re-enter I have a small inclined plane
or face t (Figure 9) on the edge of the breech, on which inclined plane the
point of the striker slides when the breech plug a is pulled down. There is
a second inclined plane which causes the striker to retire when the bottom of
the breech is opened after firing. These two inclined planes advantageously
replace the coiled springs which are ordinarily used to withdraw the striker.
The peculiar form of the hammer u is represented in Figures 9 and 12.
The horn v serves to retain the breech plug, by means of the hook w. The
horn v and hook w are also meant to place the breech a completely in its
place in case this has been negligently done, and to prevent the shot being
fired while the closing is imperfect. x, the brass plate to which the lock is
fixed, which is the same as that commonly employed; y, barrel with its
ordinary lump z.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Hohenbruck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th January 1868. ****
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HOHENBRUCK, of Vienna, at present residing at No. 7, Park Square West,
Regent's Park, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Hohenbruck, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Hohenbruck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Edward Hohenbruck, 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.

page_text: for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,"
upon the condition
(amongst others) that the said Edward Hohenbruck, 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 manner 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 Hohenbruck, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is to make a portable fire-arm which posesses
the following advantages:-
1. Simplicity and solidity of construction, so that this fire-arm may be used
by an inexperienced person.
2. Complete closing of the breech, which cannot burst or allow the gas to
escape.
3. Means for preventing the fouling of the breech plug and of the chamber
which receives it, as likewise of the striker.
4. The sure and rapid extraction and throwing away of the empty
cartridge.
5. The facility of handling this weapon allows a considerable number of
shots to be fired in a minute (viz. about 12 from the shoulder or 15 from the
side).
6. By this system the cartridges may have the percussion either in the
centre or at the side.
7. The great facility of the manufacture of this arm allows a considerable
number of muzzle-loaders to be converted into breech-loaders in a very short
time, which operation may be performed by any gunsmith.
8. Complete safety in every respect, and above all impossibility of an
accidental discharge.
9. No spring is used either in the system of closing, or in the striker, or in
the extractor, so that all the inconveniences of springs as applied to these parts
are avoided.
10. The system is equally adapted for all calibres.
The accompanying Drawings represent a breech-loading arrangement
constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 1. represents the rear portion of the gun, the breech being closed;

page_text: Figure II. represents a corresponding view, the breech being open. These
two Figures are on a reduced scale, while the following are drawn full size.
The same letters of reference refer to the same parts in all the Figures.
Figure III., back elevation of the breech plug; Figure IV., under side view
of same; Figure V., plan view; Figure VI., pivot of the breech plug with
its spring; Figure VII., plan of the striker; Figure VIII., screw which
retains and guides the striker; Figure IX., plan of the breech with the breech
plug (Figures III. and IV.) removed. This Figure shows the extractor, the
cock is represented raised to full-cock. Figure X., plan of the extractor;
Figure XI., elevation of the same; Figure XII., side elevation of the cock
lowered on the breech plug to the safety notch.
a, breech plug pivotted at b, c, (Figure VI.,) screw pivot with a spring d,
which by bearing on the side of the screw hole prevents its loosening or having
play; e, end or thumb piece of the breech plug serving to open and shut the
breech;f, breech, formed or fixed on the end of the barrel on the left, it
encloses the extractor h which is a lever pivotted at i; j is a groove in the
breech chamber to stop the escape of gas in the direction of the firer in case
of the splitting of the cartridge; k, k, grooves on the breech plug for the
purpose of collecting impurities or any foreign bodies, such as grease, dust, &c.;
, inclined plane or face on the extractor h which strike the face m
(Figure V.) on the breech plug, so as to throw out the empty cartridge when
the breech is opened more or less violently after having fired. This mechanism
may be used for every sort of metal base cartridge. n, Figure VII., striker free
and without spring guided and retained by the screw o (Figures III. and
VIII.), lodged in the mortise p. This striker made in one piece is furnished
with a system of fluting 9 which forms an obstacle to the escape of gas, and
like the grooves k, k, receives the grease, &c., so that the play of the striker
may not be impeded. The shoulder of the head of the striker is sloped so
as to adapt it to its oblique position. To make the points of the striker
re-enter in closing the breech I have a small inclined plane or face t (Figure 9),
on the edge of the breech, on which inclined plane the point of the striker
slides when the breech plug a is put down to close the breech. There is a
second inclined plane at the end of the bore and at the upper part thereof,
which causes the striker to retire when the breech is opened after firing.
These two inclined planes advantageously replace the coiled springs which are
ordinarily used to withdraw the striker. The peculiar form of the hammer u
is represented in Figures 9 and 12; the horn v serves to retain the breech plug
by means of the book w. The horn v and hook w are also meant to place
its place in case this has been negligently done,
the breech a completely in

page_text: and to prevent the shot being fired while the closing is imperfect; -,.. the
brass plate to which the lock is fixed, which is the same as that commonly
employed; y, barrel with its ordinary lump z.
In witness whereof I, the said Edward Hohenbruck, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight..
EDWARD BARON VAN HOHENBRUCK. (L.8.)