IMPROVEMENTS IN RIPLES AND SHOT GUNS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rochester Pape, of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIPLES AND SHOT
GUNS:"
Sealed the 6th November 1874, and dated the 9th May 1874.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Rochester
Pape at the Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th May 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROCHESTER PAPE, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLES
AND SHOT GUNS," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in top lever drop
down double or single guns or rifles, generally used for sporting purposes,
being equally advantageous and important for guns or rifles whether
made with or without hammers.
The improvements consist, firstly, in a top lever or thumb piece,
which lays along the top or crown head of the stock (and between the

page_text: hammers in those guns or rifles which have hammers or cocks). The
arrangement and action of this lever is superior to that usually adopted
in
guns and rifles above described, where the lever has hitherto been
worked to one side only in the movement to open the gun or rifle.
In my Invention I use a double action, by which the lever can be
worked by pressure from either the right or left side; such pressure in
either way will draw back the bolt and open the gun. For effecting
this improvement I cut out a longitudinal slot hole in the crown head
of the break off or rear of the needles, through which I pass a spindle to
connect the top lever with the direct acting bolt. This bolt is moved or
drawn by the spindle acting as an eccentric upon the bolt to draw it
back and unlock or open the gun or rifle. To push this bolt forward
and lock down the barrels I fit a spring, the spring being worked
backwards by the pressure of an extended projection of a steel lump,
which presses back the bolt when the barrels are shut down.'
My further improvement consists in the lump always resting against
the bolt when the gun is open for the purpose of having the cartridge
inserted. Those two parts always pressing against each other remove
all jar or blows usual in snap or self-locking guns or rifles, causing the
movement to become a gradual casy pressure, removing all blows and
friction from the bolts and lumps.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Rochester Pape in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROCHESTER PAPE, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Rochester Pape, Her special licence
that I, the said William Rochester Pape, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Rochester Pape, my

page_text: 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
RIFLES AND SHOT GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Rochester Pape, 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.
C
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Rochester Pape, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
tr
The object of my said Invention is to construct breech-loading guns
or rifles, more particularly that class of fire-arm commonly denominated
drop down" guns, and with an improved "action" worked by top
lever lying along the top of the stock, between the hammers (being
equally advantageous and important for hammerless guns).
The improvements consist, firstly, in a top piece or thumb picce,
which lays along the whole top or crown head of the stock (and between
the hammers in. those guns or rifles which have hammers or cocks). The
arrangement and action of this lever is superior to that usually adopted
in guns or rifles above described, where the lever has been hitherto
worked to one side only in the movement to open the rifle or gun.
'
In my Invention I use a double action, by which the lever can be
worked by pressure from either the right or left side; such pressure in
either way
will draw back the bolt and open the gun. For effecting this
improvement I cut out a longitudinal slot hole in the crown head of the
break off or rear of the needles, through which I pass a spindle to
connect the top lever with the direct acting bolt. This bolt is moved or
drawn forward by the spindle acting as an eccentric upon the bolt to
draw it back and unlock or open the gun or rifle. To push this bolt
forward and lock down the barrels I fit a spring, the spring being

page_text: worked backwards by the pressure of an external projection of a steel
lump, which presses back the bolt when the barrel is shut down..
My further improvements consist in the lump always resting against
the bolt when the gun is open for the purpose of having the cartridge
inserted. The two parts always pressing against each other remove all
jar or blows usual in snap or self-locking guns or rifles, causing the
movement to become a gradual easy pressure, removing all blows and
friction from the lump.
Having thus far described my Invention I will now in further
compliance with the aforesaid condition in the said Letters Patent
contained proceed to more fully and particularly describe and ascertain
the same by referring to the Drawings as follows:-

page_text: ՌԵՏԻՆՍ ՁԵԵԵՐՆ ԱՆ
the centre of the extractor; r; the swivel to connect the lever and
bolts.
The action of the mechanism is as follows: The direct acting bolt
acts through the face of the body or front part of the stock, the pressure
upon the lever or thumb piece (e) bringing to bear the eccentric points
(a and b).against the projections or half-circle points (c and d), throwing
upon these parts an amount of pressure sufficient to draw back the bolt
and unlock the barrels. This bolt is actuated by an eccentric hinge
or spindle (f), attaching the lever (e) and the bolt together, and
worked through the slot hole (m, Fig. 2) cut in the top of the action.
To procure the self-locking movement the lump before mentioned
attached to the back ends or under part of the barrels is extended about
a quarter of an inch beyond the flush of the breech ends. This lump
when the gun is open presses or bears upon the bolt, preventing all jar,
blow, or friction in the working of the moving parts.
The arrangements of the bolt and wedge are superior to all "top
levers" hitherto in use. The lever can be worked from either the right
or left, and imparts the same influence over the eccentric, which at once
unlocks or withdraws the bolt by the pressure from either side. Guns
or rifles so made will be equally suitable for right or left handed
persons. This movement will work either two or three wedges or bolts
with the same ease as one. The lever can also be fitted from the upper
or under parts of the stock.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed
or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim, the herein described
Invention of Improvements in Rifles and Shot Guns," substantially
as herein-before set forth and described and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings, wherein an important feature is the projection of the
lump through the extractor (shown at q, Fig. 7), by which the barrels
are left much stronger (only one drill hole being required between the
barrels), and the projection lump or biter steadies the extractor and

page_text: barrels and prevents the common fault of both, which is the giving way
to the right or left.
In witness whereof, I the said William Rochester Pape, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
WILLIAM ROCHESTER PAPE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS PAPE,
Warden Street,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.