Improvements in or connected with Sporting and Military Guns.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification. Left, 10th Aug., 1896 -Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Sporting and Military Guns.
A communication by EUGENE LAZARD, of Arlon, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention has for its object an improved safety device for sporting and
military rifles, shot guns and the like.
The gun destined to receive the automatic device should preferably have the
butt end cut out in the form of a half moon at the part where the heel plate
is fixed. A metal rod is passed through the heel plate and the butt пр to
the cock or hammer. The outer end of the rod is attached to a plate preferably
curved like the heel plate but a little shorter and narrower than the latter.
In the butt of the gun, a coiled spring is placed around the rod and said spring
normally pushes the rod outwards. At the inner end the said rod is connected to
or engages with a lever, swivel, slide or other suitable locking piece adapted to
engage in a notch of the tumbler in such a way as to entirely prevent the latter
from operating.
When the gun is placed to the shoulder, the rod moves forward, the swivel
or locking piece makes a movement in the reverse direction and releases the
tumbler, so that the latter is no longer locked and the shooter can now fire.
As soon as the gun is removed from the shoulder, the rod is again pushed
outwards by the coiled spring and the swivel or locking piece again enters the
notch in the tumbler and locks the latter. The swivel or locking piece has an
extension which protrudes through the stock a little to the rear of the trigger
guard and is formed as a push button or engages with a push button protruding at
about that point.
When no one is touching the gun, the end of the locking piece touches the
button which latter is normally pressed outward by a spring and said button
prevents the swivel or locking piece from releasing the tumbler. The button is
placed in such a way that the hand of the shooter touches it unintentionally and
causes it to move when he places himself in a position for shooting. This pressure
on the button moves the latter until a groove, slot or the like in the button
presents itself exactly opposite the end of the swivel or locking piece and the latter
can then be drawn back so that even if the weapon be rested with its butt on a.
stone and the trigger be pulled, the shot would not go off because the rod.
could not move, the locking piece being retained by the button. In the same
way if the gun be taken in the hand and pressure applied to the button and
the trigger be pulled, the shot would not go off, because the rod would not
move, not being set in motion by being placed to the shoulder (or in position for
aiming).
In order that the shot may go off the gun must be in the position in which
it has to be placed for firing, that is, in which it is placed to the shoulder
and the right hand is in its place and the index of the right hand on the
τίσσον

page_text: The button as stated before serves to retain the locking piece and prevent the
gun from going off if the right hand is not in place.
The great advantage of this gun is that it renders shooting accidents absolutely
impossible. As soon as the shooter has loaded his gun, the latter is quite safe
without it being necessary for him to do anything else. It can be allowed to fall,
be thrown into a hedge, hooked on the branches of trees, etcetera, and it will never
go off. But when shooter wishes to shoot, his gun will be released automatically
without his having to do or think of anything and he can fire at his ease.
No forgetfulness is therefore possible and no loss of time is to be feared. The
gun is always in safety. It is only unlocked at the moment when the person
desires to shoot, and is perfectly safe when it is no longer desired to make
use of it.
When the shooter wishes to shoot, he rests his right hand practically
unconsciously on the button. In the same way without thinking about it, he
places the butt plate against his shoulder, whereby the simultaneous pressure on
the parts releases the tumbler and he can pull the trigger when he wishes.
Dated this 8th day of November 1895.
A communication by EUGENE LAZARD, of Arlon, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, of 322 formerly 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 :-
.
This invention has for its object an improved safety device for sporting and
military rifles, shot guns and the like.
This improved mechanism insures a perfect locking of the trigger when the
gun is not in position for shooting, that is to say when it is not at the shoulder.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawing, in which a gun is shown with the butt and mechanism in section as far
as the trigger and will be readily understood as it consists of a very simple
mechanism which acts without requiring thought on the part of the shooter,
because its effects are produced naturally.
The mechanism works by two simultaneous movements operated by the natural
movements of the shooter, firstly in bringing the gun to the shoulder and secondly
in placing his hand so as to rest on the trigger.
The gun destined to receive the automatic device should preferably have the
butt end cut out in the form of a half moon at the part where the heel plate is
fixed. A metal rod A is passed through the heel plate and the butt up to the cock
or hammer. The outer end of the rod A is attached to a plate B preferably curved
like the beel plate but a little shorter and narrower than the latter and working on
a hinge B B.
In the butt of the gun, a coiled spring D is placed which by means of a rod C
normally pushes the plate B outwards. At the inner end the rod A is connected
to or engages with a lever, swivel, slide or other suitable locking piece E E¹E",

page_text: one of the ends of which is adapted to engage in a notch f in the tumbler or
trigger H in such a way as to entirely prevent the latter from operating. This
locking device E E E" pivots at the point I. .
When
Beneath the gun behind the trigger guard there is a push button K which is
constantly pressed outwards by means of a spring L. This button K has a
perforation M normally standing lower than the locking piece E E E".
the right hand is placed in position for firing, pressure is applied to the button K
without thinking and the perforation M is caused to come exactly in front of the
arm E
When the gun is placed to the shoulder, the plate B is unconsciously pressed
upon and the rod A moves forward, the swivel or locking piece E E E makes a
movement in the reverse direction and its end E' being withdrawn from the notch f
releases the trigger H, so that the latter is no longer locked and the shooter can
now fire when he likes.
The end E" of the locking piece penetrates (when the gun is placed to the
shoulder) into the perforation M of the button K as the shooter in placing his
right hand in position had pressed on the button K and had consequently caused
the perforation M to come in front of the end E" of the locking piece.
As soon as the gun is removed from the shoulder, the plate B is again pushed
outwards by the coiled spring D and consequently draws the rod A with it and
the swivel or locking piece E E' E" again enters the notch f in the tumbler or
trigger H and locks the latter, so that even if the weapon be rested with its butt
on a stone and the trigger H be pulled, the shot will not go off because the
rod A cannot move, the locking piece E E¹ E being retained by the button K.
In the same way if the gun be taken in the hand and pressure applied to the
button K and the trigger H be pulled, the shot would not go off, because the
rod A would not move, not being set in motion by being placed to the shoulder (or
in position for aiming).
In order that the shot may go off the gun must be in the position in which
it has to be placed for firing, that is, in which it is placed to the shoulder
and the right hand is in its place and the index of the right hand on the
trigger.
The button as stated before serves to retain the locking piece and prevent the gun
from going off if the right hand is not in place.
The great advantage of this gun is that it renders shooting accidents absolutely
impossible. As soon as the shooter has loaded his gun, the latter is quite safe
without it being necessary for him to do anything else. It can be allowed to fall,
be thrown into a hedge, hooked on the branches of trees, etcetera, and it will never
go off.
But when a shooter wishes to shoot, his gun will be released automatically
without his having to do or think of anything and he can fire at his ease.
No forgetfulness is therefore possible and no loss of time is to be feared. The
gun is always in safety. It is only unlocked at the moment when the person
desires to shoot, and is perfectly safe when it is no longer desired to make
use of it.
When the shooter wishes to shoot, he rests his right hand practically
unconsciously on the button. In the same way without, thinking about it, he
places the butt plate against his shoulder, whereby the simultaneous pressure
on the parts releases the tumbler and he can pull the trigger when he wishes.
It is the natural position of the body and of the gun which causes the locking
and unlocking of this safety device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The construction, combination and application of a system of safety
mechanism for fire arms, consisting of a rod placed longitudinally in the butt of
the gun and having one end connected to a pivoted catch engaging in a notch

page_text: formed in the body of the tumbler or of the trigger, and the other end attached
to a plate partly forming a second heel plate, the heel plate proper being provided
with a spring lodged in the butt for the purpose of throwing outward the said rod
and maintaining the catch in the notch of the tumbler or trigger when the said
plate is not pressed against the shoulder of the shooter at the moment of aiming,
substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with a system of safety mechanism such as described, having
a locking device to engage the tumbler or trigger of a fire arm adapted to be
released by the act of bringing the weapon to the firing position: a spring push
button having a pin or shank normally holding said lock against release but
provided with a perforation into which the free end of the locking device, or
tumbler catch is adapted to engage, when said perforation is brought opposite the
end of said end of the locking device by the movement imparted to the button by
the hand of the shooter when he is ready to shoot, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of August 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.