US119474A - Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. PIERCE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,474, dated October 3, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

:lie it known that l, GEORGE R. PIERCE, of the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and in the State of liliehigan, have invented certain new and useful Imprownnents in Breech-Loadingl ireAi-ms; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this speciiieation.

My invention relates to that class of breee loading firearms in which the barrel or barrels are swung forward on -a pivot to open and backward to elose their rear ends; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of alock to hold them firmly and securely in place, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

I n order to enable other skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construct-ion and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in \vhieh-- ll i gnre l is a- .lmigitiulinal vertical section, showing the barrel orbarrels locked. Fig.2 is a side view, showing the barrels thrown open and Fig. 3 is atransverse section immediately in frontof the pivot point for the barrel or barrels.

A represents a portion of the frame, provided with an up 'ard-projoctin g fixed abutment or sta iionary breech l. The barrel or barrels G are pivoted at the front end of the frame A in such a manner that they can tip forward to open, and when closed their rear ends will be up against the abutment or breech B. The barrels O are near their rear ends, on the under side, provided with a lug, D, which, when the barrels are closed, fits into a mortise in. the frame A. This lug is nearly L-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, and in' the angle is made a semicircular groove for the insertion of the inner end of a pawl, E. This in nor end of the pawl is rounded, as shown, and a gib or key, a, is dovetailed into the upper side of any assistance from the hand.

the rear end of the lug D, confining said pawl in its place, but at the same time allowing it to turn onits bearin g. The pawl is pressed toward the rear by means of a spring, 1), against the gib a; and when said gib should become worn out it can readily be removed and replaced by anew one. The spring I) bears against the pawl E in a groove on the inner side thereof.

barrel and in the breech, so that when the bar rel is closed the pawl will be forced by the spring 1) into the groove in the breech. This circular groove is What may be termed a diminishing circle, so as to form with the pawl a wedge-lock for the barrel. Through the frame A passes a bolt, G, to throw the pawl E forward, this bolt being operatedfor this purpose by means of a trigger, H, and thrown back again by a coilspring, (I, surrounding the bolt. By pulling the trigger H the pawl E is released andthrows the rear end of the barrel or barrels upward without This device is equally applicable to single or double-barreled guns.

H avin gthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- r l. The pawl E and spring I), in combinatio with the bolt G and trigger H, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the lug D, pawl E, gib a, spring b, bolt G, and trigger H, all constructed and arranged to operate. substantially as and for the purposes herein-set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of March, 1871.

GEORGE R. PlEROE.

Witnesses:

HIRAM A. Bno'on, THOMPSON SINCLAIR.

The pawl works in a circular groove formed in the under side of the

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