US143012A - Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

H. H. HPRINS.'

Breach-Loading Firmwares.

No. 143,012, Patented Septa-mber23'1873,

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. HOPKINS, 0F NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIREARMS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent Nol/13,012, dated September 23, 1873 application filed June 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. HOPKINS,

of the city of Norwich, county of New Lon-` of a pistol, embodying my invention. Fig. 2

is a detailed view, in section, of the front end of the frame, containing the retractor and adjacent parts, the section being on the dotted line y y in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the butt of the pistol, the breech being closed. Fig. 4 is also an end view of the butt of the pistol, the hammer being removed to expose the breech, which is open. Fig. 5 embraces three views of the breech-plate, showing each side and the edge of the same.

The several principal parts will be recognized and distinguished, without further lettering or specitical description.

The novel feature of this pistol consists in the peculiar device employed for closing the breech, which consists of a simple plate of steel,notched and recessed, pivoted at the lower end in the frame, and arranged to swing laterally upon its pivot in a recess or slot in the frame.

A is the breech-plate. A slot or opening is cut in one side of the frame, immediately at the rear end of the barrel, into whichis fitted the said plate, which is pivoted at the lower end in the frame, the pivot a passing through the hole b. In the interior of the opposite side of the frame is cut a recess or notch, into which the side c of the plate falls, when the breech-plate is swung into place at the breech of the barrel, closing it. d is a small blunt-pointed pin,working in a recess made in thelower side of the front end of the.

frame, the spiral spring e acting to press it back against the front face of the breechplate A. The end of the said pin, falling into the indentations f and f whenthe breech is closed, acts to hold the plate in position, and rendering it necessary to apply some force to swing the plate away from the barre-l and open the breech, and when the said plate is swung into the position shown in Fig. 4, opening the breech,the said pin, falling into the indentation f, will hold the plate in that position until force is applied to swing it back into the frame. h is a notch through the breech-plate, through which the hammer reaches the butt of the cartridge, and i is an indentation in the rear face of the plate, in which the nose of the hammer may rest when the pistol is being carried or not in use.. la is the retractor, designed to be operated by the tin ger in the usual way.

The operation of this breech-closing device is simple and obvious. By placing the thumb upon the top edge of the breech-plate, as the pistol is held in the left hand, and swinging it over to the left side the breech is open. Then the cartridge being inserted, a reverse movement of the thumb swings the plate back to its place in the frame,when the pistol is loaded and ready for iirin g. The plate, bein g held on one side in the recess, and on the other in the slot in the frame of the pistol, is supported by the entire strength of the frame, furnishing a strong and secure breech-piece.

The exceeding simplicity, cheapness, and convenience of this breech-closing device are obvious.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- The combination of the barrel, stock, and hammer, and the frictioirstop d, with the swinging breech-piece A, formed of a plate of metal in which is the aperture h, and safety-notch i, as and forthe purpose specified.

.i HENRY H. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL S. HOPKINS, ENocH G. BIDWELL.

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