US161343A - Improvement in locks for fire-arsvis - Google Patents

Description

. H.` LESTR.

Mak fr Fire-Arms.

No. 161,343. Paxentedmarchsmmw 1:11 Vwz 1;' 01"; A

JOHN H. LESTER', OF NIANTIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ELIAS F. MOR- GAN, OF NEV LONDON, CONNEGTICUT.

IMPRQVEMENT EN LQCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. EGR-,31113, datod March 30, 1875; appl'eation iiled February 2G, 1875.

To all whom it may concert:

Be it known that I, JOHN II. Lns'rnn., of Niantie, East Lyme, New London county, Gonneeticut, have invented certain Improvements relating to Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification:

I have devised and successfully applied mechanism by which the coek or haminer of the lock is seeurely held to prevent accidental discharge. I prefer, usually, to thus hold the hammer in the coeked position; but I propose to 'provide means whereby it may be so held either cocked, half-cocked, or fully down.

My mechanism not only secures the coek, but also secures itself against accidental derangement. It can be liberated very quichly by proper movements, but the liberating movements are such as are virtually beyond danger of being effected by aeeident. It requires deliberate intention and eonsiderable skill and force to liberate the hamnier and put the lock in condition for iiring.

The following is a description of what I eonsider the best means of earrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a Vertical longitudinal section through the lock and the iminediately adjacent parts of a pistol. The form shown is that of an ordinary revolver; but the inven-' tion will apply to any style of revolver. or breech-loader, or muzzle-loader, for military or sporting purposes. It is intended to apply generally to all knds and elasses of fire-arms Operating by a hammer. This figure shows the works with the hammer secured. The securmg means is operated in the same position when the hammer is secured in the cocked or half-cocked position. Fig. 2 represent-s the sameparts in the liberated condition, ready for firing.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both the figures.

A 1s the stock or frame. B is the hauimer, turnmg on the center or stud b. 'D is the trlgger, turm'ng on the center d, and operated by thesear-spring O. E is the mainspriug, Operating the hainmer by a link, G. All these parts may be in the ordinary form and perform their ordinary functions. I is a lookingpin, standing` in a position neariy radial to the stud b, but capable of moving toward and from such stud. It 'is strongly supported and guided in the framing A, and is adapted to match in holes 1, 2, 3 in the hammer B. When the hammer is at full cock-the hole l is presented in range with the lockin gpin I. When the hammer is at half-(lock the second hole 2 is so presented, and when the hannner is fully down the third hole 3 pre-I sented. In either position the thrusting of the pin I inward toward the axis Z) engages 1t in the correspondinghole, and seeures the haminer against possible movement until the pin I is withdrawn. J is a bent lever, turning on the center' j. One end takes hold of the pin I by engaging in a groove or between collars formed thereon. The other end earries a knob or stud, J which may be cperated from the outside of the stock or handle. K is a s1n'ing, a 'ran ged as shown, and which tends to move the lever J' so as to engage the pin I with the holes in the lever B. M is a safetycatch, capable of a little longitudinal mot1on, and driven upward by the ooil-spring O, so that it tends to press always against the adjacent end of the lever J. A knife-edge, I), is formed on its upper end, which, in one position of the lever J, stands inside of the lever, and in the other position of the lever J stands outside thereof. In either position it secures the lever J against being moved by any force. This safety-eatch M may be turned back, when required, by acting with the thumb-nail on the projection m, which extends out through a slot in the casing A.

In the ordinary handling and transportation of a pistol or other arm, the pin I should be engaged in one of the holes 1, 2, or 3, preferably in the hole 2, which corresponds to the half-cocked position of the hainmer. With some arms the other works of the lock are quite effective in holding the parts against being discharged in the halfeocked position. But all arms are liable, by

Wear or other cause, to become sufiiciently deranged to be diseharged at half-coek by any considerable blow or other disturbing force. My pin I is intended to insure absolute immunity against accidental discharge, exeept when the arm is intentionally put in condition for immediate l'iring by Withdrawin g the pin I.

In order to effect the operation of Withdrawing the pin I the force of the fingers or other means must be applied to two different parts. First, the projection 'm must be pressed down- Ward suflieiently to overcome the friction and oompress the springO. Havingthus withdrawn the Safety-catch M, the fingers of the same or other hand may be applied to the projection or knob J pressing it inward with suffioient force to withdraw the pin I. So soon as the pin I is fully withdrawn from the hammer B the Safety-slide M may be released, on which it rises and engages on the outside of the lever J, and thenceforward holds the pin I out of contact with the hammer B, and allows the pistol to be discharged in the usual manner. 'I`he pistol should be only kept in this dangerous condition until the emergency for which it was thus preparcd is passed, when, by the reverse operation, the pin I should be again thrust into one of the holes in the haminer, aml again secured there by the slide M, as at irst.

I esteem it an advantage that the end of the pin I projects through the outside of the case, and is visible from the outside, because it shows or aids to show at a glance, or by feeling in the dark, whether the pistol is or is not in condition for firing. I can modify the form and proportions of some of the parts and correspondingl y modify the operation. Thus, for example, some may prefer to dispense with the looking-slide M, and allow the lever J to be operated more easily. Others may prefer to partially dispense with it by filling up one side of the ridgc on its upper end, so that while it is effective in holding` the pin I back or out of engagement with the hammer it is of no effect in holding it into engagement. lilither of these last modifications will allow the arm to be more easily put in condition for firing, but it involves obviously an inereased risk that the pin or equivalent Safety lockin g means I shall be moved into an unlocked position by an aecidental blow, and thus be rendered ineffective to the dan ger of the user or his companions. Certain features of the invention may be used with some benefit without the others, but I- prefer to use the whole in combination.

I elaim as my invention- 1. A fire-arm having the pin or looking means I, in combination with the hammer B, having two or more recesses, 1 2 3, and adapted to serve therewith in looking the hammer in several different positions, as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. In combination with the trigger D d and the usual provision for cocking, retaiuing, and liberating the hamrner by the trigger, the employment of one or more separate reeesses,`1 2 3, in the hammer, in combination with a looking-piece, I, and spring K, acting through suitable eonnections to eonstantly throw the looking-piece into engagement with the recesses, as and for the purposes specified.

3. The safety-catch M m, serving in combination with the hammer B, looking-piece I, and with suitable connecting and operatin g means to fnrther insnre against aeeident, as herein speeilied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of February, 1875, in the presence of two subsci'ibing witnesses.

JOHN H. LESTER. VVitnosses:

AUG. BRANDEGEE, ROBERT PALMER.

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