US250495A - Breech-loading fire-arm - Google Patents

Description

T. BURNETT.

,BREEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

(Modem Patented Dee. 6,1881.

INVENTOR J2 ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BURNETT, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,495, dated December 6, 1881.

Application filed June 21, 1881.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, THOMAS BURNETT, of Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of breechloading fire-arms in which the breechblock swings backward and downward.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a gun embodying my improvements. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail views.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the frame, B the barrel, 0 the swinging breech-block, and D the-lever, all of which may be of the usual or any suitable description, the lever and breech-block being connected by a link, 0.

The chamber of the breech is reamed or bored out, and in it is inserted my improved cartridge-seat F, which is made in two semi-cylindrical halves, by which construction provision is made for the expansion of the seat in case of the expansion of the cartridge when exploded, so that the exploded shell may be easily withdrawn.

The shellextractor consists of a ring, G, provided with two radial arms, g g. It fitsin a crotch in the breech-block U, and works on the same pivot, c, with said breech-block. The arm g works in a notch, b, in the rear end of the chamber and cartridge-seat, and the arm is arranged for engagement with the lever D. When the lever D is operated to open the breech by swinging the breech-block 0 backward and downward, the nose d of the lever strikes the arm g of the extractor and moves it forward, causing the arm g to move rearward and extract the shell. I

H represents a block working on a pivot, h, and provided with a spring, i, which has a tendency to keep its upper portion pushed forward. ,When the breech is closed the top of this block rests under the rear corner of the breech-block O and securelylocks it. The front side of the block H is provided with a camsurface, and the portion of the lever D which is within the frame and in rear of the pivot a is provided with acorresponding cam-surface.

(ModeL) When the lever is moved downward to open the breech the cam-surface of the lever engages with that on the block H,'and forces it backward and out from under the breech-block, so as to allow said breech-block to swing clear in the space provided for it in the frame. When the lever is moved upward to close the breech the springi presses the block Elforward and under the breech-block again.

The firing-pin J works in the breech-block O in the usual manner. In the top of the frame A, between the firing-pin and the hammer N, is a groove in which works a sliding bolt, L, which is prevented from working upward by the means of a stud, m, projecting from the grooveof the frame and engaging with a groove in the side of the bolt, and also by a hook, I, on the rear end and under side of the holtengaging with a recess in the frame under the rear end of the groove in which the bolt Works.

The top of the rear end of the bolt is provided with a roughened surface or thumbpiece, t, to facilitate its withdrawal.

Under the bolt is a spring, i to prevent it from working too loosely in the groove or from accidentally dropping out rearwardly. When the bolt is in place in the groove it serves to communicate the blow from the hammer to the firingpin. When it is desired to move the bolt the hammer is placed at half-cock, and then, by placing the thumb on the thumb-piece P, the bolt may be drawn back and removed from the groove. By this means theaccidental discharge of the gun is rendered impossible, as

the blow from the hammer, it accidentally lowered, would not be communicated to the firingpm..

To the hammer N is connected the upper branch of the mainspring P, the double portion of which is secured to the frameA in any suitable manner. The lower branch of the mainspring is engaged with the rear end of a lever, Q, the front end of which engages with the trigger B after the manner of a scar.

To the lever Q, between its fulcrum and-the trigger, is attached an elastic tongue, q, extending upward and rearward in a curved line, and terminating in a point, so as to form a cam. On one side of the hammer N, in rear of the pivot n, is a stud or projection, s, for engagement with said tongue or cam q, as hereinafter described.

The scar T is pivoted under the hammer, and is provided with two lateral arms, 1) between which the tongue orcam g works. A spring, to, bears against the underside of the rear arm, n, which is provided with a knife-edge for engagement with the cock-notch and halt cock notch of the hammer N. When the hammer is pulled back to cook the gun the stud or projection s strikes the edge of the elastic tongue or cam q, and torces the lever Q down so that its front end will be engaged and held down by the trigger B. This places the lever Q, clear of the sear, and allows the spring to to force the arm c upward to engage with the half-cook notch. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig.1. As the hammer is pulled farther back the elastic tongue springs over the stud or projection s, and the arm a slips into the cocknotch and holds the gun at full-cock. When the trigger is pulled, the lever Q, impelled by the lower branch of the mainspring P, strikes the forward arm, a, of the sear, and disen gages the rear arm, 1:, from the cock-notch, allowing the hammer to descend. The end of the upper arm of the lever D then fits in a notch in the breech block (3, in front of the upper'end of the block H, and thus assists in loekin g the breechblock.

I am aware that it is not new to construct cartridge-chambers longitudinally divided and with a movable lid to admit the cartridge sidewise; but 4 What I claim as new is-- 1. In a breech-loading fire-arm, the combination, with a cylindrical breech-chamber, of acartridge-seat, F, made in two semi-cylindrical parts and inserted in said oh am her, as shown and described.

2. In a breech-loading firearm, the sear T, pivoted under the hammer, and provided with lateral arms v o, the arm 1) being knife-edged and pressed upwardly by a spring,w, in combination with the trigger, the lever having cam (1 working between said arms, the mainspring P, and the notched hammer N, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the hammer and firing-pin, of the bolt L, having a side groove and sliding in a groove of frame A, of the stud M, projecting from said frame-groove, the rear hook, I, engaging with arecess under the rear end of said frame-groove, the thumb-piece Z and the subjacent spring L as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the swinging brechblock G, of the lever D, having the nose (1, and the ring G, having the radial arms g g, said ring being arranged on the same pivot as the breech-block and in a crotch thereof, as shown and described.

5. The lever Q, provided with the elastic tongue or cam q, in combination with the trigger R, the mainspring P, and the hammer N, provided with the stud or projection 8, substantially as and'tor the purpose herein described.

THOMAS BURNETT.

Witnesses":

FRED. W. BELL, H. O. MORSE.

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