US311323A - Hammer for fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

S. S. HOPKINS.

HAMMER FOR FIRE ARMS. v No. 311,323. Patented Jan. 27, 1885.

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HAMMER FOR FIRE-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,323, dated January 27, l88 5.

Application filed November 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAIWIUEL S. HOPKINS, of the city of Norwich, county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Arms, which improvements are fully set forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the drawings which form a part of and accompany said specification.

My improvements relate more particularly to the hammer of revolving fire-arms and to a means for holding said hammer in a given position while in the act of loading the arm; but they may be also used with advantage in rifles, shot-guns, and in all classes of small-arms.

My immediate object in this invention is to provide a hammer whose SO-CilllGt comb or rearwardly{extending thumb piece may be folded against or within the hammer proper, when not in use, so that there will be no projecting parts to catch as the arm is entered in a holster or pocket.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a revolver-frame with loclework assembled and having my improvements attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the hammer detached, showing the spring-pressed plug which acts to retain the comb in its closed position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of one side of the revolver-frame on line or of Fig. 1, showing the plug 0, by which the hammer is held in a lialfcocked position while loading.

The letter A represents the revolver-frame, and E the hammer, said hammer being supported in said frame by the screw a.

The general form and operation of hammer E, aside from the folding comb, is identical with hammers as now in common use.

In the construction of my new form of hammer the upper portion forward of the. arc, which at full cock enters the frame, is either grooved or straddled to form a hinge-joint, in which is fitted the lower end of the comb C. The forward side of comb C is preferably of the same outline as that portion of the hammer which it engages when folded.

As a simple and inexpensive means to retain the comb in its folded position, I have drilled said comb from its lower or hinge end,

as shown in Fig. 2, and have inserted therein a spring, I), and plug (Z, the spring acting with a constant tendency to force the plug forward on the inclined surface 72. of the hammer, and thus hold the comb in engagement with its seat, except while in use, as in the act of cocking or partially cooking the arm by hand.

There have been constructed heretofore small-arms having a concealed hammer, and those which, while the hammer proper is in sight, have no comb or thumb-piece by which said hammer may be cocked by pressure of the thumb; consequently such forms of hammers have been available only in self-cocking arms.

If a half-cock or safety-notch is provided in a hannnerless self-cocking arm, it is impossible to lower the hammer after loading, and if no half-cock notch is provided there is, so far as I am acquainted with the state of the art, no convenient and safe way to revolve the cylinder to load or to discharge empty shells.

Vith my present improvement the hammernose may be lowered to a safe position between the cartridgeheads as readily as if the hammer was provided with a solid comb, and I am able thus to produce either a double-acting or self cocking arm without the objectionable projecting solid comb.

Vhen it is desired to construct a self-cocking arm only, the sear may be dispensed with, in which case I provide a spring'pressed plug, 0, (see Fi 3,) at a convenient point inthe side of the frame.

\Vhen it is desired to load the arm, the pivoted comb C is opened and the hammer forced rearward until the hole It in the hammer is brought opposite to plug 0, when said plug is pressed forward into said hole. The belt or stop being by this action removed from the cylinder-notches, said cylinder may be freely rotated. After loading, the hammer is forced slightly rearward, when the spring it throws plug 0 out of hole 7., and the hammer may be easily and safely lowered. The comb C is now returned to its closed position, and the arm may be entered in a holster or pocket without fear of accidental discharge by the catching of the hammer-comb.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. Ahammer for small-arms (adapted to be I thumb-piece so attached to the body portion pivoted in the frame A) having pivoted to its E that it may be folded against or within said upper portion a comb or thumb-piece which body portion or may be opened for the purmay be folded against the hammer proper and pose of cooking or lowering the hammer by 15 5 Within or approximately within thefraine out- I hand, and means for automatically returning line, snbstantially as described, and for the I the comb O to its closed position, all substanobject set forth. tially as described,and for the objects specified. 2. A hammer combining" the following cle- V SAMUEL S. HOPKINS. ments: the body portion E, adapted to be se- Vitnesses: cured pivotallyin frame A, and having a nose I FRANK H. ALLEN,

to engage and explode a cartridge, a comb or I TYLER J. HOWARD.

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