US39707A - Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

G E. SNEIDER.- Breech-Loading Fife-Arm. No. 39,707: Patented Aug 25, 1863.

llh I m\/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. E. SNEIDER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND THOMAS POULTNFY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BR EECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,707, dated August 25, 1863.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. E. SNEIDER, of the city and county of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my invention with the barrel in position for being discharged, a portion of the stock and frame being removed to show more clearly the working parts. Fig. 2 represents a similar View of the invention with the barrel in position for loading at the breech.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

The object of my invention is to convert an ordinary musket or other muzzle-loading gun into a breeclrloading arm; and to this end it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the movement of a lever in one direction is made to force the stock away from the barrel at the butt-end, and allow the hinged cap to drop or swing into such a position as to admit of the charge being introduced into the gun at the breech; and the movement of this lever in the opposite direction is made to draw the stock and barrel together and firmly lock or secure them against casual movement independent of each other while the piece is being discharged, all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents an ordinary musket-barrel, provided at its rear end with a hinged cap, a, which has a shallow circular recess formed on the inside to correspond with the bore of the gun. The barrel, previous to the cap being attached to it, is out off, so as to have the bore extend entirely through it. Attached to the under side of the barrel by screws or otherwise is a plate, b, from which depend three lugs, 0 (Z c, the purpose of which will be presently explained.

O is the stock of the gun, provided in front with an elongation, D, which extends along the under side of the barrel to the attachment of the same to the stock, 'and covers a metallic frame, F, between ears, terminating the front eccentric or cam, h, which, as the lever is dropped down, acts upon a projection or pin,

t, and forces the stock away from the barrel.

The lever F plays in a mortise in the elongation of the stock and frame, and it is flush with the former on the outside when turned up into the position shown in Fig. 1or, in other words, when the barrel is in position for being discharged. The lug e on its rear bottom edge terminates in a projection, j, forming what may be termed a hook-shaped lug, the hook of which, as the barrel and stock are drawn together, is forced under a shoulder, 75, of the frame by a longitudinally-sliding movement of the barrel. This movement is imparted to the barrel when it is in line with the breech-piece by the inclined side of a notch or recess, m, (shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2,) acting upon the projection or pin a,

and the wedge H acting against the back side of the lug c as the lever is moved upward or closed against the stock. The inclined side of the recess or moves the barrel only just a sufficient distance backward to enter the wedge H between the frame and lug a, when it (the wedge) completes the movement, and forces the barrel with its cap against the breechpiece I with such a degree of pressure as to make'a tight joint between the barrel and its hinged cap. The breech-piece I is a part of the frame and carries the nipple. v The hook of the'lug 6, when the lever F is turned up against the breech or occupying the position shown in Fig. 1, catches under the shoulder 76 of the frame, and thus prevents the possibility of any move nent of the barrel and breech independent of each other. The wedge H has a screw-threaded shank at its lower end, whereby it is secured to the lever. The lever at its rear end is bent, and forms a guard for the trigger. Should the joint between the barrel and stock get a little play, one turn of the wedge-shaped pin will bring it farther out, rel by a lug, d, and pin 9, in combination with and consequently draw the barrel and stock the pin i, when arranged to operate in the closer together. manner specified.

Having thus described my invention, What 3. The Wedge H and hook-shaped lug e j, Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters in combination with the hinged cap a and Patent, is breech-piece I, when arrangedin the manner 1; The recess m in the lever F, and Wedge described. H attached to the same in combination with the hook-shaped 111g 6 Ema shoulder h, when SNEIDER' arranged to operate in the manner specified. Witnesses:

2. The lever F, having an eccentric or cam J. D. MORITZ,

" hfo m d'ononeend; arid attached tothe'bar t" 0- B K a

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