Carter & Edwards

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	Carter & Edwards Patents

	2417 Sept. 20^th 1866. Carter, H., and Edwards, G.H.
		Breech actions, sliding breech-block: The breech-block C, Fig. 3, locked in the closed position by turning a handle a, into a slot a^l, is formed at the rear with oblique surfaces b engaging similar inclines on the hammer, so that, on unlocking the block by turning it, the hammer is pushed rearwardly and the front end of the striker e attached to the hammer, is withdrawn into the block. The whole is then pushed back, depressing a tumbler I and allowing the sear H to engage and retain the hammer. The extractor v is attached to a bar K engaging a slot x in the block, and the ejector g is pressed upwards by a spring M compressed by engaging a tripping - piece z on the sear H. A hinged cover is fitted to the breech. A screw t engaging a right-angled slot u¹, forms an abutment during discharge, in addition to the slot a^l. The striker e cannot be struck by the hammer until the breech is properly closed. In a modification, shown in fig. 16, the inclined rear end of the block cocks a hammer S when the breech is opened. The spring M of the ejector y is depressed by a projection 9, Fig. 25, on a side-plate X reciprocated by a tappet 7, Fig. 21, on the block C and engaging lugs 8 on the plate X. The striker e is loose and guided in the block by the inner end of the tappet 7, and projects at the rear, when the block is properly closed, to receive the blow of the hammer. To ensure the action of the extractor, a depression may be provided below it, as shown in Fig. 27, extending to the front of the cartridge flange.



	2513 Sept. 5^th1867 Carter, H., and Edwards, G.H.

	Breech actions, sliding breech-block: -Relates chiefly to improvements on the invention described in Specification No. 2417, A.D. 1865. The breech-bolt is secured in the gun by a cover E which can be readily removed to allow of the bolt being with-drawn for cleaning &c. The trigger G and sear H are made in one piece. The tumbler K also forms a hammer which can impinge on the firing pin when the bolt is closed and locked by turning down the lever handle which operates it; to prevent the plunger from striking the firing-pin when the bolt is not locked, a projection d is formed on the end of the bolt. The end of the extractor N which engages with the bolt is formed with a dovetailed projection fitting into an undercut groove in the bolt to prevent accidental disengagement. When the arm is being carried loaded at full cock, the trigger can be locked by a small transverse sliding bolt. To prevent the firing-pin from sticking and possibly exploding the cartridge when the bolt is pushed forward, cam surfaces, not shown, are formed on the rear end of the firing-pin and of the bolt to engage with each other, so that the pin is only free to move when the bolt is locked.

	3769 Dec. 11^th 1868 Carter, H. and Edwards, G.H.
					Breech-actions, hanged breech-block: -Relates to breech actions which may be applied either in the manufacture of new guns or in the conversion of muzzle-loaders into breech-loaders. Fig. 1 shows one arrangement, in which the breech-block a is hinged to the barrel at c; it contains the firing-pin b and a sliding spring catch e, both of which are pressed by the spring g. When the breech-block is closed, the spring catch
	snaps into engagement with a recess in the back of the breech-frame and locks the breech; at the same time the gun is cocked by a cam-shaped projection d on the plunger of the firing-pin, which bears against, and engages with, the sear, which consists of a lever i pivoted to move horizontally on a pin n, the firing-pin being thus drawn back to the position shown. For opening the breech, the locking catch e is withdrawn from its recess by a thumb-piece or by a rotary or sliding cam &c.; the breech block can then be turned up on its hinge, and in doing this it strikes the projecting end p of a lever the other end of which acts as the cartridge-case extractor. In another form, the locking-catch and the firing-pin are withdrawn, for opening the breech, by a disc with cam-shaped slots pivoted to the breech-outside of the breech-block and rotated by a handle; the cam slots engage with pins projecting from the locking-catch and firing-pin. This form can also be applied to a breech-block which is hinged on a horizontal pin at one side of the gun, the extractor in this ease being actuated by a tube sliding on the hinge pin and the tube being pulled by a cam on the breech-block which does not itself slide back as in the usual method of extracting the cartridge case. Fig. 13 shows another arrangement, in which the locking-catch s is operated by a cam f on a spindle which can be rotated by a handle. When the catch is withdrawn, it presses upon the upper arm of the tumbler j and moves the lower arm into engagement with the sear m, thus cocking the gun. The firing-pin n is pivoted to the tumbler as shown. Safety appliances generally applicable: - The trigger blade is blocked by a sliding piece on the guard plate. When the gun is to be fired, the sliding piece is moved by the thumb until a slot in it comes under the trigger blade, which is then free to move.
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