Britain 2505
A.D. 1880, 21st June. № 2505.
Lock Mechanism of Guns, Rifles, &c.
(This Invention received Provisional Protection only.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Woodward and Thomas Woodward, the younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1880.
Thomas Woodward and Thomas Woodward, the younger, both of 10, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Makers,”Improvements in the Look Mechanism of Guns, Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, and other Firearms.”
Our Invention relates to an improvement in the lock mechanism of guns, rifles, pistols, and other fire arms, by means of which they are raised into the position of full cock automatically, and rendered safe while in that position.
To throw or push the hammer or tumbler into full cock we use a mainspring, of which the stand side is extended so as to play upon or come in contact with an arm or extension of the tumbler or hammer left on for that purpose. The stand side of the main spring is controlled or kept in position by a moveable stud, cam, lever, or eccentric, which may be operated or worked automatically on the opening or closing of the gun, or be extended through the gun, rifle, or pistol in any direction, and a small lever attached thereto, by means of which it may be worked at will.
The said lever, cam, or eccentric when in its normal position closes the spring, thereby allowing the hammer to fall when the trigger is pulled in the usual manner. When turned or moved it allows the spring to expand, which bearing on the hammer or tumbler directly as before described, or through the intervention of a lever, forces it back to full cock.
The spring must then be compressed by turning or moving the said cam, lever, or eccentric back into its normal position either automatically on closing the gun, or at will when the lock will be ready for firing in the ordinary manner.
Until the stud, cam, lever, &c., is turned or moved into its normal position no accidental discharge of the gun, rifle, or pistol can take place, as the main spring is pushing the hammer up-instead of down, thereby rendering the gun, rifle, or pistol, &c., extremely safe.
The second part of our Invention consists of an improvement in the lock mechanism described in Letters Patent, No, 651, Feby. 1876, granted to Thomas Woodward.
In this part of our Invention we extend the scear or hook (which holds the hammer or plunger at full cock) forward, so that it can be provided with o second hook or catch, which supposing the hammer or plunger is accidentally jarred, or slips off the usual bent or scear hook, it is caught by the second scear or hook before it reaches the cap or striker, thereby preventing the accidental discharge of the gun.