The top lever as we know it was invented by William Middleditch Scott who was granted patent no. 2752 on October 25, 1865. I have extraced the following from Donald Dallas' book, "Purdey, Gun and Rifle Makers"
"There were actually two parts to the patent, one was an indicator to show if a gun was loaded and the other was the more important part regarding the top lever and spindle. In this patent, Scott used a top lever attached to a vertical spindle. At the bottom of the spindle, a short lever drew back the sliding bolt in the action as the top lever was pushed to the right. Various types of spring were tried until design settled upon a V-spring under the top strap. The essence of the Scott spindle was its robustness, simplicity and convenience. Combined with the Purdey bolt, it would champion all other types of closing action--the reason why it has been in continuous production since its invention."
"A great many people, including writers, assume the Purdey bolt was an integral design of sliding bolt and top lever, both invented by James Purdey. The combination is often referred to as the 'Purdey lever', or 'Purdey action', in ignorance of the two separate parts, taken out by two separate gunmakers, two years apart. The obvious reason for this misinterpretation is that Purdey's from the earliest days of both inventions, used the combination of Purdey bolt and Scott lever in preference to all other types of closing action."
"Another reason for the misinterpretation concerns the licencing and royalty agreements Purdey's had with Scott's. It will be noted from the Scott patent drawing of 1865, that the top lever and spindle are shown in conjunction with the Purdey double bolt. There are several licensing agreements and all are of great interest in showing the workings of the gun trade in the second half of the 19th century.
"The original agreement with W & C Scott & Son to license Purdey's patent no. 1104 of 2 May 1863, was dated 5 April 1867 and had three main conditions. (1) The licence would run for three years; (2) there would be a 20 shillings royalty payment per gun; (3) each gun had to be engraved 'JP Patent'. A reciprocal agreement with Scotts for use of their patent no. 2752 of 25 October 1865 created the bond of Purdey bolt and top lever. On 5 December 1868, this agreement was amended, backdated to 1 July 1868. "James Purdey do hereby agree to grant unto the said W & C Scott & Son, full and free liberty, licence and authority to make, work, use, exercise and authority to make, work, use, exercise and practice the said Invention granted by the said letter Patent....".
"The subtle changes to the agreement were that guns had to be engraved 'Purdey's Patent Bolt' and that Scott were not to suppply guns or actions to Alfred Lancaster, Boss & Co., Stephen Grant, Moore & Grey, Rigby, Thomas Jackson, G H Daw, Alexander Henry, Edward Paton, Wildinson, J D Dougall, Westley-Richards, H J Holland, George Smith, S & C Smith. Obviously Purdey's were licencing these makers as well.
"A further agreement followed to run for five years and ten months (to the expiry of the Purdey patent) from 1 July 1871, Purdey's agreed not to licence any makers in Birmingham or elsewhere, apart from London (any licences so issued would be agreed with Scott and royalties split 50-50).
"Again, Scott's were not allowed to supply London makers. Purdey's licenced a great many London makers at 40 shillings royalty per gun.
"These licencing agreements created not only a bond between Purdey's and W & C Scott, they also created the constant combination of Purdey's snap action patent 1104 and Scott's top lever spindle patent no. 2752. It is no wonder that the misnomer 'Purdey lever' has come about."
Last edited by Joe Wood; 10/01/07 05:55 PM.
