Has anyone compiled a comprehensive listing of the different types of forearm latches by name, type, patent number? I have learned some through attrition but would like a more educated reference.

David, Diggory has a good visual and descriptive reference in his first book.

Tim

Thanks. Perhaps I should change this to, 'show me the forearm on your favourite double' to get more responses.

http://www.hallowellco.com/shotgun.htm is as comprehensive a source as I have found recently

That Hallowell Deeley & Edge forearm lever definition is way over simplified. Just because there is a lever in the forearm doesn't make it a Deeley and Edge mechanism fastener. In the U.S., E. Remington & Sons had an exclusivity agreement with D & E and began using the Deeley & Edge fastener on the last variations of their Whitmore "lifter" hammer doubles beginning in 1879, and on all later Remington top snap hammer doubles. After the exclusivity and patents ran out many U.S. makers used the Deeley & Edge fastner, but not Parker Bros. The lever in a Parker forearm (Charles A. King, Patent No. 201,618 granted Mar. 26, 1878) actuates a tilting block which engages the forearm loop. Ansley H. Fox used this Parker-style fastener on his Philadelphia Arms Co. Fox doubles, but used a Deeley & Edge on his A.H. Fox Gun Co. guns. Early Ithaca Gun Co. NID models used the Deeley & Edge fastener, but by 1935-6 changed to a Parker-like tilting block actuated by the lever along with a Baker J-spring on their ejector guns and just the Baker J-spring on extractor ones.

Here's an 1875 Lifter action, marked with the London address. It is serial no. 13 and weighs just over 6 pounds. Shown in Semner's Remington book, it sports a Deeley and Edge forend fastener.

Here's a Cashmore Nitro with the forend latch decorated even in hidden areas.

The lever release (smaller, but like the one on Daryl's Cashmore) is commonly found on Manufrance Robusts.

Yes but this is at the front of the forearm instead of the middle like the Ideal (not sure about the Robust) and I rather doubt the mechanism is remotely similar.

Sorry about the first pic. I was stripping the finish at the time of the pic.

http://s19.postimg.org/k78rri5sz/photo_1.jpg
http://s19.postimg.org/jgbyew7hf/Ideal_Forend_1.jpg

You're in the ballpark as to the lever on the forend for extractor Ideals: the pivot point is about 1/4 up from the rear. This pic shows the lever rotated back, which moves the forend away from the knuckle, allowing disassembly of the barrels, but locking the forend on the barrels. Cool feature, IMHO.




Mike

Picture from Gettemans

Probably some info here if you can sort thru the chaff:

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=387202&page=1

Kind Regards/Cheers,

Raimey
rse

That "Pre-Breech" notation on the crossbolt Wedge/Key is a bit confusing. With the metal portion of the forend iron showing this certainly looks like a breech loader to me. Certainly this was a common method of securing the barrels & stock together on muzzleloaders but it also carried over to the forend of early breech loaders. My Ca 1863 W & C Scott bar in wood pinfire has the forend attached this way.

Miller, up until the mid 1870s, most of my breechloaders had the pin common to muzzleloaders. I think the picture meant that the origins of the pin were not in a patent, like the others, and were from pre breechloading times.

Daryl;
That makes sense as all the others have patent dates listed.