Scratch Building a Henry Nock Screwless Lock

[Gunnermike]

I had copied photos of a Light Horse Volunteer Carbine from Joe Salter's website in July 2009. I hadn't intended to build the carbine but found the carbine very interesting. Several months ago on another muzzle loading forum there was a heated discussion about flash guards and somebody mentioned Nock's locks having flash guards and the moderator posted a drawing of the locks' interior and an exploded view.

So here we are, attempting to build a Henry Nock's Screwless Lock -  a chinese version for sure. The one thing that has slowed me down is that I don't have a photo of the lock from the top - so I am missing critical dimensions.  But fools rush in....I know my dimensions of the plate thickness are on the healthy side (mine is .185), but this is what I have so far...



this is a photo of the original


The plate, cock and frizzen were made from 1"x 1-1/2" 1018 steel.  This isn't a tutorial of building a lock from scratch, only a show & tell of what a knucklehead is doing instead of mowing the lawn or trimming the trees.
Mike

[Gunnermike]

Here's the exploded view, it shows the various parts.  The interior parts are held in by a plate.


Right now I am intending to use a flint style mainspring, as I can't find a percussion style spring that is 2-1/2" long.  And I changed the frizzen bar (part K in the photo), eliminating the roller and making one similar to the Manton 1833 carbine.

I'm calling myself Noah, because I've all the parts twice (at least) so far.   Mike

[Daryl]

Mike- quite  a project.  Most interesting lock. 

[Gunnermike]

Yes Daryl, it is an interesting lock from an interesting inventor.  My lock parts are unfinished as yet and need a lot of thinning & tweeking. 

This is a picture of the Light Horse Volunteer carbine -  26 in. barrel x 16 bore with 7 groove round bottom rifling.  The barrel has a Nock's patent breach also.  The carbine pre-dates the Baker rifle by about 7 years.
 

I think this lock project will be at least another 3 months before it is complete.  It takes time to make everything twice.
Mike

[Acer Saccharum]

That is a really cool project, Mike.  I had made some internal lock parts for one of my projects, and know how much work a simple tumbler is. My hat is off to you, and I hope you will keep us updated.

Thanks, Tom

[TPH]

Beautiful work, Mike. Shows a lot of determination.

[Gunnermike]

Thanks Tom and TPH. 

Tom, I looked up your tutorial on lock polishing and ordered some Gesswein stones, should be here tomorrow.  I'm hopeful with some stoning the lock will look better than it does now.

I think this lock will be the Mark 0 (naught) version where I work out all (most?) of the mistakes & there are lots.

This pdf file by Peter Wainwright is a paper on Henry Nock - http://asoac.org/bulletins/88_wainright_nock.pdf  .  In it is a view of a disassembled lock, which I trimmed out & enlarged.  So now I have an actual picture of the inside of the lock, hopefully that will be the Mark 1 improved version.  I hope Mr. Nock is enjoying this folly. 
Mike

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

This is a most worthwhile project and your progress is fantastic.  It will be a great accomplishment.  We'd like to see the continuing progress.

[Gunnermike]

Thanks Taylor for those kind words. 

I started this project the 3rd week of August and so far have made 2 lock plates, 2 frizzens, two cocks and 2 top jaws.  I'm using a "small" Grizzly bench top mill-a Seig X3, an old South Bend 9" lathe, an 8" bench sander and a hand held electric band saw that is mounted a  stand I made.  So without my helpers I don't think I would have attempted this lock. But we have to slip in an 'English' project under the moderators nose every once in awhile to see if they're paying attention.  Mike

[TPH]

I'll bet that they are paying attention and loving it. As Taylor said, we'd love to watch your progress.

[Daryl]

What holds the lock in the rifle's stock?

[doug]

What holds the lock in the rifle's stock?

     It looks to me as if a screw goes into the pivot for the tumbler.

cheers Doug

[Jerry V Lape]

And the front of the lock may be secured by the two forward facing lugs on the part identified as "q" in the diagram.  The lugs could slip around a vertical pin in the wood or a modified screw head which is running parallel with the stock. 

[Gunnermike]

Doug and Jerry, you're right on both counts.  The mounting bolt screws into the cock pivot and a screw in the stock fits into the latch on the inside front of the lock.

Here's a photo of the mounting bolt.  You can see the patent breech screw also.

Mike

[Long John]

That is quite a challenge.  I am impressed!

But it got me to thinking - why would Nock invent such a lock?  From the exploded view it seems to consist of more parts than a conventional flintlock of the time.  It seems that it would be more expensive to manufacture.  I wonder what Nock's motive was in designing such a lock.  I can clearly see the advantage the "French" flintlock (which we have come to think of as the "conventional" flintlock) displaced the Snaphaunce lock over time.  It was simpler and 'simpler is generally better'.  That maxim does not seem to apply to the Nock screwless lock.  Were screws that expensive to make in the 1780's?

JMC

[Gunnermike]

Progress photos of the thinned down parts.  The hammer screw & sear screw have been peened to resemble the rivets on the original.



The inside with the lock cover plate on:



The "pile o' parts" photo with the unfinished mainspring.  This is the 3rd version of the spring & I'm still not sure how to shape the part that pushes against the tumbler arm.



I had to weld the plate latch mechanism to the lock plate because I screwed up the threads in the plate so badly.  On the original plate there is a sunburst engraving that covers the rivet for the latch.

Later, Mike

[marcusb]

How much gap is there along the top were the hammer travels? Seems like it would leave a gap that would allow foriegn material into the mortise? Is that the case?

[Gunnermike]

How much gap is there along the top were the hammer travels? Seems like it would leave a gap that would allow foriegn material into the mortise? Is that the case?

My lock has more of a gap than the original.  But that's because I'm reverse engineering from photos.  I didn't shape the rear of the hammer like the original because I didn't have a photo of the inside when I started building.  Here's my lock:



Here's the original:



(Hmmmm, looks like I need to bevel the lock plate some more.)

The original locks were known as a sturdy, dependable lock.  The English military used them on several different muskets, but replaced them all to simplify their supply system. 

[Old Ford2]

Goodmorning All!
Mike, you're very hard on yourself!
The lock that you are making is a fine piece of work, great photos, and very educational for us all.
I look forward to seeing the finished rifle.
Best regards
Old Ford

[smylee grouch]

Mike: I dont see a flash gaurd on the original but I might not know what the flash gaurd is. Can you explain?     Gary

[Rasch Chronicles]

Sir,

That's a very compact sturdy looking lock! I think it has a clean, streamlined, modern look to it. Almost "Steampunk" if I may. It says "brink of industrial revolution" to me.  I applaud your diligence and engineering skills. I'm looking forward to seeing the complete firearm too!

Best regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
Don’t get Snake Bit!!! But if you do…

[Gunnermike]

Old Ford & Rasch - thanks for your encouragement.  I guess the lock is streamline in a fashion.  Trying to remove external parts & use the mainspring to work the frizzen also. 

Gary, here is musket version of the Screwless Lock with a flash guard (just got the photo from a very nice chap on an English forum- thanks Adrian!)



Mike

[smylee grouch]

Thanks Mike, that is what I was thinking of. I too am enjoying your project so will look forward to the end result. Best wishes    Gary

[karwelis]

all i have to say is wow! that is fantastic work, and sooooooo far beyond my humble abilities. i hope you post a video or two of it "working".

[t.caster]

WHY?
I think he was having a pint down at the pub one night with some other builders, when a challenge was issued.....
Yeah, I'm sure alcohol was involved
A clever guy like Nock feared of nothing!