One of the world's earliest known wheel-lock mechanisms, ca. 1535-40

[Fernando K]

Hi marcus

The question is addressed to Matchlock, but let me answer you. The wheel has a cavity in which a lever integral with the pancover, who gets into the cavity when the wheel is mounted, and primed the bread is introduced. When the wheel starts to turn, forces the lever outside the cavity, opening the bread. In turn, this unsightly spring on top of the lock remains closed pancover.

Affectionately. Fernando K

(Sorry for the translator)

[Matchlock]

Hi Marcus,


It is as Fernando K said:

There is a small, thin integral hook at the underside of the pan cover which reaches into a longitudinal slot at the inside of the wheel. When the wheel starts spinning back it pushes the pan cover open, which otherwise is kept on the pan by the pressure of a long, thin, one-armed spring.

I tried to mark the arm of the pan cover red on the two bottom images.


Best,
m

[Marcus den toom]

Thank you Fernando K and Michael,

A very interesting system, it has a rotating pancover instead of the more known sliding version.

Did all of the early wheel locks have this rotating pancover or where there also other ideas? I noticed the warhammer with a sliding pancover in a early state of development if i may call it that.

[Raf]

The slot in wheel system is the earliest known type of self opening pan . It isn't always appreciated that , apart from keeping the powder in the pan, the automatically opening pan is important to how wheelocks work . Although they will spark up with the pyrites resting directly on the wheel this isn't very efficient as the spring has to accelerate the wheel from rest as well as overcoming the friction of the pyrites. An automatically opening pan allows the spring to first accelerate the wheel , then drops the pyrites smartly onto the wheel when it's turning at its maximum speed. Hence a much better spark.

The single spring locking bar is certainly simple but perhaps not as foolproof as it appears. The danger being that it is only the tension of the spring that holds the sear into the wheel rebate. With the possibility of it not fully engaging and the thing going of by accident. Hence the development of the double locking arrangement where the sear is positively locked into the wheel using a secondary sear lever.

The other lock illustrated has an early form of hook type pancover where the cover and the operating arm are one and the same . The cover is opened by a cam or pin on the wheel . Early Portuguese locks use this very simple system

[Fernando K]

Hello, Matchlock

Thanks for the amazing pictures. It is the best I've seen so far! I'll never get my hands on this device!

Affectionately. Fernando K

[Marcus den toom]

Hi Fernando K,

I was lucky enough to be able to visit Michl's collection and believe me my friend if you see the vast amount of rare items in this firearms Valhalla you never want to leave again (luckily for Michael i did go home) :P