hello all
I often encounter the term "ejector type Perkes / southgate"
is that a combination of two design??, why Perkes is associated with southgate??
thank you

Granger

Have a look at this thread for some help:

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=30272

Edit: Ah! You have already! See here:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nLq3yaVGcT8C&pg=PA157&lpg=PA157&dq=Perkes/southgate+ejector&source=bl&ots=pXzKOj3WN5&sig=K355LA4zEtAMc0ySoh3PyXRxu74&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BQUdUbKMLcHM0QWdroCoCg&sqi=2&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Perkes%2Fsouthgate%20ejector&f=false

Tim

Didn't Perkes get the original patent but then went broke defending it?

The ejector commonly known as the Southgate was patented by a variety of people but somehow the Southgate monica stuck. The first patent that described the over-centre ejector was by Thomas Perkes.
Hence Perkes/Southgate.
Lloyd3
The patent that Perkes went broke fighting over was a sear and tumbler design just like a gun lock. The fight was with Deeley of Westley Richards who had patented the famous 'Deeley Ejector Box' which has been fitted to innumerable shotguns, especially boxlocks out of the Birmingham trade, and is still available now I believe.
Perkes's case was that the ejector worked on the principle of the age old gun lock and so couldn't be patented. Therefore his use of a similar design was not breaking Deeley's patent. He won but it cost him so much he went broke shortly afterwards.
Deeley had to re-apply for the patent without the ejector box in it.
The Perkes ejector is most often found in back action SLE's by the likes of J Blanch et al. Interestingly, I have owned guns by Blanch that quote BOTH ejector patent numbers. Talk about sitting on the wall!

I've never been entirely clear on that one. Thank you Mr. Barclay.

ok for Perkes, but why southgate??

Southgate was a very highly respected actioner to the London trade and was credited as such in his obituary. In the said obituary, he was likened in importance to Squires who was a contemporary barrel maker of very high standing.
I suspect that since the over-centre ejector was being adopted by many of the London big names, Southgate's name was adopted as a compliment to his standing within the trade.
Perkes may not have been adopted as he had been involved in the fight with Deeley and all the big names probably didn't want to be seen taking sides!