US 151882
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
OWEN JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.
IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING FIREARMS
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,882, dated June 9, 1874; application filed April 15, 1874.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, OWEN JONES, of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Revolving Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification:
The object of my invention is to use projectiles of different sizes in the same revolver by making the barrel-block with two or more bores of different calibers, the said block being so connected to the frame that it can be readily adjusted in the manner explained hereafter.
In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of a revolver with my improvements: Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line 1 2; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 3 4; and Fig. 4, a perspective view.
The barrel-block A has two bores of different calibers, and has a breech-pin, a, passing through the cylinder B and projecting into, and arranged to turn in, an orifice in the frame D, which has two projections, b and b’, the end of each projection having a lip, e, adapted to a recess, f, in the edge of the barrel-block, as best observed in the perspective view, Fig. 4. Each of the projections b and b’, has also a spring-catch, h, adapted to a notch, i, in each edge of the barrel-block.
As seen in Fig. 1, the pistol has been arranged for the use of ammunition of small size, the small bore of the barrel-block coinciding with the small chambers of the cylinder B. When the pistol has to be altered for the use of larger ammunition, the two spring latches are so depressed as to remove their outer ends from the notches i, thereby releasing the barrel-block, which is at liberty to be turned to the position shown in Fig. 4 when it can be withdrawn with the breech pin from the frame, and the cylinder can be removed to make way for one with larger chambers, after which the barrel-block may be relocked to the frame in a manner which needs no explanation, the said block being of course so adjusted that its large bore shall coincide with the large chambers of the cylinder. It has not been deemed necessary to describe the hammer, lock, or mechanism for operating the cylinder, as these parts may be similar to those of ordinary revolvers.
In the modification, Fig. 5, tie breech-pin is fixed to the frame, and a plate, m, at the rear of the barrel-block is hinged at x to the upper projection b of the frame, a spring catch, n, on the lower projection serving the twofold purpose of locking the barrel-block laterally to the frame, and of retaining the plate on to which the barrel-block is so connected through the medium of a central pin, p, that while the said barrel-block can be turned freely on the plate it can have no other movement independent of the same. A projection, q, forming part of the plate m, has a lip which projects into a notch on the edge of the barrel-block.
When the barrel-block has to be reversed and a new cylinder introduced, the spring latch n is so depressed as to unlock the barrel-block and release the plate m, which, with the barrel, can then be turned upward, the block turned laterally on the plate, and a new cylinder introduced, after which the barrel block may be relocked to the frame.
Although a barrel-block with three or even four different bores may be used, one with more than two bores will rarely be required. These two bores will demand two cylinders, one of which may be adjusted to the breech pin, while the other is held in reserve in a recess formed in the stock E of the fire-arm, as shown in Figs. I and 4. In revolving fire-arms of a larger class–rifles or carbines, for instance–the stock can be readily constructed with recesses for the reception of two or more reserve cylinders having bores of different calibers.
I do not claim, roadly, a fire-arm having a rotary barrel-block with bores of different calibers; but
I claim–
1. A revolving fire-arm in which are combined a detachable revolving-cylinder, and an adjustable barrel-block, A, having bores of different calibers, as set forth.
2. A revolving fire-arm carrying a supplementary cylinder within a recess of the stock E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.
OWEN JONES.
Witnesses:
WM. A. STEEL,
HUBERT HOWSON.