British 628
LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of “ Improvements in Fire-arms.”—A communication from abroad by Alexandre Guerriero, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 5th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th March 1863.
I, William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Improvements in Fire-arms,” to be as follows: —
This Invention relates to an improved revolver pistol, which in describing I will consider in four parts:—1st, the barrel, which is slightly rifled at that part next the ramrod; 2ndly, the cylindrical breech ; 3rdly, the rotating breech chamber, intended to receive the projectiles in a case enclosing the back part of the breech chamber, and which protects the faluminating points; and, lastly, the stock, which contains the actuating mechanism and carries an iron pin serving to connect the three principal parts together, and an eccentric groove for connecting the barrel thereto. The butt has a screw ring for slinging the pistol, while the action is double, and is effected simply by cocking the hammer and then pressing the finger on the trigger. The two principal parts may be detached or connected together by hand by means of a simple arrangement and without the aid of any instrument
I will now proceed to illustrate some of the advantages possessed by this improved fire-arm as compared to those hitherto constructed, by reference to the accompanying Drawing, first enumerating some of the inconveniencies of that known as the Lefaucheny revolver.
1st, the cylindrical breech I, I, seen in elevation in Fig. 1 of the Drawing, turns on axis F, in the space between A and B, and slides lengthwise in breech C, fixed to the butt. Thus the copper cases of the cartridges after the discharge expanding on said breech often stop up the opening, and prevent the cylinder from turning, and so prevent the other barrels from being discharged.
Sndly, as a consequence of the foregoing effect of the expansion of the cartridge case the cylinder not turning on a fixed point between the pins G, G, of the cartridges in breech chamber I, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, plan of the same, may be struck by the edge of the hammer H, and the blow not being in a line with the centre of the barrel P, the projectile would strike its end, and in its escape might injure the person using the fire-arm.
3rdly, the cartridge pins projecting all round the cylindrical breech chamber, any blow from the outside, or the fall of the pistol, may cause & discharge, which would be dangerous for those adjacent.
4thly, if the conical ball becomes detached accidentally from its copper case and moves towards the chambers in the breech, it would also prevent its rotation.
5thly, the barrel being attached to the principal part by means of a large and small screw, every time it is cleaned it requires to be unscrewed, which ultimately creates a looseness of the parts, that is prejudicial to the fitting of the barrel.
6thly, the butt of the pistol is formed of several pieces of iron connected together by screws, and its action presents a complication of parts, which are easily put out of order.
7thly, the pistol cannot be taken to pieces after a number of discharges, except by a skilled person, consequently rendering it unfit for service in the field.
The following are the improvements in the above-named pistol according to the present Invention:—1st, I cause the expansion of the cartridge case to take effect in a cylindrical case T, seen in section and plan at Figs. 3 and 4, which is attached to cylindrical chamber I at six points, and also by means of stop Q, the rotating breech chamber is also separate from the parts effecting the rotating movement, hence there can be no liability of stoppage from the exploded case, and all the barrels will be discharged with certainty.
2ndly, the direction of the line of fire in the centre of the barrel is also assured, as the hammer is pointed, and must necessarily penetrate the six holes contained in breech S, in order to strike the pin also in same.
3rdly, there is consequently no fear of accidental explosion from blows or falls, the pins being enclosed by the breech S, as above mentioned.
4thly, the rotation cannot be impeded in case the projectile should become detached from its copper case, which improvement I effect by means of a plate R, which covers the six holes in the section of cylinder.
5thly, the barrel being attached to the principal part by means of an eccentric D, and sliding along the turned axis F, there will be less friction between the parts, which are polished, and there is consequently less probability of wear in the attachment of the barrel.
6thJy, the butt of the pistol is made of a single piece of forged iron N, N, and although the pistol has a double action it is little complicated and consequently not liable to get out of order.
7thly, the pistol may be readily separated into four pieces after repeated discharges by any one, and may be then cleaned without the aid of any instrument, by means of a brush, and in a few minutes be again ready for
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8thly, a guard spring L is applied to insure the loading and discharge ; the revolver may also be attached to the person by means of a cord connected to a ring fixed to the butt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex* Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Clark, Her Special licence that I, the said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for “ Improvements nr Fire-arms,” a communication to me from abroad by Alexandre Guerriero, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or administrators by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates to a improved revolver pistol, which may be divided into four principal parts:—1st, the barrel, which is slightly rifled, slides on a rod or axis at the under part, to which it is fixed by means of an eccentric ; Sndly a cylindrical breech; Srdly, a rotating breech chamber intended to receive the projectiles partially fitting in a case enclosing its rear end, and which protects the fulminating points; and lastly, the stock, which contains the actuating mechanism, and carries the iron pin or axis before mentioned serving to connect the principal parts together, and an eccentric groove for connecting the barrel thereto. The butt has a ring for attaching the pistol to the body, while the action is double, and is effected simply by cocking the hammer and then pressing the finger on the trigger. The two principal parts may be detached or connected together by hand by means of a simple arrangement, and without the aid of any instrument.
I will now proceed to illustrate some of the advantages possessed by this improved fire-arm as compared to those hitherto constructed, by reference to the accompanying Drawing, first enumerating some of the disadvantages of that known as the Lefaucheux revolver*
1st, the cylindrical breech I, I, seen in elevation in Fig. 1 of the Drawing, turns on axis F, in the space between A and B, and slides lengthwise in breech C, fixed to the butt. Thus the copper cases of the cartridges after the . discharge expanding on said breech often stop up the opening, and prevent the cylinder from turning, and so prevent the other barrels from being dis charged.
2ndly, as a consequence of the foregoing effect of the expansion of the cartridge case, the cylinder, not turning on a fixed point between the pins G, G, of the cartridges in breech chamber I, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, plan of same, may be struck by the edge of the hammer H, and the blow not being in a line with the centre of the barrel P, the projectile would strike its end, and its escape might injure the person using the fire-arm.
3rdly, the cartridge pins projecting all round the cylinder, a blow or the fall of the pistol may cause a discharge, which is dangerous for those adjacent
4thly, if either of the conical balls becomes detached accidentally from its copper case and moves towards the chambers in the breech, it would also prevent its rotation.
5thly, the barrel being attached to the principal part by means of a large and small screw, every time it is cleaned it requires to be unscrewed, which ultimately creates a looseness of the parts that is prejudicial to the fitting of the barrel.
6thly, the butt of the pistol is formed of several pieces of iron connected together by screws, and its action presents a complication of parts, which are easily put out of order.
7thly, the pistol cannot be taken to pieces in order to clean it after a number of discharges except by a skilled person, consequently rendering it unfit for service in the field.
The following are the improvements in the foregoing -pistol according to the present Invention :—1st, I cause the expansion of the cartridge case to take effect in a cylindrical casing T, seen in section and plan at Figs. 4 and 5, which is attached to cylinder I at six points, and also by means of stop Q; the rotating breech chamber is also separate from the rotating movement, hence there can be no liability of any stoppage from the before-mentioned cause, and all the barrels will be discharged with certainty.
2ndly, the direction of the line of fire in the centre of the barrel is also assured, as the hammer is pointed, and must necessarily penetrate the six holes contained in breech S, in order to strike the pins also in same.
3rdly, there is consequently no fear of explosion from blows or falls, the pins being enclosed by the breech S as above described.
4thly, the rotation cannot be impeded in case a projectile should become detached from its copper case. I effect this improvement by the application of a plate R, which covers the six holes in the section of cylinder.
fithly, the barrel being attached to the principal part by means of an eccentric D, and sliding along the turned axis F, there is less friction between the parts which are polished, and consequently less probability of wear in the attachment of the barrel.
6thly, the butt of the pistol is made of a single piece of forged iron N, N, and although the pistol is of double action, it is much less complicated than the foregoing, and consequently less liable to get out of order.
7thly, the pistol may be readily separated into four pieces after repeated discharges by any one, without the aid of any instrument, and may then be cleaned by means of a brush, and in a few minutes be again ready for use.
8thly, a guard spring L is applied to ensure the loading and discharge; the revolver is also attached to the person by means of a cord connected to a ring fixed to the butt.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement and construction of revolvers in the manner and as herein-before described and represented in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set toy hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W. CLARK. (l.s.)
Witness,
W. G. E. Swinnock,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.