British 2383
LETTERS PATENT to Jean Jongen, of Lifege, in tie Kingdom of Belgium, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of “ Improvements in the Construction op Fire-arms.’*
Sealed the 28th February 1865, and dated the 28th September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Jongen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th September 1864.
I, Jean Jongen, of Lifege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Improvements in the Construction op Fire-arms,” to be as follows:—
This Invention of improvements in the construction of fire-arms relates to that description of fire-arms, known as revolvers or repeating fire-arms, in which four or more shots may be discharged in quick succession from a series of chambers formed in a removable breech cylinder which is made to rotate on a fixed spindle. The chambers are closed at their rear ends by screwed blocks through which a central hole forming the touch-hole is bored. These blocks carry the nipples on which the percussion caps are placed. The chambers are brought up in succession in a line with the barrel by means of a click operating upon ratchet teeth formed on the rear of the breech cylinder. The hammer for discharging the arm is actuated by a spring and tumbler in the ordinary manner, but instead of the hammer being made to strike the percussion caps as usual, it acts upon a horizontal pin called the ram pin, which is placed in a line with the barrel, and is carried by the lock frame. When the hammer is released by pulling the trigger it descends with considerable force on the ram pin, and drives it forward against the percussion cap that is brought into a line therewith, and thereby ignites the charge. The ram pin is connected with a spring, which when the hammer is drawn back will force back the ram pin and allow the breech cylinder to be rotated in order to bring forward another charged chamber. The barrel is mounted in a hinged frame, which also carries the barrel. This frame is hinged to the lock frame, and it is held firmly in position by means of a catch, by releasing which the frame may be opened to remove the rotating breech cylinder from its spindle, and replace it by a charged cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by the said Jean Jongen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jean Jongen, of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Gun Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jean Jongen, Her special license that I, the said Jean Jongen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Jongen, 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 in the Construction of Fire-arms,” upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jean Jongen, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Jean Jongen do hereby declare the nature of my 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 Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
This Invention df “Improvements in the Construction 6f Fire-arms” relates to that description of fire-arms, known as revolvers or repeating firearms, in which four or more shots may be discharged in quick succession from a series of chambers formed in a removeable breech cylinder, which is made to rotate on a fixed spindle. ■*
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in side view a pistol oon-structed on the improved principle; Fig. 2 is a side view shewing the breech cylinder in section ; Fig. 3 is an end view of the rotating breech cylinder A, in which are six chambers to contain separate charges. These chambers are closed at their rear ends by screwed blocks a, a, through which a central hole forming the touch-hole is bored as seen in Fig. 2.. These blocks carry the nipples c, on which the percussion caps are placed. The chambers are brought up in succession in a line with the barrel d by means of a click operating upon ratchet teeth formed on the rear of the breech cylinder A, as is usual in this description of repeating fire-arm. The hammer e for exploding the caps on the nipples c and discharging the arm is actuated by a spring and tumbler in the ordinary manner, but instead of the hammer being made to strike the percussion caps or detonating compound direct, as is usual, it acts upon a horizontal pin / called the ram pin, which is placed in a line with the barrel, and is carried by the lock frame g, g. When the hammer e is released by pulling the trigger it strikes with considerable force the ram pin /, and drives it forward against the percussion cap on that nipple c which is brought into a line with it, and thereby ignites the charge. The ram pin/is connected with a spring k (shewn in side and end views at Figs. 4), which when the hammer e is drawn back will force back the ram pin/ clear of the breech cylinder A, and allow the breech cylinder to be rotated in order to bring forward another charged chamber. The rotating breech A is mounted in the upper part of the hinged frame g, which also carries the barrel d. This frame g is hinged to the lock frame g\ and is held firmly in position by means of spring catches as shewn in Fig. 5. By pulling or pressing back the tail-piece i the frame g may be opened, and the rotating breech cylinder A removed from its spindle, and a newly charged cylinder put on the spindle in its place. This arrangement admits of the use of breech cylinders formed to receive percussion cartridges, the ram pin striking the rear of the cartridge.
Having now described my Invention of “ Improvements in the Construction of Fire-arms,” and having explained the maimer of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the construction and arrangement of parts herein set forth for exploding the percussion composition in rotating breech fire-arms.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Jongen, have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JEAN JONGEN. (us.)
Witness,
P, F; Ruhibb,
Quai de Maestriob,
75 bis.