British 2952
Using a disc to keep cartridges in place
LETTERS PATEITT to Sir John Scott Lillie, Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of “ Improvements in Guns, Fire-arms, and Implements op War connected therewith.”
Sealed the 20th June 1856, and dated the 31st December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scott Lillie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st December 1855.
I, Sir John Scott Lillie, Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature ’. of my said Invention for “ Ixpbovements nr Guns, Fibe-abms, and Implements op Was connected therewith,” to be as follows, that is to say
My Invention consists, first, in substituting for triggers, metallic shafts to which cams are attached, to give motion to the hammers by means of winch handles.
Secondly, attaching disks to revolving cylinders so as to prevent the cart-‘ ridges from falling out
Thirdly, attaching a metallic leg of the length of the cartridge to balls or projectiles, to prevent an undue pressure on the powder.
Fourthly, attaching scabbards to bayonettes or sabres in a manner that will enable the point of the bayonette or blade to be uncovered, by sliding back the scabbard instead of removing it, as has been the custom heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by the said John Scott Lillie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir John Scott Lillie, Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Sir John Scott Lillie, Her special license that I, the said Sir John Scott Lillie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sir John Scott Lillie, 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 of “ Improvements nr Guns, Fire-arms, and Implements of War connected therewith,** upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Sir John Scott Lillie, 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 Sir John Scott Lillie, 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 thereof, that is to say:—
My said improvements consist, first, in substituting for triggers, cams connected with segments of screws or worm wheels, working on spindles or shafts, thus giving motion to cylinders and hammers to be employed in discharging from platforms or fixed rests, guns of any calibre, also small arms with revolving breeches. The spindles or shafts are turned by winch handles or other mechanical contrivances. To the cylinders containing these revolving breeches I attach the axles on which they revolve, and let them drop into their places through openings in the frames. The ends of these axles next the barrels are provided with heads. Slides or springs may be attached to these frames to close those openings when required. For ratchets I substitute metallic studs, corresponding in number with the chambers in each cylinder, such studs being acted upon by these cams connected with worm wheels. When pistols are used, or small arms fired from the shoulder, these cams and worm wheels may be put in motion by triggers or oscillating levers.
Secondly, I attach perforated metallic disks of the diameter of the cylinder to these frames, and in contact with the ends next the barrels.
Thirdly, in discharging small arms from the shoulder for sporting or other purposes, I attach portable rests to the lower part of the barrel about half way between the muzzle and breech, by means of hinges, ball and socket joints, or other mechanical contrivances, so as to enable the other ends of such rests to be placed on the left hip, where they may be held firmly by the left hand during the act of firing; when these portable rests are not required, they may be passed over the trigger guard, and fixed to the stock by means of thumb springs. For war purposes, sabres or bayonets may be thus employed, the points of the scabbards being brought to rest on the left hip or on the ground, and the ferrules which form these points, being open, allow the lower portion of the scabbard to slide over the other, leaving so much of the blade exposed as may be required when about to be fixed at the muzzle. These portable rests may be also carried in a belt, and being provided with bayonet handles, may be fixed at the muzzle, and likewise made to slide by means of thumb springs or bayonet joints towards the centre of the barrel, where they may be again fixed for the purposes of rests, as already described.
Fourthly, to balls or other projectiles I attach felt or other elastic material of the diameter of the bore of the barrel or chamber, by means of metallic pins, glue, or other adhesive material, and likewise a cylinder of cartridge paper or other strong substance as a case for the powder. When small shot is used, I attach this case to the felt, and separate the shot from the powder by means of wadding in the interior of the case. The cartridges thus formed, when required for revolving breeches, I propose carrying in cylindrical boxes of the same diameter, and containing the same number of holes as the metallic cylinders, but not of greater depth than about half an inch, in order that no more of the cartridge should be introduced than will be sufficient to keep it in a perpendicular position, the remainder being free to enter the chamber of the cylinder when placed over them for that purpose. The lids of these boxes should be lined with wadding or other soft material, to press on the open ends of the cartridges and prevent the powder from escaping, and the holes of these cartridge boxes should be provided with moveable piston bottoms, to enable the cartridges when thus introduced to be rammed home.
Having thus described these improvements, and the means for putting the same into execution, I have only to add, that what I claim to be protected by the before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First, the application of cams connected with segments of screws or worm wheels, for the purpose of discharging guns or small arms with revolving-breeches, as herein-before described.
Secondly, covering the open ends of fire-arm cylinders with perforated-metallic discs, for the purposes herein-before described.
Thirdly, the construction of cartridges, as above described.
Fourthly, the method of using portable rests for small arms, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir John Scott Lillie, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
J. S. LILLIE, (l.s.)