British 50 (Void)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Adams at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th January 1864.
I, Robert Adams, of King William Street, in the City of London, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for “ Improvements nr the Construction or Breech-loading Fire-arms,’* to be as follows :—
The first part of my Invention consists in constructing breech-loading revolving fire-arms, so that revolving chambers may be applied thereto, arranged for being charged or loaded with suitable cartridges at the breech end of such chambers, or such revolving fire-arms may, when desired, have revolving chambers applied thereto suitable for being loaded at the muzzle end of such revolving chambers as is well understood.
For this purpose the metal frame of a revolving fire-arm constructed according to this part of my Invention, has a moveable shield applied thereto, for the purpose of closing up the ends of the revolving chambers arranged and employed in combination therewith, capable of being charged or loaded at the rear or breech end with cartridges suitable for being exploded by the hammer acting on a central pin at the end thereof, or otherwise as is well understood. When it is desired to use the revolving fire-arm with chambers capable of being loaded at the muzzle end of such chambers with cartridges or ordinary ammunition, then the portable shield and revolving chambers used therewith as previously described are removed, and a set of revolving chambers arranged with “ nipples,” are substituted therefor. The end of the hammer of the piece and the opening in the back of the frame are suitably constructed for exploding either the cartridge or cap as the case may be. A part of the shield is cut away on one side thereof (by preference the right hand) forming an opening through which the chambers are charged and the exploded cartridges forced out by the ramrod. A lever ramrod is arranged so as to be capable of elongation and adjustment, in order to render it suitable either for forcing out the exploded cartridges from the breechloading chambers, or for ramming home the charge when the muzzle-loading1 chambers are employed.
The second part of my Invention consists in constructing the barrel stock and lock frame and trigger guard of revolving fire-arms of one piece of metal, the lock and action being suitably constructed for being let into the frame on one side and covered in by a moveable plate, by which the arrangement and construction of revolving fire-arms of this character is greatly simplified and reduced in cost.
In carrying out this part of my improvements, I prefer to cast or otherwise form the barrel and frame in which the breech chambers are arranged, to revolve together with the trigger guard, in one piece, gun metal, German silver, or malleable cast iron being preferred by me when cast metal is employed for this purpose.