US 7613
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
SAML. COLT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
IMPROVEMENT IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 7,613, dated September 3, 1850.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, Samuel Colt, of Hartford city and county, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Repeating Fire-Arms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which—
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a separate section; Fig. 4, side elevation of a modification; Figs. 5 and 6, side elevation and longitudinal section of another modification, and Figs. 7 and 8 like views of another modification.
The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.
In revolving chambered fire-arms of that class. in which the chambers are arranged about and parallel with the axis of rotation the rotating chambered breech has heretofore been made with a central bore running through its entire length, and fitted to turn on a central pin projecting out from the breech-plate, or shield-piece, the barrel being entirely or mainly secured to the forward end of the said pin. The smoke from the discharge finds its way between the bore of the chambered breech and the pin on which it turns, and in a short time clogs it and prevents the free turning of the said chambered breech.
– To avoid this defect is the object of my invention, which consists in making the central bore of the rotating chambered breech to extend from the rear part thereof to within a short distance of the front end, which is thus closed to prevent the entrance of smoke when this is combined with the attachment of the barrel to the breech-piece or lock-plate, or both, independently of any connection with the central pin or arbor, on which the chambered breech rotates.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings, a represents the breech or shield piece, and b the lock-frame, the two made of one block of metal. From the shield-piece projects a central pin or arbor, c, to which is fitted the central bore of the rotating breech d. The central pin and bore do not, however, pass entirely through, so that the forward end of the said bore is closed to prevent the entrance of the smoke which escapes at the time of the discharge from the junction of the chamber and barrel. The end of the central pin or arbor should fit closely against the bottom of the bore, so as to resist the recoil; but this may be dispensed with by making the rear end of the rotating breech rest against the shield-piece.
From the top of the shield-piece projects a strap, e, which extends over the top of the rotating chambered breech and extends to a short distance beyond the front end thereof, and there it is hinged to the rear end of the barrel f by a hinged joint, g, the one half of the said hinge being a part of the metal of the barrel, or separate and attached thereto. The lower part, h, of the rear end of the barrel extends down sufficiently far to fit against the forward end of the lock-frame b, which is provided with dowel-pins which enter recesses in the projection of the barrel to insure the proper position of the barrel. The said projection is provided with a pin, i, which, when the barrel is brought down, enters the straight part of the groove j in a turn-button, k, and then the said groove is of an eccentric form, so that when the barrel is in the required position the turning of the said button will cause the eccentric part of the groove to act on the pin i, and thus firmly secure the barrel in place. By reason of this arrangement it will be seen that the smoke of the discharge cannot reach the pin or arbor on which the chambered breech rotates, and that by the means of connection the barrel is firmly secured, while at the same time by simply turning the button it is so disconnected that it can be turned up on the hinge to admit of removing and replacing the chambered breech.
I do not wish, however, to limit myself to the precise arrangement above described for forming the connection of the barrel with the breech or shield piece and lock-frame, as the principle of this part of my invention may be variously modified— as, for instance, reference being had to Fig.4of the accompanying drawings, from which it will be seen that the strap e, instead of being hinged at the forward end to the barrel, is attached to the barrel and is hinged to the top of the shield-piece, the other parts being arranged as in Figs. 1 and 2, before described; or, instead of this, the connections may be, as represented in Figs. 5 and 6 in which it will be seen that the barrel is hinged, at a’, below to the forward end of the lock-frame, and the strap e, which is attached to the shield-piece, has its forward end fitted to enter a recess on the top of the barrel, where it is secured by a dovetail key, b’, to secure the parts together; or it may be arranged as in Figs. 7 and 8, from which it will be seen that the lower projection of the barrel is connected to the lock-frame by a fulcrum-pin, c’, parallel with the bore of the barrel and tapped into the lock-frame, so that the barrel turns laterally, the strap e being fitted to the barrel by a dovetail, d’, so that when in place the whole is secured by a sliding bolt, e’, which slides on the strap e, and which is provided with a spur or bolt, f’, that enters a corresponding recess in the barrel.
I have given the above modifications as examples of the various modes of connecting the barrel with the lock-plate and breech-piece, but do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to them, as other modes may be devised.
What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—
Making the central bore of the many-chambered rotating breech, which fits and turns on a central pin or arbor, to extend from the rear part thereof to within some distance from the front end, and thus leave the front end closed, substantially as described, to prevent the access of smoke, when this is combined with the connecting of the barrel with the shield-piece and lock-plate, substantially as described.
Hartford, July 26, 1850.
SAMIL. COLT.
Witnesses:
Erastus Smith,
L. P. Sargeant.