Britain 1298
Double-action revolver
LETTERS PATENT to William James Harvey, of 68, South Street, Exeter, Gun Maker, for the Invention of “ Improvements in Firearms.”
Sealed the 22nd July 1853, and dated the 26th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Harvey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th May 1853.
I, William James Harvey, of 68, South Street, Exeter, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “ Improvements in Fire-arms ” to be as follows:—
This Invention consists of a series of short ban-els (to receive the charges) made in one piece, each barrel having a nipple at the back end. This series of ban-els revolve on an axis fixed to the butt or breech, and the barrel through which the discharges take place is fixed to the axis in front of the revolving barrels. Such barrel has on it a guard, which covers the short revolving barrels; the advantage is, to prevent the charge getting damp or injured; consequently, in order to load them the front barrel, with the guard attached, is removed.
In front of the lock there is a hollow chamber, within which the series of barrels revolve, and is closely covered thereby, so as to pi-event wet getting to the caps on the nipples.
The series of barrels is made to revolve, step by step, in rotation, by means of a lever put in motion by the trigger ; also the bolt or slide on the inside is moved forward and locks the revolving bands, which prevents more than one being fired at each time.
The bolt on the outside, oh the left, is pressed in on pulling back the trigger about half way, which retains the cock or striker from any accident in loading; it cannot act unless the trigger is pulled back for use, when the same action causes the bolt to recede in its place again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by the said William James Harvey in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 25th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
William James Harvey, of 68, South Street, Exeter, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,* give and grant unto me, the said William James Harvey, Her special licence that I, the said William James Harvey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William James Harvey, 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 Fire-arms,*’ upon the condition (amongst others) that J, the said William James Harvey, 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 wris 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.
HOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William James Harvey, 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 thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of a series of short barrels (to receive the charges) made in one piece, each barrel having a nipple at the back end. This senes of barrels revolve on an axis fixed to the butt or breech, and the barrel through which the discharges take place is fixed to the axis in front of the revolving barrels; such barrel has in it a guard, which covers the short revolving barrels; the advantage is, to prevent the charge getting damp or injured; consequently, in order to load them the front barrel, with the guard attached, is removed.
In front of the lock there is a hollow chamber, within which the series of barrels revolve, and is closely covered thereby, so as to prevent wet getting to the caps on the nipples.
The series of barrels is made to revolve, step by step, in rotation, by means of a lever put in motion by the trigger; also the bolt or slide on the inside is moved forward and locks the revolving barrels, which prevents more than one being fired at each time.
The bolt on the outside on the left is pressed in on pulling back the trigger about half way, which retains the cock or striker from any accident in loading; it cannot act unless the trigger is pulled back for use, when the same action causes the bolt to recede into its place again.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe the manner of performing the same.
Description of the Drawing.
Figure 1, shows a longitudinal section of a pistol constructed according to mv Invention. Figure 2, shows two views of the barrel separately, and shield in front of the short barrels, which contain the charges. Figure 3, shows a back end view of the short barrels which receive the charges, and which revolve on an axis, in order, in succession, to come opposite the end of the stationary barrel. The other views show some of the parts separately. In each of these figures the same letters are used to indicate the same parts, a, a, are the short barrels which receive the charges. These barrels a, are carried by the fixed axis b, and are capable of revolving thereon; and the barrel c, through which the charges are all fired, is keyed on to the axis b, by a key dy the axis itself being fixed to the stock or handle by means of the plate e, which has flanges e\ which form a cylindrical guard to the nipples, and the detonating caps placed thereon. The centre of the plate e> is made to receive the ratchet /, formed at the back of the barrels a; and through the plate e, is a slot, in which the end of a lever h, works, and by which the barrels a, arc turned partly round, so as to bring up another barrel a, correctly to fire through the barrel c, by the end of the lever /i, acting on one of the teeth of the ratchet; and, in order to prevent the barrels a, being moved too far, a sliding-bolt if moves througli a hole in the plate e, and locks the barrels from being moved too far. j, is the trigger constantly pressed on by the spring ky with a tendency to bring it back, /, is a driver attached to the upper end of the trigger, such driver being constantly pressed outwards by the spring m. When the trigger is pulled the driver /, acts on the lever n, which is in connection with the main spring o, by means of the link p. At the upper end of the lever n, is attached the hammer or ram q, which gives the necessary blow to the cap on a nipple. The sliding bolt i, and the lever h, are connected to the upper end of the trigger.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it understood that I do not claim the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details here given. But what I claim is, the combination of parts herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Harvey, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY. (l.s.)
Witness,
Fredk Harris.