IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CANNONS AND ALL KINDS OF FIELD PIECES
Year: 1855

page_text: LE
PATER
to William Ramscar, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CANNONS AND ALL
KINDS OF FIELD PIECES."
Sealed the 19th February 1856, and dated the 3rd October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ramscar at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
October 1855.
I, WILLIAM RAMSCAR, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE-ARMS. WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CANNONS AND
ALL KINDS OF FIELD PIECES," to be as follows:-
In breach loading, I dispense entirely with the use of percussion caps and
the ordinary lock outside the gun, by arranging a chamber under the piece,
into which I fix a valve, so constructed as to be struck by a hammer every
time the piece is fired. I make the cartridge of tin or other suitable metal
in the form of a tube, the said tube to be either connected to the shot, or
detached, as may be found most desirable. I fill the said tube with powder.
gun-cotton, or other suitable combustible, except a small space at the end near
the breech, which space I fill with any suitable chemical compound, so that
when the hammer strikes the aforesaid valve, the friction will cause the
chemical compound to ignite instantaneously and discharge the piece:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Ramscar in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RAMSCAR, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, 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
William Ramscar, Her special licence that I, the said William Ramscar, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said William
Ramscar, 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, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CANNONS AND ALL KINDS OF FIELD PIECES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Ramscar, 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
Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ramscar, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
In breech loading I dispense entirely with the use of percussion caps, and
the ordinary lock outside the gun, by arranging a chamber under or within the
piece, into which I place a valve or punch, so constructed as to be struck by
a hammer every time the piece is fired. I make the case of the cartridge
either of paper, calico, or other woven material, and, if desired, render it
impervious to moisture by any of the well-known methods, thus protecting the
powder from either wet or damp. An end of the cartridge case is fastened to
a tube of metal, quill, papier mache, or other suitable material, the said tube
being partly without and partly within the cartridge case, and connected to
the shot, or detached, as may be found most desirable. I fill the said tube

page_text: with gunpowder, gun-cotton, or other suitable material to within a small space
at the end, into which I place fulminating silver, or other suitable chemical
compound, so that when the hammer strikes the aforesaid valve or punch, the
friction will cause the chemical compound to ignite instantaneously, and
discharge the piece. I can apply the said tube and valve to double as well
as single barrelled guns, and also to all shapes of bore. These improvements
will be clearly understood by referring to the Figures on the accompanying
two Sheets of Drawings, and the letters of reference thereon.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents a section of the stock and part of the barrel
of a breech-loading fire-arm, to which my improvements are attached; Fig. 2
is an outside view of the same; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views, either of
detached parts or modifications thereof.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of a carriage and cannon,
having a vibrating breech and other improved arrangements, which cannon is
either fired in the ordinary manner, or by the employment of my improved
cartridge and valve; Fig. 2 is an external elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of the
same; Fig. 4 is a section of a field piece, in which a breech is employed
similar to that described for the small fire-arm; Fig. 5 is an outside view of
the same; and Fig. 6 is a plan of the same.
In Fig. 1, Sheet 1, a shews part of the barrel of the piece; b, the breech,
to which the arm or lever c is connected, both moving on the centre or
fulcrum d, in the bearings e, which form part of the bottom end of the barrel;
f shews the bore for the cartridge, the small tubular end of which containing
the explosive material is crushed or powerfully pressed by the valve or sliding
punch g, moving in its frame or holder h, which is made fast to the back part
of the breech; the head of the valve g is struck by the hammer i, acted upon
by any of the ordinary well-known methods. The breech b is held fast by the
bolt k, assisted by a spring or springs; the bolt is pulled back by the lever 1,
the top of which projects through the stock, and is seen at m, thereby relieving
the breech, and allowing it to be moved by the arm c into the position for
loading, shewn by the dotted lines; the valve is then kept open by the spring n.
In the stock I can, if desired, place a dagger or knife, shewn within the stock
by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and without in Fig. 1. It is held fast by the
slide o; which is drawn down when the dagger is required to re-enter the stock.
At z is a guard to hold the hammer, and at z' a guard to hold the trigger.
A blank cartridge is seen detached at Fig. 3, and a ball cartridge complete at
Fig. 4, having an elastic wadding. That part of the small tube containing the
gunpowder, gun-cotton, or material of a similar nature is represented at p, and
the part containing the fulininating silver, or other detonating or chemical

page_text: compound at q, which part of the tube is pressed or crushed by the valve or
punch g. Fig. 5 shews the valve detached, the holder h is capable of being
screwed to the hinder and lower part of the breech; Fig. 6 is another modi-
fication of valve, in which the holder is rectangular, and kept in its place by a
pin r; Fig. 7 represents another mode of raising the breech, for the purpose
of loading, and also for returning it to the position for firing. To the upper
part of the breech a flat springs is attached, having a projection t, which
enters a space behind the breech, thereby keeping the latter firm; the spring
can overlap the joints of the breech, and prevent the ingress of moisture. The
projection is raised from the space it fits, and made to rest upon the top of
the piece, thus setting the breech at liberty, which is pulled back by the lever
u, raised to the position for loading by the lever v, and afterwards returned to
the firing position by the lever u. Although the spring s is placed at the top
of the piece, it can be placed at the back of the breech, if desired. The spring
s and projection t are raised by means of the lever w, acted upon by the appli-
cation of pressure to the knob or pin a, thereby overcoming the resistance of
the spring y, which otherwise retains the said parts in their firing position;
Fig. 8 represents the breech, shewn in Fig. 1 detached from the piece; Fig. 9
shews the application of the tube containing the chemical compound to an
improved form of plug or ball, having four flats taken off the round, which
flats are filled up by the spring wadding behind. The said ball may have any
suitable number of flats or concavities, the said wadding being composed of
leather or cork, or both combined.
In Sheet 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the breech of the cannon is of a circular form,
and is shewn at a¹; it is connected to the body of the piece by the side plates
or frames b', in which are the bearings c¹ for the breech to turn in; it is made
to do so by the lever d. The breech is held fast in its firing position by the
pin e¹, acted upon by the lever f' and spring g'; this piece can be fired either
by a touch hole h', at the back of the breech, or by my improved cartridge
and valve, and it may be desirable to have both combined. The body of the
carriage is shewn at ¹, upon which is the sliding frame in which are the
bearings m' for the trunnions of the cannon to work in. After firing, the return
of the sliding frame is effected either by a spring n', or by a combination of
springs of any desired make. The elevation or depression of the piece is
effected by its resting on the lever o' made fast to the shaft p¹, to which is
attached another lever q', having a nut r' which can move or turn in the
bearings s. Fitting the nut is the screw of the shaft t', which can be turned
at pleasure by the handle u¹, thereby raising or lowering the lever o' and with
it the cannon. The body of the carriage turns upon a pin v', the lower part

page_text: of which is connected to a bed plate or foundation, in which I place a
segmental rack for the purpose of moving the gun and carriage with facility,
by means of the pinion a² and handle or lever 6. In order to prevent friction
I place in the body of the carriage rollers or wheels c².
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, Sheet 2, a cannon is represented having a vibrating
breech, similar to that employed in the small fire-arm before described. The
breech is shewn at d; it vibrates on the centre or fulcrum e2, and is moved by
a handle or handles f. The bolt for holding the breech firm is shewn at g²,
and is kept in its place by the spring h. The bolt is pulled back by the lever
or levers . The valve or punch is shown at P. having at the top a hole or
space, so as not to interrupt the sight. This piece can be sponged from the
back when the breech is turned sufficiently to clear the bore. In Figs. 7 and
8 are represented other modes of elevating and depressing the cannon.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but I claim the arrangement of a valve or punch placed in
a guide, so that every time the hammer strikes the said valve or punch, the
sudden concussion and friction will cause the fulminating silver or chemical
compound to ignite and discharge the piece; also the peculiar arrangement
and construction of the cartridge, and the vibrating breech, with the other
various improvements in the gun, cannon, or fire-arm, as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ramscar, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, One thousand eight hundred
WILLIAM RAMSCAR. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
William Ramscar, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.