A NEW OR IMPROVED DUPLEX FIRE ARM
Year: 1884

page_text: I, RICHARD MORRIS of Bennett Park, Blackheath, in the County of Kent,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED
DUPLEX FIRE ARM, to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a construction of a fire arm which is capable of being
used with full sized ammunition for long ranges or for penetration, and of being
used for short ranges or without regard to penetration, with miniature ammunition.
Thus a soldier on service might carry a moderate number of full sized cartridges
for occasional use, and might also carry a large number of miniature cartridges
for more frequent use. For this purpose, I make the weapon with two rifled
breech loading barrels bored closely side by side either in a single block or as
separate barrels firmly attached to one another. I widen the lock and parts
connected therewith so as to admit of two charging grooves, strikers and extractors,
side by side, one suited to each of the two barrels, but both worked together.
When either the full sized or the miniature cartridge is used, the other not being
used, only the striker and extractor of the one barrel perform their work, those of
the other barrel having their usual movements without effecting anything.
Cartridges of both sizes might be used at the same time if desired.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: I, RICHARD MORRIS of Bennett Park Blackheath, in the county of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
DUPLEX FIRE ARM " and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a construction of a fire arm which is capable of being
used with full sized ammunition for long ranges or for penetration, and for being
used for short ranges, or without regard to penetration with miniature ammunition.
Thus a soldier on service might carry a moderate number of full sized cartridges
for occasional use, and might also carry a large number of miniature cartridges for
more frequent use. For this purpose, I make the weapon with two rifled breech
loading barrels bored closely side by side either in a single block or as separate
barrels firmly attached to one another. I widen the lock and parts connected
therewith, so as to admit of two charging grooves, strikers and extractors, side by
side, one suited to each of the two barrels, but both worked together. When either
the full sized or the miniature cartridge is used, the other not being used, only the
*striker and extractor of the one barrel perform their work, those of the other barrel
having their usual movements without effecting anything. Cartridges of both
sizes might be used at the same time, if desired.
The accompanying drawing shews a cross section at the breech of a fire arm of
Martini action arranged according to my invention. A is the ordinary full sized
barrel and B is the miniature barrel both of which are closed by one and the same
breech block C having two charging grooves c c¹ and two strikers 8 8¹, one for
each barrel, these as also the extractors being actuated by one and the same
movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Constructing breech loading fire arms with two barrels side by side, the one
barrel being adapted for full sized cartridges and the other for miniature cartridges,
the breech block having charging grooves, strikers and extractors for both barrels,
actuated by one and the same movement, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 18th day of October 1884.