IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REPEATING OR REVOLVING AND OTHER PISTOLS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Webley, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REPEATING OR REVOLVING AND OTHER PISTOLS
Sealed the 29th September 1853, and dated the 29th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Webley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th March 1858.
I, JAMES WEBLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REPEATING OR REVOLVING AND
OTHER PISTOLS AND FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
Fig. 1, represents a side view of a repeating pistol made according
to my Invention. a, is the fixed barrel, and b, the revolving chamber
containing the detonating barrels. One of the said improvements con-
sists in the method of engaging and disengaging the trigger c. from the

page_text: cock or hammer d; the said hammer d, is of the form represented in
the drawing, and turns upon the centre c; f. is a pin or stud formed on
the end of the spring g, (shown in dotted lines,) the said spring being
attached to the back of the hammer or cock d. at the point h; the said
pin or stud f, comes through a hole in the said hammer or cock, and
the end of the said pin or stud, which is bevilled off or inclined, pro-
jects on the near side of the said hammer or cock; the head i, of the
trigger c, hears against the back of the pin f. and on pressing the said
trigger c, the said hammer or cock is raised until the head i, of the said
trigger c, escapes under the said pin, when the hammer or cock d,
falls and discharges the pistol. On removing the finger from the
trigger c, the head i, passes over the inclined face of the pin f, and,
pressing back the said pin, resumes the position represented, when the
pin f is again shot forwards by its spring h, and the head of the
trigger i, engages behind it. The arm by which the revolution of the
chamber b, is effected is attached to the hammer at k; and the arm,
which acts as a stop to arrest the chamber b, at the proper point, is
attached to the trigger c, at 7. The said arms, as well as the main
spring, are omitted in the drawing, in order that the construction of
the hammer d, and trigger c, may not be concealed.
Another improvement consists in the method of preventing the bolt
m. which fastens the barrel a, in its place, from being wholly with-
drawn; this consists of a screw n, (see Fig. 2.) the end of which enters
the groove o, made in the edge of the said bolt, but not continued to
the end thereof; the bolt m, can only be withdrawn till the end of the
said screw comes in contact with the end of the groove o, when the
further motion of the said bolt m, is arrested.
Another improvement consists in the method of connecting the
barrel with the body of the pistol. The lower side of the barrel a, (see
Fig. 3.) is provided with a jointed pin p, sliding in a cylindrical hole 9.
in the frame 1. of the pistol; by withdrawing the barrel a, until the
joint 8, is external to the hole q, the said barrel a, may be turned down
upon the said joint s. The said barrel is held in the position repre-
sented in the drawing by a bolt similar to that represented in Fig. 2;
and the pin p, is prevented from being withdrawn wholly from the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said James Webley, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 29th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES WEBLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, 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 James Webley, Her special licence
that I, the said James Webley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jamies Webley, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF REPEATING OR REVOLVING AND OTHER PISTOLS AND
FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Webley, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Webley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):
Figure 1, represents, in vertical longitudinal section, a repeating or
revolving pistol, in which some of the improvements constituting my

page_text: Invention are introduced. «, is the fixed barrel, and b, the revolving
chamber, containing the barrels in which the detonation of the gun-
powder is effected. One of my said improvements consists in the
method of engaging and disengaging the trigger c, from the cock or
hammer d; the said hammer d, is of the form represented in the
drawing, and turns upon the centre e. f, is a pin or stud formed on
the lower end of the spring g, (shown in dotted lines,) the said spring
being attached to the distant side of the hammer or cock d, at the point
h; the said pin or stud f, comes through a hole in the said hammer or
cock, and the end of the said pin or stud, which is bevilled off or in-
clined, projects on the near side of the said hammer or cock d; the
head, of the trigger c, bears against the back of the pin f and on
pressing the said trigger c, the said hammer or cock is raised until the
head i, of the said trigger c, escapes under the said pin, when the
hammer or cock d, falls and discharges the pistol. On removing the
finger from the trigger c. the head i, of the said trigger returns over
the inclined face of the pin f; and, pressing back the said pin, resumes
the position represented in the drawing; the pin f. is again shot for-
ward by its spring g, and the head of the trigger engages behind it.
The arm 7, by which the revolution of the chamber b, is effected, is
attached to the hammer at k, and a stop to arrest the chamber at the
proper point is jointed to the top of the trigger. When it is wished
to be able to raise the cock or hammer from the nipples m, by a partial
pull of the trigger, and to leave it in that position till by a further pull
of the trigger it is raised further and disengaged so as to discharge the
pistol, (that is to say.) to be able to "half-cock" the said cock or
hammer d.) I add a lever », of the form represented, turning upon the
centre o, and pressed against the under side of the hammer by the
spring p.
If the trigger c, be so far pressed as to bring the tooth y,
past the end r, of the lever 2, and the pressure then be removed from
the said trigger, the said end of the lever n, will engage behind the said
tooth g, and prevent the falling of the cock or hammer d. By pressing
the trigger c, until its head i, escapes under the stud f, the spring s
resting on a shoulder of the trigger, as represented, (and by which the
return motion of the trigger is effected,) will be so far raised as to bear

page_text: against the end n', of the lever n, and disengage the end r, from the
tooth q; the hammer d, will then not be obstructed in its fall by the
lever n.
Another of my improvements in the construction of repeating pistols
is illustrated by Figure 2, and consists of another method of effecting
the "half-cocking" of repeating or revolving fire-arms. In carrying
this part of my Invention into effect I make the head t', of the
trigger t, of the pointed form represented, and I make a tooth u, on
the under side of the hammer or cock v..of such a form that when by
the partial raising of the hammer, effected by applying the thumb at w,
the said head t', engages behind the said tooth u, and, cannot be dis-
engaged therefrom by pressure on the trigger t. By pulling back the
hammer v, till the head t', of the trigger t, engages behind the shoulder
a, of the said hammer, the said hammer is brought into a position
from which it can be released by. pressure upon the trigger t; for the
shape of the shoulder x, permits of the escape of the head t'; of the
trigger t, from behind. it by pressure ou the said trigger. y, is the arm
by which, on raising the cock v, the revolving chamber is turned;, and z,
the stop by which the said chamber is stopped at the proper place for
the discharge.
Another of my improvements consists in the method of connecting
the barrel a, Figure 1, with the frame of the pistol; this part of my
Invention is represented in Figure 1, but will be best understood by
reference to Figure 3. A jointed pin 1, is attached to the lower side
of the barrel a; the said pin 1, slides in a cylindrical hole 2, made in
the frame 3, of the pistol. By withdrawing the barrel a, until the
joint 4, is external to the hole 2, the said barrel may be turned down
upon the joint 4, and the revolving chamber removed from the axis 5.
The barrel is held in its position by a bolt 6; and the said bolt 6, as well
as the pin 1, are prevented from being wholly withdrawn in the manner
herein-after described. I sometimes modify the last-described portion
of my Invention in the manner represented in Figure 2; that is to say,
I connect the barrel 8, by a joint 9, to the frame 10, of the pistol, the
end of the axis 11, of the revolving chamber being bevilled off at top
as represented, for the purpose of permitting the turning of the part 12,
upon the joint 9.

page_text: Another of my improvements consists in the method of preventing
the bolt 6, Figures 1 and 3, which fastens the barrel a, in its place, from
being wholly withdrawn; this consists of a screw 7, (see Figure +,)
which represents in front view that part of the frame attached to the
barrel ; the end of the said screw enters the groove 18, made in the
edge of the said bolt, but not continued to the end thereof; the bolt 6.
can only be withdrawn till the end of the said screw comes in contact
with the end of the groove 1S, when the further motion of the said
bolt 6, is arrested. I apply this method of preventing the withdrawal of
the pin or bolt 1, Figure 3, to whatever parts of pistols and other
fire-arms the same may be applicable.
Another of my improvements consists in making the middle portion
of the axle on which the revolving chamber of revolving or repeating
fire-arms turns of a square or prismatic figure, as represented at 5,
Figures 1 and 3. By this improvement the oil and dirt from the ends of
the axle work into the middle part 5, of the axle. where they accumulate
without interfering with the working of the chamber. Although I have
described and represented my several improvements in connection with
pistols only, yet I apply the same to such other fire-arms as they are or
may be applicable to.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise methods of carrying my
Invention into effect herein described, and represented in the accompany-
ing drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my said Invention. But I claim,-
Firstly, the action or mechanism for the lock of a revolving or re-
peating pistol or other fire-arms herein described, and represented in
Figure 1, of the accompanying drawing.
Secondly, applying the action or mechanism herein described, and
represented in Figure 2, to repeating or revolving pistols and fire-arms.
Thirdly, the methods herein described and represented in Figures
2 and 3, of connecting the barrel of repeating or revolving pistols and
fire-arms to the frames thereof; also the method of preventing the
complete withdrawal of the bolts used in fire-arms, illustrated in the
Figures 1 and 3, as well as in Figure 4.

page_text: Lastly, making the middle part of the axles of revolving or repeat-
ing fire-arms of a square or prismatic figure.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Webley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
JAMES WEBLEY. (L.S.)
Witness, GEORGE SILAW.