IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Abbott, of Brunswick Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE
AND FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 10th February 1860, and dated the 22nd August 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Abbott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
August 1859.
I, EDWARD ABBOTT, of Brunswick Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ordnance and fire-arms,
and is applicable when making new guns, and also when converting old guns
or fire-arms of the ordinary description into breech-loading guns and fire-arms.
The Invention consists in forming the bore through the barrel from end to
end, so that the charge may be introduced through the breech end thereof.
Fire-arms of various constructions have before been used in which the charge
is introduced at the breech end of the barrel, but in the present Invention a
moveable conical stop or plug of a circular section is applied near the breech
end; it fits into a hole made through the barrel at right angles to the bore.

page_text: The conical stop or plug is formed in such manner as to require to be removed
in order to introduce the charge into the barrel, and it is forced into its place
after the charge has been introduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Abbott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
ABBOTT, of Brunswick Square, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Abbott, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Abbott,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Abbott, 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 ORDNANCE AND
FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Abbott,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Edward Abbott, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ordnance and fire-arms,
and is applicable when making new guns, and also when converting old guns
or fire-arms of the ordinary construction into breech-loading guns and fire-
arms. The Invention consists in forming the bore through the barrel from
end to end, so that the charge may be introduced through the breech end
thereof. Fire-arms of various constructions have before been used in which

page_text: the charge is introduced at the breech end of the barrel, but in the present
Invention a moveable conical stop or plug of a circular section is applied near
the breech end; it fits into a hole made through the barrel at right angles to
the bore. The conical stop or plug is formed in such manner as to require to
be removed, in order to introduce the charge into the barrel, and it is forced
into its place after the charge has been introduced.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto

page_text: liable to wear unequally, as each time when it is removed it will be turned
partly round before it is replaced.
Figure 3 is. a. side view, and Figure 4 is a plan, of a breech-loading rifle
constructed according to my Invention, the breech end of the barrel being
closed with a stop or plug passing transversely through it, and which stop or
plug is removed to introduce the charge. The stop or plug as in ordnance to
which my Invention is applied is made conical and circular in section.
Figure 5 is a plan, Figure 6 a horizontal section, and Figure 7 a vertical
section, of the barrel of the rifle. a is the stop or plug which, as shown, fits
holes formed for it in the sides of the barrel. The cartridge used with this
arm is similar to cartridges now employed with some descriptions of breech-
loading fire-arms, that is to say, the explosive material by which it is fired is
placed within the cartridge and over it; passing through the side of the
cartridge is a wire which, being struck, descends on to the explosive material,
and so fires the charge. b is a slot formed in the breech end of the barrel to
allow the projecting wire of a cartridge, such as above mentioned, to pass
.while the cartridge is pushed forward into the barrel in front of the seat of the
plug. When the plug is replaced the wad at its back rests against the plug,
and it is preferred that it should be so made as to fit closely to it; the explosion
wire of the cartridge then projects up through the slot and above the upper
surface of the barrel; when struck by. the hammer of the lock it explodes the
cartridge. To reload, the stop or plug a is withdrawn, and the case of the old
cartridge is drawn out; a new cartridge is introduced and the plug replaced
as before. Other fire-arms as well as rifles may be made breech-loading in
the manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Abbott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
EDWARD ABBOTT. (L.S.)