NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Hugh Graham, of the State of Maine,
of the United States of America, for the Invention of "NEW AND
USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 13th January 1854, and dated the 8th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Hugh
Graham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th November 1853.
I, EDMUND HUGH GRAHAM, of the State of Maine, of the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
I do not claim as my Invention a rotary magazine connected with
the barrel of a fire-arm, such being in common use in repeating guns;
nor do I claim to combine a magazine for powder, balls, and priming,
with a hollow cylinder or tube made to encompass and revolve on a
gun barrel, while the said barrel is provided with holes or passages to
receive the load from the magazine when the latter is turned around on
it into a suitable position; nor do I claim the combination of a rotary
charge receiver (placed within the barrel or breech of a gun) and a
stationary loading magazine affixed on the barrel or breech; but what I
do claim and consider as of my. Invention is the arranging a series of

page_text: ball chambers and a series of powder chambers in concentric circles
(made in a circular block), and with the middle of each ball chamber
in a radial line with that of its corresponding powder chamber, in
combination with arranging the block, in which said ball and powder
chambers are formed, on the side of a gun barrel and out of the sight
range, and so as not only to revolve and work against a common plate
(affixed to the side of the gun), but to operate in conjunction with a
rotary charge receiver placed within the barrel, or with an opening and
closing valve or slide made to operate so as to open and close the com-
munications of any two fellow ball and powder chambers with the
barrel; such arrangement of the magazine of chambers not only causing
the powder of the charges to be kept in separate chambers so as to
lessen the danger of accidents, but causing the magazine to be so placed
as to be out of range of the sight in taking aim. My Invention
further consists in so combining the percussion-hammer .or cock of
the lock, the rotary charge receiver, or the slide valve and the rotary
magazine with the trigger. guard, that by the movement of the said
guard away from the stock they may be simultaneously put in motion,
and the hammer brought up to full cock. For this purpose the trigger
guard is made as a lever, and to turn ou the axle of the cock as a
fulcrum, and to bear against a pin inserted in the said axle so that
the axle may be turned so as to raise the cock when the guard is turned
down or away from the stock. The rotary magazine is to be provided
with a ratchet, or its equivalent, to be worked by a pitman or pawl
jointed to the trigger. guard, so that when the guard is moved down it
shall cause the magazine to turn far, enough to move two fellow powder
and ball chambers out of communication with the barrel or charge
receiver therein, and bring other two fellow ball and powder chambers
intò communication with the barrel or charge receiver. The fotary
charge receiver or the slide valve is to be so connected with the trigger
guard that by the down, movement of the guard such charge receiver
or slide valve may be turned or moved so as to open the communication
between the fellow powder and ball chambers and the barrel, so that on
turning the gun ninety degrees laterally the powder and ball of the
said chambers will fall into the barrel or charge receiver thereof. The
return movement of the guard, towards the stock should cause the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edmund Hugh Graham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDMUND HUGH GRAHAM, of the State of Maine, of the United States of
America, send greeting.
WHEREAS the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, by Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, of the year Eighteen
hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edmund Hugh Graham, Her special license that I, the said Edmund
Hugh Graham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edmund Hugh Graham, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and and lawfully might inake, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and the Isle of Man, an Invention of "NEW AND USEFUL IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edmund Hugh Graham, by an instrument of 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, or Office
of Her Majesty's Commissioners of Patents for Inventions, within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Hugh Graham, 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 the
following Specification, and the accompanying Plates 1, and 2, of
Drawings, and the letters, figures, and references thereof:

page_text: Of Plate 1 of the said Drawings, Figure 1 denotes a side view of my.
iniproved fire-arm; Figure 2, a horizontal and longitudinal section of it;
Figure 3, is a vertical and central section of it; Figure 4, is a front side
view of the rotary magazine as it appears with its cover plate removed;
Figure 5, is a rear side view of such magazine; Figure 6, is a rear side
view of it, and that part of the gun to which it is applied; Fig. 7 & 8,
are side views of the rotary charge receiver. In the said Drawings of
Plate 1, A denotes the barrel of the gun; B, the stock; C, the percus-
sion hammer or cock; and D, the percussion cap, nipple, or cone, the
latter being arranged on the top or upper part of the barrel. The rotary
magazine is seen at E. It is arranged on the side of the barrel, and is
circular in shape, and made to rotate or turn on a screw pin or journal
F that projects from the barrel. This magazine is provided with a
series of cylindrical cavities a, a, a, &c., disposed at equal distances
apart and in a circle. These cavities are to contain the charges of
powder. There is also formed in the magazine a corresponding number
of cavities b, b, &c., which are likewise arranged in a circle, which is
concentric with and within that of the cavities a, a, a, &c. Each of
these cavities b is made of a depth sufficient to contain the ball or
charge of shot sufficient for the charge in its corresponding powder
cavity. The magazine rests against a circular plate G, that is fastened
or applied to the side of the gun barrel. Through this plate and the
barrel two passages H, I, are formed so as to respectively communi-
cate with a powder cavity a, and its corresponding ball cavity b, of
the magazine, and receive the charges therefrom, when the axes of
the several passages or cavities are vertical, or at an inclination to the
horizon, such as will cause the said charges to pass by the force of
gravity from these cavities into the said passages. Within the rear
part of the barrel is the secondary short barrel or rotary charge receiver
K, which is made cylindrical, and to fit and turn within the main barrel.
It has passages L, M, made through one side of it, and adapted to
receive the charges of powder and ball, and convey them into its interio
or bore c, that opens into and is placed in line with the bore of the
main barrel. Such charge receiver turns or rotates transversely fa
enough to carry its receiving passages entirely by the passages H, I
The movement of the charge receiver K, which is a reciprocating one

page_text: s effected by mechanism connected with trigger guard N. This
guard turns freely at its front end on the tumbler axle d of the cock,
nd so as to enable the rear end of the guard to be moved from against
An
he stock down into the position scen in Figure 1 by dotted lines.
rme projects from the front end of the guard, and has an arc f of
cogs or teeth formed on one side of it, they being made to engage with
geer wheel g fixed on the turning shaft or journal h of the rotary
charge receiver. By moving the trigger guard we affect that of charge
receiver. Besides this, when we move the trigger guard away from
the stock we rotate the magazine and elevate the cock. The rotation
of the magazine is effected by a spring pawl or pitman i, that is jointed
to the trigger guard at one end, and works at its other end with a
series of depressors k, k, k, &c. formed in a circle in the rear side of the
magazine. A spring retaining pawl 1, elevated to the plate G, works
through the plate, and with a second set of depressors m, m, m, &c.,
formed in the rear side of the magazine. This latter pawl serves to
hold the magazine in place at the termination of each movement of it
effected by the impelling pawl i. The move of elevating the cock by
means of the trigger guard may be thus explained:-The front part of
the end or portion of the trigger guard that turns on the tumbler axle
has a slot n made through it, as seen in Figures 3 and 9, the latter being
a front view of the upper end of the trigger guard. A stud or pin o is
made to extend from the axle of the tumbler of the cock, and through
the said slot. When the trigger guard is depressed or moved away
from the stock,. the lower end of the slot n is brought to bear against
the pin o, and so as to elevate the cock during such downward move-
ment of the trigger guard. The cock being elevated high enough for the
trigger to snap into the notch of the tumbler in the usual way, it will
be held up by the trigger. During the return movement of the trigger
guard the slot n moves freely on the pin o. The upper part of the
trigger, together with the main spring Q and tumbler, are represented
by dotted lines in Figure 1. The operation of the gun is as follows:
By depressing the trigger guard the charge receiver and magazine are
simultaneously rotated, the former far enough for the reception of the
charges of powder and ball or shot, and the latter so as to carry a load
of such powder and ball or shot directly into line with the connecting

page_text: passages, of the barrel. By turning the gun a little a load will pass
from the magazine into the charge receiver. This done, the trigger.
guard is to be moved up to the stock; and while this takes place it
rotates back to the charge receiver so as to close the passages that
convey the load through the side of the barrel, and bring the nipple
or cone passage into communication with the powder in the charge
receiver. On pulling the trigger a discharge of the gun will take place.
This operation may be repeated while there are loads in the magazine.,
My Invention further consists in an improvement in fire-arms,
which I have exhibited in the Drawings of Plate 2, and which I now
shall proceed to describe.
Of the said Drawings of Plate 2, Figure 1 denotes a top 'view,' and
Figure 2; a side elevation of a portion of the stock and barrel of a
repeating gun with my, improvement applied thereto. Figure 3, is a
separate side view of the slide cut off, to be herein-after described.
The remaining Figures, viz., Figures 4 & 5, of the said Plate .2, will
also be herein-after explained.
Experience has demonstrated that after repeated firings tlie rotary
charge receiver K, as exhibited in Plate 1, is liable to become fouled
by the smoke or gases liberated during the combustion of the charges
of powder, the same requiring it to be often cleaned in order to ensure
its correct operation.. By my improvement shown in Plate 2, I entirely
dispense with the rotary charge receiver, and make use of a self-clean-
ing slide or cut off in its stead. In the Drawings (Plate. 2) the part
of the stock of the gun to, which the barrel is directly attached is shewn
at A; the breech or rear portion of the barrel being formed thereon,
as seen at B; C, denotes the rotáry magazine of two series of powder
and ball chambers a, a, a, &c., b, b, b, &c., arranged about one another in
the block C in concentric circles, and so that each fellow ball chamber
, and powder chamber a,.shall be in a radial line with the screw pin D,
on which the magazine is supported and made to revolve. The said
magazine revolves against a face plate. E, that is screwed to the side of
the barrel, and out. of the sight range. A horizontal section of the
plate, the barrel magazine, and slide cut off' is given in Figure 4, while
Ca separate front: view of the plate. is exhibited in Figure 5. There
are two. passages. or. perforations c, d, made through the face plate,

page_text: Between the face plate and the barrel is a cut off slide F, which is
attached to the trigger guard G, and formed in side view as seen in
Figure 3. It is provided with two holes or passages e, f, and in rear
of it, and into the barrel and through the side of the barrel two holes
or passages g, h, are made. The passages of each set of holes or
passages c, d, e, f, or g, h, are arranged at the same distance apart as,
and, made to correspond in diameter with, two fellow powder and ball
receptacles of the magazine. Besides this, the passages are so disposed
that when the trigger guard G is turned down as far as it can be from
the-stock, or into the position as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2,
there will be a free communication from one to another, and between
the barrel and two fellow powder and ball receptacles of the magazine,
so that the powder and ball or shot of such receptacles may be made
to pass into the-barrel when it is turned over so as to bring the axes of
the powder or ball chambers in vertical lines. The extent of move-
ment of 'the slide cut off should be such that when the guard G: which
turns on the percussion hammer pin H, is moved up against the stock,
such slide cut off shall have been depressed far enough to carry its
passagés e, f, entirely below the set of passages c, d, and g, h, and so
is to cut off or completely interrupt the communications between the
magazine and the barrel. The method of operating or rotating the
magazine it is not to describe. It being understood that it, as well as
the elevation of the cock, 'may be effected by mechanism connected
with and operated by the aforesaid, moveable. trigger guard or, lever G,
which performs the office of protecting the trigger.
I do not claim as my Invention a rotary magazine connected with
the barrel of a fire-arm, such being in common use in repeating guns;
nor do I claim to combine a magazine for powder, ball, and priming,
with a hollow cylinder or tube inade to encompass and revolve on a
barrel while the barrel is provided with holes or passages to receive
the load from the magazine when the latter is turned around on it
into a suitable position; nor do I claim the combination of a rotary
charge receiver (placed within the barrel or breech of a gun) and a
stationary loading magazine affixed on the barrel or breech; but what
I do claim is the arrangement of the series of ball chambers b, b, b, &c.
and the series of powder chambers a, a, a, &c. in concentric circles, and

page_text: on the side of the gun barrel and out of the sight range, and so as not
only to revolve and work against a common plate E, affixed to the side
of the gun, but to operate in conjunction with a rotary charge receiver
K, placed within the barrel as specified, such arrangement of the
magazine of chambers not only causing the powder of the charges to
be kept in separate chambers so as to lessen the danger of accidents,
but causing the magazine to be so arranged as to be out of range of
the sight in taking aim; and I also claim to so combine the percussion
hammer or cock, the rotary charge receiver, and the rotary magazine
with the trigger guard, that by the movement of the said guard away
from the stock they may be simultaneously put in motion, and the
hammer brought up to full cock as specified. I also claim to combine
with the gun barrel and the magazine, when the latter is arranged and
made to operate on the former as specified, a slide cut off a perforated
plate F, as made, applied, and operated, substantially as described, the
same enabling me not only to disdense with a rotary charge receiver
and its attendant evils, but retain the advantages of the arrangement of
the two series of powder and ball chambers in concentric circles on the
side of the gun, and out of the sight range, and to apply to the maga-
zine and gun barrel a contrivance which by its peculiar operation is
rendered less or very little liable to be fouled by the smoke or any
gases of the explosions of the charges.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal,
this Third day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four..
EDMUND HUGH GRAHAM. (L.S.)