IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING GUNS AND RIFLES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Rice, of Foley Place, Surgeon, and William
Rice, Lieutenant, H.E.I.C.S., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING REPEATING GUNS AND RIFLES."
Sealed the 12th September 1856, and dated the 15th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Rice and William
Rice at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 15th March 1856.
We, JAMES RICE, of Foley Place, Surgeon, and WILLIAM RICE, Lieutenant,
H.E.I.C.S., do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING GUNS AND RIFLES," to be as follows:-.
Our improvements in breech-loading repeating rifles or guns consist of
a metal cylinder, which is bored to form a series of charge chambers at right
angles to the axis of the cylinder, and upon the periphery of which a spiral
thread is cut of such a "pitch" that a quarter revolution of the cylinder will
bring one of the chambers opposite to the breech or bore of the barrel. The
cylinder or charge chamber fits into a socket at the breech of the barrel; the
socket is made with two plugs, which fit into and correspond with the thread on
the cylinder; these plugs serve to guide the cylinder when it is caused to
rotate. At the lower part of the socket is fitted a bolt acted upon by a spring;
this bolt takes into a notch or recess cut in the cylinder opposite each charge.
chamber, and prevents the cylinder from shifting until the bolt is withdrawn

page_text: by pressing a nut connected with it and fitted just above the trigger. The
cylinder crosses the end of the barrel at right angles to its length, and as the
charges are successively fired it passes into a tube or chamber fitted to the left-
hand side of the stock. The outer end of the cylinder is fitted with a cross
handle by which it is rotated; and in order to protect the thread of the screw
from dust it.is covered with telescopic tubes, which slide one within the other
as the cylinder is caused to cross the end of the barrel. Upon the upper side
of the barrel is fitted a hollow rib or piece of steel, which is level with
a semicircle cut in the socket; and along this rib a flush sight is taken. Below
the hollow rib is fitted the sights, which may be elevated to suit different ranges.
Where great accuracy of aim is required, a telescope with hair sights may be
fitted to the hollow rib. A stop lock may be fitted on the socket to slide over
the aperture therein, and thus prevent the cock descending upon the cap
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Rico and William Rice in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
RICE, of Foley Place, Surgeon, and WILLIAM RICE, Lieutenant, H.E.I.C.S.,
send greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight-hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs-and-successors, give, and grant unto us,
the said James Rice and William Rice, Her special licence that we, the
said James Rice and William Rice, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said James Rice and William Rice, our 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
Kingdoni of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man;
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING GUNS AND
RIFLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James: Rice
and William Rice, our executor's or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals; should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: 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 we, the said James Rice and William Rice; do
hereby, declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what-manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
. This Invention of improvements in breech-loading repeating guns and rifles
consists in fitting to the fire-arm a metal cylinder, having a series of recesses or
chambers cut or bored therein. Each chamber is intended to receive a charge,
and is so made that cartridges or charges of uniform size may fit easily within
it. Upon the periphery of the cylinder a spiral groove or thread is cut, the
"pitch of which is regulated so that a quarter of a revolution will bring one
of the charge chambers in a line with the bore of the barrel. The cylinder or
charge chamber fits into a socket at the breech of the barrel; there are two
stops,or studs projecting from the inside of the socket, which fit into the thread
or groove of the charge chamber; these studs serve to guide the cylinder when
it is rotated. At the lower part of the socket is a bolt, acted upon by a spring,
each time, the cylinder is turned round a quarter of revolution this bolt falls
into a notch or recess cut upon the surface of the cylinder opposite to each
charge chamber. This arrangement prevents the cylinder from shifting until
the bolt is withdrawn, which is done by pressing a nut connected with it and
fitted just above the trigger, or by the pressure of the cylinder on the bolt as
it is rotated; the outer end of the cylinder is fitted with a cross handle, by
which it is turned round to bring the charges successively opposite to the bore
of the barrel; the cylinder crosses the end of the barrel at right angles to its
length, and as the charges are fired the projecting portion of the cylinder
passes into a tube fitted to the left-hand side of the stock: To prevent dust or
other matters falling upon the thread or groove of the cylinder, and thereby
impeding its motion, it is covered with a telescopic tube, the parts of which
slide one within another as the cylinder is caused to cross the end of the barrel.
Upon the upper side of the barrel is fitted a thin hollow rib or piece of steel;
along this rib a flush sight is taken, and below the hollow rib is fitted a stadia
for different ranges.
Having given an outline of the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to
describe the same, with the assistance of the Drawing which accompanies and
forms a part of this Specification.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a gun or rifle, sufficient
to shew the application of the improvements thereto.

page_text: Fig. 2 represents an external view of the gun, drawn to a scale one-half the
real size; the other Figures are drawn full size.
Fig. 3 represents a plan of the improvements.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation of the cylinder or charge chamber. A is
the stock of the gun; B, the barrel, which is of the ordinary construction,
either rifled or smooth bore; C is a hollow metal ring or socket through
which the cylinder or charge chamber passes; D, D, are projecting studs or
guides, which fit into the groove formed on the outer surface of the cylinder or
charge chamber; E is a bolt or stop, which fits into recesses or notches made
at regular distances on the surface of the charge chamber; this bolt is pressed
upward by a spring F, and is released by pressing the knob G; H is the cock
or hammer; I, the trigger; K, the scroll guard.
Fig. 3 represents a plan of the central portion of a gun, shewing the position
of the charge chamber; and the tube fitted to receive it as the charges are
successively fired. The charge chamber is shewn detached from the gun a Fig. 4.
L is a metal cylinder, having the spiral thread or groove M cut or otherwise
made thereon; N is a series of chambers bored through the cylinder at right
angles to each other; the diameter of these chambers corresponds with the bore
of the barrel; 0, 0, are notches or recesses, into one of which the bolt E
springs each time the cylinder is turned a quarter of a revolution, which is done
by means of a cross handle P; Q, is a telescopic tube made to slide one within
another at every quarter rotation of the cylinder L; R is a tube into which the
cylinder L passes as the charges are fired; S is a thin metal rib extending
from the socket C along the barrel B; beneath the ribs a ladder sight T,
for long ranges, may be fitted; s¹, s', are holes for attaching a telescope when
required; u, u, are eyes by which the stock is secured to the barrel; V is a
cleaning rod; W, a trap for holding a jag, sponge, &c.; X is a bolt to lock
the hammer H at half-cock and prevent it descending on the cap. The barrel
may be made either smooth or rifled in the bore; in the latter case I prefer
the rifling to take one complete turn in three feet. The ball I prefer to use
is shewn at Fig. 5, which represents a ball made upon a plan designed
by Colonel Jacob.
Fig. 6 represents a spherical belted ball for short ranges.
Fig. 7, a Jacob's conical ball, with a zinc or iron point, for long ranges.
Fig. 8 represents a hollow ball or shell, the cavity of which is intended to be
filled with detonating powder. The chambers N of the cylinder having been
filled with cartridges, the end is to be inserted into the socket C, so that the
studs D, D, take into the groove of the screw M; the cross handle P is grasped
with the right hand, and the cylinder turned a quarter of a revolution; this

page_text: action brings one of the chambers opposite to the end of the barrel, the bolt
E taking into one of the notches O with an audible click. When the charge
has been fired the bolt E is released from the cylinder by the lateral pressure
of the cylinder caused by the action of the hand in turning the cross handle P.
By the rotation of the cylinder another cartridge is brought in a line with
the barrel, and so on throughout the series. When the last charge is fired
the knob G is pressed upward, in order to unwind or withdraw the cylinder for
re-loading or cleaning. The end of the stock is well hollowed out to allow of
a firm rest against the shoulder, and prevent the gun slipping down when the
charges are fired in succession without removing it from the shoulder.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not con-
fine ourselves to the precise arrangement of the mechanical details of the parts
forming our improvements in guns and rifles, as the same may be varied
without departing from the Invention; but what we claim and desire to secure
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in
breech-loading guns or rifles, consisting in the application of a cylinder
or charge chamber, constructed and arranged substantially in the manner
herein-before described and shewn, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Rice and William Rice, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Office, 89, Chancery Lane.
JAMES RICE,
(L.8.)
WILLIAM RICE. (L.s.)