IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THEIR CARTRIDGES
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Oriard at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th April
1860.
I, Louis ORIARD, of Cheviré Lerouge, in the Department of Maine-et-Loire,
in the Empire of France, Clockmaker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THEIR
CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
The object of my improvements is not only to simplify the construction and
increase the range of fire-arms while insuring their precision, but also to enable
the sportsman, traveller, or soldier to make his own cartridge with great
facility."
すい
The modifications to which I submit the fire-arm are, firstly, adapting to
the piece to which the breech of the barrel-is- fastened, two or more ap-
pendages or fulcrums, accordingly as the-arm has one, two, or more barrels.
These appendages; which must enter the bottom of the barrel and complete
the actual breech,' must be solidly fixed, and carry at their upper end a small
tongue intended to close the passage of the nipple or projection on the cartridge.
Secondly, to form at the bottom of the barrel, by boring, a place in which to
lodge the cartridge herein-after mentioned, and afterwards making a notch at
the extreme and upper part for the passage of the nipple or projection of the
cartridge. Thirdly, to provide by a slide the means of moving the barrel forward
sufficiently to allow the cartridge to be lodged without difficulty at its extreme
end. Fourthly, by a hinged stop piece to draw together, tie, retain, and consoli-

page_text: date as if they were one piece the two parts of the fire-arm, that is to say, the
barrel and the piece carrying the appendages, which lodge at its extremity.
In the case of revolvers, the piece towards which the extremity of each barrel
will bear and rest, is so arranged as to permit the whole of the barrels to turn.
The cartridge is essentially composed of two parts, the one of copper or other
suitable metal destined to receive the powder, the cap, and the nipple, and
the other of-paper destined to receive and envelop the shot, but when ball is
used enveloping is unnecessary, it will suffice to place the ball above the
metal cup or breech. The metal part, cup, or breech of the cartridge is a
small cylindrical tube closed at the bottom, the cylinder being enlarged at its
upper inner part to retain the paper part of the cartridge and the ball. At
the bottom a small space is reserved to receive the cap, which is fitted by the
finger or pincers for that purpose. To the nipple, by means of a notch, is
fitted (outside the breech or cup of the cartridge, but set in its upper part) a
small iron or steel plate, which, by the fall of the hammer, descends the groove
in the appendages of the piece against which the barrel rests, so that at each
blow of the hammer the breech or cup becomes attached to the appendages,
and on opening the stop piece and pushing forward the barrel it may be
withdrawn from it.
The paper part of the cartridge is here but an accessory, and may be
made easily even by hand.
In the accompanying Drawing, A indicates the piece against which the
barrels lean; B, B, appendages to the piece A; D, cartridge; d, cartridge
attached to the appendages; E, nipple or projection on the cartridge; F, cap;
G, paper part of the cartridge; C, barrel; L, stop piece and appurtenances;
L', attachment of the stop piece to the barrel; L", key to fasten stop piece;
M, arrangement by which the barrel is pushed forward and retired; 'm, slide
to support the barrel while introducing the cartridge.