CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON GUNS, MUS- KETS, AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH, AND METHOD OF PRIMING THE SAME, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE SAID GUNS, MUSKETS, AND FIRE-ARMS, ALSO THE CARTRIDGES AND
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
AUGUSTUS DEMONDION, of Old Fish Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain,
bearing date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of July, in the second
year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Augustus Demondion, His especial licence,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Augustus Demondion,
my exors, adiiors, and assigns; or such others as I, the said Augustus
Demondion, my exors, adiñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, andthe Town of Berwick
upon Tweed, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON GUNS, MUS-
KETS, AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH,
AND METHOD OF PRIMING THE SAME, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR MAKING
THE SAID GUNS, MUSKETS, AND FIRE-ARMS, ALSO THE CARTRIDGES AND

page_text: PRIMING, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES,"
communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Augustus
Demondion, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Augustus Demondion, do hereby declare that the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner of effecting the same are described
and ascertained in manner following, reference being had to the Draw-
ings hereunto annexed,_and_to_the_figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say):
I will first describe a gun constructed according to the said improve-
ments, and I will afterwards point out what parts particularly constitute
those improvements. Figure 1, of the Drawing is' an external view
of a soldier's musket constructed according to the said improvements;
Figure 2, is a view of the same when it is cocked and ready to
be loaded; Figure 3, is a view of the same, shewing the internal
structure and arrangement of the parts used to prepare the musket
for being loaded, and for firing it off when loaded. Note-All
the Figures on the Drawing are of the full size; N° 1, is the wood
stock; M, N, is the barrel lying in a cavity in the stock, bound
firmly thereto by iron bands at 2, & 3, in the usual manner, and by
screws at 5, Fig. 3, and other screws at 6, and 7, Fig. 28, which
screws also pass through the trigger plate No 8, at 6, and 7, Figure 18.
The plate No. 8, carries the trigger H, Z, and the hammer spring
and hammer G, F, which operates in discharging, the gun, as will be
herein-after described, and it is screwed fast to the underside of the
stock in the usual manner; a hole is cut through the wood, of which
the shape is seen in Fig. 28, and also in Figure 3, to allow room for the
parts which operate to discharge tlie gun. The breech end of the barrel,
shewn in section in Fig. 3, is of the shape shewn in Figures 7, and 8,1

page_text: viz, the top and bottom are flat; the hind or breech end is convex, and
the sides are flat, with pivots A, A, projecting out one from each side
in the same central line, see Figure-8. The breech P, is not screwed
in fast to the barrel in the usual manner, "but is moveable about the
pivots A, A, to which it is connected. The breech is a block of iron
with a breech piece of gun metal or other similar metal let into it, as
will be herein-after more particularly described; and the surface of the
breech -P, is concave, to apply against and fit the convex end of the
barrel, see Figures 3, and 7. The shape of the breech is shewn in
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, and it is connected to the pivots A, A, by two
strong plates B, C Figure 9, 10, and 11, applied one against each side
of the breech P; the parts marked B. B, in Figures 10, and 11; pro-
jecting inwards into corresponding cavities formed in the sides of the
breech P, (shewn at F, E, Figure 6, and by dotted lines at 1', E, in
Figure 5,) while the circular holes A, (Figures 9, 10, and 11,) of the
plates B, C, fit on to the pivots A, A, that project out of the fixed
barrel. The breech P, and the side plate B, C, are screwed-fast together
by two screws at a and y, Figures 3; and 9, and form thus one piece,
which can be turned round on the pivots A A, as a centre of motion.
The end of the plates B, C, are circular, and fit into a circular cavity
sunk 'in the wood stock (see Figures 3, 27 and 28), and lined with a
metal plate 9,-9, screwed fast to the wood."
> :
The breech P, is made with a long handle or lever N° 10, projecting
back from it towards the butt cnit of the musket (see Figures 1, 2,
and 3), the cuid of it being in a convenient position for the person who
is using the musket to lift it up in order to raise the breech into the
position Figure 8.
1.
3
At the end of the lever No 10, a curved or bent piece K, L, is jointed
to it by a pin at K at the other end J, of the piece K, L, a tail J, T, S,
is fixed to it of the shape shewn in Figures 2, and 3, viz, the upper
part of the tail J, T, S, is an inclined plane, and the lower part
curved surface inclined in an opposite direction. The use of this piece
K, L, with its tail J, T, S, is as follows-When the breech P, is in the
position Figure 1, with its concave surface applying closely against the
convex surface of the breech end of the barrel, the tail JT, is depressed,

page_text: as shown in Figure 1, and then the thick part T, of the wedge J, T,
(which is shown raised up in Fig 2, and 3, and projects out as far. as
the end j, of the lever No 10,) is depressed so as to bring the thin part
J; of the wedge on a level with the upper surface of the lever handle
No 10, and it thus allows a tooth or catch R, at the upper end of a
spring R, V, to press forwards into the cavity 12, formed in the. end
of the piece K, L, Figure 2, and to catch over the end j, of the lever
laudle No 10, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. While the spring
R, V, is in that position the end of the lever No 10, cannot rise, but
in order to release the lever N° 10, from the spring R, V, the piece
K, L, is lifted up by the thumb in raising it up the inclined plane
J, T, acts against the inclined face of the catch R, and forces it back in
opposition to the elasticity of the spring R, V, and when the tail J, T, S,
is raised up as far as the pin 6, (put through the tail J, T, S, under the
lever handle N° 10,) will allow it to rise, the thick end T, of the wedge
projects a little beyond the end of the lever handle, and consequently
pushes the spring R, V, back far enough to allow the end, of the
lever handle to escape by the catch R, and to be lifted up clear out of
its way, and then the person using the gun can lift up the lever handle
and turn the breech P, about its axis of motion into the position shewn
in Figures 2, and 3. The breech end of the barrel is then quite un-
covered, and the cartridge can be put into its place at the breech, as
represented at A, Figure 3. The same motion of the lever N° 10, which
uncovers the breech end of the barrel for loading it also cocks the gun
by the following means:-In each of the side plates B, and C, that are
screwed as aforesaid to the breech P, there is a hole D, Fig 3, and 9,
which receives and holds fast one of the broad flat ends D, of a small
cross bar D, D, (see Figure 12,) placed horizontally under the barrel
and parallel to the pivots A, A, of the breech; a short arm 18, with
a roller F, at its end, projects out from the cross bar D, D, away from
the centre of motion A, in an opposite direction to the lever N° 10,
and consequently the arm 13, (being fastened to the plates B, C, as
aforesaid) is depressed by then, when the lever No 10, is raised, and
vice versâ; and the arm 13, is of such a length, that while the lever
N° 10, is being lifted up towards the position, Figures 2, and 3, the

page_text: roller E, will be caused to depress a strong bent spring F, G, on which
it bears, forcing down the end 14, of that spring against another.bent
spring Z, which forms the. trigger, so that when the lever N° 10, is
raised up, as in Figure 3, and has uncovered the opening at the breech
end of the barrel, the spring F, G, will have been forced down into
the position in which it is shewn in Figure 8, with its end 14, caught
and held down by the edge 15, of the trigger spring Z. The gun is
thus cocked by the same operation which prepares it for being loaded.
A, Figure 3, is the cartridge, which is put into its place in the barrel
when the breech P, has been lifted up into the position shewn in that
Figure. The cartridge A, contained the priming within itself, viz', a
small copper tube a, filled with detonating or percussion powder, and
closed at both ends, is stuck into the cartridge about half an inch in
length, being contained within the cartridge. When cartridges are to
be made up ready for the ammunition boxes of soldiers, they are fitted
with priming tubes a, made as shewn by Figures 23, and 24, viz.
a piece of tube filled with the letonating powder is bent back upon
itself, and the end is again bent up at right a, angle to the tube. The
double end is put into a cartridge, the short end y, bearing against a
piece of pasteboard z, glued on the end of the cartridge, and then
another piece of pasteboard is slipped over the single piece of tube and
glued down over the short end y. The piece of tube that projects out
of the cartridge thus forms a handle to draw the cartridge out by, if
it is desired to unload the piece without firing it off; or otherwise a
plain straight tube a, may be fixed into the cartridge sufficiently tight
by gluing it in. But other tubes for containing priming are also
made, which can be fixed into any common cartridge that has not been
made for guns constructed according to the aforesaid improvements;
one of these priming tubes a, is shewn by Figure 22, viz., it is a plain
straight tube, closed at both ends, but one is made with a sharp prong
7, to stick into a cartridge. The cartridges A, are made up with
paper or parchment with ball and common gunpowder, but as they are
to be ignited by means of detonating powder, they do not require so
great a charge as is usual for common ball cartridge; a touch pan C,
Figure 3, is formed on the lower part of the breech P, the form of

page_text: which touch pan is shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 6, viz., there is a
triangular opening in front of the touch pan, (see Fig. 4,) the inclined
sides; B, B., of that opening Fig. 4, rising up from the side edges of the
touch pan to a small semicircular opening. A, Figure 4, which when
the breech P, is shut down into the position Figure 1, fits over a
corresponding semicircular opening or cavity seen at D, Figures 3, and
8, in the lower part of the bore of the barrel. The cartridge A, ought
to.be put in in such position that its priming tube a, will drop into
the cavity D; but if from hurry or neglect it has been put in with the
tubea, in an improper position, the inclined edges B, B, Fig. 4, catch
hold of the said tube and force it down till it is enclosed in the circular
cavity between the bottom of the breech and the bottom of the bore
of the barrel; when the cartridge has been so forced into its right
position, the piece of tube a, that projects out of it bears against the
touch panc, at its upper side, and bears partly upon its under side
upon a small piece of steel r, screwed on for that purpose under the
breech end of the barrel, see Figures 3, and. 8. The operation. of the
gun is as follows:-Suppose it to be in the position Figure 2, loaded
with the cartridge and its priming tube; and cocked, the lever No.10,
is to be pulled downwards by its end K, L, into the position Figure 1.
In descending the curved surface T, S, of the tail, J, T, S, comes in
contact with the inclined face of the catch R, and forces that catch:gra-
dually back; until the thick part T, of the wedge has passed the edges,
of the catch R, which allows the catch, R, to press forward into the
cavity 12, and to catch over the end of the lever N° 10, so that when the
lever No 10, and the breech. P, are shut down into the position shewn
in Figure 1, they are prevented from rising up by the spring and catch
R, V, as herein-before 'stated; the roller E, at the end of the short arm
13, has in the same, tine been, raised up by the motion of the plates.
B, C, about the pivots A, A, off from the spring G, F, into a nearly
horizontal position under the barrel. The gun is then ready to be
fired off by: pulling back the trigger H, Z, so as to draw back the edge
15, of the spring Z, and release the edge 14, of the hammer, spring
F, G, which, flies upi instantly and causes the hammer formed on,
its end to strike a sharp: quick blow. on the copper priming tube a,

page_text: •
the bottom of the touch pan c, having the effect of an anvil, as if the
copper tube a,. were laid on a hard steel anvil and struck a smart blow
with a hammer. The blow. of the hammer F, on the copper, tube a,
causes the detonating powder contained. therein to explode, and to ignite
the powder contained in the cartridge A. Note. The gun cannot
go off by the trigger being accidentally pulled while the breech P,.is
raised up, as in Fig. 2, because the roller E, at the end of the arm 13,
then bears on the spring G, F, and keeps it down, and the part m, l,
Fig. 8, of the hammer spring must rise or swell out sufficiently for the
roller E, always to intercept the spring and prevent it flying up to its
full extent, except when the end of the lever handle N° 10, is brought
quite down into its place under the catch R, in order to prevent any
possibility of the priming tube being struck so as. to discharge. the
piece, except when the breech is fairly shut down in its place, as in
Figure. 1. The flame and gasses which are liberated by the explosion
of the detonating powder in the pan C, escape through the opening 20,
in the trigger plate, see Fig. 3, and 18, and thence escape out under
the stock between the arms U, V, of the guard O, S, V,- these arms
U, V, being made strong and broad to protect the hand of the person
who fires off the gun from being injured by the flash or by the
that are liberated. Note. To uncock the gun without.discharging
it, the trigger must be pulled back with one hand, while with the other
the lever N° 10, is gently pulled down from the position Fig. 2, into
the position Fig. 1; when the gun is cocked, a small prong 21, on the
under side of the hammer spring projects down. below the wood, as
in Fig. 3, but when it is not cocked, that prong is contained within
the wood, and is not visible. Figures 39, to 50, represent the
mode of fixing the bayonet on the muzzle of the- musket;. M, Q.
is a tube which fits over the muzzle end of the barrel and of the
stock, and can be slided up and down thereon, being guided by a tail
N, V, screwed to the tube M, Q, at a;, which is bedded in a groove
A, C, Fig. 47, formed in the under side of the stock, see Figures
39, 40, and 43. A spring S, T, is let into the stock, see Figures
40, 39, and 43, and 47; and a rounded nob T, is formed at the
end of that spring, which is forced out by it, and projects through
..
•
gasses

page_text: a slit R, in the tube M, Q, whenever the tube is slided away from the
end of the muzzle into the position Figure 43, so that it cannot fall or
be pulled off. But by pressing that nob inwards the tube M, Q, can
be slided up over it into the position Figures 40 and 39, and then the
nob T, being released projects out against the lower edge of the tube
M, Q, and prevents its sliding back, see Fig 40 and 39. The bayonet
is formed with only a half tube or semicircular socket B, C, at Figs 45,
and 48, at its lower end, in which an oblong hole K, is cut to fit
on to a corresponding stud L, Figure 43, or 46. To fix the bayonet
the tube M, Q, is drawn down into the position Figure 43, and the
bayonet put on the stud L; the tube M, Q, is then slided up over the
socket B, C, of the bayonet into the position Figure 40, and the bayonet
is then firmly held, for the nob T, prevents the tube M, Q, from being
pushed back, and the bayonet cannot be turned round to pull it off
from the barrel so long as the tube M, Q, covers the socket B, C. To
unfix the bayonet the nob T, is pressed inwards, and the tube M. Q.
slided down into the position Figure 43. The bayonet can then be
taken off the stud L. Note.-The end V, of the guide N, V, of the
holding tube when it is removed from the barrel serves as a screw
driver to unscrew the parts of the gun. The bayonet F, H, G, H,
Figure 40, is fixed on the under side of the barrel instead of at the side,
and because the gun is not loaded at the muzzle, and the use of a ram
rod is not therefore required, the elbow 22, 23, of the bayonet may be
shorter than usual, and the bayonet consequently somewhat stronger.
The trigger shewn in Figure 3, is in one piece, viz., it consists of a
single spring to which the finger piece H, is fixed fast. Figure 13,
shews another form of the trigger, viz., the trigger is a bent lever
H, Z, i, mounted on a centre pin at n, supported in cocks fixed fast to
the trigger plate N° 8. The arm, of the trigger is pressed towards
the hanimer by a spring P. The operation of this Figure is apparent
from the Drawing, also the bent lifting piece K, L, at the end of the
lever N° 10, may be constructed as shewn in Figure 14, viz., the piece
K, L, Figure 14, is moveable about a joint pin K, and is bent down
at 1. The tail K, 1, passes through a slit in the lever No 10, and is re-
ceived in a hole in a sliding bolt T, S, held to the under side of the lever

page_text: N° 10 by a screw at 24, on which it can slide backwards and forwards.
The catch R, Fig. 14, is made as already before described for Figures
2, and 3. By lifting up the piece K, L, the tail l, pushes the sliding
bolt T, S, against a tongues, projecting out of the spring R, V, and
forces the catch R, back until it releases the end i, of the lever N° 10.
In pulling down the lever N° 10, to prepare the piece to be discharged,
the lower part of the tail J, T, O, acts in a similar manner to that
already described for Figure 2, and the tail K, 1, draws away the sliding
T, S, from the tongues, and allows the catch R, to drop into the cavity
in the end of the bent piece K, L.; also the hammer spring may be
made as shewn by Figure 26, instead of being of the form Fig. 3.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 25, 27, 28, 29, are detached views of the several parts above de-
scribed, drawn of the real size; and their object and operation having
been already pointed out they will need no further explanation than that
which the Drawing affords, and their forms and strength may be varied,
provided they effect the purposes herein-before described. The breech
P, is made as herein-before stated, of a block of iron and a breech piece
of gun metal, or other hard and durable metal, of the shape of a cylin-
drical bolt with a head, is let into that block of iron, as shewn in Figures
3, and 4. The breech piece when worn out or damaged by the action
of the powder can be taken out and replaced without making an entire
new breech; also a small strip of gun metal or other similar alloy is let
into the side plates B, C, at 2, see Figure 9, at that part which works
against the sharp edge of the breech end of the barrel when the breech
is lifted up and down.
The cartridge may be inade with a ball a little larger than the bore
of the barrel, and a chamber of corresponding size is bored out at the
breech end of the barrel to receive the cartridge, see Fig. 3, whereby
the ball is projected with greater force, and the cartridge cannot slip
lown in the barrel towards the muzzle in loading; but whether the ball
is larger than the bore of the barrel or not the cartridge must be so,
and must be received in a chamber, as in Fig. 3, to prevent its slipping
down too far for the hammer to strike the priming tube a. Cartridges
A, made as aforesaid, with ball larger than the bore of the barrel, will

page_text: not fit muskets of the ordinary construction of the same calibre, but
cartridges made for common muskets may be used in muskets made
according to the said. improvements by fixing into such common
cartridges the-priming tubes shewn in Figure.22.
..I have shewn in the Drawing only a soldier's musket constructed
according to the said improvements, but the same may be applied in
the construction of single or double barrelled fowling pieces, rifles,
pistols, and such other fire arms as are usually constructed with flint
locks or percussion locks, with only such variations, in, the proportions
and workmanship as are required by the nature and object of the par-
ticular kind of fire arms for which they may be applied, and as will be
obvious to a competent gunsmith.
"
In making a double barrelled fowling piece there. will be only one
moveable breech, but two arms 13, two triggers Z, H, and two hammer
springs G, F, and two touch pans C; also a thin piece of metal must be
fixed to the. wood stock, and stand up therefrom so as to be received in
a slit between the two touch pans whenever the breech is shut down, to
prevent communication between the said touch pans in order to prevent
the possibility of the explosion of the priming tube of one of the
cartridges igniting the charge of the other barrel.
Figures 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38, represent the machinery which
may be used in manufacturing certain parts of the musket or gan or
other fire arm constructed according to the said improvements. Figure
38, represents part of a machine for forming the concave surface of the
breech. P, L, in Figure 38, is a cylinder, on the surface of which very
fine teeth are cut obliquely to the axis like the teeth of a file. The
cylinder L, is fixed on a shaft M, M, mounted in bearings not shewn
in the Drawings, and the. shaft L, may be turned round by means of
toothed wheels or by straps to communicate motion to it from a water
wheel or steam engine or other first moving machine. The circum-
ference of the cylinder L, is exactly of the curvature intended to be
given to the concave surface of the breech P, which (having been pre-
viously forged something. like. the required shape) is held and pressed
up against the cutting surface of the cylinder while the cylinder is turned
round with suitable velocity.to cut or grind the surface of the breech P,

page_text: very truly to the proper concave curvature. The breech end of the
barrel is. first forged to something near its intended shape-with flat
sides and a flat end, and the pivots. A; A, roughly formed on it, and
it is afterwards finished by machinery shewn in Figures 32, 35, and
37. The end of the barrel is first ground to a truly flat surface in a
machine, Fig. 32, by slipping it on to a stem or mandril A, projecting
out from the middle of, a circular boss J, formed on the end of a shaft.
M, that lies in bearings not shewn in the Drawing. The face of the
boss J, is cut with teeth like the teeth of a file; and to grind the end
of the barrel it is pressed up against the cutting face of the boss J,
while the shaft M, is turned round with suitable force and velocity,
until the end of the barrel is gradually ground. to a truly flat surface at
right angles to the length of the barrel. The shaft M, is then stopped,
the barrel taken off the stem A, and removed to a machine for grind-
ing the sides of the breech end of the barrel to truly flat surfaces all
round the pivots A, and reducing the pivots A, A, to their proper
diameter. The operating parts of this machine are; shewn in Figures
34, and 35. M, M, are two shafts supported in bearings on the same
central line, not shewn in, the Drawings. On the end of each shaft M,
a circular boss A is formed, with a circular hole D, in the centre
thereof, of such diameter as exactly to fit the pivots A, of the barrel
when the same are finished, and the face of each boss.A, all around the
circular hole 'D, is cut with sharp fine teeth, see a, a, Fig. 35. An
adjusting screw, not seen in the Drawings, is supported in suitable
framing, and bears against the end of each of the shafts M, in order to
move the shafts lengthwise towards each other, or they may be pressed
towards each other, by a weight acting to force one end of a lever
against the end of each shaft M, or by many other contrivances known
to mechanicians. A spindle or mandril C, of the diameter of the bore of
the barrel, projects out between the faces of the shafts M, from a large
flat plate E, which is supported in suitable fixed framing not shewn in.
the Drawings; the mandril C, being exactly at right angles to the
length of the shafts M, M. The operation of grinding the sides of
the breech end of the barrel and the pivots A, is a follows: The shafts,

page_text: M, are drawn apart in their drawings till their cutting faces a, a, are
far enough apart to allow the barrel to be slipped on to the mandril C;
the shafts M, are then moved towards each other by their setting
screws, or other means of adjustment, until the holes D, come up to
the pivots A. The shaft M, is then turned round with a suitable
velocity (by wheel work or other connection with a water wheel, steam
engine, or other power), and the cutting edges of the holes D, take off
the metal of the pivots A, gradually as the shafts M are turned round,
the said shafts being constantly pressed up to their work (by their
setting screws or other means of forcing them towards each other) until
the pivots A, are reduced to their proper diameter all their length.
By that time the cutting faces a, a, will have come up to touch the
sides of the barrel, and the shafts M, are still turned round and pressed
up to their work until the cutting surfaces a, a, have ground the sides
of the barrel to truly flat surfaces, leaving the pivots A, projecting out
therefrom of the proper diameter. Note.-The distance from the centre
line of the shafts M, to the face of the plate E, is a very little more
than the intended radius of the convex end of the barrel. The next
operation is to grind the breech end of the barrel to a correct circular
surface. This is done, first in a rough manner with the file; or by
other tools, and then the barrel is put into a machine, the operating
parts of which are shewn in Figures 37, and 36. A plate J, J,
Fig. 36, with a circular cavity A, formed into it, is fitted on each of
the pivots A from the back of each of the plates J, J, a neck
or gudgeon B, projects, and the plates J, J, with the barrel enclosed
between them, are laid in bearings C, B, Fig. 37, adapted to receive
the gudgeons B; the bearing C, B³, are formed at the end of a
block or bed of iron A, Fig. 37, fixed solidly upon a frame, not shewn
in the Drawing. Note.-The circular sockets A, which receive the
pivots A, A, are not exactly concentric with the gudgeons B. But
when the plates J, J, are placed in their bearings at C, Fig. 37, the
centre of the gudgeons B, is a very little above and on one side of the
centre of the sockets A.; the bearings C, B3, are so far apart. as, to
receive the end of the barrel between them; and the part of the bed. A³,

page_text: contained between the bearings, is hollowed out to a concave circular
surface i, i, of exactly the curvature of the breech P, that surface being
cut with sharp fine teeth like a file, and hardened. To grind the
convex end of the barrel the caps D, are screwed down upon the
necks or gudgeons B, the end of the barrel bearing against the cutting
surface i, i, The barrel is then laid hold of by the muzzle, and worked
backwards and forwards in its bearings until its end is ground to the
proper convexity, that is, until it fits correctly to the cutting surface i, i:
The excentricity of the sockets A, Fig 36, to the gudgeons B, will cause
the convex circular end of the barrel to be a little excentric in respect
to its pivots A, A, the upper edge of that convex end being a very little
nearer to the centre of the pivots A, than the lower edge is; but the
arch of the breech P, is concentric with the pivots A, A. By this
arrangement when the breech and barrel are in their places on the
stock, and are shut down as in Figure 1, the concave end of the
breech, and the convex end of tho barrel fit against each other with
suflicient accuracy for the breech to answer its purpose. But when
the breech is raised up, the lower edge of the breech gradually departs
from perfect contact with the convex end of the barrel, and clears it by
the time it has risen up to the position Figure 3, whereby the brecch
moves more freely, and is less liable to bind against the barrel than it
would be if the two surfaces were made perfecly concentric, so as to
fit. to each other throughout the motion of the breech:
Or, instead of grinding the end of the barrel excentric to its pivots A,
as above directed, it may be ground to fit exactly to the breech, and then
filed away a little at the upper part or a little at both the upper and lower
parts, the main object being to ensure a sufficiently tight fitting of the
breech when the same is shut down, but yet to allow it to move freely,
up and down. Therefore when the end of the barrel is ground eccen-
trix to its pivots A, the excentricity must be very trifling, and it will
depend upon the finish of the workmanship how much excentricity it is
advisable to give. If the end of the barrel is not ground excentric, the
plated Figure 36, may be dispensed with, and the end of the barrel
ground by laying its pivots A, in the bearings C, Figure 37, and work

page_text: ing the barrel backwards and forwards. Figures 30 and 31, represent
the operating parts of the machinery used in making the copper
prining tube a, and filling them with detonating powder; a small tube
of copper, Figure 31, is drawn through a conical or tapering liole at A
in a steel plate E, and thence through a round hole at i, in another
steel plate C, of the exact diameter of the priming tube. The upper
part of the hole A, is square, but the lower part semicircular, and it
is a little larger than the priming tube. A small piece of steel f, with
a semicircular prong h, at its lower end, see Figures 30, and 31, is
screwed fast on the inside of the plate E, and descends below the top
of the opening A. Before putting the copper tube into the machine it
is cut open a little way at the end that is pushed forwards into the
hole A, and then as fast as the tube is drawn through the holes A,
and i, it is opened by the prong h, into the form of a trough with a
semicircular bottom, see Figures 30, and 70. A hopper or reservoir D,
containing detonating powder is fixed between the plates E, and C, see
Figures 30, and 31, and the open copper trough passes through that
reservoir (see Figure 31) in being drawn through the draw plates E,
and C, and gets filled with detonating powder; as each part of the
trough comes successively to the hole i, and is drawn through it, the
edges of the trough are forced together, and the copper formed
into a tube filled with detonating powder. B, is a sponge, fastened
to the plate C, filled with glue or some other glutinous matter which
covers over and closes the joint where the two edges of the copper
meet, in order to prevent any powder froni escaping. Note.-Instead
of a copper tube or plain strip of copper may be drawn thro' the holes
A, and i, and will be formed into a trough and become filled with
detonating powder in passing thro' the copper D, and then be closed
and formed into a tube in being drawn through the hole i. The filled
tube is afterwards cut into proper lengths for the priming tubes with
nippers which at the same time close the ends of the tubes, and they
are then fitted into the cartridge A; or clse prepared with a sharp end
for fitting into common-cartridges as herein-before described. Note.--
I have only shewn the machinery, Figures 80, and. 81, adapted for,

page_text: drawing one tube and filling it, but the same may be adapted for draw-
ing several tubes at a time according to the number of holes A, and C,
and plates f, h. In describing all the parts of a gun constructed with
the improvenients communicated to me as aforesaid, I have described
many things. which form no part of the same, and it remains for me to
state in what those improvements consist; and I do hereby declare
that I claim as part of the said improvements, the breech P, moveable
about pivots A, by means of a lever handle No 10, furnished with a
lifting piece K, L, and spring R, V, to prevent the lever handle N° 10,
froin rising, or else to allow it to be released and lifted up in the
manner herein-before described. The said breech being combined
with an arm 13, a hammer spring G; F, and a trigger Z, H, so that
the same movement which raises the moveable breech to prepare the
piece for being loaded, also cocks the same, and the said breech being
also provided with a touch pan C, on its under side to receive the blow
of the hammer F. But I do not claim the use of a breech moveable
about a centre, nor of any of the other parts separately, but only when
they are combined in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described; also I claim, as another part of the said improvements, that
particular arrangement and construction of the parts of the bayonet
used in fixing 'and unfixing it which I have described in reference to
Figures 39, to 50; also I claim, as another part of the said improve-
ments, the method of priming and loading at one operation by means
of a cartridge in which is placed a copper tube filled with detonating
powder, a part of which tube is inclosed within the cartridge, and the
other part remains outside of the cartridge at one of the ends of it, and
which latter part of the tube is received in the touch pan to receive the
blow of the hammer in the manner herein-before described. And I
claim further, as part of the said improvements, the machinery which
I have described in reference to Figures 34, 35, 36, and 37, for
grinding the flat sides and the pivots at the breech end of the barrel,
and for grinding the convex end of the barrel, and also the machinery
described in reference to Figures 30, and 31, for manufacturing the
priming tubes and filling the same with detonating powder. But I do

page_text: not claim any of the separate parts of the said machinery which I have
described in reference to Figures 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, and 37, but only
when they are combined as I have described them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Demondion, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.