IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Ball, Gun Maker, Great Russell Street,
Birmingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 27th October 1857, and dated the 30th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ball at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th April
1857.
I, HENRY BALL, Gun Maker, Great Russell Street, Birmingham, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING
AND OTHER FIRE-ARES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing revolver fire-arms with single and
double action locks of the several kinds herein-after described; also the
method of connecting the barrel and lock frame; also the screw bolt that
holds them together; also in a self-acting safety stop for the prevention of
accidental discharge; also in compound self-acting spring stop or bolt for
stopping and bolting the revolver; also in lever loading rod with sliding
rammer and catch for the same; and, lastly, in the construction of a fire-arm
designed for defensive purposes; all of which I will proceed to describe.
The first part of my Invention is as follows:-The cock works in a slot

page_text: behind the revolver. It possesses bents and pull, and is cocked by the thumb;
the chamber lifter is attached to it, and also the stud for working the spring
stop. The trigger is placed in advance of the cock; a bolt for the chambers
may also be worked by the trigger.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention. The cock works in
a slot behind the revolver. To the cock is attached, either before or behind
the centre, a lifting catch, the opposito end of which acts in a bent or notch
in the trigger or lever attached to the trigger. To the lever is attached the
lifter which turns the chamber. The lever may be placed on either side the
trigger.
The third part of my Invention is as follows:-The cock works in a slot
behind the revolver; it possesses bents and pull, also stud for working spring
stop; the chamber lifter is also attached to it. Before the cock in the under
side of the frame is placed the trigger, the blade of which laterally is in
section; to this is fitted a lever, with which the trigger acts in conjunction in
the self-acting portion of the arm, and independently of it; in the cocking
portion to the lever is jointed a double-ended secar or lifter, the upper end of
which acts in bents in the cock or on projection on either side of it; the lower
end is acted on either by the lever or trigger. The trigger blade is circled
inside and outside. The arrangement of the bent in the cocking portion
throws the lower end of the scear out of the inner to the outter circle.
The fourth part of my Invention is as follows:-The cock works in a slot
behind the revolver, and has attached to it, either before or behind, the centre
a lifting catch, which is acted upon by the guard or the lever acting in
connection with it. The guard works upon a transverse pin in the middle of
the frame, and when presst throws back the cock and turns the chamber. A
trigger attached to the guard or frame disengages the cock. The chamber
lifter is attached either to the guard or lover. The guard I prefer is the spur
kind.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention. At the breach end of
the barrel, at the top, is continued a solid strap of any suitable length, on the
end of which studs are cut, which fit into holes adapted for them near the
top of the lock frame. On the bottom of the breach end of the barrel is
a solid projection of any suitable length, the end of which is jointed by peg or
mortice to the end of the projecting piece in front of the lock frame; these
are held together by a screw bolt which passes through the centre from the
front of the under projection, paralel with the barrel, and screws into the
heading of the lock frame. The screw bolt also serves as axis, upon which
the series of chamber revolve.

page_text: I will now describe the sixth part of my Invention. This consists in a self-
acting safety stop; which works upon a centre on the inner front of the lock
box. The upper end acts under the cock head; the lower end is acted on by
the trigger or scear.
The seventh part of my Invention consists in a compound self-acting spring
stop or bolt for stopping and bolting the revolver; it works upon a transverse
pin. The spring end is acted upon by a stud in the cock, which lifts the bolt
end out of its recess and allows the chamber to revolve; the cock rights itself
by means of the elasticity of the spring.
The eighth part of my Invention consists in a lever loading rod with sliding
rammer. The axis of the lever is at the lower end of the projection under-
neath the barrel. The hammer works upon an elevated angle paralel with
the barrel, and is connected with the lever by a pin, which works in a slot or
by a groove and stud, or a combination of both, and also in the stud catch
and recessed hook or fork for retaining the rod in position when not in use.
The last part of my Invention consists in the construction of an arm designed
for defensive purposes. It consists of a plate of iron or any other metal, of
a suitable size, form, and thickness, which plate has a projection in the middle,
to which is jointed a barrel; attached to the plate upon a centre is a cock, so
placed as to drop upon the nipple, which is screwed either in the barrel or the
projection upon which it is jointed. A trigger is also attached to the plate by
a centre, either underneath, over, in front, or behind the cock, which possesses
suitable bents or notches; these with suitable springs constitute the arm.. It
may be made either to load at the breach or the muzzle.