IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS."-
A communication.
Sealed the 2nd December 1856, and dated the 8th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th July 1856.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on rotating breech fire-arms, the
main object being to bring up the breech cylinder into close contact with the
barrel after each partial rotation of the cylinder, and thus to prevent the
lateral escape of fire (during a discharge) between the barrel and the cylinder.
The first feature of this Invention consists in the employment of a toggle
connection between the cylinder or the rotating recoil shield and the stock, for
the purpose of effecting a longitudinal or endway movement of the cylinder to

page_text: make it clear the barrel in rotating, and to force it up into a tight connection
therewith after the rotating movement has been effected; the said toggle
connection being operated by means of a finger lever under the stock.
The second feature of the Invention consists in placing a regulating screw
between the forward end of the above-mentioned toggle and the rotating recoil
shield or cylinder, for the purpose of adjusting the connection between the
cylinder and barrel.
The third feature of the Invention consists in combining the dog or ratchet
by which the rotation of the recoil shield and cylinder is effected with the
toggle, in such a manner that it is operated by the bending of the toggle to
let the cylinder move back.
The fourth feature of this Invention consists in causing the cylinder, by its
backsliding movement, to throw itself at the proper times into (at one period)
a stay ratchet relationship, and (at another period) into a locked connection
with a spring stopper.
On the rear end of the cylinder, ratchet teeth, corresponding in number to
the charge chambers, are formed, and by means of these projecting teeth the
cylinder during the one portion of its longitudinal movement forms a ratchet
connection with an underlying spring stopper that admits of the cylinder's
rotation only in the one direction. On the completion of the cylinder's rotating
movement and at the terminating of the back longitudinal travel thereof, the
spring stop lies between the ratchet teeth and a set of stop pins projecting
from the cylinder, and thus forms a positive stop to the cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the

page_text: said Alfred Vincent Newton, my 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REPEATING FIRE-ARMS," being a communication from abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by
an instrument in 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 within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention, as communicated to me from abroad, relates to fire-arms,
in which the rotating many-chambered cylinder works upon an axle parallel
with the barrel.
The first feature of the Invention consists in the employment of a toggle
connection between the cylinder or the rotating recoil shield and the stock, for
the purpose of effecting a longitudinal movement of the cylinder to make it
clear the barrel in rotating, and to force it up into a tight connection there-
with, after the rotating movement has been effected; the toggle connection
being operated by means of a finger lever under the stock.
The second feature of the Invention consists in placing a regulating screw
between the forward end of the above-mentioned toggle and the rotating recoil
shield or cylinder, for the purpose of adjusting the connection between the
cylinder and barrel.
The third feature of the Invention consists in combining the dog or catch,
by which the rotation of the recoil shield and cylinder is effected, with the
toggle, in such a manner that it is operated by the bending of the toggle to
let the cylinder move back.
The fourth feature of the Invention consists in causing the cylinder, by its
backsliding movement, to throw itself at one period into a stay ratchet relation-
ship, and at another period into a locked connection with a spring stopper, as
will be herein-after described.
In the accompanying Drawings forming part of this Specification, Fig. 1 is.

page_text: a longitudinal central section of a pistol constructed according to the Inven-
tion; Fig. 2 is a side view of the rotating chambered cylinder and rotating
recoil shield detached from the pistol; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the cylinder;
Fig. 4 is a front face view of the rotating recoil shield; Fig. 5 is a view of
the same looking from underneath it, showing also the stopper; Fig. 6 is a
side view of the toggle by which the cylinder is forced up to a tight connection
with the barrel, shewing also its lever attachment; Fig. 7 is a side view of
the hammer, the lever by which the cocking of the hammer and rotating of
the breech are effected, and the trigger. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several figures.
A is the metal breech frame, which is made all in one piece with or attached
to a metal frame B, which extends to the butt of the stock; C is the barrel
which is screwed into the breech frame A; D is the rotating chambered
cylinder, and E the recoil shield. The recoil shield consists of a circular disc
of steel or other metal, of the same diameter as the cylinder, having a journal a
at back to fit in a bearing in the rear of the breech frame A. At the rear
extremity of this journal is a circular ratchet 6, the number of whose teeth
corresponds with the number of chambers j, j, in the cylinder; the ratchet is
like that generally made on the cylinder for the purpose of rotating it,
and is for rotating the recoil shield. The front face of the recoil shield is
faced flat, to fit snugly up to the rear of the cylinder, which is also faced flat;
the cylinder is bored centrally throughout to receive the arbor c on which it
rotates, and the recoil shield has a hole bored to some depth from its front face
to receive the extremity of the arbor, which, when inserted through the front
of the breech frame A through the cylinder and into the hole in the recoil
shield, and secured by a transverse pin f, keeps both the cylinder and recoil
shield in place. In the front face of the recoil shield is a radial groove d, and
from the rear end of the cylinder projects a pin e of such size as to fit the
groove d, and by that means to connect the cylinder and recoil shield, so that
the latter in rotating will give motion to the former. The above combination
of the cylinder with a rotating recoil shield, allows the cylinder to be taken
out by simply drawing the arbor c in a forward direction out of the cylinder,
and sliding out the cylinder laterally from the frame; but care should be taken
that, before drawing out the arbor, the groove d stands in a position lateral to
the breech frame A to allow the pin or projection to slide out. When the
cylinder has been taken out, the rotating recoil shield can be taken out by
drawing it forward, to withdraw the journal a from its bearing in the back of
the frame, to admit of which the exterior of the ratchet 6 must be made no
larger than the journal a.

page_text: Every chamber j of the cylinder is furnished at its front end with a cone k,
which extends a little beyond the front face of the cylinder, for the purpose of
entering a conical seat in the rear of the barrel to prevent the escape of gas
and the consequent loss of the force of the explosion; or, the same effect may
be produced by making a seat around the front of the chamber to fit over a
cone on the rear of the barrel; this makes it necessary for the cylinder to
receive a backward longitudinal movement after every discharge and before
the rotating movement to bring another chamber in line with the barrel takes
place, and a forward movement after the rotation and before firing to bring
the cone and seat into close contact to make a tight joint. This movement,
however, forms no part of this Invention, but only the mothod of producing
the said movement by a toggle 1, 1; Figures 1 and 6 shew this toggle, one
end of which is connected by a pin m with the stock frame B, while the
other end is made with a concave seat or female centre to receive and form a
bearing for the head of the screw n, which enters a female screw in the
centro of the rear of the recoil shield. The relation between the recoil shield
and the toggle is so adjusted by the screw n, that, when the toggle is straight-
ened, as shown in Fig. 1, and, in black outline in Fig 6, at a time when a
chamber is in line with the barrel, it drives up the recoil shield and cylinder,
and holds the cone and seat tightly together, thus making a tight joint between
the chamber and barrel; but by the bending of the toggle, as shown in red
outline in Fig. 6, the recoil shield is allowed to be forced back by a spring p
which is coiled round the arbor c between the front of the cylinder and the
breech frame A and received within a cavity in the cylinder. The toggle is
actuated to produce the above results by means of a finger lever F, see
Figures 1, 6, and 7, which also serves the purpose of cocking the hammer; this
finger lever works upon the same fixed pivot or fulcrum pin 9 as the trigger r;
it is connected with the toggle behind the joint pin 7 thereof, by means of a
link g', which causes it to bend the toggle when its lower end is drawn back,
and straighten it when it is moved forward; the joint of the toggle being
prevented descending beyond a straight position by shoulders on each part
above the joint (see v, v, Fig. 6). The finger lever F is furnished with a
rigid dog or catch s which is behind the tumbler t of the hammer H, and this
dog is thrown forward by drawing back the lower end of the lever, and thus is
caused to push forward the tumbler t and cock the hammer simultaneously
with the bending of the toggle to let the cylinder come back.
The hammer is substantially like the hammer of a common gun or pistol,
having the same notches in its tumbler for the sere of the trigger to fall into
to hold it in full or half-cock; the only difference from the common tumbler

page_text: The
It is partly
being, that the back part of the tumbler is made of a suitable form for the
catch s to engage with it to effect the cocking. It is actuated when let off by
the drawing of the trigger r by means of a mainspring G, which is arranged
substantially like the mainspring of a common gun or pistol lock.
trigger is substantially like the trigger of other fire-arms.
received in a slot in the finger lever F, and the part which protrudes from
the stock stands in front of the finger lever, so that the person using the arm
can work the finger lever with the second finger, and the trigger with the first
finger of his right hand. The finger lever F has a spring I applied to press
upon a shoulder q" behind the pin q. This spring tends to draw down the
joint of the toggle and straighten it, and when the shoulders v, v, are in
contact, it keeps the toggle in a sufficiently rigid condition to preserve a tight
and immovable connection between the cylinder and barrel. J is the dog or
catch by which the ratchet bis operated upon to rotate the recoil shield and
cylinder. This catch is hung upon the pin m, which attaches the toggle
to the stock, and is provided with a slot x, which fits the joint pin * of the
toggle. When the toggle is straight, as it is always intended to be when the
finger lever F is at liberty for the spring I to act upon it, the point of the
catch stands below the ratchet b, and the pin * is near the bottom of the slot
ac, and hence when the finger lever F is drawn back to cock the hammer and
bend the toggle, the catch J does not move until the toggle is bent enough
for the joint pin 1* to reach the top of the slot x; when arrived at this posi-
tion, the pin will commence to move the catch. This allows the cylinder to
be moved back by the spring p far enough to rotate clear of the barrel before
the catch J commences to act on the ratchet b, though the backward move-
ment of the cylinder and recoil shield continue as long as the toggle and catch
continue to move upwards. After the rotation of the cylinder and cocking of
the hammer have been effected, the liberation of the finger lever F by the
operator allows the spring I by its action on the shoulder q* to straighten out
the toggle and drive up the recoil shield and cylinder, and throw down the
catch J over a tooth of the ratchet b, ready to repeat its operation after the
fire, the catch having sufficient elasticity to allow it to pass over the tooth of
the ratchet. In case the spring I should fail to operate or should become
weak, the lever F may be moved forward by the finger of the operator, it
being made with a ring to receive the finger, which affords convenience for
pushing it forward as well as drawing it back.
The periphery of the recoil shield is furnished with a number of ratchet
teeth g, g, corresponding with the number of chambers in the cylinder.
These ratchet teeth are set the same way as those of the ratchet b, and are for

page_text: the purpose of engaging with a spring stopper g', working through a hole in
the breech frame to prevent the recoil shield and cylinder being returned by
the catch J in its return movement. These teeth extend all across the
periphery of the recoil shield. There are, also, upon the periphery of the recoil
shield a similar number of stop pins h, h, arranged at such distances from the
bottom of every tooth as to leave just room for the stopper g³ to enter between
them and the ends of the ratchet teeth, and, consequently, when the stopper
falls between them, it locks the cylinder, so that it cannot move in either.
direction. These pins are near the front of the recoil shield, and when the
recoil shield and cylinder are in their forward position, the stopper occupies a
position relatively to a ratchet tooth and stop pin, shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
When the finger lever F is drawn backwards to cock the hammer and draw
back and rotate the cylinder, the cylinder rotates so far before the recoil shield
moves back far enough for the stop pin g' to catch the stopper h, that the
recoil shield will in the meanwhile carry the bottom stop pin past the stopper,
after which the relative longitudinal and rotating movements of the recoil
shield cause the stopper to describle on the periphery of the recoil shield, the
lines shown in red in Fig. 5, so that when the rotating movement terminates,
and the stopper slips over the tooth g, it falls between the tooth and stopper,
and thus not only prevents the shield moving too far, but also prevents its being
returned by any reaction that may be produced by its sudden stoppage. When
the finger lever F is allowed to move forward, the stop pin h works clear of
the stopper g', as it is not required after the catch J begins to descend, for
the action of that catch tends to throw the edge of the ratchet tooth g into
contact with the stopper.
-
The same arrangement of ratchet teeth and stop pins might be used on the
rear part of the periphery of the cylinder of a fire-arm made without the
rotating recoil shield. The toggle movement might also be applied to such an
arm. The toggle connection between the cylinder and stock effects the same
result as has been before accomplished by a wedge, but it can be fitted at
much less expense, and permits of the adoption of simpler mechanism for
rotating the cylinder, besides enabling the whole of the lock to be made
more compact.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
Firstly, the employment of a toggle connection I, I, between the cylinder or
the rotating recoil shield and the stock, for the purpose of allowing and pro-

page_text: ducing the longtudinal movement of the cylinder, to enable it to clear the
barrel in revolving, and of forcing the cylinder up to the barrel to make a
tight connection therewith, substantially as herein described.
Secondly, placing a regulating screw n between the front end of the toggle
connection and the cylinder or recoil shield, substantially as described, for
the purpose of adjusting the connection between the cylinder and barrel,
without requiring a great degree of accuracy in the fitting of the toggle move-
ment, and for the purpose of compensating for any wear.
Thirdly, connecting or combining the catch J by which the rotating motion
of the recoil shield and cylinder is produced with the toggle connection 1, 1, in
such a manner that it is operated by the bending of the toggle to allow the
cylinder to move back, substantially as herein described.
Fourthly, though I do not claim of itself the use of a positive stop or catch
to lock the cylinder after its rotation, as such connected by complicated devices
with the trigger and otherwise, has before been done, nor yet claim the mere
employment of an additional rachet to prevent back rotation of the cylinder.
I do claim causing the cylinder, during the one portion of its longitudinal
movement, to form a ratchet connection with a spring stopper g', that admits
of the cylinder's rotation only in the one direction, but on the completion of
the cylinder's rotating movement, and at the termination of the back longi-
tudinal travel thereof, forms a positive stop to the cylinder by means of the
ratchets g, g, and stop pins h, h, on the sliding cylinder or recoil shield,
arranged and acting in concert with the stopper g', essentially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)