IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Restell, of New Kent Road, in the County
of Surrey, Chronometer Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
Sealed the 10th February 1857, and dated the 8th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Restell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th September 1856.
I, THOMAS RESTELL, of New Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, Chrono-
meter Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in constructing, fitting, arranging, and working
the breech of breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance in such manner that it
may be drawn back in a line with the barrel to open the charge chamber for
the insertion of a cartridge and afterwards restored to its place, and that it
may when in place fit closely and tightly with the barrel.
And my Invention also consists in an arrangement for working the hammer,
in which I dispense with the employment of a lock. I form the breech of a
cylindrical piece of metal, the back end of which I pass through a collar in a
piece with the body; I form or turn the front of the breech with alternate
grooves (or recesses) and projecting parts, which come against corresponding
grooves or recesses and projections in the barrel, the recesses in one fitting in
the projections in the other, and vice versâ, and I introduce a washer or collar
of india-rubber in the grooved part to keep the joint air and gas tight.

page_text: My arrangements for drawing the breech back to open the charge chamber
are as follows:-I sometimes form two vertical simicircular recesses in the
thickness of the breech in a line with each other, the back recess being above
another semicircular recess in the thickness of the body, and in the circular
recess so formed I fit a disc, which I connect by a pin passing through the
side of the breech to a handle, which when not in use lies flush against the
side of the stock, and is so contrived as to turn freely round and be brought
back to place. In the space or thickness of the breech, between the two
recesses and also in the periphery of the disc, I cut a tooth or teeth and one
or more notches. To draw the breech back I turn the handle round, thereby
turning the disc until its teeth catch or gear with the teeth in the space
between the recesses, whereby the breech is drawn partially back, the front
vertical recess brought over the lower back recess, and the disc into the
circular space so formed, and so on, till the breech is drawn quite back and
the charge chamber opened. On turning the handle in a contrary direction
the breech may be replaced. Or I sometimes work the breech by means of a
knob, which is connected to the breech by a pin passing through it, and in
which knob a spiral spring is lodged, which, pressing against the shoulder of
the knob, has a tendency to force it into an aperture formed for its reception
in the body below the breech. To open the breech I draw the knob out of
this aperture, and along a slot cut for its passage, at the end of which there
may be a similar aperture for the knob; the knob springing into its aperture
closes it up completely, and prevents the escape of gas on firing the arm. Or
I joint the pin which connects the knob to the breech within the knob, and
attach it to a spring placed within a hooked arm, which catches in an oblique
mortice in the body below the breech; on pulling back the knob the hook is
released and the breech opened, while in closing the breech the hooked arm
catches into its mortice and secures or locks the breech. The front of the
breech is provided with a guide pin, which slides in a groove in the side of
the barrel, and has a stop at its back end to regulate the extent to which the
breech is to be withdrawn.
My arrangement for working the hammer consists in fitting a rod at the
side of the breech or below it, which on withdrawing the breech comes back
with it until a stop or knob at the back end of the rod comes in contact with
the hammer, which is drawn down and cocks the gun.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Restell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
RESTELL, of New Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, Chronometer Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, 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 Thomas Restell, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Restell, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Restell, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Restell, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Restell, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be pér-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My improvements consist in a method or methods of constructing, fitting,
arranging, and working the breech of breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance
in such manner that the breech bolt may be drawn back in a line with the
barrel to open the charge chamber for the insertion of the cartridge and after-
wards restored to its place, and that it may when in place fit closely and
tightly with the barrel. I form the breech bolt of a cylindrical or partly
cylindrical piece of metal, which I pass through a collar in a piece with the
breech end of the barrel, and which is clasped and held down throughout its
whole length by the sides of the barrel closing partially over it. I fit at the

page_text: front of the breech bolt an expanding washer or collar of india-rubber, steel,
or other suitable substance, for the purpose of keeping the junction of the
breech bolt with the breech of the barrel gas-tight.
My arrangements for drawing the breech back to open the charge chamber
are as follows:-I form two vertical recesses in the form of segments of circles
in the thickness of the breech bolt in a line with each other, the rear recess
being over another formed in the stock of the small arm, or in the body of the
piece of ordnance, and I fit a rotating or partially rotating disc, so that part of
it moves in the recess in the breech bolt, and part of it in the recess in the
stock or the body, aforesaid. This disc has in the centre of it a hole, into
which is passed the short arm of a lever or handle, by means of which the
dise is moved. This handle when not in use lies flush against the side of the
stock of the piece, or the carriage of ordnance, where it is in some instances
held by a spring pin or catch. In other instances the said lever or handle is
short, extending forward to the cock. This is the case when the ordinary gun
stock is used with my arrangements, and the trigger is placed in its usual
position. The disc has formed at one part of its periphery either a projection
or recess for moving the breech bolt, and thus opening or closing the chamber;
if a projection be used, it is so arranged that when the disc is rotated by the
lever or handle the said projection comes against and acts upon that portion of
the breech bolt which is between the two recesses, and so slides the breech
bolt along, thus opening or closing the chamber; if a recess be formed in the
disc, it is so arranged that one side of it comes against the aforesaid portion of
the breech bolt and slides the breech bolt along, as in the former case. But
in the latter case (that is, when the disc is recessed), I combine with the action
of the sides of the recess the action of a projecting piece, which stands out
from one side of the recess in the breech bolt, and passes into and along a
groove in the side of the disc, and which projecting piece is used for giving
an initial motion to the breech bolt, so as to bring it into position to be acted
upon by the side of the recess of the disc. I use one such projecting piece in
one recess for giving the breech bolt an initial motion in opening the chamber,
and a second similar projecting piece in the other recess for giving it a similar
but reverse motion in closing the chamber. In the first case (that is, when
the disc has a projection upon it for moving the breech bolt), I sometimes
make the projection of a less thickness than the disc itself, and cut away no
more of the metal of the breech bolt between the segmental recesses than is
necessary to form a passage for the thin projection, by which means the breech
bolt is left stronger than it would otherwise be. But of whatever form the
disc may be, it in all cases receives upon its edge the chief portion of the

page_text: force of the explosion and transmits it through its axis (which is the short
arm of the lever or handle)-to the substance of the piece; or I sometimes
dispense with the discs, and work the breech bolt of small arms by means
of a knob upon an arm or plate centred on a pin in the breech of the
barrel. This knob when not in use is forced by a spring into or partially
into a recess formed for it in the under side of the stock, so as not to project
unnecessarily. A slot is made in the under side of the stock in order to allow
the arm or plate (which is only capable of sufficient motion round its axis
for the withdrawal of the knob) to move backward, and thus carry back the
breech bolt and open the chamber, and vice versâ. The arm or plate which
carries the knob is fitted so as to receive the force of the explosion and
transmit it to the substance of the fire-arm, as was done by the disc in the
arrangements before described.
The Drawings hereunto annexed represent in detail the manner in which I
carry my Invention into effect. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a musket
constructed with my improvements; Figure 2 is a full size longitudinal
section of the same. In this musket the recessed form of disc is adopted.
A is the breech bolt, which is passed through the collar B, which reaches from
one side of the barrel C to the other, and is in one piece with it. The manner
in which the bolt A is clasped, and held down by the sides of the barrel C
closing over it, is shown in Figure 3, which is a cross section through the line
a, b, of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a plan view of the barrel detached, with the
breech bolt removed. D is an expanding packing ring of steel, which fits
over the shoulder c of the bolt A, and against this shoulder ca washer & is
screwed tightly by the nut e, which screws on to a thread upon the small end
of the bolt A. The rear face of the washer d is convex, so that when forced
by the explosion against the packing ring D (which is correspondingly concave)
it may resist any tendency which the gases liberated may have to compress the
packing ring D in their effort to escape, and thus keep the junction tight.
E, E', are the segmental recesses in the bolt A, and F is the recess in the
stock of the small arm; G is the rotating or oscillating disc, which has in the
centre of it a hole f, which hole has a straight side in order that the short
arm H of the lever or handle I, which is passed into it, and is of a corre-
sponding form, may not turn in the hole, but carry the disc G with it when it
is rotated. The handle I, and therefore the disc G, are turned round in
opening or closing the chamber through a complete circle, the course of the
extremity J of the handle I being indicated by the dotted line in Figure 2.
g is the spring catch, which fixes the extremity J when the lever is not in use.
In Figure 3 is shewn a right and left spiral slot h on the arm H of the

page_text: handle I, which slot works over a stud in the hole of the side plate K; the
consequence is, that when the handle is turned round, the slot h rides upon
the stud, and the handle is carried out from the side of the piece to clear the
cock L, falling into the side again as it moves through the other half of the
circle, and vice versa. The disc G has formed in it the recess M, so arranged
that when the disc G is rotated, one of the sides i, ¹, of the recess M comes
against and acts upon the portion j of the breech bolt A, and slides it along,
opening or closing the breech chamber, as the case may be. With this action
I combine the action of a projecting piece k or k¹, which stands out from one
side of the recess E or the recess E', and passes into and along a groove l in
the disc G (shown in dotted lines in Figure 2). If, when the parts occupy the
position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gun having been discharged, has to be
reloaded, the handle I must be released at J from the spring catch g and turned
round (commencing to move downwards) in a circle, until it comes again into
the same or nearly the same position; while this motion of the handle takes
place the disc G will also make one revolution, during which the groove will
at the point m come against the projecting piece k, and force it (and with it
the bolt A) backwards, until the side i of the recess M acts upon the portion j
of the breech bolt, and carrying it still backward, completes its motion and
opens the chamber to its full extent. The closing action is so exactly the
reverse of the preceding that it needs no description, it only being necessary
to observe, that in this case the part m¹ takes the place of the part m, the
side that of the side i, and the projecting piece ¹ that of the piece k.
In Figure 5, I have shown in a side view the manner in which the breech
bolt A¹ is combined with a disc, which has a projection upon it for moving the
bolt. G' is the disc, and G" is the projection. By the simple turning of such
a disc (by means of a handle, as in the former case), the projection G",
acting upon the portion j of the breech bolt, it produces the whole opening and
closing of the breech chamber.
In Figures 6 and 7, of which the former is a side view, partly in section,
and the latter an end view, I have shown an example of the case in which
the projection upon the disc is thinned down. G, is the disc, and G, is the
projection; and n is the passage in the bolt A" for the projection Go, which
passage is partly indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6. The action of this
arrangement is in all respects the same as that of the preceding.
In Figures 8, 9, and 10, I have shown an example of the case in which the
disc is dispensed with, and a moving arm or plate is substituted for it.
Figure 8 is a side view, partly in section, and Figure 9 is a view, of the under
side of the breech part. N is the arm or plate, of which Figure 10 is an end

page_text: view; o is the pin in the barrel breech, round which pin the plate N turns,
and over which the slot p in the plate N slides, when the plate N is drawn
backwards or returned forwards; O is the knob by which the plate N is
moved. This knob O, when the plate N moves, is pressed steadily upwards.
by a spring q, and this spring, when the plate is in its place, presses the plate
so far upwards that the knob O is entirely or almost entirely concealed in the
stock. The plate N is so formed, that when it is sprung up into its place,
projections n' upon it bear against shoulders n" in the breech of the gun, and
receive the shock of the explosion, communicating it from the bolt to the gun
itself; at the same time it is arranged so that when it is drawn down and
backward, the end n¹ of it will catch against the point n of the bolt, and
carry the bolt back with it, and vice versa.
Figure 11 shews an example of a case in which my improvements are
applied to a piece of ordnance. P is the breech bolt; Q, the collar through
which the bolt P passes; R, the handle by which the disc within is moved;
and is a stop to limit the motion of the handle after having been turned
round nearly through a circle. The handle R has in the knob r' of it a
spring pin, which springs into a recess in the side of the carriage and fixes
the handle when the piece is charged. The short arm of the handle which
passes through, the centre of the disc within passes also through the trunnions,
which are hollow for the purpose, and thus the elevation and depression of the
gun are in no way interfered with.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the construction and arrangement of breech-loading fire-arms and
ordnance as herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings here-
unto annexed.
Second, the employment, in breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance, of a
sliding breech bolt, which moves within and in a line with the barrel, being
clasped or partially clasped and held down thereby, as herein-before described,
and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Third, the employment, in breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance, of a
rotating or partially rotating disc working in a recess or recesses in a sliding
breech bolt, to which it communicates motion for opening and closing the
breech chamber by means of a projection or projections formed upon each,
and the disc and breech bolt being arranged in such manner that the disc
itself receives the shock of the explosion and transmits it to the substance of
the fire-arm or piece of ordnance, as herein-before described, and represented
in the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Fourth, the employment, in breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance, of a
rotating or partially rotating disc with a notch formed in its periphery, and a
cam or curved slot formed in its side, the sides of the slot acting upon pro-
jections in recesses formed in the breech bolt, and the sides of the notch acting
upon a projecting portion of the bolt between such recesses, and the disc and
breech bolt being arranged in such manner that the sides of the slot impart
an initial motion to the breech bolt, and the action of the sides of the notch
completes the necessary motion for opening or closing the breech chamber,
and also in such manner that the disc itself receives the shock of the explosion,
and transmits it to the substance of the fire-arm or piece of ordnance, all as
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fifth, the employment, upon the fore end of the sliding breech bolt of
breech-loading fire-arms and ordnance, of an expanding split steel or other
elastic ring connected with a conical disc or washer, as herein-before described,
and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Restell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.
THOMAS RESTELL. (L.B.)