IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kerr, of 17, Bedford Terrace, Trinity Square,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kerr at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th January
1859.
I, JAMES KERR, of 17, Bedford Terrace, Trinity Square, Southwark, in the.
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of those parts of
repeating fire-arms employed for securing or attaching the barrel and frame to
the stock.
And, secondly, to improvements in the means of imparting the rotatory
motion to the chamber of repeating fire-arms.
Under the first head of my Invention I propose to forge the upper strap
and barrel in one piece, and to hinge the lower portion of the frame to the
barrel itself at the point near where the ramming plunger passes. The upper"
strap drops into a slot or recess made in the back portion of the frame, and
the two are securely held together by a screw and by the passage therethrough
of the cylinder rod.
Under the second head of my Invention I propose to impart the rotatory
motion to the chamber by the rising and falling of the cock in the following'
manner: The cylinder rod or spindle is made fast in the cylinder, and

page_text: consequently revolves' therewith. On the back end of this rod are cut right
and left-hand spiral grooves, with an open or annular space between the
commencement and termination of the right and left-hand spirals. A stud or
projection on the cock (which is placed on one side of the lock plate, as
described by me in my Provisional Specification of the 17th December 1858,)
plays freely in these spiral grooves on raising or depressing the cock, and
imparts the necessary intermittant rotatory motion to the cylinder. When the
arm is at half-cock, the actuating stud or projection before referred to will
occupy the intermediate or annular space between the two series of spiral
grooves, and the cylinder will then be free to be rotated by hand for loading
or other purposes. Suitable spring checks are applied in any convenient
manner to prevent the chamber from turning the reverse way.
By, another arrangement a ratchet wheel may be fixed, or teeth may be
formed on the base of the chamber or cylinder, and actuated by a rod or lever
connected with the tumbler, a spring check acted upon by the tumbler being
employed for keeping the chamber in a proper position for firing. Or, in
place of fixing or forming the ratchet teeth on the base of the cylinder, the
same may be applied to or formed on the back end of the cylinder rod outside
the frame, and actuated as last described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
KERR, of 17, Bedford Terrace, Trinity Square, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Kerr, Her special license that I, the said James
Kerr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Kerr, my executors, administrators, or 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-

page_text: MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said James Kerr, 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 James Kerr, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of those parts of
repeating fire-arms employed for securing or attaching the barrel and frame
to the stock.
And, secondly, to improvements in the means of imparting the rotatory
motion to the chamber of repeating fire-arms.
In practising the first part of my Invention, I forge the upper strap and
barrel in one piece, having the lower portion of the frame and lower strap
hinged to the barrel itself at the point near where the ramming plunger
passes, whilst the upper strap forms a continuation of the barrel. The upper
strap drops into a slot or recess made in the back portion of the frame, and the
two are securely held together by a screw and by the passage, therethrough of
the cylinder rod.
In practising the second part of my Invention, I impart the rotatory motion
to the chamber by the rising and falling of the cock in the following manner :-
The cylinder rod or spindle is made fast in the cylinder, and consequently
revolves therewith. On the back end of this rod are cut right and left-hand.
spiral grooves, with an open or annular space between the comniencement and
termination of the right and left-hand spirals. A stud or projection on the
cock which is placed on one side of the lock plate, as described by me in the
Specification of my Patent of December 17th, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight, plays freely in these spiral grooves on raising or depressing the
cock, and imparts the necessary intermittant rotatory motion to the cylinder.
When the arm is at half-cock, the actuating stud or projection before referred
to will occupy the intermediate or annular space between the two series of
spiral grooves, and the cylinder will then be free to be rotated by hand for
loading or other purposés. Suitable spring checks are applied in any con-
venient manner to prevent the chamber from turning the reverse way.

page_text: By another arrangement a ratchet wheel may be fixed, or teeth may be
formed on the base of the chamber or cylinder, and actuated by a rod or lever
connected with the tumbler, a spring 'check acted upon by the tumbler being.
employed for keeping the chamber in a proper position for firing. Or, in place-
of fixing or forming the ratchet teeth on the base of the cylinder, the same
may be applied to or formed on the back end of the short spindle, herein after-
referred to, or on the cylinder rod itself outside the frame, and actuated as last
described.
Such being the nature of my said Invention, I shall now proceed more
particularly to describe in what manner the same is performed, by reference
to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a full sized side elevation of a revolver
pistol constructed according to my present Invention; Figure 2 is a corrc-
sponding plan of the same; Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the
pistol with the barrel broken away; Figure 4 is an inside view of the lock
detached, which is the ordinary gun or pistol lock; and Figure 5 represents a
side elevation and partial section of the barrel frame and straps detached
from the stock.
A is the ordinary and well-known gun or pistol lock shewn at Figure 4,
which is detached from the body or frame B of the pistol, and is fitted with
the usual cock C.
One important feature in my Invention is, that the barrel D of the pistol is
forged separately or apart from the body or frame. By having the barrel
forged separately from the frame greater facility is afforded for forging and
making the parts, and for case-hardening the back part of the frame, whereby
greater strength to resist the recoil of the cylinder is obtained, and less liability
is incurred of the frame becoming damaged.
Another important advantage is, that the barrel can in case of injury
be readily removed and replaced by a fresh one. The frame B and lower
strap E is jointed at F to that part of the barrel through which the ramming
plunger G passes into the chamber, whilst the hinder part of the barrel forms
the upper strap H. This upper strap is let into the upper surface of the
stock I, and drops into a recess 6 (Figure 5) formed in the body or frame, the
two straps and stock being firmly secured together by a screw pin f (shewn in
dotted lines at Figure 3), passing through the upper strap and stock, and
screwing into that portion of the body or framing forming the under strap, so
that the stock is firmly gripped between the two straps. The upper strap and

page_text: .
frame are still further held together by another screw at g, and also by the
cylinder rod which passes through the corresponding openings h, h', (Figure 5,)
made for that purpose in the frame and upper strap. K is a short spindle
having a toothed or ratchet wheel L on one end, and the other passing through
the body or frame of the pistol, and maintained in its proper position by a
stud pin entering into an annular groove or channel cut in the short spindle,
thereby allowing it to turn freely round, but keeping it fixed in its position
longitudinally. The inner end of the short spindle which comes through the
body forms a socket to receive the end of the cylinder rod M, which is inserted
from the front, and kept in its place by the lever ramrod N, as shewn in
Figure 3. The cylinder rod and the bore at the base of the cylinder are so
formed, that the cylinder cannot rotate without the rod, and the end of the rod
and the socket of the short spindle are also made of such a shape as will
prevent the one from turning without the other. It is thus obvious that on
rotating the ratchet of the short spindle, the cylinder rod and cylinder will
also be rotated; this movement is derived from the rising and falling pall 0,
which is jointed to the hooked link piece P, attached at Q to the trigger of
the lock. The upper end of this pall passes up through a suitable aperture in
the top strap, and is also toothed so as to form a rack, capable of fitting into
the ratchet teeth of the small wheel on the end of the short spindle herein-
before referred to. If found desirable, a protecting hood or cover may be
placed over the ratchet wheel L and pall 0, for the purpose of protecting them
from injury. This hood or cover may be fitted on to the end of the spindle, so
that it may be withdrawn with the same. The act of raising the cock causes
a stud p fitted in or formed on the side of the tumbler to operate upon the.
hooked end of the link piece P, and thereby elevate it, thus raising the pall,
and consequently turning the ratchet wheel and cylinder, whilst at the same
time a stud formed on the trigger or on the link P is lifted into a recess in
the base of the cylinder, thereby locking it for discharge. The pin which
connects the end of the link piece P with the trigger blade is passed through
a short slot formed in the link P, so that the trigger may just have sufficient
play to release the tumbler before it commences to operate upon the mechanism
for rotating the cylinder. By this simple contrivance, the cylinder may be
kept always firm and steady without play or back lash. The cylinder rotating
mechanism above described and illustrated on the Drawings may be slightly
modified by dispensing with the short spindle K, and having the ratchet wheel
formed on the hinder end of the cylinder rod, which would be inserted from
the back and held in position longitudinally by a pin and ring groove, as
before described. The rising and falling toothed pall which operates upon the

page_text: ratchet wheel may be connected direct to the tumbler of the lock in place of
to the trigger, by the intervention of the link piece P, as described in reference
to the Drawings, whilst the locking of the cylinder into position for discharge
may be effected by a spring stud rising through the top strap, and entering a
division of notches, also formed on the binder part of the cylinder rod, the
number of notches corresponding with the number of chambers in the cylinder.
The tumbler of the lock by acting upon the spring stud at full and low cock
locks the cylinder in position for discharge.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is carried into effect, I would observe that what I claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
.
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts of
revolvers, as herein-before described.
Second, the forging of the barrels of revolvers apart from the body or frame
when such body or frame is hinged or jointed to the barrel, in the manner and
for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the attaching the stocks of revolvers to the bodies or frames of such
arms by means of an upper and a lower strap, combined in the manner herein-
before described.
Fourth, the causing a portion of the hinder part or continuation of the
barrel to drop into a recess made in the back part of the body or frame, and
the securing of the two parts together, in the manner herein-before described.
Fifth, the peculiar constructions, arrangements, and combinations of
mechanism for rotating the cylinders of revolvers, and locking the same for
discharge, as herein-before described.
"
Sixth, the combination of the ordinary gun or pistol lock in "revolvers
with any one or more of the improvements included in the second, third,
fourth, and fifth claiming clauses, as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Kerr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kerr, of 17, Bedford Terrace, Trinity Square,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kerr at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th January
1859.
I, JAMES KERR, of 17, Bedford Terrace, Trinity Square, Southwark, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS," to bo
as follows:
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of those parts of
repeating fire-arms employed for securing or attaching the barrel and frame to
the stock.
And, secondly, to improvements in the means of imparting the rotatory
motion to the chamber of repeating fire-arms.
Under the first head of my Invention I propose to forge the upper strap
and barrel in one piece, and to hinge the lower portion of the frame to the
barrel itself at the point near where the ramming plunger passes. The upper
strap drops into a slot or recess made in the back portion of the frame, and
the two are securely held together by a screw and by the passage therethrough
of the cylinder rod.
Under the second head of my Invention I propose to impart the rotatory
motion to the chamber by the rising and falling of the cock in the following
manner: The cylinder rod or spindle is made fast in the cylinder, and

page_text: consequently revolves therewith. On the back end of this rod are cut right
and left-hand spiral: grooves, with an open or annular space, between the
commencement and termination of the right and left-hand spirals. A stud or
projection on the cock (which is placed on one side of the lock plate, as
described by me in my Provisional Specification of the 17th December. 1858,)
plays freely in these spiral grooves on raising or depressing the cock, and
imparts the necessary intermittant rotatory motion to the cylinder. When the
arm is at half-cock, the actuating stud or projection before referred to will
Occupy. the intermediate or annular space between the two series of spiral
grooves, and the cylinder will then be free to be rotated by.hand; for loading
or other purposes. Suitable spring checks are applied, in any convenient
manner to prevent the chamber from turning the reverse way.
By another arrangement a ratchet wheel may be fixed, or teeth may be
formed on the base of the chamber or cylinder, and actuated by a rod or lever
connected with the tumbler, a spring check acted upon by the tumbler being
employed for keeping the chamber in a proper position for firing. Or, in
place of fixing or forming the ratchet teeth on the base of the cylinder, the
same may be applied to or formed on the back end of the cylinder rod outside
the frame, and actuated as last described
hing a bed
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
"by the said James Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
July 1859.
theschu
-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
KERR, of 17, Bedford. Terrace, Trinity Square, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, send.greeting.
25 11
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her, Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of, our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me,the said James Kerr, Her special license. that I, the, said James
Kerr, my executors, administrators, and assigns,, or. such others as I, the
fsaid James Kerr, my executors, administrators, or 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
No text detected.

page_text: MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said James Kerr, 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-
5 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 James Kerr, do hereby declare-
the nature of my said Invention, and in what. manner the same is to be..
O performed,. to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, reference being had to the accompanying. Drawings, and to the.
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of those parts of
repeating fire-arms employed for securing or attaching the barrel and frame.
5.to the stock.
And, secondly, to improvements in the means of imparting. the rotatory:
niotion to the chamber of repeating fire-arms..
In practising the first part of my Invention, I forge the upper strap and
barrel in' one piece, having the lower portion of the frame and lower strap
O hinged to the barrel itself at the point near where the ramming plunger:
passes, whilst the upper strap forms a continuation of the barrel. The upper
strap drops into a slot or recess made in the back portion of the frame, and the
two are securely held together by a screw. and by the passage therethrough of
the cylinder rod.
:
5. In practising the second part of my Invention,. I impart the rotatory motion
to the chamber by the rising and falling of the cock in the following manner:-
The cylinder rod or spindle is made fast in the cylinder, and consequently
revolves. therewith. On the back end of this rod are cut right and left-hand
spiral grooves, with an open or annular space between the commencement and.
0 termination of the right and left-hand spirals. .A.stud or projection, on the
cock which is placed on one side of the lock plate, as described by me in the
Specification of my Patent of December 17th, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight, plays freely in these spiral grooves on raising or depressing the
cock, and imparts the necessary intermittant rotatory motion to the cylinder.
5.When the arm is at half-cock, the actuating stud or projection before referred
to will occupy the intermediate or annular space between the two series of
spiral grooves, and the cylinder. will then be free to be rotated, by hand for
loading or other purposes. Suitable spring. checks are applied in any con-
venient manner to prevent the chamber from turning the reverse-way

page_text: "
By another arrangement a ratchet Wheel may be fixedor teeth may be
formed on the base of the chamber or cylinder; and actuated by a rod or lever
connected with the tumbler, spring check actel upon by the tumbler, being
employed for keeping the chamber in a proper position for firing! Or in place
of fixing or forming the ratchet teeth on the base of the cylinder, the same
may be applied to or formed on the back end of the short spindle; herein after
referred to, or on the cylinder rod itself outside the frame, and actuated as last
describe dowolnie o to hao i odlumibilignol,
Such being the nature of my said Invention, T shall now proceed nioré
particularly to describe in what manner the same is performed, by reference
to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed the
sanie letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
igures.
quae done to obam. oala o elbniga roda edt 1o jezooa oft ban.
of my Drawings represents a full sized side elevation of a revolver
constructed according to my present Invention Figure 2
corre
sponding plan of the same "Tigure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the
pistol with the barrel broken away?
away: Figure 4 is an inside view of the lock
detached, which is the ordinary gun of pistol lock; and Figures représents à
ivation partial section of the barrel framic and straps détachéd
inola oila o bus o no low are off to do to
from the
and
is the ordinary and well known gun or pistol lock shehe Figure4
Which is detached fro
the body Por frame B of the pistol and is fitted with
the usual cock C.no or tool on 1910 bood
292 One
xujai mont
important feature in my Tnvention is that the barrel D of the pistol is
separately or
apart from the body of frame! By having the "barrel (2
frame greater facility is afforded for forging and
back part of the frame whereby
of thic cylinder is obtained, and less liability
the frame becoming damaged
ong
separately
nt 220001
the parts, and for case-hardening the back p
greater to resist the recoi
side infor
Is incurred'
be
it
to and cyl
Another important advantage is, that the barrel can in case of injury (30
moved and replaced by fresh one! The fraíne Bohnd lower
is jointed off to that part of the barrer through which the ramming
strap
remor
pages into the chamber, whilst the hinder part of the barrel fornis
plunger
bodu jodas
а
his upper "Strap is net into the upper surface of the
stock And drops into a recesse (Figure's) formed in the body of frame, the 80
two straps and stock being firmly see
y secured together by a screw pin (shown in
dottedni selvinn
3), passing through the upper strap and stock,and⠀⠀
screwing into that portion of the body oreframing formifit the under strápy'so
152
via boc
that the stock is firmly grinned

page_text: frame,are still further, held together by another-screw at 9, and also by the
cylinder rod which, passes through the corresponding openings h, h, (Figure 5.)
made for that purpose. in, the frame and upper strap. K is a short spindle
having a toothed or ratchet wheel L on one end, and the other passing through
5 the body or frame of the pistol, and maintained in its proper position by, a
stud pin entering into an annular groove or channel cut, in the short spindle,
thereby, allowing it to turn freely round, but keeping it fixed in its position
longitudinally. The inner end of the short spindle which comes through the
body forms a socket to receive the end of the cylinder rod M, which is inserted
0 from the front, and kept in, its place, by the lever, ramrod N,. as shewn in
Figure 3. The cylinder rod and the bore at the base, of the cylinder are so
formed, that the cylinder cannot rotate without the, rod, and the end of the rod
and the socket of the short spindle are also made of such a shape as will
prevent the one from turning without the other, It is thus obvious that on
5 rotating. the ratchet of the short spindle, the cylinder, rod and cylinder will
C'
109 1010
also, be rotated ;; this movement is derived from the rising and falling, pall O
which is jointed to the booked link piece, P, attached at Q to the trigger of
the lock. The upper end of this pall, passes, up through a suitable aperture in
the top strap, and is also toothed so as to form a rack, capable of fitting into
0 the ratchet teeth of the small wheel on the end of the short spindle herein-
before referred to If found desirable, a protecting, hood or c
cover may be
placed, over the ratchet wheel L and pall, O, for the purpose of protecting them
from injury. This hood or cover may be fitted on to the end of the spindle, so
that it may be withdrawn with the same. The act of raising the cock cau
5 astud fitted injor formed on the side of the tumbler to operate upon the
hooked.end of the link piece P, and thereby, elevate it, thus raising the hall,
and consequently turning the ratchet wheel and cylinder,
"
causes
the same
mechanism
time, a stud formed on the trigger or on the link P, is lifted into a recess in
the base of the cylinder, thereby locking it for discharge. The pin which
30 connects the end of the link piece P with the trigger blade is passed through
a short slot formed in the link P, so that the trigger may just have sufficient
play to reloase the tumbler before, it commences to operate upon tema que
for rotating the cylinder. By this simple contrivance, the cylinder may be
kept always firm, and steady without play or back lash. The cylinder rotating
35 mechanism above described, and illustrated on the Drawings may be slightly
modified by dispensing with the short spindle K, and having the ratchet wheel
¡formed on the hinder end of the cylinder rod, which would be, inserted from
the back, and held in position, longitudinally, by Pin and ring roa
before described, The rising and falling toothed pall which operates upon
as
the

page_text: ratchet wheel may be connected direct to the tumbler of the lock in place of
to the trigger, by the intervention of the link piece P, as described in reference
to the Drawings, whilst the locking of the cylinder into position for discharge
may be effected by a spring stud rising through the top strap, and entering a
division of notches, also formed on the binder part of the cylinder rod, the
number of notches corresponding with the number of chainbers in the cylinder.
The tumbler of the lock by acting upon the spring stud at full and low cock
locks the cylinder in position for discharge.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is carried into effect, I would observe that what I claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters
Patent.is,
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts of
revolvers, as herein-before described.
Second, the forging of the barrels of revolvers apart from the body or frame
when such body or frame is hinged or jointed to the barrel, in the manner and
for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the attaching the stocks of revolvers to the bodies or frames of such
arms by means of an upper and a lower strap, combined in the manner herein-
before described.
Fourth, the causing a portion of the hinder part or continuation of the
barrel to drop into a recess made in the back part of the body or framic, and
the securing of the two parts together, in the manner herein-before described.
Fifth, the peculiar constructions, arrangements, and combinations of
mechanism for rotating the cylinders of revolvers, and locking the same for
discharge, as herein-before described.
Sixth, the combination of the ordinary gun or pistol lock in. " revolvers"
with any one or more of the improvements included in. the second, third,.
fourth, and fifth claiming clauses, as bercin-before set forth.
In witness. whereof, I, the said James Kerr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine. '
1AMES WEDD