IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, APPLICABLE TO PISTOLS, MUSKETS, CARBINES, AND BIRDING OR OTHER GUNS
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Oldbury at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with 'his Petition, on the 28th May
1859.
I, JOSEPH OLDBURY, Gun and Pistol Maker, of Summer Row, Handsworth,
in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, APPLICABLE TO PISTOLS, MUSKETS,
CARBINES, AND BIRDING OR OTHER GUNS," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
My Invention is of such a nature that a very slight modification is sufficient
to adapt it to all purposes of fire-arms, and it consists in constructing the part
usually called the body, to which the lock or cock and springs are attached
with a strong pin in the ordinary way in which a common revolving pistol is
constructed; but instead of having a series of revolving chambers, I confine
myself to one which works on the pin (before described) between the body
and that part of the barrel that comes in contact with the movable breech.
Between the base of the movable breech and the body before referred to, a
space is left, more or less, as required, for allowing the breech to be pulled
back, so as to disengage itself from its conical air-tight junction with the
barrel, and between the space at the base of the breech before referred to and
the body a wedge is inserted, which I prefer being of steel; this wedge is
secured to a lateral arm connected with the body with a projecting finger bit
to fall over on the right-hand side, by which means it is to be lifted when it is
desired to load, which being done and thrown back, the breech is disengaged,

page_text: its base end fitting nicely on the front face of the body, and when charged,
which may be done in the most ready and simplest manner, either with loose
powder and ball, or shot, or with a cartridge, it has only to be restored to its
proper place, and its conical end pushed forward into the barrel, when the
wedge is brought over into its place, which effects a positive contact of the
parts, so that no gas can possibly escape (in the discharge) with ordinary
attention in construction. With this arrangement I also combine the advan-
tage of igniting the powder in the, centre of its bulk, so as to produce or obtain
what is termed "a central fire." And I effect this either by placing the cock
to work between the two plates of the body, with the nose to work through a
vertical slot or opening in the top, so as to arrive at the nipple, which is placed
in the base of the breech, and may be covered over with a sliding plate at the
top to protect the nipple, cap, and parts adjoining from rain or moisture; and
in some instances I purpose placing on the right-hand of the body plate a
charger for holding about three dozen caps, more or less, as convenient, that
the act of turning the breech around presses on a detent, which causes the cap
intended to be placed on to be forced on to the nipple; the moment the breech
is removed from this position. it relieves the detent, which closes the mouth
of the charger.
There are some minor modifications to which my improvements are appli-
cable, such as dispensing with the charging apparatus, and applying the cock
on the outside of the lock plate in the ordinary way, if preferred.