IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Clarke, of Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
Sealed the 27th October 1854, and dated the 27th April 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Clarke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
April 1854.
I, HENRY CLARKE, of Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE"
to be as follows:-
This Invention applies to the construction of "field batteries," either with
barrels of the ordinary musket size or with guns of a larger calibre, and consists
of a certain novel and peculiar arrangement of parts, whereby I am enabled to
discharge a whole battery of guns simultaneously, and to repeat the discharges
in rapid succession for any required length of time.
⚫ I take a number of barrels (say thirty) open at each end, and arrange and
support them side by side parallel to each other in an horizontal position by.
means of suitable framing opposite to and in contact with the butt ends of the
said barrels I place a cylinder, the axis of the said cylinder being horizontal
and at right angles to the said barrels, and the circumference of the cylinder
being in close contact with the butt ends of the barrels, which are ground so as
to fit closely to the same. The length of this cylinder is a little more than that

page_text: of the row of barrels, and the diameter of the same should be sufficient to
allow a number of breeches (say about sixteen) to be bored or formed in the
circumference, according to the diameter of the barrels employed. Between
the butt ends of the barrels the cylinder is furnished with projecting rims
or flanches, and in the grooves formed by these said flanches a series of
breeches for each barrel is formed around the circumference of the cylinder.
Each row of breeches is provided with a touch-hole, connecting all the breeches
in one row together, and at each end of each row there is a nipple for the
percussion cap, if the battery is to be discharged by percussion. There is also
a suitable percussion lock at each end. But I would here remark that the
battery may (if preferred) be discharged by means of electricity or galvanism.
The butt end of each barrel is furnished with a projecting rim or ferrule, in
front of which is a perforated plate secured to the framing, by means of which
the ends of the barrels are kept always in close and firm contact with the cir-
cumference of the cylinder. The cylinder is provided at each end with a
ratchet and lever, or other convenient arrangement of mechanism, for the
purpose of turning the same a certain portion of a revolution at a time, so as
to bring each row of breeches successively in a line with the row of barrels.
And the whole apparatus or battery is suitably mounted, so as to admit of the
barrels being elevated or depressed, and also moved or pointed in a lateral
direction, as required, and firmly secured when so pointed. The method of
using a battery of this construction is as follows:-Having pointed the battery.
as required, and loaded all the breeches with the requisite quantity of powder
and ball or shot, either in a cartridge or otherwise, the row of breeches opposite
to the barrels must be discharged either by percussion or by an electric or
galvanic current. The cylinder is then caused to turn a portion of a revo-
lution, so as to bring another row of breeches opposite to the barrels, which
are. then fired, and so forth, until the contents of all the breeches have been
discharged.
I would here remark that the battery may be made self-feeding, by placing
above the same a hopper containing powder, and another containing the balls,
or one containing ball cartridges, by which means the cylinder may be con-
stantly feeding at the crown and discharging at the breast without intermission,
the feeding being regulated by means of a slide. There is also another slide,
by means of which the feeding of any or all of the barrels may be shut off
when required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CLARKE, of Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Clarke, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Clarke,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Clarke, 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
FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Clarke, 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 Henry Clarke, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention of Improvements in Fire-arms and Ordnance applies to the
construction of "field batteries," and consists of a certain novel and peculiar
arrangement of parts, whereby I am enabled to discharge a whole battery of
guns simultaneously, and to repeat the discharges in rapid succession for any
length of time. These batteries may be made either with barrels of the
ordinary musket size or with guns of a larger calibre, and are constructed as
follows:-I take a number of barrels (say thirty) open at each end, and arrange
and support them side by side in an horizontal position (parallel to each other or
nearly so) by means of suitable framing. Opposite to and in contact with the
butt ends of the said barrels I place a cylinder, the axis of the said cylinder.

page_text: being horizontal and at right angles to the said barrels, and the circumference
of the cylinder being in close contact with the butt ends of the barrels, which
are ground so as to fit closely to the same. The length of this cylinder is a
little more than that of the row of barrels, and the diameter of the same should
be sufficient to allow a number of breeches (say about sixteen) to be bored or
formed in the circumference, according to the diameter of the barrels employed.
Between the butt ends of the barrels the cylinder is furnished with projecting
rims or flanches, and in the grooves formed by these said flanches a series of
breeches for each barrel is formed around the circumference of the cylinder.
Each row of breeches is provided with a touch-hole, connecting all the breechies
in one row together, and at each end of each row there is a nipple for the
percussion cap, if the battery is to be discharged by percussion (which is the
mode I prefer). There is also a suitable percussion lock at each end. The per-
cussion caps are placed on the nipples by means of a case placed at each end,
and containing, say, about one hundred caps each; these cases are similar to
those ordinarily employed by sportsmen for that purpose, and are so arranged,
that as the cylinder revolves the caps are placed simultaneously upon the
nipples of the row of breeches immediately following those that are about being
discharged.
I would here remark that the battery may (if preferred) be discharged by
means of an electric current. The butt end of each barrel is furnished with a
projecting rim or ferrule, in front of which are iron plates (secured to the
framing), by means of which the ends of the barrels are kept always in close
and firm contact with the circumference of the cylinder. The cylinder is
provided at each end with a ratchet wheel and lever, or other convenient
arrangement of mechanism, for the purpose of turning the same a certain por-
tion of a revolution at a time, so as to bring each row of breeches successively
into a line with the row of barrels. The axes of the cylinder serve also as
"trunnions," by means of which the whole apparatus or battery is mounted
upon a suitable carriage, in such a manner as to admit of the barrels being
elevated or depressed, and also moved or pointed in a lateral direction, as
required, and firmly secured when so pointed.
But in order more clearly to illustrate the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I have annexed hereunto
a Sheet of Drawings, representing various views of a field battery, constructed
according to the principles of my Invention, with barrels of the ordinary musket
size, and marked with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof:-

page_text: "
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the battery; Figure 2, a plan view
of the same as seen from above; and Figure 3, a vertical transverse section
taken through the battery at about the line A, B, in Figure 2. These Figures
are drawn to a scale of about one inch to a foot, and have similar letters of
reference placed upon corresponding parts of the apparatus, in so far as such
said parts appear or can be seen at each of the said Figures respectively.
A, A, are the barrels, a portion of one of which is shewn detached (in section)
upon a larger scale at Figure 4. These barrels may be arranged either exactly
parallel to each other or slightly diverging, so that at the range of the battery
(say 1000 yards) the bullets shall be about twenty-four inches from each other,
or the distance from man to man in rank; in which case a battery of thirty
barrels would cover a front of about sixty feet. The barrels are supported and
kept in position by means of plates B, B, connected to the framing C, C, of the
battery. D, D, is the cylinder (shewn also enlarged at Figure 4), furnished
with projecting rims or flanches a, a, between which the butt ends of the bar-
rels fit. In the grooves formed by these flanches, and exactly coincident with
the bore of the barrels, the breeches b, b, are bored. .c, c, are the touch-holes
(see Figures 4 and 5), which connect each row of breeches together. Each
end of each touch-hole is provided with a nipple, d, d, for the percussion cap
(see enlarged views of one end of the cylinder, Figure 5). e, e, is the case con-
taining the caps. There is no percussion lock shewn in the Drawing, as any
suitable arrangement of mechanism may be employed for discharging the
battery. The butt ends of the barrels are kept in firm and close contact with
the circumference of the cylinder by means of the plates B, B, abutting
against the projecting ferrules or flanches f, f, and may be tightened up when
necessary by means of the keys E, E. Each end of the cylinder D, D, is
provided with a ratchet wheel F, F, and pall G, G. These pails are mounted
upon a shaft H, H, upon which are keyed the levers I, I, by means of which
the cylinder D, D, may be turned a portion of a revolution when required.
These levers or the shaft H must be furnished with stops, so that each time
the handles of the levers I, I, are depressed, the cylinder D, D, shall be caused
to move exactly one-sixteenth of a revolution, so as to bring each row of
breeches successively into an exact line with the row of barrels. I would here
observe, that the requisite movement may be imparted to the cylinder by
placing two excentrics on the shaft H, and causing the ends of the palls to
embrace the excentrics; in this case a rotary instead of a reciprocating motion-
must be imparted to the shaft by means of winch handles.

page_text: The axes K, K, of the cylinder serve also as "trunnions," by means of
which the whole apparatus is mounted upon the carriage L, L. M, M, are
the running wheels; N, N, is a quadrant attached to the frame C, C, and in
gear with a worm O. This worm is mounted upon a shaft P, P, and actuated
by means of the winch handle Q, by turning which the barrels may be either
elevated or depressed, as required. In order to point the battery in a lateral
direction, the frame C, C, may be mounted upon a turntable and worked by
means of suitable gearing, so that a range of about one-fourth of a circle
may thus be obtained without altering the position of the carriage L, L.
Or the battery may be pointed in a lateral direction in the same manner as
an ordinary field piece of artillery, that is, by being moved bodily; or, if pre-
ferred, by placing the running wheels M, M, further apart, and adapting
thereto suitable mechanism, a parallel motion may be imparted to the battery
without moving the carriage.
I would here remark that the aim or sight may be taken by means of an
horizontal rod placed parallel to the centre barrel and level with the highest
point of the diameter of the cylinder, or by means of a vertical rod placed upon
the muzzle of the centre barrel and furnished with a transverse wire, or a
small hole opposite the highest point of the said diameter; the marksman
will of course have to take aim above his object a distance equal to the
semi-diameter of the barrel.
The method of using a battery of this construction is as follows:-
Having pointed the battery as required, and loaded all the breeches with
the requisite quantity of powder and ball or shot, either in a cartridge or
otherwise, the row of breeches opposite to the barrels must be discharged.
The cylinder D, D, is then caused to turn one-sixteenth of a revolution by
means of the levers I, I, so as to bring another row of breeches opposite to the
barrels, which are then discharged, and so forth, until the contents of all the
breeches have been discharged.
I would here remark that the battery may be made self-feeding, by placing
above the cylinder a hopper-containing powder-and-balls; by which means the
cylinder may be constantly feeding at the crown and discharging at the
breast without intermission, the feeding being regulated by means of a slide.
Another slide may also be adapted, by which the feeding of any or all of the
breeches may be shut off when required. An apparatus for ramming the row
of charges simultaneously by means of cams and rods may also be adapted to
the shaft H.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention of Improvements in
Fire-arms and Ordnance, together with the best method I am acquainted with

page_text: for carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that
I claim as my Invention the construction of field batteries, as above described
and shewn in the Drawings annexed; more especially the adaptation of a series
of barrels placed side by side in connection with a cylinder revolving horizontally,
in which the breeches are bored as shewn and described, without regard to the
particular method of mounting the same, or to any particular mechanism that
may be employed for revolving, feeding, and discharging the breeches, or for
pointing, elevating, or depressing the barrels, as the same may be varied con-
siderably without departing from the spirit of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Clarke, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square.
HENRY CLARKE. (L.S.)