IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING PISTOLS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Webley, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REPEATING PISTOLS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 16th April 1853, and dated the 4th February 1853.
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Webley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th February 1853.
I, PHILIP WEBLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
REPEATING PISTOLS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
IN
The improvements relate to that description of fire-arm called "one
barrel rotating chamber guns or pistols " for repeated firing. The In-
vention consists, first, in so supporting the barrel from the frame or body
of the fire-arm that when it is required to remove or replace a cylinder
(containing the charge chambers) the barrel may be partially turned round
upon a pin as an axis placed parallel to the axis upon which the cylinder
turns, and thus admit of its removal, and also in so arranging the
framing as to obtain increased strength to resist the force of repeated fire.

page_text: The metal part of the frame passing under the cylinder is formed at
its outer end into a pin or axis which passes through an arm projecting
down from the inner end of the barrel; a stop prevents this arm being
drawn off the pin or axis, but admits of its being with the barrel drawn
slightly away from the cylinder, and from the outer end of the axis of
the cylinder, in order to the barrel turning upon its pin or axis when
the change of cylinder is required. This stop also (or another stop)
serves to prevent the barrel at such time being turned too far round,
and when the cylinder is in its place acts as a guide to the barrel in
its again being brought to its central position for use, and when slided
into contact with the cylinder a bolt or other stop secures the parts in
position. The part of the frame upon which the pin or axis is formed
to receive the arm from the barrel, and also that part of the arm
which receives such pin or axis, are extended on the under side to obtain.
the increased strength for better resisting the strain of firing.
Secondly, the Invention relates to parts of the lock. The "sear" or
instrument which acts between the trigger and the hammer I fix by a
suitable joint to the hammer in place of to the trigger, and keep it in
position by a spring. The driver, which acts to turn the cylinder so as
to bring a fresh charge.chamber after each fire, is kept in position by a
spring affixed to the framing. A "single" in place of a "double" trigger
spring is. used. A lever stop is applied to the top strap to hold back
the hammer from the nipples when required, such lever stop being so
formed and placed as to be released by the hammer when fully drawn
back by the trigger.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Philip Webley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PHILIP WEBLEY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu
facturer, send greeting.

page_text: .
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date, the Fourth day of February, in the,
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Philip Webley, Her special licence that
I, the said Philip Webley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Philip Webley, 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,i
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING:
PISTOLS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I; the said Philip Webley, by an instrument in writing under iny 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 withing
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
.
. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Philip Webley, 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 following statement thereof (that is to say) :.
The improvements relate to that description of fire-arins for repeated
firing called one barrel rotating chamber pistols or guns, and consist,
First; in a novel mode of supporting the one barrel upon a pin from:
the frame or body of the fire-arm, so that when it is required to remove
or replace a cylinder containing the charge chambers .the one barrel
may be partially turned round as upon an axis upon such pin placed!
parallel to thic axis upon which the cylinder (containing the charges
chambers) turns, and also to a mode of strengthening parts of such fire-
ȧrms to enable them better to resist the force of repeated firing; and,
Secondly, the improvements relate to the arrangement and combina-
tion of certain parts of the lock.

page_text: Dut in order to the invention being runy understood win proceed
to describe the Drawing hereto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shews an external view; Figure 2, a plan; Figure 3, an
end view; Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, shew separate views of the metal
frame b; and Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, show various parts separately..
a, is the rotating cylinder in which are formed the chambers to receive
the separate charges, as is common in such like fire-arms. b, is the
fixed metal part of the framing, which at its outer end at 6', is formed
into a pin or axis, upon which the barrel c, is supported, and is capable
of turning by means of the projecting arm c', projecting from the barrel c,
so that when a fresh cylinder a, has to be substituted for the one in use,
or any change of cylinder has to be effected, the barrel c, may be turned
upon the axis b', to admit of such removal or replacing.
And I would here state that I am aware that it has heretofore been
proposed to arrange pistols of this description, that is, with one fixed
barrel, and a series of charge chambers in a rotating cylinder, so that
the barrel may be turned as upon a hinge in order to the withdrawal
and replacing of a cylinder; but I believe in every case the part
supporting the barrel has been caused to turn upon an axis lying across
that of the axis of the rotating cylinder. And I mention this in order
to state that one part of: my improvements consists in forming an axis
upon the framing so that the main barrel may be permitted to turn
thereon in a plane parallel to that of the axis of the rotating cylinder,
as shewn by the Drawing, by which arrangement I have been enabled
to obtain great firmness of the parts during firing, combined with great
facility in shifting the charge cylinders. When the parts are in position
for firing, as shewn by Figure 1, the barrel is held in position by the
pin or bolt d, which passing through the parts b, c, holds them correctly.
together. The pin or bolt d, has affixed to it a spring d¹, which gives
elastic pressure to retain it.in position. When a charge or removal of
a. cylinder is required, this pin d has to be withdrawn, then the barrel c
may be slided slightly along the axis ', but is prevented coming entirely

page_text: off. the axis b', by the pin c² coming against. the shoulder b*; and.the
axis. 6', is cut away, as shown at 6, to admit of this sliding movement,
whilst it also serves to guide the barrel correctly to and from its correct
position in relation to the other parts of the fire-arm. The axis 6', is
also cut away at 6, so that when the barrel c is drawn along the axis b¹
to its full extent, the part will admit of the pin turning with the
parts c, c, into the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3.
When the replacement of a barrel has been effected; and the parts are
again turned into position for firing, they are to be secured in that
position by the sliding up of the pin or bolt d; and it will be seen that
the parts 6, and c', are extended on the under side at 6, and c³, so as to
give additional strength for better resisting the strain in firing.
I would here state that although I have only shewn and described'
my improvements under this part of the Invention as applied to a pistol,
a workman will readily make such modification in the arrangement
of the parts by which the same may be used with guns or rifles
having a rotating cylinder containing a series of chambers for separate
charges.
I will now describe the second part of the Invention, which consists
of modifications of certain of the parts by which simplicity thereof is
effected. e, is the "sear" or instrument which acts between the trigger f,
and the hammer g; and the improvement consists in affixing the "sear"
by a suitable hinge joint to the hammer, in place of to the trigger, as
usual in other like fire-arms where a "sear" has been used. The driver
h, which acts to turn the cylinder a, partially round so as to bring up a
fresh charge chamber after each fire, is borne upon by a spring i,
affixed to the framing, as shown; and a single spring j, in place of a
double spring, is used to act upon the trigger. 1, is a lever stop, which
turns upon the screw pin l, and at its other end 2, is turned inwards,
in order that when required that end may, by being forced inwards, rest
within the hammer to hold it back from striking the nipples, but in
the act of moving the hammer farther back to "full lock," the part .
of the lever l, is acted upon by the hammer to move the part 1, out-of
the way.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would,
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details.
herein shewn and described, so long as the peculiar character of either
part thereof be retained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Webley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane.
PHILIP WEBLEY. (L.S.)