IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING NEEDLE GUNS, AND IN THE CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH OR WITH OTHER NEEDLE GUNS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle, of No. 3,
Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING NEEDLE GUNS, AND IN
THE CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH OR WITH OTHER NEEDLE GUNS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Johannes Friedrich
Christian Carle at the Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition and Declaration, on the 2nd September 1868, pursuant'
to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM. THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHANNES
FRIEDRICH CHRISTIAN CARLE, of No. 3, Leadenhall Street, in the
City of London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING NEEDLE GUNS, AND IN THE CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THERE-
WITH OR WITH OTHER NEEDLE GUNS," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
i

page_text: Letters Patent for the same, and have made' solemn Declaration that
I really believe myself to be the first and true Inventor.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle,
do hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal, fully describes the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed (that is to say) :-
The object of my Invention is, firstly, the construction of a weapon
which shall be simple, possessing but few parts and those not liable
to derangement, and at the same time be capable of being loaded and
fired with very great rapidity so as to be an efficient military arm;
and, secondly, the manufacture of a safety cartridge which shall be
at all times thoroughly reliable as to its being ignited with certainty
by the proper means, and which shall also not be liable to explode
by pressure or force accidentally applied.
In order that the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, may be particularly described and
ascertained, I append to this Specification a Sheet of Drawings having
figures and letters of reference marked thereupon, and I now proceed.
'to describe my Invention with reference to the Drawings.
My improvements consist,-
or
I. Firstly, in the peculiar construction of a hollow cylinder
chamber B in which the cartridge is placed, and in which the breech
piece carrying the lock can slide longitudinally. This hollow cylinder
or cartridge chamber is shown in section longitudinally in Figure 1; the
opening for receiving the cartridge is at e. An annular groove is turned
of the interior of the cylinder or chamber B; a portion of this groove
can be seen at f,f, Figure 2, which Figure is an end view of chamber B
that end nearest the stock. The end of the chamber B nearest the
barrel C is made slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the
barrel C, and the cartridge is also larger in diameter than the barrel
so as to fit that part of the chamber B just described, which is slightly
coned or tapered for that purpose.
II. Secondly, in the sliding breech piece A carrying or forming the
lock. Figure 3 is a side view of this breech piece showing its hinged
or jointed lever a for operating sliding piece A and for cocking the
weapon. Figure 4 is a separate view of this lever.

page_text: III. Thirdly, in the employment of a small safety spring b at side
of A. This spring 6 is shown separately by three views at Figure 5,
by which its exact construction will readily be understood; its object
is to prevent the needle from acting before the lock is properly secured
in position. The sliding breech or lock A has two lugs or projecting
pieces, f, the object of which will be herein-after explained., It
has also underneath it a recess for receiving the internal portion, of
trigger 8. Figure 6. is the needle spring bolt D which is placed within.
A in the space indicated by the dotted lines, Figure 3. In Figure 7.
is shown a plan and side view of the cocking spring & and the tumbler-
or eccentric of lever a for operating the same. The sliding piece A
being drawn back to its full extent the cartridge is placed within the
chamber B at the opening e. The piece A is now pushed forward
by means of lever a until the lugs or projecting pieces f', ', are.
forced against the shoulder formed by the annular groove f, f, which
forms a stop for the purpose of preventing the gun being fired by
the pushing action just described. In this position the gun cannot be
cocked on account of the pressure of the spring b. The lever a is
now turned to the right and turns therewith A so as to release the
pieces f, f, from the groove f. f. In moving the lever a to the right
the eccentric form of the end of chamber B presses down the spring b so
that it relcases the lever a. The lever a is now in the position as shown,
at Figures 3, 4, and is retained by the catch o and notch as shown in
Figure 7. By now bringing or pressing the lever a towards the-shoulder
until the lever stands at an angle of forty-five degrees, as shown in
Figure 1, the lever is cocked. The spring c operates in the cocking
in a similar manner to the bends in the tumbler of a percussion lock.
When the lever is cocked the projection or catch o on spring c euters the
second notch u. No claw or other similar contrivance is required in,.
this gun for the purpose of extracting, the spent, cartridge case, as each!
shot fired clears from the barrel the case of the cartridge before used.
IV. My improvements consist, fourthly, in the mode of securing.
the needle in position, as shown in Figure 6. D is screwed with a
male thread so as to receive upon it a small end piece n provided
with a female thread. n is formed with a V groove, as shown, and
the needle is fixed in a corresponding V piece exactly fitting the V groove,
so that a needle if broken can instantaneously be removed, and another

page_text: substituted. The sliding piece A is provided with an india-rubber, ring,
disc, or washer, as shown at h, which will expand when the explosion
takes place, effectually preventing any escape of gas at the breech.
My improvements in cartridges are illustrated in Figure 8, and
consist firstly, in making the case throughout of double paper; and,
secondly, in so forming the end where the ignition compound is placed
by means of pieces of pressed paper or of other suitable material of the
shapes shown by the sections in the Figure referred to, or of similar
shapes, so that a hollow space is left between the ignition compound
and the end of the cartridge. Constructed in this manner the cartridges
will without risk of explosion admit of a considerable amount of com-
pression in case of collision or fall during transportation, and will, in
fact, be more likely to tear and spill their contents than to explode
from such causes.
Figures 1, 2, and 8 in the Drawings are twice the size of the gun
and cartridge; and Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are drawn to the full
or actual size.
· My improvements, although described chiefly with respect to their
applicability to military arms, can be adopted in whole or in part for
sporting and other guns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
I wish it to be clearly understood that what I claim as novel and
of my Invention is,―
The peculiar construction of the chamber B with its opening e, annular
groove ff, and end, as shown in Figure 2; the safety spring b, Figure 5,
the sliding breech piece with lock and lever, and with its peculiar
arrangement for cocking by means of the spring c, as described herein
and illustrated; the peculiar mode of fixing the needle in position, so
that while it is held securely by the means pointed out it can when
necessary be detached and another needle substituted instantaneously;
.the combination of the arrangements just alluded so as to form a
gun to fulfil the purposes set out in the opening part of this Speci-
fication as the object of my Invention; and, lastly, I claim the peculiar
construction of the cartridges, all these improvements being either

page_text: illustrated in the Drawings accompanying this Specification or in this
Specification described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day
of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hun-
dred and sixty-eight.
JOHANNES FRIEDRICH CHRISTIAN, CARLE. (L.S.)