IMPROVE- MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMB AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMB AND CARTRIDGES."-A communication
from abroad by Charles Claude Etienne Minié, retired Major and Colonel,
Director of the Arms Manufactory to His Highness the Viceroy of Egypt,
of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 21st July 1865, and dated the 28th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th January
1865.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms by
means of which the ordinary percussion fire-arm may be transformed into a
breech-loader suitable for military purposes; and also in an improved self-
priming cartridge to be used with the same.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 of which

page_text: shows a longitudinal section of the barrel of a gun fitted to the stock, the
cylinder closing the breech, the hammer and other parts being removed;
Fig. 2 shows an exterior view of the gun complete; Fig. 3 a plan of same;.
Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section on line 1, 2, Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 show two
sections of plans for closing the breech; Fig. 7 shows a section of a self- 5
priming cartridge suitable for general use; while Fig. 8 shows another
improved cartridge especially applicable to the breech-loader represented in
the preceding Figures. The same letters represent the same parts in different
positions.
a, gun barrel, fitted to its stock, the breech being removed; b, Figs. 1 and 3 1
tail piece, dovetailed into the metal of the barrel; c, breech screw, connecting
the barrel to the stock, the head of the screw bearing against the trigger plate;
c stock, which is hollowed out at the breech to give room for the cylindrical
breech piece f, seen in Figs. 3. and 4; g, stop piece of same; h, mortise, made in
the right-hand side of the barrel for the reception of stop piece g; i, Fig. 3,
opening made in barrel a for the introduction of the cartridge when the
cylinder fis pulled back; j, Figs. 3 and 4, cylinder, connected to f by a screw
thread k, the object of which is to permit of the part g turning so as to free
itself from mortise h, and then to perform a rectilinear motion in a backward
direction without the cylinder j participating in such movement, said cylinderj
is prevented from turning by means of a covering plate closing the opening i
for the introduction of the cartridge. The screw k also serves for dis-
connecting the two parts j and f. It will thus be seen that by this arrange-
ment of the parts, the part 9 of the cylinder f engages in mortise h in order
to fix the cylinder to the barrel when firing. The part 9 also has a space l,
Fig. 2, a catch m, Figs. 3 and 4, being fitted to work between the two plates;
n, percussion striker, on which the catch m bears by the action of the hammer o;
p, spiral spring, placed in the interior of cylinder j, and bearing on a collar q
fixed to the percussion striker for the purpose of bringing back said striker
and catch m to position; r, Fig. 4, head of breech-closing piece, which at the
moment of firing recoils against a closing piece 8, or either of the closing
pieces and t, Figs. 5 and 6, may be employed. The parts is composed of
red copper wire tinned and coiled in two or more thicknesses round a cylinder
of the same dimensions as the head of the breech-closer. The part s is
heated sufficently to unite together the wires of the helix, and after being
made the exact dimension of the chamber of the fire-arm, is applied on the
stem of head r; this closing piece prevents all passage of gas, is incombustible,
and forms a resisting surface of unlimited wear, it is also easily adjusted, the
first shock produced by its recoil serves the purpose once for all, moreover

page_text: red copper it is well known is the metal least affected by the action of gases.
The closing piece t, Fig. 5, is composed of two convex steel washers bored to
receive the stem of part r, which on receiving the force of the explosion are
flattened and expanded so as to form a perfectly tight closure; these washers
which are readily produced by stamping, may be changed when required, and
will last for thousands of rounds. The cartridge used for this fire-arm is of
the kind represented at Fig. 7. It is formed of paper lapped one turn and
an eighth, but unpasted, the powder serving to ignite the charge is compressed
and contains a copper-headed pin v, a space is also reserved at the rear end
of the cartridge for receiving a cap v¹ embedded in the powder; a paper washer
is then pasted over the end in order to prevent the cap becoming displaced,
the edge of the cartridge also projects to prevent anything touching the cap.
In those guns where a breech chamber cannot be applied the ball would
occupy that position. This improved cartridge does not leave any residue
after firing sufficient to interfere with the loading. The fire-arm may also be
readily taken to pieces for cleaning. The backward motion of the cylinder
is limited by a catch a fixed thereon, which in its movement abuts against
a stop y, fixed on the barrel so that by turning the catch the cylinder may be
entirely removed, the parts j and f being disconnected by unscrewing at k, the
striker may then be removed, as also the spiral spring, enabling all the parts
to be cleaned separately as well as the interior of the barrel. Barrels having
a diameter of from one-half to five-eighths of an inch cannot be fitted with a
breech chamber in consequence of the increased weight which must be given
to the ball, and as the cartridge would require a bearing surface to permit of
the ignition of the cap by percussion at the rear end in a line with the axis of
the cartridge, I employ the following arrangement:-At the position occupied
by the ball of the cartridge in the barrel I make four holes at regular distances
of about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter into which I screw four small
pins, rounded at their ends, for the purpose of reducing the size of the chamber
in such manner as to prevent the ball which is smaller than the chamber
from slipping under the force of the explosion of the cap. The Invention
thus consists in the improvements in fire-arms herein described, as also in the
breech-closing pieces s and t the one being composed of coils of tinned copper,
and the other of convex washers of steel, also in the improved cartridge, and in
the arrangement last herein described for ensuring the percussion acting on
the ball in guns of large diameter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and 5
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," a communication to me
from abroad by Charles Claude Etienne Minié, retired Major and Colonel
Director of the Arms Manufactory to His Highness the Viceroy of Egypt, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said William Clark, my executors or., administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Clark, 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, reference being had to the three Sheets of Drawings hereunt
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms by
means of which an ordinary percussion fire-arm may be transformed into
breech-loader suitable for military purposes, and also in an improved self
priming cartridge to be used with the same.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet]
of which shows a longitudinal section of the barrel of a gun fitted to the stock

page_text: the cylinder closing the breech, the hammer and other parts being removed;
Fig. 2 shows an exterior view of the gun complete; Fig. 3 a plan of same;
Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section on line 1, 2, Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 show two
sections of plans for closing the breech; Fig. 7 shows a section of a self-priming
cartridge, suitable for general use, while Fig. 8 shows another improved cartridge
especially applicable to the breech-loader represented in the preceding Figures.
The same letters represent the same parts seen in different positions.
a, gun barrel, fitted to the stock, the breech being removed; b, Figs. 1 and 3,
tail piece dovetailed into the metal of the barrel; c, breech screw, connecting
the barrel to the stock, the head of the screw bearing against the trigger plate;
c, stock, which is hollowed out at the breech to give room for the cylindrical
breech piece f, seen in Figs. 3 and 4; g, tail piece of same; h, mortise made in
the right hand side of the barrel for the reception of tail piece g; i, Fig. 3,
opening made in barrel a for the introduction of the cartridge when the cylinder
f is pulled back;j, Figs. 3 and 4, cylinder connected to f by a screw thread k, the
object of which is to permit of part 9 turning so as to free itself from mortise h,
and then to perform a rectilinear motion in the backward direction without
the cylinder j participating in such movement, said cylinder j is prevented
from turning by means of a covering plate ¹ closing the opening i for the
introduction of the cartridge. The screw k also serves for disconnecting the
two parts j and f. It will thus be seen that by this arrangement of the parts
the tail piece 9 of cylinder f engages in the mortise in order to fix the
cylinder to the barrel when firing. The part 9 has also a space l, Fig. 2, a
catch m, Figs. 3 and 4, being fitted to work in said space; n, percussion striker,
on which the catch m bears by the action of the hammer o; p, spiral spring,
placed in the interior of. cylinder j, and bearing on collar g fixed to the per-
cussion striker for the purpose of bringing back said striker and catch m to.
position; r, Fig. 4, head of breech-closing piece, which at the moment of firing
recoils against a closing piece s, or either of these closing pieces s and t, Figs.
5 and 6, may be employed. The parts is composed of red tinned copper wire
coiled two or more thicknesses round a cylinder of the same dimensions as
the head of the breech closer. The parts is heated sufficiently to unite
together the wires of the helix, and after being made of the exact dimensions of
the chamber of the fire-arm is applied on the stem of head r. This closing
piece prevents all passage of gas, is incombustible, and forms a resistant sur-
face of unlimited wear, it is also easily adjusted, the first shock produced by
its recoil serving the purpose required, moreover red copper it is well known
is the best metal for resisting the action of gases. The closing piece t, Fig. 6,

page_text: is composed of two convex steel discs bored to receive the stem of part r, which
on receiving the force of the explosion are flattened and expanded so as to form
a perfectly tight closure. These discs which are readily produced by stamping
may be changed when required, and will last for thousands of rounds. The
cartridge used for this fire-arm is of the kind represented at Fig. 7. It is
formed of paper lapped one turn and an eighth, but unpasted, the powder
serving to ignite the charge is compressed, and contains a copper headed pin v,
a space is also reserved at the rear end of the cartridge for receiving a cap v
embedded in the powder, a paper washer is then pasted over the end in
order to prevent the cap becoming displaced, the edges of the cartridge also
project to prevent anything touching the cap. In those guns where breech
chambers cannot be applied the ball would occupy that position. This improved
cartridge does not leave any such residue after firing as would prevent loading.
The fire-arm may also be readily taken to pieces for cleaning, the backward
movement of the cylinder is limited by a catch a fixed thereon, which in its
movement abuts against a stop y fixed on the barrel, so that by turning the
catch the cylinder may be entirely removed, the parts j and f being discon-
nected by unscrewing at k, the striker may then be removed, as also the spiral
spring, enabling all the parts to be cleaned separately as well as the interior of
the barrel. Barrels having a diameter of from half to five-eighths of an inch
cannot be fitted with a breech chamber in consequence of the increased weight
which must be given to the ball, and as the cartridge would require a bearing
surface to permit of the ignition of the cap by percussion at the rear end in a
line with the axis of the cartridge I employ the following arrangement:-At
the position occupied by the ball of the cartridge in the barrel I make four holes,
at regular distances, of about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, into which 1
screw four small pivots rounded at their ends for the purpose of reducing the
size of the chamber in such manner as to prevent the ball, which is smalle
than the chamber, from slipping under the force of the explosion of the cap.
According to further improvements in breech-loading fire-arms the barre
is fixed firmly to the stock, and has an opening in its upper surface of sufficien
size to permit of the introduction of the cartridge in loading, and so as t
dispense with the rocking movement of the barrel in those arms where th
cartridge is introduced at the breech end of the barrel.
The improvements consist, secondly, in the employment of a cylindrica
closing piece which slides in the barrel for the purpose of pressing on th
cartridge, and intercepting all passage of the gases at the moment of th
ignition. This breech-piece, which is furnished with an india-rubber or grease

page_text: leather washer, also serves at same time as a guide for the pin or striker
operating the discharge in the centre of the cartridge.
A third improvement consists in the employment of what I term a movable
breech piece, which has a partial rotary motion, and serves, 1st., to secure the
cylindrical breech above mentioned while introducing the cartridge into the
barrel; and, 2ndly, to effect by means of a pin actuated by the hammer the
rectilinear motion of the striker for exploding the cap and cartridge; lastly,
these improvements relate more especially. to the general arrangement of
the above parts, whereby they may be readily dismounted, cleaned, examined,
and refitted,
These improvements in fire-arms may also be readily adapted at a small
expense to all existing fire-arms having fixed barrels, as an example of which
I have represented these improvements in Sheets 2 and 3 of the Drawings
as applied to a French infantry gun.
Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal elevation of the fire-arm; Fig. 2 a plan of same;
and Fig. 3 a central vertical section; Fig. 4 shows an end view of the semi-
rotating movable breech piece'; Figs 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, show detached views
in elevation, section, and end views of the breech plug and striker, both separate
and in combination; while Fig. 10 shows a central vertical section of a fire-arm
arranged entirely according to this Invention. It will be seen that in this
Figure, 1st, the movable breech piece is slightly different from the one
intended to be used in those guns converted according to these improvements;
2ndly, the motion of the striker is effected by a thumb lever formed on the
tumbler, and applied underneath, so dispensing with the use of a hammer.
The same letters of reference apply to all the Figures seen in different
positions.
a, barrel of the fire-arm, fixed to the stock 6, and having an opening or
cavity c for the introduction of the cartridge, and for fixing the several parts
of the breech in position; d, breech closing piece, by referring to Figs. 2, 3, 5,
and 6 it will be seen that this breech piece slides in the barrel a, being of
the same diameter as the latter, and is intended to push up the cartridge, also
preventing by means of an india-rubber or greased leather washer f all escape
of the gases produced by the explosion of the charge. This cylinder is made
hollow for the reception and guiding of the striker effecting the ignition of
the cartridge, said striker consists of a stem g fixed to two cylindrical parts h, i,
having a head and guide ; k, feather or key formed on the cylindrical part
h, and acting as a cam in the cavity 1 of the breech piece d;. m, groove made
in the cylindrical part i to permit of the passage of the tooth n, Fig. 6, fixed

page_text: to part d, which tooth is intended to retain the striker when drawn back and
prevent it from entirely escaping, although permitting of its free action; o,
projection formed on the lower part of breech piece d, sliding in a groove o' made
in the bottom of the barrel a of the gun; p, back sight, also serving as a means
of sliding breech piece d in charging and ramming the cartridge into the barrel;
q, second movable breech piece, rotating within the barrel, which breech piece
is made bollow to receive the part d during the introduction of the cartridge
into the cavity c of the barrel; r, slot made in the breech piece q, in which
slide the projections j¹ and o; s, long pin, fixed to the tail of breech piece q,
the motion of which pin is regulated by a spring t, said pin is struck by the
hammer u, and so acts on the striker for exploding the cartridge. This is
further disposed in such manner that by simply rotating the breech and
through the effect of the cam k taking into the cavity of part d, said pin is
again cocked or set in readiness for producing the ignition of a fresh charge;
v, screw, fitted at the rear end of the breech, and furnished with a small eccentric
pin x, which works in a groove y made in a small cylindrical catch serving to
lock the movable breech piece q to prevent its rising out of position. From the
foregoing it will be understood that in order to load the gun the hammer
is first cocked, the movable breech q is then turned a quarter revolution so as
to raise it to the position shown dotted in Fig. 2, and in line at Fig. 3. By
the effect of this rotating motion the pin s is also cocked by means of the
striker, the cam k of which is withdrawn from aperture in order to explode
the cartridge. This being done the part d is pushed back to the position
shown dotted in Fig. 3, and the cartridge then introduced into the barrel
at opening c, after which the part d is again advanced so as to push the cart-
tridge into the barrel a. The movable breech piece q is then returned to
its original position, and hammer a striking pin s produces a rectilinear motion
of the striker (the cam k of which takes into aperture 1) for exploding the
cartridge. In the case of guns constructed entirely according to these
improvements the ordinary lock is dispensed with, and the one shown at
Fig. 10 substituted in lieu thereof.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First, the improvements in fire-arms, herein-before described and represented
in Sheet 1 of the Drawings, as also the use and application of the breech-
closing pieces s and t, Figs. 5 and 6, the one being composed of coils f
tinned copper, and the other of convex rings or dises of steel.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the improved cartridge applicable to the above and other
fire-arms, as also the arrangement for ensuring the percussive force acting on
the ball in guns having barrels of large diameter, all as herein-before
described.
Lastly, I claim the improvements in breech-loading fire-arms represented in
Sheets 2 and 3 of the annexed Drawings, consisting, 1st, in the arrangement
of the barrel, which is fixed to the stock, at same time being adapted to receive
the cartridge without disturbing the breech or breech screw; 2ndly, in the
improved breech closing piece in combination with the striker all arranged
as described; 3rdly, in the employment of what I term the rotating breech;
4thly, in the improved arrangement of the various parts of the breech, whereby
they may be readily dismounted and refitted in a simple and easy manner
without difficulty, as also the capability of converting ordinary fire-arms to
this system.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)