IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, OR IN TRANSFORMING ARMS OF LARGE CALIBRE INTO ARMS OF SMALLER CALIBRE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Jules Manceaux, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS, OR IN TRANSFORMING ARMS OF LARGE CALIBRE INTO ARMS OF
SMALLER CALIBRE."
Sealed the 21st August 1863, and dated the 21st February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Jules Manceaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st February 1863.
I, FRANÇOIS JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby.declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, OR IN TRANSFORMING ARMS OF LARGE CALIBRE INTO
ARMS OF SMALLER CALIBRE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, as hereafter, set forth, in means of transforming
small arms of large-calibre and muzzle:loading into arms of smaller or reduced
calibre, and either muzzle or breech-loading, preserving all the parts used
in the first manufacture of the gun without any other change than that of the
barrel.
I first cut out bars, strips of walnut or other woods similar to that of the
stock of the arm to be worked on, and round shape, and adjust them in
the channel or groove in the stock. for the reception of the barrel to be
replaced, so that they may exactly fill the place or 'channel occupied by the
barrel to be replaced. I gently heat the fore part of the stock and the wood
filling piece or pieces separately, and apply hot clear glue to the surfaces of
both. I then adjust the filling piece or pieces in the channel, and keep them

page_text: in close contact by bands wound round them, by clasps, or otherwise, and dry
the glue under gentle heat. When thoroughly set I cut out of or in the
filling a channel for the reception of a barrel of less calibre than that removed.
I then heat to redness the reduced calibre barrel and adjust it in the channel,
so that it may bear on the bottom thereof, and so that the nipple on the new
barrel may present itself directly under the head of the hammer of the lock.
1 then pass the breech screw through the tail of the barrel and into the stock.
The buckles and rings used for fastening the old barrel in the stock may be
used for the barrel of smaller calibre, but in order to adapt them to this barrel
I line them with iron to make up for the difference in the calibre. To complete
the adaptation of all the accessories of the larger to the smaller barrel I line
the socket of the bayonet with iron or steel, and instead of the barrel of
smaller calibre being muzzle-loading it may be breech-loading, in which the
channel will have to be carried further back in the stock. In some cases I
dispense with the glued-in filling pieces, and fill up the space resulting from
the difference in diameter of the barrels by giving to the barrel of smaller
calibre the same external diameter as that of the barrel of larger calibre.
In this case it is only necessary to make the lodgment for the rear of the
barrel in the stock, and to substitute in some cases a longer hammer for the
lock than that used with the first barrel. In order to prevent the breaking
down of the partition separating the lock from the barrel, I find it advisable to
reduce the diameter of that part of the barrel which receives the breech-closing
arrangement, whereby points of holding between the stock and barrel are
formed.
Instead of wood my Invention also consists in fixing leather in the channel
of the stock to make up for the difference in diameter between the barrels of
large and smaller calibre, and to prevent the salts in the leather acting
injuriously upon the barrel I apply to it a coating of boiling wax. Again, for
the lining or filling of leather any similar supple material may be used, such
as caoutchouc, gutta percha, card and pasteboard, and the like.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said François Jules Manceaux, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun Manufacturer, 3
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said François Jules Manceaux, Her special licence that I, the said
François Jules Manceaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said François Jules Manceaux, my executors, adni-
nistrators, or 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, OR IN TRANSFORMING
ARMS OF LARGE CALIBRE INTO ARMS OF SMALLER CALIBRE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said François Jules Manceaux, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their bands 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 François Jules Manceaux, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
It is generally admitted that the range and precision of guns with barrels of
reduced calibre are far superior to those with barrels of large calibre, such as
has been hitherto adopted for the arms of soldiers. The expence to a nation
of changing the arms of its troops has greatly retarded the adoption of the
reduced calibre, and the chief object of my present Invention is to enable the
change to be effected at small cost.
My Invention consists, as hereafter set forth, in means of transforming
small arms of large calibre and muzzle-loading into arms of smaller or reduced
calibre, and either muzzle or breech-loading, preserving all the parts used in
the first manufacture of the gun without any other change than that of the
barrel.
I first cut out bars or strips of walnut or other wood similar to that of the
stock of the arm in which a. barrel of smaller calibre is to bo substituted for
the original and larger barrel, and round shape, and adjust theun in the

page_text: channel or groove in the stock for the reception of the barrel of reduced
calibre, so that they may exactly fill the place or channel occupied by the
original barrel. I gently heat the fore part of the stock and the wood filling
piece or pieces separately, and apply hot clear glue to the surfaces of both. I
then adjust the filling piece or picces in the channel, and keep them in close
contact by bands wound round them, by clasps or otherwise, and dry the glue
under gentle beat. When thoroughly set I cut out of or in the filling a
channel for the reception of a barrel of less calibre than that removed. I then
heat to redness the reduced calibre barrel and adjust it in the channel so that
it may bear on the bottom thereof, and so that the nipple on the new barrel
may present itself directly under the head of the hammer of the lock. I then
pass the breech screw through the tail of the barrel and into the stock. The
buckles and rings used for fastening the old barrel in the stock may be used
for the barrel of smaller calibre, but in order to adapt them to this barrel I
line them with iron to make up for the difference in the calibre. To complete
the adaptation of all the accessories of the larger to the smaller barrel I line
the socket of the bayonet with iron or steel, and instead of the barrel of
smaller calibre being muzzle-loading it may be breech-loading, in which case
the channel will have to be carried further back in the stock. In some cases
I dispense with the glued-in filling pieces and fill up the space resulting from
the difference in diameter of the barrels by giving to the barrel of smaller
calibre the same external diameter as that of the barrel of larger calibre. In
this case it is only necessary to make the lodgment for the rear of the barrel
in the stock, and to substitute in some cases a longer hammer for the lock
than that used with the first barrel. In order to prevent the breaking down
of the partition separating the lock from the barrel, I find it advisable to
reduce the diameter of that part of the barrel which receives the breech-
closing arrangement, whereby points of holding between the stock and barrel
are formed.
Instead of wood my Invention also consists in fixing leather in the channel
of the stock to make up for the difference in diameter between the barrels of
large and smaller calibre, and to prevent the salts in the leather acting
injuriously upon the barrel, I apply to it a coating of boiling wax. Again,
instead of the lining or filling of leather any similar supple material may
be used, such as caoutchouc, gutta percha, card and pasteboard, and the
like.
Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying Drawings are views of a muzzle-
loading gun, with a barrel of large calibre; and Figures 1 is to 7 bis are corre-
sponding views, shewing the same transformed according to my Invention into

page_text: a breech-loading gun with a barrel of smaller calibre; Figures 1 and 1bs are
views of the right side of part of the gun; the red line in Figure 1 indicates
the quantity of wood to be removed from the stock to transform the gun into a
gun with a barrel of smaller calibre; Figures 2 and 2bs are transverse sections
through a point immediately behind the rear end of the barrel; Figures 3 and
3bs are transverse sections taken at the lower band; Figures 4 and 4b, trans-
verse sections at the middle band; Figures 5 and 5b, transverse sections at the
upper band; Figures 6 and 6, sections of the bands; Figures 7 and 7bt are
longitudinal sections of the rear of the barrel set in the stock; Figures 8 and 9
are respectively a longitudinal and a transverse section showing the back part
of the wooden filling-in piece fitted in the channel of the stock; Figures 10
and 11 are respectively a longitudinal and a transverse section of the socket of
the bayonet for the barrel of large calibre; and Figures 10 bis and 11 bis are
corresponding views of the same when altered to fit the muzzle of the barrel
of smaller calibre; Figure 12 is a longitudinal elevation, and Figure 13 a
transverse section through the line A, B, of Figure 12, of the hinder part of
the barrel; the black line represents the barrel of larger calibre, and the red
line the barrel of smaller calibre.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim transforming
small arms with barrels of large calibre and muzzle-loading into arms with
barrels of smaller or reduced calibre, and either muzzle or breech-loading,
substantially by the means and in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Jules Manceaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.