AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RIPLING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur John Adams, of Devonport, in the County of
Devon, Naval Outfitter, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
RIPLING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 2nd December 1862, and dated the 7th June 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur John Adams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th June 1862. \
I, ARTHUR JOHN ADAMS, of Devonport, in the County of Devon, Naval
Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OR RIFLING FIRE-ARMs," to be as follows:-
I propose to rifle fire-arms in a combination of two distinct groovings or
riflings. It being impossible to set forth the principle without illustration, I
annex a Diagram shewing cross section of a barrel rifled according to my
Invention, and I propose to rifle the barrels or tubes of fire-arms of every
description on this principle.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Arthur John Adams, Her special licence that I, the said Arthur John Adams,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Arthur
John Adams, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF RIFLING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Arthur John Adams, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 calendár months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Arthur John Adams, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto annexed,
and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters
of reference placed thereon:-
The object.of my Invention is to reduce the windage and at the same time
get a larger missile or projectile into the bore of a fire-arm of any calibre, and
I effect this object by a combination of ratchet wheel or eccentric grooves
with rounded angles, and of angular grooves in the "lands," sometimes modi-
fying the same combination by rounding all the angles. As will be seen on
reference to the Drawing, my rifling can be reduced to as near a circle as
possible, also that the number of grooves is variable (usually ranging from four
to ten of each).
I have shewn in the Drawing five Diagrams illustrative of my improved
method of rifling fire-arms, Figure 1 being an end view of the barrel of a
fire-arm, shewing the improved system of rifling and presenting a quadrilateral
figure; Figure 2, a sectional elevation of the same; Figure 3, an end view,
presenting a five-sided figure on the same system as Figure 1; Figure 4, an
end view, presenting a six-sided figure; and Figure 5, an end view of a
quadrilateral figure somewhat different to the foregoing figures.
Each of the

page_text: Figures being drawn to about three times the ordinary size of a rifle barrel, for
the purpose of more clearly exhibiting the various formation of the rifling,
similar letters of reference denoting corresponding parts at each of the Figures
respectively.
At Figures 1, 3, and 4, the grooves a, a, are cut in the form of a V, thus
forming "lands" b, b; the other portion of the twisted boring is eccentric or
in ratchet wheel with curve, as at c, c. At Figure 5 will be seen another
formation of the rifling, the grooves, "lands," and twisted bore being in one con-
tinuous series of curves, avoiding all sharp corners or edges, such as are shewn
at a, a, a, in the other Figures. The inner circle in all the Figures repre-
sents the diameter of the projectile (allowing for the relative proportion of the
Figures drawn to that of the rifle), the periphery thereof resting on the
lands b, b.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and shewn means
by which it may be carried into practical effect, I would repeat that I do not
confine my Invention to the rifling of "rifle" barrels, only as it may with
advantage be applied to fire-arms of any caliber. And I claim as of my
Invention the combination of eccentric or ratchet wheel grooves with rounded
angles and of angular or rounded grooves in the "lands," essentially as herein
described and shewn in the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur John Adams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ARTHUR JOHN ADAMS. (L.S.)