IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MOSES POOLE, of Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gen-
tleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of October, in the fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Moses Poole, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Moses Poole, my. exors, admors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Moses Poole, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," communicated to me by a certain
foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, that I, the said Moses Poole, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of

page_text: Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Moses Poole, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):
The improvements relate to that description of fire-arms to which
are applied revolving breeches which contain a series of small barrels,
according to the number of charges required, which small barrels are
successively brought into a line with the main barrel of the gun; and
the improvements consist in the means of arranging the different parts
by which I am enabled to cause by the act of drawing the trigger and
afterwards withdrawing the pressure therefrom, to recock the gun, and
the different small barrels of the breach to revolve, and the nipple be
brought under the cock to be successively discharged, as will be more
fully described; and the Invention also consists in a mode of arranging
the parts of the lock of guns, having revolving breeches applied
thereto, so as to dispense with the cock or hammer by bringing a
moveable stop in such position that as the breech revolves the nipple
of each small barrel, on which is placed the cap, will be brought in
contact with it and explode, and thus discharge the gun, the action of
which will be clearly seen in the Drawing. The advantage of such an
arrangement will be, that when the breech is loaded the gun may be
discharged any number of times (depending upon the number of small
barrels in the breech) without removing the gun from the shoulder,
which in sporting will be of great benefit.
I will first describe the part of the Drawing which relates to the
mode of dispensing with the cock or hammer..
Figure 1, is a side view of part of a gun, shewing some of the parts;
and Figure 2, is an end view of the revolving breech, shewing the
position of the nipples in relation to the barrel and the stop against
which they strike. In these Figures the same letters indicate the

page_text: same parts. A, is, the revolving breech; B; the nipple; C, the move-
able stop which receives the blow of the nipple; it moves upon an
áxis C'; D, is a link connecting the collar E, with the stop C; E, is
the, collar attached to the barrel G; but which does not prevent. its
turning; G, G, is the barrel or case containing a spiral spring; H; is a
spring which brings back the mechanism to the position shewn in
the Drawing when by the action of the trigger it has been pushed
forward; I, is a wheel having an equal number of teeth to the number
of the small barrels of the revolving breech; this wheel prevents the
barrel, G, from turning, being always connected with it; K, is a stop
piece which prevents the whole mechanism from turning; L, is a small
spring which keeps the stop K, in a proper position for preventing the
wheel. I, from turning in that way which would unrol the spiral spring
contained in the barrel G, but which permits the wheel, to turn in the
contrary way, in order that the stop K should act to prevent the spiral
spring from being drawn back.
The manner in which the whole system acts is as follows:-When
the trigger is pulled the barrel G is pushed forwards, and conse-
quently the collar E, which, by means of the connecting piece D,
turns the stop C, and places it over the nipple, where it' receives, the
shock when the barrel turns round, which takes place when the wheel
I, has advanced sufficiently far to escape the stop K, and the fire-arin
will then be discharged; and by letting go the trigger the whole of the.
mechanism will be brought back to its position by the spring H, which
during the previous action was compressed, and the gun will be ready
to be again discharged. It will be evident that the spring will not
unrol more than one fifth or, one sixth of a turn for each time the gun
is fired, according to the number that it is made for, either five or six.
I will now describe an arrangement where a cock is used for striking
against the nipple. Figures 3, and 4, shew views of a part of a fire-
arm. A, is the plate to which the lock is fixed;. B; is the cock; C, is
a lever connected to the cock, which lever has joined to it ᎥᎿ . cleat D,
which acts on a wheel and a tail piece E; upon which acts the spring,G;
E; is the bearing of the lever; G, is a spring which raises the cock after
the gun has been discharged; II, is the barrel or case containing the

page_text: spiral spring; I, is a wheel fixed to the barrel H, which prevents its
turning; K, is a stop which prevents the wheel I, from turning; conse-
quently the whole of the mechanism; I, is a small spring for the
same purpose
as that described in Figure 1; M, is the spring for
bringing back the mechanism to its primitive position after the gun
fired; N, is a stop which limits the course of the lever C, and conse-
quently the rise of the cock.
is
In pressing upon the trigger the barrel will advance and carry with
it the wheel I, which, as soon as it has passed the stop K, will be
free. It turns in drawing the cleat D of the lever C, in front of which
it is placed, and consequently lets the cock fall upon the nipple, which
The same
is so placed to receive the blow, and so discharges the gun.
movement of the spiral spring turns the and causes the cock to
descend upon the nipple; the spring will thence force back the wheel
I, which takes into the stop K; at the same time it releases the cleat
D of the lever C, which will then be free on the spring G, will bring
it back into the position shown in the Drawings, ready to be again
discharged. In this arrangement the spiral spring only unrols one
fourth, or one fifth, or one sixth, according to the number of times the
fire-arm is to be discharged. To draw up the spiral spring of the
barrel it is only necessary, to take the revolving breech, either with
the hand or with a key, and to turn it in the proper way, the stop K,
not interfering with the movement of the wheel I.
Figures 5, 6, and 7, shew another arrangement, in which the same
letters indicate the same parts in these Figures. In this arrange-
ment the spiral spring causes the cock to descend, then turns the
revolving breech, and then to raise the cock. A, shews the sides
of the case which encloses the lock; and B, is the plate; C, the cock;
D, the barrel which contains the spirál spring; E, is a wheel, at
all times fixed to the barrel, and which actuates the cock and causes
it to descend; F, is a wheel to raise it again after the gun is dis-
charged, and also to turn the revolving breech to which it commu-
nicates its motion; this wheel can turn independently of the barrel
D; the spiral spring communicates its motion by means of a catch,
shewn in Drawing, Figure 14, upon which it is fixed at one of its

page_text: ends; G, is the spring which brings back the machinery into the
position shewn before the discharge takes place; H, is the trigger, one
end of which has a small friction wheel which presses against the barrel:
containing the spiral spring; there is a small notch I, in the trigger,.
into which the end of the sliding piece K passes, in order to fix the.
trigger and prevent it being pulled whilst the spring of the barrel:
D, is being drawn or wound up; L, is a spring for the purpose of
drawing back this sliding piece when it is required to pull the trigger;:
M, is a lever affixed to the axis of the cock, to which is attached a
tongue piece. N, against which successively strikes the wheels E, and
F, in order to lower and raise the cock; O, is a stop piece which
prevents the cock from being raised too high, and prevents the wheels
N, from turning in the way which would raise the cock, but does not.
prevent its turning the other way the distance required; and when in.
this position the trigger may be securely fixed by passing the sliding
piece K, into the notch of it; P, is a spring to bring back the stop O,
into the position shewn in the Drawing; Q, is a screw to regulate the
position of the piece O; R, is a bridle or cross piece; S, is another
stop to prevent the wheel E, from turning when the mechanism is in
the position shewn in the Drawing. In pressing upon the trigger
motion will be given to the spring barrel, and thence to the wheels E,
and F; the wheel F, will let go the stop N, and rest upon the stop
O; at the same time the wheel E, will quit the stop S, and lay hold of
the stop N, and thus acts upon the cock by letting go of the trigger;
the spring G will force back the mechanism, and the wheel E will let
go from the stop N, and descend to the stop S. To draw up again'
the spiral spring the wheels E, and F, are pushed forward by means
of the trigger, so far that the wheel F, would let go of the stop N
before the wheel E had let go the stop S; the mechanism should then
be retained in this position by sliding the piece K, into the notch in
the trigger; then the arrangement of the stop O, allows the wheel to
be turned in the way, which draws up the spring, as in the preceding
Figures, by turning the revolving breech, either by hand or by a key.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, show another arrangement, where, as in the before
described. Figures, the cock and the small barrels of the revolving

page_text: breech are successively released and the cock again raised. The same
letters are used for similar parts. A, is the case which encloses the
whole of the mechanism; B, is the revolving brecch; which may con-
tain as many bores or barrels as may be required; C, are the nipples
on which the caps are placed; D, is the case or barrel containing the
spiral spring; E, is the wheel which acts against the cock to let it
down; and F, the wheel which raises it again; G, is a spring for the
same object as the one previously described; H, is the plate of the
lock; I, is the cock; K, is a lever to the cock; L, the counter lever,
which is connected to it by means of a pin, and receives its movement
from it, and which pin-slides in the groove N, which carries the counter
lever L, at the end; O, is a hinge, in order that the wheel F, may not
be prevented from. turning when it is desired to draw up the spiral
spring; P, is a small spring to keep the piece O, in a suitable position;
Q, is a stop which prevents the wheel F, from turning after it has
quitted the stop of the counter lever; R, is a stop which prevents the
wheel E, from turning after it has quitted the lever K; T, T, is the
trigger, which communicates motion to the case or barrel containing
the spiral spring; U, is a hook which acts upon the trigger for, the
same object as the sliding piece K, described in the Figures 5, and 6;
V, is a spring, one end of which is connected to the trigger and the
other to the lever K; of the cock, which greatly assists in discharging
the gun when pulling the trigger; the mode of action is similar to that
described in the previous Figures, and the spring is drawn up in the
same manner as before explained. a, is the barrel; b, is a band of iron
placed over the whole length of the barrel, and which serves to connect
the barrel to the box; c, is a screw which fixes the end of the band of
iron to the box; d, is a shaft at the under side of the main barrel, which
serves as the axis of the spiral case, the wheels E and F, and the
revolving breech; e, is a screw which connects this shaft d, to the main
barrel.
.
Figures 11; and 12, show. how the collar X. (upon which is fixed
the wheel F) communicates motion to the revolving breech. On this
revolving breech is a small collar Y, in the side of which is a groove,
into which works a tenon Z, within the collar X; by this arrangement

page_text: the collar X, and consequently the wheel F, cannot turn without also
turning the revolving breech.
The arrangement in Figure 13, shows that the, spiral spring only
raises the cock and turns the breech, and a large spring placed over the
spiral spring releases the cock and discharges the gun:. A, is the lever
in connection with the cock, having two claws; against one the large
spring B acts, and releases the cock; and against the other claw the
wheel C acts, to raise up the cock and draw back the large spring; D,
is a stop against which the wheel C, rests when it has quitted the lever
A. In order that this stop should not prevent the, spiral spring from.
drawing back it is fixed upon a small rod with a hinge, as shewn at.
the end F, having a guide piece G; H, is the case containing the.
spiral spring; I, a stop to prevent this case from turning; K,.is.a.
shaft or axis to which is fixed one of the ends of the spiral spring, and.
which transmits the movement to the wheel C; IL, is a spring, for the
same object as described in the previous Figures. M, is a small spring
which keeps the rod E, and the stop D, in a proper position. The
action of this arrangement is the same as that previously described.
I would remark that the arrangement which I have found best to
answer in operation is that described in Figures 7, and 8.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I lay no claim
to the application of revolving breeches to fire-arms, they having been
before used; nor do I confine myself to the precise details herein
given, so long as the character of the Invention be retained. I would
have it understood that what I claim as the Invention communicated
to me, is,-
First, the mode of constructing fire-arms with revolving breeches in
such manner that the act of pulling the trigger will discharge the
gun, and by withdrawing the pressure therefrom the breech will
revolve and bring up a fresh barrel to be discharged, the other parts
returning to their original position, as herein described at Figures 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
And, secondly, in the mode of constructing fire-arms with revolving
breeches applied thereto in such manner as to dispense with the cock

page_text: or hammer, by bringing each nipple, having a cap thereon, successively
in contact with a moveable stop, which will explode the cap and so
discharge the gun, as herein described at Figures 1, 2, and 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
Inrolled the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.