IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Plews, of Number 3, Bucklersbury, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Plews at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd January
1867.
I, JOHN PLEWS, of Number 3, Bucklersbury, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "INPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in forming at the breech of the piece a separate
chamber to contain the cartridge or charge, which chamber shall move on
axes transverse to the axis of the barrel, enabling it to be thrown open by a
simple circular motion for the purpose of charging, and by reversing the motion
to bring the charge in direct line with the barrel, and close and securely lock
the chamber in that position; the nose or face of the chamber which closes
against the barrel may be of any form which will permit of the rotation of the
chamber on the axes, and secure the closest contact of the meeting surfaces of
the chamber and barrel; the axes are formed of circular discs or plates fitted
to the chamber, and working in the head piece forming the union between the
barrel and stock; the chamber is moved by a lever fitted upon the chamber
piece itself, or upon the disc pieces according to the weapon to which it is to

page_text: be applied. The modes of percussion and ignition of the cartridge may be
any of those now in use for similar description of breech-loading arms and
cartridges, but I prefer the direct action of the needle as shewn in the plan
annexed. The action of this improved fire-arm when required to be loaded is
to put the doghead on the half-cock, and then to pull back the trigger guard,
which releases the chamber and pushing the lever forward, then the cartridge
is inserted underneath, the lever is drawn towards the trigger guard, which
brings the charge in a line with the axis of the barrel, and is secured in that
position by two sliding bolts, and by drawing back the doghead to the full-cock,
and pulling the trigger the piece is fired; and then to reload the doghead is
to be put on the half-cock, the trigger guard pulled back which releases the
chamber, the lever is forced forward acting upon the extractor which draws
out the cartridge when it is pulled out with the fingers, and then a fresh
cartridge is inserted. The chamber may be so applied as to be used or filled
from the top or either side, or at any angle with the axis of the barrel, and I
do not therefore restrict myself to the vertical arrangement described in the
plan, but claim any application or user of a chamber rotating on the principle
disclosed by the description above given.
These improvements are to be applied to all fire-arms, rifles, guns, carbines,
pistols, and cannon of every description.
The plan and sections herewith filed sufficiently describe my said improve-
ments as applied to small arms.
:SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Plews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July
1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PLEWS, of Number 3, Bucklersbury, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Plews, Her special licence that I, the said John Plews, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Plews,
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

page_text: 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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS AND ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Plews, 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 John Plews, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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:
These improvements consist in forming at the breech of the piece a separate
chamber to contain the cartridge or charge, which chamber shall move on
axes transverse to the axis of the barrel, enabling it to be thrown open by a
simple circular motion for the purpose of charging, and by reversing the motion
to bring the charge in direct line with the barrel, and close and securely lock
the chamber in that position; the nose or face of the chamber which closes
against the barrel may be of any form which will permit of the rotation of the
chamber on the axes, and secure the closest contact of the meeting surfaces of
the chamber and barrel; the axes are formed of circular discs or plates
fitted to the chamber, and working in the bead piece forming the union
between the barrel and stock; the chamber is moved by a lever fitted
upon the chamber piece itself, or upon the disc pieces according to the
weapon to which it is to be applied. The modes of percussion and ignition
of the cartridge may be any of those now in use for similar description of
breech-loading arms and cartridges, but I prefer the direct action of the needle,
as shewn in the plan annexed. The action of this improved fire-arm when
required to be loaded is to put the doghead on the half-cock, and then to pull
back the trigger guard, which releases the chamber, and pushing the lever
forward, then the cartridge is inserted underneath, the lever is drawn towards
the trigger guard, which brings the charge in a line with the axis of the barrel,
and is secured in that position by two sliding bolts, and by drawing back the
doghead to the full-cock and pulling the trigger the piece is fired; and then
to reload the doghead is to be put on the half-cock, the trigger guard pulled
back which releases the chamber, the lever is forced forward acting upon the
extractor, which draws out the cartridge when it is pulled out with the fingers,

page_text: and then a fresh cartridge is inserted. The chamber may be so applied as to
be used or filled from the top or either side, or at any angle with the axis of
the barrel, and I do not therefore restrict myself to the vertical arrangement
described in the plan, but claim any application or user of a chamber rotating
on the principle disclosed by the description above given.
This improvement is to be applied to all fire-arms, rifles, guns, carbines,
pistols, and cannon of every description.
The plan and sections herewith filed sufficiently describe my said improve-
ment as applied to small arms.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Plews, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand.
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the above-named John Plews,
in the presence of
RICH PLEWS,
Solicitor,
31, Mark Lane,
JOHN PLEWS. (L.S.)
London.