IMPROVEMENTS IN FIREARMS
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I.
SAMUEL COLT, of Trafalgar Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, seid greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain,
bearing date at Westminster, the Twentieth day of June, in the twelfth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Samuel Colt, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Samuel Colt, my exors,
adiiors; and assigns, and such others as I; the said Samuel Colt, my
exors, admiors, 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 mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and
in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the
Islands of Jersey, Guernsey Alderney, Sark, and Man, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIREARMS," in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso, obliging me, the said Samuel Colt, by an instrument
in writing under my hand.and.seal, particularly to describe and ascer-
tain the nature of my said- Invention; and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, and to cause the same inrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of 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 at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Samuel Colt, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
My Invention of "Improvements in fire-arms" consists in certain
improvements upon that construction of guns and pistols which has a
cylindrical revolving breech piece provided with a series of parallel
chambers for containing a series of charges, which charges, by the revo-
lution of the breech upon its shaft, may be successively brought into a
line with the bore of the barrel and be severally discharged through the
same. In the accompanying Drawing my improvements are shewn as
applied to this construction of fire-arms, which formed the subject of a
Patent granted to me in England on the Twenty-second day of October,
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five. Sheet I of these
Drawings represents my improvements as applied to pistols; and Sheet
II. represents a rifle, carbine, musket, or shot gun with my improve-
ments attached. Fig. 1, Sheet I., shews my improved pistol in side
view Fig. 2, is a side view, showing the lock frame and recoil shield
in section; and Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section taken through the
middle of the breech and barrel. a, is the breech containing six
chambers, more or less, as shewn in the end view Fig. 4; in the
back of each of which a nipple is fitted (as shewn in end view at Fig. 5,
and in section at Fig. 3.) to receive a percussion cap for firing the
charge. This breech is supported by and is capable of turning on a
spindle or arbor b, which is welded or fastened to and forms one
piece with the recoil shield c, it being in a line parallel to the axis of
the barrel. The shield is itself a continuation of the lock frame c, the
whole being formed out of one solid piece of metal. By referring to

page_text: the longitudinal section Figures 2, and 3 and to the cross section Fig. 6,
the peculiar construction of this lock frame and shield will be readily
understood. The shield c, stands up at right angles to the frame c,
and forms a round head (somewhat like a bolt head) to its shaft b. The
upper part of the shield is recessed to receive the hammer d, when it is
thrown forward to effect the discharge of the pistol, and a recess is also
made in the piece of metal which constitutes the lock frame and shield
(see Fig. 2,) to receive the parts which respectively revolve the breech
to bring round the charges in a line with the barrel c, and lock the
breech to the frame for the purpose of insuring that the charges shall
be in a line with the barrel before the firing takes place. When the
pistol is on half cock or in the position shewn at Fig. 3, the breech is
free to turn round on its arbor in the direction of the arrow, Figures 1
and 2. It may then be loaded and primed with facility without being
removed from its place as was formerly requisite in charging this con-
struction of revolving breech fire-arins, a free space being left in front
of the mouths of the chambers, as will be seen by referring to the end
view of this breech, Fig. 4, which shews the sectional area of the barre
and its appendages in red lines. The barrel e, is supported in its place
by the end of the spindle b, fitting into a socket in a bracket piece
forming one with the barrel, as shewn best at Fig. 3; against the end
of this socket the spindle is made to abut, and thus to determine the
exact position of the barrel with respect to the face of the revolving
breech. To keep the barrel secure in its place a key f, is introduced
through slots in the bracket or projecting piece of the barrel, and through
the spindle b, its upper edge acting on the forward end of the slot in the
spindle, and its lower edge acting upon the lower end of the slots in the
bracket of the barrel; the effect of which is to draw the barrel towards
the cylinder breech and lock frame as the key is pressed in, and pins
projecting from the end of the lock frame enter corresponding recesses
in the bracket piece of the barrel. The key f, has a spring catch which
rises when the key is forced "home," and by its turned up end coming
in contact with the edge of the slot through which it has been passed
it will prevent the key from getting loose and shaking out of its place
by the concussion of the firing. This object is further ensured by the

page_text: insertion in the barrel piece of the screw 1, the head of which would
come in contact with the turned up end of the catch if it had escaped
pass the edge of the slot, and prevent it from dropping or even being
drawn out this screw must therefore be removed before the key can
be displaced. Jointed to the bracket part of the barrel by a pin 2, is a
lever g, which is kept up in a position parallel to the barrel by a spring
catch at its other end, taking into a catch on the lower side of the
barrel. To this lever a plunger h, is connected by a pin 3, taking into a
slot on the outer end of the plunger. The inner end of the plunger slides
in a guide made for it in the bracket piece of the barrel. This plunger is
intended to act as a rainrod, and to drive the bullets or cartridges into the
several chambers of the breech consecutively as they are brought in a line
with the plunger. To effect this the catch or the lever, I' is disengaged,
and the lever is brought into the position shown by dots in Fig. 2; the
plunger is thereby driven forwards and made to ram the bullet (which
has been previously inserted in the end of the chamber now brought in a
line with the plunger) down into its proper place in the chamber. The
plunger is then drawn back, and the next succeeding chamber brought
in a line therewith, when the lever g, is again brought into the dotted
position to thrust the plunger forward and ram down another charge,
and thus successively all the charges are acted upon. By referring to
the Drawing Fig. 3, it will be seen that the mouths of the chambers and
the inner end of the barrel are chamfered at their edges. This bevelling
of the edges of the chambers is to prevent the lateral discharge between
the breech and the barrel (which discharge is consequent upon the con-
struction of fire-arms to which my improvements refer) from igniting
the powder in the other loaded chambers; for the ignited matter, by
coming into contact with the bevelled edge as it crosses the mouths of the
chambers, will be deflected outward and effectually thrown off, and be
prevented from reaching the powder in the chambers. The bevelling
of the end of the barrel is intended to prevent its cutting the ball in
its passage from the chamber. At Figures 6, and 7, it will be seen
that a hollow is made in one side of the shield c; the object of this
is to expose the ends of the nipples as the breech is revolved, and thus
to allow of the percussion caps being readily placed thereon.

page_text: I will now describe the arrangements of the various parts for rotating
and locking the breech, and for discharging the pistol, in order that
the construction of the pistol may be the better understood. The
hammer d, turns on a pin 4, in the lock frame c, and it is provided
with stops or catches for the end of the trigger to abut against, as usual,
and hold it at whole or half cock, as required. To the hammer is
jointed a hand catch i, with the spring k, attached, (see Fig. 2,) which
is pressed forward into contact with ratchet teeth formed on the end
of the breech, and allows the hand to recede for passing below a second
tooth of the ratchet. I, is a rocking lever, supported by a pin in the
lock frame c, and carrying at one end a bolt which is intended to enter
at certain times into the recesses 5, 5, in the periphery of the breech,
a bearing spring m, (see Fig. 3,) giving it always a tendency to rise
for that purpose. The other end of this lever is made thin so as to be
capable of yielding laterally and recovering its position, thus allowing
a stud 6, which projects from the hammer and has a chamfered or
bevelled face, to pass the lever without disturbing the position of the
bolt end when the hammer moves forward to fire the charge; and yet,
when the hammer is drawn back, to present an obstruction to the stud
6, and be thereby tipped into the position shewn at Fig. 3, which
movement will unlock the breech. As long as the hammer remains
at half cock, the breech will be free to turn upon its spindle for the
purpose of being loaded; but when the stud has passed the end of the
lever, the spring m will again force the bolt of the lever into its original
or locking position. The action of drawing back the hammer to its
farthest extent (the bolt being first relieved) will raise the band catch i,
which being brought in contact with a ratchet tooth on the breech
will turn the breech round in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, to the
extent of one tooth, and thus bring up a loaded chamber in a line with
the barrel; and in succession the act of cocking will bring all the loaded
chambers in like manner round in a line with the barrel and hammer
to be discharged. In order to insure the insertion of the bolt of the
lever 7, into, the recesses 5, 5, as they severally come round, and thereby
to hold the breech firmly while the discharge takes place, I form a
shallow channel or guide up to the edge of cach, as shewn in the raw-

page_text: ings, which will make the bolt feel its way to the recess and enter
it more certainly than if it were required to fall into the recess suddenly.
To prevent the fouling of the spindle and breech, I form upon the
spindle a helical groove (as shewn at Fig. 3), the edges of, which will
more effectually prevent the smoke from passing between the breech
and spindle than if the whole, periphery of the spindle were in contact
with the breech; and at the same, time these edges will, as the breech
is rotated, scrape off any matters that may have become deposited in
the central bore of the breech, and deposit it in the grooves. By this
means the contact surfaces will be kept clean, and the breech, which
would otherwise foul after a few discharges and become fixed, will be
free to turn on its spindle. for a long period without requiring any
cleaning...
:.
In Sheet II., Fig. 1, is a side view; .and. Fig. 2, a plan view of a
rifle, carbine, musket, or shot gun, with revolving breech. As the
several improvements before described with reference to the pistol are
equally applicable to guns for military and sporting purposes, I shall
confine my further description to the modified arrangement of apparatus
for ramming down the charges. In this instance, instead of the
plunger being applied below the barrel it is attached to the side thereof.
a, is a bracket projecting from the side of the barrel, and to it the lever
b, is jointed by a pin 1; c, is the plunger, having at about the middle
of its length a joint 2; it is forked at one end, and embraces the lever
b. to which it is jointed by a pin 3 the cylindrical end of the plunger
works between guide pins 4, 4, on the barrel; d, is a spring catch
rivetted to the plunger c, and capable, when the lever b is laid parallel
with the barrel, of taking in a notch cut in the bracket a. By means
of this spring the ramming apparatus, when not required to be used, is
retained in the position shewn at Fig. 1; but, by drawing the lever b,
into the position shewn at Fig. 2, the catch will be immediately dis-
engaged from the notch.
Having now described my several improvements upon fire-arms
aving breeches which revolve on a spindle parallel to the barrel,: I
vish it to be understood that I claim,-..
,
First, making the lock frame and recoil shield in one and the same s

page_text: piece, wherchy all possibility of the parts getting loose after repeated
discharges is prevented.
Secondly, the general arrangement of the lock and apparatus for
turning and locking the rotating cylinder breech.
Thirdly, the general arrangement of the parts whereby the operations
of loading and priming may be effected without disconnecting the.
breech, as was heretofore requisite.
Fourthly, the application to guns and pistols of the lever apparatus
for ramming down the charges into the several chambers with great
expedition and effect, the same being a substitute for the loose ramrod.
Fifthly, the chamfering the mouths of the chambers and the inner
end of the barrel; also the grooving of the periphery of the breech
spindle; likewise the making sunk guides to the locking recesses on
the periphery of the breech; and, further, the means of insuring the
proper position of the barrel with respect to the face of the breech; all
for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Colt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
SAMUEL (L.S.) COLT.
Taken and acknowledged by Samuel Colt (party
hereto), at Paris, in the Republic of France, the
Twenty-seventh day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-nine, before me,
(i.s.)
THOMAS PICKFORD,
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Paris.
Enrolled the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord