IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- PHOTO OF RESSO LOADING ORDNANCE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eli Walker, of Westmoreland Street, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
PHOTO OF RESSO LOADING ORDNANCE"
Sealed the 2nd June 1868, and dated the 4th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eli Walker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th December
1867.
I, ELI WALKER, of Westmoreland Street, Pimlico, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of breech-loading ordnance, the object being to effect a great
rapidity of fire by means of a novel revolving action.
The improvements consist in the application of a horizontal rotating or
revolving series of chambers, say eight or other number to a fixed barrel, the
chambers and barrel being rifled or smooth bored as required, or the chambers
being smooth bored and the barrel rifled. The rotating chambers are adjusted
to the barrel by means of two horizontal arms extending from the rear of the
barrel, through. which a vertical central axis is passed traversing the boss cut
through the centre of the rotating chambers, which consequently take their
bearing from such axis and between the horizontal arms, the lower arm is
fixed to a suitable block having trunnions at each side for attachment to a
gun carriage, and the axis descends within this block in which a space is cut
at the rear for the reception of two levers one above the other, the lower

page_text: lever is fixed to the stem of the vertical shaft and turns the same from left to
right. Now the vertical axis is an excentric in its section and acts as a cam
to cause the chambers to approach or recede from the fixed barrel, the ends
of the chambers and the surface of the breech end of the barrel forming arcs
of circles taken from the centre of the axis of the vertical shaft; at the top of
the axis is a horizontal cam which acts on the short end of a hammer, and
forces the hammer head upwards against the action of a mainspring, a hole
is cut in the upper arm from the barrel to admit
from the barrel to admit the falling of the
hammer head on to the nipple of the rotating chamber which is in line with
the barrel, and on which a cap is placed, when by pulling a trigger the chamber
is discharged, and a second or further series of chambers are brought in line
by means of a second horizontal lever above the former and which works
loosely on the axis, this lever has a projection on its surface which gears into
a recess in each under surface of the chambers and brings a new one into line
with the fixed barrel, and also holds them in position for firing; a stop may
be applied to secure the lever in position.
By these arrangements one set of chambers can be discharged and the
process of loading carried on at the same time with those chambers previously
discharged.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Eli Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELI-
WALKER, of Westmoreland Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Eli Walker, Her special licence that I, the said Eli Walker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Eli Walker, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Eli Walker, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Eli Walker, 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:
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of breech-loading ordnance, the object being to effect a great
rapidity of fire by means of a novel revolving or rotating action of the breech.
The improvements consist in the application of a horizontal rotating or
revolving series of chambers, say six, eight, or other number to a fixed barrel,
the chambers and barrel being rifled or smooth bored as required, or the chambers
being smooth bored and the barrel rifled. The rotating chambers are adjusted to
the barrel by means of two horizontal arms or plates extending from the rear
of the barrel, through which a vertical central axis is passed traversing the
boss cut through the centre of the rotating chambers, which consequently take
their bearing from such axis and between the horizontal arms.
The lever
arm is fixed to a suitable block having trunnions at each side for attachment
t a gun carriage, and the axis descends within the block in which a space is
cut at the rear for the reception of two levers one above the other; the lower
lever is fixed to the stem of the vertical shaft and turns the saine from left to
right, or vice versa. The vertical axis is an excentric in its section and acts as
a cam to cause the chambers to approach or recede from the fixed barrel,
the ends of the chambers and the surface of the breech end of the barrel
forming arcs of circles taken from the centre of the axis of the vertical shaft.
At the top of the axis is a horizontal cam which acts on the short end of a
hammer and forces the hammer head upwards against the action of a main-
spring. A hole is cut in the upper arm from the barrel to admit the falling of the
bammer head on to the nipple of the rotating chamber which is in line with the
barrel, and on which a cap is placed, when by pulling a trigger the chamber
is discharged, and a second or further series of chambers are brought in liue by
means of a second horizontal lever above the former and which works loosely on
the axis, this lever has a projection on its surface which gears into a recess in
each under surface of the chambers and brings a new one into line with the

page_text: fixed barrel and also holds them in position for firing; a stop may be applied
to secure the lever in position. Or instead of two levers I may employ one
attached to the vertical excentric for the purpose of turning the excentric a
short distance so as to force up and tighten the breech against the fixed barrel,
the longitudinal strain or thrust from the discharge will have no power to alter
the position of the excentric, but for better security I attach to the lever a
screw and plug working in a bearing, so that the plug can enter a recess in
the under plate carrying the rotating chambers. In these examples the
chambers may be turned by hand, other means of discharging the barrels
may be adopted than by percussion caps and nipples, fuses may be used.
In order that my said Invention may be perfectly understood I annex the
accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a plau view of the gun,
and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section, similar letters denoting corre
sponding parts. This gun is worked by the method last described, viz., by
one lever attached to the vertical excentric axis, whereby the rotating
chambers are driven or jammed up to the fixed barrel ready for firing, and are
withdrawn respectively for the succeeding chamber to be turned- towards the
line of the barrel.
a, a, represent the top and under plate in connection with the fixed
barrel b, and c, c, are the revolving or rotating chambers, six of which are
shewn; these rotate around the excentric shaft d as described; e is the handle
or lever for controlling the vertical excentric f; and g is the screw plug for
securing the lever and excentric f during the discharge of each chamber;
h is a conical aperture cut in the top plate a, under which the touch-hole of
each chamber is brought by the action of the excentric ready for discharge, or
if nipples and percussion caps are employed a bammer in connection with a
gun lock can be attached to the plate and the gun discharged accordingly.
Or a lever hammer actuated by a spring may be applied to the plate to fall
on a Lefaucheaux cartridge detonating tube, the striker being kept up by the
spring and actuated by the descent of a hammer on the striker, or by a handle,
and by manual power. In the surface of the under plate a the vertical
pin is set in a bearing and kept protruding by a spring, the circular section
of each chamber passing over the pin forces the same down to the level of
the plate, and when the chamber has passed across the pin it springs up, and
the chamber being then slightly moved towards the pin the vertical or
angular edge of the chamber bears against the pin, and the excentric
being turned the chamber will be driven exactly into line with the fixed
barrel.
I also in some cases apply a coating or washer of galvanite packing to the

page_text: muzzle of the chambers, whereby I obtain a very effectual pressure and
tightening against the escape of gas between the chambers and the fixed
barrel, the thrust or pressure between the galvanite and the metallic surfaces
being one of compression at its greatest strain instead of torsion, so that there
is no liability of its displacement, a slight depression or receptacle being cut
in the rear of the fixed barrel for the reception of the galvanite, thereby
effecting a complete tight joint and preventing all escape of gas. By these
means the shock of the discharge is materially lessened and the consequent
strain on the working parts reduced.
The elevating apparatus is shewn beneath the gun and requires no special
description. I also employ a shield applied to the fixed barrel to protect the
gunners, this consists of a strong disc of metal set on a boss which is tightened
to the barrel by bolts and nuts.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I do not limit inyself to the precise details and configuration of parts I have
expressed and shewn as the same may be modified without altering the principle
of the Invention; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of breech-loading
ordnance by the application to a fixed barrel of a series of horizontal rotating
chambers turned either by manual power or by a lever and tightened or
jammed against and in line with the fixed barrel ready for discharge by means
of a vertical excentric axis operated by a lever, and released from such barrel
after discharge by the same means substantially as herein specified and partly
shewn by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eli Walker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
ELI WALKER. (L.S.)