IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ramscar and John Gray Scott, of the City
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 14th May 1859, and dated the 19th November 1858.
by the said lliam Kamscar and
John Gray Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 19th November 1858.
We, WILLIAM RAMSCAR and JOHN GRAY SCOTT, of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
In
We bore or recess the breech end of the barrel so as to admit a metal case
for holding the charge or to admit any prepared cartridge, having its exterior
of the same size and shape as the metal case, which latter is furnished with a
nipple for percussion caps, and the cartridge with a pin communicating with
the explosive compound. The case or cartridge is kept in its place by a drop
lid turning upon a joint at the side, and held when required by a locker.
the said lid there is a moveable plug furnished with a spring, one end of the.
plug corresponding with the nipple or pin and the other with the hammer.
When the piece is at full cock and the drop lid pulled back, the case or car-
tridge can be placed in or withdrawn from the recess with great facility.
When the charged case with its nipple covered with a cap is placed in the
recess and the drop lid locked, the piece is then ready for firing, the hammer
striking the plug, which acts on the percussion cap or upon the pin when the
prepared cartridge is used instead of the case.

page_text: We also employ instead of the drop lid a sliding lid to keep the case or
cartridge in its place, the said lid being moved up and down, or to and fro, by
means of screw threads of any desired number or pitch.
In either of the aforesaid arrangements the loading can be accomplished
with great speed and facility, additional means of safety being at the same
time afforded, as the piece cannot be fired unless the lid is placed expressly for
the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Ramscar and John Gray Scott in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
RAMSCAR and JOHN GRAY SCOTT, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Ramscar and John Gray Scott, Her special licence that we, the
said William Ramscar and John Gray Scott, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Ramscar and John Gray Scott,
our 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 FIRE-ARMS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Ramscar
and John Gray Scott, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 we, the said William Ramscar and John Gray Scott,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say):-

page_text: We bore or recess the breech end of the barrel so as to admit a metal case
for holding the charge or to admit any prepared cartridge, having its exterior
of the same size-and shape as the metal case, which latter is furnished with a
nipple for percussion caps, and the cartridge with a pin communicating with
the explosive compound; or we make the breech of the same diameter as the
barrel without any recess, so that the cartridge may go with the charge.
The case or cartridge is kept in its place by a drop lid turning upon a joint at
the side, and held when required by a locker. In the said lid there is a
moveable plug furnished with a spring, one end of the plug corresponding
with the nipple or pin, and the other with the hammer.. We raise the lid by
hand, or cause. it to be acted upon by one or more springs, so that it may be
lifted immediately after the piece has been fired. When the piece is at full
cock and the drop lid pulled back, the case or cartridge can be placed in or
withdrawn from the recess with great facility. When the charged case with
its nipple covered with a cap is placed in the recess and the drop lid locked,
the piece is then ready for firing, the hammer striking the plug, which acts on
the percussion cap or upon the pin, when the prepared cartridge is used
instead of the case.
We also employ instead of the drop lid a sliding lid to keep the case or
cartridge in its place, the said lid being moved up and down or to and fro by
means of screw threads of any desired number or pitch.
In either of the aforesaid arrangements the loading can be accomplished
with great speed and facility, additional means of safety being at the same
time afforded, as the piece cannot be fired' unless the lid is placed expressly for
the purpose.
These improvements will be clearly understood, by referring to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, with the letters of reference thereon.
Fig. 1 represents an external elevation of part of the stock and barrel of a
breach-loading fire-arm, recessed at the breach, and furnished with our
improved drop lid; Fig. 2, a plan of the same, shewing the recessed part in
section; Fig: 3, a transverse section behind the breach, to which the drop lid
is jointed; Fig. 4, an external elevation of part of a breech-loading fire-arm;
in which our improved sliding lid is employed; Fig. 5, a plan of the same;
Fig. 6, a transverse section of the barrel exposing an external view of the
sliding lid; Fig. 7, a section of part of a fire-arm with a sliding lid, having a
screw of a different pitch, and also shewing the springs for acting on the
trigger and hammer: Fig. 8 represents an external view of the metal case,
and Figs: 9 and 10 are views of various prepared cartridges.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a is the ordinary stock of the fire-arm, 6 the barrel

page_text: c the trigger, d the hammer, and e the guard. The barrel is recessed at the
breech, as seen at f, into which is placed the prepared cartridge or the metal
case for holding the charge. The said case is furnished with the nipple g,
having a hole in the usual manner, so that, when a percussion cap
is placed
upon it, the striking of the hammer shall cause, the charge to explode. Our
improved transverse drop lid is shewn at h, working in a joint i, fixed to
the barrel of the fire-arm. The said lid works transversely to the bore
of the barrel, and fits a slot k immediately behind the metal case or car-
tridge, and when required is held fast by the locker 1, so that when lifted up,
the case or cartridge can be entered into the breech, and when placed in the
slot, act as a foundation or surface to give resistance to the charge, and produce
the same effect as if it were solid. When unlocked a spring or springs may
be employed to raise the lid without loss of time. We may here remark that
there is a degree of simplicity, exactness, and quickness of movement in this
form of drop lid not hitherto attained in any fire-arm.
In Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, the stock and barrel are similar to the former
Figures, but instead of a drop lid we employ a sliding lid m, for giving a
foundation or surface of recoil. The said lid is fitted into a slot or groove n
behind the breech, and is moved up and down as required by means of a
screw, worm, or threads of any pitch or number, fitting corresponding threads
in a nut o attached to or forming part of the guard p, so that when the guard
is turned the lid shall either be lowered or raised as required so as to open and
shut the breech.
At q, Fig. 7, we shew a section of a prepared, cartridge made of paper and
cloth, either separately or combined; the head r is of wood and the pins of
metal. Although we shew only the up and down movement, the same may
be placed at the side, and act transversely with similar ease and effect. Each
lid is furnished with a moveable plug t, which being struck by the hammer,
acts upon the percussion, cap or explosive compound.
In Fig. 8, representing the metal case for holding the charge, it will be
seen that the end is, so, formed that the nipple is level with the surface, but it
is evident that this is, a matter of detail which can be varied according to
circumstances. The metal case allows the fire-arm to be loaded either at
the breech or at the muzzle, as may be desired. The prepared cartridges are
intended only for breech-loading, and are made of paper, pasteboard, cotton,
linen, woollen, or any other suitable material, in combination with wood, or
metal capsules,, for the purpose of containing an explosive compound, or they
may be composed principally of explosive paper, or other fulminating
substance.

page_text: Fig. 9 represents a prepared cartridge adapted for a recessed breech; Fig.
10, a prepared cartridge adapted to fit either a recessed barrel, or one that is
smooth from end to end, the part u, containing the explosive mixture, being
formed according to the desired shape, or a percussion cap may be employed.
Although the aforesaid improvements are shewn applied to plain bores, we
apply them to all the various forms of rifles, and every other description of
fire-arm.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be distinctly
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein set
forth, as such may be varied or modified, without departing from the principle
thereof; but we claim as our Invention, and which to the best of our know-
ledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,-
Firstly, a metallic case for holding the charge fitting into a recess in the
breech of the fire-arm.
Secondly, a drop lid working transversely behind the breech, so that the
latter can be open or shut as required, and kept firm by means of a locker.
Thirdly, a sliding lid for opening and shutting the breech, working either up
and down or from side to side by means of a screw and nut of any desired
pitch.
And, fourthly, the employment of prepared cartridges with heads of either
wood or metal in connection with paper, calico, linen, or any woollen fabric, as
all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gray Scott, for and on behalf of
myself and the said William Ramscar, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Gray Scott in the
presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN GRAY SCOTT. (L.S.)