Improvements in or relating to Revolvers, Pistols, and other Small Arms.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Revolvers, Pistols, and other
Small Arms.
I, JOHN FRANCIS LATHAM, of 27 Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex,
Gun-maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pistols and other small arms of the revolving or repeating
type, the primary object being to convert a repeating pistol to a single shot pistol
and also to enable it to fire a smaller cartridge, so that a revolver could be
immediately adapted for saloon firing. In carrying out the invention I prefer to
employ a revolver of the type known as "break down" or hinged frame.
I employ a fitting consisting of a barrel adapted to fit inside the ordinary barrel,
and fixing and extracting arrangements similar to those employed for the ordinary
cylinder. Thus, when the cylinder revolves on a fixed pin or tube attached to
the body of the barrel, the improved fitting may be provided with a hole to fit
over the pin or tube, or when the pin or tube is attached to the cylinder, it would
be attached in a similar manner.
The barrel and attachment may be conveniently secured to a block substantially
representing the cylinder, which lies in the place usually occupied by the cylinder,
or the barrel and block may be made in one piece.
The tubular socket and block are so arranged and disposed that the extracting
device of the revolver will operate in the same manner when it is converted into a
single pistol, excepting that a single cartridge will be withdrawn at each time of
opening the pistol. It will be understood that this attachment may be fitted to
pistols and other small arms of varying construction and the fitting itself would be
varied according to the circumstances of its application without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
The barrel of the fitting may if desired be covered or coated with a soft metal.
or material so as not to injure the barrel of the pistol or it may be made smaller so
as not to touch it.
The fitting as above described would be suitable for central fire cartridges, but
in the case of rim fire cartridges the bore of the barrel of the fitting may be formed
eccentrically so as to bring the striker in proper line for firing the cartridge.
Dated this 21st day of September 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Revolvers, Pistols, and other
Small Arms.
I, JOHN FRANCIS LATHAM of 27 Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex,
Gun-maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to pistols and other small arms of the revolving or
repeating type, the primary object being to convert a repeating pistol to a single
shot pistol and also to enable it to fire a smaller cartridge, so that a revolver could'
Price 8d1

page_text: "
be immediately adapted for saloon firing. In carrying out the invention I prefer
to employ a revolver of the type known as "break down or hinged frame.
I employ a fitting consisting of a barrel adapted to fit inside the ordinary
barrel, and fixing and extracting arrangements similar to those employed for the
ordinary cylinder. Thus, when the cylinder revolves on a fixed pin or tube
attached to the body of the barrel, the improved fitting may be provided with a
hole to fit over the piu or tube, or when the pin or tube is attached to the cylinder,
it would be attached in a similar manner to the fitting.
The barrel and attachment may be conveniently secured to a block substantially
representing the cylinder, which lies in the place usually occupied by the cylinder,
or the barrel and block may be made in ore piece.
The tubular socket and block are so arranged and disposed that the extracting
device of the revolver will operate in the same manner when it is converted into a
single pistol, excepting that a single cartridge will be withdrawn at each time of
opening the pistol. It will be understood that this attachment may be fitted to
pistols and other small arms of varying construction and the fitting itself would be
varied according to the circumstances of its application without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
The barrel of the fitting may if desired be wholly or partially covered or coated
with a soft metal or material so as not to injure the barrel of the pistol or it
may be made smaller so as not to touch it. The coating or sleeve of softer metal
may be arranged eccentrically when necessary to correct the shooting.
The fitting as above described would be suitable for central fire cartridges but
in the case of pin fire cartridges the bore of the barrel of the fitting may be
formed eccentrically so as to bring the striker in proper line for firing the
cartridge.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the application of my invention to pistols
with different arrangements for carrying and securing the cylinders.
Figure 1 is a view partly in section of a Mark I Service revolver pistol with the
cylinder in position closed ready for firing:
Figure 2 is a view also partly in section of the same pistol with the barrel
turned down as when extracting the cartridges, Figure 3 being a face view of the
extractor. All of these parts are of usual construction well understood by
manufacturers of these weapons.
Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the same pistol fitted with my improved fitting,
Figure 6 being a longitudinal section of the fitting itself.
Figure 7 is a view of the fitting from the muzzle end and Figure 8 a view of
the fitting from the breech end.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
It will not be necessary to describe in detail the arrangements for operating
the ejector because as already explained those are well understood by those skilled
in the art.
A is a cylinder in which is carried the split tube B ordinarily secured by the
pin B1 in the pistol; the tube is then a fixture and the cylinder A revolves upon
it. C is the extractor fixed upon the spindle D which by the coiled spring
normally retained in a suitable recess in the end of the cylinder as in Figure 1,
but when the pistol is opened as in Figure 2 the extractor C is pushed out by its
spindle D in the well understood manner.
The new fitting forming the subject of this invention consists of a barrel F'
secured to or forming part of the block F which as is clearly shown in Figure 6
carries the split tube B, extractor C, spindle D, and spring E, all as before and of
the same proportions so as to fit into the pistol in place of the cylinder. The
extractor C of the block is of a different shape from that of the cylinder as it has
only to extract a single cartridge instead of six, but its operation is the same and it
is operated by the same mechanism as is, that of the cylinder. The barrel F' of
the fitting is adapted to fit snugly inside the barrel of the pistol and is preferably

page_text: provided with two or more fitting strips F which may be of brass or other soft
inetal the rest of the barrel F' not touching the pistol barrel.
On the second sheet of drawings Figure 9 represents in its closed position a
Wilkinson 1892 model Service revolver pistol also of well-known construction,
Figure 1 showing the pistol open and the cylinder withdrawn from it.
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 6 but is not in section, and shows the
fitting modified to the extent necessary to adapt it to this form of pistol. In
this case the extracting arrangement is the same as before, but the tube B
instead of coming out with the cylinder A when the latter is removed remains
in the pistol; otherwise the previous description will apply to these figures also.
I am aware that it has before now been proposed to reduce the calibre of a
rifle or pistol by inserting a tube therein and I make no claim thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. Converting a pistol or other similar small-arm from the revolver to the single
firing type by substituting for the cylinder a fitting such as described.
2. The combination with a pistol or similar small arm of a cylinder of ordinary
construction and a fitting such as described each adapted to be substituted for the
other substantially as described.
3. The combination with a pistol or other small-arm of the revolver type of
a fitting such as described adapted to replace the revolving cylinder substantially
as set forth.
4. A fitting for a pistol or other small-arm of the revolver type comprising a
block such as F carrying the extractor and a barrel such as connected to or
forming part of the said block substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The complete fitting substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 6 of
the accompanying drawings.
6. The complete fitting substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 11 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Ninth day of October 1893.
JOHN F. LATHAM.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.