IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough
Park, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES."-A communication.
from abroad by Ambjorn Pierre le Comte Sparre, residing at Turin,.
in the Kingdom of Italy.
Sealed the 15th December 1868, and dated the 25th June 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson.
Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his..
Petition, on the 25th June 1868..
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton,.
in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND. CARTRIDGES," to be as
follows:--
This Invention has for its object improvements in fire-arms and.
cartridges.
The Invention applies to paper cartridges of two different sorts:-
1st. To cartridges for guns in which the breech block moves trans-.
versely or on a hinge. For such arms the cartridges are made so that

page_text: after firing the residue of the cartridge may be pushed forward on the
introduction of a new cartridge.
And, 2nd. The Invention applies to cartridges for piston guns like
the Chassepot and others, for which arms the cartridges are made so
that the case may be drawn back by an extractor and thrown out.
The first sort of cartridges consists of a tube of paper of the same
calibre as the chamber of the gun. The bottom of this tube is formed
of a star-shaped piece of double paper or of calico or other fabric, the
rays of which are pasted to the tube either inside or outside. After-
wards there is introduced into the open end of the tube a disc of felt
saturated with a solution of boiled oil, varnish, or other similar material.
The disc is of larger diameter than the tube, and it is embossed or
impressed so as to turn up its edges all round and form it into a cup;
the cup thus prepared is thrust down to the bottom of the paper tube
by means of a mandril. Afterwards another stronger and larger star is
pasted within the case; may be made of cloth, calico, or even of
strong paper; a hole is formed in the centre to allow the needle or
striker to pass. If the gun for which the cartridge is intended has a
short needle, a cap is introduced with its mouth towards the needle;
it is set into a disc of cardboard of a diameter equal to the interior of
the cartridge to keep it in the centre. Upon this disc and before putting
it in one or more paper stars are pasted so as to hold the cap in its
place in the cardboard disc. The cap is now placed in a hollow at the
end of a mandril, and the rays of the star are folded down upon it,
and then by means of the mandril the whole is thrust down into the
cartridge case. If the gun has a long needle the cap is omitted, and the
fulminate is placed in a wad of compressed paper which carries the ball;
or again, if the gun is furnished with a small piston-like striker, as is
customary when metallic cartridges are used, then a small hole is made
in the centre of the cup of felt or saturated material, and a double cap
is forced into it such as is used in the Boxer and Snider cartridges.
The second sort of cartridges are identical with those just described,
with the only difference that the larger star pasted on the interior after
the introduction of the saturated felt cup is now omitted.
Also according to this Invention the extractor of the fire-arm for
extracting the residue of these cartridges consists of a small hook fixed
on the face of the breech block on one side of the needle or piston. It

page_text: is rounded on the face, and so arranged that as the breech is closed the
hook does not catch the bottom of the cartridge, but when the shot is
fired the bottom of the cartridge is driven back upon the hook by the
explosion, and so when the breech is opened the hook brings back the
cartridge case with it. As soon as it is drawn out of the chamber
the case is thrown out by a small lever actuated by a stop upon the
breech block or by a spring which suddenly falls into a recess in the
breech block, and in doing so strikes the case and. throws it off the.
look..
The Invention also relates to a new arrangement of the locks of fire-
arms. The new lock, consists of a tumbler, one end of which bears
against the needle or striker, and a mainspring operates upon the
tumbler in such manner that when the tumbler is set free it carries the
needle or striker forward and. causes it to strike upon the priming of
the cartridge. On. the tail of the tumbler one end of a lever bears,
and its other end is made to. a. trigger-like form and projects within the
trigger guard. In this lever notches or bents are formed, namely, a half.
bent and a full bent, and when the projecting end of the lever is drawn:
back to cock the piece a scar drops into one or other of these bents;;
the lever when thus drawn back. moves the tumbler against the resist-.
ance of the mainspring, and the tumbler in turn brings back the needle,
the end of the tumbler resting in a recess in the needle, out of which
however it passes when the needle is withdrawn. To prevent the needle
moving when it is free of the tumbler, and when the breech is opened...
a spring is employed. The discharge of the piece is effected by a
trigger acting on. the sear. and raising it out of the. bent in the cocking
lever.
The Invention also consists in adding to cartridges already made, such
as those employed in the Chassepot and other guns, an extra bottom
applied to the base of the cartridge to strengthen them, so that they
may be extracted by the extractor. already described without risk of
tearing them. For this purpose one of the small. stars of cloth, calico,.
or other strong material is pasted directly over the base of the
cartridge when there is an elastic wad of cloth or india-rubber to stop.
the escape of gases, but where there is not such wad then. a. saturated
wad is applied between the base of the cartridge and the star. To.
facilitate this operation a short tube may be made with a star of strong.
fabric for the bottom, then the saturated wad is put. in; and, the whole

page_text: is put over the end of the cartridge, or a simple wad of felt or cloth may
be pasted on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoría, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her
special licence that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Tomlinson Bousfield, 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 FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Ambjorn Pierre le Comte Sparre, a person
resident at Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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 George Tomlinson Bousfield, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the

page_text: Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in fire-arms and
cartridges.
The Invention applies to paper cartridges of two different sorts:-
1st. To cartridges for guns in which the breech block moves trans-
versely or on a hinge. For such arms the cartridges are made so that
after firing the residue of the cartridge may be pushed forward on the
introduction of a new cartridge.
2ndly. The Invention applies to cartridges for piston guns like the
Chassepot and others, for which arms the cartridges are made so that
the case may be drawn back by an extractor and thrown out.
The first sort of cartridges consists of a tube of paper of the same
calibre as the chamber of the gun. The bottom of this tube is formed
of a star-shaped piece of strong paper, or of paper lined with calico
or other fabric, the rays of which are pasted to the tube either inside or
outside. Afterwards there is introduced into the open end of the tube
a disc of felt, cloth, or other similar material saturated with a solution
of boiled oil, varnish, or other suitable matter, or it may be wax or
paraffine. The disc is of larger diameter than the tube, and it is
embossed or impressed so as to turn up its edge all round and form it
into a cup, and the cup thus prepared is thrust down to the bottom of
the paper tube by means of a mandril. Afterwards another stronger
and larger star is pasted within the case made of cloth, calico, or it may
be of strong paper, a hole being formed in the centre to allow the needle
or striker to pass. If the gun for which the cartridge is intended has a
short needle a cap is introduced with its mouth towards the needle, set
in a disc of cardboard of a diameter equal to the interior of the cartridge
to keep it in the centre. Upon this disc and before putting it in one or
more paper stars are pasted, so as to hold the cap in its place in the
cardboard disc. The cap is now placed in a hollow at the end of the
mandril, and the rays of the star are folded down upon it, and then by
means of the mandril the whole is thrust down into the cartridge case:
If the gun has a long needle the cap is omitted, and the fulminate is
placed in a wad of compressed paper which carries the ball; or again,
if the gun is furnished with a small piston-like striker, as is customary
when metallic cartridges are used, then a small hole is made in the

page_text: cap
centre of the cap of felt or saturated material, and a double is forced
into it, such as is used in the Boxer and Snider cartridges.
The second sort of cartridges are identical with those just described,
with the only difference that the larger star pasted in the interior after
the introduction of the saturated felt cap is now omitted.
Also according to this Invention the extractor of the fire-arm for
extracting the residue of these cartridges consists of a small hook fixed
on the face of a breech block on one side of the needle or piston. It is
rounded on the face, and so arranged that as the breech is closed the
hook slides backwards, but does not catch the bottom of the cartridge;
but when the shot is fired the bottom of the cartridge is driven back
upon the hook by the explosion, causing it to penetrate the same, and 50
when the breech is opened the hook in being drawn back brings the
cartridge case with it. As soon as it is drawn out of the chamber the
case is thrown out by a small lever actuated by a stop upon the breech
block, or by a spring which suddenly falls into a recess in the breech
block, and in doing so strikes the case and throws it off the hook.
The Invention also relates to a new arrangement of the locks of
fire-arms. The new lock consists of a tumbler, one end of which bears
against the needle or striker and a mainspring operating upon the
tumbler in such manner that when the tumbler is set free it carries the
needle or striker forward and causes it to strike upon the priming of
the cartridge. On the tail of the tumbler one end of a lever bears, and
its other end is made to a trigger-like form and projects within the
trigger guard. In this lever notches or bents are formed, namely, a
half bent and a full bent, and when the projecting end of the lever is
drawn back to cock the piece the sear drops into one or other of these
bents. The lever when thus drawn back moves the tumbler against the
resistance of the mainspring, and the tumbler in turn brings back the
needle, the end of the tumbler resting in a recess in the needle, out
of which however it passes when the needle is withdrawn. To prevent
the needle moving when it is free of the tumbler, and when the breech
is open, a spring is employed. The discharge of the piece is effected
by a trigger acting on the sear and raising it out of the bent in the
cocking lever.
The Invention also consists in adding to cartridges already made,
such as those employed in the Chassepot and other guns, an extra
bottom applied to the base of the cartridge to strengthen them, so that

page_text: they may be extracted by the extractor already described without risk
of tearing them. For this purpose one of the small stars of cloth, calico,
or other strong material is pasted directly over the base of the cartridge
(where there is an elastic wad of cloth or india-rubber in the cartridge
to stop the escape of gases), but where there is no such wad then a
saturated wad is applied between the base of the cartridge and the star.
To facilitate this operation a short tube may be made with a star of
strong fabric for the bottom, then the saturated wad is put in, and the
whole is put over the end of the cartridge, or a simple wad of felt or
cloth may be pasted on.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
of which shows a cartridge of the class first herein described, consisting
of a tube a of strong paper of the same diameter as the bore of the gun.
At the rear end of this tube, and either on the inside or outside, I paste
a star-shaped piece of paper b, Figure 2, lined with calico or other fabric.
A disc c, Figure 3, of cloth, felt, or other similar material is next
introduced in the end of the tube a by means of a mandril, the felt
or other material of which the disc is composed having been previously
saturated with wax, paraffine, or any suitable varnish or drying oil, such
as boiled linseed oil, in order to better resist the pressure of the gases.
The disc c is stamped of the cupped form seen at c', the rim being
turned up at a right angle as near as possible. The diameter of the
disc c when in the flat is rather more than that of the borc, so that when
stamped up of the cupped form described its diameter may exactly equal
that of the tube a, into which it is readily introduced. After this
cupped disc has been placed in position in the end of the cartridge case
another and larger star-shaped piece d, Figure 4, is applied, which is
perforated at its centre for the passage of the needle or striker. This
star-shaped piece d is to be made of some strong material, such as calico
or linen, or it may be of strong paper. If the gun for which the cartridge
is intended has a short needle or striker the cap is introduced with the
open end towards the striker. The cap is further mounted in a paste-
board disc of a diameter equal to that of the interior of the cartridge,
serving to keep it in a central position therein. If the gun has a
long needle the disc is dispensed with and the fulminate is placed in a
wad of compressed pasteboard, seen in Figure 1, carried by the bullet;

page_text: and, lastly, if a percussion striker be used, such as employed for metallic
cartridges, a small hole is made in the centre of the cupped disc before
mentioned, and a double cap forced into it, such as those used in the
Boxer or Snider cartridge.
From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the cloth
disc placed between the two thicknesses b, d, of star-shaped paper and
serving to close the end of the cartridge case will retain its position
after firing, and when a fresh cartridge is introduced it will not be
liable to jam between the cartridge and the sides of the breech chamber,
or to assume an oblique position when pushed forward by the bullet,
but will in all cases be moved forward in a parallel direction by the
point of the bullet until it reaches the cone forming the commencement
of the rifling. The disc in this manner will also serve for lubricating
the interior of the barrel and keeping it clean.
The cartridges of the second class hercin-before referred to arc
constructed in the following manner :-I form a tube of paper lapped
twice round a mandril, the tube being made more or less conical at
the part to be occupied by the bullet, which is introduced at the larger
end of the tube, and forced up until it is firmly lodged at the smaller
end; the powder is then introduced, and afterwards the cap which is
fixed in a pasteboard disc so as to better resist the blow of the needle.
After this the remaining portion of the tube is cut off close to the
pasteboard disc above mentioned, enough being left to be folded in and
pasted down, at same time leaving an opening at the centre for the
free passage of the needle to enter the cap. Lastly, the base of the
cartridge is closed in the manner herein-after described with reference
to the modification of existing cartridges. By introducing the ball at
the rear end, as also the several parts composing the cartridge in the
reverse order to that at present adopted, I make much stronger
cartridges which do not require tying.
The improved extractors of this Invention are of two kinds, according
to the system of fire-arm employed. The first arrangement is applicable
to piston guns, and consists of a small hook e, Figures 5 and 6, fixed
in the end g of the breech plug at one side. When the hand lever is
reversed for locking the breech, the hook moves round therewith in
contact with the end of the cartridge, without however becoming
attached to the same, but in firing, the cartridge being driven back on
the hook by the force of the explosion, the latter will penetrate it to

page_text: such an extent that when the hand lever is raised for opening the breech
by drawing back the closing plug the hook will be rotated so as to engage
with the residue of the cartridge case, which will be drawn back with
it. When extracted the residue is thrown out by means of a small
lever h, or it may be a spring, the one or the other being liberated on
drawing back the breech plug a certain distance, as seen in Figure 5,
the spring lever
in which Figure f is the breech, y the breech plug, and
for throwing out the residue of the cartridge case when the recess i in
the plug arrives opposite the projection of the lever / which is fixed to
the breech by a screw ', as seen in plan, Figure 5. Instead of a spring
lever a bent lever may be employed pivotted at m³, one end of which
may be used for the purpose above mentioned, but made stronger, as
shown in dotted lines, while the other end simply consists of an arm
entering a longitudinal groove in the plug. When the plug is drawn back
the end of the groove abuts against the end of the lever arm, causing it
to rise and strike with force on the residue of the cartridge attached to
the book for the purpose of discharging the said residue. The hook e,
Figures 5 and 6, is rounded on its face in order that when it is desired
to draw a cartridge after loading, the hand lever may be raised and
the breech opened to permit of the cartridge being removed by hand or
other means.
The second arrangement of extractor applicable for those guns which
open in a backward direction on a hinge consists simply of a small
conical recess made in the face of the breech plug, as shown at a¹,
Figure 8. This conical recess is intended to receive the end of the
cartridge and hold the same after firing, and permit of its extraction
when the breech is opened, as shown at b, Figure 9.
Method of Utilizing Existing Cartridges.-I utilize ordinary paper
cartridges, such as those used in the Prussian Chassepot and other guns,
by the application thereto of an extra base in order to make them
sufficiently strong to be extracted by the extractor of this Invention.
For this purpose in those cartridges where a cloth or india-rubber wad
is used I simply paste one of the star-shaped pieces of calico, linen,
or other strong material on the end of the cartridge, but where no
such wad is used, as in the Chassepot cartridge, I introduce one between
the star-shaped piece and the end of the cartridge. In order to facilitate
this operation a short tube may be made separately with one or more
stars of some strong material placed at the bottom, the cloth wad is

page_text: next introduced, and the whole then applied on the cartridge. I may
merely paste a felt or cloth wad on the base of the cartridge, but I
prefer the former arrangement as possessing greater strength.
By the above-described addition to the cartridge it will be understood
that after firing the residue will remain attached to the breech plug in
the same manner as the improved cartridges herein-before described. I
am aware that attempts have before been made to substitute cloth or felt
wads for india-rubber but without success. I have found that the failure
is not due to the substitution of the one material for the other, but to
the construction of the cartridge and the mode of applying the cloth or
felt. Usually in order to prevent the wad from assuming an oblique
position after firing when it is pushed forward by the next cartridge,
which would prevent the latter entering, it has been sought to diminish
the length and diameter of the cartridge; as a consequence of this
double diminution the wad is liable to lodge between the sides of the
chamber and the cartridge when introduced, causing an escape of gas,
and should the wad get between the ball and the cone it would lessen
the accuracy of the shooting. I obviate this by making the cartridges
of the same diameter as the bore, while the cupped cloth disc forms a
perfect substitute for the elasticity of the india-rubber, and never
deteriorates as is the case with the latter.
The improvements in gun actions are illustrated in Figure 10 of the
Drawings. m is a hammer or tumber oscillated in a backward direction
by the aid of lever n, which is provided with notches into which the
sear o takes for the purpose of holding said lever at half or full cock
until it is released by the trigger p. The hammer is operated by the
mainspring and the scar by a spring r.
q
The needle carrier 8 has a
recess on its under side to receive the end of the tumbler, so that
when the cocking lever n is raised said tumbler m will draw back the
needle until by its oscillating motion it escapes from the recess in the
needle carrier which has a rectilinear motion. In this position the
needle is held by a spring t¹, Figure 11, engaging in the lateral recess s²,
Figure 12, of the needle carrier. When the trigger p is pulled the
sear o is released from the notch in lever n, allowing spring q to act
on hammer or tumbler m for driving forward the needle into the
cartridge. This arrangement is applicable to guns closed by a sliding
plug, such as shown in Figure 5, as well as for those having a transverse
closing motion. Figure 13 shows a separate side view and plan of the

page_text: plate u having a slot for the admission and fitting of the several parts
of the action, as before described; Figure 11 shows separate views of a
breech block moving transversely, space being provided for the passago
of the needle; Figure 12 shows separate views of a needle and needle
carrier 8.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited in part recited Letters
Patent is,
1st. The application to cartridges of cupped discs of cloth, felt, or
other similar material in the manner described, such cartridges being
made of a diameter exactly equal to that of the bore of the gun, as and
for the purposes described. .
2ndly. I claim the construction and application of extractors, with or
without a spring or lever, for throwing out the cartridge case, arranged
substantially in the manner shown and described.
3rdly. I claim modifying existing cartridges in the manner described
to enable the cases to be extracted after firing.
4thly. I claim constructing paper cartridges so as to retain the bullet
without tying, as also the peculiar mode of filling such cartridges, all
as herein-before described.
5thly. I claim the improvements in gun actions arranged and
operating substantially in the manner shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-