IMPROVEMENTS IN BAYONETS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Dennet, of Pall Mall, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BAYONETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Dennet
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th March 1859.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK DENNET, of Pall Mall, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BAYONETS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of bayonets and their application
or adaptation to small arms, and consists in forming bayonets of a lozenge,
rhomboidal, or elliptic section; the sides of such bayonets may be groved out
so as to reduce the thickness and the quantity of material in the section, two
sharp edges being left throughout the length of the bayonet, the section
gradually decreasing from the shoulder to a sharp point. Bayonets so formed
instead of being fixed upon the musket, carbine, or rifle, as heretofore, are
so fixed that the narrow or 'sharp edge is coincident with the longitudinal axis
of the arm, instead of the flat surface exposed by the old form of bayonet, that
being found extremely prejudicial to correct shooting when the bayonet is
fixed, as from the reaction of the explosive force of the powder between the
concave or flat surface. of the bayonet and the ball, the latter is caused to
diverge or digress from the correct line of sight, fire, and flight. It has

page_text: been attempted to obviate this inconvenience or disadvantage by inclining the
bayonet away from the longitudinal axis of the piece, but with bayonets
constructed according to this Invention correct firing can be obtained whilst
the bayonet is mounted upon the arm.
Its position of fastening may be the same as in the ordinary bayonet or as
on the Government Enfield rifle, but the position of the edge of the bayonet
(irrespective of the form of its section) with respect to the axis of the piece
must be preserved as herein-before described.
This Invention, although suited to all existing arms, such as muzzle-loading
muskets, carbines, and rifles, will be found more particularly valuable for the
modern weapons with a moveable breech, moveable barrel, or other breech-
loaders, and for revolving cylinder or revolver fire-arms, where great rapidity
coupled with correct firing is most essential.
Troops in column or in square, or artillerymen, receiving or giving charge,
where the bayonet is needed, will by the use of this Invention posses the great
advantage of being able unimpededly to fire with correctness whilst the
bayonet is mounted ready for use.
And these bayonets from their form may be used as weapons of defence in
a hand-to-hand combat, possesing the advantages of a rapier when removed
from the gun and skillfully handled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Frederick Dennet in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERICK DENNET, of Pall Mall, Gentlemen, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her* Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and. grant unto
'me, the said Charles Frederick Dennet, Her special licence that I, the said
Charles Frederick Dennet, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Frederick Dennet, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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

page_text: Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BAYONETS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Frederick Dennet, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Charles Frederick Dennet, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawing:
:-
This Invention relates to the construction of bayonets, and their application
or adaptation to small arms,. and consists in forming. bayonets of a lozenge,
rhomboidal, elliptic, or other suitable section. The sides of such bayonets
may be groved out so as to reduce the thickness and the quantity of material
in the section, two sharp edges being left throughout the length of the bayonet,
the section gradually decreasing from the shoulder to a sharp point. Bayonets
so formed, instead of being fixed upon the musket, carbine, or rifle, as here-
tofore, are so fixed that the narrow or sharp edge is coincident with the
longitudinal axis of the arm, instead of the flat surface presented by the old
form of bayonet, that being found extremely prejudicial to correct shooting
when the bayonet is fixed, as from the reaction of the explosive force of the
powder between the concave or flat surface of the bayonet and the ball or
projectile, the latter is caused to diverge or digress from the correct line of
sight, fire, and flight. It has been attempted to obviate this inconvenience
or disadvantage by inclining the bayonet away from the longitudinal axis of
the piece, but with bayonets constructed according to this Invention correct
firing can be obtained whilst the bayonet is mounted upon the arm.
Its position of fastening may be the same as in the ordinary bayonet, or as
on the Government Enfield rifle, but the position of the edge of the bayonet
(irrespective of the form of its section) with respect to the axis of the piece.
must be preserved as herein-before described.
This Invention, although suited to all existing arms, such as muzzle-loading
muskets, carbines, and rifles, will be found more particularly valuable for the
modern weapons with a moveable breech, moveable barrel, or other breech--
loaders, and for revolving cylinder or revolver fire-arms, where great rapidity.
coupled with correct firing is most essential.
Troops in column or in square, or artilleryman. receiving or giving charge,
where the bayonet is needed, will by the use of this Invention possess the great

page_text: advantage of being able unimpededly to fire with correctness whilst the
bayonet is mounted ready for use. These bayonets from their form may be
used as weapons of defence in a hand-to-hand combat, possessing the advantages
of a rapier or sword when removed from the gun and skilfully handled.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn several views of my improved
bayonets, and also some of the modes in which they are applied.
Fig. 1 is an elevational edge view of a Colt's patent rifled revolving carbine
fitted with a patent bayonet according to this Invention, Fig. 2 being a side
elevation of Fig. 1. These two views exhibit the position of the bayonet upon
the barrel with respect to the stock; the length of the bayonet, however,
may be varied and increased in proportion to the length of the barrel and
nature of the arm, as in some short carbines employed for-cavalry purposes, it
may be found advantageous to employ a thirty-inch sword, or-a sword or a
sabre bayonet of greater length. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 16, and 18, are sections of
some of the forms of bayonets which I prefer to employ; and Fig. 6 is a section
of the ordinary form of bayonet, but formed or shaped at the socket end and
used or applied according to this Invention. In each case the bayonets are
applied in the same relation to the longitudinal axis of the barrel; each
of these sectional views are taken near to the root of the bayonets of the
respective forms, at about the line A, B, in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section of a
bayonet similar in form to that of Fig. 8, but taken nearer to the point of the
bayonet, Fig. 8 being a section of a bayonet similar in form to that shewn
at Fig. 4, taken nearer to the point. Fig. 9 is a form or description of weapon
known as a sword bayonet, formed or constructed and applied according to
this Invention, the sharp edge of the sword being presented to the longitudinal
axis of the barrel and in the line of the flight of the ball or other projectile.
Either the front or back cutting edge of such sword bayonet may be presented
to the axis of the barrel, as may be preferred or found. most convenient in
connection with the "stocking" or the mounting or fitting of the handle, as
also in relation to its attachment to the barrel. Fig. 10 is another variety of
the form of sword bayonet constructed and fitted according to this Invention,
the handle being formed suitably for attaching to the side of the barrel for the
purpose of presenting the strait sharp edge to the longitudinal axis thereof.
Figs. 11, 12, 18, 14, and 15, are sections of the several bayonets shown in the
Figures opposite to which they are respectively placed, being taken nearer to
the point in each case than the Figs. 3, 4, &c., to which they relate. Fig. 17
exhibits a sword bayonet of a similar section to one of those exhibited above,
although of less thickness in proportion to the breadth of blade; and it has
also a form of handle and mode of attachment varying from the other views of

page_text: sword bayonets shewn, and similar to the ordinary form of socket end and
mode of attaching the common bayonet of triangular section.
For the purpose of more perfectly conveying an idea of the differences
between the ordinary bayonet and mode of applying it and the uniform system
of applying the various sections of bayonets which may be employed according
to this Invention, I have shown in Fig. 19 a section of the ordinary form of
bayonet applied in the ordinary manner, by reference to which view, and
comparing it with the previous illustrations, the nature of my Invention will be
more thoroughly understood.
I am aware that swords of various sections have been made, and such
swords may have been applied to muskets or other small arms, and I am also
aware that various forms of handles have been applied to such swords, and
various modes of attachment to the barrel have been designed, as also that
modifications in the shape and proportions of the ordinary bayonet have been
adopted; but I wish it to be distinctly understood that whilst I desire to claim
only the several sections or forms of bayonets which may be new, as also the
novel mode or manner of mounting, or disposing, attaching, and fixing bayonets
as herein-before described, I claim as my Invention,―
First, the novel forms or sections of bayonets, as herein described.
Second, the mode or method of applying, mounting, and attaching bayonets
to small arms, as herein described, in such a manner as the sharp edge or the
major axis of the elliptic or other double-edged sections of bayonets shall be
presented to and be coincident with the longitudinal axis of the arm upon
which it is mounted.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Dennet, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
CHARLES FREDERICK DENNET. (L.s.)
Witness,
FREDERIC ROBERTS,
19, Salisbury St., Adelphi.