IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Prince, at the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar
Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 19th June 1857, and dated the 22nd December 1856.
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd December 1856.
I, FREDERIC PRINCE, at the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing
Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in producing more positive expansion in the
plug (described in my previous Patent for breech-loading arms), by means
of hollowing or concaving the same and fitting therein a steel or metal
plunger, the said plug or plunger to bear more particularly on the upper rim of
the cup or hollow, being quite free at the bottom thereof. More positive
expansion will thus be produced on the front portion of the plug which

page_text: a
closes the breech end of the barrel, whether the said plug be fixed or moveable,
so that it will fully counteract the expansion of the barrel under heavy charges
of powder.
The plunger is secured in its place by pin passing through the
centre of the same and being screwed into the main plug, thus forming an
axis for the plunger to slide upon.
For double guns the main plugs. must first bo fitted into corresponding cone
or other holes in the breech end of the barrels, and then be filed off flush
or nearly so; the false breech or break-off must then be fitted and the two
plugs rivetted or screwed on to said false breech, (thus securing a true fit into
the breech end of the barrels,) and the plunger (as before described) then fitted
into the plugs. For double guns, the locking action must be obtained by the
lever, whether applied from above or below, interlocking on both barrel or plug
to barrel and break-off the twist and locking pin, as described and used for my
single gun, being impossible in doubles. Single guns may, however, be locked
by a similar action of leverage. Instead also of the barrel or barrels being
moved forward the required distance for inserting the cartridge, the same, by
means of an eccentric action applied to the lever, may be moved sufficiently
forward to clear the fixed plug or plugs, and then be tilted upwards, a shifting
hinge joint on the under part assisting the action. The said lever may be
formed by the trigger-guard or otherwise: The front of the plug or plugs may
be made to attach to the main body, and be formed of either iron, steel, or gun
metal, or other composition, so as to be easily replaced when any signs of wear
or damage may occur; even pewter or solder may be used for the front part of
the plug without any plunger then being inserted into the same.
In double guns my improvement consists in causing double so to be put
together that one may be made to shoot higher than the other, instead of both
shooting horizontally. My intent is to obviate the liability of shooting under
game at long distances, and therefore the barrel which the sportsman is
accustomed to use as his second barrel is the one that is to be elevated,
whether the same be the right or left barrel. For instance, 1 foot in 50 yards,
say, is the required elevation; therefore for 2 ft. 6 in. barrels the barrel to be
elevated must be depressed at the breech end about ths of an inch, the two
muzzles being horizontal. The same principle may be applied to doublo
rifles also:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederic Prince in tho Great Seal Patent Office on the:
22nd June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERIO
PRINCE, at the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
'
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederic Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Frederic Prince, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, tho said Frederic'
Prince, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederic Prince,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Frederic Prince, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements consist in producing more positive expansion in the plug,
described in my previous Patent of the 21st day of February 1855, No. 386,'
for breech-loading fire-arms, by means of hollowing or concaving the same, and
fitting therein a steel or other plunger; the said plug or plunger to bear
more particularly on the upper rim of the afs concave part, being quite free at
the bottom. thereof. More positive expansion will thus be produced on the
front portion of the plug which closes the breech end of the barrel, whether
the said plug, be fixed or. moveable, so that it will fully counteract the ex-
pansion of the barrel under heavy charges of powder. The plunger is secured

page_text: For
in it place by a pin passing through the centre of the same and being screwed
into tho main plug, thus forming an axis for the plug to slide upon.
guns without a cross pin the plunger may have an elongated shank, and
be secured by a pin passing through the main plug, the hole in the shank of
the plunger being elongated to allow the plunger to be driven back. The
socket in the main plug may have a casing of zinc or other metal to prevent
the shank of the plunger becoming fixed by oxidation; or the said shank may
be made hexagonal or square, so that a very small surface may bear on the
socket in the main plug; the front of the plunger to project beyond the cone for
the purpose of pushing the cartridge into its seat, and for preventing the case
of said cartridge from overlapping the cone, and thereby preventing the proper
closing of the breech.
For double guns the main plugs must first be fitted into corresponding
conical or other shaped holes in the breech end of the barrels, and then be
filed off flush or nearly so. The false breech or break-off must then be fitted,
and the two plugs rivetted or screwed on to the said false breech, (thus
securing a true fit into the breech end of the barrels,) and, finally, the plunger
be fitted into the plugs, as before described. For double guns the locking
action must be obtained by a lever, whether applied from above or below,
interlocking on both barrel or plug to barrel and "break-off," the twist and
locking pin, before described with reference to single guns, being impossible
to be used in double guns. Single guns may, however, be locked by a similar
action of leverage. Instead also of the barrel or barrels being moved forward
the required distance for inserting the cartridge; the same, by means of an
excentric action applied to the aforesaid lever, may be moved sufficiently
forward to clear the fixed plug or plugs and then be tilted upwards, a shifting
hinge joint on the under part assisting the action. The said lever may be
formed by the trigger-guard or otherwise. The front of the plug or plugs may
be made to attach to the main body thereof, and be formed of either iron, steel,
gun metal, or other suitable composition, so as to be easily replaced when any
signs of wear or damage may occur. Even pewter or solder may be used for
the front part of the plug, without any plunger then being inserted into the
same.
In double guns my improvement consists in causing the barrels thereof to
be so arranged, disposed, and fixed, with respect to each other, as that one of
said barrels may shoot higher than the other, instead of both shooting horizon-
tally, or on the same plane, as heretofore practised. The intention of thus
arranging the barrels is to obviate the liability of shooting under game at long

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distances, and therefore the barrel which the sportsman is accustomed to, use as
his second barrel is the one that is to be elevated or fixed on a different plane.
to the other barrel, whether the same be the right or the left barrel; or the
same effect may be produced by "setting" one barrel, or by making such
allowance or difference between the two barrels at the muzzle and not at the
breech; or by lowering the breech and elevating the muzzle end of that barrel
required to be elevated, and in permanently fixing said barrel in this position
during the manufacture of the gun. The same principle may be applied to
double rifles also.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I have
attached to these Presents a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of the construction
of my improved plug, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal and vertical section of my improved plug to be
used in fire-arms; Figure 2, a similar section of a modified form of con-
struction of such said plug. The same letters of reference are employed to
denote corresponding parts at each of such Figures, in so far as such parts
appear or can be seen at each of such said said Figures respectively.
At Figure 1, A is the main plug, which should be accurately fitted into the
breech end of tho barrel of the gun; B, an auxilliary plug or plunger, fitted
into the plug A, and slightly moveable therein. The part a of the plug B
I form hemispherical, said part being intended to press against the edge of the
main plug, and by these means to cause it to expand and fit the breech end of
the barrel closely, so as to prevent escape of gas at such part during tho
discharge of the contents of the gun. I also propose to form the stem of the
plug B angular, as exhibited at Figure 3, to prevent binding or unnecessary
friction thereof; and I connect the plugs A and B together by a cross pin b
fixed in the plug A, said pin passing through a slot in the plug B, as exhibited.
The plug at Figure 2 differs from the foregoing one by forming same in threo
parts instead of only two, the principle of action being the same in both.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "improvements in fire-arms, together with the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I hereby declare my
Invention to consist in, and I claim,-
First, the plug above described and exhibited.
And, secondly, the mode, above set forth and described, of arranging and
disposing ono of the barrels of double-barrel guns and rifles, for the purpose of

page_text: causing one of such said barrels. to shoot. higher than the other, as above,
stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Prince, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year: of our
Lord One thousand 'eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Agent för Patents,
FRED. PRINCE. (L.B.)
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.