IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Jones and Charles John Jones, both
of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 28th December 1853, and dated the 12th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Jones and
Charles John Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th October 1853.
We, RICHARD JONES and CHARLES JOHN JONES, both of Ipswich, in
the County of Suffolk, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of arranging one or more series of barrels one
above the other in such manner that their nipples may be placed in a
curve, and the hammer or cock is mounted on an arm, and connected
to both ends of the main spring in such manner as to strike in succes-
sion on the caps on the series of nipples; the releasing of the hammer
or cock being by repeatedly pulling the trigger.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Jones and Charles John Jones in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
RICHARD JONES and CHARLES JOHN JONES, both of Ipswich, in the
County of Suffolk, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Richard Jones and Charles John Jones, Her
special licence, that we, the said Richard Jones and Charles John
Jones, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Richard Jones and Charles John Jones, our 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 Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Richard
Jones and Charles John Jones, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should par-
ticularly 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 Richard Jones, on behalf of my-
self and the said John Jones, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:
These improvements in the construction of fire-arms consist essen-
tially in the arrangement of one or more series or tiers of barrels with
the axes of those forming each tier in the same plane, and the several

page_text: Figures 1, 2, 3, are an elevation plan and end view of a repeating
pistol with five barrels; the wooden stock, and the cover of the lock in
Figure 1, being removed to exhibit its several parts; similar letters
indicating the same parts in each Figure. a, b, c, d, e, are the barrels,
which may be made separately, but are most advantageously formed in
one piece, and which is attached by screws to the lock plate f. The
several nipples may be arranged in a straight line or in equal steps, but
are here shewn in the preferable form of a curve, being part of a circle
the centre of which is the pin g, fixed in the rocking plate, and which
is also the centre of motion of the cock h. i, is the rocking plate, which
has a vibratory motion on the pin j, fixed in the lock plate, and has
projecting from its side two fixed pins 9 and 1; g, being the axis of the
cock as before stated, and 7, the point of attachment of the tail of the
main spring m, which has its abutment against the pin n; also fixed in
the lock plate o, is a link attached to the cock by the fixed pin p, and
receiving the fore end of the main spring in a hook at its extremity.
The effect of this arrangement is that the cock has a strong tendency
simultaneously to rotate. on its centre, and to advance in the line of
the barrels by the action of the main spring on the link, whilst it is at
the same time but in a less degree pulled backwards. by the action of
the spring on the pin 1, in the rocking plate; thus ensuring sufficient
effect in the blow of the cock without giving it too much tendency
forwards, and also allowing the vibratory or receding motion which is
requisite for the operation on all the nipples in succession. g, is the
trigger suspended from and. working on the pin r, fixed in the lock
plate, and carrying the clicks, which is pressed upwards by the spring t
so as to keep the tooth of the click át all times in contact with the

page_text: ratchet of the cock; and it also restores the trigger to the advanced
position requisite for repeating the pull after a discharge."
' כְּרֵי
on
The operation of the lock is as follows:-The cock is to be raised
by the projection on its side until the "pin on its other side res
rests
the fixed stop v, as shewn in Figure 1 and the percussion caps are to
be placed on the nipples in the ordinary way." If the trigger be then
pulled the click presses against the lowest tooth, of the cock, which
with the rocking plate is drawn back until the pin w drops off the
stop v, when the blow is given on the first cap and nipple a, on which
the cock rests, until a second pull causes it to slip off the first nipple
on to the second, and successive pulls of the trigger repeats the blow
on all the other nipples until the entire number of discharges is
effected. The operation of "cocking for the entire number of barrels
being perforined previous to the discharge of any of them, the effort
of the finger is limited to the discharge only, and the additional effort
requisite in other repeating fire-arms for raising the cock and rotating
the chamber is entirely avoided.
L..
Figures 4, and 5, are a plan and end view of a repeating pistol
with ten barrels, being two tiers of five in each; the two sets of lock
work, similar to that 'above described, being fitted to a central lock
plate, which is fixed in a groove between the two sets of barrels. The
arrangement by which the entire number of" barrels are discharged
consecutively by one trigger only is shewn in Figure 6. The trigger q
has two clicks, one on each side of the lock plate, and acting on the
ratchets of the respective cocks, as before described. The Figure shows
the mode of suspending the action of the left hand cock until the
right hand cock has arrived, at its lowest position. w, is a bent lever
turning on the pin y, fixed in the lock plate, and pressed downwards by
the spring a, which, being stronger than the click spring t, depresses
the click, preventing its contact with the left hand cock, until the end
of the ratchet of the right hand cock, shewn in dotted lines, at the
instant of giving its final blow, comes in contact with the pin, whichi
projects from the bent lever through the hole shewn in the lock plate,
and lifting the lever, from the click leaves it free to act on the left hand
cock, when the trigger is again pulled.
..

page_text: Figure 7, is a separate representation of the rocking plate and
stop lever, for the purpose of locking the cock to prevent accidental
lischarge.
Figure 8, is a vertical longitudinal section of the breech end of one
of the barrels shewing the mode of attaching the nipple and forming
the touch-hole, the screw by which the nipple is secured to the breech
being perforated, as shewn, to afford the necessary passage of the flame
from the exploded cap.
It will be observed that the whole of the points of attachment of
the members of the lock and the centres of motion are or may be fixed.
pins, and that the several parts being placed one over the other in
succession no one of them can rise from its proper situation without
lifting those above it; and as the main spring and link which are the
uppermost pieces are prevented rising by the near contact of the
lock cover, the entire working parts of the lock are fitted together
without screws, rendering the use of a turnscrew unnecessary excepting
to fix or remove the cap.
In the Drawing and description here given we have exhibited the
general principles of our Invention, and such an arrangement of parts
as effects the intended purpose in a satisfactory manner; but we do not
limit our claim to the particular form, number, dimensions, or dis-
position of the several parts here shewn. What we claim is, the
placing of any required number of barrels in the same plane with
a suitable lock, so arranged in combination with the barrels that
the contents of the barrels may be discharged in succession as herein
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Jones, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
0
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
RICH JONES. (L.S.)