IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hunt, of Leman Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 12th January 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st October 1852.
I, THOMAS HUNT, of Leman Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consist, first, of so arranging the lock and parts of L
fire-arm baving several barrels (called revolvers) that the several
charges may be ignited in succession by the same needle.
Secondly, my Invention consists of giving motion to a needle or
instrument (used in a fire-arm to ignite the charge) by means of a
spring, the end of which moves along an incline, and the needle or
instrument is brought back by a stronger spring acting on the trigger,
and this movement also moves a tube to and fro, & so prevents the
escape of gas.
Thirdly, the Invention consists of applying a disc, which is caused to
revolve (and with it the barrels) by pulling the trigger, and at the same
time the trigger puts in motion a bolt which locks the disc, and retains
the barrel just previous to discharging.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hunt in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS HUNT, of Leman Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gun
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give, and grant unto me, the said Thomas Hunt, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Hunt, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Hunt, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thercafter 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
Thomas Hunt, by an instrument 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 Thomas Hunt, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists, first, of so arranging the lock and parts of a
fire-arm having several barrels (called revolvers) that the several
charges may be ignited in succession by the same needle.
Secondly, my Invention consists of giving motion to a needle or
instrument (used in a fire-arm to ignite the charge) by means of a
spring, the end of which moves along an incline, and the needle or

page_text: escape of
gas.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood,
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means
pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
:
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section; Figure 2, is a plan in section of
some of the parts; Figure 3, is a transverse section, and the remaining
views in the Drawings show the parts separately. a, is the trigger,
which gives motion to a lever b, by the part a', coming, against the
roller c, moving on an axis fixed to the lever b. The upper end of
the lever b, moves in the curved portion of the sliding bolt d, which
actuates the needle e, and causes it to enter the breeches of the barrels
in succession. The lever b, when it comes against the fore end d', of
the bolt d, moves it a short distance, by which the roller f', on the
spring f, will come on to the incline d², at the back end of the sliding
bolt d, and the pressure of the spring f, will then force forward the
bolt d, and cause the needle to ignite the properly prepared cartridge
within the barrel, which is for the time being in position; before the
trigger, however, sets the sliding bolt d, free, to be acted on by its
spring f, as above explained, it causes the barrels to revolve, so as to
bring up a charged one into position to have its charge ignited by the
needle or other instrument e, penetrating or striking the percussion cap
or the cartridge.
In place of using the spring f, to force forward the needle, a spiral
spring may be used, as shewn at Figure 5, where the incline is dispensed
with, and a spring a, is caused to retain the coiled spring till the barrels
have been turned, as herein described, and then the movement of the
trigger touches the sliding bolt, and overcomes the cocking spring a.
The rotating of the barrels is accomplished in the following manner:
g, is a strong spring, which is connected to the lever b, by the link h,
which spring has constantly a tendency to bring back the trigger, and
also the lever b, and by the lever b, to bring back the sliding bolt d,
and this spring g, will do so, notwithstanding the spring f, immediately

page_text: the trigger is released. after discharging a barrel. The end of the
spring 7, is constantly in contact with the lever i, that lever being con-
stantly borne up by a spring j, as shown; the other end of the lever is
formed with a moveable end, suitably formed for entering the notches,
and of being pressed thereto by the spring i, as shown; hence when
the back end of the lever i, is pressed down, the moveable end enters
a notch in the plate k, on the rotating axis, which passes thro' the
revolving chambers, the disc, being within the body or frame, & is
unattached to the barrel, and will rotato a distance suitable for bringing
up one that is charged. And in order to insure this being done
correctly, the bolt 1, is used, which is attached to the upper part of the
trigger by a pin joint, and the bolt 7, is constantly borne down by a
spring m, as shown; hence when the trigger is pulled it will first cause
the barrels to rotate, and they will next be locked correctly in position
by the bolt 7, when the spring f, will come into action and move the
needle or instrument e, which is to ignite the charge. And im-
mediately on releasing the trigger the spring g, will restore all parts
into position, to admit of the trigger being again pulled to bring up and
discharge another barrel.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do
not claim the parts separately, but only the manuer of combining
them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
THO. HUNT. (L.S.)