AN IMPROVED METHOD OF EXPLODING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
BENJAMIN NEWMARCH, of Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester,
Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain,
bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of January, On
thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, in the sixth year of His reigi
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Newmarch, His especial license that I, the said
Benjamin Newmarch, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Benjamin Newmarch, my exors, adñors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use. exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF EXPLODING FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent is con-

page_text: tained a proviso, obliging me, the said Benjamin Newmarch, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Benjamin Newmarch, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed (that is
to say):
My Invention of an improved method of exploding fire-arms con-
sists in introducing into the charge of gunpowder contained in the
barrel of a fowling piece or other description of fire-arms, when loaded,
the fire or sensible heat produced by the sudden compression of air,
which fire or sensible heat I obtain in a similar manner to that com-
monly practised in igniting the substance called German tinder in the
well known apparatus denominated an Instantaneous Light Machine,
constructed in a walking stick, that is, by means of a piston accurately
fitted and worked in a cylinder, by the sudden stroke of which the
volume of air contained in the cylinder becomes so much compressed
as to give out its caloric in the state of sensible heat or fire. There
may be various modes devised of bringing this principle into action for
the discharge of fire-arms, all of which it would be impossible for me
to describe; I shall, therefore, merely exhibit one contrivance adapted
to a fowling piece which I consider to be the most eligible method of
igniting the charge of that kind of gun upon the principle above stated,
without intending to confine myself to that particular construction of
mechanism.
The Drawing hereto annexed represents a section of part of the
barrel and stock of a gun, with the apparatus to be employed for
discharging it. a, is the barrel, having what is termed a patent
breech b; this is to be loaded with gunpowder and shot in the usual

page_text: way; and c, is the touch hole in the centre at the hinder part of the
breech; d, is an accurately formed hollow cylinder, having a small
air hole e; f, is a piston ground to fit the cylinder, perfectly air tight,
and to move along it with as little friction as possible; g, is a rod affixed
to the piston at one end, and to a powerful helical spring h, at the other
end. A portion of the piston rod is formed into a rack i, and a
toothed segment k, is made to take into this rack, and is moved by a
key or lever on the outside for the purpose of drawing back the piston
and its rod, which drives the helical spring up to its tension. When the
rod has thus been drawn back the point of the sear 7, is forced into a
small notch in the rod by the sear spring m, which prevents the piston
from moving forwards, and the piece may then be considered as cocked
ready to be discharged. On bringing the piece into a firing position
the trigger is pulled by the finger, as usual, which by raising the long
arm of the scar withdraws its point from the notch, and the piston rod
being now released from its confinement the power of the helical
spring exerts itself and projects the piston forward in its cylinder with
such force as to compress the air contained in the cylinder before the
piston, and cause it to give out its caloric in the state of sensible heat
or fire at the aperture in front of the cylinder where the small ball
valve n, is placed, and passing by this valve the fire enters the barrel
at the touch hole in the breech and instantly ignites the charge of
gunpowder.
After the piece has been reloaded the key or lever of the toothed
segment is to be turned round, so as to draw back the piston and force
the spring up to its tension, as before, when the point of the sear again
falling into the notch confines the piston rod and leaves the piece in a
state ready to be discharged.
This is the contrivance which I consider to be most eligible for
discharging fowling pieces upon my improved principle, and any
variations or modifications of this mode which might be found more
desirable for discharging other descriptions of fire-arms would readily
suggest themselves to a competent mechanic. I therefore considered
it unnecessary to explain other contrivances, and 1 claim the exclusive

page_text: right as being the first Inventor of discharging fire-arms by the sen-
sible heat or fire obtained in the sudden compression or condensation
of air.
In witness whereof, I; the said Benjamin Newmarch, have here-
unto set iny hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-
six.