IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Montague Richard Leverson, of Number Twelve,
Saint Helen's Place, in the City of London, Solicitor and Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."-A communication
from ab ad by William Henry Smith, of the City of Philadelphia, in
Sealed 23rd April 1861, and dated the 6th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Montague Richard Leverson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1860.
I, MONTAGUE RICHARD LEVERSON, of Number Twelve, Saint Helen's Place, in
the City of London,Solicitor and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing the breech-piece both of small arms
and large ordinance of two or more concentric tubes so arranged as to allow
ignition to pass from the inner shorter and smaller to the outer largerand longer
tube or tubes progressively, by successively raising the base or sides of a ball,
the base and (if needed) the sides of which are shaped so as to rest as a plug
or valve either on, around, or within the open end of the said concentric tubes.
The breech piece containing the concentric tubes in the simplest form of con-
struction is screwed on and off the gun barrel by a thread cut exterior to the
barrel and interior to the breech.

page_text: Another form consists in connecting the breech (after its insertion in the
butt end of the stock of the gun) with 'the muzzle or barrel part of the gun
by means of a binge joint, opening upwards or sideways.
The best form, and that which I prefer for rifles and cannon, consists in a
piston rod and cylinder movement and arrangement of the breech. Thus the
gun barrel is widened at its base sufficiently to allow a breech piece of any
desired diameter (according to the charge of powder used) to move freely up
aud down therein. When the breech piece is inserted in the cylinder it is
held firmly in its place by means of a wedge or spring pressing a gutta percha
or other suitable buffer against its base. It is easily removed to be recharged
for firing. A greased wad is inserted in a groove cut transversely across the
central portion of the ball for the purpose of lubricating the barrel of the gun,
that part of the ball which is anterior to the groove usually fitting tightly in
the smaller or barrel chamber, while that part posterior thereto extends into
the enlarged breach where it lies embedded in powder, by which its base and
sides are powerfully acted upon when the gun is discharged.
The object of my Invention is the application (by means of novel and effi-
cient mechanical constructions and adjustments) of the principle of successive
impulse to small arms and large ordinance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Montague Richard Leverson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MONTAGUE
RICHARD LEVERSON, of Number 12, Saint Helen's Place, in the City of London,
Solicitor and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Montague Richard Leverson, Her special licence that I, the said
Montague Richard Leverson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Montague Richard Leverson, my executors, administrators,
and assigus, 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

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," (a communication from William
Henry Smith, of the City of Philadelphia, in the United States of America,
Doctor of Medicine,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Montague Richard Leverson, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Montague Richard Leverson, 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 (that is to say) :-
The Invention consists in an apparatus for breech-loading, wherein a series
of charge receiving chambers or tubes constitute the breech, in and by means
of which successive impulses are communicated to a pistol, rifle, cannon, or
other ball during its passage through the chamber of the barrel of the gun,
as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, also in the adaptation of a
ball and cartridge to said charge receiving chambers.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a
detached compound breech piece constructed according to this Invention;
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken on the line A, A, of Fig. 1;
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent different modes of constructing, arranging, and
adapting the improved breech piece; Figs. 7 and 8 shew the shape of the
balls used, and Fig. 9, the form of cartridge adapted thereto. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
In Fig. 1 (H) represents a single breech piece having a screw cut within
the front end D, into which the barrel is screwed; this breech piece contains
in its rear end three distinct cavities or concentric hollow tubes or chambers,
respectively marked 1, 2, and 3, to denote the relative succession of the dis-
charge of powder placed therein. The base of the ball B is inserted as a
plug fitting into the chamber 1, and the other part of the base closes the
end of the chamber 2, so that when the fire-arm or gun is discharged, the
fire is first communicated through the touch-hole (c) from the nipple (y) to
the powder in the chamber (1); the explosion of the charge therein moves the
base of the ball sufficiently to open a communication between chambers (1)
and (2,) the explosion in (2) moves the ball so as to ignite the powder in (3).
Three successive impulses may by this arrangement be communicated to a
ball or projectile, by each of which additional acceleration of velocity and

page_text: increase of momentum is imparted thereto, and if desired a breech piece may
be made with more. For small arms it is not advisable to use more than two
concentric chambers (1 and 2, Fig. 3), which may be contained in a simple
breech piece (H) attached by a screw or other contrivance to the gun barrel (E.)|
In this construction of parts either the breech piece (H) formed with an
ordinary tang (G) may be firmly fastened to the stock of the gun, allowing
the barrel to recede, or be removed from contact therewith in the process
of loading, or the reverse arrangement may be made, and the breech piece
be rendered moveable by any suitable construction, all which arrangements
are well understood.
Another form of construction is shewn in Fig. 4, in which the charge
holding breech piece (H) may be inserted in and removed from an outer
breech piece (N), which is permanently screwed or fixed on to the barrel B
by a screw bolt J working tightly in a collar Z fixed in the stock of the gun,
or the piece H may be supported by a wedge, so adjusted as to slide back wards
or open sideways to allow of the withdrawal of H for reloading. Any elastic
medium may be placed between the piece H and the wedge to act as a buffer
in order to lessen the recoil. A great advantage resulting from this arrange-
ment is the entire detachment of the piece H from the gun, several of which
pieces may be used in connection with the same gun, each of which may vary
from the others in the size of its chambers to allow of the use of a small or
large charge of powder according to the range desired; and if any accident
should happen to the charge holding piece H, the gun would still remain fit
for immediate use by the employment of a second piece. Should the entire
piece N be found too lengthy for the quick withdrawal of the piece H, it can
be shortened by the removal of that part extending along the dotted line d, e.
Or a still more convenient adjustment may be used, as shewn in Fig. 5 in
which the upper part of the piece H overscrews the lower part of the piece N,
so as to be quickly withdrawn for the purposes of loading and cleaning the gun.
It is also found advantageous to screw the tube P forming the chamber (1)
into the base of the piece H, so as to allow of its adjustment to any con
venient distance up the chamber (2,) thereby adapting it to a long or short
ball at pleasure.
The simplicity and convenience of this form of construction are still further
shewn in Fig. 6, wherein the several parts are detached. The nipple (y) is
usually attached to the piece H, but can be fixed on the piece N, Fig. 4, when
required. The chambers 1, 2, and 3 can be made of any desirable depth and
width according to the amount of charge or length of range preferred. The
shape of the ball may vary at pleasure, thus in Fig. 7, an egg-shaped ball

page_text: having a groove (o) for the reception of greased thread or wadding, is shewn,
while in Fig. 8 a ball is exhibited having a hollow base in which the plug B
is forced, so as to expand the ball when in the act of firing, the lower end of
the plug is driven from the tube or chamber 1, in which it rests as the base of
the ball. The powder and ball may be inserted without the use of a cartridge
or a cartridge shaped as in Fig. 9 may be used, the section of the cartridge
corresponding with the section of the concentric chambers. The breech piece
also be used in combination with a bayonet movement or adjustment
to the barrel of a gun, or constructed with a hinge joint to allow quick
separation from the barrel in loading, to which modes of connection no
claim is made. It is found desirable to insert a thin copper facing at the
several junctions of the piece H with the barrel B or outer piece N, at
which there is liability of escape of powder or gas.
H
may
I do not confine myself to the several forms of construction and adaptation
of said chambers or the breech piece containing them, inasmuch as the
same principle of concentric chambers, the charges in which are ignited in
succession, may be adapted to various mechanical adjustments.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent, I claim the construction of breach pieces H
with two or more concentric charge holding chambers, substantially as
herein described; and I also claim the manufacture of projectiles, such as
herein described, suitable for such guns.
In witness whereof, I, the said Montague Richard Leverson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
MONTAGUE R. LEVERSON. (L.S.)