IM- PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: the
Trançois Jules Manceaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th March 1867.
I, FRANÇOIS JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun
5 Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING THE SAME," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates to what may be termed multiple guns, that is to say,
guns composed of a number of separate barrels, and it consists in the mode
O hereafter described of assembling or combining these barrels in one arm or
gun, a mode which renders them independent one of the other, and which
permits of their being dismounted, remounted, and replaced by others at will,
and which while combining their effect does not render them fixtures or
"solidaire," one with the other, and exposed to the reaction and vibration pro-
i duced by the simultaneous firing of all the barrels; the mode also permits
of giving each of them a special inclination determined with mathematical
These results it is impossible to obtain either with barrels in
precision.

page_text: contact throughout all their length, and brazed together so as to form one
mass, or with holes bored in a single block of iron or steel, the parallelism,
concentricity, or divergence of which cannot be established with that
geometrical regularity necessary for good results.
The Invention further consists in a simple and ready mode of closing the 5
breech; also in an apparatus for loading or charging all the barrels simul-
taneously. In the following description I refer to the employment of 21 barrels
in 3 rows of 7 each; but any other convenient number of barrels and rows may
be employed.
My multiple gun is composed of the following parts: -1. Of a central 1
frame, having in the centre of each of its ends a trunnion to support the arni
on a carriage. 2. Of a back frame carrying the breech-closing and firing
apparatus; at the back face of the frame and on its upper part there is a
projecting flange to cover the closing apparatus hereafter described; at the
top of this frame and on the right side a hole is made for the vent. 3. Of a 1.
breech-closing door, carrying at its lower part a pin or pivot at each end;
this door is furnished externally with a projection to enable it to be moved.
On each side and behind the back frame are two slots serving as gudgeons
for the pins or pivots of the closing door. In these gudgeons are slide blocks
to press on the pivots of the door and to prevent their shaking. These 2
blocks are kept against the pivots by spiral springs. A plug limits the play
of these springs. The closing door lifted up and brought on the hind part of
the back frame is kept in place by a transverse locking bar having its support
upon the two cheeks or side plates hereafter mentioned. The interior face
of the closing door is symmetrically pierced by holes somewhat in the form of 2
thimbles, and corresponding in number with the barrels; these holes slightly
widened at their mouth receive the same number of closing cones of the form
described in the Specification of Letters Patent, dated 13th January 1859.
No. 114, granted to myself and Eugene Napoleon Vieillard. These cones
are fixed to the thimbles by pins, which allow them play in all directions.
4. Of a front frame to support the extremity of the three-rows of barrels; this
frame is surmounted by a cover or cap, secured by screws on the sides of the
frame. The frame has a rectangular opening to receive rectangular projections
formed around the barrels. 5. Of two lateral cheeks or plates to join
and
support the three frames; these frames are fixed on the cheeks by lateral bolts $
screwed through the cheeks into the frames; these cheeks are each pierced
by a square mortice to the right of the trunnions of the central frame to fit
the base of these latter; a strong screw nut tightens or forces
away
the cheek
on the base of the trunnion. At the back end 'and vertically of each check

page_text: there is a recess forming a stop for the locking bar. A knob or projection on
the external face and at the rear of the right cheek forms the hinge of the
locking bar. A button is fixed at the extremity of the locking bar opposite
the hinge to work this bar which is slightly tapered or thinned towards
5 its under side so as to allow of its entrance into the recess. 6. Of three
superposed rows of seven barrels; these barrels are arranged and fitted in the
following manner :-At the back of each barrel a rectangular lump is formed,
the length of which is equal to that of the back frame; towards the middle
of the barrel and for the length of the central frame a rectangular lump is
also formed; similar rectangular lumps are formed for the front frame.
Between these lumps and at the front end the barrel is cylindrical; these
rectangular lumps have their lateral faces formed according to the inclination
required by the divergence of fire desired. It is by these lateral faces thus
formed that the barrels are in contact one with the other and kept in their
respective positions. All these rectangular lumps when brought together
form as it were a single lump, which fills the interior space of each of the three
frames.
The top and bottom faces of the lumps are also formed so as to be
put in contact with each other and with the top and bottom inner surfaces of
the frames. To maintain and fix the barrels in their normal position there is
formed on the middle of the top face of the central frame and for all its
length a rectangular slot to give passage to the tongue of a cover or top plate
fixed by screws on the said frame; this tongue penetrates about half an inch
into a groove of the same depth in the top of the rectangular lumps of the
first row of the barrels. In the same frame, partly in the bottom of the lumps
of the second row and partly in the top of the third row a longitudinal rectan-
gular groove is formed, in which a key is fitted to keep the barrels of these
two rows in their respective positions. The extremity of the barrels is main-
tained in the front frame as before explained, that is, those of the first
and third rows by means of their rectangular lumps fitting into the interior
of the frame. A key similar to that employed for the central frame is intro-
duced into a rectangular groove made between the second and third rows of
barrels. At the rear the chambers of the barrels are slightly widened to permit
of the free entrance and exit of the closing cones; these barrels are preferably
made to receive the cartridge described in the Specification of the Letters
Patent herein-before mentioned. The ignition of the charge is produced by
the ordinary quick match lodged in the vent hole in the back frame. The
fire is communicated to each row of barrels and from one row to the other
by a line of corresponding vent holos.
I
now proceed to describe the loading or charging apparatus. It consists

page_text: of a rectangular box, the dimensions of which correspond exactly with the
dimensions of the back frame. The two ends are pierced with 21 holes,
corresponding exactly with the chambers of the 21 barrels ; 21 tubes of the
same diameter internally as the exterior of the cartridge are rivetted to these
The cartridges being inserted into the 21 tubes they are forced
into the corresponding chambers of the barrels by means of a rammer.
rammer is composed of a plate of iron furnished with handles, and having
rivetted thereto 21 plugged tubes corresponding to the tubes containing the
cartridges; slides serve as guides for the movement of this rammer.
21 holes.
The
When
the rammer has been caused to push the cartridges into their position in the
chambers of the barrels it is returned to its place by springs at the four
corners of the box or otherwise, these springs acting on rods working in
tubes in which the springs are fitted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Jules Manceaux in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said François Jules Manceaux, Her special licence that I, the said François
Jules Manceaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said François Jules Manceaux, 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, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING THE SAME," upo
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said François Jules Manceaux, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument 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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said François Jules Manceaux, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
5 performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
This Invention relates to what may be termed multiple guns, that is to say,
guns composed of a number of separate barrels, and it consists in the mode
o hereafter described of assembling or combining these barrels in one arm or
gun, a mode which renders them independent one of the other, and which
permits of their being dismounted, remounted, and replaced by others at will,
and which while combining their effect does not render them fixtures or
"solidaire" one with the other and exposed to the reaction and vibration
5 produced by the simultaneous firing of all the barrels; the mode also permits
of giving each of them a special inclination determined with mathematical
precision. These results it is impossible to obtain either with barrels in
contact throughout all their length and brazed together so as to form one
mass, or with holes bored in a single block of iron or steel, the parallelism, con-
centricity, or divergence of which cannot be established with that geometrical
regularity necessary for good results.
The Invention further consists in a simple and ready mode of closing the
breech; also in an apparatus for loading or charging all the barrels simul-
taneously. In the following description I refer to the employment of 21
barrels in three rows of 7 each; but any other convenient number of barrels
and rows may be employed.
The construction and operation of my multiple gun will be fully understood
by the accompanying Drawings and the following description.a
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the gun with the parts in the position
they occupy at the time of firing; Figure 2 is a section through the line a, b,
and Figure 3 a section through the line c, d, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side
elevation at the time of firing; Figure 5 is an end elevation, and Figure 6 a
front elevation; Figure 7 is a horizontal section; Figure 7 shews the direc-
tion of the barrels of the third row, and Figure 7 the direction of those of the
first
row; Figure 8 represents in section on a larger scale two of the barrels
and the connecting parts of the system of ignition before being placed together;
Figures 9 and 10 shew also on a larger scale the connecting parts of the
system of ignition; Figure 11 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 12 a longi
tudinal elevation of the loading or charging apparatus; Figure 13 is a section

page_text: through e, f, of Figure 14, and Figure 14 a section through g, h, of Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a section through k, l, of Figure 12, and Figure 16 a section
through m, n, of Figure 15.
The gun is composed of the following parts:-1st, of a central frame A
having in the centre of each of its ends a trunnion to support the arm on a 5
carriage. 2nd, of a back frame B carrying the breech closing and firing appa-
ratus ; at the back face of this frame and on its upper part there is a projecting
flange c to cover the closing apparatus hereafter described; on the top of this
frame and on the right side a hole is made for the vent. 3rd, of a breech-
closing door C carrying at its lower part a pin or pivot f¹ at each end; this 1
door is furnished externally with a projecting handled to enable it to be
moved. On each side and behind the back frame are two slots f serving as
gudgeons for the pivot f¹ of the closing door. In these gudgeons are slide
blocks g to press on the pivots of the door and to prevent them shaking; these
blocks are kept against the pivots f¹ by spiral springs h; a plug i limits the
play of these springs. The closing door C lifted up and brought on the hind
part of the back frame is kept in place by a transverse locking bar j having its
support upon the two cheeks or side plates hereafter mentioned. The interior
face of the closing door C is symmetrically pierced by holes e¹ somewhat in the
form of thimbles and corresponding in number with the barrels; these holes
slightly widened at their mouth receive the same number of closing cones e,
of the form described in the Specification of Letters Patent, dated 13th
January 1859, No. 114, granted to myself and Eugene Napoleon Vieillard.
These cones are fixed at the bottom of the thimbles e¹ by pins e¹¹ which allow
them play in all directions. 4th, of a front frame D to support the extremity of
the three rows of barrels; this frame is surmounted by a cover or cap
k secured
by screws on the sides of the frame; the frame has a rectangular opening
to receive rectangular projections formed around the barrels. 5th, of two
lateral cheeks or plates E to join and support the three frames A, B, D; these
frames are fixed on the cheeks E by lateral bolts screwed through the cheeks
into the frames; these cheeks are each pierced by a square mortice 1 to the
right of the trunnions of the central frame to fit the base of these latter; &
strong screw nut m tightens or forces the cheek on the base of the trunnion.
At the back end and vertically of each cheek there is a recess n forming a
stop for the locking bar j. A projection o on the external face and at the rear
of the right cheek forms the hinge of the locking bar. A button p is fixed at
the extremity of the locking bar opposite the hinge to work this bar, which is
slightly tapered or thinned towards its under side so as to allow of its entrance
into the recess. 6th, of three superposed rows of seven barrels F, F;
these

page_text: barrels are arranged and fitted in the following manner:-At the back of
each barrel a rectangular lump q is formed, the length of which is equal to
that of the back frame B; towards the middle of the barrel and for the
length of the central frame A a rectangular lump r is also formed; similar
5 rectangular lumps s are formed for the front frame D; between these lumps
and at the front end the barrel, as seen at t, t, is cylindrical; these rectangular
lumps have their lateral faces formed according to the inclinations required by
the divergence of fire desired. It is by these lateral faces thus formed that
the barrels are in contact one with the other and kept in their respective
O positions.
All these rectangular lumps when brought together form as it
were a single lump which fills the interior space of each of the three frames
A, B, D. The top and bottom faces of the lumps are also formed so as to
be in contact with each other and with the top and bottom inner surfaces of
the frames. To maintain and fix the barrels in their normal position there is
formed on the middle of the top face of the central frame, and for all its length,
a rectangular slot to give passage to the tongue of a cover or top plate a fixed
by screws on the said frame; this tongue penetrates about half an inch into
a groove of the same depth in the top of the rectangular lumps of the first row
of barrels. In the same frame, partly in the bottom of the lumps of the second
row, and partly in the top of the third row a longitudinal rectangular groove
is formed, in which a key x is fitted to keep the barrels of these two rows in
their respective positions. The extremity of the barrels is maintained in the
front frame as before explained, that is, those of the first and third rows by
means of their rectangular lumps s fitting into the interior of the frame D. A
key x¹, similar to that employed for the central frame, is introduced into a
rectangular groove made between the second and third rows of barrels. At
the rear the chambers of the barrels are slightly widened to permit of the free
entrance and exit of the closing cones. These barrels are preferably made to
receive the cartridge described in the Specification of the Letters Patent herein-
before mentioned.
The ignition of the charge is produced by the ordinary quick match lodged
in the vent hole a¹ in the back frame B. The fire is communicated to each
row of barrels by a line of corresponding vent holes. The mode or system of
ignition which I prefer to adopt will be fully understood on reference to Figures
2, 7, 8, 9, and 10. a¹ is a rectangular piece of cast steel introduced into a
chamber formed by two grooves or apertures, one in the right cheek E, and
the other in the right side of the back frame B; these two grooves form
long rectangular hole or chamber double the width of the piece a'. a² is
rectangular piece for fixing the piece a' in position; a³ is a fixing screw takiu

page_text: plug,
partly into the piece a² and partly into the cheek E. The piece a' is pierce
throughout its length with a circular hole a in which to lodge the ordinary
quick match used for ordnance; this hole is closed at bottom by a screw
as shewn, passed through an aperture in the frame B and entering the threaded
lower end of the hole a¹. Three screws a³ are screwed laterally into the cheek E, 5
and their points, which are tempered, bear on the piece a² to the right of the
centre of the bore or chamber of the barrels of each row.
Opposite the centre
of the bore of each row is a hole a" at right angles to the hole at. Each hole a
at its inner end is enlarged and threaded to receive the threaded part of what
I call a male nipple a' of copper or platinum, the conical part of which 1
projects from the left side of the piece a¹. In the lump at the back of each
barrel a cylindrical hole as is formed which traverses the barrel transversely at
the centre of the bore, as shown. Each of these holes is enlarged and threaded
at one part to receive the threaded part of what I call a female nipple a³ to
receive the male nipple a'; these holes and male and female nipples are
repeated between the several barrels of each row, as clearly seen in Figures 2
and 7, the nipples being of course applied before the barrels and the pieces a¹
and a² are put in position. The friction of the match ignites the fulminate
which enters each row of barrels, and every barrel of each row by the
communicating nipples.
I now proceed to describe the loading or charging apparatus; it consists of
a rectangular box G, the dimensions of which correspond exactly with the
dimensions of the back frame B. The two ends are pierced with 21 holes
corresponding exactly with the chambers of the 21 barrels ; 21 tubes, y, of the
same diameter internally as the exterior of the cartridge are rivetted to these
21 holes. The cartridges being inserted into the 21 tubes they are forced into
the corresponding chambers of the barrels by means of a rammer H; this
rammer is composed of a plate of iron furnished with handles, and having
rivetted thereto 21 plugged tubes y corresponding to the tubes y containing
the cartridges. Slides w serve as guides for the movement of this rammer.
When the rammer has been caused to push the cartridges into their position
in the chambers of the barrels it is returned to its place by springs w¹ at the
four corners of the box or otherwise, these springs acting on rods ¹ working
in tubes, in which the springs are fitted.o
The movements or operation for working the multiple gun are as follows:-
With the left hand take hold of the handle d of the breech closing door C;
with the right hand take hold of the knob or button p at the end of the locking
bar j, move it from left to right out of its recess n, and let it fall over on its
binge o; draw back the door C parallel with the face of the back frame until

page_text: its pivots f¹ have arrived at the end of their travel; turn down the door and
let it hang on its pivots; present and adjust the charger filled with its 21
cartridges in the recess formed in the back part of the arm on each side by
the projecting cheeks E, E¹, and at the top by the flange c; push forcibly
with the handles of the rammer so as to force the cartridges into their respec-
tive chambers; lift up the door C by taking hold of the handle with the left
hand and force it smartly against the back face of the breech; with the right
hand take hold of the locking bar j and turn it back rapidly into position
the parts are then ready to fire; each gun should be provided with two of my
loading or charging apparatus.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, constructing the barrels and other parts of fire-arms in such manner
that a number of separate barrels may be combined or assembled into one
arm or gun, substantially as herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second, constructing fire-arms in which the breech is closed, substantially in
the manner herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
Third, the combination of parts of fire-arms, substantially as herein-befor
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, constructing apparatus for charging multiple or many-barrelle
fire-arms, substantially as herein-before described and represented in th
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Jules Manceaux, have hereun
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, O
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.