CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,.
JOHN MOLLETT, of Austen Friars Passage, in the City of London,
Merchant, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster
the Fifteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven,
in the tenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Mollet, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
anthority, that I, the said John Mollet, my exors, adñiors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Mollet, my exors, adiñors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
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, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," being a communication from abroad; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John Mollet,

page_text: shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part 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 John Mollet, hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described 1
in and by the present Specification thercof, reference being had to the
Drawings horeunto annexed, that is to say:-
The said Invention consists in a novel construction of firc-arms, and
of cartridges adapted to such fire-arms, whereby the use both of per-
cussion caps and of loose priming may be superseded, and the said 1
fire-arms aro discharged with much greater celerity than those of tho

page_text: certainty into the smallest and innermost of these compartments, and
be protected while therein from any percussive action of the ramrod,
as is hercin-after more fully explained. But the form of this chamber
may be varied so as to present fewer or lesser angles of inclination, or
to suit other forms of cartridges. For example, the two angles of in-
clination, 1, 2, and 2, 3, Figure 1, may be resolved into one, as
exemplified in Figures XIX., XX., and XXII.; or the sides i, i,
between 3 and 4, may be brought more nearly perpendicular to the
central line h of the firo-arm, as exemplified in Figure XVI. Again,
instead of the chamber f consisting of a series of compartments of
different angles of inclination as before described, it may be made of
one continuously diminishing curvilineal form, as represented in Figure
XVII.; or it may be made of two perfectly straight compartments, one
of the same borc as the barrel of the gun, and in continuation thereof,
and the other of a similar bore to contain the match end of the cartridge.
In the top of the compartment e, an orifice c, d, of two diameters,
connected by a short inclined plane (or of any other convenient form)
is obliquely bored out, which is intended to allow of the descent
through it of the hammer o, herein-after described, in order that that
hammer may act upon and explode the smaller or match end of the
cartridge. To protect this orifice from rust and from being worn out
by frequent firing it may be bushed by gold, or silver, or steel, or
platinum, or any other durable and not easily oxidizible metal, screwed
into it, as exemplified in Figure XVII.; and so also the better to enable
the part m, of the under side of the compartment e, which is in the
same oblique line with the opening c, to resist the blows of the hammer,
or, more properly speaking, to re-act on the match end of the cartridge
interposed between it and the hammer, a piece of steel or platinum, or
other like hard metal, may, if necessary, be tapped into that part (m)
as shewn in Figures XVII. and XXII. The hammer, Fig. o, is made
of a shape to enter freely the hole d, c. It is attached to the end of the
cock a, at an angle of inclination coinciding with that of the hole, and
it is of such length as to hit against the point m, on the drawing of the
trigger. It may be made in one piece with the cock, but I prefer
making it in a separate piece to screw into the cock in the mode re-

page_text: presented in Figure I., and Figure I., or in that represented in Figure
XVIII., in which case the shoulder of the cock should be made of a
quadrangular or sexagonal form as shown. To protect the hammer
opening d, c, from wet, it may have a to and fro sliding cover y, fitted
to it (see Figure XXII.), and so connected by levers with the cock
that when the trigger is drawn the cock shall push the cover forwards,
clear of the opening, in time to allow of the descent of the hammer on
the match end of the cartridge. On pulling back the cock (after
discharge) the cover would be of course restored to its original position.
Should it be thought desirable to keep the hammer opening during the
instant of discharge still more completely closed than is provided for by
the construction before described, both the hammer and the hammer
opening may be made of the more close fitting forms represented in
Figure XIX., and the former made of the same piece with the cock.
To keep the ramrod 1 fast in its place at all times except when it is
required for use, a balance scroll lever n, with hooked termination, is
attached to the side of the lock in such a position that as long as the
cock is in a state of inaction the hooked termination of the lever
interlocks with the screw end of the ramrod, and prevents it from being
withdrawn, while as soon as the hammer is drawn back to half cock,
the lever is turned on its centre, and the ramrod released to enable it
to be used in loading the gun; and on the ramrod being returned to its
place after loading, then the drawing back of the hammer to full cock
reverses the position of the lever, and causes it to lay fast hold again of
the ramrod. The mode of connecting the lock with the ramrod may
be varied, as for example, the hooked lever n might be made to act
downwards instead of upwards, or instead of the scroll lever n, a
straight spring catch z might be substituted, such as represented in
Figure XXI.; but I consider the mode of connection as first described,
as being the best mode of carrying out this part of my Invention, which
has for its distinguishing feature the locking and unlocking of the
ramrod by means of the cock, so that it shall never be at liberty till it
is required for use.
In the arrangements before described the hammer is shewn as acting
in an oblique direction on the match end of the cartridge, and the hammer

page_text: opening in the breech as having necessarily a corresponding inclination,
but both may be made of any greater degree of inclination thought
desirable, or ended perfectly vertical as shewn in Figure XVI. Again,
instead of making the hammer opening through the breech picce ƒ only,
the breech piece may be screwed farther into the barrel, and the
hammer opening made through both the barrel and breech, as also
exemplified in Figure XVI.
Figure II. represents a gun constructed on the same plan as the
preceding, but with the parts placed in an inverted position, that is to
say, with the lock, and the parts connected with and dependent upon it,
turned upside down, so that the hammer shall act from beneath, and
the sight from the but end to the muzzle be left clear and uninterrupted,
save only by sight-piece as usual. Or instead of the lock being so
placed as to act either downwards or upwards, it may by very obvious
modifications be adapted to act at either side of the gun.
A modification of a different character is shewn in Figure XX. In
this case the hammer o is entirely separated from the cock a, and rests
permanently (while out of action) in the opening d, c, and on the point
m of the under side of the compartment e of the gun, but is provided
with a shoulder w, against which one end of a balance scroll lever
attached to the side of the lock abuts, while the other end is acted
upon by the hinder end of the cock, so that on the cock being drawn
half back it depresses one end of the lever a, and throws up the other
end sufficiently to allow of the loading going on, and of the match end
of the cartridge being introduced into the innermost compartment e, (to
limited extent before directed,) while on drawing back the cock to
full cock, and drawing the trigger, the cock descends on the hammer
and causes it to fire the gun.
As it may occasionally be desirable to convert the fire-arm of each
of the varieties before described into a common percussion gun, as for
instance on a failure in the supply of cartridges of the construction of
those herein-after described, this may be readily effected by removing
the hammer o, and inserting in its place a flat hammer such as re-
presented in Figure p, and then screwing into the opening c, d, a

page_text: THE CARTRIDGES.
Cartridges to suit the improved fire-arms before described may be
made either of paper or cloth which has been previously rendered by
the following treatment to combustible as to take fire instantaneously,
and be consumed without leaving any residuum, or at least a very small
residuum. A quantity of dextrine or British gum, or other substance
possessing the same or similar properties, is dissolved in concentrated
or fuming nitric acid to the point of saturation, and from this mixture
a white substance (called by some xyloidine) is obtained by precipitation
in water and afterwards well dried. Or instead of preparing the white
substance aforesaid for the purpose, it may be employed ready made,
whether manufactured by the above or by any other process. One
part by weight of this white substance is then dissolved in about one
hundred parts also by weight of concentrated or fuming nitric acid,
more or less, according to the degree of combustibility and firmness
desired to be given to the paper or cloth, after which from fifty to one
hundred parts by weight of concentrated sulphuric acid is added. In
this acid solution the paper or cloth is first immersed, it is then wiped
free from any superfluous acid, and next steeped in running water for
two or three hours, or laid in a water bath for a day or two, renewing
the water as often as it becomes foul. It is after that passed between
heated rollers, or pressed between heated sheets of metal, whereby it is
smoothened and consolidated. Should it be desired to neutralize the
acid still farther this may be done by dipping it in an alkaline solution
of more or less strength. An inflammable material for cartridges, but
of an inferior quality to the preceding, may be also prepared by simply
immersing paper or cloth in nitric and sulphuric acids, and afterwards
washing, as before directed.
To form this prepared paper or cloth into a cartridge, a piece
of it is rolled round a shape of wood, metal, or other suitable
material, such as represented in Figure III., that is round the

page_text: body S of the shape only, leaving the hand h free. The piece of
paper or cloth must be of such length as to extend a little way beyond
the extreme point p. It is then made temporarily fast in this position
by slipping over it a ring R, shewn separately in Figure V. The
portion of paper or cloth above the point p is then impregnated or
coated with some suitable fulminating composition, either by dipping
the same in the composition in a fluid state, or by doing it over on the
inside with the compositi in a moist state by micans of a brush or
spatula, care being take, in both cases not to apply the composition,
lower down than the punt p. I prefer employing a composition
formed of two parts of fulminating quicksilver, and one part of gun-
powder, but I do not confine myself to the use of any particular
composition. The portion of the paper or cloth so prepared is then
twisted round and tied with thread which has been prepared in the
same way as the paper or cloth itself, in which state the cartridge, so
far as now formed, assumes the appearance represented in Figure VI.
Or instead of applying the composition to the end of the piece of paper
or cloth of which the body of the cartridge is composed, a small roll or
pellet of paper or cloth may be charged with the composition, and
inserted within the twisted end of the cartridge, and afterwards made
fast in its place by tying as before. Or a small capsule, such as shown
in Figure XII., made of paper or cloth prepared as aforesaid, may be
charged with the fulminating composition, and slipped over the small end
of the cartridge and then tied. The better to enable the composition to
retain its hold of the paper or cloth it may be coated with a solution of
dextrine, or a solution of any readily inflammable gum or resin, as shell lac
or gutta percha. The upper end of the shape S, with the paper or cloth
enveloping it, is next pressed, by means of the handle h, into a mould
of the form shown (in Figuro IV., in which the full lines reprosent the
exterior of the mould, and the dotted lines the interior,) and turned
round and round theroin till all the part of the intended cartridge above
the ring R has been smoothed and fashioned into the exact form of
the mould. By comparing Figure IV. with Figure I., it will be seen
that the form of this mould exactly corresponds with the three inner-
most compartments (2, 3, 3, 4, and 4, 5,) of the chamber ƒ of the

page_text: gun; and according as the form of that chamber may happen to be
varied, so also must the form of the mould. Care must in every case
be taken that the match end of the cartridge shall not reach to the end
of the innermost compartment 4, 5, but stop a little way short thereof.
It need not indeed reach farther than just beyond the hammer opening
c. Should, therefore, this match end happen, from the miscalculation or
carelessness of workmen, to exceed that length, it must at this stage of
the process be slipped down to the proper standard. The ring R is
then slipped off, and the bottom end of the cartridge filled with gun-
powder, after which the ends of the paper or cloth are joined together
and closed up by paste or any other suitable cement as represented in
Figure VII. In using this cartridge the shot may be contained in a
separate cartridge made of paper or cloth, prepared as aforesaid, or of
common paper, and of the form shewn in Figure VIII. Or the shot
or ball may be added to the original cartridge as represented in Figures
IX., X., and XI.
When the match end of the cartridge is made, as before directed, of
such length as to portrudo into the innermost compartment c, (4, 5,)
of the breech of the gun to the limited extent only before directed, and
when the sides of the breech in front of that compartment are either at
right angles to it, or so inclined as to present an abutment for the
shoulders of the cartridge to bear against, it follows, that by no pushing
of the ramrod in loading, however forcible or prolonged, can the match
end be so concussed as to take fire; for no pressure can force the
match end further in than it was at first, and the gunpowder in the
cartridge serves as if it were so much sand to protect it from the per-
cussive action of the ramrod.
Cartridges made of paper or cloth prepared in the same way as that
employed in the construction of those before described, but without the
small match end, may be employed with advantage in percussion guns
of the ordinary kind, or in guns of the improved description herein
specified, when altered to the ordinary percussion form. The explosion
of the common percussion cap will set fire to the paper of such cart-
ridges almost as readily as to the gunpowder itself.
It may happen with this as with other fire-arms that it may miss

page_text: fire. In that case, instead of withdrawing the cartridge, (though this
may be done with perfect safety if preferred,) I take a small match or
capsule prepared in the same way as the cartridge paper before de-
scribed, and of any of the forms represented in Figures XII, XIII,
XIV., or XV., and either slip it over the end of the hammer, or insert
it in the hammer opening, after which I again cock the gun and
draw the trigger, when the descent of the hammer rarely fails to ex-
plode the capsule and discharge the
gun.
Instead of charging the cartridges with gunpowder, as before directed,
they may be filled with gun cotton or any other suitable explosive com-
pound, but I prefer the gunpowder as being freest from danger of
accidents, and abundantly effective.
The improvements before described, both as regards fire-arms and
cartridges, will be found of universal applicability, whatever may be the
dimensions of the arm, or the particular purpose to which it is applied.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improve-
ments which I claim as constituting the said Invention are as follows:
First, I claim the employment in fire-arms of a hammer whose stroke
is made inside of the breech of the gun, whether such hammer is
attached to the cock of the fire-arm, and in its descent enters a hole in
the breech, or is separately inserted in the said hole and afterwards
struck by the fall of the cock, and in whatever direction the said
hammer may be made to act, as downwards, upwards, or sidewards,
all as herein-before exemplified and described.
Second, I claim the protecting from wet of the touch-holes in fire-
arms, when the same are made vertical by means of a sliding plate
connected with and acted on by the lock as herein-before described.
Third, I claim the connecting in fire-arms of the ramrod with the
lock, so that it can only be withdrawn when wanted for the purpose of
loading as herein-before described.
And, fourth, I claim the making of cartridges of paper or cloth
prepared as aforesaid, so that it shall take fire instantaneously, and be
consumed without leaving any residuum, or at least only a very small

page_text: residuum, and with or without match ends, and whether they are of
the peculiar forms beforo described or of any others.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Mollett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.