IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Laxton, of the firm of William and Henry
Laxton, of the Office for British and Foreign Patents, No. 19, Arundel
Street, Strand, London, Architect and Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from Benjamin
F Joslyn of Worcester. Massachusetts, United States.
Sealed the 9th May 1856, and dated the 14th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Laxton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th-
November 1855.
I, HENRY LAXTON, of the firm of William and Henry Laxton, of the Office
for British and Foreign Patents, No. 19, Arundel Street, Strand, London,
Architect and Civil Engineer, having a communication from Benjamin F.
Joslyn, of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as
follows:-
The Invention relates to fire-arms which are loaded at the breech, and
consists in furnishing the radial or hinged breech with a pin, which is allowed
to have a longitudinal movement against a spring in the said breech, but is
prevented from moving therein.. This pin has a conical head embraced by
metallic expanding rings, which when the radial breech is down and its

page_text: cartridge inserted penetrates a slight distance into and fits against the interior
of the barrel, the cartridge bearing directly against the end of the pin, so that
when the powder is ignited the sudden expansion of gas drives the pin towards
the interior of the radial breech, the cone end at the same time causing the
rings to expand and fit tight to the interior of the barrel, thus rendering the
latter air and gas tight at the breech, and causing the explosive force to be
more efficient.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters of reference allude to
similar parts.
Fig. 1 represents in section suflicient of a barrel and stock of a breech-
loading fire-arm to show the improvements as attached to the same; Fig. 2
is a transverse section of the cone-headed pin on the line 1, 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3
is a section and plan of one of the expanding rings; and Fig. 4, the same of
the other expanding rings.
A is a portion of the barrel of the fire-arm; B, a portion of the stock;
C, the radial breech, connected to the barrel by the joint F. The projecting
part D of the breech fits (when down) at one end against the inclined side of
the stock B, the other end, bearing against the end of the barrel A. Within
the piece D, and central with the bore of the barrel, is the pin E, one end of
which bears against the spiral spring a, the tapered end projecting a short
distance into the barrel. The rings G and H are turned on the outside, so as
to fit the interior of the end of the barrel, the inside being cone-shaped, and
fitting accurately the tapered head of the pin E. These rings are cut across
in one place, as seen in Fig. 3 and 4, so as to allow them to expand and
contract, after the manner of metallic rings in the pistons of steam engines,
the small pin or dowel b maintaining them in such a position with each other
that the cut or opening on one ring does not coincide with the other. A small
pin c, screwed into the lower part of the projection D of the breech, fits with its
point into the oblong slot f of the pin E (Fig. 2), so as to prevent the latter
from turning, at the same time allowing it a slight longitudinal movement.
The radial breech C has an arm d, under which are the guides e for receiving
the latch K, one end of which has an inclined projection and catch m, which
when the radial breech is down fits against the under side of the piece L, the
latter being permanently secured across the opening X in the stock, a spiral
spring n in the breech pressing against the end of the latch K, and serving to
keep the catch m in its proper position with regard to the piece L. The.
opposite end of the latch K is furnished with a projection p for the hand of
the overator.

page_text: When it is desired to introduce a charge within the barrel, the operator
pushes the projection p, which sliding the latch K, causes the catch m to be
free from contact with the piece L; the operator continuing to keep his hand
on the projection p, now turns the whole of the radial breech upwards to the
position shown in red lines, thereby exposing the end of the barrel, into which
the cartridge may be inserted, after which the operator brings down the radial
breech to its former position. The incline on the catch m sliding over the
inclined top of the piece L allows the catch to resume the position shown in
the Drawing, effectually locking down the radial breech, which is now in such
a position that the fire-arm may be discharged with safety.
The powder being ignited by any of the ordinary percussion locks or other
contrivances, the first instantaneous act of the expanded air and gas will be to
drive the pin E towards the interior of the projection D on the breech C; and
as the rings G and H are prevented from moving backwards by the end of the
said projection, it necessarily follows that the cone head of the pin must cause
the rings to expand, and consequently to fit tight to both the inside of tho
barrel and outside of the cone head of the pin, effectually preventing all escape
of air or gas towards the breech, and causing the explosive force to be more
intense than in ordinary breech-loading fire-arms. Immediately after the
discharge, the spiral springs a by its recoil causes the pin and expanding rings
to assume their former position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Laxton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LAXTON, of the firm of William and Henry Laxton, of the Office for British
and Foreign Patents, No. 19, Arundel Street, Strand, London, Architect and
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Laxton, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Laxton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Laxton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: 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,"
a communication from Benjamin F. Joslyn, of Worcester, Massachu-
setts, United States, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Laxton, 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 within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Laxton, 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:
The Invention relates to fire-arms which are loaded at the breach, and
consists in furnishing the radial or hinged breach with a pin, which is allowed
to have a longitudinal movement against a spring in the said breech, but is
prevented from moveing therein. This spring has a conical head embraced by
metalic expanding rings, which when the radial breech is down and the car-
tridge inserted penetrates a slight distance into and fits against the interior of
the barrel, the cartridge bearing directly against the end of the pin, so that
when the powder is ignited the sudden expansion of gas drives the pin towards
the interior of the radial breech, the cone end at the same time causing the
rings to expand and fit tight to the interior of the barrel, thus rendering the
latter air and gas tight at the breech, and causing the explosive force to be
more efficient.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings, the letters of reference marked thereon cor-
responding to the letters of reference herein.
Fig. 1 represents in section sufficient of a barrel and stock of a breech-
loading fire-arm to show my improvements as attached to the same; Fig. 2 is
transverse section of the cone-headed pin on the line 1, 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3
is a section and plan of one of the expanding rings; and Fig. 4 is the same of
the other expanding rings.
.
A is a portion of the barrel of the fire-arm; B, a portion of the stock; C, the
radial breech, connected to the barrel by the joint F. The projecting part D of
the breech fits (when down) at one end against the inclined side of the stock B,
the other end bearing against the end of the barrel A. Within the piece D,

page_text: and central with the bore of the barrel, is the pin E, one end of which bears
against the spiral spring a, the tapered end projecting a short distance into the
barrel. The rings G and H are turned on the outside, so as to fit the interior
of the end of the barrel, the inside being cone-shaped, and fitting accurately the
tapered head of the pin E. These rings are cut accross in one place, as seen in
Figs. 3 and 4, so as to allow them to expand and contract, after the manner
of metalic rings in the pistons of steam engines, the small pin or dowel b
maintaining them in such a position with each other that the cut or opening
on one ring does not coincide with the other. A small pin c, screwed into the
lower part of the projection D of the breech, fits with its point into the oblong
slotf of the pin E (Fig. 2), so as to prevent the latter from turning, at the
same time allowing it a slight longitudinal movement. The radial breech
C has an arm d, under which are the guides e for receiving the latch K,
one end of which has an inclined projection and catch m, which when the
radial breech is down fits against the under side of the piece L, the latter
being permanently secured across the opening X in the stock, a spiral
spring n in the breech pressing against the end of the latch K, and serving to
keep the catch m in its proper position with regard to the piece L. The
opposite end of the latch K is furnished with a projection p for the hand of
the operator.
When it is desired to introduce a charge within the barrel, the operator
pushes the projection p, which sliding the latch K, causes the catch m to be free
from contact with the piece L. The operator continuing to keep his hand on
the projection p, now turns the whole of the radial breech upwards to the
position shown in red lines, thereby exposing the end of the barrel into which
the cartridge may be inserted, after which the operator brings down the radial
breech to its former position. The incline on the catch m sliding over the
inclined top of the piece L allows the catch to resume the position shown in
the Drawing, effectually locking down the radial breech, which is now in such
a position that the fire-arm may be discharged with safety.
The powder being ignited by any of the ordinary percussion locks or other
contrivances, the first instantaneous act of the expanded air and gas will be to
drive the pin E towards the interior of the projection D on the breech C; and.
as the rings G and H are prevented from moving backwards by the end of the
said projection, it necessarily follows that the cone head of the pin must cause
the rings to expand, and consequently to fit tight to both the inside of the
barrel and outside of the cone head of the pin, effectually preventing all escape
of air or gas towards the breech, and causing the explosive force to be more
intense than in ordinary breech-loading fire-arms. Immediately after the

page_text: discharge, the spiral spring a by its recoil causes the pin and expanding rings
to assume their former position.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed and carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that although I have shown and described for the better illustration of my
Invention an apparatus for locking down the radial breech to the stock, and
for unlocking the same, I do not desire to lay any claim to the said apparatus,
as other contrivances of equal effect might be advantageously adopted; but
what I do claim is, the combining of the cone-headed pin E and two or more
expanding rings G and H with the radial breech C of breech-loading fire-arms,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Laxton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord 1856.
Witness,
RICHARD SILVESTER.
HENRY LAXTON. (L.S.)