IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Walsh; of Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 12th March 1861, and dated the 17th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Walsh
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th September 1860.
I, JOHN HENRY WALSH, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
These improvements in breech-loading fire-arms consist in constructing the
same with a breech-piece (either screwed on to the barrel or barrels or forged
with them) half an inch thick or thereabouts, which breech-piece is provided
with a gun metal, iron, or steel stop cock, which is bored, so as to be continuous
with the breech end of the barrel, but about the eighth of an inch above the
centre of the plug of the stop cock. By moving or turning this plug in the
usual way with a lever it will either close the breech or expose it for loading
from behind. To do this I use a jointed plug of which a portion corresponding
exactly with the diameter of the stop cock revolves on a centre, which

page_text: corresponds with the axis of the latter. This jointed plug serves for driving
forward the charge into the barrel, and after doing so when the lever is turned
it is turned up with it and makes the stop cock a solid mass of metal. I also
use a wad of solid wax or other greasy lubricating material or combination of
materials without felt or any other fibrous matter placed behind the powder.
This Invention is applicable to single and double rifles and smooth bored
guns; and fire-arms so constructed may be loaded with the Government
regulation cartridge or with any of the paper, skin, or other cartridges now
in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jobn Henry Walsh in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY WALSH, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, 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
John Henry Walsh, Her special licence that I, the said John Henry
Walsh, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Walsh 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." IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Walsh, 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 John Henry Walsh, 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

page_text: following statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say:-
These improvements in breech-loading fire-arms consist in. constructing the
same with a breech-piece (either screwed on to the barrel or barrels or forged
therewith) which breech-piece is provided with a gun metal, iron or steel stop
cock, which is bored; so as to be continuous with the breech end of the barrel,.
but about the eighth of an inch above the centre of the plug of the stop cock.
By moving or turning this plug in the usual way with a lever, it will either
close the breech or expose it for loading from behind. To do this I use a jointed
plug, of which a portion corresponding exactly with the diameter of the stop cock
revolves on a centre which coincides with the axis of the latter. This jointed
plug serves for driving forward the charge into the barrel, and after doing so
when the lever is turned, it is turned up with it, and makes the stop cock a
solid mass of metal. I also use a wad of solid wax or other greasy lubricating
material, or combination of materials without felt or any other fibrous matter
placed behind the powder. This Invention is applicable to single and double.
rifles, and smooth bored guns, and fire-arms so constructed may be loaded with.
the Government regulation cartridge, or with any of the paper, skin, or other
cartridges now in use.
Such being the nature of my said Invention for "Improvements in Breech-
loading Fire-arms," I will proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed. And in order that the same may
be perfectly understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of illustrative
Drawings, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof, similar letters
of reference indicating the like parts in the several Figures. The new parts
being represented as shaded with color, and the old parts being drawn in
outline only.
Figure 1 represents a side view of part of a breech-loading gun constructed
according to my Invention, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the
same, showing the breech opened for loading; Figure 3 is a vertical section
through about the line A, B, in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section through the breech showing the same closed for firing; and
Figure 5 is a plan or horizontal view of the jointed plug, as seen
from above.
a, a, is part of the stock of the gun, and b, b, is part of the barrel; c, c, is
the breech piece, which is represented in the Drawings, as forged with the
barrel, but it may be formed separate and screwed thereto. This breech-piece

page_text: is bored in a transverse direction, and is fitted with a revolving stop cock,
or barrel d, d, the axis of which is about one-eighth of an inch below the
centre of the bore of the gun. This stop cock d, d, is bored at right angles
to its axis in continuation of the bore of the breech piece; e, e¹, e¹¹, is the
jointed plug, the part e of which fits accurately into the bore of the stop cock
d, d, and is jointed to the part e¹ by a swivel f, the part e¹¹ acts as a guide; g
is a thumb piece for drawing back and pushing forward the jointed plug ; h, h,
is a lever screwed to the stop cock d, d, by means of which the latter is turned.
This lever his furnished also with a finger i, which (as the lever is turned
down into the position shown in Figure 2) catches a projection k on the cock
or hammer l, l, and cocks the piece. This contrivance also acts as a safety
lock, and prevents the hammer from descending on to the nipple till the lever
is brought into the horizontal position (as shown in Figure 1) and the breech
consequently closed'; m is a stud in the lock plate, which acts as a stop for
the lever h. In using this gun the lever his first turned down into the
position shown in Figure 2, which brings the bore of the stop cock in a line
with the bore of the breech, the jointed plug is then withdrawn by means of
the thumb piece g into the position shown in the same Figure, or further back
if required for the length of the cartridge thus opening the breech. A
cartridge is then introduced and pushed forwards through the stop cock into
the breech by means of the jointed plug, the part e of which effectually closes
the bore of the stop cock d, d, rendering the same a solid mass of metal.
The lever is then returned to the horizontal position, turning the stop cock d
into the position shown in Figure 4, thus effectually closing the breech, and
the piece is then ready for capping and firing. It will be
parte of the plug revolves with the stop cock d, which it is
consequence of being pivotted to the swivel f by means of
coincides with the axis of the stop cock. If it be desired to load at the breech
with loose powder and ball, I first drop in the naked ball, and then pour in
the powder, which I cover with a wad of wax or other lubricating matter
(without felt or other fibrous material,) and then drive all home by means of
the plug e, and proceed as before described.
observed that the
enabled to do in
the pin n, which
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Breech-loading Fire-arms," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the general combination or arrangement of the several parts, as
shown in the Drawing, and above described.

page_text: Secondly, the excentric boring of the stop cock d.
Thirdly, the revolving plug e.
And, fourthly, the use of a wad of solid wax or other lubricating matter
behind the powder.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Walsh, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solr. and Patent Agent,
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn.
J. H. WALSH. (L.S.)