IM- PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS HUNT. of Leman Street, Goodman's Fields, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
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 Nineteenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
two, in the sixteenth year of Iler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Hunt, my exors.
adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Thomas Hunt, my exors, adñiors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Thomas Hunt, my exors, adñiors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at 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, my Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said Thomas Hunt, shall cause a particular descrip-
tion of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: 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 Thomas Hunt, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms. And secondly, my Invention consists of improvements
applicable to double barrel fire-arms.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued
by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The nature of each of the views shewn by the several Figures of the
Drawings being written thereon, it will not be necessary to repeat the
same here; and it will only be necessary to remark that the same
letters are used in the several Figures to indicate the same parts.
Figures 1 to 11, inclusive, show the improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms; and Figures 12 to 17, inclusive, show the improvements
applicable to double barrel fire-arms.
I will now proceed to describe the first part of my Invention. a, is
what is called the lock, as it contains the spring and the needle which
discharges the fire-arm. This instrument and apparatus is somewhat
similar to what has before been employed in breech-loading fire-arms,
but it differs in respect to the means by which it is secured in place
within the sliding bolt, formerly a screw being used to retain the sliding
bolt and it together, but by the peculiar construction of the instrument
shown the use of a screw for such purpose is dispensed with; the sear
or lever spring retains it in its place, and the apparatus is thus simpli-

page_text: fied., is the needle which discharges the fire-arm as heretofore, but
it is retained securely in the lock a, by means of a stul b', which enters
into a groove around the head of a needle, there being a longitudinal
groove on the opposite side of the head, by which the head can be
slided into position within the lock a, and then by turning the head
into its true position it cannot be forced out of the lock a, by the spring,
and it can only be taken out by turning the needle and its head so that
the longitudinal groove will pass over the internal stud. This holding of
the needle within the lock is important, as it prevents it being forced
out suddenly by the spiral spring when the lock is taken out of the
sliding bolt b, and the top spring be taken off for the purpose of clean-
ing or oiling. The form of the lock a, both in respect to its exterior
and interior, are clearly shown in the Drawings. The hollow sliding
bolt is very similar to those before employed and described in a
former Patent, but in place of having the handle b' fixed and at all
times projecting from the bolt, I make the handle b' capable of being
folded down, which is very advantageous, and I cause the folding to
depend on a bolt b², constantly pressed on by a spiral spring, with a ten-
dency to shoot it into a hole in the fixed axis . Such bolt has a head
by which it can be moved out of the axis, as will readily be understood
on examining the Drawings. c, is the case for the sliding bolt; this
case is very similar to those before employed for such purpose, but the
retaining of the bolt therein is improved, by dispensing with a screw,
and employing the spring d to retain these parts together; this is
important, as it admits of all parts being taken.to pieces without the
aid of instruments.
r
The Drawing shows the several parts by which their forms and modes
of going together will readily be traced. c, is the scar in the sliding
bolt, which is very similar to those used in like guns, but much sim-
plified. The trigger spring f is differently constructed and arranged
to those heretofore used, it being placed at the back of the trigger,
as shewn, by which an improved arrangement is obtained. 9, is a
revolving case which covers the case of the sliding belt entirely; this
case is formed as shewn in the Drawing, and fits correctly, but is capable
of turning on the fixed case of the sliding bolt b.. This revolving

page_text: .
case closes or covers the whole works or apparatus, and excludes
rain or wet passing into the various parts or apparatus contained in the
fixed case of the sliding bolt. This case 9 constitutes an important
improvement, especially as it is detached from the sliding bolt, and when
the arm is in use can be slided round to the under side of the case.
I would remark, in respect to this first part of my Invention, that
the fire-arm to which the improvement are applied resembles what is
called the Prussian gun, and also similar ones which have been made,
having variations therein, for some of which variations Letters Patent
have before been obtained. My improvements in such class of fire-
arms will readily be understood from the description thereof here given,
aided by the Drawings.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 12, shows the two breeches of a double-barrel fire-arm sepa-
rately. Figure 13, shows the two breeches together, there being but one
"hut" for the two breeches, which such "hut" coming intermediate of
the two breeches, as shown. The breech without the hut is first screwed
into its place in its barrel, and then the arc with the "hut" thereto is
to be screwed in its place; and the form of the breeches will, as is
shewn in the Drawing, admit of the two breeches going together,
the arc with the "hut" thereto overlapping the other, thus bringing
the "hut" into a central position in place of having a "hut" for each
breech.
Figure 14, shows an elevation, and Figure 15, a side view of appa-
ratus for removing the breeches of fire-arms. The barrels a, a, are
held between the cramping surfaces h, h, which have grooves therein
lined with wood, as shown in the Drawing, by means of the screws i, i.
The "hut" of the breech is received into a recess in the bar j, and by
simply turning the screw h, motion will be given to the end of the bar
at, which will readily start the breech, and the remainder of the
unscrewing will readily be accomplished by the bar j.
In using this apparatus for a breech without "hut," such as before
described, then the end of the bar j is used, there being a projecting
stud, which enters a recess in the breech, and there is a screw j',
which enters into the nipple hole, such screw being carried by an arm

page_text: which is fixed by the screw to the bar j, as shown, there being a
forked end to the arm j.
I would remark that heretofore the barrels have been usually placed
in a vice, and a bar or wrench used to remove the breeches. The
peculiarity of this apparatus consists in the use of a portable screw
clamp with a screw thereto, for giving motion to the bar j.
Figure 16, represents my improvement in preventing the accidental
discharge of fire-arms. This can be done at either the full or half cock
of the gun. Figure 17, a plan. The sliding bowl has a sliding bolt
y attached to one end by means of a small screw passing through a
slot in the guard into the bow. m, is a spring attached to the guard
by a screw, the other end falling into. ä.notch in the bolt y; the bolting
is effected by a pressure on the back end of the sliding bow. The bolt
is thus projected in the triggers at y, y, rendering them immovable.
The unlocking is effected by a slight pressure of the left hand on the
fore part of the sliding bow when the gun is thrown up to fire. u,
shows the mode of attaching the fore end of the sliding bow with a
metal washer or slide.
Having thus described the nature of my. Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not con-.
fine myself to the precise details herein shewn and described, so long as
the peculiar character of any part of my Invention be retained. But
what I claim is,-.
First, the improvements herein described in breech-loading fire-
arms.
Secondly, I claim the mode of making breeches of double-barrel
fire-arms, and also the apparatus herein described for removing and
fixing breeches.
And thirdly, I claim the means of forming a safety bolt, as shewn
and described in respect to Figures 16 and 17.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
THOMAS (L.S.) HUNT.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord 1853, the aforesaid Thomas Hunt
came before our said. Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for
that purpose.