IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Nugent, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, and State of New York, United States of America, for the
"
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 21st March 1862, and dated the 3rd January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Nugent at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
January 1862.
I, EDWARD NUGENT, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of
New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to guns intended to be used chiefly for military field
purposes for rapid firing with small balls, the cartridges with the charges
being contained in separate steel chambers, which are successively fed into
their required position from a hopper or reservoir capable of containing a
supply of ammunition for several discharges. The loaded steel chambers are
contained in a hopper or case, with a sliding bottom, whence they pass, on the
withdrawal of the slide, on to an inclined shelf in a lower hopper, and thence
fall successively on to a revolving carrier formed with cavities on its outer
surface to receive them. By the revolution of this carrier the separate
chambers are successively brought into register with the barrel ready for the
discharge; the carrier being at the same time held by a detent, pall, and

page_text: ratchet. The loaded chamber is also kept firm in its position by means of a
wedge worked forward by an excentric set in motion by moving a handle.
This wedge is also caused to act upon the inclined shelf in the hopper so as to
make the loaded chambers pass regularly to the carrier. The hammer is
tripped by a cam on the same shaft with the said excentric, and is projected
by a mainspring, the force of which is regulated by an adjusting screw. The
gun barrel is screwed into a foundation, which turns horizontally on a pivot
fixed on the elevating piece of the carriage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Nugent in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
NUGENT, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of New York,
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Nugent, Her special licence, that I, the said Edward Nugent,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Nugent, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Nugent, 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 Edward Nugent, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-

page_text: The said improvements relate to a class of fire-arms intended to be used
chiefly for field service in the army and for close action in the navy. The arm
is designed to fire small balls with great rapidity and accuracy by giving the
usual firm and partially fixed support of a gun carriage to an arm capable of
rapidly repeated discharges, thereby combining accuracy and rapidity.
The improvements consist in, first, the combination with a barrel and
hopper in a fire-arm of a revolving carrier capable of receiving short breeches
or chambers from the hopper, bringing them up in line with the barrel to be
fired, and afterwards by further rotation releasing them, as herein-after
described.
Second, the combination of a revolving open carrier with a barrel and gun
carriage and vertically adjustable turntable or pivot, by which an efficiency
of operation is secured which would not be realized otherwise; the revolving
carrier and barrel being thus made capable of both vertical and horizontal
adjustment with facility and without change in the position of the carriage, as
herein-after set forth.
Third, the combination with a revolving open carrier, arranged as described,
in connection with the barrel, and revolving on an axis parallel to the axis of
the barrel to bring the chambers or short breeches containing the ammunition
into line with the barrel for firing of a crank so connected to the said rotary
carrier as by a continuous rotation of said crank to give an intermittent
rotation to the said carrier, as set forth.
Fourth, the combination with the revolving carrier and barrel of the
automatic spring, wedge, and concomitant parts, herein-after described, by
which the short breeches or chambers are forced up into close contact with
the barrel, and held firmly in that position during the operation of firing, and
afterwards released, substantially as set forth.
Fifth, the combination with the detent for holding the carrier in position
of an auxilliary guard, herein-after described; for securing the more perfect
and certain action of the said detent, as set forth.
Sixth, the combination with the hopper and revolving carrier of an agitator,
constructed and operated substantially as described, for securing the perfect
action of the chambers or short breeches in falling into position, and to
prevent their clogging or arching in the hopper.
Seventh, the combination with the main hopper of a revolving fire-arm of
the auxilliary hopper or caisson, herein-after described, to facilitate the
supplying of the loaded chambers or short breeches to the main hopper, as
set forth.

page_text: holes 17 in the rear end of the carrier. To further ensure the perfect locking
of the carrier at the moment of discharge, and to hold it firm in its position
a guard 18 is attached to the slide 12, and brought
the descent of the
said slide to bear firmly against the detent 16. The forward ends of the
chambers 4 are made convex, and fit into a concavity in the rear end of the
barrel into or against which they are forced by a wedge 19, and by it firmly
held in that position while being fired; this wedge is so constructed and
operated as to cause a perfect contact between the chambers and barrel, and
to prevent leakage or escape of gas between them, when the parts are pro-
perly constructed, the wedge 19 is attached to the slide 12, and the descent of
the latter draws the wedge into position. To compensate for slight variations
in the length of the chambers used, the slide (12) is attached to the bar 11 by
a spring connection, and by it to the eccentric rod or strap 10 in such a manner
that while the lifting motion is positive upon the slide, the descent of the
said slide may be checked before the eccentric shall have completed its stroke
without preventing the further rotation of the crank, and the effective operation
of the parts. For this purpose a spring 20 is interposed between the bar 11
and the bottom flange or plate of the slide 12. When the descent of the
slide is otherwise unobstructed, the spring 20 forces it down so far as to
cause the shoulders 24 to strike upon the bar 11, but when the wedge is
checked in its descent by the chamber, which is at the time between it and
the barrel, the descent of the slide to which it is attached is also checked, and
the bar 11 only allowed to descend by the compression of the spring 20.
The slide 12 is supported by guides planed in the frame 1, to keep it from
tipping or getting out of position. The wedge 19 has a mortise cut through
it immediately back of the chamber in position for firing to allow the hammer
22 to strike through it upon the cap for the purpose of igniting the charge.
The hammer is operated by a cam 23 upon the shaft, on which the operating
crank is hung, and is forced forward to strike the cap by a mainspring 24,
which is secured at or near the middle by a pin 25 to one of the cheek pieces
of the frame 1. Its force upon the hammer is made adjustable by means of
the set screw 26, which works in a stud attached to the same cheek piece.
The parts thus far described are mounted on a swing plate or turntable, and
allowed to rotate horizontally upon a pivot 27, which fits into a bearing pre-
pared for its reception in the plate or table 28. This plate 28 is also mounted
on a horizontal axis 29, which is parallel with the axis 30 of a gun carriage
shown in the Drawings, which is similar in most respects in its construction
to those now in use for light field pieces. The elevating screw 31 supports
the back end of this plate 28, and provides the means of changing vertically

page_text: the direction of the barrel; 32 is a hopper for containing the chambers or
breeches 4, and delivering them to the carrier as required; 33 is an agitator
to prevent the chambers 4 from forming an arch in the hopper, and thus
failing to be delivered properly to the carrier. It forms the support under
the chambers, and is lifted at each discharge of the arm by the end of the
wedge 19 striking against the arm 34, which projects from this agitator. An
opening 15 is made through the hopper under the agitator to allow the
operator to obtain accurate aim; 35 is a caisson to facilitate the introduction
of the chambers 4. It is fitted to the hopper 32 as shown, and is provided
with a slide 36 by the withdrawal of which the chambers are allowed to fall
into the hopper. A convenient number of these caissons allows the chambers 4
to be introduced into the arm with the utmost convenience as they may
be packed into the caissons while the gun is either idle or operating with other
chambers, and their introduction from the caissons into the main hopper is
obviously, by the means described, but the work of an instant.
GENERAL REMARKS.
.It will be obvious from the above description that an exceedingly rapid
discharge of small balls not sufficient to produce serious recoil of the piece
may be obtained by the employment of the combinations of parts above spe-
cified with very accurate aim, and effective results. The combination of this
carrier with an adjustable turntable or bed plate, and pivot mounted upon a
suitable carriage, as described, gives a facility for bringing a sweeping
and destructive fire at proper elevation, according to range, and other cir-
cumstances upon a column of infantry or other force within its reach, as by this
combination not only rapidity of fire, but facility of change in elevation, and
of direction horizontally is amply secured. The combination of the crank
with the revolving carrier in such a manner as to cause a continuous rotation
of the crank to produce an intermittent rotation of the carrier gives the most
simple means of keeping up a regular and rapid discharge, and at the same
time ensuring the proper position of the carrier at each discharge of the piece.
The combination of the automatic spring wedge with the other parts secures
perfect contact of the chambers 4 with the barrel, and prevents escape of
gas so common to revolving fire-arms. The guard 18 also ensures the more
perfect and certain holding of the carrier in place during the operation -of
firing.
a

page_text: Second, the combination of the revolving open carrier 3 and barrel 2
with the pivot 27 and vertically adjustable table or bed-plate 28, substantially
as described, and in manner to accomplish the purpose set forth.
Third, the combination with the open revolving carrier 3 of the crank 6
in such a manner that the continuous rotation of the crank shall cause an
intermittent rotation of the carrier, substantially as set forth.
Fourth, the combination with the carrier 3 and barrel 2 of the automatic
spring wedge 19, substatially as set forth, for the purpose above stated.
Fifth, the combination with the detent 16 for holding the carrier in position
while the piece is discharged of the guard 18, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Sixth, the combination with the carrier 3 and the hopper 32 of the agitator
33, as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh, the combination with the main hopper 32 of a revolving fire-arm
of the auxiliary hopper or caisson 35, to facilitate the introduction of the
chambers or short breeches 4, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Nugent, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, A.D. 1862.
EDWARD NUGENT. (L.S.)