IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, IN RIPLEING THE SAME, AND PROJECTILES EMPLOYED THEREWITH
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Genhart, Armourer, of the City of Liege,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 27th November 1857, and dated the 24th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Genhart at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
June 1857.
I, HENRY GENHART, Armourer, of the City of Liege, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-ARMS, IN RIPLEING THE SAME, AND PROJECTILES EMPLOYED THEREWITH," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements in fire-arms adapted to be loaded
at the breech, in rifling the same and other fire-arms, & in the projectiles for
same: I construct a gun which can be loaded from the breech without the use
of any other implement or mechanical contrivance than those combined in the
construction of the gun. The gun when ready for firing presents precisely the
same security as a well-finished ordinary muzzle-loading gun.
This security
is attained by a screw the end of which works in and out of the barrel from

page_text: the hinge or turning point by a mechanical contrivance hereafter to be
described. Although this gun is to be loaded at the breech it might be loaded
at the muzzle. The Invention is equally applicable to single or double-
barrelled guns of every description. The charge used may be either in the
form of common cartridge, or of powder, shot, and capsule. The lock used is
of the ordinary construction.
Attached to the gun stock is an upright lever which when the lock is cocked
is to be drawn from left to right, by which movement the screw before
mentioned will be withdrawn from the barrel deeper into a swivel arm pro-
jecting from the upright lever, to which swivel arm the end of the barrel is
jointed, and the barrel will drop or turn by its own weight upon its hinge or
joint, or by the application of a spring under it, until the breech is sufficiently
exposed to admit the charge. In introducing the latter and in placing the
cap the barrel is to be pressed so as to replace it in its horizontal position when
the lever is to be pushed from right to left, which will turn the screw forward
into the barrel, thereby forming one solid piece united by the screw of the
barrel and the swivel arm; the gun may then be cocked and is ready for
firing. In the case of loading from the muzzle let the lever remain in its
vertical position, and treat the gun in all respects as one of ordinary con-
struction. The screw securing the breech as first mentioned is acted upon by
means of a small toothed wheel which is fixed to its centre, and which is
rotated by a large toothed wheel attached to and forming a part of the upright
lever, and acted upon by the raising and depressing of the latter as before
described. The toothed wheel which turns in an axle in the swivel arm may
give motion to one or or more small wheels according to the number of barrels.
The breech screw requires a quick rise so that in a short motion of the lever
it may be advanced into the barrel to the required depth. I do not bind myself
to the use of an inside toothed wheel, an outside toothed wheel may in some
cases be preferable; nor do I bind myself to the use of this toothed wheel at all,
a similar motion may be produced by direct leverage on the breech or screw.
I construct a revolving pistol which is loaded at or near the breech; the
charge, which is in the form of a cartridge, combining ball, powder, and capsule,
can be introduced at the mouth of the chambers situate close to the breech.
To enable this pistol to be loaded there is an opening at the mouth of the
chambers near the breech; the lock being at half-cock, introduce the car-
tridges through this opening, and the capsule, which is in the form of a small
tube closed at the projecting end, will pass through small openings in the
cylinder or chambers, and the pistol when cocked is then ready for firing.

page_text: The cylinder is turned by means of a small lever, which drops through
the lock plate into a ratchet wheel attached to the cylinder. This lever
moves in a pin fixed to the cock, and is regulated by a small spring.
The cock turns upon an axle, forming part of the lock plate, to which
the main spring is attached by a common chain. In moving the cock a
detente will drop into the shoulder cut in it, regulated by the mainspring.
On pulling the trigger the detente is released, as in a lock of the ordinary
construction, and the hammer falls through one of the openings in the
revolving cylinder upon the projecting end of the capsule in the cylinder,
at the same instant effecting the discharge; and by the peculiarity of its
form forcing the cylinder tightly against the barrel. The axle attached to
the barrel upon which turns the cylinder passes through the lock plate
and is fixed by a pin, which traverses the stock immediately behind the
vertical part of the lock plate. On withdrawing the pin (to which a small
head is attached) the barrel and cylinder may be detached from the stock,
leaving the lock intact, so that, for the purpose of cleaning, those parts only
are disturbed which require the operation. I do not bind myself to the use
of cartridges with the capsule combined. The systém permits equally well
the adoption of nipples with ordidary caps and loading. Although I have
only described a pistol made according to this system; it is obvious that it can
be applied to other arms, such as carbines, fowling-pieces, and others. I can
rifle or give rifle effect to these or other fire-arms, thus:-I produce by pressure
from the outside of the barrels of these and almost every description of small
fire-arms an effect, similiar to that of ordinary rifling in the inside. The
advantage of this mode of operation is, that to very thin barrels can be given
an impression or rifle from the outside without the smallest loss of strength
or metal, therefore this system is applicable to rejected military barrels, &c.,
the thickness of which would not allow of rifling by the ordinary known
means. It is also equally applicable to the lightest double-barrelled fowling
pieces. The system also permits any number, pitch, and quickness of spirals
which may desired; and the original calibre of the barrel will not be
reduced by the process. It is not necessary to give the impression to the
barrels in their whole length, less than half the length will be sufficient to give
to the projectile any desired quickness of rotation; and it is to be particularly
observed that even should but one spiral impression be given to the barrel the
projectile will still turn round its axis; in accordance with the spiral given to
the barrel, therefore the projectile may be made to fit the original calibre of
the barrel, so that the use of expansive bullets will not be any longer of

page_text: necessary importance or indispensable, seeing that the bullet will receive a
spiral impression and expansion in passing through the impressed barrel. To
produce the effect above described various kinds of machinery are equally
applicable; I do not therefore bind myself to any special kind of mechanism,
what I intend to claim being the exclusive right of applying to the outside
of the barrels of fire-arms an impression so as to produce in the inside
an effect similar to that given by ordinary rifling. I have four screws which
are filed square so as to leave the thread only on the corners, and working
in the female screws cut in the toothed wheels; they are fixed into the
body through a four-square hole; their inside ends are forked so as to
receive & carry the impression rollers. The screws and the impression
rollers are regulated by four toothed wheels, which latter are again regu-
lated by a large toothed wheel, which is acted upon by a long lever regu-
lated in its turn by a weight. In its progressive motion the long lever is
guided by a frame or mould, the slope or form of which corresponds with
the pitch it is desired to give to the spiral or rifle of the barrel. By
means of this apparatus any number of rifle grooves or indentations may
be given to the barrel by increasing or diminishing. the number of move-
able pressing rollers and screws.
The above statement is a description of the nature of this Invention, which,
however, might probably be varied in its inferior details.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Genhart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
GENHART, Armourer, of the City of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Genhart, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Genbart, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Genhart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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, IN RIPLEING THE SAME, AND PROJECTILES EMPLOYED THEREWITH," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Genhart, 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 Genhart, 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-
This Invention consists, firstly, in a gun which may be loaded at the breech
or at the muzzle, offering in either case the same strength and security as any
well-made gun intended only to be loaded at the muzzle. This security is
obtained by means of a screw plug of peculiar construction, which, with its
action, are hereafter more fully described. Not only single-barrelled guns, but
guns of more than one barrel can be constructed on this principle. The locks
of such guns are of the ordinary kind, and any description of charge in the
form of ordinary cartridges or loose powder, and shot and ball, may be used
with such guns. By substituting for the common nipples a small slit in the
barrel the description of cartridge known as the Lefaucheux cartridge may be
used. The various parts of these guns will be readily understood by reference
to the accompanying Drawings, in which the same letters refer to the same
parts in each Figure.
.
Fig. 1, longitudinal section of the mechanical arrangements which constitute
my Invention as applied to, a single-barrelled gun just discharged, shewing
likewise one-half of such arrangement if applied to a double-barrelled gun;
Fig. 2, section of gun in position for loading at breech, shewing barrel charged
with a Lefaucheux cartridge, and the slit in the barrel in place of the common
nipple Figs. 3 and 4, section of mechanical parts shewn separately of a
single and double barrelled gun, shewing lever and toothed wheel; Fig. 5,
section of four-sided screw plug, toothed wheel, and conductor.
The action of the various parts is as follows:-When the gun is to be
loaded at the breech it is first cocked; the lever A is drawn from left to right,

page_text: which motion withdraws from the barrel C the screw plug B, which retreats
into the breech end or part D. The barrel turns downwards by its own weight
or may be assisted by a spring placed under it on the hinge E, until the
breech is sufficiently exposed to admit the charge. The barrel is then raised,
the lever A is drawn from right to left, which motion causes the screw plug B
to advance into the barrel, instantaneously uniting it and the breech end or part
(D) of the gun as firmly as if it were of one metal. Cock the gun and put
on the cap, taking care whilst so doing to press down the barrel, to ensure its
being perfectly horizontal. To load the gun at the muzzle leave the lever in
its normal position, viz., in a direct line with the barrel; the gun may then
be treated in all respects as an ordinary fowling-piece, musket, or rifle. The
screw plug B is moved by the toothed wheel F, fixed on a centre pin, and
acted upon by the larger toothed wheel G, which, as shewn in the Drawing,
forms part of the lever A, and is commanded by it as above described.
The toothed wheel G which turns on an axis at H, in the breech end or
part D, gives motion to one or more smaller wheels F, F, according to the
number of barrels: The thread of the four-sided screw plug B is so arranged
that the short motion given' to the lever A causes the screw B to project at
once the required distance into the barrel. The above-described arrange-
ments may be adapted to pistols by reducing the size of the parts and
changing the gun-stock into a pistol handle. It may form a revolver pistol
by increasing the number of barrels and small wheels (F) and screws (E)
so as to be the same in number.
This Invention consists, secondly, in rifleing fire-arms and in the projectiles
to be employed with the fire-arms. I rifle or give rifle effect to the barrels
of guns formed as before described, or otherwise, by subjecting the outside of
such barrels to the extent of a foot or thereabouts of the length, to the pres-
sure of one or more suitably shaped rollers, so as to cause a groove to be mado
in the outside of the gun, giving a longitudinal partially spiral ridge protruding
in the inside of the barrel which gives rifle effectiveness to the barrel.
It will be evident that this mode of rifleing is just the reverse of the
ordinary mode, whereby the substance of the barrel is cut away from the
inside to produce a rifle groove; and therefore ordinary rifle expansion pro-
jectiles are not necessary for these rifles, although they might be used, but I
prefer to adopt a solid projectile or bullet, as a gun thus rifled admits of a
long projectile, of about double the size and weight of the ordinary projectile,
which projectile may be inserted into the end of a cartridge, which is to be
loaded from the breech end of the barrel, without opening the cartridge

page_text: envelope, and then the lateral fire will go through the envelope and ignite the
powder.
Having now described both the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improvements
in fire-arms consisting in the mounting of the guns and the parts marked
B, D, E, F, G, on the Drawing; also the improvements in rifleing and in
projectiles herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Genhart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Signed and sealed in my presence,
F. W. CAMPIN, Patent Agent,
156, Strand.
HENRY GENHART. (L.S.)