AN IMPROVED REVOLVING PISTOL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Williams, of South Castle Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gun Maker, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED REVOLVING PISTOL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th December 1853.
I, THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED REVOLVING PISTOL" to be as follows:-
The principal features of novelty in this Invention consist in the
peculiar form or construction of the lock, which is composed of the
following parts:-The cock of the pistol (which is acted upon by a
main spring in the usual manner) is provided with a ratchet lever or
pall, which causes the breech to turn a portion of a revolution each
time the pistol is "cocked," by acting directly upon a ratchet wheel
attached to the revolving breech, so as to present a fresh chamber
opposite to the barrel of the pistol, the said lever or pall being always
kept in gear by means of a feather spring. Between each "nipple"
of the breech is a partition, against which a projecting part at the
lower side of the cock acts, so as to lock or hold the revolving

page_text: breech firmly when the pistol is cocked. The upper part of the
trigger is also furnished with a projecting piece, which, upon pulling
the trigger to discharge the pistol, locks against the said partitions
before the trigger releases the cock, so that the breech is always
held firm and prevented from revolving, except at the moment of
cocking. The lock is enclosed by a side piece, which can readily be
removed, and all the working parts of the lock are then exposed.
Thus it will be evident that the construction of the said improved
revolving pistol is simple and effective, and the working parts aro at
all times easy of access for cleaning, repairing, or other purposes.
SPECIFICATION-in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Williams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gun
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Williams, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Williams, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Williams, 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 "AN IMPROVED REVOLVING PISTOL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Williams, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great

page_text: 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 Thomas Williams, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
26
The principal features of novelty in this Invention of an improved
revolving pistol, consist in the peculiar construction or arrangement of
the lock, which is composed of the following parts:-The "cock" or
hammer of the pistol (which is acted upon by a main spring and lever
in the usual manner) is provided with a ratchet lever or pall, which
causes the chambers to turn a portion of a revolution each time the
pistol is "cocked," by acting directly upon a ratchet wheel attached to
the revolving chambers, so as to present a fresh breech opposite to, or
in a direct line with the barrel of the pistol (the said lever or pall being
kept always in gear by means of a feather spring). Between each
nipple" of the breech is a partition, against which a projecting part
at the lower side of the "cock" or hammer acts, so as to lock or hold
the revolving chambers firmly when the pistol is "cocked." The upper
part of the trigger is also furnished with a projecting wedge-formed
piece, which (upon pulling the trigger to discharge the pistol, locks into
a groove in one of the said partitions before the trigger releases the
"cock," or at the same instant, so that the chambers are always held
firm and prevented from revolving, except at the moment of "cocking,"
or when the pistol is at "half cock." The lock is enclosed by a side
piece, which can readily be removed, and all the working parts of the
lock are then exposed. Thus it will be evident that the construction
of the said improved revolving pistol is simple and effective, and the
working parts are at all times easy of access for cleaning, repairing, or
other purposes.
It will also be evident that this Invention is equally
applicable to muskets and other similar fire-arms. In order more
clearly to illustrate the practical construction of my said Invention, I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, representing several views
of the same, and have marked thereon figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof :-.

page_text: The Drawing is made full size of the pistol, and similar letters of
reference are placed upon corresponding parts of the same in all the
Figures, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of the
said Figures respectively. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the pistol
complete; Figure 2 is a similar view, with the side plate removed in
order to shew the working parts of the lock, the pistol being repre-
sented as "on full cock," or ready to be discharged; Figure 3 repre-
sents a plan view of the same as seen from above; a, a, represents the
"stock" of the pistol, and b, b, the barrel. The barrel b, b, is keyed on
to the spindle on which the chambers d, d, revolve; the spindle is
attached to the metallic frame or body of the pistol c, c, which is con-
nected to the "stock" by means of screws, and carries the revolving
chamber and other working parts of the pistol, the side plate of which
c, c, is moveable (see detached Figure 4), and is secured by screws;
d, d, is the revolving chamber, an end view of which is shewn at Figure 5;
this chamber has five breeches bored therein, and is mounted upon
centres or pivots, as usual, each breech being provided with a percus-
sion "nipplo" e, c.
At the back of the chamber d, d, a ratchet wheel
ff, is formed or connected by screws or otherwise; g,g, is the "cock"
or hammer, which is acted upon by means of the mainspring h, h, and
lever i, as usual; k, k, is a lever attached to the lower part or tumbler
of the hammer by means of a pin 7. The upper limb of this lever acts
upon the ratchet wheel f, f, causing it to perform one fifth of a revolu-
tion each time the hammer is pulled back to "full cock," and is kept
in gear with the said wheel by means of a feather spring m, m. Tho
lower limb of the lever k, k, forms a bolt, which acts against the side of
one of the partitions n, n, and thus locks the chamber. I would hero
remark that this bolt may either form part of the lever k, k, as shewn
in the Drawing, or it may be a fixed piece, forming part of the tumbler;
o, o, is the trigger, acted upon by the trigger spring p, p. In the
detached view of this part, Figure 6, it will be observed that the
upper part of the trigger is furnished with a wedge-shaped piece q,
which takes into the V shaped notches r, r, in the partitions n, n, and
thus holds the chamber firm during the descent of the hammer. The
action of my improved revolving pistol is as follows:-Having loaded

page_text: the fire breeches from the front of the chamber, whilst the hammer is
at "half cock," and placed percussion caps on the "nipples," the ham-
mer is drawn back to "full cock," which will bring one of the breeches
in a direct line with the barrel, and its corresponding "nipple" opposito
to the hammer, and effectually lock it in that position. Upon pulling the
trigger, the mainspring will instantly cause the descent of the hammer,
and consequently the discharge of the contents of the first breech. It
will be perceived that the descent of the hammer also brings down the
lever k, to take hold of a fresh tooth of the ratchet wheel, which would
leave the chamber free to turn; but in order to prevent the possibility
of this, the instant the trigger releases the hammer, the part q comes
forward into the notch », and this holds the chamber firm during the
discharge. On again "cocking" the pistol, a fresh breech is presented,
which may be then discharged, and so on to the fifth.
79.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention of
an improved revolving pistol, together with the manner of carrying the
same into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim
as my Invention the general construction and arrangement of the
working parts of the pistol, as shewn in the Drawings, and above par-
ticularly described, more especially the arrangement of mechanism for
locking the revolving chamber, both when the pistol is at "full cock,"
and at the instant of the discharge.
In witness whereof, the said Thomas Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
THOMAS WILLIAMS. (L.s.)
Witness,
WILLIAM SUMNERS,
N° 39, St. Michaels Terrace,
Oliver Street,
Woodside, n' Liverpool.