IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS WHEN REVOLVING BARRELS ARE USED
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Harvey, of Exeter, Gunmaker, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS WHEN REVOLVING BARRELS
ARE USED"
Sealed the 20th March 1855, and dated the 11th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Harvey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th December 1854.
I, WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY, of Exeter, Gunmaker, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS WHEN REVOLVING
BARRELS ARE USED" to be as follows:-
This Invention is applicable to those classes of fire-arms now known as
"revolvers," and the improvements consist, first, of a mode of constructing
a fire-arm of this description with reference to facilitating the loading of the
several short barrels; and, secondly, the Invention consists of applying to the
lock of such a description of fire-arm a second safety bolt. For these
purposes, there is a slot formed in the enlargement made under the long barrel
to receive the end of a lever, and the ramrod is attached to this lever by a pin
joint. The stock is made with a recess to receive the lever and ramrod, such

page_text: recess being closed in by a door or cover. Heretofore there have been safety
bolts used for preventing the cock or hammer being moved by accident,
which to some extent has succeeded, but I add a second bolt to lock or fasten
the safety bolt, by which absolute safety is obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William James Harvey in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th June 1855...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JAMES HARVEY, of Exeter, Gunmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William James Harvey, Her special licence that I, the said William
James Harvey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William James Harvey, 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 WHEN REVOLVING BARRELS ARE USED," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William James Harvey, 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 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 William James Harvey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention is applicable to those classes of fire-arms now known as
"revolvers," and the improvements consist, first, of a mode of constructing a
fire-arm of this description with reference to facilitating the loading of the several
short barrels; and, secondly, the Invention consists of applying to the lock of.

page_text: bolt, by which absolute safety is obtained.
.And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a right-hand side view of a pistol constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a left-hand side view of the same; Figures 3 and 4 are
plans. a is the stock of the pistol, in the interior of which are the parts
forming the lock; b is the main spring, which is connected by the link c to
the bell-crank lever d, to which the hammer e is hinged at f; g is the trigger,
connected with which there is a spring click or driver, which, when the trigger
is pulled, comes in contact with the tail of the lever d, and thus draws back
the hammer. Connected with this click is the arm h, which, when the
trigger is pulled, comes in contact with the ratchet teeth on the revolving
chamber i, and thus causes them to rotate on the same axis. With this click
is also the pin k, which, by coming in contact with projections on the chambers,
stops them at the required positions. All the parts which I have at present
described are of an ordinary construction. is a safety stop or bolt, to prevent
the hammer e from coming in contact with the nippers while loading; this
safety stop or bolt is pressed upon by a spring m, so that it springs out again
when the pressure of the hammer is withdrawn by pulling the trigger. n is a
second bolt, for permanently fixing the safety stop or bolt 1, so as to prevent the
discharge of the pistol on pulling the trigger, any accident while loading or
carrying when loaded. o is a spring for holding the second bolt in position.
The arrangement of these bolts is clearly shown at Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and
10. Figures 5 and 6 show an inside and an end view of the side plate of the
lock without the working parts; Figure 7 shows an interior, and Figure 8
an exterior, view of the same with the working parts; and Figures 9 and 10
are plan views of the same parts, showing the bolt in and out of position. p is
a detached lever ramrod; it is held when out of use by the eye q and the
spring catch r, as seen in Figures 1 and 3. When in use, the end p' is placed

page_text: in the slot s, and the piece p² enters the chamber to be rammed; or the eye q
may turn on a centre (as seen in Figure 11) to allow the piece p² to enter the
chamber to be rammed. At the end p³ of the ramrod there is a nipple key,
and at the end p¹ a turnscrew. The groove t in the body of the lock is for
the purpose of allowing the exploded caps to fall out.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Harvey, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our
set my
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY. (L.S.)
SAMUEL HARVEY, A. B., Clerk,
19, Dix's Field.