IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christian Sharps, of Philadelphia, in the State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer of Fire-arms, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING FIRE-
ARMS."
Sealed the 15th March 1859, and dated the 22nd January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christian Sharps at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1859.
I, CHRISTIAN SHARPS, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Manufacturer of Fire-arms, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading repeating fire-
arms, in which one particular description of ammunition only is used, namely,
a cartridge consisting of a case containing the powder with a bullet attached
to one end of the case, and an enlargement or projection at the opposite end
for containing the detonating material. The present improvements consist:-
Firstly, in discharging a number of the above-described cartridges by means
of a projection formed on the striking portion of the hammer, and caused to
rotate by the movement of the hammer, the cartridges being so arranged in

page_text: respect to the projection that it will strike the edge only of each cartridge in
succession.
Secondly, in the application and use of a sliding barrel block with two or
more bores in combination with spring catches attached to the stock, by which
the spent cartridges may be withdrawn simultaneously from their respective
bores on moving or sliding the barrel from the fixed breech piece. I may
here observe, that in adapting these improvements to the larger class of fire-
arms, it will facilitate greatly the operation of loading to apply an extra power
to slide the barrel block in and out. For this purpose I propose to employ a
lever of which the trigger guard forms a part, hung to a pin in the fore
part of the stock. To this lever is jointed one end of a rod, the opposite
end of which rod is hinged to a projection on the under side of the barrel
block. An angular projection is formed on the lever, which is adapted to a notch
in the under side of the barrel block, and near to the rear of the same, to serve
as a retaining catch.
Thirdly, in the application and use of a dog or catch or its equivalent hung]
loosely to the hammer, and adapted so as to fit into a notch or recess in the
stationary breech, so as to form a check for the hammer, and prevent pre-
mature discharge of the cartridges by maintaining it out of contact with their
detonating ends.
Fourthly, in introducing a hard steel centre piece into the end of the barrel
block at such a point that it will form a species of anvil or base to receive the
blow of the projection on the hammer as the latter strikes each cartridge in
succession..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Christian Sharps in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTIAN
SHARPS, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturer of Fire-arms; send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Christian Sharps, Her special license that I, the said Christian

page_text: Sharps, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Christian Sharps, my executors, administrators, or 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING REPEATING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Christian Sharps, 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 Christian Sharps, 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say: -
My said Invention relates to improvements in breech-loading repeating fire-
arms in which one particular description of ammunition only is used, namely,
a cartridge consisting of a case containing the powder with a bullet attached
to one end of the case, and an enlargement or projection at the opposite end
for containing the detonating material. The present improvements consist:-
Firstly, in discharging a number of the above-described cartridges by means
of a projection formed on the striking portion of the hammer, and caused to
rotate by the movement of the hammer, the cartridges being so arranged in
respect to the projection that it will strike the edge only of each cartridge in
succession.
Secondly, in the application and use of a sliding barrel block with two or
more bores in combination with spring catches attached to the stock, by which
the spent cartridges may be withdrawn simultaneously from their respective
bores on moving or sliding the barrel from the fixed breech piece. I may
here observe, that in adapting these improvements to the larger class of fire-
arms, it will facilitate greatly the operation of loading to apply an extra power
to slide the barrel block in and out. For this purpose I propose to employ a
lever of which the trigger guard forms a part, hung to a pin in the fore part
of the stock. To this lever is jointed one end of a rod, the opposite end of
which rod is hinged to a projection on the under side of the barrel block. An

page_text: angular projection is formed on the lever, which is adapted to a notch in the
under side of the barrel block, and near to the rear of the same, to serve as a
retaining catch.
Thirdly, in the application and use of a dog or catch or its equivalent hung
loosely to the hammer, and adapted so as to fit into a notch or recess in the
stationary breech, so as to form a check for the hammer, and prevent pre-
mature discharge of the cartridges by maintaining it out of contact with their
detonating ends.
Fourthly, in introducing a hard steel centre piece into the end of the barrel
block at such a point that it will form a species of anvil or base to receive the
blow of the projection on the hammer as the latter strikes each cartridge in
succession.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 is an exterior side view of the improved breech-loading repeating.
pistol; Figure 2, a longitudinal section of the same, with the hammer down;
Figure 3, a longitudinal section of the same, with the hammer cocked and
the barrel block slided out; Figure 4, a plan view, Figure 5, an end view,
looking in the direction of the arrow 1 (Figure 1); Figure 6 an end 'view,"
looking in the direction of the arrow 2 (Figure 1); Figure 7, a detached view,
(drawn to an enlarged scale) of the hammer when down; Figure 8, the same
view of the hammer when cocked; Figure 9, a side view of the hammer, the
reverse of that illustrated in Figure 7; Figure 10, a front view of the
hammer; Figure 11, a rear view of the hammer; Figure 12, a view showing
the end of the barrel block with its four cartridges, all having been discharged
except one; Figure 13, a sectional view of the barrel through two of the
bores and a part of the breech; Figure 14, a rear view of the revolving nipple,
showing the notches and retaining pin; Figure 15, a sectional plan of the
hammer, with its revolving nipple on the line 1, 2 (Figure 7); Figure 16, an
exterior view of the pistol, showing a lever arrangement for moving the barrel
block in and out; Figure 17, a view of the inner end of the barrel without
the cartridges, and showing the steel centre piece; Figure 18, a longitudinal
section of the inner ond of the barrel on the diagonal line 4, 5 (Figure 17).
A is the stock of the pistol, and B the barrel block, which in this instance
has two bores in the width of the block and two in the depth, the bores being

page_text: t equal distances from a central point in the block, as seen in Figures 5
and 12. The under side of the barrel block is made perfectly straight and
rue, so as to fit accurately on the edges of the projecting portion a of the
stock, which has grooves adapted to receive the lips of the projection b on the
under side of the barrel block, this projection being of such a form as to retain
the block in close contact with the projection a of the stock, and to allow the
former to slide freely longitudinally on the latter, but so that the one can have
no vertical or lateral motion independent of the other. In the projecting
portion a of the stock, and between the grooves for receiving the lips of the
projection b, a chamber or recess c is formed, and within the same is hung a
catch lever d, having two arms, the end of one arm fitting into a notch on the
under side of the barrel block, where it is retained by a spring e, attached to
the end of the opposite arm of the lever, and bearing against the under side of
the barrel block. The arm of the lever to which the spring is attached
projects so far through an opening in the end of the projection a of the stock
as to be easily elevated by applying the finger to it, thereby depressing the
opposite arm and releasing the barrel block, which can then be slided out-
wards until its notch comes in contact with the point of the spring, as seen in
Figure 3. C is the hammer, D the trigger, and E the mainspring of the
pistol, all being arranged within a recess formed in the stock, the two former
being hung to pins passing transversely through the stock, and the spring
bearing with its point in an angular recess formed in the hammer. H is the
revolving nipple, the pin f of which (see Figure 14) fits snugly, but so as to
turn freely in an orifice in the hammer C, to which it is confined on one side
by a collar h, which forms a part of the nipple, and on the opposite side by a
nut i, which fits into, a recess in the rear of the hammer, and which screws
on to or is otherwise secured to the end of the pin f. On the inside of the
collar h of the, revolving nipple, and where it bears against the hammer, are
cut four, radial notches (see Figure 14) at equal distances apart, and inclined
on one side and abrupt on the other. A pinj (Figures 9 and 14) passes
freely through an orifico, in the hammer, and is caused, by means of a spring k,
to bear with its point against the inside of the collar h of the revolving nipple,
where it rests at the deepest point of one of the radial notches of the collar,
and thus serves to retain the revolving nipple II in a given position, prior to
its being moved therefrom by the cocking of the hammer, as herein-after
described. To a pin secured to the stock is hung a catch or "hand" I, the
gear with
point of which is adapted to the radial notches on the collar H, in
one or the other of which it is maintained by a spring J, secured to the back

page_text: of the hammer. This hand is so arranged, in respect to the notches, that i
rests when the hammer is down on a projection on the stock, the point being
then clear of tho said notches. When the hammer, however, is in the act of
being drawn back, the rear of the collar his brought in contact with the
hand, the point of the latter fitting into one of the radial notches and turning
the rotating nipple, so that when the hammer has reached the position of full
cock, the nipple will have been turned one-quarter of its circumference round;
and in this position it is retained by the pin during the descent of tho
hanımer, when the hand I, by the action of the spring J, recovers its former
stationary position on the stock until the hammer is again cocked, when the
rotating nipple will be moved another quarter of its circumference round, as
before. In the breech m, which projects from and forms a part of the stock;
is a circular opening n, for the free admission of the end 9 of the revolving
nipple H when the hammer is down, the centre of the opening n coinciding
with that of the nipple, and the centres of both coinciding with the central
point (Figures 5 and 12) of the barrel block. On the face of the end of
the rotating nipple is a projection s, radiating from the centre of tlie nipple
and terminating at the edge of the face. This projection is the immediate
cause of the ignition of the detonating substance contained in the enlarged
end of the cartridges. It should be understood that one particular class of
cartridges only is used in connection with my improved pistol.
These cartridges consist of a capsule or casing of thin metal containing
powder, a portion of the bullet being inserted and secured to one end, and the
opposite end being enlarged, so as to form a collar or projection for preventing
the cartridge from entering too far into the bore of the barrel, and for- con-
taining the detonating material. In the breech m four circular recesses are
formed coinciding with the four bores, and into these recesses fit the enlarged
ends of the cartridges when the barrel block is brought home to the breech.
The rear of each cartridge is thus covered by the breech, excepting a small
portion of the edge, which is exposed at the central opening n, as best observed S
on reference to Figure 12. On each side of the stock is secured a spring.
catch t, the ends of the catches being bent so as to project inwards in front of
the breech, a slight incision on each side of the barrel block preventing the
latter, when moved towards the breech, from interfering with the points of the
catches, which are so constructed and situated that when the barrel with its S
cartridges is brought up to the breech, the bent end of one catch shall pass
between the enlarged ends of the upper and lower cartridges and the barrel
on one side, and between the enlarged ends of the upper and lower cartridges

page_text: and the barrel on the opposite side, as seen in Figure 12, the points of the
catches assuming this position without any other aid than the pressure of the
enlarged ends of the cartridges against them when the barrel is brought home
to the breech. The barrel block being slided forward to the position shown in
Figure 3, the hammer being cocked, and the cartridges inserted into their.
respective bores, the block is pushed up to the breech, the catches t, t, catching
under the enlarged ends of the cartridges, and the point of the lever d assuming
its position in the notch on the under side of the barrel block, when the pisto!
is ready for firing. When the trigger is drawn, the projection s on the face of
the hammer will strike on the edge of the enlarged portion of one.cartridge
only, and cause the same to be discharged. When the hammer is again
cocked, prior to a second discharge, the nipple must have turned, as herein-
before described, one-quarter round; and the projection s, on account of its
eccentricity with the centre of rotation of the nipple, must consequently have
been turned away from the cartridge upon which it acted last, and have
assumed a position ready to act upon a second cartridge; and this position of
the projection s changes every time the hammer is thrown back, each cartridge
being acted upon in succession until the whole are discharged. The end of the
catch lever d which projects through the end of the stock is then elevated, and
the barrel released and pushed forward. In doing this the catches t, t, maintain
their hold on the enlarged ends of the spent cartridges, the latter being with-
drawn from their respective bores and dropping to the ground. The pistol is
now in a condition to receive a second supply of cartridges..
In adapting these improvements to the larger class of pistols, it will facilitate
the operation of loading to apply an extra power to sliding the barrel block in
and out. This is effected by the arrangement illustrated in Figure 16. A
lever M, of which. the trigger guard u forms a part, is hung to a pin in the
projecting portion a of the stock; and to this lever is hinged one end of the
rod N, the opposite end of which is hinged to a projection on the under side
of the barrel block B. An angular projection is formed on the lever M, and
this projection is adapted to a notch in the under side of the barrel block, and
near the rear of the same. When the latter is slided out from the breech,
the above-named parts will assume the position illustrated in the Figure.
When the barrel has to be brought up to the breech, the operator draws the
lever M to the position shown in dotted lines, when the projection V is fitted
into the notch of the barrel, and the bent portion of the lever assumes the
character and duty of an ordinary trigger guard.
It will thus be seen that by the above-described arrangement two duties

page_text: are performed, the sliding in and: out of the barrel block, and the retention
and release of the same. To the top of the hammer C a dog or catch 3 is
hung loosely, the point of this dog being so formed as to fit into a notch on
the stationary breech m.. When the haminer. falls, the dog 3. will fly upwards
by centrifugal force; thereby. escaping the notch in the breech, and thus
allowing the hammer to fall with its full force, and the projection s. to explode
the cartridge. When it is desirable that the hammer should remain down,
without the point s being in contact with the cartridge, it is lowered gently, so
that the point of the dog 3 can take its place in the notch of. the breech. The
fire-arm with the hammer in this position may be safely carried about the
person loaded, and handled without any danger of a premature explosion... As
the barrel block is made of annealed steel,.it would be subject to injury at its
inner end by the constant falling of the point of the.hammer on the cartridge
but for the hard steel centre piece 4 which is driven into a recess in the
barrel. block, and forms a base against which the projection s drives the
explosive portion of each cartridge in succession.
:
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention; and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from, the
principles or main features of my said Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of breech-loading repeating
fire-arms, as herein-before described.
Second, exploding in succession a number of cartridges of the class herein
described, by means of a projection caused to revolve by.the movement of the
hammer, when the said cartridges are so arranged in respect to the said pro-
jection that the latter shall strike the edge only of each cartridge in succession; 3
as herein set forth.
Third, the catches t, t, so arranged.on the stock in respect to the bores of
the barrel black that on moving the latter from the breech they may be the
means of withdrawing the whole of the cartridges simultaneously, as. herein
set forth...
Fourth, the dog or catch G, or its equivalent, hung loosely to the hammer,
and adapted to the notch in. the stationary breech, as and for the purpose
specified..
8

page_text: Fifth, the introduction of a hard steel centre piece 4 into the inner end of
the barrel block at such a point that it shall form a base to receive the blow
of the hammer as the latter strikes each cartridge in succession.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christian Sharps, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
I, CHARLES EDWARD KEITH KORTRIGHT, Her Britannick Majesty's Consul
for the State of Pennsylvania, Esquire, do hereby certify that Christian Sharps,
the Patentee described in the foregoing Specifications, personally appeared at
this Consulate, and in my presence and that of the subscribing witness, signed,
sealed, and delivered the said foregoing Specifications as his act and deed, for
the purposes therein set forth and fully described.
CHARLES E. K. KORTRIGHT.