IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Pryse, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, and David Kirkwood, of the same Place,
Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
DESCRIPTIONS OF FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 18th September 1863, and dated the 20th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Pryse and David
Kirkwood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th March 1868.
We, CHARLES PRYSE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, and DAVID KIRKWOOD, of the same Place, Gun Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO
OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
At the breech end of the barrel a charging chamber is formed, at the rear
end of which inside a projection is made. This chamber may be constructed
to close by means of a hinged cap at either side, or above or below; we prefer
the top. The cap is raised by means of a lever working on a pin passing.
through the cap, & upon which pin is fixed a cam or eccentric turning with
the action of the lever. Upon the inside of the cap is fixed a plug or breech
piece intended to force the cartridge into the barrel, so that when charged, the
cap down, and the lever turned into a line parallel with the barrel, the

page_text: longer axis of the cam or eccentric is also in a line with the barrel, and a
rise or projection which is formed upon its lower parts being brought under
the projection in the rear of the charging chamber, the whole of the parts are
thereby securely locked together. For the purpose of more firmly packing
the breech piece, and avoiding windage or escape of gas, the end of the plug
may, if necessary, be furnished with washers, which may be removed and
replaced with new ones whenever requisite; or the chamber being formed
slightly taper at the rear, and the cam of corresponding form, the projections
on the cam and on the chamber may be dispensed with, the plug or breech
piece being forced into the barrel is of itself sufficient security against the
cap blowing up.
Again, to effect a partial locking operation, an incline may be cut upon
the cam, and a corresponding one in the rear of the charging chamber, which
acting after the manner of a screw affords additional security in case the
lever be neglected.. The lever may be prolonged in the direction of the cock
or hammer, so as to prevent the cocking of the arm whilst in an insecure
condition.
. Secondly, our Invention consists of improvements in the nipple, applicable
also to other fire-arms than breech-loaders. It is found that in the employment
of cartridges such as are used with breech loaders it is necessary to allow a
much larger passage through the nipple for the fire from the cap, the result of
which is that there is a much larger amount of back fire from these fire-arms.
To remedy this we propose to employ a valve placed in a countersinking at the
lower end of the nipple; this may be either a ball valve, a piston valve, or any
other suitable kind of valve, and it may operate independently of the nipple,
though we prefer to make it in the nipple.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Pryse and David Kirkwood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES 3
PRYSE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and DAVID
KIRKWOOD, of the same Place, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of
Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her 3
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the

page_text: said Charles Pryse and David Kirkwood, Her special license that we, the said
Charles Pryse and David Kirkwood, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Charles Pryse and David Kirkwood, our
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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER DESCRIPTIONS
OF FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Charle's
Pryse and David Kirkwood, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 we, the said Charles Pryse and David Kirkwood,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
At the breech end of the barrel a charging chamber is formed, at the rear
end of which inside a projection is made. This chamber may be constructed
to close by means of a hinged cap at either side, or above or below; we prefer
the top. The cap is raised by means of a lever working on a pin passing
through the cap, and upon which pin is fixed a cam or eccentric turning with
the action of the lever. Upon the inside of the cap is fixed a plug or breech
piece intended to force the cartridge into the barrel, so that when charged,
the cap down, and the lever turned into a line parallel with the barrel, the
longer axis of the cam or eccentric is also in a line with the barrel, and a rise
or projection which is formed upon its lower part being brought under the
projection in the rear of the charging chamber, the whole of the parts are
thereby securely locked together. For the purpose of more firmly packing
the breech piece, and avoiding windage or escape of gas, the end of the plug
may, if necessary, be furnished with washers, which may be removed and
replaced with new ones whenever requisite; or the chamber being formed
slightly taper at the rear, and the cam of corresponding form, the projections
on the cam and in the chamber may be dispensed with, the plug or breech'

page_text: piece being forced into the barrel is of itself sufficient security against the
cap blowing up.
Again, to effect a partial locking operation, an incline may be cut upon the
cam, and a corresponding one in the rear of the charging chamber, which
acting after the manner of a screw affords additional security in case the
lever be neglected. The lever may be prolonged in the direction of the cock
or hammer, so as to prevent the cocking of the arm whilst in an insecure
condition.
Secondly, our Invention consists of improvements in the nipple applicable
also to other fire-arms than breech-loaders. It is found that in the employ-
ment of cartridges such as are used with breech-loaders it is necessary to
allow a much larger passage through the nipple for the fire from the cap, the
result of which is that there is a much larger amount of back fire from these
fire-arms. To remedy this we propose to employ a valve placed in a counter-
sinking at the lower end of the nipple; this may either be a ball valve, a piston
valve, or any other suitable kind of valve, and it may operate independently
of the nipple, though we prefer to make it in the nipple.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a rifle, shewing only those parts
that will be effected by our improvements; Figure 2, a plan of the same seen
from above, and with the charging chamber closed; Figure 3, a longitudinal
section shewing the charging chamber open; Figure 4, a plan with the parts
in the same position; Figures 5 and 6, section and plan of our improved
nipple on an enlarged scale.
(a) is the charging chamber; (b), the cap hinged, as at (c), to the
breech; (d) is the lever by which the cap is raised or closed, a pin (e) passing
through the lever, and the cap is secured to the cam (f) upon the under side
of the cap; (9) is the plug or breech piece intended to drive the cartridge into
the proper position in the breech, which plug or breech piece is furnished
with the washer (h), renewable when requisite from wear. The charge
having been placed in the chamber (a) and the cap closed down, the lever,
which is now at right angles with the barrel, is to be turned round into a line
with the barrel, as seen in Figure 2, and in doing this the rise (i) upon the
cam is received into a corresponding sinking (k) in the rear end of the
charging chamber, and the cap is thus prevented by the projection (1) from 8
blowing up when the rifle is discharged, the whole of the parts being thus
securely locked together, returning the lever to a right angle with the barrel,
releases the rise upon the cam, and allows the cap, to be thrown up.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 shew upon an enlarged scale one of our improved nipples
for fire-arms generally, and intended to remedy the evils arising from the great
amount of back fire caused by the employment of so large a passage through
the nipple as is found necessary with the use of cartridges. This improve-
ment consists in introducing in a cavity in the lower part of the nipple a valve,
which we prefer should be a ball (m), and which upon the discharge of the
rifle is forced by the back fire upwards, and closes the opening (o) into the
nipple, thus preventing the escape from the back fire.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we claim "the improvements in breech-
loading fire-arms, and in nipples for those and other descriptions of fire-arms,"
substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Kirkwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
DAVID (L.B.)
(L.B.) KIRKWOOD.