IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Crickmay, of Handsworth, in the
County of Stafford, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 20th December 1853, and dated the 20th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Crickmay
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th June 1853.
I, CHARLES CRICKMAY, of Euston Square, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS" to be
as follows:-
My Invention relates,-
Firstly, to a peculiar construction of the breech to facilitate the
loading thereat in every description of fire-arms.
Secondly, to a novel central arrangement of the cock, trigger, and
parts connected therewith, to cause a central discharge; and,
Thirdly, to a mode of packing a number of cartridges at the butt
end of the gun stock.
And for the more readily comprehending the several parts of
my said improvements I shall now proceed to describe the same

page_text: reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, the same marks of reference
applying to like parts throughout.
Figure 1, represents my improvements applied to the breech of
fire-arms; a, is the breech attached at b, by a screw to the frame f,f,ƒ,
and having at c, a small hammer acted on by a spring d, and supplied
with a strong pin, which, when struck by the cock a', (Fig. 3,) fires
the percussion tube connected with the cartridge. The iron frame f‚ƒ‚ƒ,
has g, a spring h, acting at i, on the point j, so as to project the
brecha, upwards, as here represented, when rleased preparatory to
loa lng. The aperture k, l, in the frame receives a stud fixed on the
end of the gun barrel, and working therein to release the breech when
drawn to l, and to lock it when drawn back to h, by the action of a
lever, in which is an aperture to receive a corresponding stud on the
barrel.
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of the breech a, showing the conical
chamber x, x, y, the bottom of which, from y, to z, is plugged up with a
round steel bolt, about one quarter to half an inch diameter, and drilled
down the centre y, to z, and thence at right angles to ', so that the
percussion tube entering y, to 2, is fired by the pin e, when struck by
the cock a', as before stated. At the end a, a", of the breech, and a
like portion of the corresponding end of the gun barrel may be turned
to an oval collar in the one, and to an oval chamber in the other, so
that they shall form a clutch when the barrel is in a position ready for
a discharge.
Fig. 8, is a longitudinal section of the cock, trigger, and corre-
sponding parts; a', is the cock, b', the trigger, with e', the sear and the
spring, acting on the same; e', is the main spring, having at the
eud f, a hook, by means of which it clips the swivel g', attached to the
cock a'.
Fig. 4, No. 1, an external view, and No. 2, a transverse section
through C, D, of the fore end of the gun stock. A, the fore end of the
sok secured to the frame ff.f, at the end B, by a screw C, the
sight attached to the stock by a collar D, D, embracing the stock B,
and also the barrel.

page_text: At the butt end of the gun stock a number of suitable recesses may
be made to receive a number of cartridges as a reserve, the whole
being closed by a metal cover.
I have thus described one mode of carrying into effect my said
Invention, which may be varied, using the whole or parts thereof, and
when required for firing loose powder may, by slight modifications, be
used with a percussion cap; and I would have it understood that I
do not restrict myself to any particular form, dimensions, or material,
so long as the principle of my Invention is adhered to, and I declare
that what I claim as my improvements are, namely,-
First, the novel arrangement of the breech for loading thereat and
firing at the centre of the charge.
Second, the peculiar construction and central placement of the cock,
trigger, and parts belonging thereto; and,
Third, the mode of packing a number of cartridges in the stocks of
fire-arms as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Crickınay in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 20th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES CRICKMAY, now of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, but
late of Euston Square, in the County of Middlesex, as stated in my
Declaration, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for ferself, er heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Crickmay, Her special license
that I, the said Charles Crickmay, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as 1, the said Charles Crickmay, 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Crickmay, 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 Patents.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Crickmay, 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 and reference to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, in which the same parts as they are exhibited in the different
figures are defined by the same letters (that is to say):
My Invention may be described under three heads relating,―
Firstly, to a peculiar mode or modes of constructing gun breeches
to facilitate the loading thereat, the same being applicable to every
description of firc-arms.
Secondly, in an arrangement of the cock, trigger, and parts connected
therewith, to cause a central discharge, such discharge being effected
by a percussion tube attached to the cartridge, but in some instances I
use the ordinary percussion cap and nipple; and,
Thirdly, the forming of a chamber in the thick part of the gun stock
for the reception of a convenient number of cartridges to be used as
a reserve, an arrangement calculated to produce a better result in
firing, as the piece will throw its charge farther by having an addi-
tional weight behind the breech. And I believe the best means of
carrying out these several improvements are set forth and exhibited in
the Drawings which I will now proceed to describe.
Figure 1, represents a side view of a gun, made according to the
principle herein described, adapted for the use of the ordinary percus-
sion cap; and, Figure 2, a tap view of the same. The junction of the
breech and barrel is at a, and a, in cach Figure, and of stock and
barrel at b, and b¹. C, is a metal band clipping the barrel and fore-end
of stock, to which is attached a regulating sight d, as also the lever E,

page_text: and loop f. And as the other parts with their several actions are
best shown in section, I will now refer to Figure 3. A portion of the
thick part of the barrel is removed, in order to exhibit clearly the
means I prefer of connecting and disconnecting it from the breech,
which is here shown elevated ready for loading, a position it will
always assume when released from the barrel by the expanding force
of the spring g, acting on the lever h, and joint i, and for conve-
nience will assume that the charge is in. A cap placed upon the
nipple, and the breech depressed by the thumb into a horizontal
position, when the barrel by means of the lever E, is slid back and
turned one eighth of a circle, bringing the barrel and sight in range
with the stock and breech ready to be discharged, as shown in
Figures 1, and 2, the lock being represented as at full cock. But it
may be necessary to describe more fully how the junction of the barrel
and breech is effected, and also how the barrel and stock are united,
in describing which I shall have to refer to Figure 4.
On the top
part of the breech are four projections le, k, l, k, having their bottom
edges slightly inclined. These four projections pass through corre
sponding slots in the barrel, as exhibited at m, in the sectional portion
of Figure 3, in which part there are also shown two of the four corre-
sponding projections, with those in the breech before described marked
n, n, with their ends bevelled towards the muzzle, so that when the
barrel is pulled back, and turned into corresponding parts of the breech,
it will be evident that the parts in contact will be travelling on inclines,
forming a close and perfect union, so that when the barrel is turned
one eighth, as before described, the junction will be perfectly effected,
thereby preventing all sulphurious escape, aided much by the internal
conical form of the extreme end of the breech, tightly fitting the
recess shown in the section of the barrel at o, o. The manner in
which the barrel is united to the stock will be understood by the fol-
lowing description:-In the hollow at P, Figure 4, 1 bed the semi-
circular plate of metal in which is formed the slot p', and angler, the
thick part of the barrel being removed for the purpose of shewing the
said slot, in which works the screw head g, which head, in putting the
barrel and stock together, will pass through the opening S, the head of

page_text: the screw being larger than the slot. The part T, is also of a semi-
circular form, and secured to the stock extending from u, to the dotted
line v, and is united also to the metal band w; a, is a piece of thin
sheet iron or other metal, clipping the under side of the barrel, and
extending along on each side as shewn at Figure 2, travelling back-
ward and forward with the barrel, for the purpose of covering over the
opening occupied by the large part of the barrel when pushed forward.
Figure 5, represents a transverse section of the barrel and plate T,
taken through y, y, of the last Figure, as also an end view of the
clip C, with the lever E, the use of which is to assist in turning the
barrel in and out of the breech, and to slide it forward and backward
when loading, and it will be seen by the section that the lever is hollow,
and the knob a", is attached by a centre pin to the projecting studs ", "
which are forced into the notch c', as shewn in Figure 1, for retaining
the lever in that position when out of use, and into the notch d', when
in use.
Figure 6, represent the variation in the breech, and means of dis-
charging when the cartridge is provided with a percussion tube, and a
central discharge is desired. The part d", represents a plug of steel
in which the hole c", is drilled for receiving the percussion tube
attached to the cartridge f', the chamber for the charge, and g', the
hole through which the point h', passes when struck by the cock against
the end of the percussion tube for firing the charge.
The third part of my Invention will be understood by referring to
the section of the stock, shewn at Figure 3, where have exhibited
also in section six chambers for reserve cartridges, at the bottom of
which are small helical springs for forcing out the cartridges as they
may be required, the whole being retained by two strips of metal,
secured to the stock by the screws shewn at i, i, on which they move,
abutting against each other in the centre at j.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, in which I have con-
fined myself to the plan most suited for general purposes, but which
may be varied in the whole or part thereof when required. And I
would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to any particular

page_text: form, dimension, or material, so long as the principle of my Invention,
whether applied to guns or pistols, is adhered to. And I further declare
that what I claim as my Invention is,-
First, the novel arrangement of the breech for loading thereat, and
firing at the centre of the charge.
Second, the peculiar construction and central placement of the cock,
trigger, and parts belonging thereto; and,
Third, the mode of packing a number of cartridges in the stocks of
fire-arms as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Crickusay, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
CHARLES (L.S.) CRICKMAY.