CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN BULLETS AND WADDINGS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tranter, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN BULLETS AND WADDINGS TO BE
USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 22nd February 1854, and dated the 16th December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tranter
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th December 1853.
I, WILLIAM TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, do hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN BULLETS AND WADDINGS
TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, in the first place, in adapting & applying to
guns or pistols to be loaded at the breech a plug or stopper to hold
either a nipple or a tube, such plug or stopper being made in one or.
two parts, with a projecting lip to one or both, so as to be moved on
a rod or pin. The plug or stopper is to be acted upon or retained
by a suitable spring to hold it in its place, and also by a set screw.

page_text: It may also be formed with either a flat or conical joint next to the
barrel. The frame in which the plug or stopper is inserted may be
made either solid or in two parts, jointed at top and bottom & screwed
together. The top strap may be fastened to the frame by means of a
pin passing through the frame and strap, or it may be made solid
with the frame.
And my Invention consists, secondly, in adapting and applying
to guns and pistols of the same kind a revolving chamber, to be in-
serted in the frame above described instead of the plug or stopper,
and acted upon by a set screw as above described, and also by a lock
which may be described as follows:-In the present lock the main
spring, trigger spring, and tumbler may be in principle similar to those
of an ordinary lock, but will but will act in the middle of the frame
instead of on a separate plate. The main spring may be placed either
before or behind the tumbler. The trigger is made to act in the
middle of the frame directly against the tumbler, and either before or
behind the same. The tumbler for this lock may have a lever jointed
to the arm to turn round the chamber. This lock may also be com-
bined with the plug or stopper above described.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in the particular uso of fat, oil, or wax,
or other lubricating material, either with bullets, gun waddings, or
cartridges, so as to be forced out of the same against the inner surface
of the barrel by the explosion of the powder. The lubricating
material may be placed either inside or outside the bullet, and for a
gun wadding may be placed between two waddings or on the top of
one, and for a cartridge it may be placed therein with only a thin
material between it and the powder. The above described
gun, when
used for military purposes, may have a bayonet or sword fixed thereto
by means of a bar of iron on the barrel, notched to hold the bayonet or
sword, the latter being slotted in the middle of the handle, but with
parts left to fit into the notches in the bar. There may also be a lever
or catch, either with or without a spring, to fall into another notch
in the bar, for the purpose of fixing the bayonet or sword on the
barrel.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in forming oval or conical bullets

page_text: with a hole through them in the centre in the direction of their length,
which hole I prefer to be tapered, with the larger end of the taper in
the front of the bullet.
And my Invention consists, lastly, in making bullets to be used with
gun waddings in such a manner that the wadding may be parted
therofrom on the firing of the gun. For this purpose the bullet is
made hollow at the back, into which a leaden plug is made to fit,
passing through the wadding, which plug is forced through the wadding
into the bullet on the explosion of the powder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tranter in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, 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 William Tranter, Her special
license that I, the said William Tranter, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Tranter, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARKS, AND IN BULLETS AND WADDINGS TO BE USED
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Tranter, 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

page_text: cause the samo 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 Tranter, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manuer the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Draw-
ings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Fire-arms, and in
Bullets and Waddings to be used therewith," consists, in the first place,
in adapting and applying to guns or pistols to be loaded at the breech
a plug or stopper to hold either a nipple or a tube, such plug or stopper
being made in one or two parts, with a projecting lip to one or both, so
as to be moved on a rod or pin. The plug or stopper is to be acted upon
or retained by a suitable spring to hold it in its place, and also by a set
screw. It may also be formed with either a flat or conical joint next
to the barrel. The frame in which the plug or stopper is inserted may
be made either solid or in two parts, jointed at top and bottom and
screwed together. The top strap may be fastened to the frame by
means of a pin passing through the frame and strap, or it may be made
solid with the frame.
My Invention consists, secondly, in adapting and applying to guns
and pistols of the same kind a revolving chamber, to be inserted in the
frame above described instead of the plug or stopper, and acted upon
by a set screw as above described, and also by a lock which may be
described as follows:-In the present lock the main spring, trigger
spring, and tumbler may be in principle similar to those of an ordinary
lock, but will act in the middle of the frame instead of on a separate
plate. The main spring may be placed either before or behind the
tumbler. The trigger is made to act in the middle of the frame
directly against the tumbler, aud either before or behind the same.
The tumbler for this lock may have a lever jointed to the arm to turn
round the chamber. This lock may also be combined with the plug or
stopper above described.

page_text: My Invention consists, thirdly, in the particular use herein-after
described, of fat, oil, or wax, or other lubricating matter, either with
bullets, gun waddings, or cartridges, so as to be forced out of the same
against the inner surface of the barrel by the explosion of the powder.
The lubricating material may be placed either inside or outside the
bullet, and for a gun wadding may be placed between two waddings or
on the top of one, and for a cartridge it may be placed therein with
only a thin material between it and the powder.
The above described gun, when used for military purposes, may have
a bayonet or sword fixed thereto by means of a bar of iron on the
barrel notched to hold the bayonet or sword, the latter being slotted in
the middle of the handle but with parts left to fit into the notches in
the bar. There may also be a lever or catch, either with or without a
spring, to fall into another notch in the bar, for the purpose of fixing
the bayonet or sword on the barrel.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in forming oval or conical bullets
with a hole through them in the centre in the direction of their length,
which hole I prefer to be tapered, with the larger end of the taper
in the front of the bullet.
And my Invention consists, lastly, in making bullets to be used
with gun waddings in such a manner that the wadding may .bo
parted therefrom on the firing of the gun. For this purpose the bullet
is made hollow at the back, into which a leaden plug is made to fit,
passing through the wadding, which plug is forced through the wadding
into the bullet on the explosion of the powder.
.. In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawings.. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a gun, with the
plug or stopper. above referred to applied thereto; Fig. 2' is a liori-
zontal section of the plug or stopper detached; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
section of part of a gun, with a revolving chamber combined with thic
lock above referred to applied thereto; Fig. 4 is an end view of tho
revolving chamber.
In each of these Figures the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts. a, Fig. 1, is the barrel of the gun; b, the

page_text: ordinary solid frame (with a solid top strap) within which the plug or
stopper c is placed or fitted, so as to be capable of turning horizontally
on the vertical pivot d, the required distance for loading. This pivot
is a pin screwed into the frame b, as shewn in the Figure, or it may
be
fitted into the plug without screwing, and move in a slot in the top
strap and the bottom strap. The plug or stopper c is represented as
formed in one piece, but it may be formed in two pieces united by
their mutual connection with the pivot d. The end of the plug or
stopper next the barrel is fitted to the end of the latter so as to form
a conical junction between them, but the two ends may be formed so
as to produce a flat or straight junction e. Fig. 2 is a projecting lip
on the side of the plug or stopper c, by which the latter may be turned
on the pivot d, as required. The situation of the nipple or the tube,
whichever may be employed, with the communication of the same with
the interior of the plug or stopper, is shewn at f, in Fig. 2. 9 is the
set screw by means of which the plug or stopper is to be set against
the end of the barrel. The bolt or pin on the end of the screw 9 fits
into a cavity formed in the back of the plug or stopper c, so as to admit
of the latter being moved on the pivot d. Tho set screw g is turned, in
order to set forward the plug or stopper, by a finger picce on its outer
end as shewn. h is the tumbler, fixed on the same centre of motion
i, with the ordinary cock, which is only indicated by dotted lines in the
Figure. One end of the tumbler h is connected by a link j to the
main spring k, by which spring, connected with the tumbler h, the cock
is projected on to the nipple or tube on the drawing back of the trigger 7.
This gun with its plug or stopper might be combined with a lock of a
different construction from that shewn, which is a lock fitted to the
middle of the frame of the gun, and is covered on one side by a shield,
the frame itself forming the covering on the other side. The plug or
stopper may also be combined with the gun or guns described in the
Specification of a Patent granted unto me, and bearing date January
Twenty-eighth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. The
action of the plug or stopper is as follows:-By pressing against
the projecting lip e, the plug or stopper is turned horizontally on the
pivot d, a sufficient distance to admit of the charge being inserted

page_text: therein, after which it is returned by the same means to its original
position, when the piece may be discharged by drawing the trigger in
the usual way.
In Fig. 8, c is an ordinary revolving chamber turning as usual on
the horizontal pivot or axle d, and set forward against the end of the
barrel a, by the set screw 9. This chamber is bored taper-formed, or
conical about half a degree, and the lubricated bullets herein-after
described are fixed in it by the loading lever herein-after referred to.
In this chamber the revolving chamber c is combined with the lock now
to be described, which is a lock fitted into the middle of the frame of
the gun, and covered on one side by a shield and bridle, as represented
in Figs. 5 and 6, the other side being covered by the frame. At
Figs. 7 and 8 are shewn detached, in cross section, two modifications
in the form of top strap that may be used. The lock now to be
described is fitted with a tumbler h, turning on the centre i, on which
the cock also turns, which tumbler is connected by the link ; to the
main spring k; m is a lifter jointed to the reverse end of the tumbler h.
This lifter is kept within the ratchet tooth on the end of the chamber
c, by the spring n, and is withdrawn therefrom by the stud o, on the
stop piece p, acting against the lower end of the lifter. The trigger
is also pressed forward as shewn by the small spring q, and the stop
piece p by the spring 7. The ordinary guard is shown at 8. By
means of this arrangement of the parts the chamber c is actuated in
the ordinary manner by raising the cock, thereby turning the tumbler
h, and raising the lifter m, so as to cause its upper end to press against
the ratchet on the chamber, into one of the teeth of which it is passed.
When the chamber has been thereby turned a sufficient distance, the
upper part of the stop piece p passes into one of the notches t of the
chamber, shewn at Fig. 4, and retains the chamber. This is effected
by drawing the trigger 1, and the tumbler will at the same time
be acted upon by the main spring k, and the cock projected upon the
nipple.
Fig. 9 represents, in section, a bullet formed with a groove round it
near the base, which groove is intended to be filled with grease of any

page_text: suitable kind. By the pressure exerted against the base of this bullet
on the explosion of the charge of powder, it will yield and cause the
grease to be pressed out into the barrel of the gun or pistol. Fig. 10
shews on a reduced scale a mould for casting these bullets and forming
the base flat. After the lead has been poured into the mould, the
cover u, being suddenly raised by a blow on the tail v, will cut off the
base of the bullets flat. Fig. 11 is a section of a bullet, with a
projection at the bottom, over which is placed a wadding w, leaving a
space for the grease which will become pressed out by the pressure of
the exploding powder upon the wadding; Fig. 12 shews a modification
of this bullet. Fig. 13, is a section of a bullet formed with a hollow
space in the interior for receiving the grease, and having a plug a, to
close the aperture, the pressure upon the plug forcing it into the cavity,
and thereby discharging the grease.
Figs. 14 and 15 represent different forms of waddings containing
grease as at y, the grease being covered by a thin substance easily
broken, and allowing the grease to become discharged.
Figs. 16 and 17 are sections of two different forms of bullets with
internal cavities with inclined sides, thereby forming conical apertures,
with the larger diameter in the front part of the bullets. Fig. 18
represents a moveable lever which is required to be put upon a stud in
the frame of the gun, and worked therefrom as a ram rod, to force
bullets of this description into the loading chambers. It is shown at
Fig. 3, by dotted lines in the position which it would occupy when
applied to the stud or fulcrum on the frame.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise forms and
arrangements of the parts shewn and described. But what I claim as
of my Invention is,―
First, the plug or stopper c, in its general features and applications
to fire-arms, as described.
Secondly, the combination of the lock represented at Fig. 3, and
Jesenihed with the roxolving chamber as described.

page_text: Thirdly, the several modes described of forming and constructing
bullets and waddings so as to admit of grease being readily discharged
therefrom on the explosion of the powder.
And lastly, the formation of bullets with a hole through them in the
centre.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tranter, have hereunto
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
0 Witnessed by
B. NANCARROW.
(L.B.) WILLIAM TRANTER.