CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- ARMS, AND IN THE BULLETS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of 39,
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
ARMS, AND IN THE BULLETS TO BE USED THEREWITH." -A communication.
Scaled the 19th June 1857, and dated the 23rd January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontainemóreau at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 23rd January 1857.
I, PETER ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINEMOREAU, of 39, Rue de
l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE BULLETS TO BE USED THEREWITH," to
be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention consists, first, of a peculiar form of breech or priming
cylinder applicable to guns and carbines.
Secondly, of a peculiar shaped bullet to be used in connection with the
same.
gun barrel,
The priming cylinder is made to fit accurately the breech of the
to which it is screwed or otherwise fastened. The cylinder is bored with a
chamber of a suitable depth for containing powder, at the end of which

page_text: chamber is a priming channel communicating with the nipple. The opposite
end of the cylinder is perforated with holes, and is formed of a conical shape,
and fits into a groove in the bottom of the bullet; the latter has a projecting
piece which fits in the chamber of the cylinder. The bullet is cast with one
or more projecting conical rings at the lower part, and at the upper part there
are a number of tapering elliptical grooves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINEMOREAU, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in
the Empire of France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, tho said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, Her special
license that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter
Armand le Comite de Fontainemoreau, 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 "CERTAIN. IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE
BULLETS TO BE USED THEREWITH," communicated to me from a foreigner residing
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Armand
le Comte de Fontainemoreau, 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 Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and

page_text: ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say;
:
This Invention consists, first, of a peculiar form of breech cylinder
applicable to guns and carbines.
Secondly, of a peculiar shaped bullet to be used in connection with the
same.
The breech cylinder is made to fit accurately the breech of the gun barrel,
to which it is screwed or otherwise fastened. The cylinder is bored with a
chamber of a suitable, depth for containing powder. At the end of this
chamber is a priming channel commúnicating with the nipple. The opposite
end of the cylinder is perforated with holes, and is formed of a conical shape,
to fit in a groove at the bottom of the bullet; the latter has a projecting
piece which fits in the chamber of the cylinder. The bullet is cast with one
or more projecting conical rings at the lower part, and at the upper part
there are a number of tapering elliptical grooves.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will now more fully
describe the same, by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents an elevation of the breech cylinder; Figure 2, a longi-
tudinal section of the same; Figure 3, a horizontal section through A, B;
Figure 2; Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew an elevation, section, and plan of the
improved bullet.
In carrying out the Invention, the cylinder A, which is screwed or other-
wise fixed to the barrel of the gun, is formed with a chamber C, Figure 2;
into which the powder is placed when loading the gun. The conical pro-
jection D. at the top of the cylinder fits in a corresponding conical groove
imade in the base of the bullet. At the base of the conical projection D are
formed a number of small holes E, which have their edges countersunk in an
elliptical form, as represented in Figure 3, which holes communicate with the
chamber c; the powder which falls on the inclined plane of the grooves
during the loading will descend by its own weight through the holes into the
chamber C. Each hole corresponds with a groove or rifling of the barrel.
The plane parts of the barrel between two riflings, fitting against the plane
parts of the top of the breech cylinder, prevent the powder from collecting at
the base of the conical projection. The elliptical grooves are equal in number
to that of the grooves of the barrel. I generally use four riflings or grooveš
of about one-fifth of an inch in depth at the lower part of the barrel, and about
one-tenth of an inch at the muzzle.
The bullet is cast with two or more rings at its base. The projecting

page_text: end F, Figure 5, of the bullet is made to fit into the end of the chamber C
by means of a ramrod, the end of which is formed so as to correspond with
the head of the bullet. The depth of the ring G of the bullet varies,
according to the depth of the groove H. A packing ring, made of fine linen
cloth, and glued to the rings of the bullet, is employed occasionally to facilitate
the loading and cleansing of the gun. I prefer to cast the bullet with six
tapering elliptical grooves I, but this number may be varied. They have a
turn of one-sixth the circumference of the bullet, and are formed with two
edges; one, opposite the direction of the rotative motion, is cut perpendicularly,
in order to divide the air; the other forms an inclined plane, so as to cause the
air which passes along the grooves to be thrown in the direction of the
rotation. By these means the impulsive force is given to the axis of the bullet,
and not to its sides. The projection F of the bullet descending a little lower
than the holes of the chamber C, intercepts communication between the
powder and the rings of the bullet, and also prevents disengagement of gas
under the projecting part during the explosion of the powder. The escape of
gas being thus cut off, the force of the explosion will act on the axis of the
bullet, and a much longer range and greater precision in firing are obtained.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me,
and the manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction;.
but what I claim is,-
First, the construction and employment for guns and carbines of a brecch
cylinder formed with elliptical countersunk holes and conical projection, as
herein-before described, and represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the
accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, the forming the bullet to be used in connection with the breech
cylinder with grooves and rings, in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described, and represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the annexed
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
L' DE FONTAINEMOREAU. (L.S.)