IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING THE BARRELS OP FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Andrew Van Braam, of the City of New York,
Artist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING THE BARRELS
OP FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN FIRE-ARMS."
caled the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 4th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Andrew Van Braam
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
4th June 1861.
I, JOHN ANDREW VAN BRAAM, of the City of New York, Artist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
THE BARRELS OF FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE. AND IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists, first, in constructing the barrels of ordnance and
other fire-arms with longitudinal parallel openings in them, whether spiral or
straight,so as to permit thorough ventilation of the barrel, thus preventing the
heating as well as the explosion or bursting of the barrel. A ball or pro-
jectiledriven through such a barrel will be expelled with an increased forcein
proportion to the diminution of friction on the ball in passing through the
barrel or tube. For the protection of the barrel I sometimes enclose it in a
tube, which fits loosely over it.
My Invention also consists in the combination of such barrels with a
revolving breech to produce revolving cannons and other fire-arms free from
[Price 8d.1

page_text: the danger of heating and explosion; also in working the revolving breech in
cannons and ordnance by means of a horizontal lever.
My Invention further consists in the employment with cannon and field-
pieces of a ball-proof shield. This shield is made of plates of steel or other
suitable metal in the form of planks hinged to one another, and capable of
folding to occupy little space. The back of part of the shield may rest against
tho wheels of the field-piece, and the screen is further supported by rods con-
nected to the axle nave of the wheels, or other convenient part of the carriage.
I let into the shield sight-holes formed of wire net.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
11
by the said John Andrew Van Braam in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joun
ANDREW VAN BRAAM, of the City of New York, Artist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her_most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Androw Van Braam, Her special licence that I, the said John
Andrew Van Braam, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Andrew Van Braain, 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 law-
fully 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 CONSTRUCTING THE BARRELS OF FIRE-ARMS AND
ORDNANCE, AND IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Andrew Van Braam, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 mouths
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Andrew Van Braam, 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

page_text: following statement thorcof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, in constructing the barrels of ordnance and
other fire-arms with longitudinal parallel openings in them, whether spiral or
straight, so as to permit thorough ventilation of the barrel, thus preventing the
heating as well as the oxplosion or bursting of the barrel.
A ball or pro:
jectile driven through such a barrel will be expelled with an increased force in
proportion to the diminution of friction on the ball in passing through the
barrel or tube. For the protection of the barrel I sometimes enclose it in a
tube which fits loosoly over it.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation, Figure 2 a
plan, with parts removed, and Figure 3 a back view of a field-piece, con-
structed according to my Invention, and fitted with a barrel made in the
manner just described.
G is the barrel formed of longitudinal metal bars a, a, parallel with one
another; b, b, are rings, for strengthening the longitudinal bars; c is the tube,
in which I sometimes enclose the barrel, as shown at Figure 1. Thus the
barrel is composed of a series of rods or bars (with the exception of the
chamber, and as much of it in front as desired), held or bound together at
certain intervals with rings or bands b, b, and which being arranged spirally
constitute the equivalents. of a rifle bore, and cause the projectile fired from
the gun to derive a rotary motion from its passage through or between them.
Figure 4 shews a barrel constructed in the manner before described, applied
to a revolving pistol; and Figure 5 is a side view of a fixed rifle barrel, with
my Invention applied in its construction; in these cases the openings in the
barrel are cut or formed in the solid metal.
In applying my Invention to ordnance and fire-arms with revolving or other-
wise movable chambers and stationary barrels, I construct the chambers in
the usual manner, and make the stationary barrels only or a portion of the same
of the skeleton construction, as illustrated by Figure 3. In this Figure, A
represents the chambered breech,and h, h, the chambers; B is the stationary
barrel, represented as having nearly its whole length of skeleton construction,
the openings being arranged in two series a, a, and a, a, of nearly equal_
length; those of each series beingat equal distances apartallround the barrel
and the barrel being left whole for soine distance from the chamber,as shown
at b, between the two series of openings, as shown at c, and at the muzzle, as
shown at d.
In applying my Invention to ordnance and fire-arms with fixed chambers
forming portions of the barrel or otherwise,the same arrangement of openings

page_text: in two series a, a, and a, a', may be adopted; the first series a, a, commencing
a short distance in front of the chamber e, and extending nearly half way to
the muzzle d; and the next series a', a', commencing a short distance in front
of them, and extending nearly to the muzzle, and a small portion of the length
of the barrel between the two series being left whole, as shown at c; but with
either construction of the chamber or chamberstheopenings may be constructed
in a single series, or in more than two series, according to the length of the
barrel, or as may be required to give the barrel the requisite strength.
In adapting the Invention to ordnance and fire-arms with rifled bores, the
openings a, a, a, a, may be of the same width as and coincide with the rifle
grooves, so that the lands of the bore are continuous throughout the whole
length of the barrel.
My Invention also consists in the combination of such barrels with a
.revolving breech to produce revolving cannons and other fire-arms free from
the danger of heating and explosion; also in working the revolving breech in
cannons and ordnance by means of a horizontal lover..
My Invention further consists in the employment with cannon and field
pieces of a ball-proof shield; this shield is made of plates of steel or other
suitable metal, in the form of planks hinged to one another, and capable of
folding to occupy little space. The back of part of the shield may rest against
the wheels of the field-piece, and the screen is further supported by rods con-
nected to the axle nave of the wheels or other convenient part of the carriage.
I let into the shield sight-holes formed of wire net.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a field-piece with my improvements
applied to it, more particularly indicating the ball-proof shield, with other parts
of the mechanism not shown in the previous Figures; Figure 7 is a plan, and
Figure 8 a back view of the same..
Figure 9 is a transverse section of the breech taken through the line x, x,
in Figure 7. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in these
as well as in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
A, A, B, C, D, E, is the carriage constructed like any ordinary gun carriage,
except that there is a greater space between the side pieces A, A, to make
room between them for the quadrangular wrought iron or other metal frame F,
to the front of which is rigidly secured the fixed barrel G, and which receives
within it the rotating many-chambered cylinders H; this frame has passing
longitudinally through it the axis pin a, upon which the cylinder H rotates,
and it has formed upon or secured rigidly to its sides the truunions b, b, of the
gun, which are fitted to bearings p, p, in the side pieces A, A, of the carriages,
in the same manner as though formed in the body of the gun itself in the

page_text: gun
usual manner. The said frame has applied under its rear end an elevating
screw J, by which the elevation of the gun is adjusted in the same manner as
that of an ordinary gun, the trunnions b, b, moving in their bearings in such
adjustment, in the same manner as those of an ordinary gun. K, K¹, is the
folding screen composed of two separate divisions, of which one division K is
shewn in Figures 7 and 8, in the condition and position in which it is used to
protect the artillerymen, and the other K, in the condition and position in
which it is placed to transport the gun from place to place, or when the is
not in action. Each of the divisions K is composed of a number of panels c,c,
of sheet iron arrange 1 side by side and hinged together, and to the sides of a
narrow flat bar d of stouter iron by means of hinges e, e, which enable them to
fold like the folding shutters used in houses. Each of the said divisions has its
bard connected by a hinge joint fat its back with one of two brackets L, L,
which are secured rigidly to tho axle B, one outside of each side piece A of
the carriage, the said brackets projecting forward far enough to allow the
divisions K, K', to stand up in front of their respective wheels, and of the
cylinder frame F, as illustrated by K, in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The two
divisions K, K, are of such width that when they spread they will meet
opposite the centre of the gun,and will extend laterally beyond the wheels L',L',
of the carriage, and each is furnished with a number of pivoted socking pieces
9, 9, so applied as to keep the panels c, c, spread in a comparatively rigid
condition, and the outer panel of each has attached to it, by a link joint, a
hooked brace h to hook into a hole provided for it, in and near the end of the
axle, outside of its respective wheel, to hold it firm with a slight backward
inclination in an upward direction, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, and to keep
one or more of the panels of each division at an angle laterally to the principal
portion of the screen, as shown in Figure 7, to partly cover the wheels and
cause any ballets that may strike then to glance off laterally. A suitable
opening is left at the junction of the two divisions K, K', for the barrel G to
pass through, and another opening above to form a peep-hole through which
to sight the gun, and when the two divisions are spread theyare connected by
one or more locking pieces m,pivoted to one, and dropping into a hook provided
for it on the other, such locking piece making them form a complete screen,
which is comparatively rigid, but to some extent elastic or yielding, so that
bullets may I have a less penetrating effect upon it. When the gun is to be
transported from place to place at a distance, or is no longer in action, the
braces h,h,are unhooked from the axle, the locking piece m is unfastened and
the locking pieces g, g, are shifted to such positions as to allow the several
panels of each division of the screen to be folded up like a folding shutter, in

page_text: which condition its upper part is allowed to fall back on the hinge joint to
the position in which it rests on the top of the axle B between the outside of
its respective side piece A and an upright pin 2, which serves as a guard to
keep it clear of the adjacent wheel, as illustrated by: K', in Figures 7 and 8,
in which condition and position it does not interferewith the transportation of
the gun. The chambers 7,4, of the cylinder H are bored right through the rear
of the said chamber, and the rear portion of the frame F constitutes a breech
to that chamber, which is at any time in line with the fixed barrel G. The
axis pin is arranged parallel with the bore of the barrel G, and at such a
distance above the said barrel that a chamberin linewith the barrel is directly
under the said pin. The axis pin has the portion which is received within the
front part of the frame F cylindrical, butlarger than the portion which passes
through the cylinder, so that it fits up to the front end of the cylinder with a
shoulder, as shown in Figure 6, and the so enlarged part of the said pin is
madewith a feather or fin to prevent the said pin from turning in the frameF
The rear end of the said pin protrudes through the rear end of the frame, and-
had a screw thread cut upon its exterior for the reception of a nut M, which is
provided with a lever or handle to enable it to be turned by hand for the
purpose of drawing back the shoulder against the front end of the cylinder,
and so drawing back the cylinder against the rear end of the frame F, when a
plate is pressed forward by the screw pressing tight against the charged
chamber, the touch-hole going through this screw and plate, which constitute
the breech, and make a gas-tight joint. The cylinder is fitted between the
ends of the frane F,so that when the nut Mis unscrewed sufficiently to relieve
the forward end of the cylinder of the pressure of the shoulder 7, the cylinder
will just turn freely within the said frame. The rear end of the frame F consti-
tuting the breech is provided with a nipple s or priming tube, and bent to
enable the charge in the chamber opposite the stationary barrel G,to be fired.
The cylinder has turned in it at its rear end a rebate t, Figure 6, for the
reception of a ring N, Figures 6,7, 8, 9, which is fitted snugly thereinto flush
with the rear end of the cylinder, and this cylinder is connected by a fork and
pin u, u, with a lever O, which works laterally to the carriage under the
frame F, on a fulcrum pin v, secured in the front part of the said frame, the
said lever serving to turn the said ring upon the cylinder; and the said ring
has attached to it, by a spring w¹,a tooth we, Figure 9, which works through a
hole in the said ring, and enters notches y, y, in the said cylinder, the said
notches being at equal distances apart,and corresponding in number with the
number of chambers 2, 9. The tooth w is beveled on one side to enable it to
slip out of the notches y, y, when the ring is turned in the direction of the

page_text: arrow 5, Figure 9, and thus to enable the ring to move independently of the
cylinder in that direction; but the said tooth compels the cylinder to turn with
the ring when it engages in one of the said notches, while the ring is 'turned
in the opposite direction. To prevent the cylinder being moved with the ring
by the friction between them when the ring is moved in the direction of the
arrow 5, a stop pin, Figure 9, is arranged to slide through a hole provided
for it in one side of the frame F, and enter, one by one, the notches y, y, in
the cylinder, and this stop pin has applied to it a spring Z, which tends to
press it towards the cylinder, and force it into the said notches as they severally
arrive opposite to it. This stop pin is withdrawn by hand from the notches,
when it is desired to turn the cylinder to carry one chamber out of line with
the barrel, and bring the next chamber in line therewith. A slot is provided
in the ring N to allow it to move upon the stop pin Z, far enough to present
the several chambers successively in line with the barrel.
The several chambers of the cylinder are loaded from their rear, while
their rear ends are exposed in ou open condition above the rear of the frame F,
and the loaded chambers are successively brought between the breech and
stationary barrel by a movement of the lever O, first to the right and then to
the left. The movement of the said lever to the right turns the ring N upou
the cylinder in the direction of the arrow 5, causing the pin u to pass out of
one notch y to the next one above it. The stop pin z is then withdrawn by
hand from the notch y in which it has engaged, and the lever moved to the
left, which turns the ring in the opposite direction, and causes the pin u to
bring the cylinder along with it, as indicated by the arrow 6, shewn upon the
cylinder in Figure 6, thus removing one chamber out of line with the barrel,
and bringing another, which is loaded, in line therewith. The stop pin z
may be released as soon as the movement of the lever to the left has com-
menced, and when the loaded chamber arrives opposite to the barrel, the
spring slips into a new notchy, and locks it in that position ready to have
the charge contained in it fired by a hammer properly applied, to strike a
percussion cup, which has been placed on the nipple s, or by any other suitable
means. Before firing, the nut M is tightened up to tighten the breech joint,
as before described, and this must be slackened again before the next move-
ment of the cylinder can be effected; the movement of the lever O is properly
limited by means of a fixed yoke P, secured to the bottom of the frame F, but
such yoke is not absolutely necessary. The said yoke, however, constitutes a
convenient bearing for the elevating screw J.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner 'the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in constructing the barrels of fire-arins and ordnance, and in fire-arms,
Loc First, the construction of the barrels of fire-arms and ordnance with longi
ttidinal parallel openings in them, whethor such openings extend the whole or
only part of the length of the barrel, as herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the combination of skeleton barrels with a revolving breech,
substantially in manner and for the purposes herein-before described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the construction and employment of a folding screen applied to a
breech-loading field-piece, or other piece of ordnance, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the arrangement of the rotating many-chambered cylinder in a
frame F, which has the fixed barrel G rigidly attached to it, when the said
frame is furnished with trunnions fitted to bearings in the carriage, and has
the elevating screw applied to it, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth, the employment of an axis pin a, having a shoulder r, and fitted to
the cylinder frame F; and rotating many-chambered cylinder, substantially as
herein-before described, and furnished with a screw thread receiving a nut M
applied in the rear of the cylinder frame, to operate substantially as herein set
forth, for the purpose of making a tight joint between the open rear of the
chambers, and a breech formed by the rear end of the cylinder frame.
Sixth, the combination with the rotating many-chainbered cylinder H of the
ring N, the lever O, the spring tooth w and the stop pinz; the said tooth and
pin operating in combination with notches y, y, in the cylinder, substantially
as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
.
Seventh, the employment of a screw and plate in the frame with the touch-
hole going through the said screw and plate horizontally, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Andrew Van Braam, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-one.
J. A. V. BRAAM. (L.S.)