IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1856

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to François Jules Mancéaux, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS."..
Sealed the 20th June 1856, and dated the 18th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Jules Manceaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January-1856.
I, FRANÇOIS JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
-
My Invention consists in an improved bolt and appendage for working the
bolt, and closing in the chamber in breech-loading fire-arms, and also in an
improved sight for fire-arms. My improved bolt is 'constructed with a jointed
handle, which is raised at right angles to work the bolt, that is to say, to move
it to the right or left, and draw it back for the insertion of a cartridge and to
return the bolt,after which it is pressed down forward, and, lies flat in a
longitudinal slot. on the loading chamber, which it completely protects from.
rain, dirt, and dust, and at the same time locks the bolt, or prevents it from
shifting, except when moved purposely. The handle presents no sharp or
projecting part likely to catch in the trappings of the user of the fire-arm:

page_text: The back end of the handle is connected to a hinge, having an excentric heel
piece, pressed against by the head of a pin placed at one end of a spiral spring,
fitted in a concentric recess formed in the body of the bolt. The top of the
handle when closed is slightly curved back to afford a hold for the finger. To
prevent the bolt being drawn beyond a certain distance, there is a stop pin,
which fits or catches in a groove formed in the thickness of the fire-arm, the
length of this groove being regulated according to the space required for the
passage of the cartridge when the bolt is open; under the bolt and near its
centre an orifice is formed in the thickness of the chamber, in which a leather
washer is fitted and made to lap or project over the chamber. This washer
exerts a slight pressure on the bolt, and prevents its shaking.
My improved sight consists of two pieces, which together forin a hinge; one
of these pieces is fixed on a ring on the fire arm; the other piece, which is
moveable, is split or divided in the middle by a saw cut, and the two parts so
divided may be drawn apart and brought to again, to place it in the desired
position; the divided parts or legs press against the sides sufficiently to keep
the sight piece in position without the employment of a spring. The distances
are marked on the barrel of the hinge by lines with numbers, which are
arranged to correspond, that is to say, the fixed sides or barrels of the hinge
bear even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other, and the two
legs of the moveable sight piece are also numbered. To adjust the sight, the
moveable piece must be moved to bring two similar figures on the legs of the
sight piece, and on the barrels of the hinge on the same line. Instead of
splitting the moveable piece as described, it may be made to hold by placing
between the two male sides of the barrel of the hinge two leather washers, of
a diameter a little less than that of the hinge, and fitting them in a recess so
contrived as to allow the washers to project. The pin of the hinge is formed
of a bolt with a nut to fix it..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Jules Manceaux in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gun Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said François Jules Manceaux, Her special licence that I, the said François
Jules Manceaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said François Jules Manceaux, 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 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said François Jules Manceaux, 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 months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said François Jules Manceaux, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings annexed,
that is to say -
My Invention consists in an improved bolt and appendage for working the
bolt, and closing the chamber in breech-loading fire-arms, and also in an
improved sight for fire-arms. In certain breech-loading arms as at present
constructed, a bolt is employed for closing the loading chamber, having on a
portion of its upper surface a projecting piece or feather, which slides in and
rests against a slot in the chamber, and is provided with a handle for working
the bolt. This arrangement is objectionable, from the liability of the projecting
handle to catch in the trappings of the user of the fire-arm, and also from the
exposure of the bolt and its fittings to rust and dirt. Now, my improved bolt,
which is intended to obviate these objections, is constructed with a jointed or
hinged handle, which may be raised at right angles to work the bolt, that is to
say, to move it to the right or left, and draw it back for the insertion of a
cartridge, and to return it when the arm is loaded. After loading the fire-arm,
the handle is folded down, and made to lie flat in a longitudinal slot made in
the breech to receive it, whereby the bolt is protected from rain, dirt, and
dust, and at the same time locked, and prevented from shifting, except when
moved intentionally. The back end of the handle is fitted with a hinge, having
an excentric heel piece, against which presses the head of a pin placed at one?

page_text: end of a spiral spring, fitted in a concentric recess formed in the body of the
bolt. The handle presents, no sharp or projecting part. likely to catch in the
trappings of the user of...the arm, and when in the slot quite shelters the bolt,
slot, &c. from the entrance of. Idustr,and dirt, and from injury from the
weather. The handle is rather longer than the slot, so that when closed down
it extends a little beyond it, and the toplend is slightly curved back to afford
a hold for the finger. To prevent therbolt from being drawn beyond fa certain
distance, there is a stop which slides in a groove formed in the thickness" of
the body, of the fire-arm, the length of the groove being regulated according
to the extent to which the bolt is required to be drawn back for the admission
of the cartridge. An orifice is formed in the thickness of the body of the
loading chamber under the centre of the bolt, in which a leather washer vis
fitted; made to. lap over the chamber; and connected to a small-staple or
cap on the fire-armi;a the washier exerts a slight pressure on the bolt, and
prevents it shaking.
D
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan,
of part of a breech-loading gun provided with my improved bolt and handle.
In these Figures the bolt is shewn closed and the handle down. In Figure 3
(side elevation) and Figure 4 (plan) the handle is supposed to be raised and the
bolt moved round. clear of the abutment ready to be drawn back; and in
Figure 5 (side elevation) and Figure 6 (plan) the bolt is shewn drawn back for
the admission of the cartridge. Figure 7. is a side view of the breecht with
the bolt removed; Figure 8; a plan of the same; Figure 7 section! througli
the line A, B, of Figure.7; and Figure 8", a section through the line C, D, of
Figure 8. Figure 9 is a vertical section, and Figure 10 horizontal section, of
the bolt, detached; Figure 10, section through the line-K, L; of Figure 10;
Figure 10, section through the line M, N,, of Figure 10. Figure 11 is a side
elevation of the handle; Figure 12, plan; Figure. 12ª, section-through' the
line E, F and Figure 12', 'section through line G, H, 'of. Figure 12 afis
the bolt; b, handle by which the bolt is worked loading chamber; e (Figures
9 and 11) is a hinge at the back end of the handle, having an excentric heel
piece f, against which presses the head g" of a ping placed at the end of d
spiral spring h; i is, a recess in.the body of the bolt in which the spring is
fitted. Figures 13 and .13% shew the pin g in plan and elevation.The
configuration of the. handle should be the same as or correspond with that of
the body of the bolt at the part at which they come in contact. The sides of
the handle should.correspond with the interior contour of the slot which
receives it, so as to fit tightly. therein, and the contour of the top of the handle
should follow that of the outside of the loading chamber is a stop piece;

page_text: sliding in a groove, for preventing the bolt from being drawn back beyond the
required distance.
My improved sight consists of two parts or pieces, which together form a
hinge; one of these pieces is fixed on a ring or cap fitted on the fire-arm, and
the other piece (which is moveable) has (in the middle) a saw cut, by which it
is split, but not entirely separated; the two parts so divided are drawn apart
and brought together again to place the sight piece in its desired position. The
divided parts or legs press against the sides sufficiently to keep the sight piece
in position without the employment of a spring. The distances are marked
on the fixed part or barrel of the hinge by lines with numbers, the even
numbers being on one side, and uneven numbers on the other (and in a line
with each other), and the two sides or legs of the moveable piece are also
marked with numbers. To adjust the sight, the moveable piece must be moved
to bring two similar figures on it, and on the fixed piece or barrel of the
hinge on the same line. Instead of splitting the moveable piece, as described,
it may be made to hold by placing between the two male sides of the barrel of
the hinge two leather washers, of a diameter a little less than that of the hinge,
and fitting them in a recess so contrived as to allow the washers to project.
The pin of the hinge consists of a bolt with a nut to fix it. Figure 14 is a
side view of my improved sight; Figure 15, a plan of the same; and Figure 16,
a vertical section. The sight consists of the two pieces a, a¹, whereof one, a, is
fixed, being attached to the ring b, fitted on the fire-arm; and the other piece, a¹,
is moveable, and split down the middle by a saw cut, (but not quite separated,)
so that the two parts may be drawn apart to be placed in the desired position
on the arm, and then brought together again.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improved bolt and handle or appendage for working the bolt,
constructed and acting in the manner herein-before described with reference
to the Drawings annexed.
Second, the improved sight for fire-arms, herein-before described, and
represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Jules Manceaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
M MAN
NCEAUA
(L.D.)