PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dalziel
of Lanark, North Britain, Gun
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Dougall, of Glasgow, in the County
Maker, for the Invention of "IN-
Sealed the 31st August 1859, and dated the 3rd March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dalziel Dougall
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd March 1859.
I, JAMES DALZIEL DOUGALL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the so arranging and constructing the breeches of
fire-arms of various kinds, that a very superior result is obtained from a given
or determined quantity of gunpowder. According to one modification, under
which this Invention may be practically carried out, the end of the breech
is bored out in such a manner as to leave a central longitudinal projecting
piece of metal in the form of a cone.
The front or forward end of the chamber and cross chamber or thorough-
fare, forming the communication between the igniting nipple and the breech,
passes along or is formed in this central conical piece of metal, terminating at
the apex of the cone in a small aperture forming the actual point of ignition
of the charge. With this arrangement the igniting fire of the percussion cap
is conveyed to the front end of the charge, which envelopes the cone, and by

page_text: thus igniting the gunpowder at the front or forward end, not only is the whole
of it consumed in the explosive discharge, but its expansive force is employed
in the most effective manner in propelling the shot or missile. Instead of
making the breech in the manner herein-before stated with a solid conical
igniting conductor, a separate piece may be screwed in or attached, to answer
a similar purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Dalziel Dougall in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DALZIEL DOUGALL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Dalziel Dougall, Her special license that I, the said
James Dalziel Dougall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Dalziel Dougall, my executors, ad-
ministrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Dalziel Dougall, 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 James Dalziel Dougall, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of fire-arms
1

page_text: so as to insure the ignition of the charge at the front of the cartridge, instead
of the back part as usual. In this breech the end is bored out in such a
manner as to leave a central longitudinal projecting piece of metal in the form
of a cone.
The front or forward end of the chamber and cross chamber, or thorough-
fare, forming the communication between the igniting nipple and the breech,
passes along or is formed in this central conical piece of metal, terminating at
the apex of the cone in a small aperture, forming the actual point of ignition of
the charge. With this arrangement the igniting fire of the percussion cap is
conveyed to the front end of the charge, which envelopes the cone and by thus
igniting the gunpowder at the front or forward end, not only is the whole of
it consumed in the explosive discharge, but its expansive force is employed in
the most effective manner in propelling the shot or missile. Instead of
making the breech in this manuer with a solid conical igniting conductor, a
separate piece may be screwed in or attached to answer a similar purpose.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice, that is to say, Figures 1, 2, and 3, represent in longitudinal vertical
sections, three modifications of my improved front ignition breech, as adapted
for gun barrels of the ordinary kind. The breech A has the usual chamber B,
bored out of the front part of the metal; at the backward extremity of this
chamber an aperture is made, which is tapped to form an internal screw, in which
is fitted the conical tube C. The rear end of the tube C, opens into the cross
chamber D, which communications with the tubular passage made through
the nipple E, and down through the breech to the transverse chamber D. The
front portion of the tube C, extends outwards in front of the breech, and enters
a short distance into the barrel of the gun. In addition to the tubular aper-
ture made through the cone, a hole is bored at right angles thereto, so that
the fire of the ignited percussion powder escapes into the charge laterally as
well as at the front.extremity. With the breech of the gun arranged in this
manner, when the percussion cap is exploded, the fire traverses to the front
extremity of the tube, and ignites the charge of powder at the outer part.
In this way the full explosive force of the powder is obtained, as it is
impossible that any of the gunpowder can be blown away unconsumed, as is
the case when the charge is ignited at the backward end in the usual manner.
A still more important advantage is however gained by means of this arrange-
ment, and this is the absence of recoil, which particularly characteizes fire-arms

page_text: constructed upon this principle. The highly unpleasant effect produced by
the recoil or kicking" of the piece, is familiar to every one in the habit of
using fire-arms, and is caused by the ignition of the charge at the rear end of
the cartridge, so that the elastic force of the suddenly evolved gaseous matters
is produced in a backward direction as well as forward.. But by igniting the
charge at the front end, the whole of its explosive force is exerted in a forward
direction, which produces a better effect in propelling the shot as well as
avoiding recoil, the comfort of which, to the shooter, can scarcely he too
highly estimated.
In the modification shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawings the
breech A is made generally similar to that shown in Figure 1, but in this
arrangement the tube C is bored out of the solid metal of the breech in place
of being screwed therein. In this Figure the breech A is shown connected to
the barrel F, a ball cartridge G is shown rammed home in the breech, the front
end of the tube C extending four-fifths of the way through the charge of
powder. The passage of the tube C communicates with the transverse tubular
chamber D, which extends to the base of the nipple orifice. It might be
supposed that from the circuitous path which the fire of the exploded percussion
powder traverses, as well as the length of the passage, that the gun would be
liable to miss fire, but I have found in making experiments with tubes of
different lengths that the fire of an exploded percussion cap is effectual through
a tube very much longer than could be used in guns or ordnance fitted with my
improvements.
The longitudinal section, Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings represents
the arrangement as applied to a double-barrelled gun, in which the nipple is
arranged in a line with the tube C. In this modification of my Invention the
tube C and the nipple E form one piece which is screwed into an orifice that is
made for the purpose at the back of the breech. The tubular passage through
the cone C in this arrangement widens out a little towards the front extremity,
and it is perforated laterally for the escape of the fire as before described. In
fire-arms, arranged in this manner, the traverse of the fire is very short, retaining
at the same time all the advantages of my improvements. The practice of
biting or otherwise tearing open the cartridge is rendered no longer necessary
when the breech of the piece is constructed upon the principle herein described,
because in ramming home the cartridge the charge is perforated by the
tube C.
Figure 4 and 5 represent in longitudinal section and end view the appli-
cation of the improvements to the chambers of a "revolver" or repeating fire-
In this example, the cone C forms a continuation of the nipple E; with
arm,

page_text: these straight nipples the arrangement admits of the cone being readily
removed by simply unscrewing the nipple.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a breech-loading case or cartridge
arranged upon the French breech-loading system, the cartridge G being
arranged for using with the "Lefaucheux" or "crutch "guns. The rear end
of the cartridge is made with the conical tube C extending forward to the
front part of the charge of powder; at the backward extremity of the tube C
is placed a percussion cap H. The cartridge is exploded by the sudden
depression of the wire or needle I, which is actuated by the trigger of the piece,
the forcible descent of the needle into the cap explodes the percussion powder
which fires the charge.
Figure 7 represents a longitudinal section of a piece of ordance, having my
improvements applied thereto. The gun A is made with a horizontal aperture
through the breech, and opening into the chamber or bore B of the gun; the-
orifice is tapped with an internal screw, to which is fitted the plug C; the
front part of this plug is turned to form the cone D, which extends forward to
about the centre of the charge of powder. The cone D has a tubular aperture
made through it which communicates with the touch-hole E; the gun is
arranged upon the percussion principle, the lock F being caused to strike the
nipple by drawing back the lanyard attached thereto. When the cap on the
nipple is exploded the fire passes down the tubular passage, and by means of
the cone is conveyed to the centre of the charge G, so as to produce the most
effective ignition of the charge and materially lessen the recoil of the gun.
The arrangement of guns upon my improved principle, may, if found preferable
be modified so as to have the touch-hole in a line with the tube of the cone C,
corresponding to the arrangements shown in Figures 3 and 4, of my illustrative
Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of fire-arms as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and constructing fire-arms with a
tube or hollow conical piece which projects outwardly from the rear end of the
chamber or hollow of the breech for the purpose of conveying the fire of the
percussion cap or priming to the front part of the charge, with a view of
preventing the recoil of the piece and obtaining a complete and effective

page_text: ignition of the powder, as herein-before described and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of igniting or firing the charges of fire-arms
at the front part of the charge by means of tubes or any mere equivalent
therefor, extending partly through the charge as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing fire-arins,
in which the nipple and conical tube form one piece, as herein-before
described and delineated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth, the system or mode of forming the projecting tubes so as to screw
into the breech, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, or made
in one piece with the breech, as represented.in Figure 2 of the said Drawings,
and berein-before described.
Sixth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing breech-loading
cases or cartridges with an internal tube or any mere equivalent therefor, so
as to ignite the front portion of the powder, as shown in Figure 6 of the
accompanying Drawings, and herein-before described.
Seventh, the system or mode of arranging and constructing cannon or pieces
of ordnance in which the fire of the percussion cap or priming is conveyed into
the body of the charge by means of a conical tube or any mere equivalent
therefor, as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Dalziel Dougall, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JAMES DALZIEL DOUGALL. (L.S.)
JAMES DALZIEL DOUGALL. (L.S.)