IMPROVEMENTS OF GUNS AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANNER OF LOADING AND DISCHARGING SAME, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN BALLS, CARTRIDGES AND EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Evans Reeves at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th June 1853.
I, CHARLES EVANS REEVES, of No. 14, Harrington Square, Regent's
Park, in the County of Middlesex, Medical Doctor, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Inventions for "IMPROVEMENTS OF GUNS AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE MANNER OF LOADING AND DISCHARGING SAME, AND
IMPROVEMENTS IN BALLS, CARTRIDGES, AND EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," to be as
follows:-
Gun or pistol, guns and pistols, loading at the breech by means of
two tubes, an external one revolving by means of a handle attached to it
on an enternal one immoveable, fixed to the barrel by screwing together,
and to the plug, forming one piece with the plug, or attached by screw-
ing together. Each tube containing an opening to admit of the
introduction of the bullet containing the charge or the shot cartridge.
The charge being fir'd by a needle or pointed piece of steel attached
to the tumbler. The said tumbler working in two latteral supporters

page_text: fixed to the trigger plate by means of a centre piece fixed into or form-
ing one piece with the tumbler. The centre piece containing a hollow
for receiving the spindle of the cock for the purpose of working the said
tumbler.
The tumbler being driven forward by a main spring attached to the
trigger plate, to the upper extremity of which main spring a roller is
attached to admit of the free working of the tumbler in its motions.
The main spring by its lower extremity acting on the trigger as a
trigger spring in such a manner that when the gun is on full cock
presure exerted on the trigger causes the main spring to drive the
tumbler forward.
A tube screwed into the plug for the purpose of conducting the
needle, the said tube penetrating a short distance into the interior of the
inner tube, or without the said conducting tube through an apperture in
such plug.
The outer tube is fixed in its place by means with or without a
collar of iron attached to the plug forming part with it.
On the inner tube, which works on the inner surface of the external
tube, one or more grooves for the reception of grease, or a substance
saturated with grease or oil.
The gun when loaded is prevented from exploding by the needle
being driven forward by a bolt passing into a recess in the cock, the
said bolt to be withdrawn before firing the gun.
Second claim. The use of a cone or other shaped ball, with a
hollow for the purpose of containing an explosive compound; the said
explosive being contained either in a receptacle or capsule formed of
metal, gum paper, or any other material fitting into the said hollow, or
contained in the hollow of the ball, without a receptacle, protected by
means of a patch made of metal, gun paper, or any other material.
The said hollow may also contain in part powder, and the other part
explosive material contained in a capsule.
The said explosive to be also applicable to shot contained in a cart-
ridge, the explosive being contained in a capsule or receptacle, or the
said shot cartridge to contain part powder and part explosive compound,
or explosive compound alone, the latter contained in a capsule.

page_text: The said explosive compound to consist of either an hyperfulminate
of soda, potassa, or baryta in mixture with a metallic sulphuret, or an
hyperfulminate or bifulminate of platinum, gold, zinc, copper, or any
other metal or metaloid in mixture with a salt termed hyperchlorate of
potash and a metallic sulphuret.