IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
Scaled the 18th April 1856, and dated the 5th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the '5th November 1855.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS;" (communicated to me by a foreigner residing
abroad;) to be as follows:
The object chiefly sought to be accomplished by this Invention is to increase
both the weight and force of the projectile without materially increasing either
the weight of the gun or its liability to burst. Two principles are employed
in order to accomplish this: the first is, the principle of accélération; whereby
momentum is imparted by gradations of force; increasing from the zero or
starting point to the place of discharge or muzzle; and the second is in relieving
the ball from atmospheric pressure during its transit through the gun: The
first feature is accomplished by placing upon the sides of the gun additional
charge chambers, which are termed accelerators; and which being charged with

page_text: some detonating materials explode as soon as the shot or projectile passes their
openings, thereby constantly accelerating its rate of speed. By this means it
will be seen that the well-known laws for putting a heavy body in motion
with the least loss of force are obeyed, and accordingly. heavier shot may be
fired on this principle with the same metal in the gun than could be, were
the whole power applied at once as in the old way. The gun is of any
ordinary kind as respects the form of the bore, being either rifled or plain,
breech-loading or otherwise. The accelerators are chambers inclined to the
main bore and pointing toward the muzzle. In loading, a charge of ordinary
powder is put in as usual and then the shot; the accelerators are then
charged with powder or gun cotton, or both, as may be; the muzzle is to be
covered with some flexible material, as sheet caoutchouc, clamped tightly upon
it, and then the air is to be exhausted through an opening placed near the
muzzle, the vent of course being closed. On firing that powder which is back
of the ball, it is started forward as usual, and as it passes beyond the mouths of
the accelerators, the fire communicating with them, those are also discharged,
and thereby increasing the density of the contained gases, they add to the
pressure, and of course increase the force, which impels the shot. As no air
is in the bore in front of the shot, that cause of resistance is not present to
retard; the obstruction of passing through the patch being too slight to be
taken into the account.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD:
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent.
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time,

page_text: 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," (communicated to me. by. a
foreigner, residing abroad,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto,
annexed, that is to say :-
The object chiefly sought to be accomplished by this Invention is to increase
both the weight and force of the projectile without materially increasing either
the weight of the gun or its liability to burst. Two principles are employed
in order to accomplish this: the first is the principle of acceleration, whereby
momentum is imparted by gradations of force, increasing from the zero or
starting point to the place of discharge or muzzle; and the second is in
relieving the ball from atmospheric pressure during its transit through the
gun. The first feature is accomplished by placing upon the sides of the gun
additional charge chambers, which are termed "accelerators," and which being
charged with some detonating materials explode as soon as the shot or pro-
jectile passes their openings, thereby constantly accelerating its rate of speed.
By this means it will be seen that the well-known laws for putting a heavy
body in motion with the least loss of force are obeyed, and accordingly heavier
shot may be fired on this principle with the same metal in the gun than could
be, were the whole power applied at once as in the old way.
The gun is of any ordinary kind as respects the form of the bore, being
either rifled or plain, breech-loading or otherwise. The annexed Drawing is a
sectional elevation of a fire-arm constructed according to this Invention. The
accelerators, shewn at a, are chambers inclined to the main bore and pointing
towards the muzzle. In loading, a charge of ordinary powder is put in as
usual and then the shot; the accelerators are then charged with powder or
gun cotton, or both, as may be; the muzzle is to be covered with some
flexible material, as sheet caoutchouc, clamped tightly upon it, and then the air

page_text: is to be 'exhausted through an opening 6 placed near the muzzle, the vent of
.course being closed. On firing that powder which is at the back of the ball;
it is started forward as 'usual, and as it passés beyond the mouths of 'the
accelerators, 'the fire communicating with them, they are also discharged, and
as they thereby increase the density of the contained gases, they add to the
pressure, and of course increase the force which inipels the shot. As no air is
in the bore in front of the shot, that cause of resistance is not present to retard';
the obstruction to the projectile passing through the patch of flexible materiál
is so slight as hardly to be taken into account.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the employment of "accelerators" or additional charge chambers, as
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawing annexed.
Second, the forming of a vacuum in fire-arms in front of the projectile, by
covering the muzzle with a flexible cover and exhausting the air through an
aperture, as herein-before described, and represented in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set niy hand and seal, 'this Second day of May, 'One 'thousand
aight hundred and fifty-six
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)