IMPROVEMENTS IN CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Westley Richards, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANNON AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Sealed the 24th March 1863, and dated the 30th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Westley Richards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th December 1862.
1, WESTLEY RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be
as follows:
This Invention has for its object improvements in cannon and other
fire-arms, and in apparatus connected therewith.
In constructing breech-loading cannon in which the bore is continued
through the breech end of the piece, and the charge is introduced from
behind, I close the breech for firing with a stopper fitting into the bore,
and behind the stopper the sides or walls of the gun are cut through, so
that a block or filling piece may be introduced transversely across the
bore, so as to support the stopper, and prevent its being driven out at
the back. The stopper has a rod or stem attached to it with a handle at
the back, and the filling piece is slotted to allow this rod or stem to pass.
After firing, in order again to load, the block or filling piece is raised
until the bore is left clear, and then the stopper is drawn out at the-back
Di 9.11

page_text: by hand; another projectile and cartridge is then introduced, the stopper
is replaced, and the block or filling piece again lowered behind it. A
lever is employed in order to raise the block or filling piece, and in heavy
guns the lever may have a shot rack attached to it, so that the shot which
is next to be fired, having been put on the rack balances by its weight the
block or filling piece, so that but little force is required to raise the latter,
but this being done when the shot is removed from the rack, and when
a catch which is employed temporarily to retain the block or filling piece
is drawn back, the said piece at once descends to its place; a similar
arrangement is applicable where the bore of the cannon is not carried
right through the breech; in this case a small passage is made for the stem
of the stopper, which works as before, and the filling piece is made of
sufficient length that when drawn out room is left for the introduction of
the charge from the side or at right angles to the direction of the bore.
In either arrangement the joint is rendered gas-tight around the stopper
by making the fore end of the stopper conical, and attaching a ring of
felt or other fibrous material, saturated with lubricating material, to the
back of the cartridge; then when the explosion takes place, the ring is
driven in and compressed between the cone on the stopper and the bore
of the piece, and by these means assisted by preference by an angle piece
of metal, secured around the rear edge of the cartridge, a sécure joint is
made. In order that the ring and metal angle piece, after having served
their purpose, may at the next discharge be driven out before the pro-
jectile without risk of jamming between it and the bore of the piece,
another smaller ring of metal or wire is attached to the back of the
cartridge, and this is tied by metal bands or wires both to the soft packing
ring and the metal angle piece. When, after the gun has been fired, a
new projectile is introduced, its nose enters the smaller ring, and, if
desired, a shoulder may be formed on the nose of the shot to receive this
ring, the smaller ring is consequently carried forward truly in front of
the shot, and it draws with it the packing ring and the angle piece; this
method of making a tight joint and carrying forward the packing
required for this purpose is applicable to cannon of other forms. In
order, in breech-loading cannon, to prevent the projectile being pushed
too far up the bore, I form two or other convenient number of soft metal
wings on the projectile, which enter shallow grooves similar to rifling
grooves in the breech end of the bore; the projectile on being introduced
is pushed up the bore till the wings are stopped by coming to the ends
of the grooves, and it is then in its proper position.
In rifling cannon it is now common to make the interior or bore of the
piece polygonal in section, and the projectile fired from such guns is of a
similar polygonal sectional form, but necessarily somewhat smaller to

page_text: allow of its being freely introduced into the gun. In the use of such guns
with projectiles somewhat smaller than the bore there is a tendency to
jam," the projectile in resisting the force applied to rotate it strives
more or less to force the side of the bore apart. To overcome this
tendency I form in each angle of the polygonal bore a groove, into
which a wing on the projectile fits. The sides of these grooves, on
which, as the projectile leaves the gun, the wings bear, are radial to the
bore, and consequently at right angles to the tangential force they are
intended to oppose, consequently they are enabled to overcome the
resistance of the projectile to rotation without giving rise to any strain
tending to force the sides of the bore of the gun apart. The back part
of each of these grooves is made a continuation of the side of the
polygon immediately behind the groove. The angles of the grooves are
rounded off so that the wings on the projectile may be of sufficient.
strength without causing the grooves to cut too deeply into the metal of
the gun. Or in constructing rifled cannon with polygonal bore, in place
of forming a groove in each angle of the polygonal bore, I leave a ridge
at one end of each side thereof, that is to say, I do not cut away the
original cylindrical bore of the gun at these parts, and I then descend
suddenly from this ridge to the end of the next side of the polygon, and
in this manner also I obtain a shoulder for wings on the projectile to
bear against, and which are able to compel the projectile to rotate with-
asunder.
out giving rise to any strain tending to force the sides of the gun
With rifled cannon which are employed with mechanically fitted pro-
jectiles the more closely the projectile is made to fit the bore of the
piece, the greater will be the accuracy with which it will be thrown, but
in practice there is great inconvenience in using a very closely-fitting
projectile, as the fouling which accumulates in the bore of the piece
renders the introduction of the projectile difficult. I overcome the
obstacle to the use of well fitted projectiles of hard material by forming
small grooves on the surface of the projectile, and passing from one end
to the other thereof. The ridges between the grooves form the bearing
surfaces which rest on the bore of the gun, whilst the grooves allow the
projectile to pass any fouling or slight obstruction there may be within
the cannon, the ends of the ridges being pointed (by increasing the width
of the grooves at the extremities,) any fouling or obstruction which
comes opposite the ridges is deflected sideways until it gets into one of
the grooves of the projectile, which then is able to pass it.
Breech-loading guns are now commonly employed with cartridges con-
taining the fulminating material necessary for their ignition, and which
are exploded by striking a pin projecting from the cartridge. In order
that such guns may be used as muzzle-loaders when proper breech-load-

page_text: ing cartridges cannot be obtained, I employ metal cases, closed at the
end, which fit into the breech; these cases have each a small perforation
corresponding with the small passage between the end of the barrel and
the breech plate; this hole, before the gun is loaded as a muzzle loader
in the usual way, receives a short metal peg, with a small cavity at its
lower end, in which the fulminating priming is lodged; when this peg
is struck by the hammer in its descent, the priming is exploded and the
charge fired.
In some cases shot guns are required to be used for ball; a projectile
to be so used, and which is very effective against large game, and is not
liable to strain the barrel, is constructed in the following manner :-Into
the cavity at the rear end of a cylindro-conical ball, considerably smaller
in diameter than the bore, a wooden stem is inserted and fixed, and
around the stem there is arranged a packing of felt or fibrous material
saturated with lubricating material; this packing fits the bore closely,
and hence obliges the projectile to come truly out of the barrel, and being
light it throws the centre of gravity of the projectile very far forward,
and so prevents the shot turning over as it otherwise would when fired
from a smooth bore.
In constructing the back sights of rifles, I cut teeth on the edge of
one of the side bars of the flap, and I connect with the slider a screw,
the thread of which enters the teeth on the flap; the screw is capable of
being turned by a suitable key, and thus the slider is traversed, or the
screw may have a milled head upon it, or may be made suitable to be
turned by the fingers. According to another arrangement I mount a
screw on the outside of the flap, parallel to one of the side bars, and I
affix pieces to the slider (one at the front and the other at the back) which
clip the screw between them, and as the clipping pieces have screw teeth
within them the turning the screw causes the slider to traverse. The
screw being outside the flap, this is able is fold down over the bed, this
having no flanges upon it, and the flap is thus protected from injury when
folded down out of use. A rifle rest suitable for use when shooting
from a recumbent position is conveniently formed of a short tripod
with fixed feet, which carries a globular socket having a ball formed at
the lower end of the straight stem fitted into it. In using the rest the
elbows rest on the ground, and the left hand, in addition to grasping the
rifle, also holds the stem carried by the tripod, this serves to steady the
hand, whilst the joint permits the true direction to be readily obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Westley Richards in the Great Seal Patent, Office on the
30th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WESTLEY
RICHARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, given and
grant unto me, the said Westley Richards, Her special licence, that I,
the said Westley Richards, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Westley Richards, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 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 CANNON AND
OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Westley Richards, 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 Westley Richards, 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, to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in cannon and other
fire-arms and in apparatus connected therewith. In constructing
breach-loading cannon in which the bore is continued through the breach
end of the piece, and the charge is introduced from behind I close the
breech for firing with a stopper fitting into the bore, and behind the
stopper the sides or walls of the gun are cut through, so that a block or
filling piece may be introduced transversely across the bore so as to
support the stopper, and prevent its being driven out at the back; the
stopper has a rod or stem attached to it with a handle at the back, and
the filling piece is slotted to allow this rod or stem to pass. After firing,
in order again to load, the block or filling piece is raised until the bore is

page_text: left clear, and then the stopper is drawn out at the back by hand;
another projectile and cartridge is then introduced, the stopper is
replaced, and the block or filling piece again lowered behind it. Lever
apparatus is employed in order to raise the block or filling piece.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the rear end of a gun so con-
structed, and Figure 2 is an end view of the same. a is the bore of the
gun, which at the breech end is made somewhat larger in diameter than
elsewhere, as is shown at a', in order to receive the stopper 6 shown in
red lines; b' is the handle of the stopper; c, c, are openings cut through
the walls of the gun to allow the block or filling piece d to pass. This
block has a cylindrical passage through it shown by the dotted lines
d', d, to allow the stopper to be drawn out when the block or filling
piece has been sufficiently raised to bring the said passage to coincide
with the bore of the gun. e is an axis underneath the block d; its bear-
ings are carried by the casting f, which is attached by screws to the gun;
e is an arm on the axis e, having at its end a friction pulley e², on
which the lower end of the block a constantly rests; e is another arm
on the same axis, to the end of which is pin-jointed the rod g; g' is a
handle at the end of this rod, and g is a catch upon it. As will be seen
by drawing back the rod g the block d is raised, and when it is lifted
sufficiently high, the catch drops down beyond the guide f' on the
casting f. is the ordinary ring for carrying the sights; it is clamped
on to the breech end of the gun. When it wished to allow the block d
to descend after the shot and cartridge have been introduced from the
breech end, and the stopper 6 has been replaced behind them, it is only
necessary to strike up the handle g', and the block descends by its own
weight. is a slide shown separately at Figure 3; it is capable of
moving a short distance lengthwise of the gun in the guide i', the
incline at its end is struck by the friction pulley d on the block when
the block is lifted, and the slide then covers the vent j, and the friction
tube cannot be introduced until after this slide has been again drawn
back by hand after the block has been replaced; d is a handle on the
block d to remove it entirely from its place should this be required.
The block d is slotted or cut away for a short distance at the top of the
passage d', in order to clear the stem or handle 61 of the stopper when
the block is down; h, k, are trough guides to lead the shot and cartridge
into the bore in loading; fare eyes on the casting f to receive the pin
of the ordinary elevating screw.
In heavy guns the lever apparatus may have a shot rack attached to
it, so that the shot which is next to be fired having been put on the
rack, balances by its weight the block or filling piece, so that but little
force is required to raise the latter, but this being done when the shot

page_text: is removed from the rack, and when a catch which is employed tem-
porarily to retain the block or filling piece is drawn back, the said piece
at once descends to its place. In the arrangement shown the shot rack
may conveniently be applied to an arm on the axis e; this arrangement
may also be applied as a side movement, and so dispense with the lever,
the block coming in on rollers. A similar arrangement is applicable
where the bore of the cannon is not carried right through the breech;
in this case a small passage is made for the stem of the stopper, which
works as before, and the filling piece is made of sufficient length that
when drawn out room is left for the introduction of the charge from the
side, or at right angles to the direction of the bore. In either arrange-
ment the joint is rendered gas-tight around the stopper by making the
fore end of the stopper conical, and applying a ring of felt or other
fibrous material saturated with lubricating material to the back of the
cartridge; then when the explosion takes place, the ring is driven in,
and compressed between the cone on the stopper and the bore of the
piece.
The feit ring is shown separately at Figures 4; it has an angle piece u
of notched metal to protect the corner from risk of the fire striking
through when the explosion takes place; this method of making a tight
joint, and carrying forward the packing required for this purpose is
applicable to cannon of other forms.
.
In order, in breech-loading cannon, to prevent the projectile being
pushed too far up the bore, I form two or other convenient number of
soft metal wings on the projectile which enter shallow grooves similar
to rifling grooves; in the breech end of the bore; the projectile, on being
introduced, is pushed up the bore till the wings are stopped by coming
to the ends of the grooves, and it is then in its proper position. A con-
venient depth for the grooves is about th to 1/100th of the bore of the
piece, and their width from 10th to 10th thereof, but at the entrance
they should be widened to allow of the shot being readily introduced.
The soft metal wings I let into recesses in the shot, or where the shot
is formed with a coating of soft metal, I form the wings thereon.
In rifling cannon, it is now common to make the interior or bore of
the piece polygonal in section, and the projectile fired from such guns is
of a similar polygonal sectional form, but necessarily somewhat smaller
to allow of its being freely introduced into the gun. In the use of such
guns with projectiles somewhat smaller than the bore, there is a tendency
to "jam," the projectile in resisting the force applied to rotate it strives
more or less to force the side of the bore apart. To overcome this
tendency I form in each angle of the polygonal bore a groove into which
a wing on the projectile fits. The sides of these grooves on which, as

page_text: the projectile leaves the gun, the wings bear are radial to the bore, and
.consequently at right angles to the tangential force they are intended
to oppose, consequently they are enabled to overcome the resistance of
the projectile to rotation, without giving rise to any strain tending to
force the sides of the bore of the gun apart. The back part of each of
these grooves is made a continuation of the side of the polygon imme-
diately behind the groove. The angles of the grooves are rounded off
so that the wings on the projectile may be of sufficient strength without
causing the grooves to cut too deeply into the metal of the gun. This
form of rifling is shown at Figure 5. Or in constructing rifled cannon
with polygonal bore, in place of forming a groove in each angle of the
polygonal bore, I leave a ridge at one end of each side thereof, that
is to say, I do not cut away the original cylindrical bore of the gun at
these parts, and I then descend suddenly from this ridge to the end of
the next side of the polygon, and in this manner also I obtain a shoulder
for wings on the projectile to bear against, and which are able to compel
the projectile to rotate without giving rise to any strain tending to force
the sides of the gun asunder. This form of rifling is shown at Figure 6.
With rifle cannon which are employed with mechanically fitted pro-
jectiles, the more closely the projectile is made to fit the bore of the
piece the greater will be the accuracy with which it will be thrown, but
practice there is great inconvenience in using a very closely fitting
projectile as the fouling which accumulates in the bore of the piece
renders the introduction of the projectile difficult. I overcome the
obstacle to the use of well fitted projectiles of hard material by forming
small grooves on the surface of the projectile and passing from one end
to the other thereof. The ridges between the grooves form the bearing
surfaces which rest on the bore of the gun whilst the grooves allow the
projectile to pass any fouling or slight obstruction there may be within
the cannon, the ends of the ridges being pointed (by increasing the width
of the grooves at the extremities), any fouling or obstruction which
comes opposite the ridges is deflected sideways until it gets into one of
the grooves of the projectile which then is able to pass it. I prefer to
employ about one half or less of the surface of the projectile as bearing
surface, the remainder being taken up by the grooves, the width of the
grooves is not very important. About an eighth part of the diameter
of the bore is a suitable width, and the depth may conveniently be
oth of the diameter of the bore.
Breech-loading guns are now commonly employed with cartridges con-
taining the fulminating material necessary for their ignition, and which
are exploded by striking a pin projecting from the cartridge. In order
that such guns may be used as muzzle-loaders when proper breech-

page_text: loading cartridges cannot be obtained, I employ metal cases closed at
the end which fit into the breech, these cases have each a small perfora-
tion corresponding with the small passage between the end of the barrel
and the breech plate, this hole, before the gun is loaded as a muzzle-
loader in the usual way, receives a short metal peg with a small cavity
at its lower end in which the fulminating priming is lodged; when this
peg
is struck by the hammer in its descent the priming is exploded and
the charge fired. The case which I employ is made like an ordinary
breech-loader sporting cartridge case, but made in metal in place of in
cardboard, the metal peg passes in a similar manner through a hole bored
close up to the back of the case, the hole is of sufficient size to allow the
peg to pass freely and sufficiently long to keep it steadily in its place,
the pegs I make by preference of brass wire with a small recess at the
lower end, and this I charge with fulminating material in the same way
as percussion caps are charged. A fresh peg is employed each time of
loading. There is at the lower part of the case where the ends of the
pegs rest a sufficient thickness of metal to resist the repeated blows to
which this portion of the case is exposed. In some cases shot guns are
required to be used for ball, a projectile to be so used, and which is
very effective against large game, and is not liable to strain the barrel,
is constructed in the following manner:-Into the cavity at the rear end
of a cylindro-conical ball, considerably smaller in diameter than the
bore, a wooden stem is inserted and fixed, and around the stem there
is arranged a packing of felt or fibrous material saturated with lubricat-
ing material, this packing fits the bore closely, and hence obliges the
projectile to come truly out of the barrel, and being light it throws the
centre of gravity of the projectile very far forward and so prevents the
shot turning over as it otherwise would when fired from a smooth bore.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of such a projectile.
In constructing the back sights of rifles I cut teeth on the edge of one
of the side bars of the flap, and I connect with the slider a screw, the
thread of which enters the teeth on the flap. The screw is capable of
being turned by a suitable key, and thus the slider is traversed, or the
screw may have a milled head upon it, or may be made suitable to be
turned by the fingers.
Figure 8 is a front view, and Figure 9 is an eud view or plan of a
flap of a back sight thus constructed. a is the side bar of the flap with
teeth cut upon it at a'; b is the slider capable of moving up and down
between the side bars of the flap which serve as guides for it; 6' is a piece
attached to the slider, and carrying the bearings of the screw c, by turn-
ing this screw either by a key or by the fingers or otherwise the slider
is traversed

page_text: According to another arrangement I mount a screw on the outside of
the flap parallel to one of the side bars, or, as is preferable, if the side
bar of the flap is sufficiently broad and stout I embed the screw in the
side bar, and I affix a piece or pieces to the slider to clip the screw and as
on the clipping piece or pieces there are teeth corresponding with the
thread of the screw, the turning the screw causes the slide to traverse.
Figure 10- is a front view; Figure 11, a back view, and Figure 12 is
an end view or plan of the flap of a back sight constructed in this
manner, and Figure 13 is a transverse section through the slider taken
at the line 1, 1.
Figure 10, a, a, are the side bars of the flap, one of which is grooved
or recessed to receive the screw b, this screw which is shewn separately
at Figure 14 is made of steel, and in order to prevent it moving longi-
tudinally in the groove in the side bar of the flap it is turned down to
a smaller size at b', and the waist thus obtained is embraced by a corre-
sponding projection on the piece c, which is attached to the upper end
of the flap, this will be more clearly understood by reference to Figure
15, which is a transverse section taken at the line 2, 2, Figure 10; d is
the slider capable of moving up and down between the side bars of the
flap which form guides for it; d is a clip piece fixed to the slider and
having teeth upon it where it bears upon the screw beam so that when
the screw is turned the clip piece will traverse along it carrying the slider
up or down between the side bars of the flap. As shewn the screw is
intended to be turned by a square ended key, which enters the recess b*
in the end of the screw, the screw may however have a milled head at its
end. The arrangement is quite similar when the screw is placed outside
the flap; the screw is held in suitable bearings attached to the flap, and
is nipped between two toothed nipping pieces fixed on the slider. As
the screw for traversing the slider is not in these arrangements within
the flap, the flap may be made to fold down over the bed, this having no
flanges upon it, and the flap is thus protected from injury by being
accidently bent or strained sideways when folded down out of use, it is
not essential however that the flap should be made to fold down over
the bed, if preferred it may be made to lay down on the top of the bed.
A rifle rest suitable for use when shooting from a recumbent position
is conveniently formed of a short tripod with fixed feet which carries
a globular socket having a ball formed at the lower end of the straight
stem fitted into it. In using the rest the elbows rest on the ground and
the left hand in addition to grasping the rifle also holds the stem carried
by the tripod, this serves to steady the hand whilst the joint permits the
true direction to be readily obtained,
.

page_text: Figure 16 is a plan, and Figure 17, a.vertical section of a rifle rest so
constructed.
a is the tripod consisting of a disc of wood mounted on three feet, and
having a recess in the centre to receive the ball b; c is a covering ring
of wood to keep the ball in its place, it is attached to the top disc of the
tripod by screws; b' is a stem springing from the ball b, it is as before
mentioned grasped by the hand when shooting. The ball moving in its
socket will allow of the stem inclining in any direction, so that whilst the
stem will serve to steady the hand, it will not interfere or impede the
obtaining an aim.
In witness whereof, I, the said Westley Richards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
WESTLEY RICHARDS. (L.S.)
WESTLEY RICHARDS. (L.S.)