AN IMPROVED REVOLVING CYLINDER PISTOL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED REVOLVING CYLINDER PISTOL."–
A communication from abroad by E. Remington & Sons, of Ilion,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th July 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED REVOLVING CYLINDER
PISTOL," a communication, to be as follows .-
My Invention relates to pistols of that class which have a chambered
revolving cylinder at the rear of the barrel, and the said Invention
consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts in combination
with the said cylinder, whereby the extractor for removing the empty

page_text: or discharged cartridge shells from the chambers in the same is fitted
to the barrel in a more compact, convenient, and sightly manner than
heretofore.
In common with other arms of this class my improved pistol has its
revolving cylinder fitted to turn upon a centre rod, which extends for- &
ward from the breech within a hole or chamber, formed inside the
portion of the frame below the barrel. This rod is removable so that it
can be withdrawn to liberate the cylinder to permit the latter to be
removed from the arm when required.
The extractor commonly used for these pistols is a rod fitted in a tube ]
at the side of the barrel, in such a position that as cach chamber of the
cylinder is turned away from the barrel it comes in line with the said
extractor, and then by force exerted upon the latter the cartridge shell
is pushed back and out of the cylinder. But by this Invention I avoid
the clumsy, heavy, and unsightly appearance, given to the arm by the
aforesaid tube, as will be understood by the following description :-
In the side of the metal piece which encloses the centre rod I form a
groove or channel, and from this channel a narrow aperture or slot
extends into the cavity in which the said centro rod is fitted
The
In the aforesaid groove or channel at the side of the metal frame I:
fit the extractor which is a round rod of suitable size.
This oxtracting
rod has at its forward end a head which projects outside of the groove
and forms the means whereby the said rod is pressed back in extracting
the cartridges, and from this head extends inwardly an arm whose
extremity encircles the centre rod and slides freely on the same.
hole or cavity wheroin the said centre rod is enclosed has its bore larger
than the diameter of the said rod, to permit the arrangement therein of
a spiral spring which is placed around the said centre rod One end of
the said spring abuts against the metal frame at the rear of the said
hole or cavity, while the other end of the said spring presses against the ;
arm on the extractor 1od and forces the same forward, thereby keeping
the extractor clear of the chambers in the cylinder, but allowing the
same to be freely forced down or inward in the act of extraction.
The said centre rod is provided at its forward end with a small spring
catch, which holds the said contre rod securely in place, but which is
casily depressed to allow the said centre rod to be drawn out to liberato
the cylinder when required.

page_text: The part of the frame in which the centre rod and extractor are fitted
adds very little to the weight of the arm, and has a neat and compact
form; it is attached to the barrel by 'a screw at its forward end and
held on the breech strap by a pin projecting from the same, and may
be removed by taking out the said screw. And the centro rod and
extractor and its spring may be very quickly removed and replaced when
worn or injured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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 lawfully might make, use,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " AN
IMPROVED REVOLVING CYLINDER PISTOL," a communication to me from
abroad by E. Remington and Sons, of Ilion, New York, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
1
My Invention relates to pistols of that class which have a chambered
revolving cylinder at the rear of the barrel, and the said Invention
consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts in combina-
tion with the said cylinder, whereby the extractor for removing the
empty or discharged cartridge shells from the chambers in the same is 1
fitted to the barrel in a more compact, convenient, and sightly manner
than heretofore.
In common with other arms of this class my improved pistol has its
revolving cylinder fitted to turn upon a centre rod, which extends
forward from the brocch within a hole or chamber formed inside the 1
portion of the frame below the barrel. This rod is removable so that
it can be withdrawn to liberate the cylinder to permit the latter to be
removed from the arm when required.
The extractor commonly used for these pistols is a rod fitted in a tube
at the side of the barrel, in such a position that as cach chamber of the 2
cylinder is turned away from the barrel it comes in line with the said
extractor, and then by force exerted upon the latter the cartridge shell
is pushed back and out of the cylinder. But by this Invention I
avoid the clumsy, heavy, and unsightly appearance given to the arm by
the aforesaid tube, and render the arm more generally efficient and con-
venient, as will be understood by the following description:
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is an exterior side view of
a pistol constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a longi-
tudinal section of portions of the said pistol on the line x, x, Figure 1,
shewing the extractor and parts connected therewith; Figure 3 is a rear
end view of the extractor, centre rod, and detachable frame.
•
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The stock a, barrel b, and revolving cylinder c are constructed as
, heretofore, and the usual mechanism is provided for actuating the said
cylinder and the cock or hammer d.

page_text: In the side of the metal piece or frame e which encloses the centre
rod fI form a groove or channel g, which opens through a long narrow
aperture or slot h into the hole in which the said centre rod is
fitted.
In the aforesaid groove or channel g at the side of the metal frame e
I fit the extractor 2, which is a round rod of suitable size, as shown.
This extractor or extracting rod has at its forward end a head or
knob which projects outside of the groove, and forms the means
whereby the said rod is pressed back in extracting the cartridges; from
this head extends inwardly an arm j whose extremity encircles the
centre rod f, and slides freely endwise on the same. The hole or cavity
wherein the said centro rod is enclosed has its borc larger than the
diameter of the said rod to permit the movement of the said arm, and
the arrangement therein of a spiral spring which is coiled around the
said centre rod f. One end of the said spring abuts against the rear end
of the hole or cavity in the breech strap a', while the other end of the
said spring presses against the arm j on the extractor rod 2, and presses
the same forward, thereby tending to keep the extractor clear of tho
chambers in the cylinder c, but allowing the said extractor to be freely
forced down or inward in the act of extraction of the cartridge shells. The
said centre rod is provided at its forward end with a small spring catch 7
which holds the said centre rod f securely in place, but which by its
depression, which is casily and conveniently effected, allows the said
centre rod to be drawn out to liberate the cylinder c when required.
The peculiarly constructed frame e in which the centre rod and
extractor are fitted adds very little to the weight of the arm, and has a
neat and compact form. It is attached to the barrel b by a screw m at
its forward end, and held on the breech strap a' by a pin n projecting
from the latter into the hole n², and may be liberated to permit it to be
removed from the arm by taking out the screw m. And the centre rod
and extractor and its spring may be very quickly removed and replaced
or renewed when worn or injured, without disturbing or displacing any
of the other portions of the pistol. The screw m also serves to keep the
rod in place, the said rod having a flat portion on one side to slide
over the said screw and a shoulder at f¹, which forms a stop at the end
of the said flat portion.
Having, thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the

page_text: same, I wish it understood that I claim, in a revolving cylinder pistol the
devices comprising the piece or frame e secured detachably or removably
on the barrel and breech strap, the extractor or extracting rod fitted to
slide in the longitudinal groove or channel which extends into the hole
or cavity of the centre rod, the arm on the said extracting rod fitted to
slide upon the said centre rod and held back by a spring, and the devices
for securing the said piece or frame and retaining the rods securely
therein, constructed and combined with the other parts of the pistol for
the purpose of rendering the same less clumsy and unsightly in
appearance, and more generally efficient and convenient, as heroin set
forth.
In-witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hero-
unto set my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six
Witness,
JA*. EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. RT. LAKE.
(L.S.)