IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING BREECH FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Vincent Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
April 1860. A communication from abroad by Edward Savage, of
Cromwell, in the County of Middlesex, and State of Connecticut, United
States of America.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING BREECH FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the employment of moveable cylindrical bushings
or thimbles in rotating breech cylinders. These bushings are fitted into cavities
formed round the front portions of the chambers of the rotating "cylinder
or breech in such a manner as to fit to a face or seat at the rear end
of the barrel, the force resulting from the explosion of the charges being used
to drive them forward against the barrel, and make a tight joint between the
chambers and the barrel during the discharges of the chambers. For securing
in its place the pin on which the breech cylinder rotates a novel arrangement
is adopted, the object being to provide for the easy withdrawal of the breech
pin when it is desired to take out the cylinder. The breech pin is held in
place by a screw passed transversely through the frame which carries the
barrel. A notch is made in the breech pin to receive the screw, and the screw
is cut away at one portion of its periphery to allow of the withdrawal of the
breech pin without removing the screw from its seat. Lapped round a portion

page_text: of the breech pin that passes through the cylinder is a helical spring, which has
a tendency to give the cylinder an endway motion and keep it free of the end of
the barrel. This movement of the cylinder takes place preparatory to its rotary
motion to present the chambers successively in line with the barrel. The
forward motion of the breech cylinder is effected by a toggle arrangement,
which forms part of the subject matter of Letters Patent granted to the
present applicant, and bearing date July 8th, 1856, (No. 1608), but other
means of producing the forward movement may be employed as thought
desirable. The breech pin is fitted tightly into a hole provided for it in the
front part of the lock frame, and fitted easily into a hole in the central steel
bush of a rotating recoil shield. The central bush is driven very tightly into
a central cavity provided to receive it in the front of the recoil shield. An
adjustable connection is effected between the recoil shield and the toggle.
arrangement by means of a regulating screw forming a portion of the toggle
arrangement. Through a small hole in the bush a set screw passes and
enters a tapped hole in the centre of the regulating screw. By screwing up
this set screw the regulating screw is held very tightly, and prevented working
out of its place by the frequent revolution of the breech cylinder and repeated
firing of the piece.
The lever ramrod, with which this class of arms is usually provided, it is
proposed to attach to the head of the breech pin. For this purpose the head
is formed with a cylindrical cavity running entirely through it, parallel with
the axis of the pin and with the chambers of the cylinders. A longitudinal
slot is made above this cavity and a similar slot below the cavity. These slots
extend from the extremity of the bead nearly the whole length of it, but the
lower one extends a little further back than the upper one. The plunger or
ramrod slides in the cylindrical cavity, and the lever by which it is worked fits
into the slots in the head of the breech pin.