CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS, AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Wells Wood, of Cornwall, in the County of
Orange and State of New York, in the United States of North America,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS, AND
CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME."
Sealed the 26th May 1865, and dated the 4th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Wells Wood at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1865.
I, STEPHEN WELLS WOOD, of Cornwall, in the County of Orange and
State of New York, in the United States of North America, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING
FIRE-ARMS, AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The said improvements chiefly relate, first, to the novel construction of the
revolving cylinder adapted for the employment of metallic or non-metallic
cartridges containing their own fulminate; second, to novel modes for ex-
pelling the empty cartridge cases from the chambers after explosion; third, to
the peculiar manner of arresting and retaining the revolving chambers in the
proper position for discharging by means of a vibrating dog or lever; and,

page_text: fourth, to an improved construction of cartridges containing their own ful-
minate, adapted for use with my revolving fire-arm. The revolving cylinder is
formed with cartridge chambers closed at their rear ends, and apertures are
formed in the periphery of this cylinder opening respectively into the sides of
the said chambers and in front of their rear ends for the admission of the point
or face of the hammer to explode the cartridges. This manner of admitting
the hammer renders it unnecessary to remove the cylinder from the stock or
breech to receive the cartridges, since it enables them to be loaded into the
chambers at the front ends, thereby allowing the rear ends to be entirely
closed and the empty cases to be readily expelled from said chambers. The
empty cartridge cases are started from the chambers by means of a wedge, or
its equivalent, so situated as to be introduced through said apertures of the
cylinder behind the cartridge cases, and by having the cartridge chambers
slightly flaring outward, the empty cases will by their own gravity fall out
when the front of said chambers is turned downwards. When the cartridge
chambers are of uniform diameter throughout their whole length a sliding
bolt or rod may be arranged to pass through a small aperture in the rear end
of each cartridge chamber in order to expel the cartridge cases after explosion.
The vibrating dog or lever employed to retain the cylinder in the several
positions necessary for discharging its chambers, operates in connection with
and is actuated by the hammer. This dog is pivoted nearer its upper than its
lower end, and on the latter is formed a projection extending forward so as to
enter a set of holes or notches formed in the rear end of the cylinder. The
upper end is turned backward somewhat, and bears against the front face of
the hammer. A spring attached to the hammer itself bears at its lower end
against the lower arm of the dog, and when the hammer is raised presses
the said projection forward against the rear end of the cylinder and throw's
it successively into the said holes or notches. When the hammer is down,
the front edge thereof holds the upper arm of the dog so far forward as to
keep the said projection out of the holes or notches in the cylinder, but when
in this position the point of the hammer being inserted in the side apertures
of the cylinder prevents the latter from turning; when however the hammer
is raised to half-cock the projection on the dog is still held out of said
holes or notches, so that the cylinder is left free to be turned around in the
usual manner for loading the chambers and for expelling the empty cartridge
cases.
As soon as the hammer is raised beyond half-cock the said projection
enters the holes or notches of the cylinder and retains the latter in position
, until the hammer descends again nearly to the cylinder. The dog is prevented
from ever becoming accidentally disengaged from the holes or notches of the

page_text: cylinder by the toe or lower front edge of the hammer being so shaped as::to
come close to the dog when the hammer is raised, but when the hammer
descends this lower edge recedes at the proper time to allow the projection on
the dog to be withdrawn from the cylinder. The cartridge cases are made of
the full length and shape of the chambers. The fulminate is located around
the rear edges of the cases when the side apertures of the cylinder are imme-
diately forward of the rear ends of the chambers, in which arrangement the
charge of powder sustains the fulminate against the blow of the hammer;
but when said apertures are further forward the fulminate is located corre-
spondingly forward in the cartridge, generally in front of the powder, or even
around the periphery of the ball, a suitable groove or cavity being formed
in the latter for the purpose, and open communications to the powder
being provided if the fulminate is not located close to the end of the ball.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Stephen Wells Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
WELLS WOOD, of Cornwall, in the County of Orange and State of New York,
in the United States of North America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, A.D. Eighteen hundred
and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Stephen Wells Wood,
Her special license that I, the said Stephen Wells Wood, my executors.
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Stephen Wells
Wood, 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS, AND CARTRIDGES FOR THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Stephen Wells Wood, 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 per-
formed, and cause.the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent.Office within

page_text: SIX calendar months next and mediately after the date
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Stephen Wells Wood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming a part
of this Specification (that is to say) :—
The first part of my Invention relates to improvements in the revolving
cylinder of fire-arms adapted to the employment of metallic or non-metallic
case cartridges containing their own fulminate, and to be loaded into the front
end of the cylinder; and to this end my first improvement consists in form-
ing apertures in the periphery of the revolving cylinder, opening respectively
into the sides of the several cartridge chambers thereof in front of their rear
ends for the admission of the point or face of the hammer to explode the
cartridges. This manner of admitting the hammer and exploding the cart-
ridges renders it unnecessary to remove the cylinder from the stock or breech
to receive the cartridges, and to expel the cases of the exploded cartridges,
since it enables the cartridges to be loaded into the chambers at the front
ends (allowing the rear ends to be entirely closed) and the empty cases to be
expelled therefrom, there being no obstructions nor impediments to these
manipulations; it also allows a simple and cheap form of cartridge to be used.
And the second improvement in this part of my Invention consists in the
employment of a wedge or its equivalent so situated as to be introduced
through the side hammer apertures of the cylinder behind the cases of the
exploded cartridges to start them from the chambers, so that by having the
cartridge chambers slightly flaring outward the empty cases will by their
own gravity fall out of the said chambers when turned downwards. A
modification or additional provision of this second improvement consists in
the application of a small sliding bolt or rod to enter an aperture through the
rear end of each cartridge chamber to expel the empty cases when the
chambers are of uniform diameter throughout their whole length.
'
The second part of my Invention consists in the employment and peculiar
arrangement and operation of a vibrating dog for arresting and retaining
the revolving cylinder in the proper positions for discharging the several
chambers, the said dog being actuated and controlled by the movement of the
bammer.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved construction of
cartridges containing their own fulminate to be used with my improved
revolving fire-arm. This improvement relates particularly to the arrange-

page_text: ment of the fulminate in the metallic or non-metallic case, it being placed
immediately inside of the periphery of the case in any position around the.
charge, whether of powder or of the ball, the said charge sustaining the
fulminate against the blow of the hammer so as to insure the explosion. If
the fulminate is placed around the ball, unless at the extreme rear part thereof,
there should be notches or other communication leading from the fulminate
back to the powder; I generally locate the fulminate, however, close to the
rear end of the case.
I will now proceed more particularly to describe my improvements by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a central
longitudinal vertical section of a revolving pistol or small arm, exhibiting the
main features of my said improvements; Fig. 2, a side view of the same but
shewing a rear bolt or rod for expelling the cartridge cases instead of the
wedge shewn in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a central longitudinal section of the revolving
cylinder having the rear ends of the cartridge chambers entirely closed;
Fig. 4, a similar view of a revolving cylinder shewing small perforations through
the rear ends of the chambers for the admission of a rear expelling bolt, as
shewn in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a central longitudinal section of a cartridge shewing
the fulminate placed in the rear end and sustained by the powder alone;
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, sections of cartridges in which the fulminate is sustained
inside by other means than that of the charge itself. Like letters designate
corresponding parts in all of the Figures.
The revolving cylinder A is located between top and bottom straps c, c, of
the stock or breech C immediately behind the barrel B, and it revolves upon
a pin g, extending entirely through it, or simply on journals which fit into
holes bored into the two ends of the cylinder. The cartridge chambers a, a,
are bored in at the front end of the cylinder, and I prefer to have them entirely
closed at the rear end, as shewn in Fig. 1, in which case I make the
chambers a little the largest in diameter at the front end and slightly tapering
to the rear end so as not to require the insertion of a bolt or rod to expel the
empty cartridge cases. The cylinder is perforated in the periphery so that its
apertures h, h, shall open into the chambers a, a, at the sides or somewhere
forward of the rear ends thereof. In Fig. 1 there apertures are shewn
immediately forward of the rear ends, but I sometimes locate these apertures
much further forward, as shewn in Fig. 4, in which case an intermediate
hammer is used, the point or face of which extends forward the required
distance to enter the apertures and explode the cartridges when the fulminate
is placed at the front of the powder charge, or around the ball itself; but
whenever the apertures h, h, open into the sides of the chambers, which is my

page_text: Invention, I so arrange the hammer D that its point d will strike into the
said apertures and explode the fulminate of the cartridges. Thus I avoid
making openings into the rear ends of the cartridge chambers, and obviate the
necessity of removing the cylinder from the stock for the insertion of the cart-
ridges and for expelling the empty cases, the cartridges (of the simplest form)
being inserted into the front ends of the chambers to which there is free
access. It is best to locate the peripheral apertures h, h, immediately forward
of the rear ends of the chambers for the principal reason that access thereby
can be gained through them into the chambers behind the empty cases of the
exploded cartridges to cause their expulsion, and thus the necessity of rear
apertures for the purpose can be avoided. For the expulsion of the empty
cartridge cases a wedge E (Fig. 1) is located in the under strap c of the breech
in such a position that when the cartridge chambers a, a, are successively
brought round to a position opposite to it its upper wedge-shaped end
may be driven up through the apertures h, h, and wedge in behind the empty
cases, so as to start the same forward sufficiently to loosen them in the slightly
flaring chambers, so that by turning the front end of the cylinder downward
the cases will fall out by their own gravity. The wedge E is drawn back out
of the apertures h, h, by a spring e, substantially as shewn in Fig. 1. The
wedge projects sufficiently out of the strap c to allow it to be operated with
the thumb or fingers; but if it ever should be desirable to have the cartridge
chambers of uniform diameter throughout their length, it might be convenient,
though not necessary, to push the empty cartridge cases nearly or quite out of
the chambers, or at least further than the wedge E would be capable of doing.
In this case small openings m, m, (Fig. 4) may be made through the rear ends
of the chambers for the admission of a small bolt or rod F, to expel the
empty cases. In Fig. 2 the location of such a bolt or rod F is shewn, having
a knob or projection f to move it by and slide it in a groove or way
lin or on
the side of the stock or breech C. There is a notch in the lower side of the
grooved way to allow the knob f of the bolt to be turned down flatwise when
drawn fully back, and thus hold the bolt in the position shewn in Fig. 2. To
retain the cylinder in the different positions for discharging its chambers a
vibrating lever or dog S (Fig. 1) is employed, operating in connection with
and by the movements of the hammer D in a peculiar manner to effect the
purpose. The dog is pivoted at a point y', nearer to its upper than its lower
end, which has a projection s extending forward so as to enter a set of holes i, i,
in the rear end of the cylinder when allowed by the movements of the hammer.
Its
upper end t is turned backward somewhat, and bears against the front
face of the hammer, as shewn. A spring w attached to the hammer itself

page_text: bears at its lower end against the lower arm of the dog S, and when the
hammer is raised presses the projections forward against the rear end of the
cylinder and throws it successively into the holes or notches i, i. The whole
arrangement of the dog in connection with the hammer (as shewn in Fig. 1)
is such that when the hammer is down the front edge r holds the upper arm
of the dog so far forward as to keep the projections out of the holes or
notches i, i, in the cylinder, but in this position the point or faced of the
hammer itself holds the cylinder from turning by being inserted in one or
another of the apertures h, h, thereof. Then when the hammer is raised to
half-cock (the trigger II entering the notch V of the hammer) the projection s
of the dog S is still held out of the holes or notches i, i, so that in that
position the cylinder is left free to be turned round for loading the chambers
and for expelling the empty cartridge cases; but as soon as the hammer is
raised beyond half-cock it allows the projections of the dog to enter the holes
or notches i, i, of the cylinder, and retain the same in position until the
hammer descends nearly to the cylinder again. The dog S is prevented from
ever becoming accidentally disengaged from the holes i, i, of the cylinder
when the hammer is raised by the toe or lower front edge z of said hammer
being so shaped as to come close to the dog in that position, but when the
hammer descends the lower front edge z recedes in proper time from the dog
to allow the projections to be withdrawn from the cylinder. A spring pawl a
pivoted to the hammer turns the cylinder A by acting upon notches in the
rear end thereof in the usual manner. The cases k, k, (Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8,) are
generally made of sheet copper (any equivalent material may be used) in the
form of a simple cylindrical tube of the full length of the chambers a, a, and
fitting the same. If the chambers are tapering the cases are of the same
shape. The fulminate p is located in the rear edges of the cases (as shewn in
Fig. 5) when the apertures h, h, of the cylinder are immediately forward of
the rear ends of the chambers; here the charge of powder sustains the
fulminate against the blow of the hammer, but when the apertures h, h, of
the cylinder are further forward, as shewn in Fig. 4, the fulminate is located
correspondingly forward in the cartridge, generally in front of the powder or
even around the periphery of the ball, there being a suitable groove or cavity
therein for its reception, and if it is not located close to the rear end of the
ball there should be notches or other open communication therefrom back to
the powder. In Fig. 6 is shewn a cartridge having the fulminate located in
the rear of the case, as in Fig. 5, but sustained against the blow of the hammer
by a disk of metal. In Fig. 7 the fulminate and sustaining disk are located
in front of the powder charge. In Fig. 8 the fulminate is situated in a bead

page_text: or hollow annular projection q, so that the fulminate is sustained by the sides
of the groove. These latter arrangements may be used instead of the fulminate
sustained only by the powder or ball, which, however, is the simplest and
cheapest method.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, what I claim therein as new is,-
First, forming in the periphery of the revolving cylinder apertures which
open respectively into the sides of the cartridge chambers forward of the rear
ends thereof for admitting the point or face of the hammer to explode the
cartridges bearing their own fulminate.
Second, the employment of a wedge or its equivalent arranged so as to
be introduced through the hammer apertures opening into the sides of the
cartridge chambers for the purpose of causing the expulsion of the empty
cartridge cases.
Third, the employment of a vibrating lever or dog for arresting and
retaining the revolving cylinder in its several positions, constructed, arranged,.
and operating in connection with and actuated by the hammer, substantially
as described.
Fourth, the toe or lower front edge of the hammer formed and arranged
in relation to the dog S, so as to prevent the accidental withdrawal of the
projections from the revolving cylinder, as described.
Fifth, a metallic or non-metallic case cartridge in which the fulminate is
placed around and sustained by the charge itself, either of the powder or ball.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second
day of June, A.D. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
DUTY
STEPHEN WELLS WOOD.
(L.S.)