IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tranter, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES."
Scaled the 24th July 1868, and dated the 28th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tranter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1868.
I, WILLIAM TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates in the first place to improvements in breech-
loading revolvers, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted
to me, and bearing date 16th August 1856, No. 1913, and consists in
applying the double action lock contained therein to a breech-loading
revolver in order to fire a central-fire cartridge. For this purpose
the hammer is made to strike against a striking pin working centrally
with a cartridge in a hole formed in the frame of the pistol and with

page_text: a guide and spring fixed in the latter. The striking part of the hammer
is hollowed out and the lock of the pistol adjusted so that the hammer
when at half-cock forms a safety cover for the striking pin. The
plunger of the extractor (similar to that described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to me, and bearing date 27th July 1863, No. 1862)
is made to work in a straight line either by having a square
groove formed in it or by having two segments of the circle of the
plunger cut away through its whole length. A corresponding projection
for the groove or a groove for the rib, as the case may be, is formed in
the frame of the pistol.
My Invention is intended in the second place to provide for the
extracting rod lying along underneath the barrel when not in use for
convenience of carriage. For this purpose a tubular guide for the rod
with a tail piece is fixed to the front of the pistol frame in such a
manner as to admit of its being turned on a pivot when the rod is
required to be used, thereby bringing the guide opposite the chamber
for extracting the cartridge therefrom. When the guide is returned
to its position ready for carriage it serves as a stop for the centre rod
or axis of the revolving chamber. A spring is fixed on the tail piece
of the guide, the end of which spring is inserted in a cavity formed in
the side of the tubular guide, and by pressing slightly on the rod prevents
it from leaving the guide and causes it to pass along the same with,
a steady action. A snap spring may also be added to retain the guide
in any required position.
My Invention consists in the third place in forming a hole, slot, or
nick in the solid shield formed in the body or frame of the pistol,
and adapting and applying a bolt to work through the same in order
to fix the chamber in any required position. This bolt may be made to
slidė or to move on a pin or axis suitably fixed on the frame.
My Invention consists in the fourth place in forming the lifter
which turns the revolving chamber with a hollow on the inner side
for carrying the spring, which causes the lifter and catch to act in
combination.
My Invention consists in the fifth place in forming the socket which
carries the anvil of central-fire cartridges in one piece of metal, which
is bent into a form resembling the letter M in cross section, the middle
angle of such letter forming the anvil.

page_text: And
my Invention consists, lastly, in the general combination of the
parts above referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tranter in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Tranter, Her special licence that
I, the said William Tranter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Tranter, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND
CARTRIDGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
William Tranter, 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 William Tranter, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to sav):-

page_text: My Invention of " Improvements in Firc-arms and Cartridges"
relates in the first place to improvements in breech-loading revolvers,
as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me, and
bearing date Sixteenth August, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
six, No. 1913, and consists in applying the double-action lock con-
tained therein to a breech-loading revolver in order to fire a central-
fire cartridge. For this purpose the hammer is made to strike against
a striking pin working centrally with the cartridge in a hole formed
in the frame of the pistol and with a guide and spring fixed in the latter.
The striking part of the hammer is hollowed out, and the lock of the
pistol adjusted so that the hammer when at half-cock forms a safety
cover for the striking pin. The plunger of the extractor (similar to
that described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me, and
bearing date Twenty-seventh July, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three, No. 1862) is made to work in a straight line either by
having a square groove formed in it or by having two segments of
the circle of the plunger cut away through its whole length. A corre-
sponding projection for the groove or a groove for the rib, as the case
may be, is formed in the frame of the pistol.
My Invention is intended in the second place to provide for the
extracting rod lying along underneath the barrel when not in use
for convenience of carriage. For this purpose a tubular guide for the
rod with a tail piece is fixed to the front of the pistol frame in such a
manner as to admit of its being turned on a pivot when the rod is
required to be used, thereby bringing the guide opposite the chamber
for extracting the cartridge therefrom. When the guide is returned
to its position ready for carriage it serves as a stop for the centre
rod or axis of the revolving chamber. A spring is fixed on the tail
piece of the guide, the end of which spring is inserted in a cavity formed
in the side of the tubular guide, and by pressing slightly on the rod
prevents it from leaving the guide and causes it to pass along the same
with a steady action. A snap spring may also be added to retain the
guide in any required position.
My Invention consists in the third place in forming a hole, slot, or
nick in the solid shield formed in the body or frame of the pistol, and
adapting and applying a bolt to work through the same, in order to
fix the chamber in any required position. This bolt may be made to
slide or to move on a pin or axis suitably fixed on the frame.

page_text: My Invention consists in the fourth place in forming the lifter
which turns the revolving chamber with a hollow on the inner side
for carrying the spring which causes the lifter and catch to act in
combination.
My Invention consists in the fifth place in forming the socket which
carries the anvil of central-fire cartridges in one piece of metal which
is bent into a form resembling the letter M in cross section, the middle
of such letter forming the anvil.
And my Invention consists lastly in the general combination of the
parts above referred to.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be
performed by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which are
represented some of the parts of fire-arms above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a front or end elevation of a
pistol with my improvements applied thereto.
In Fig. 1, A is the striking pin working centrally with the cartridge
in a hole shewn by dotted lines formed in the frame of the pistol. This
pin works through a socket guide, and is forced outwards as required
by a spring acting on its inner end. The striking part of the hammer
is hollowed out as shewn, and the lock of the pistol is adjusted so that
the hammer when put at half-cock (as represented by dotted lines) is
caused to form a safety cover for the striking pin A. B is the extracting
rod constructed and arranged so as to be capable of lying along
underneath the barrel when not in use. This rod is fitted so as to
work through a tubular guide C, having a tail piece D fixed to the
front of the pistol frame in such a manner as to be capable of turning
on a pivot E for the purpose of bringing the guide C opposite the
loading chamber as required for extracting the cartridge therefrom.
The rod is kept in its place underneath the barrel by means of a cavity
in the under side thereof, into which the flange on the end of the rod
is sprung. This rod when returned to its position ready for carriage
serves as a stop for the axis of the revolving chamber. F is a spring
fixed on the tail piece D, the end of which spring enters a cavity in
the side of the tubular guide C, and by pressing slightly against

page_text: the rod regulates its action therein. There is a hole or slot at G
formed in the solid shield H in the body of the pistol, through which
hole or slot a bolt I is capable of working in order to fix the
revolving chamber in any required position. The form and arrange-
ment of the bolt I and the position of the hole or slot G may by varied
as required.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I
claim as of my Invention is,-
First. The formation of the striking part of the hammer adapted to
act as a safety cover for the striking pin when at half-cock, as represented
and described.
Secondly. The arrangement of the extracting rod to lie underneath
the barrel when not in use and admitting of the rod being turned into
the position required for extracting a cartridge from the chamber, as 1
represented and described.
Thirdly. The formation of a hole or slot in the solid shield to admit
of a bolt working through it for the purpose of fixing the chamber in
a safe position.
Fourthly. The formation of the socket and anvil for cartridge cases 2
in one piece of metal, as described..
And, lastly. The general combination of the parts herein-before
referred to.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tranter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year 2
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court.
WILLIAM TRANTER. (L.S.)