AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Heppleston, of the City of Manchester,
Machinist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 20th November 1860, and dated the 23rd May 1860.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
May 1860.
I, THOMAS HEPPLESTON, of the City of Manchester, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRRACH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be
as follows:-
I
The barrel being bored or only rough bored, as may be convenient, I cut
or pierce an oblong apperture into it (at the breach end) from above. This
apperture is of such dimensions as to receive the charge or cartridge or pro-
jectile into it, which is then pushed forward into the bore of the barrel.
then insert into the space behind the charge (which is thus left vacant) a
cylindrical piece of metal, which is of sufficient size to fill the space. This
cylindrical piece of metal is attached to another piece, which turns on a pin
or centre at or near the upper surface of the barrel so as to form a hinge.
By this means the cylindrical piece of metal can be removed from the space
cut out of the barrel or inserted into it at pleasure. At the extremity of the

page_text: bore I insert a strong screw of such a length as to withstand any strain thrown
upon it from the explosion, & of such a construction that a half turn of it will
secure or fasten the cylindrical piece of metal before-mentioned after the
charge is inserted in the bore. Instead of the hinge before-mentioned being
placed at the top of the barrel, I occasionally place it at one side, I also
sometimes vary my Invention in the following manner:-Instead of piercing
the oblong apperture only as far as the bore of the piece, I cutit quite through
forming a slot. In this slot I insert a sliding piece, which falls down below
the level of the bore when the charge is inserted, and is then raised and secured
by the screw in the manner before-mentioned.
The second part of my Invention consist in a peculiar and novel mode of
forming the projectiles to be used in rifled fire-arms. The principal portion
of the projectile is of a cylindrical form, the fore part being conical or pointed
in the usual manner. At the ends of the cylindrical part are two projecting
rims forming a groove betwixt them, this groove is filled with a lubricating
material so as to effectually grease the bore of the piece when in use. The bore
of the piece is slightly eased at the breach so as to receive the projectile into it,
and on the explosion taking place the lands of the bore cut or press away
portions of the two rims so as to force the projectile to take the form of the
interior of the bore. I also vary this part of my Invention in the following
manner: I provide a ring or hoop of metal of the same size as the bore of the
piece and grooved in the same manner. Through this hoop I force the pro-
jectiles, which consequently take a shape corresponding to the bore of the piece
which can consequently be loaded at the muzzle or breach at pleasure. Also
if the piece is to be loaded at the muzzle the easing of the bore at the breach
end may be dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Heppleston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HEPPLESTON, of the City of Manchester, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of cur Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did;
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Heppleston, Herspecial license that I,thesaid Thomas Heppleston, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Heppleston,my executors,administrators, and assigns, should at anytime 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THERE.
WITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Heppleston,
myexecutors or administrators, by an instrument inwriting 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 six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
r
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Heppleston, 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 and the accompanying Drawing (that is to say) :-
My first improvements in breach-loading fire-arms consists in an improved
construction and combination of parts by which the loading of such fire-arms
is effected in a manner which is at once simple, easy, and secure.
My second improvement consists in another mode of effecting the same
object.
• d
My third improvement consists in a mode of varying the construction
and arrangement of the parts of my second improvement so as to adapt it
more particularly to heavy artillery.
My fourth improvement relates to a new construction or shaping of projec-
tiles to be used in rifled fire-arms.
.J'
In order to make my Invention more clearly understood, I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings to which the following description relates, in
which the same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
Fig. 1, shews a section lengthways of a gun or fusil to which my .first
improvement is applied; Fig. 2, a view of the same as seen from above
a, a, the barrel; b, b, the bore of the barrel; at the breachend of the
barrel a, a, is an oblong apperture or recess pierced into it from above
downwards to and a little below the bore b,b; c, a plug or cylindrical piece
of metal which fits into the oblong apperture. The front end of plug c
terminates in a short cylinder d, which enters into the bore bo of the barrel.
Behind this short cylinder d, the plug c is made of a conical form which

page_text: corresponds to a conical recess at the end of the bore 6, 6, and by means of
which the plug c closes accurately the end of the bore; at the other end the
plug c terminates in a conical point; e, a piece of metal, which turns on the
pin / as a centre forming a hinge. To this piece e, the plug c is attached by
means of a pin or screw, which passes through a slot in the piece e, so as to
allow a sliding motion lengthways in the plug c. By this means the plug c
may be raised out of the recess in the barrel a, a, into the position shewn by
the dotted lines in Fig. 1, or inserted into it at pleasure; g, a strong screw
which screws into the breech end of the barrel a, a, it has at the end a
conical recess which receives into it the conical point of the plug c. The
thread of the screw g is of such a pitch that one-half to three-fourths of a
turn of it is sufficient to secure or release the plug c; h, a thumb lever on the
screw g, by which it is turned when required. When the piece is to be
loaded the screw g is to be turned so as to release the plug c, which
is then lifted out of the recess into the position shewn by the dotted lines.
The cartridge is then inserted into the bore, the plug creplaced in its position,
and the screw g being tightened, the loading is effected and the piece ready
for the cap.
Note. Instead of the piece of metal e, turning on an hinge
above the barrel, I sometimes place the hinge on one side so that the plug c
rises sideways out of the recess instead of lengthways, as described, the other
parts remaining the same.
i, a
Fig. 3, represents a section (lengthways of the barrel) of a gun or fusil to
which my second improvement is applied; a, a, the barrel, and b, b, the bcre
as before.
At the breech end of the barrel is a slot, which passes quite
through it, the barrel being strengthened at that part for the
purpose;
plug of a rectangular section, which is of such a size as to move freely
upwards and downwards in the slot; g a screw, which screws into the breech
as before described, the end of it takes into a recess made in the plug i to
receive it; k,a recess made in the stock of a sufficient size to receive into it
the plug i; b,a stout wire or skin attached to the plug i, which passes through
the stock by which the plug i can be raised or lowered at pleasure. The
mode of loading is as follows:- The screw g being turned back the plug i
drops into the recess k. This operation leaves sufficient space for inserting
the cartridge into the bore, b, which being done and the plug i raised to the
position shewn in the Figure, and the screwg tightened, the loading is effected.
It must be observed, that I have not judged it necessary to describe those
parts of the gun or fusil which do not relate to my Invention, and also tha
the scale on which Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are drawn is one-half the real size, but
that this may be varied. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 relate to the modification of my

page_text: second improvement (shewn in Fig. 3) so as to adapt it to heavy artillery;
but which modification may also be used for small arms; Fig. 4 side view of
the breech end of the gun; Fig. 5, a section of the same, and Figs. 6 and 7,
two views of the breech, as seen from behind. m, m, a portion of the gun, at
the exterior of the breech end of which is cut a strong thread or screw; n, n,
the bore of the picce; o, o, a strong cylindrical block of metal, which by
means of an internal screw cut in it, screws on to the breech of the gun.
Through this cylindrical block the bore passes, and it has in it a slot in
which plays the sliding plug p; this sliding plug is of sufficient strength to
resist the pressure of the explosion of the powder. In the position shewn
in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the cylindrical block o, o, is shewn as a screwed up firmly
on the breech of the gun, and this action firmly secures the sliding plug p, in
the position shewn in the Figs., in which position it closes effectually the bore
of the gun. But when the cylindrical block o, o, is unscrewed half a turn or a
turn and half the sliding plug p is released and drops down by its own gravity,
into the position shewn in Fig. 7, but is prevented from falling out of the
slot in the cylindrical block by a pin attached to the block, which projects into
a groove in the sliding plug. (This pin and groove are not shewn in the
Drawing.) In this position the gun is ready for loading. The cartridge and
a wad behind it is inserted through the breech into the boren, as shewn in Fig. 5,
the sliding plug p is then raised and the cylindrical block o, o, being screwed up
the loading is effected. It will be seen that the cylindrical block o, o,
strengthens the breech in the most effectual manner. The vent is bored
through the sliding plug p, and passes through the wad, but this is not
essential, as it may be bored through the side of the gun in any position
which may be convenient. The firing of the charge is effected in the usual
manner. The relative size of the several parts may be varied, as also the
scale in proportion to the size of the piece required. Fig. 8, represents a
section of one of my improved projectiles; q and r are two raised or projecting
rims, which go round the projectile and are of such a diameter as to admit of
the projectile being inserted in the breech of the piece. The space betwixt the
two rims is filled with lubricating matter. This projectile is not intended to
expand, but the grooves to fit the bore are cut out of the two rims when the
projectile is discharged. Fig. 9, represents a section of a projectile of the
same construction but more elongated. At the hinder part is a hollow to
which may be fitted some hard material, so as to expand the shot when it is
discharged. The space betwixt the two rims is filled with a lubricating
material as before. In some cases I dispense with the rim nearest the point
of the projectile, making the body of it of such diameter as to fit the bore,

page_text: To adopt these projectiles to pieces which load at the muzzle I force them
through a hoop or short length of barrel of the same bore and rifled in the
same manner as the piece for which they are intended.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the, manner in
which the same is to be performed.; I hereby declare that what I claim as
new and of my Invention is as follows,-
1
First, I claim the combination of parts shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and theappli
cation and adaptation of the same to breech-loading fire-arms, as herein
described, including also the variation of the same herein-mentioned.
Second, I claim the combination of parts shewn in Fig. 3, and the appli-
cation and adaptation of the same to breech-loading fire-arms as herein
described.
Third, I claim the application, adaptation, combination, and arrangement of
parts as shewn in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, to heavy artillery and also to small
arms, as herein described.
:1
Fourth, I claim the improved projectiles as shewn in Figs. 8 and 9, and
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Heppleston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second lay of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JOHN POTTER, C. E..
9, Corporation Street.
Manchester.
THOMAS HEPPLESTON. (L.S.),