CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Brentnall Sheath, of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention
of CERTAIN INDRAVEMRAMS IN D
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Brentnall
Sheath at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th April 1853.
I, ISAAC BRENTNALL SHEATH, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to revolving pistols and other fire-arms, and
consists, in the first place, in forming the frame in which the revolving
chamber turns in two portions, one being solid with the barrel, and the
other solid with the body of the pistol or other fire-arm. On the
portion of the frame, solid with the body, is firmly fixed a rod with a
screw cut upon its end, by means of which it is screwed into the por-
tion of the frame solid with the barrel, after the revolving chamber has

page_text: been placed upon the said rod, which forms the axle for the said
chamber to turn upon.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in adapting and
applying to fire-arms of the same description a peculiarly formed spring
lever, fixed to the trigger, by means of which the revolving chamber is
both propelled or turned and stopped as required. This lever is so
formed at the upper end as to work into the ratchet teeth in the
revolving chamber for the purpose of turning the chamber, the spring
retaining the end of the lever between the said teeth; also on the
lower end of this lever is formed an enlarged portion or projection,
which is intended either to fit into a corresponding cavity in the
revolving chamber, or to come in contact with a suitable projection
formed thereon, for the purpose-of-stopping the revolution of the
chamber, as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Isaac Brentnall Sheath, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 26th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ISAAC BRENTNALL SHEATH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Isaac Brentuall Sheath, Her special
licence that I, the said Isaac Brentnall Sheath, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isaac Brentnall
Sheath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times-there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said Isaac Brentnall Sheath, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Isaac Brentnall Sheath, 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 drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
"
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Fire-arms has refer-
ence to pistols and other fire-arms having revolving chambers, and
consists, in the first place, in forming and constructing the frame
within which the revolving chamber is mounted in two portions,
whereof one is solid with the barrel, and the other with the stock of
the fire-arm. The rod which constitutes the axle of the revolving
chamber is firmly fixed into the part of the frame that is solid with
the stock; and the end of the rod has a screw thread cut upon it, in
order that the portion of the frame solid with the barrel may be
screwed into its place after the chamber has been placed upon the rod.
This portion of the frame is also screwed to the portion which is solid
with the stock, by means of a thumb-screw passed through the former,
and into the latter.
:
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in adapting and
applying to the same description of fire-arms a peculiarly formed spring
lever, fixed to the trigger, by means of which the chamber is both made
to revolve, and stopped, as required. This lever is made to rise as the
trigger is drawn back, and to move the chamber forward the required.
portion of a revolution, by its upper part pressing against one of the
teeth in the ordinary ratchet wheel, at the back of the chamber; at
the same time a projection or tail-piece on the lower end of the same
lever serves to retain the chamber in the position into which it has

page_text: been turned, by resting against one of the pieces of solid metal usually
formed between the nipples; or the lower end of the lever may be
made to retain the chamber in its required position by passing into a
cavity formed in the chamber, should such mode of constructing the
same be preferred; or the chamber may be retained by the lower end
of the said lever coming against the nipple, or any other suitable pro-
jection on the chamber. Thus, the chamber is held by the lever so
as to be prevented from turning in one direction, by the upper part of
the said lever pressing against the tooth of the ratchet wheel, and in
the other by the lower part of the same lever either resting against a
projection, or falling into a cavity in the said chamber.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I
will proceed to describe it more particularly by the aid of the accom-
panying Drawing, which represents the Invention as applied to a
revolving pistol; and as the same arrangements are followed in adapt-
ing it to other fire-arms, it will not be necessary to describe them
separately.
Fig. 1, is a side view of a pistol, shewing the two parts of the frame
separated, and the revolving chamber in dotted lines; Fig. 2, is an
opposite side view, shewing the two parts of the frame united, and the
spring lever down or out of action, a portion of the frame being repre-
sented as broken, in order to exhibit the spring lever; Fig. 3, is a
similar view to Fig. 2, but shewing the spring lever up, or in action;
Fig. 4, is a back view of the revolving chamber, with the spring lever
in dotted lines; and Fig. 5, is an end view of a portion of the frame,
shewing the screw for uniting the two parts of the frame. In these
several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A, is the portion of the frame solid with the stock of the fire-arm;
and B, is the portion solid with the barrel. C, is the rod on which the
revolving chamber D, is mounted and turned. This rod is firmly fixed
into the portion A, of the frame, and has on its end a screw E, a
corresponding internal screw being formed within the portion B, at B*.
F, is a thumb-screw, which passes through the portion B, of the frame,

page_text: and screws into the portion A, of the same. G, is a small set-screw,
to prevent the screw F, from falling out of its place when the portion B,
with the barrel, is unscrewed.
The pistol or other fire-arm is put together by placing the revolving
chamber D, on the rod C, screwing the portion B, on to the end of
this rod, and screwing the two portions of the frame together by turn-
ing the screw F.
The spring lever for causing the chamber D, to revolve and to stop,
as required, is shewn at H, (Fig. 3.) This lever is fixed on to the
trigger I, by a pin at J, which allows of the requisite motion of the
lever in working into the ratchet wheel K, on the back of the
chamber D. The lever is made to pass into the spaces of the ratchet
teeth by the pressure of the spring L. On the trigger being drawn
back the lever becomes raised into the position shewn in Fig. 3, (and
by dotted lines in Fig. 4,) and the upper part H, of the same is made
to act upon a tooth of the ratchet wheel K, so as to force the
chamber D, forward the requisite distance; by which time the lower
part H. of the lever has passed up into the space within which one of
the nipples is fixed, and has come in contact with the piece of solid
metal M, between the nipples, (or has passed in to any other suitably
formed cavity in the chamber,) thereby retaining the chamber in its
proper position in the one direction, while it is prevented from turning
in the opposite direction by the upper part H, of the lever resting
against the tooth in the ratchet wheel K, at the time when the piece
is discharged.
On the pressure being removed from the trigger, the lever H, will be
brought down, so that the lower part H, of the same will be out of
contact with the chamber D, (as shewn at Fig. 2,) and admit of its
being again made to revolve for another discharge of the picce, on the
pressure being applied to the trigger.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise forms of the
parts represented and described; but what I claim as of my Invention

page_text: is, first, the mode described of forming and constructing the frame of
the revolving chamber in two parts, and uniting them by screws; and,
secondly, the spring lever, by means of which the chamber may be
both made to revolve, and stopped, as required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Brentnall Sheath, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
ISAAC BRENTNALL SHEATH. (L.S.)
Witness, JNo. R. BOTHAM.