IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Wilmer Marsh, of the City of Washington,
in the District of Columbia, and United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 11th July 1862, and dated the 14th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th January 1862.
I, SAMUEL WILMER MARSH, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, and United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
In the rear of the gun barrel, or in its fixed breech connection, I provide
a slot or mortice, in which works a gate or hinged breech piece, which may
be hung so as to open at the top or side of the piece. The bore of the barrel
is enlarged at the butt to form a cartridge chamber, which has a conical flare
at its rearward end to receive a conical ring or gas check, and the plunger on.
which said ring is supported. The ring which operates by its expansion as
a gas check is made of one piece of metal, and is of conical external form,
and has a conical bore. It fits the flaring portion of the cartridge chamber,
and receives the conical head of the plunger, a slit about half way through its

page_text: thickness is cut in its sharp edge, and a similar slit in its thick edge. These
slits are very near each other, and are united by a third slit at right angles to
them, dividing the ring for almost its entire circumference. This construction
of the ring makes it capable of expansion by a force applied to its inner conical
face. The plunger which when the gate is closed forms the bottom of the
cartridge chamber, has a conical head to fit the inner face of the ring, and has
a screw thread on its rear end to receive a nut. The plunger is inserted in a
cavity of suitable size in the gate, and is held in place and tightened when
necessary by a nut screwed on to its threaded end, it may be either solid or
perforated for the passage of a needle. The gate is hinged by a pin to the
breech connection, it has suitable cavities in it for the reception of the plunger,
and also a cavity for the needle to work in, and one for the reception of a
bolt to hold the gate in place when closed. The cavity for the needle, and
that for the bolt are connected by a slit, in and through which plays a spur
which projects down from the head of the needle, so that the needle is driven
forward through the plunger, and caused to perforate and explode the cartridge
when the bolt is driven into its cavity far enough to strike and push forward
the spur of the needle head; the bolt is connected with or supported upon
a slide which is operated by the trigger; the bolt is used to fire the piece
only when it is used as a needle gun, when used with the ordinary forms
of fixed or loose ammunition, the trigger is made to operate the sere of an
ordinary lock, and discharge the gun in the common way. A screw pin, under
the control of the person using the arm, regulates the action of the trigger
according to the character of the ammunition employed. The gate is thrown
up or out by the action of a spring which is operated by pushing forward the
finger piece of the trigger. The details of construction will be found in my
Final Specification.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
WILMER MARSH, of the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, and
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Samuel Wilmer Marsb, Her special licence that I, the said Samuel
Wilmer Marsh, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh, 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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh, my execu-
tors 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 Scal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh, 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 accompanying Drawings, in
which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section of a gun having my improve-
ments, the gate being shewn closed, and the barrel empty; Fig. 2 is a similar
view of the same, shewing the gate thrown up preparatory to loading; Fig. 3
is a similar view of the same, with the load in place, and in the act of being
discharged; Figs. 4, 8, 13, 18, 22, 24, 28, 31, and 35, shew different forms
of gates which may be substituted for each other; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 19, 20,
23, 27, 29, and 32, represent different forms of plunger, applicable to the several
forms of gate respectively; Figs. 10, 17, and 21, represent different forms of
needle applicable to different forms of plunger; Figs. 11 and 12, represent a
metallic expanding ring or gas check; Figs. 15 and 16 are views in plan & sec-
tion of the gate bolt; Fig. 25, represents a metallic cartridge case; Fig. 26,
represents a modified form of the arm and its appendages; Fig. 30 represents
a modified form of gate bolt; Fig. 33 is a longitudinal vertical central section
of an arm having the gate so hung as to open laterally; Fig. 34 is a hori-
zontal longitudinal section of the same through the centre of the barrel.
The object of my Invention is to produce a breech-loading gun that can be
used either with or without a needle, and with or without fixed ammunition,
and that can be converted at pleasure into a muzzle-loading arm, and that will
be free in either form from the rearward escape of gas.

page_text: The nature of my Invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement,
and operation of breech pieces, gates, plungers, needles, rings, bolts, springs,
and trigger, herein-after particularly set forth and illustrated in the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings. The same part is indicated by the same letter
of reference wherever it occurs. Modified parts are marked with the same
letter as the original parts, with a number attached.
A marks the stock of the piece; A¹, the barrel, with a screw thread A³ on
its rear end, by which it is attached to the breech-piece or jacket; B marks
the bore of the barrel; and C, the enlarged portion of the bore or cartridge
chamber. This chamber has a conical flare c' at the rear, to receive the
conical ring. D marks the jacket, which has a female screw in its forward
end for the reception of the threaded portion of the rear end of the barrel.
This jacket has a slot in it for the reception of the gate, and being prolonged
backward, forms the bridge D', bolt seat D2, and strap D³, the last of which
aids in attaching the stock and barrel together. The entire piece D, D', D³, D³
I call the breech connection. The lock, which is shewn in dotted lines, may
be of any usual or suitable form and construction. a marks its sere, which is
operated in the usual way to work the hammer 6', which descends upon the
cone E, to fire a percussion cap, when the gun is used either with ordinary
fixed ammunition, or as a muzzle loader. In the bottom of the bridge D is a
long cavity F, in which the bottom of bolt G slides. This cavity communicates
with another cavity F', in which the shank g and catch g of bolt G have
room to move, as clearly seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. A cavity in the gate H
communicates with cavity F¹, so as to receive the catch g' when driven
forward. G marks the gate bolt, which is seen in plan in Fig. 15, and in
longitudinal section in Fig. 16; it is formed of one piece of metal, and has a
spur g projecting downward into jaws in the trigger, by which the bolt is
operated. The bottom plate has a hole 92 and slot g³ through it of the shape
shewn in Fig. 15, for the passage of the forward and upright portion of
spring U. From the rear end of the plate rises a standard g', to which the
catch g is attached, as shewn. The bolt G is held in the cavity F by the
small metallic plates g. 9, which are attached to the bottom of the bridge D'.
Hinged to the jacket D, by a. horizontal pin I, is the gate H, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
The forward face of this gate abuts against the breech of the barrel, and a
portion of the jacket D, while its rear face comes in close contact with the
bolt seat D³, and is slightly curved to correspond with it. In the gate are
four connected cavities, marked respectively J, K, L, and M; their shape and
relative situation and proportions are clearly shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The
cavity J receives the body of the plunger O; the cavity K, which is of less

page_text: diameter than J, admits the shank of the plunger O; and the cavity L, which
is less in diameter than J, but greater than K, holds the nut P and needle R,
with its spiral spring Q. The cavity M receives the catch of the bolt G,
with which it corresponds in size. The cavities L and M are connected by a
slit, which allows the spurr of the needle R to pass down into cavity M, and
be acted upon by the forward end of the catch 9%, when the bolt G is driven
forward:
N marks an expanding ring or gas check, shewn in front view in Fig. 11,
and in section in Fig. 12. This ring is made of one piece of metal, and is of
the conical form, and has the conical bore shewn in the Drawings. The
external face of the ring corresponds in bevel with the conical flare c³ of the
cartridge chamber C, and its inner face with the head or conical portion of the
plunger O, so that it will receive the plunger, and be received by the breech
of the cartridge chamber. A slit n is cut in the sharp edge of the ring, and
about half through its thickness, and a similar slit n¹ of equal depth near the
first is cut in the thick edge or base of the ring. These two are united by a
third slit n at right angles to the other two, and dividing the ring for almost
its entire circumference, leaving only the short space between the two trans-
verse slits to hold the two parts of the ring together. The ring thus made.
receives a moderate spring temper, so as to remain closed except when force.
is applied to expand it. Its peculiar construction makes it capable of
expansion by a force applied to its inner conical face.
The plunger O on which the expanding ring N is held is represented in
side view in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and in longitudinal central section in Fig. 6.
It has a conical head o¹, which holds the ring, a cylindrical body which fits
cavity J, and a projecting shank o², threaded on the end, which passes through
cavity K into cavity L, and there receives a nut P, which holds it snugly to its
position, and confines the ring N to the front face of gate H; it is perforated
longitudinally for the reception of needle R.
The needle, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 10, 17, & 21, has an enlarged head, from which
projects a spur r, of the shape represented, and of a thickness to pass through
and slide easily in the slit between cavities L and M. The shape of the spur
may be modified according to circumstances as long as it operates in the
manner and for the purpose herein described. The needle is surrounded by a
spiral spring Q, which acts against its head to force the needle towards the
rear of the piece. The shaft of the needle, after passing through the spring Q,
enters the longitudinal perforation in the plunger O, and extends to the forward
end of the conical head o¹ of the plunger. The screw's, Figs. 1, 2, 3, placed
in rear of the needle head, limits the backward movement of the needle. The

page_text: screw s' supports and fixes the forward end of the spiral spring Q, and keeps
it from coming in contact with nut P.
A spring T, in the shape of an inverted V, is attached at the rear of the
cavity F by the screw, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3; its office is to drive the
catch g³ of bolt G into cavity M, when the gate is closed, and the parts are
in the position shewn in Figs. 1 and 3.
It has two
The front of
U, Figs. 1, 2, 3, marks a spring attached by a screw u³ to the strap piece D³..
This spring has an upright part or elbow u¹, u, the lower part u¹ of which is
round or oval, to correspond with the shape of the hole d² in the bridge D',
and the hole g in the side plate of bolt G. The upper part 2 of the elbow
is flattened, so as to correspond in width with the slot g³ in the slide plate of
bolt G (see Fig. 15). The reaction of spring U is upwards.
The trigger V is clearly shewn in side view in Figs. 1, 2, & 3.
jaws, 1, 3, which receive between them the spur g¹ of bolt G.
the trigger is impelled upwards by spring Y, the end of which plays in a
notch. The rearward face of the trigger acts upon the sere a of the lock to
raise it, when the finger piece vs is pressed back towards the but of the piece.
The trigger is supported in the standard W of the guard plate X, which is
slotted to receive it, and works on a screw pin w, which passes through the
standard and trigger, and serves the latter as an axis. The finger guard is
made and attached in the usual way. The guard plate is attached to the stock
by screws e, e. The screw e also passes into the strap D³, and secures it to
the stock and guard plate. The sides of the cavity in which the breech
connection rests are strengthened by metal plates attached to the stock by the
screws f. f.
A variety of gates, with their appendages attached, which may be used
alternatively in my gun in place of the one already described, are represented
at Figs. 4, 8; 13, 18, 22, 24, 28, and 31. They are all the same in outline,
and are hinged to the jacket D in the same manner by the eye h and pin I.
The cavity M is the same in all, and answers the same purpose. They will
require no minute description except in so far as they differ from the gate and
appendages already described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
In Fig. 4, the sides of the cavity K¹ are inclined (tapered), as shewn, to
receive the peculiarly shaped swivel and plunger shank, shewn in separate
detail view in Fig. 5. The construction of the swivel is clearly shewn in the
Figures. The shank has a ball o' on its end, which works in a slot in the
swivel piece o³. The rear end of the swivel piece is threaded and receives
the nut P, which draws the plunger back in the ring and binds the latter
closely to the face of the gate H¹. A force such as that exerted by the

page_text: explosion of a charge applied to drive back the plunger O' into the ring, would
in this construction and arrangement of parts have no tendency to jar and
loosen the nut P.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central section of the plunger shewn in view in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3; it has a perforation for the passage of the needle.
Fig. 7 represents a solid plunger in all respects similar to the last, except
that it has no perforation for the passage of a needle.
In Fig. 8 the cavity K2 and the shank of the plunger O³ are lengthened
and enlarged, and the spiral spring Q is placed inside of the plunger shank.
The needle used is that represented in Figure 10, and the nut P' is cap-shaped
and has a hole for the passage of the needle. The construction of the plunger
and nut is clearly shewn in Fig. 9, which is a longitudinal central section of
those parts. The needle used in the gate H³, Fig. 8, has a collar on it, as
shewn in Fig. 10, against which the spiral spring Q acts to press the needle back.
In Fig. 13, H³ marks a third modification of gate H. In this the cavity L³ is
lengthened and the cavity J tapered to fit loosely the solid conical plunger O*,
represented in side view in Fig. 14. The shank o° of the plunger passes
through cavity K³ into cavity L, and there receives on its threaded extremity
the nut P, which performs the same office as in the previous cases.
Fig. 18 represents a gate H¹ exactly similar in construction to that shewn
in Fig. 4. The plunger and hook which work in it are represented in separate
views in Figs. 19 and 20. The plunger O is solid, but its shank is open or
slotted in the form of an oblong square link, as shewn in Fig. 19. A swivel
hook, formed by splitting a piece of metal, the sides of which snap together like
the ordinary harness snap hook, catches into the link shank o² of the plunger;
the rear end of this hook is solid and threaded to receive the screw nut P; its
forward end is represented in Fig. 20, which shews how its inclined lips come
together. The operation of this gate and its appendages is similar to that of
the gate and appendages shewn in Fig. 4. The cavity K' is here as in Fig. 4
square or oval, to prevent the hook from turning in it while the nut P is being
screwed on.
Fig. 22 represents a gate exactly similar to the gate h³, Fig. 8. The plunger
06 also is similar to that shewn in Figs. 8 & 9, with the exception that
the forward portion of the central perforation is enlarged, so as to receive
the peculiarly shaped needle represented in Fig. 21. The plunger 0 is
represented in central longitudinal section in Fig. 28. The needle Fig: 21
used with this plunger has a collar 3 upon its shaft, which has also a
screw thread cut upon a portion of its length, as shewn in the Drawings.
of the shaft near the point is of enlarged size, as represented.
The portion

page_text: The operation of this gate and its appendages is similar to that of the gate and
appendages shewn in Figs. 8, 9, and 10.
Fig. 24 represents a form of gate H to be used without a plunger, and with
the peculiarly formed needle represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 17, and the
cartridge case N¹ shewn in Fig. 25. The cavity J³ is here reduced to a size
just sufficient to allow of the passage of the needle. The cavity K³ coincides
in diameter with cavity L³, and forms one chamber with it for the reception
of the needle and the spiral spring Q, which surrounds and acts upon it. The
shaft of the needle is much enlarged towards the head, as shewn in Fig. 17.
Fig. 25 represents in central longitudinal section a metallic cartridge case,
of a diameter corresponding with that of the chamber C in the breech of the
barrel A. The base of this case is of conical form and of the same size as the
ring N; it fits exactly the flare of the cartridge chamber C. A vent hole h³
in the rear of the case receives the point of the needle when the charge is to
be exploded. A detonating wafer is placed over this hole on the inside of the
case, which is then loaded with powder and ball in the usual manner.
Fig. 26 represents a longitudinal central section of a part of the barrel and
breech connection of a gun, shewing a further modification of the gate and
appendages, as well as of the gate bolt. The lock and stock are not shewn, as
they do not differ in structure or operation from those represented in Figs. 1,
2, & 3. The gate H' in this Figure has but one cavity J, which is of even
diameter throughout. The plunger O' which is secured in it has a conical
head o' and cylindrical body like the one shewn in Fig. 6; but its shank o² is
slotted and attached by a pin to the swivel s2, as shewn. The plunger and
swivel are seen in side view in Fig. 27, the cavities and pin in the swivel being
shewn by dotted lines. The swivel is cylindrical and fits the cavity in the gate;
it has a cavity c² in front to receive the shank of the plunger O', and an inclined
cavity near its rear, into which the end of set screw S descends. The office
of this screw is to draw the plunger O' backwards by the action of the end of
the screw against the inclined surface of the cavity o³, as seen in Fig. 26; this
screw performs the same functions as the nut P, in the cases in which it is
employed.
The modification G' of the bolt G used in this form of gun is illustrated in
Fig. 30, where the catch 96 is seen to be a separate piece from the standard g*,
and to rest on top of it, where it is held by a pin p projecting up into a hole p¹
in the catch; the catch also projects as well behind as in front of the standard.
The cavity in the bolt seat in which the catch slides is correspondingly altered
in length and direction, as clearly shewn in Fig. 26. A spiral spring T¹ placed
in a cavity in the bottom of breech connection D takes the place of the

page_text: V-shaped spring T, shewn in Figs. 1, 2, & 3. This form increases the strength
of the catch, and removes all liability to fracture at the angle of junction with
the standard.
Fig. 28 represents in longitudinal section a modification of the gate and
appendages shewn in Fig. 26. In this Figure the shank o* of the plunger Os
is lengthened, and the slot is placed near its rear extremity. The plunger Os
and swivel S³ are shewn in side view in Fig. 29. The plunger is attached to
the swivel by a pin, as in the preceding case, but the swivel is much shorter,
and has its front end beveled to afford an inclined surface, against which the
adjusting screw S¹ acts to draw the plunger backwards, and hold it and the
ring securely in place. There is but one cavity Js in the front of this gate,
which is of even bore throughout, and of equal diameter though of less depth
than that in the gate last described.
Fig. 32 represents a modified form of solid plunger 0%, to be used with a
gate and swivel like those represented in Fig. 28. This plunger is not used in
conjunction with an expanding ring, but has a cone-shaped cup N³ in the place
of the combined head and ring shewn in the preceding cases. The cone-shaped
cup N³ fits the flare c, c', of the cartridge chamber C, and holds a portion of
the charge; its sharp edges being thin, are rapidly expanded by heat and when
the charge is exploded the sides of the cup are thus pressed closely against the
flare of the cartridge chamber, and form an effectual check to the rearward
passage of gases; the sides of the cup may either be parallel or inclined, as
shewn by the dotted lines.
Fig. 31 represents a gate H°, which is to be used without a plunger. The
cone-shaped cup N is here made part of the front face of the gate, and
operates as in the case of the plunger Fig. 32 last described.
The operation of my improved arm is as follows:-The gate is thrown up
and over into the position shewn in Fig. 2, by pressing forward the finger
piece Vs of the trigger. This slides back the bottom plate of bolt G, until the
hole g comes opposite to hole d² in the bridge D¹, when the spring U is
released and flies up, throwing the gate up and over, as shewn, the .catch 95
being simultaneously withdrawn from the cavity M, and the gate thus left free
to obey the impulse of the spring U. While the gate is thus thrown up the
free end of the spring U passes in front of the catch gs, and holds it back in
its cavity, the spring T being compressed, as shewn in Fig. 2. While the
spring U occupies this position, its round portion u¹ is in the hole g² of the
bolt G, and prevents the bolt from being moved in either direction by
the trigger, and also prevents the trigger from acting upon the sere of
the lock, so as to cause the hammer to fall; when, therefore, the gate is

page_text: thrown up, neither the percussion nor the needle lock can be operated. The
charge or cartridge being inserted into the cartridge chamber C, the gate H
is thrown back into its place, when the expanding ring N enters, and closes the
conical opening c¹ at the rear of the chamber C. In descending, the gate
presses down the spring U, until the round part u is depressed below the
slide of the bolt G, when the slide becomes free to move, and is at once
pressed forward by the spring T until the catch 9" enters the cavity M of the
gate H, and thus holds the gate down securely in its place. The parts then
occupy the relative positions clearly shewn in Fig. 1, and the piece is ready
to be discharged.
.
If the cartridge is prepared with a detonating wafer no percussion cap
need be used on the cone E, nor will the hammer b' require to be raised.
The discharge will be effected by drawing back the finger piece of the trigger
in the ordinary manner; this will cause the jaws v of the trigger to push
forward the bolt G by acting on its spur 9¹. The catch 9" will thus be driven
further into the cavity M, and push forward the spur of the needle, thus
driving the point of the needle into the rear of the cartridge, and causing it
to explode. The force of the explosion acting in part upon the face of the
conical head of the plunger, drives it back into the ring N, causing the latter
to expand, and thereby prevent the rearward escape of gaseous matter. As
soon as the pressure upon the finger piece is withdrawn, the spiral spring Q,
reacting against the head of the needle R, forces the needle back to its
original position; the trigger V resumes its position under the impulse of the
spring .Y.
If cartridges without detonating matter are employed, then ordinary per-
cussion caps are used upon the cone E, and the discharge effected by the fall
of the hammer 61. The rear side of the trigger V is caused to act against the
sere a of the lock by drawing back the finger piece, when the hammer falls
and explodes the cap, and discharges the gun in the ordinary way; in this
use of the gun it is not necessary to detach the needle, as its action produces
no effect. By withdrawing the hinge pin I, the gate H can be removed from
the breech connection, and any one of the other gates substituted in its
place.
When it is not desired to use the needle, a solid plunger will be employed
with which a variety of fixed ammunition may be employed as well as loose
powder and ball by insertion either at the muzzle or breech, as preferred.
When used as a muzzle loader, the gate H is prevented from being thrown
up by means of the screw d, Figs. 1, 2, & 3, which can be driven in or with-
drawn at the option of the person using the piece; when driven in, it prevents

page_text: the trigger V from pushing back the bolt G, and thus prevents the catch of g
from releasing the gate by being retracted from the cavity M. To release the
gate, the screw pin d is withdrawn until it no longer controls the action of
the trigger; this pin is inserted on the left side of the stock. The end of it:
only is shewn in the Drawings.
Figs. 33, 34, and 35 illustrate a modification of my improved breech-loading
arm, in which the gate, instead of opening from the top of the piece opens at
the side, and the arrangements for operating it are changed accordingly.
Fig. 33 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the side gun with the gate.
closed; Fig. 34 is a longitudinal and horizontal section of the same, through
the centre of the barrel, shewing the gate thrown open; Fig. 35 is a separate
section of the gate. The parts that are the same as those used in the top.
gun are marked by the same letters of reference.
The stock A and barrel A¹ are the same as in the gun before described,
and are united in the same way; the ring N and plunger O also are con-
nected in the same manner, and perform the same functions. The breech.
connection D has a mortice in its left side of the proper size and form to
receive the gate H, which is hinged to the jacket at the side by the vertical
pin I. The gate has an oblong mortice or slit M in its rear, which receives
the front edge of the trigger V to lock the gate in place. The ordinary
percussion lock is used, and the hammer b' is thrown down upon the cone E
by the operation of the face v of the trigger on the sere of the lock in the
usual way. The gate is thrown open by the operation of the spring Q against
its rear extremity or face; this spring has a hook, spur, or barb q¹ on its free
end, which passes in front of, and holds back the trigger V when the gate is
thrown out. The spring Q is attached to the strap by the screw q²; the
trigger V is pressed forward a proper distance to enter the mortice M in the
rear of the gate H, by the spring T, shewn in Fig. 33. The remainder of its
forward movement is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 33, and is effected by
drawing back the finger piece v³ of trigger V; this raises the face v² of the
trigger, and brings it in contact with the sere of the lock, causing the
hammer b¹ to fall. The nut P, which draws back the plunger O into close
contact with the ring N, may be inserted through a chamber L, which may
open either at the top of the gate, as in Fig. 33, at the bottom, as in Fig. 34,
or at the side, as in Fig. 35, or, if found more convenient, the chamber L may
be prolonged rearwardly, and open at the back of the gate.
The operation of the side gun is as follows:-The gate is thrown.open by
pressing forward the finger piece of the trigger V; this forces the trigger
back out of the mortice M of the gate, when the spring Q, acting against

page_text: the inner side of the gate, throws it open. By the same movement of the
spring the spur is brought in front of the trigger, and prevents it from being
driven forward by pressure upon the finger piece, thus securing the gun from
accidental discharge while the gate is open. The charge or cartridge being
inserted into the cartridge chamber C, the gate H is thrown back into its
place, when the conical ring enters and closes the conical opening in the rear
of the cartridge chamber. In returning to its place, the gate presses back
the spring to the position shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 34, when the
trigger V becomes free to move, and is at once pressed forward by the spring T
until it enters the mortice M in the rear of the gate a sufficient distance to
lock the gate securely in its place. The parts then occupy the relative positions
shewn in Fig. 33, and the piece is ready to be discharged by the retraction of
the finger piece v in the ordinary manner.
.
Having thus fully described my improvements, and in what manner the
same are to be used, what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by
the above in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, constructing a gun barrel, or part of a gun barrel with a hinge joint,
as shewn at I, upon the fixed breech connection D, and with the cavities F, F,
and F³, substantially as described and shewn.
Second, the peculiar construction of the various gates, with their cavities as
described and represented, and operating as set forth.
Third, the adjustable plungers, whether made solid or perforated longi-
tudinally for the introduction of a needle, as specified and shewn.
Fourth, the bolts represented in Figures 15, 16, and 30, constructed and
operating substantially as set forth.
Fifth, the spring U, shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 26, constructed, arranged,
and operating as specified.
Sixth, the peculiar form of needle head R, r², or its equivalent, as repre-
sented in Figs. 10, .17, and 21, constructed and operating as and for the
purpose described.
Seventh, the trigger V, constructed, arranged, and operating as set
forth.
Eighth, the combination of the adjusting nut P (or its equivalent adjusting
screw s, s¹, Figs. 26 & 28) with the plungers, in the manner and for the
purpose specified.
Ninth, in combination with a fixed breech connection the springs T and
T, Figs. 1, 2, & 3, constructed, arranged, and operating as and for the
purpose described.
Tenth, the screw or pin d, or its equivalent, in combination with the

page_text: trigger V and bolts, Figs. 16 and 30, constructed, arranged, and operating as
described.
Eleventh, the elastic expanding ring N, constructed in the manner and for
the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Wilmer Marsh, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal this Twenty-eighth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witnesses,
CHA. F. STANSBURY.
FLODO W. HOWARD.
S. WILMER MARSH. (L.s.)