IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Weber, of Zürich, in the Republic of
Switzerland, but now of 147, Cheapside, in the City of London, Surgical
Instrument Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS."
Scaled the 4th June 1867, and dated the 17th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Weber at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th December 1866.
I, MICHAEL WEBER, of Zürich, in the Republic of Switzerland, but now
of 147, Cheapside, in the City of London, Surgical Instrument Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in guns and pistols constructed on
the needle gun principle. The barrel of the gun or pistol turns on pivots
having their bearings in the side plates of the lock, and the rear end of the
barrel is segment shaped, the segment being struck from the centre of the
pivot. A rocking plate pivoted to the lock plates forms a stop to the barrel
and prevents it turning on its hinge until the plate is tipped upon its axis
this tipping of the stop plate is effected by means of the trigger, the rear edge
of the plate taking into a notch on the trigger and being thereby rocked by
simply pressing the trigger forward. The needle is inserted in a guide tube
and projects forward through a segment-shaped seat or bearing against which
the rear of the barrel closely fits; this bearing is loose in a recess in the breech

page_text: piece, and can readily be removed to enable a backing of metal or other
material to be placed behind it to make good any wear of the bearing. The
guide tube is slotted to receive a cross head which carries the needle;
the ends of this cross head project through the side slots in the guide tube
and a coiled spring for propelling the needle surrounds the tube and bears
against the rear of the cross head. For forcing back the needle and com-
pressing the coiled spring a forked rocking piece is employed. This rocking
piece is pivoted on the trigger pin and it is formed with a shoulder against
which the trigger is caused to act when forced forwards for the purpose of
drawing back the needle and compressing the spring. A second shoulder on
this forked piece constitutes a catch for a holding pawl to take on to and retain
the forked piece together with the needle in the position for firing. This
pawl is pivoted on a strap piece forming the under side of the lock plate and
it is held in contact with the forked rock piece by means of a flat spring.
A second spring bears upon the rear end of the tipping stop plate before-
mentioned and a third spring is applied to the trigger to return it to its
normal position. All these springs are secured to the strap piece. The
firing of the gun or pistol is effected by pulling the trigger which by means
of a projection bearing upon the under side of the spring pawl lifts that pawl
out of contact with the forked rock piece and allows the coiled spring to
propel the needle forward and strike the percussion charge, Cartridges may
be employed in this arm or it may be loaded by inserting a bullet that fits
the barrel and placing in the rear a cap or cartridge filled with the percussion
charge. A bolt is provided below the gun lock to secure the trigger and
prevent the accidental discharge of the arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Weber in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
WEBER, of Zurich, in the Republic of Switzerland, but now of 147, Cheapside,
in the City of London, Surgical Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date, the Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Michael Weber, Her special licence that J, the said Michael Weber, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael
Weber, 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 THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Michael Weber, 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 Michael Weber, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures inarked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in guns and pistols constructed on
the needle gun principle. The rear end of the barrel of the gun or pistol is.
exposed to receive the charge by its being made to turn on pivots having their
bearings in the side plates of the lock. To secure a tight closing of the rear
end of the barrel it is made segment-shaped, the segment being struck from
the centre of the pivot, and it works against a hollow segment-shaped block,
A rocking
which is capable of adjustment forward to compensate for wear.
plate pivotted to the lock plates forms a stop to the barrel and prevents it
turning on its hinge until the plate is tipped upon its axis.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn, my Invention as applied to a
pistol, but it will. be readily seen that it is equally applicable to the construction
of sporting and other guns.
Fig. 1 shews the improved construction of pistol in partial longitudinal
section with the barrel depressed for loading; Fig. 2 is a similar section
shewing the barrel locked, and the working parts in the position they will take
on the discharge of the pistol; Figures 3 are details of the working parts;
Fig. 4 is a side view of the pistol with a modified form of lock, the side plate
being removed the better to shew this modification; and Fig. 5 is a detached
view of the modified parts.
A is the barrel formed with pivots or trunnions a, which turn in bearings in
the side plates of the lock; these. plates are secured to the breech piece B,

page_text: the front part of which is recessed to receive the hollow bearing blocks C.
The rear end of the barrel A is notched at a¹ to allow of the forward end of
the rocking plate D catching against the barrel and holding it in position, as
shewn at Fig. 2. To bring down the barrel to the position shewn at Fig. 1
this plate D will have to be tipped on its axis; this tipping of the rocking or
stop plate is effected by means of the trigger E, which is pivotted on the
trigger plate F. The rear edge of the plate D.takes into a notch on the
trigger, and is thereby rocked by simply pressing the trigger forward. The
needle for igniting the percussion is shewn at G; it is inserted in a guide
tube H, and projects forward through the segment-shaped seat or bearing C
against which the rear of the barrel is made to fit closely by setting it up to
the barrel by the insertion behind it of a backing of metal or other material,
which may be increased in thickness at pleasure, to make good any wear of
the bearing.. The guide tube H is slotted longitudinally to receive a cross
head which carries the needle G; the ends of this cross head project through
the side slots in the guide tube, and a coiled spring I for propelling the needle
surrounds the tube and bears against the rear of the cross head. For forcing
back the needle and compressing the coiled spring a forked rocking piece K
is employed; this rocking piece is pivotted on the trigger pin and socketted
to the trigger, and it is formed with a shoulder (see the detached view,
Figures 3), against which the trigger is caused to act when forced forwards
for the purpose of drawing back the needle and compressing the spring. A
second shoulder on this forked piece K constitutes a catch for a holding
pawl L to take on to and retain the forked piece, together with the needle, in
the position for firing, as shewn at Fig. 1; this pawl is pivotted on the trigger
plate F, and it is held in contact with the forked rock piece by means of a
flat spring 1; a second spring 2 bears upon the rear end of the tipping stop
plate D; and a third spring 3 is applied to the trigger E to return it to its
normal position. All these springs are secured to the trigger plate, as shewn
at Fig. 1, but for the sake of clearness they are omitted from Figures 2 and 4.
The firing of the gun or pistol is effected by pulling the trigger, which by
means of a projection bearing upon the under side of the spring pawl L lifts
that pawl out of contact with the forked rock piece K, and allows the coiled
spring to propel the needle forward and strike the percussion charge. Cart-
ridges may be employed in this arm, or it may be loaded by inserting a bullet
that fits the barrel, and placing in the rear an inverted metal cap or cartridge
filled with the percussion charge, as shewn at Fig. 1. Below the lock a swing
bolt M is provided (see the detached plan, Fig. 1) for securing the trigger
and preventing the accidental discharge of the arm.
Instead of using the

page_text: trigger E for both cocking and firing, I may find it desirable to employ a
second trigger, as at E*, Fig. 4, for cocking and for releasing the barrel from
the tipping plate D. In this arrangement the plate will be extended rear-
wards and forked, and a shoulder on the trigger E* when pulled by pressing
on the under side of the stop plate D, will give it the required tipping motion
and allow the barrel to drop; at the same time the trigger E* will throw
back the forked rocking piece K and cause it to retract the needle to the
position for firing, at which position the forked piece K will be held by the
trigger E. By pulling this trigger the support for the forked piece will be
removed, and the coiled spring I being left free to act it will propel the
needle against the percussion charge and fire the pistol. A safety bolt M is
provided in this as in the first-described arrangement.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Fire-arms," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim, constructing fire-arms on the needle gun principle, in
the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Weber, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
MICHAEL WEBER.
(L.S.)