IMPROVEMENTS IN REPEATING AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, A PORTION OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE APPLIED TO ORDNANCE
Year: 1858

page_text: Sealed the 2nd August 1858, and dated the 8th February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1858. .
I, HENRY BALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REPEATING AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, A PORTION OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE
APPLIED TO ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-―
My Invention consists, firstly, of the following method of constructing
repeating fire-arms, whereby the hammer or cock may be cocked by the thumb
and the arm discharged by pressing the trigger, or the cock be raised and liberated
by pressure on the trigger only. A sear is connected with the trigger by
means of an arm or lever turning upon the same centre as the trigger. When
the cock is raised by the thumb, the sear engages in a bent in the cock, and
by pressing the trigger the sear is liberated from the bent in the cock, and the
cock falls by the action of its spring; when the cock is not cocked by the

page_text: thumb, the pulling of the trigger causes the sear to raise the cock by engaging
under a shoulder in the cock. The further pressure on the trigger causes the
sear to escape from under the said shoulder, and the cock falls and discharges
the fire-arm. The revolution of the chamber is effected in the usual way, and
the said chamber is fixed during discharge by a lever bolt, which engages
with the chamber when the fire-arm is about being discharged, but is
disengaged from the said chamber by a pin on the lower end of the cock,
when the said cock is being raised.
My Invention consists further in constructing the locks of repeating fire-
arms as follows:-A bent on the trigger engages with a lever on the cock, and
when the trigger is pressed the cock is raised. Further pressure on the trigger
brings the said lever against a fixed stop, by which its further motion laterally
is prevented, and the bent in the trigger escaping from the end of the lever
the cock is liberated and falls. The trigger carries a forked lifter, one branch
of which carries the chamber round the proper distance, after which the other
engages with and fixes the chamber. I sometimes make the guard of the
last described fire-arm turn upon a centre, and cause the said guard to lift the
cock and turn the chamber instead of effecting the same by the trigger;
the disengagement of the cock and discharge of the fire-arm is effected
by a trigger attached to the frame or guard. I sometimes construct the
mechanism for raising and liberating the cock in the following manner :-
The guard turns upon a centre and carries the trigger on its upper side; by
pressing upon the moveable guard the cock is raised, and by afterwards
pressing upon the trigger, the said trigger is disengaged from the cock, which
then falls and discharges the fire-arm. I connect the fixed barrel-to the
body of the fire-arm in the following manner:-A solid strap extends from
the top of the breech end of the barrel over the revolving chamber to the
top of the lock frame, studs in the former engaging in holes in the latter.
A projection on the bottom of the breech end of the barrel is jointed by a
peg or mortice to the projecting front of the lock frame; a screw bolt which
serves as the axis of the revolving chamber is passed through the projection
on the under side of the barrel, and entering the lock frame holds the parts
described together. I sometimes apply a safety stop to the fire-arm to prevent
its accidental discharge; this consists of a lever, one end of which is interposed
between the head of the cock and the nipple, and is only withdrawn by the
action of the trigger, so that the fall of the hammer cannot discharge the
fire-arm unless the trigger is pulled; the loading rod is actuated by an arm or
lever jointed to the frame of the fire-arm. A pin on the top of the loading
rod engages in a slot in the arm or lever; by depressing the said arm or lever

page_text: the loading rod is made to enter the barrel; or the arm or lever may engage,
in a transverse depression in the loading rod. In making fire-arms, which
like repeating fire-arms load at the breech, but have not a repeating action, I
make the chamber in which the charge is placed turn upon a horizontal axis,
so that it can be raised out of the line of the barrel for the introduction of the
charge. The said chamber also turns upon a double or other quick threaded.
screw, so that when charged it may be made by a partial rotation, to engage
firmly with the fixed barrel. This part of my Invention is applicable to
ordnance; in constructing the sight, I make the sliding portion of the said
sight of such a thickness that it gives one elevation when the sight is turned
down, and by means of an angular notch at the top and bottom of the sight.
and another on the slide, and a fixed stop on the sight, four other elevations
are obtained without consulting the graduation on the sight.
The last part of my Invention consists of a fire-arm to be used for personal
defence. A plate of iron or other material has a small barrel fixed perpen-
dicular to it together with a nipple, cock, and other appurtenances necessary..
to a fire-arm; the plate is provided with straps by which it can be strapped,
to the waist, the fire-arm being behind a cord passes through one of the straps
to the front of the body. On pulling the cord the fire-arm is discharged at.
the back of the wearer, the projectile wounding any one who may attack the
wearer from behind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Ball in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BALL, 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 Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Ball, Her special licence, that I, the said Henry Ball, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Ball, ny 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

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REPEATING AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, A PORTION OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE
APPLIED TO ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Ball, 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 Henry Ball, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the method herein-after described, and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, of constructing the locks of repeat-
ing fire-arms, whereby the hammer or cock may be cocked by the thumb, and
the fire-arm discharged by pressing the trigger; or the said cock may be
raised and liberated by pressure on the trigger only.
Figure 1, Sheet A, represents in side elevation a repeating pistol, constructed
according to this part of my Invention; and Figure 2 represents the same in
vertical longitudinal section. A sear 6 is connected with the trigger d by
means of an arm or lever c turning upon the same centre as the said trigger d.
The arm c is shown separately in.Figure 6. The sear is.pressed against the
lower end or tumbler of the cock a by the spring e, and is thereby made to
engage in one of the two bents on the said tumbler. When the cock a is
raised by the thumb, the sear engages in the lower bent of the tumbler, and
the cock a is thereby held at full cock. By pressing the trigger d, the sear b
is disengaged from the bent, and the cock falls by the action of the main-
spring. When the cock is not cocked by the thumb, the pressing of the
trigger causes the sear 6 to raise the cock, and afterwards to liberate the said
cock and discharge the fire-arm. The several parts of the lock being in the
positions represented in Figure 2, the first effect of pressure upon the trigger d
is to raise the cock-a. The further pressure on the trigger causes the sear b
to escape from under the shoulder or bent, under which it is represented
engaged in Figure 2.
The revolution of the chamber g is effected by means
of a driver f on the lower end of the cock, which said driver is pressed to its
bearing by the spring h. The chamber g is fixed during the discharge of the
fire-arm by a lever bolt i, which is made to engage with the chamber g when the
fire-arm is about being discharged by means of a spring pressing its end into

page_text: a recess in the said chamber g. The said bolt i is disengaged from the chamber g
when the cock is being raised by a pin on the lower end of the said cock.
Figure 4 represents the revolving chamber 9 in end elevation; Figure 5
represents the trigger d separately; and Figure 7 represents separately the
sear b.
My Invention consists, further, in the method of constructing the locks of
single-action repeating fire-arms illustrated in Figure 1, Sheet B, of the
accompanying Drawings. a is the cock, which, when raised by the thumb,
causes the lifter b jointed to it to urge forward the revolving chamber c. The
cock a, when raised, is maintained in its position of full cock by the upper end
of the trigger d engaging in the bent e in the tumbler of the cock. When
the trigger is pressed it acts upon the lever f, forcing the upper end of the
said lever into one of the recesses g in the revolving chamber c during the
discharge of the fire-arm. The upper end of the trigger at the same time
escaping from the bent e, the cock a falls and effects the discharge of the
fire-arm.
My Invention consists, further, in the method herein-after described, and
illustrated in Figure 2, Sheet B, of the accompanying Drawings, of con-
structing the locks of repeating fire-arms. A lever c on the cock a engages
with a bent c¹ on the trigger b, and when the said trigger bis pressed the
cock a is raised. Further pressure on the trigger brings the lever c against
a fixed stop f, by which the further motion of the lever c laterally is prevented.
The bent c¹ in the trigger consequently escapes from under the end of the
lever c, when the cock a is liberated, and falling, discharges the fire-arm. The
trigger carries a forked lever d, one branch of which carries round the
chamber e through the proper distance, after which the lower branch engages
with and fixes the said chamber e. I sometimes make the guard of a fire-arm
turn upon a centre, as illustrated in Figure 3, Sheet B, of the accompanying
Drawings. The said guard a has a bent a', with which the lever c engages,
and by pressing the guard a it turns upon the centre b, and through the
lever c, lifts the hammer d. By afterwards pressing upon the trigger g, the
said trigger presses against the lower end of the lever c, and disengages it
from the bent a', the cock d falls and discharges the fire-arm. The guard of
the fire-arm, Figure 3, Sheet B, is represented separately in Figure 4, and the
trigger is represented in Figure 5. I sometimes construct the mechanism for
raising and liberating the cock in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, Sheet D,
of the Drawings.
The guard a turns upon the centre b; the said guard a carries the trigger c
jointed to its upper side at d. By pressing upon the moveable guard a, the

page_text: cock e is 'raised, and by afterwards pressing upon the trigger c the upper end
of the said trigger is disengaged from the cock e, which then falls and dis-
charges the fire-arm.
My Invention consists further in the manner of connecting the fixed barrel
of revolving fire-arms to the body of the said fire-arms. This part of my
Invention is illustrated in Figure 2, Sheet A, of the accompanying Drawings.
A solid strap extends from the top of the breech end of the barrel over the
revolving chamber to the top of the lock frame. Studs n on the end of the
said strap engage in holes in the lock frame. A projection n² on the bottom
of the breech end of the barrel is jointed by a peg or mortice m to the pro-
jecting front m² of the lower part of the lock frame. A screw bolt 'o, which
serves as the axis of the revolving chamber, is passed through the projection n
on the under side of the barrel, and by screwing into the lock frame holds the
parts described together. The screw bolt o is represented separately in
Figure 12. I sometimes apply a safety stop or bolt to repeating fire-arms to
prevent the accidental discharge of the same. This part of my Invention is
illustrated in Figure 3, Sheet A, of the accompanying Drawings. It consists
of a lever a, the upper end of which is interposed between the head of the
cock and the nipple. The trigger when pressed comes against the lower end b
of the lever a, and moving the said lever laterally, causes its upper end to pass
from over the nipple before the fall of the hanimer. The fall of the hammer
cannot discharge the fire-arm when my safety stop or bolt is used unless the
trigger is pulled. The safety stop or lever a is represented separately in
Figure 8. I construct the loading rods of repeating fire-arms in the manner
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet A, of the accompanying Drawings.
The said loading rod k (shown separately in Figures 10 and 11) is actuated
by an arm or lever j. (shown separately in Figure 9); a pin on the top of the
loading rod k engages in a slot in the arm or lever j, and by bringing the said
lever into the position represented in Figure 2, the loading rod k is made to
enter one of the barrels of the revolving chamber g, and force the charge into
the said barrel. Or the arm or lever j may actuate the loading rod by means
of a transverse depression or groove in the loading rod, in which groove the
arm or lever may engage...
My Invention consists further in the method illustrated in elevation in
Figure 2, and plan in Figure 3, Sheet D, of the accompanying Drawings, of
making fire-arms which, like repeating fire-arms, load at the breech, but have
not a repeating action. I make the chamber f in which the charge is placed
turn upon a horizontal axis g, so that it can be raised out of the line of the
barrel for the introduction of the charge, as indicated in dotted lines in

page_text: axis
Figure 2. The chamber f is connected to the axis g by means of a screw h
on the closed end of the chamber f engaging in a screw box i carried by the
59. The screw h has, by preference, a double or treble thread, so that
when the chamber fis charged it may be made, by a partial rotation, to engage
firmly with the fixed barrel k. The rotation of the chamber f is effected
by means of the pin or projection l. This part of my Invention is applicable
to ordnance.
My Invention consists further in a method of constructing the sights of
fire-arms, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, Sheet D of the Drawings, Figure 4
representing a front, and Figure 5 a side elevation of a sight constructed
according to my Invention. I make the sliding portion m of the sight of such
a thickness, that when at the fixed stop it gives one elevation, the sight being
turned down. When the sight is raised, it gives, by means of the angular
notches o and p, at the top and bottom of the said sight, and another angular
notch on the slide m, four other elevations without consulting the gradua-
tions on the sight.
The last part of my Invention consists of a fire-arm to be used for personal
defence, and which fire arm I call an anti-garrotter. This part of my. Inven-
tion is represented in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet. C, of the accompanying
Drawings.
A plate of iron or other rigid material a has a small barrel 6 fixed perpen-
dicular to it, together with a nipple cock and other appurtenances necessary to
a fire-arm. The plate a is provided with straps f, f, secured to the plate a at g.
By means of the said straps secured round the waist, the fire-arm is secured to
the back of the wearer. A cord h passes through a guide on one of the straps
and terminates in a button h². On pulling the button h² and cord h the
trigger e is disengaged from the cock d, which had been previously cocked,
and the said cock d falling, discharges the fire-arm. The projectile from the
barrel wounding any one who may attack the wearer from behind.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, the methods of constructing the locks of repeating fire-arms, herein-
before described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, Sheet A,
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Sheet B, and Figure 1, Sheet D, of the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly, the safety bolt for repeating fire-arms to prevent their accidental

page_text: discharge, herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 8, Sheet A,
of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly, the method of connecting the fixed barrel of repeating fire-arms to
the body of the said fire-arms, as herein-before described, and illustrated in
Figures 2 and 12, Sheet A, of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly, the method of constructing the loading rod of repeating fire-arms,
herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 9, 10, and 11, Sheet A,
of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifthly, the method herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 2 and
3, Sheet D, of the accompanying Drawings, of constructing breech-loading
fire-arms and ordnance..
Sixthly, the method of constructing sights for fire-arms, herein-before
described, and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, Sheet D, of the accompanying
Drawings.
Lastly, the method of constructing fire-arms for personal defence, herein-
before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet C; of the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Ball, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
HENKY BALL.
(L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.