IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1885

page_text: "
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer.
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS (a communication from abroad by Thorsten Ericksen, and Daniel
Sholberg inventors, and Ole T. Johnson, assignee all of Milwaukee in the state of
Wisconsin, United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:- -
The invention to be hereinafter distinctly claimed relates to improvements in
guns and fire arms. The construction of the device, the mode of operating it, and,
its object will be readily understood from the following description with a reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a cannon constructed in the improved form.
Figure 2 is a small fire arm, the barrel of which is of the improved form.
The bore of the gun is constructed in two chambers of different diameters. The
rear inner chamber is a much smaller bore than the outer chamber, preferably of
one third the diameter of the outer chamber.
The inner chamber a extends rearward from the centre of the outer chamber b,
and on an exact line therewith, that is having its longitudinal axis on an exact and
true prolongation of the longitudinal axis of the larger outer chamber b. The outer
chamber b is made of the same diameter as the ball, and is adapted to receive the
ball, which fits snugly therein, and the length of this outer chamber is not more
than the diameter of the ball, and not less than the half of the diameter of the
ball, but may be either of such lengths, or any length between such lengths. The
length of the inner or powder receiving chamber a, should vary in a ratio corre-
sponding with the increased or diminished weight of the balls. In a gun carrying
an iron ball of one and one half inches in diameter, it is preferred to construct the
inner chamber a, three and one half times as long as the diameter of the ball. A
vent c is provided at the rear end of the chamber a, for igniting the powder in

page_text: chamber a, as is common to all fire arms and guns, of this character. To secure
the most complete and perfect results from this gun, a compact wad d, preferably
made convex in shape and of leather, or other similar material is required, which
wad is to be inserted in the outer end of the inner chamber, in front of the powder
therein, and with its convex surface against the surface of the ball, whereby the
force of the explosion or burning of the powder behind it will be brought to bear
against the centre of the ball. It is obvious that in a gun, constructed of the
same external diameter throughout, as this is, and having a powder chamber of
comparatively small bore, as this has great strength will be secured by the
thickness of the walls, about the combustion chamber, where strength is most
needed, and that in doing away with the greater length of bore of the outer ball
chamber, much of the weight of the gun, as commonly constructed is omitted.
Thus is provided a gun, much lighter than those of the same calibre in common
use, thereby greatly lessening the cost of the gun, as well as providing a gun, that
can be much more easily and readily handled, than the guns of ordinary construc-
tion while it is believed that these guns will be found to be more effective with
the same, or even a less charge of powder, than guns having a long bore, through
which the ball must be forced, with an unnecessary use of power. To still further
improve the gun, and especially to provide for the easy transportation and handling
of the heavier guns of this class, they are constructed in two parts E and F, that
is the gun is divided laterally, constructing one part with a shoulder or flange g,
provided with a screw thread upon and to which the other part, provided with a
corresponding socket and screw thread therein, is affixed, when to be used as a gun,
and whereby said gun may be separated into two parts for transportation or
otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is
1st. A gun, having its bore constructed in two chambers, the inner or powder
chamber a being of less diameter than the outer chamber, and the outer chamber
being of the same diameter as, and adapted to receive the ball, said outer
chamber b, being no longer on its greatest longitudinal axis, than the diameter of
the ball, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. A gun constructed in two parts E and F, and with a bore in two parts
forming two chambers, the rear or inner chamber being of less diameter than the
outer chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.