IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Emile Della-Noce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st May
1865.
I, EMILE DELLA NOCE, of Via Berthollet, Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved arrangement of
mechanism for placing caps on to the nipples of fire-arms. For this purpose
a supply of caps is placed in a tube of an internal diameter slightly larger
than the diameter of the caps. This tube is fixed at the side of the barrel
and parallel with it. The tube at its end nearest to the muzzle is closed by
a cap or stopper, which can readily be removed and replaced; the other end
of the tube is connected to the lump which carries the nipple; through this
lump a hole or passage is made, which forms a continuation of the passage
through the tube containing the caps. At the back of this lump is placed a
slide which can be moved to and fro in the arc or a circle by means of a
thumb-piece. This slide closes the rear end of the passage above mentioned
formed in the lump. In the face of the slide which closes the passage in the
lump a hole is formed of sufficient depth to receive a cap. When the muzzle
of the fire-arm is raised a cap will drop from the tube containing the caps
into the hole in the slide; the slide is then moved by its thumb-piece so that
the recess containing the cap is brought over the top of the nipple. Within
the slide is a slot, in which is placed a small lever. The upper end of this

page_text: lever lies in the bottom of the hole, into which the cap is received. The lower
end of the lever when the slide is moved to bring the cap over the nipple, is
acted on by an incline, which causes the lever to turn on its centre in such
manner that its upper end forces the cap out of the hole in the slide and
presses it firmly on to the nipple; the slide is then by its thumb-piece moved
back to its former position to be again ready to supply another cap to the
nipple when required.
In constructing breecb-loading fire-arms I close the breech end of the
barrel by a plug capable of sliding backwards in a line with the barrel as has
before been proposed. The plug works to and fro in a tube which forms a
continuation of the barrel; the upper half of a portion of this tube is cut
away, so that when the plug is drawn back a cavity is formed into which a
cartridge may be dropped and afterwards pusbed forward into the barrel. The
end of the plug is caused to enter a short distance into the barrel until a
collar on the plug comes against its rear end. In front of this collar a disc of
vulcanized india-rubber is by preference placed, so that when the plug is
pressed forward into its place the disc may be compressed between the collar
and the barrel and so form a tight joint. The rear end of the plug passes out
through the rear end of the tube in which it works, and at its end the plug
Las a knob or handle formed upon it by which it can be slid to and fro. The
upper portion of the extreme end of the tube is not cut away but covers over
the plug and holds it down into the tube. To the top of the plug is connected
a covering plate which is attached to the collar at the front of the plug, and also to
a similar collar at the rear of the plug. The upper surface of this cover forms a
continuation of the upper surface of the barrel, and covers over the open
portion of the tube, and also passes over the top of the rear portion of the
tube which embraces the plug. When the plug is pushed forward so that its
forward end closes the rear end of the barrel, it is retained there by a small
block which passes down through a slot formed transversely across the rear
end of its covering plate. This block is formed on its under side to embrace
the plug, and a small recess is formed in the top surface of the plug into
which a part of the block enters. The back face of the block bears against
the front edge of the rear portion of the tube which embraces the plug, and
thus when this block is in its place the plug is prevented from sliding back-
wards. The back of the block and the surface of the tube against which it
works are made slightly inclined, so that when the block is pressed down into
its place the plug which closes the breech of the barrel is slightly pushed
forward so as to compress the ring of india-rubber at the front of the plug.
The block is hinged to one side of the covering plate, and has a thumb-piece

page_text: upon it by which can be turned upwards on its hinge in order to allow the plug
to be slid back to open the breech end of the barrel.
In constructing locks for fire-arms I construct them with a single bent
spring similar to the ordinary main spring of a lock as now usually con.
structed. One limb or arm of the spring acts as usual on the tumbler, which
is on the axis of the hammer, so as constantly to force down the hammer.
The end of the other limb or arm of the spring is formed to act as the sear of
the lock and to take into the notches or bents of the tumbler. This limb or
arm of the spring is also formed with a piece projecting out from it, by which
this end of the spring can be depressed when the sear nose at its end is to be
withdrawn from the full-cock notch in the tumbler. This projection is acted
on by the trigger. The main spring is connected to the lock plate by a pin
which projects out from it near its elbow or bend, and enters a hole in the plate
as is usual, and the arm of the spring, at the end of which the sear nose is
formed bears at a point intermediate of its length against a projection on
the lock plate. The tumbler I form with three notches or bents, into either
of which the sear nose may enter; the full-cock bent, the half-cock bent, and
another bent into which the sear nose may enter when the hammer is only a
short distance above the nipple, so that in exploding the piece, if the trigger
is not pressed back continuously, the hammer will not strike the nipple but
the sear nose will catch in the third notch or bent. Thus the piece cannot be
exploded accidentally.