IM- PROVEMENTS IM FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS
IM FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from abroad by
Alphonse Etienne Jarre, junior, of Paris, France, Armourer.
Sealed the 23rd January 1872, and dated the 29th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th July 1871.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," a communication to me from
abroad by Alphonse Etienne Jarre, junior, of Paris, France, Armourer,
to be as follows:
This Invention relates to certain improvements in that class of fire-arm
wherein a series or row of barrels are employed, and which are known
as the Jarre battery. And consists, firstly, in a novel method of
adjusting the barrels whereby they occupy when out of use very little

page_text: in use.
space. To one end of the battery or row of barrels there is fitted to
turn on a stud pin a small roller or disc having two trunnions formed
thereon, these trunnions have two flat and two rounded sides, and serve
to form when when in position in the breech a universal joint there-
with. An opening is formed in the breech piece into which the barrels
are inserted, and through which they are propelled when the arm is
This breech piece is provided with a slot in the upper and
lower portions thereof, and into these slots the trunnions before men-
tioned are inserted when the barrels are brought out of action. These
trunnions by being flat on two of their sides prevent them from turning
in these slots until they arrive at the extremity thereof, which extremities
are enlarged and made of a circular form so as to act as centres in
which the trunnions may be turned. By turning the barrels to which
these trunnions are connected one quarter of a revolution in a horizontal
direction the battery will remain connected to the breech piece as the
trunnion cannot leave the slots when in this position.
The battery
being disengaged from the breech opening and brought from under
the action of the hammer by turning the barrels or battery one quarter
of a revolution on the stud pin before referred to the barrels will be
brought into a vertical position and in a line with the stock, and the
arm is thus made flat and more convenient to carry in the pocket. The
barrels are retained in this position by the end of the trigger entering
a nick in the battery. The cartridges are held in position by means
of a hinged plate having perforations through which the pins of the
cartridges enter when they are in position in the barrels.
Another improvement refers to the battery mechanism which serves
to determine the forward movement of the battery, and to fix it in
position during the descent of the hammer. A recess is formed in the
hammer to receive a click or catch upon which the tail of the trigger
acts on being pressed, and gradually raises the hammer until the tail
of the trigger escapes from the catch, the hammer will be caused
to descend by the action of its spring and operate upon the charge
under it, the trigger is then let go and will resume its former position,
and the click will be at the same time forced into the recess in the
hammer until the tail of the trigger lever has passed under it. The
pressure upon the trigger will have the effect not only of cocking the
hammer but of causing the battery to advance for the purpose of
presenting a fresh charge to the action of the hammer; this forwd
movement of the battery is effected by means of a slotted lever mounted

page_text: above the trigger plate, which lever is pressed forward by a spring so as
to enter between the teeth or projections on the rear of the battery. As
the trigger is pulled a stud or pin upon it will cause the slotted lever to
cuter between two of the teeth or projections of the battery, the pin on
the trigger lever will then come into contact with the side of the slotted
lever and force it sideways, thus causing the battery to advance. These
movements are so timed that the slotted lever is brought into this.
position before the fall of the hammer, the position of the battery being
thus insured before and during the firing of the charge. The trigger
being then let go the pin on the trigger lever will again move back
carrying with it the slotted lever, which it disengages from between
the teeth of the battery and brings it back into an inclined position
ready to act again upon and advance the battery.
According to another modification a single barrel is employed, and
the battery which is formed of a series of charge chambers is suspended
at one end in slotted lugs formed on a strap piece, which latter is free to.
turn on the barrel so as to enable the battery to be brought opposite
the opening formed in the breech, into which it is inserted in the manner
described for the battery in the former arrangement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the 35th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors, administrators, or 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,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS," a communication to me from abroad by Alphonse Etienne
Jarre, junior, of Paris, France, Armourer, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or adminis- &
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, 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, reference being had to the accom- 1
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
The said Invention consists, firstly, of a novel arrangement of fire-
arm carrying a row or series of barrels, which row or series is dis-
placed at each successive discharge, and remains connected at the arm a
at will.
Independently of this combination of multiple barrels the Invention
also consists of certain improvements in the percussion mechanism
applicable not only to fire-arms having a row or series of barrels, as
above-named, but also to the arms in which a bar or frame of charge
chambers is employed, already known as Jarre's system.
These various improvements have for their object the rendering these
fire-arms capable of fulfilling all the conditions of security, precision,
and rapidity of fire required in practice.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 is an external view of an improved pistol provided with a
row or series of barrels; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken through
the centre; and Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the

page_text: line 1-2, (Figure 2); Figures 4 and 5 are views shewing the row of
barrels in detail.
One distinctive feature of this arm consists in the arrangement of the
row of barrels A and in the capability of firmly connecting the same
to the arm. This object is attained by fixing to the extremity of the
row of barrels A a piece B, which acts as a knee cap or universal joint
and operates in the following manner :-The row of barrels A is intro-
duced into the recess C of the arm by the opposite extremity to the
joint B and in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, the trunnions b, b',
of this joint B enter a groove r, Figure 3, which terminates in a semi-
circle, and when the trunnions b, b', which are of a flattened or oblong
section arrive in the circular portion of the groove they serve as a pivot
on which to turn the set of barrels a quarter of a turn while maintaining
it constantly horizontal. In this position the trunnions by reason of
their form are prevented from escaping from the groover and serve to
retain the row of barrels on the fire-arm. This row of barrels is thus
completely released from the opening C, and by turning it a quarter of
a turn round the screw of the joint as a centre it assumes the position
shewn in Figure 1. The extremity of the trigger H maintains the piece
or bar containing the barrels perfectly secure by entering slightly the
opening in the last barrel. In this condition the arm occupies but little
space, and may be readily carried in the pocket or in the belt. It is
simply necessary to effect the two motions herein-before described in the
reverse direction in order to bring the row of barrels into position for
firing.
The pistol shewn in Figures 6 and is an improved form of arm in
which a bar containing a row of charge chambers is employed; this
bar is firmly connected to the arm by a different means from that
herein-before described. It consists in adapting to the bar A two
pins g, g, which enter the arms e, e', of the socket E, this socket turns
on the barrel F so that by bringing the bar or frame in front of the
recess C it may be inserted therein by turning it around the pin g, g',
as pivots.
In the row or series of barrels, Figures 4 and 5, the plate P which
is jointed at p, p¹, serves to retain the cartridges in the chambers. For
this purpose it is provided with a flange P¹, which covers slightly
the base, and thus retains the cartridges firmly and regularly in their
place.

page_text: I shall now proceed to describe the improvements which I have
effected in the percussion mechanism. This mechanism comprises (in
the two arms shown from Figures 1 to 7) the hammer G, trigger H, and
the bolt I; the hammer carries a species of detent i, which is constantly
pressed back by the spring it, this detent however cannot move further
from the hammer than the position shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawing.
In the position which the parts occupy in this Figure the arm is at rest,
by pressing the trigger H its tail / gradually raises the hammer until
the said tail h escapes from the detent i, the hammer at this moment
falls again under the pressure of the spring K, and the pistol is dis-
charged; on letting go the trigger the spring L brings it back to its
place, the tail of the trigger presses the detent i against its spring i',
and resumes its normal position beneath this detent. The firing may
then be recommenced.
The effect of the pressure on the trigger is not only to cock the
hammer but also to propel the row or series of barrels or the bar of
charge chambers in order to present a fresh charge to the hammer.
This propulsion is effected in the following manner:-The parts being
at rest the bolt I occupies the position shewn in Figure 3, the spring o
has a constant tendency to cause the bolt I to lodge itself between the
projections n of the row or series of barrels A; now as the trigger H
is pressed the pins which it carries lets go the tail of the bolt I,
which bolt becomes lodged between two of the projections n; the
pin s then coming in contact with the straight portion of the bolt sets
it up again, which effects the displacement of the row or series of barrels.
These motions are so regulated that the bolt is brought into the parallel
position some moments before the fall of the hammer, the position of
the row or series of barrels is thus ensured before and during the ignition
of the cartridge. On releasing the hold of the trigger the pin s is
brought back conducting with it the bolt which it releases from the
projections n and restores to the position shewn in Figure 3. The fore
and backward motion of the bolt are obtained by the oblong form of the
opening in which the fixed pin x enters.
In Figures 8, 9, and 10, I have shewn in longitudinal, horizontal, and
transverse section respectively a musket with the improvements applied
thereto.
The fixed breech which contains the percussion mechanism and
carries the barrel F at its extremity is provided with a recess C in which

page_text: is inserted the bar A of charge chambers shewn in detail in Figures 11,
12, 13, and 14. This bar of charge chambers is the subject of certain
improvements herein-after described, and which consist in a novel
method of closing the cartridge chambers and in the application of a
cartridge extractor. The cartridge chambers are closed by a plate P
which is jointed at p, p', and shuts upwards so that the pins of the
cartridges are preserved from the possibility of a blow. The plate P is
maintained closed by a spring catch 7, and covers completely the base
of the cartridges, and prevents their friction on the fixed breech of the
gun. The arms of the plate P are extended beyond the joint p, p', and
act on the projections of two slides c which are in one with or attached
to the cartridge extractor. The extractor is composed of a bar T, the
thickness of which is such that the openings of the cartridge chambers
notch or cut it away slightly so that the cartridges are extracted by the
flange of their base. The cartridge extractor may be applied or dispensed
with as desired without altering the construction of the bar or frame of
charge chambers.
The percussion mechanism of this gun operates in the same manner
as that of the pistol herein-before described (Figures 1, 2, and 3), and
the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both arms.
In this arrangement however there is an additional trigger II' which is
mounted on the same axis as the trigger H and an additional detent /
provided with a spring k². This trigger H' admits of the hammer being
cocked without letting it fall again, for which purpose it is provided
with a notch h¹ into which the detent k falls when the hammer is cocked.
The two triggers H, H³, are so fitted as to allow a certain amount of
play at the part 1, 2, 3, which admits of the gun being discharged by
pressing on the trigger H when the hammer has been cocked by the
trigger H. A continuous fire may be effected by acting on the detent H
as in the pistol.
The ordinary hammer G may be replaced by one in which the upper
part is made double, as shewn in Figures 15, 16, and 17, with an
opening g in the middle to admit of taking the aim, and but one striking
portion m. This double form has for its object to facilitate the firing
in the case of persons accustomed to ordinary double-barrelled guns in
which two hammers are employed.
In order to multiply the number of charges the bar may be con-
structed with two or more rows or series of cartridge chambers, as shewn

page_text: in Figure 18; this combination is applicable to any of the arms herein-
before described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement of a fire-arm with multiple charges by the
combination therewith of a row or series of barrels arranged and operated
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The peculiar arrangement of percussion mechanism, and
the application of the same to fire-arms, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The arrangement of the bars A and the methods of closing the
cartridge chambers and retaining the cartridges by the aid of the com-.1
binations herein-before described.
Fourth. The application when desired of a cartridge extractor com-
bined as herein-before described.
Fifth. The means of firmly connecting the rows or series of barrels
or the bars of charge chambers with the arms to which they appertain, 2
substantially as herein-before described.
Sixth. The general improvements herein-before described as applied
to fire-arms in which a bar containing a series of charge chambers is
employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this a
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day
of January One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.