IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tranter, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 5th December 1856, and dated the 16th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said William Tranter, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th. August, 1856.
I, WILLIAM TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in. adapting and applying to revolving fire-arms the
several kinds of single-action locks herein-after described; also the several
kinds of double-action and treble-action locks herein-after described; also the
method of arranging such locks in the fire-arm, by turning out the cavity
in the body or frame for the works by means of a lathe, as herein-after
described; also the several kinds or combinations of levers or mechanism, for
forcing the bullets into the chambers of revolving fire-arms, herein-after
described.
The first part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The-cock or
hammer will be raised by the thumb of the right hand, and may be placed in
the middle or on the side of the fire-arm; when on the side, a tumbler must be
used in connection therewith. The lifter for turning the chamber is intended
to be placed in the cock or tumbler, or in a lever acting in connection with the

page_text: cock. The trigger may be placed before or behind the cock or tumbler. The
stop for the chamber may be made in connection with a lever or trigger,
or with both, or working in connection either with the cock and trigger, or
with a lever and the cock.
The second part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The cock
or hammer may be placed in the middle of the body or frame, or on the side
thereof, and may be lifted either directly by the thumb, or by the finger
pressing against the trigger; when lifted by the thumb it is discharged as in an
ordinary pistol, but when lifted by the trigger it is discharged as soon as lifted.
In order to effect the above movements, the catch moving in the trigger is
formed with a kind of hook at its upper end to act on a suitable projection on
the cock. The cock or tumbler is formed with bents or notches as an ordinary
cock or tumbler. Another kind of catch is made to fall into the said bents or
notches similar to that for the double trigger, described in the Specification of
my Patent bearing date 28th January 1853, but pinned in the body or frame
instead of in the trigger, the trigger acting against the catch to discharge the
-piece. The catch-may-also-be-attached to the cock instead of to the trigger,
and may be differently shaped for working in connection with the trigger
instead of with the cock. Another description of catch may be attached to the
trigger, which would discharge the piece by moving towards the pin on which
the cock moves instead of from it, as with the double trigger before referred to.
: The third part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The cock
or hammer may be raised either directly by the thumb, or by means of the
double trigger in my former Patent, and acting in connection with the catch
above described placed in the body or frame, in addition to the catch acting
in the double trigger. The catch pinned in the body or frame may be
made to act either in connection with the cock or with the double trigger,
and may be acted upon by either of the triggers forming the double trigger.
The cavity in the body or frame, in which the works are intended to move,
may be turned out by means of a lathe, instead of by the usual method of
chipping and filing. For this purpose the body or frame is fixed upon a plate,'
and the cavity turned out in the usual mode of turning.
The last part of my Invention consists of a lever placed on either side of the
body or barrel, but in either case near the top square of the barrel, and
connected with a forcer for the bullets by means of a swivel pin or slot, or by
a combination thereof.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Tranter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TRANTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Tranter, Her special license that I, the said William Tranter,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Tranter, 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
FIRE-ARMS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Tranter, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 William Tranter, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say): :-
My Invention of "Improvements in Fire-arms" consists in adapting and
applying to revolving fire-arms the several kinds of single-action locks herein-,
after described; also the several kinds of double-action and treble-action locks
herein-after described; also the method of arranging such locks in the
fire-arm, by turning out the cavity in the body or frame for the works by means
of a lathe, as herein-after described; also the several kinds or combinations of
levers or mechanism for forcing the bullets into the chambers of revolving
fire-arms, herein-after described.
The first part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The cock or

page_text: hammer will be raised by the thumb of the right hand, and may be placed in
the middle or on the side of the fire-arm; when on the side, a tumbler must be
used in combination therewith. The lifter for turning the chamber is intended
to be placed in the cock or tumbler, or in a lever in connection with the cock.
The trigger may be placed before or behind the cock or tumbler. The stop for
the chamber may be made in connection with a lever or trigger, or with both,
er working in connection either with the cock and trigger, or with a lever and
the cock.
The second part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The cock
or hanimer may be placed in the middle of the body or frame, or on the side
thereof, and may be lifted either directly by the thumb, or by the finger
pressing against the trigger; when lifted by the thumb it is discharged as in an
ordinary pistol, but when lifted by the trigger it is discharged as soon as lifted.
In order to effect the above movements, the catch moving in the trigger is
formed with a kind of hook at its upper end to act on a suitable projection on
the cock. The cock or tumbler is formed with bents or notches as an ordinary
cock or tumbler. Another kind of catch is made to fall into the said bents or
notches similar to that for the double trigger, described in the Specification of
my Patent bearing date Twenty-eiglith January, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three, but pinned in the body or frame instead of in the trigger,
the trigger acting against the catch to discharge the piece. The catch may
also be attached to the cock instead of to the trigger, and may be differently
shaped for working in connection with the trigger instead of with the cock.
Another description of catch may be attached to the trigger, which would
discharge the piece by moving towards the pin on which the cock moves
instead of from it, as with the double trigger before referred to.
The third part of my Invention may be described as follows:-The cock or
hammer may be raised either directly by the thumb or by means of the double
trigger in my former Patent, and acting in connection with the catch above
described, placed in the body or frame in addition to the catch acting in the
double trigger. The catch pinned in the body or frame may be made to act
either in connection with the cock or with the double trigger, and may be
acted upon by either of the triggers forming the double trigger. The cavity
in the body or frame, in which the works are intended to move, may be turned
out by means of a lathe, instead of by the usual method of chipping and filing.
For this purpose, the body or frame is fixed upon a plate, and the cavity turned
out in the usual mode of turning.
The last part of my Invention consists of a lever, placed on either side of the
body or barrel, but in either case near the top square of the barrel, and con-

page_text: nected with a forcer for the bullets by means of a swivel pin or slot, or by a
combination thereof.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will pro-
ceed to describe it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying Drawings,
in which are represented the improvements above referred to as applied to
pistols, but they may be applied to other fire-arms.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pistol, with a lock applied of the construction
referred to under the first head of my Invention; the stock of the fire-arm being
shewn in section, in order to admit of the working parts of the lock being
shewn more evidently; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a trigger with a modified form
of stop lever for locking the loading chamber; Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent
portions of a pistol, with locks applied of the construction referred to under the
second head of my Invention; Figures 6 and 7 represent the same, with locks
of the construction referred to under the third head of my Invention. In all
theso several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
a (Fig. 1) is the cock or hammer; b is its pivot or centre of motion, fixed
in the frame of the fire-arm; c is the ordinary spring for throwing it upon the
nipple when discharged. The cock or hammer a is in this case shewn in
the middle of the fire-arm. d is the lifter for turning the ordinary loading
chamber e, such lifter being connected to the cock or hammer as shewn; fis
a stop lover connected to the trigger g, having a stop f* or projection for the
purpose of locking the chamber e when required, by passing into one of the
slots at the end of the chamber. At the back of this stop lever f is a tail
piece h, which is acted upon by a spring fixed to the trigger in such a manner
as to press the end of the lever with the stop f* towards the end of the
chamber, and cause the stop f* to pass into the respective slot as required
when the trigger has been drawn back sufficiently for the purpose.
i is a
spring fixed to the frame so as to press on the back of the trigger and cause
its upper end g to pass into a bent or notch k in the cock or hammer, and
retain the latter after it has been raised by the thumb.
The action of this fire-arm is as follows:-On the cock or hammer a being
raised, the lifter d will be made to turn the chamber e a sufficient distance to
bring the required slot in suitable position in front of the stop f*; the upper
part g of the trigger will have passed into the notch k, so as to hold the cock
or hammer; then, by drawing back the trigger g, the stop f* will be projected
into the slot of the chamber to lock it, and the upper part g of the trigger
will be withdrawn from the notch k, when the cock or hammer will be dis-

page_text: charged by the main spring c upon the nipple. The chamber is released from
the stop f, after the discharge, by the upper part of the trigger being carried
back by the pressure of the spring i on the back of the trigger, the cock or
hammer being formed so as to admit of such part of the trigger retreating a
suflicient distance for the purpose. At Fig. 2 it will be seen that the form of
the stop lever fis modified, its mode of action being similar.
In Fig. 3, is a hooked catch, the hook of which fits on to a projection on
the cock or hammer a. In this case also the cock or hammer has bents or
notches into which the catch m is made to pass when the cock is raised; this
catch m is pinned into the frame, and has a spring n pressing upon the back
of it to cause it to pass into the bent or notch of the cock; the spring i keeps
the hooked catch in contact with the cock or hammer by pressing against the
front of the trigger, as shewn; f* is the stop for the chamber, being a pro-
jection on the trigger; the lifter for the chamber is not shewn. The cock or
hammer, having been raised by the thumb, is discharged by drawing back the
trigger, so as to withdraw the catch m from the bent or notch of the cock or
hammer, by bringing the trigger against the lower arm of the said catch m
the hooked catch 7 being, by the same motion of the trigger, raised out of con-
tact with the projection on the cock or hammer. The catch m may, if
preferred, be formed with a hook at its lower end, to form a connection with
the trigger, so as to dispense with the bents or notches in the cock or
hanımer.
In Fig. 4, the catch is shewn connected to the cock or hammer, instead of
to the trigger, as in Fig. 3, and formed with a projection fitting into a notch
on the back of the trigger. By this means the cock or hammer may be
raised either by the thumb or by the trigger, and it is discharged by
withdrawing the catch out of the bent or notch in the same manner as in the
former case.
In Fig. 5, the hooked catch is so formed and adapted to the projection
on the cock or bammer as to move towards the pivot b, when the trigger is
drawn back to discharge the fire-arm, instead of away from it, as in the case
of Fig. 3; the action of the parts being otherwise similar to that in the two
instances just described.
In Fig. 6, the catch is connected to the back of the trigger g, and its upper
end passes into a circular notch in the front of the cock or hammer. By this
means the cock or hammer may be raised either by the thumb or by the
trigger, when the end of the catch m will be passed into the notch at the back
of the trigger g, and this catch m may be drawn out of the said bent or notch
by the trigger g' coming in contact with it; at the same time the said trigger g

page_text: is made to press against the tail piece of the catch l, and in this manner the
cock or hammer is liberated, so as to be discharged by the spring c on to the
nipple. If preferred, the catch m may be made to fall into bents or notches in
the cock or hammer, as at Fig. 3.
In Fig, 7 the parts are similar to those in Fig. 6, except that the fire-arm
is capable of the treble action of having the cock raised by the thumb, or by
the trigger g, and discharged by the trigger 9', being brought in contact with
the lower end of the catch me and the tail piece of the catch 1, or the cock may
be raised and discharged by the trigger g¹.
At Fig. 1 is represented my improved lever for loading the chambers. o is
the lever, acting on a pivot or fulcrum p; to this lever is jointed the plunger
or loader q, to the back of which is fitted a guide with a slot in it working over
a stud fixed in the barrel of the pistol; there is also a slot in the end of the
lever o to admit of the parallel movement of the plunger or loader q.
Fig. 8 represents the lever with a slot formed in the part thereof connected
with the plunger or loader q, instead of in the part shewn at Fig. 1.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not mean or intend to
confine myself to the precise forms and arrangements of the parts of fire-arms
represented and described, neither do I claim, as of my Invention, any of the
parts herein-before described separately, or otherwise than as herein-after
stated; but I do claim as of my Invention,―
First, the combination of the parts, described under the first head of my
Invention, having reference to single action locks, or those in which the cock
or hammer is raised by the thumb and the fire-arm discharged by the trigger,
in the manner described.
Secondly, the combination of the parts of fire-arms, described under the
second head of my Invention, having reference to double-action locks, or those
in which the cock or hammer may be raised either by the thumb or by means
of the trigger, and the fire-arm discharged by the trigger acting on a catch, in
the manner described.
Thirdly, the combination of the parts of fire-arms, described under the third
head of my Invention, having reference to those locks in which the cock or
hammer may be raised either by the thumb or by means of a double trigger or
pair of triggers, and the fire-arm discharged by. the action of the discharging
part of the double trigger, or the discharging trigger of the pair of triggers on
the catch, in the manner described.
Fourthly, the turning out, by means of a lathe, of the cavity in the body or
frame, for the insertion of the working parts of the fire-arm.

page_text: And, lastly, the adaptation and application of the particular form of loading
lever described.
In witness whereof, I, tho said William Tranter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
50, Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM TRANTER. (L.B.)