MENTS IN GUNS
Year: 1854

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Restell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on 'the
1st December 1854.
I, THOMAS RESTELL, of the, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Chrono-
meter Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN GUNS" to be as follows:-
My Invention, relates to breech-loading guns, and consists in a means of
introducing the charge from a turning breech; and of firing the same, both
operations being performed, by pushing and pulling the trigger, or only pulling
the same. I dispense with the ordinary. lock, and substitute, therefor an appa-
ratus which, works within a tube; which may.form a continuation, of the barrel,
and is carried on- behind the breech. I mount in this tube. a. hammer, for
exploding the cap. The end-which is nearest the breech works through a hole
made through a solid disc. The body of the hammer is thicker and larger than
the ends, and the propelling power consists of a twisted spiral spring coiled
round that end furthest from the breech, the ends of the spring, abutting upon
a fixed part of the stock and the body of the hammer. The hammer is kept
back by means of a spring catch from the upper part of the tube; this catch

page_text: is raised by the trigger, and there being no resistance to the coiled spring at
the back of the liammer, the hammer is shot forward and explodes the charge.
The breech is centered upon a continuation of the barrel next to the solid disc,
herein-before mentioned, and when turned over, as presently explained, it fits
into a space provided for it in the breech end of the barrel, and then a hole in
the back of the breech presents itself in a line with the hole in the disc, into
which the fore end of the hammer enters, and fires the charge. The hammer
is pulled back and the breech turned over into its place by means of a screwed
rod, one end having threads from left to right, and the other from right to left,
set in motion by a trigger, which works over the rod and turns it, in a manner
similar to that in which a nut is made to work a screw drill. One end of the
screwed rod has a nut or block, which acts against a stud on the body of the
hammer, and thereby gives motion to the hammer when the rod is turned by
the trigger; and the other end of the rod, which passes through the breech and
forms the centre on which it turns, is provided with an arm or bit, similar to a
key bit, which works in a semicircular or curved recess in the breech, and
thereby raises and lowers it. The form of the recess allows the arm or bit to
pass through half a revolution without moving the breech, during which time
the hammer is being withdrawn, and as soon as the hammer is clear of the
breech the arm or bit begins to act. In smaller arms, or, where so preferred,
in large, the screw rod is threaded only in one direction, and a spiral spring is
employed to produce the reverse motion of the trigger. The cartridges have a
cap fitted on them to be exploded by the hammer inside the breech. To make
the gun a repeating fire-arm, I place under the barrel, and in such a position
as to be coincident with the breech when lowered, a chamber, containing
several cartridges of the description before mentioned, which are brought
forward in succession to enter the breech by the action of a coiled spring
against a piston or plug, capable of traversing from end to end of the chamber.
A locking spring is fitted to the chamber, which retains the cartridges in the
chamber except when acted on by the turning breech, and it then allows one
cartridge to pass into the breech and the next to be brought up into a position
for entering the breech, when the locking spring is again acted on. When the
supply-of-cartridges--in-the-chamber-is-cxhausted, the piston is pressed back
and the chamber is opened, so as to admit of a fresh supply of cartridges being
introduced into it.
In some cases I make the breech to slide vertically instead of turning on
an axis, and I give motion to the breech by means of a sliding piece, moved
either by a trigger or by the hammer, or by both, the sliding piece having
'an inclined d groove on each side, in which_work_pins_or_studs. projecting-

page_text: from the breech, so that the motion of the sliding piece effects the lowering
and raising of the breech. The hammer in this gun strikes downwards
on a loose stud or pin inserted in the breech, and the point of which comes
against the detonating cap of the cartridge when the gun is charged; or
this stud or pin may be attached loosely to the hammer by a joint. The
hammer has a projecting stud fixed to it a short distance from the centre,
on which it works; this stud falls into a recess in the sliding piece when
the gun is fired, and at the same time brings the sliding piece, by the
force of the usual spring exerted on the hammer, into a position in which
it will support the breech securely to receive the blow of the hammer, the
pins of the breech now resting upon a flat surface in the slide. The hammer
will be again raised by the forward motion of the sliding piece which lowers
the breech to receive the charge, or it may be raised by placing the hand
on the back of the hammer, when the breech will descend and retain the
hammer raised until the gun is to be again fired. When required, I fit a
strong spiral spring in the butt end of the stock of guns, and form the stock
in two parts, one capable of sliding on the other; this spring counteracts the
shock or recoil of the piece in firing. If it should be desired, I also effect
the cooling of the breech of guns by means of a jet of turpentine or other
suitable liquid that will not rust the metal, discharged from a reservoir in the
stock by pressure applied to a part of the stock that is not exposed to such
pressure in the common use of the gun. The reservoir in the stock I prefer
to be an elastic bag filled with sponge, but any collapsible reservoir may be
emploved.
SPECIFICATION in pursuarice of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Restell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
RESTELL, of the Strand, in the City of Westminster, Chronometer Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Restell, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Restell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Restell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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 GUNS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the, said Thomas, Restell, 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.. 19.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas, Restell, do hereby declare the
nature, of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained 'in, and by the following
statement thereof, reference; being had to the Drawings, hereunto annexed,
that is to say:--
1
My Invention relates, to, breech-loading, guns, and consists, in a means of
introducing the charge from, a turning. breech and of firing the same, both
operations being. performed by pushing, and pulling, the trigger,, or only by
pulling the same, I.dispense with the ordinary lock, and substitute therefor
an apparatus, which works within a tube, which may forma, continuation, of
the barrel, and, is carried on behind the breech; I" mount, in the tube a
hammer for exploding the cap. "The end which is nearest the breech works
through a hole made through a solid disc: The body of the hammer, is thicker
and larger than the ends, and the propelling power consists of a twisted spiral
spring coiled round that end-farthest-from-the-breech, the ends of the spring
abutting upon a fixed part of the stock and the body of the hammer. The
hammer is kept back by means of avspring catch, from the upper part of the
tube; this.catch is raised by the trigger, and there being no resistance to the
coiled spring at the back of the hammer, when the catch is raised the hammer
is shot forward-and explodes the charge... The breech is centred upon a con-
tinuation of the barrel next to the solid disc, herein-before mentioned, and
-when-turned-over, as presently explained, it fits into a space provided for it in
the breech end of the barrel, and then-a-hole-in, the back of the breech
presents itself in a line with the hole in the disc, into which the fore end of the
hammer cuters and. fires the charge. The hammer is pulled back and the
breech turned over into its place by means of a screwed rod, one end 'having
threads from left to right, and the other from right to left, set in motion by
trigger, which works over the rod and turns it, in a manner similar to that in
which a nut is made to work a screw drill. One end of the screwed-rod-bas
ᎥᏓ

page_text: a-nut or block, which acts against a stud on the body of the "hammer, and
thereby gives motion to the hammer when the rod is turned by the trigger;
and the other end of the rod, which passes through the breech and: forms the
centre on which it turns, is provided with an arm or bit, similar to a key bit,
which works in a-semicircular or curved recess in the breech, and thereby
raises and lowers it. The form of the recess allows the arm or bit to pass
through half a revolution without moving the breech; during which time the
hammer is being withdrawn, and as soon as the hammer, is clear of the breech,
the armor bit begins to act. The cartridges to be employed with my improved
gun have a cap fitted on them, to be exploded by the hammer inside the
breech. To make the gun-a 'repeating fire-arm, I place under the barrel; and
in 'such a position as to be coincident with the breech when lowered, a chamber,
containing several cartridges of the description before mentioned, which are
brought forward in succession to enter the breech by the action of a coiled
spring against piston or plug, capable of traversing from end to end' of the
chamber. A locking spring is fitted to the chamber, which retains the
cartridges in the chamber, except when acted on by the turning breech, and it
then allows one cartridge to pass into the breech and the next to be brought
up into a position for entering the breech, when the locking spring is again
acted on. When the supply of cartridges in the chamber is exhausted, the
piston is pressed back and the chamber is opened, to admit of a fresh supply
of cartridges being introduced into it. Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed represents a longitudinal section of a gun constructed according to
my Invention. A; A; is the stock of the gun, which is made somewhat shorter
in the butt, in order to leave sufficient space at the end of the barrel B to fit the
piece with my improvements; C is the ordinary breech, which is screwed into
the end of the barrel, and by which the barrel at this part is secured to the
stock by the screw a; D is the moveable breech, which is bored out at the part b
for the reception of the cartridge; E is the spindle, 'upon which the moveable
breech is centred, and upon which it turns. This spindle is cut with a right
and left handed screw thread, and is supported at one end in the thickness of
the barrel and at the opposite end in the breech part C. F is the hammer,
the back end of which is formed with a flange c, and the front is fitted with a
pin or projection'd, which is passed through the breech D when exploding
the cartridge; G is a coiled spring, which abuts against the back end of the
hammer and against. the. breech C, and is used for forcibly projecting the
hammer forward to explode the "cartridge'; H is the trigger, which is free to slide
to and fro beneath the stock The front end of the 'trigger. is bent,upwards,
and supports a disc or ring e, which is tapped with a thread, corresponding

page_text: to that portion of the screw thread of the spindle E, upon which it works; fis
a nut upon the other portion of the screw-threaded spindle. This nut when
drawing back the hammer, and consequently collapsing the coiled spring, bears
against the flange c of the hammer. I is a spring catch attached to the upper
part of the barrel. This catch fits over the end of the hammer when drawn
back, and holds it in that position until liberated by the inclined portion g of
the ring or disc e, which comes in contact with it when the trigger is drawn
back. J the cartridge. In the back end of the bullet is fitted a tail or
projecting piece, upon the end of which the percussion cap is fitted. This
cartridge fits into the recess in the moveable breech, and the cap corresponds
in position with the circular hole in the breech, through which the projecting
part of the hammer passes when exploding the charge. K is a tube or
chamber formed beneath the barrel of the gun for holding a number of
cartridges or charges. The lower half of one portion of this tube is free
to slide over the other portion of the tube, the object of which is to
afford sufficient space for replenishing the chamber with a fresh supply of
cartridges. The manner of using the gun is as follows:-To charge the
moveable breech the trigger is pushed forward, which thereby gives to the
spindle E a rotary motion; the end of the spindle is provided with a pro-
jection or key bit h, which, when the spindle has made a half turn, comes
in contact with the flat portion of the moveable breech, and with the
onward revolution of the spindle causes the breech to be turned round
upon its centre, and consequently withdrawn from the barrel and brought
down, so as to bring the chamber in the breech in a line with the tube
containing the charges. This action is more clearly represented in the cross
section of the barrel and breech in Figure 2. The object in keeping the
breech thus stationary during the half a revolution of the spindle is to give.
sufficient time for the withdrawal of the projecting portion of the hammer
from out of the orifice in the breech. The pushing forward of the trigger, at
the same time that it removes the breech, causes the nut f_to_come-in-contact-
with the hammer, and thereby to force it back and compress the coiled spring
until the catch-I-comes-over-the-end of the hammer, and thus holds it until
liberated. The half revolution of the breech brings the edge of it against a
locking spring, which slightly projects beyond the end of the chamber con-
taining the charges, and thus withdraws it from contact with the cartridge to,
be fitted into the chamber in the breech. The coiled spring L at the back of
the charges then comes into action, and forces the charge into the breech. To
restore the breech into its place in the gun, the trigger is pulled backward,
which gives motion to the spindle E in the reverse direction, and brings, the,

page_text: key bit against the recessed portion of the breech, and consequently lifts it into
its position; this same backward motion of the trigger also brings forward the
nut f, and causes the ring e to travel backwards until the inclined portion g
comes in contact with the spring catch I, and thereby liberates it from the end
of the hammer, and admits of the rapid expansion of the spring, forcing the
hammer forward, and striking the cap upon the end of the cartridge, and thus
exploding it. When all the charges in the chamber have been used, and it is
desired to refill it, the moveable part of the chamber is pushed-back, which
brings the stud i in contact with the button jupon the end of the rod k, and
thus forces it back, thereby compressing the coiled spring L until the button j
is held by the spring catch m. The charges are then laid in the chamber and
the sliding portion brought to its closed position, which brings the projecting
piece n against the spring catch m, and thereby lifts it, and liberates the spring
L, to act upon the cartridges to force them in succession into the chamber in the
breech. In smaller arms, or, where so preferred, in larger, the screw rod or
spindle E is threaded only in one direction, and a spiral spring is employed to
produce the reverse motion of the trigger. Figure 3 represents this arrange-
ment. A is the stock; B, the barrel; C, the fixed breech; and D, the
moveable breech; E is the spindle, which is only cut with a screw thread in
one direction. The moveable breech is of the same diameter with the chamber
in which it works, as shewn in the detached view in Figure 4, and has formed
in it a chamber. F for the charge; by this means the weight of the breech is
equal on all sides of the spindle E, and therefore requires but a small amount
of power to turn it. G is the hammer, which is of the same construction and
action as that described in reference to Figure 1; II is the trigger, which also
is free to slide backwards and forwards. The end a of this trigger is formed
with a nut tapped with a thread, corresponding to the screw upon the spindle
E, and by which the spindle is caused to revolve as the trigger is moved to or
fro; the opposite end b is bent up and carries a ring, which bears against the
flanged portion of the hammer when forcing the hammer back and collapsing
the spring. I is the spring catch, as before; J is a coiled spring upon the
unscrewed portion of the spindle E. The spring abuts against the bent
portion of the trigger and the solid part of the stock, and is for the purpose,
when the trigger is relieved from the finger, of forcing it forwards, and thereby
turning the spindle by means of the nut a, and consequently giving semi-
rotation to the breech D, so as to bring the chamber containing the charge
coincident with the barrel. This gun is fitted with a tube beneath the barrel
for containing a number of charges; the action of which is similar to that
described in Figure 1.

page_text: In some cases I make the breech to slide vertically instead of turning on an
axis, and give motion to the breech by means of a.shifting piece, moved by
the to and fro inotion of the trigger; the shifting piece is turned up at its end
and formed. with slots, in which pins or studs projecting from the breech work,
so that the motion of the shifting piece effects the lowering and raising of the
breech. The hammer on this gun, and the manner of working it are the same
as that described in reference to Figure 1. Figure 5 represents a longitudinal
section of so much of a gun as is necessary to explain the method in which I
carry this part of my Invention into effect.. A is the stock; B. the harrel; and
C, the moveable breech, which has formed in it the chamber Di for the reception
of the charge; E is the shifting piece, which is centred upon the pin d. The
end of this shifting piece is turned up; as shewn, is formed' with a fork,"
which embraces, the moveable breech, the ends of the fork being slotted out,'in,
whichi fit-stud-pins or projections, one from each side of the breech. The
opposite end of this shifting, piece is provided with a long tail piece, upon
which the end of the spring F bears; in order to counterbalance the weight
of the breccli; and therefore to. render the. lowering and raising it more easy to
the traverse of the trigger: G is the hämmer, the action of which is the same
as herein-before described; and H, the trigger. The action of this gun is as
follows: To charge the piece,. the trigger H is drawn back along the shifting
piece E, which at the part from 6 to c is straight, so that the projecting part
of the hammer is withdrawn from the breech before the breech' begins to be.
lowered, which action is caused by the trigger coming in contact with the
inclined portion of the shifting piece from c to d. This backward motion of the
trigger: also serves' by the bent portion e to force back and collapse the coiled
spring at the back of the hammer, and also the spring J in connection with
the trigger, until the spring, catch K locks over the end of the bammer; then,
upon liberating the trigger, the combined action of the spring F and J is to
raise the moveable breech and to force forward the trigger until the turned-up
portion e comes in contact with the spring catch K, and thus-liberates it from
off the hammer, and allows of the spring I expanding, shooting forward the
hammer-and-exploding-the-cartridge: L is a locking bolt, for holding down the
shifting piece when it is desired to prevent the gun from being fired. Or instead
of the preceding arrangement I cause the breech to slide vertically in its recess
in the barrel by means of a sliding piece, moved either by the trigger or by
the hammer, or by both; the sliding piece having an inclined groove on each
side, in which work pins or studs projecting from the breech, so that the motion
of the sliding piece effects the lowering-and-raising of the breech. The hammer
in this gun strikes downwards on a loose stud or pin inserted in the breech, and

page_text: the point of which comes against the detonating, cap of the cartridge when the
gun is charged; or, this stud or pin may be attached loosely, to the hammer by
a joint. The hammer has a projecting stud fixed to it a short distance from
the centre, on which it works; this stud falls into a recess in the sliding piece
when the gun is fired, and at the same time brings the sliding piece, by the
force of the usual spring exerted on the hammer, into a position in which it will
support the breech-securely to receive the blow of the hammer, the pins of the
breech now resting upon a flat surface in the slide. The hammer will be again
raised by the forward motion of the sliding piece which lowers the breech to
receive the charge: or it may he raised by placing the hand on the back of the
haimmer, when the breech will descend and retain the hammer raised until the
gun is to be fired. Figure 6 represents a view of a gun constructed according
to this arrangement. A is the stock B, the barrel; aud C, the sliding breech;
D is a sliding piece or plate, there being a similar plate, on the other side of
the gun, both of which plates are connected together by the trigger E. These
plates have cut in them the slots F, which are straight from the point a to b,
and then take an inclined direction from 6 to c. d, d, are pins projecting from
the barrel and the stock, and on which the plates D slide; E is a pin, there
being one on each side of the moveable breech, both of which take into the
slots in the sliding pieces; G is the hammer, centred at f. This hammer is
furnished with a projecting stud or pin g, which takes into the recess h at the
instant the piece is fired, and thus tends to draw back the sliding pieces, so as
to bring the pins projecting from the breech into the flat parts of the slots in
the sliding pieces, and thus serves to firmly hold the breech while receiving the
blow of the hammer upon the nipple H. Figure 7 represents a detached view
of this nipple. The action of this gun is as follows:-To charge the piece, the
sliding plates are pushed forwards by means of the trigger, which action brings
the studs upon the breech into the inclined portions of the slots, and thereby
causes the breech to descend, so as to bring the cartridge chamber below the
barrel to receive the charge. This action of the plates also raises up the hammer.
Upon reversing the movement of the plates the breech is restored to its proper
position in the gun, and as soon as the pin g of the hammer is coincident with
the recess h in the sliding pieces, it falls into it, and the main spring of the
hammer is liberated, and the hammer is brought down forcibly upon the cap,
and thus explodes the charge. Figure 8 represents a modification in the con-
struction of the cartridge, in which a recess is formed in the end of the bullet
to receive the cap of the next cartridge while in the chamber below the barrel,
and the recess being deeper than the length of the cap, any shock given to the
gun is thus prevented from exploding the cartridges. When required, 1 fit a

page_text: strong spiral spring in the butt of the stock of guns, and form the stock in two
parts, one capable of sliding on the other; this spring counteracts the shock or
recoil of the piece when firing, should it not be held firm against the shoulder.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my
Invention is, the several arrangements and methods of constructing guns as
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Restell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-five.
THOMAS RESTELL. (L.S.)