IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING REVOLVER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Adams, of the Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Revolver Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING REVOLVER FIRE-ARMS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Adams at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
29th July 1872.
I, JOHN ADAMS, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Revolver
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-LOADING REVOLVER FIRE-ARMS,"
to be as follows:-
1
This Invention consists in the construction of breech-loading revolver
fire-arms in such a manner that the ejector or rod for removing the
empty cartridge cases from the revolving chambers will, when not in
use, partially lie in the centre of the cylinder rod, and is thus protected
from the chances of being accidentally bent, and also tends to make the
arm more convenient in use. This is effected by attaching a carrier to the
front of the frame of the revolver fire-arm by means of a screw or pivot.
This carrier contains a tubular guide through which the ejector works,
and it is so arranged that the tubular guide coincides with the hole in
the centre of the cylinder rod in one position, and with the chambers of
the revolving cylinder in another position. The ejector is secured to

page_text: the carrier by means of a fixed head at one end and a moveable head at
the other, and is kept in position by means of a spring contained in the
interior of the tubular guide.
When the ejector is required to be used for ejecting the empty
cartridge cases from the chambers of the revolving cylinder, the carrier
is turned outwards until the tubular guide containing the ejector is
opposite the chamber; the ejector is then forced into the chamber and
the empty cartridge case ejected. For the purpose of preventing it from
being turned beyond the necessary point, the carrier has within itself a
moveable bolt which is inserted in an aperture provided for its reception,
and which bolt is actuated and kept in position by means of a spiral
spring, the whole being secured by a screw inserted into the outer end
of the aperture, and this screw is prevented from becoming loose by
means of the head of the screw or pivot on which the carrier turns being
made sufficiently large to partially cover it. A slot is formed of the
requisite size and depth in front of the frame of the revolver fire-arm
for the end of the spring bolt contained within the carrier to work in.
The length of this slot regulates the distance the carrier should traverse.
At each end of this slot a conical recess is formed so as to keep the
carrier'in position both when the tubular guide is opposite the chamber
of the cylinder and the centre hole in the cylinder rod, which is made
hollow for the reception of the ejector.
The cylinder is locked in position when the ejector is being used for
ejecting the cartridge cases by means of a bolt carrying within itself a
spiral spring, both of which are kept in position by a screw which is
inserted into the opposite side of the frame and closing the hole through
which the bolt and spring pass. This bolt works through the face of
the frame and fits into two recesses or notches formed respectively at
either end of the cylinder rod, so as to secure it when in its normal
position or when withdrawn for the purpose of removing the revolving
cylinder. A circular groove of the size and circumference of the
cylinder rod is cut into this bolt, and when it is required to withdraw
the cylinder rod or push it into its normal position this bolt is depressed
by the thumb until the cylinder rod can be withdrawn or pushed in, as
may be required. On removing the pressure the bolt is fixed by the
spiral spring into one of the two recesses or notches cut in either end of
the cylinder rod.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Adams in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ADAMS, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Revolver Manu-
facturer, 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-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Adams, Her special licence that I, the
said John Adams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Adams, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BREECH-
LOADING REVOLVER FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I; -|
the said John Adams, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Adams, 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 figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in the construction of breech-loading"
revolver fire-arms in such a manner that the ejector or rod for removing
the empty cartridge cases from the revolving chambers will when not in
use partially be in the centre of the cylinder rod, and is thus protected
from the chance of being accidently bent, and also tends to make the

page_text: arm more convenient in use. This is effected by attaching a carrier to
the front of the frame of the revolver fire-arm by means of a screw or
pivot. This carrier contains a tubular guide through which the ejector
works, and is so arranged that the tubular guide coincides with the hole
in the centre of the cylinder when in one position, and with the chambers
of the revolving cylinder when in another position. The ejector is
secured to the tubular guide by means of a fixed head at one end and a
moveable head at the other end, and is kept in position by means of a
spring contained in the interior of the tubular guide.
°
When the ejector is required to be used for ejecting the empty
cartridge cases from the chambers of the revolving cylinder the carrier
is turned outwards until the tubular guide containing the ejector is
opposite the chamber, the ejector is then forced into the chamber and
the empty cartridge case ejected. For the purpose of preventing it from
being turned beyond the necessary point the carrier has within itself a
moveable bolt, which is inserted in an aperture provided for its reception,
and which, bolt is actuated and kept in position by means of a spiral
spring, the whole being secured by a screw inserted into the outer end
of the aperture, and this screw is prevented from becoming loose by
means of the head of the screw or pivot on which the carrier turns,
which is made sufficiently large to partially cover it. A slot is formed
of the requisite size and depth in front of the frame of the revolver fire-
for the end of the spring bolt contained within the carrier to work
in. The length of this slot regulates the distance the carrier should
traverse. At each end of this slot a conical recess is formed so as to
keep the carrier in position, both when the tubular guide is opposite the
chamber of the cylinder and when opposite the centre hole in the
cylinder rod, which is made hollow for the reception of the ejector..
arm
f
'
The cylinder rod is locked in position when the ejector is being used for
ejecting the cartridge cases by means of a bolt carrying within itself a
spiral spring, both of which are kept in position by a screw which is
inserted into the opposite side of the frame, and closing the hole through
which the bolt and spring pass. This last mentioned bolt works through
the face of the frame and fits into two recesses or notches, formed
respectively at either end of the cylinder rod so as to secure it when in
its normal position or when withdrawn for the purpose of removing the
revolving cylinder. A circular groove of the size and circumference of
the cylinder rod is cut into this bolt, and when it is required to withraw

page_text: the cylinder rod or push it into its normal position the bolt is depressed
by the thumb until the cylinder rod can be withdrawn or pushed in as
may be required. On removing the pressure the bolt is forced by the
spiral spring into one of the two recesses or notches cut in either end of
the cylinder rod.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which,
the nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
.
Figure 1 is a side view of a revolver fire-arm, shewing the ejector in
the centre of the cylinder rod. A is the barrel of the revolver fire-arm;
B, the revolving cylinder; C, the hollow cylinder rod, which is shewn
in dotted lines; D, the carrier, carrying the tubular guide E through
which the ejector F works, d being the screw or pivot with the large
head on which the carrier turns; E is the tubular guide; F, the ejector,
working through the same, f being the fixed head at one end of the
ejector F, and f¹ the moveable head secured by means of the small
screw to the other end; .G is the frame of the revolver; and H is the
small bolt which keeps the cylinder rod in position.
Figure 2 is a side view of a barrel and portion of the frame of a
revolver with thè revolving cylinder removed. A is the barrel; B, the
frame; C, the carrier; c, the screw or pivot on which the same turns;
D, the tubular guide; E, the ejector; F, the cylinder rod, with the
ejector lying in its centre, shewn in dotted lines; G, the small bolt,
which keeps the cylinder rod in position.
Figure 3 is a front view of a portion of a revolver, shewing the ejector
in position, for ejecting the empty cartridge cases; A is the barrel; B,
the revolving cylinder; C, the hollow cylinder rod; D, the carrier, d
being the head of the screw or pivot on which the same turns; d, the
screw which keeps the spring bolt contained in the carrier in position ;
and d, the slot cut in the front of the frame for the spring bolt to work
in; and E is the ejector.`
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the revolving cylinder, and
portion of the frame and barrel of a revolver constructed in accordance
with my present Invention. A is the barrel; B, the revolving cylinder;
C, the hollow cylinder rod with the ejector D, the latter being partially
in its centre; c, the small bolt, which keeps the cylinder rod in position;
c and c are two recesses or notches cut in either end of the cylinder rod
.

page_text: for its reception; E is the carrier; e, the screw or pivot on which it
turns; e, the small bolt contained in the carrier, and actuated by the
small spiral spring e, which is kept in position by the screw e³; and F
is the tubular guide.
Figures 5 and 6 are views of the carrier and tubular guide, shewing i
the position of the spring contained therein for the purpose of keeping
the ejector in its position. A is the carrier; B, the tubular guide; b,
the spring; and C, the ejector; and Figure 7 is a detached view of the
spring b.
Figure 8 is a portion of the front of a frame of a revolver, shewn
partly in section. A is the barrel; B, the frame; C, the hole into
which the screw or pivot on which the carrier turns enters, d being the
slot with the conical recess at each end, in which the small bolt con-
tained in the carrier works; e is the small spring bolt which holds the
.cylinder rod in position, e¹ being the circular groove of the size and cir-
cumference of the cylinder rod cut therein; e², the small spiral spring
which keeps the bolt in position; and e³, the screw which secures the
whole.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in a
conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said hercin-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of parts
and mechanism in the construction of breech-loading revolver fire-arms,
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth and described,
or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Adams, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eighth hundred and seventy-three.