A NEW RIFLE CARRIAGE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Samson Thomas, of 17, Cornhill, in the
City of London, and Hooks Villa, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, for the Invention of “A NEW RIFLE CARRIAGE.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Samson Thomas
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1854.
I, FREDERICK SAMSON THOMAS, of 17, Cornhill, in the City of London, and
Hooks Villa, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "A NEW RIFLE CARRIAGE" to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of a carriage which travels upon four wheels with
springs, and terminates in a platform. Upon this platform I place two cases
filled with rifle barrels arranged in tiers, each case containing 90 or upwards
of rifle barrels; these rifle barrels are capable of being all loaded simultaneously
at the breech, and of being discharged simultaneously, or in tiers, or in sections.
These cases of rifle barrels traverse upon the platform so that they are capable
of being discharged either all on one side, or half on one side & half on the
other, or half on one side and half in the rear.
These cases of rifles are capable of being managed and discharged by two
men with equal rapidity as a single rifle, consequently, two men are thereby

page_text: made as effective as 180 men, or are equal to as many troops as the arrange-
ment of barrels consists of; and as the carriage is capable of travelling with
the rapidity of cavalry or light artillery, and carrying its attendants at such
speed, great advantage is obtained in taking up or changing a position.
The balls from these rifle barrels can all be thrown into one concentrated
body, or they can be distributed at pleasure.
I adapt the same arrangement of rifle barrels for the decks of vessels of war,
or for their tops, or for the walls or mounds of fortifications or entrench-
ments.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Samson Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
SAMSON THOMAS, of 17, Cornhill, in the City of London, and Hooks Villa,
Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Frederick Samson Thomas, Her special license that 1, the said
Frederick Samson Thomas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Frederick Samson Thomas, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no cthers, 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 of "A NEW RIPLE CARRIAGE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Frederick Samson Thomas, 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 per-
formed, 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.
7
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Samson Thomas, 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

page_text: following statement thereof, reference being had to the figures of the Drawings
hereto annexed, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in the arrangement of rifle, musket, or pistol barrels
on carriages or supports, whereby a large number of discharges may be effected
at one time. The barrels are placed in close parallel tiers, and may be loaded
at the breech by one operation.
The new arrangements of fire-arms can be employed either for transport in
field service upon a carriage, or upon a platform in fortifications, and for the
decks or tops of vessels of war, or for the bullwarks of vessels. By means of
such arrangements, the power is afforded to one person to load and discharge a
number of rifle, musket, or pistol barrels in as short or nearly as short a period
and with greater precision than can be effected by a single barrel of the
ordinary fire-arms. The means by which I effect the foregoing objects will be
more clearly understood by the aid of the accompanying Drawings. Drawing I.
Figure 1, represents an elevation of the rifle armament; the form of the carriage
itself is not arbitrary, the only things needful being that it should be made
strong enough to carry a platform A, on which the rifle cases B, B, are placed,
and that the wheels of the carriage should revolve under the platform, which is
set on springs C, C, so formed as to leave room for the traversing of the pivot
D of the rifle case over the axle. The wheels are protected by a fender E.
The steadiness of the carriage against recoil is assisted by stays F, F, capable
of rapid adjustment. This Figure represents the position of the rifle cases on
the platform with their traversing wheels G, G, as also the position and length
of the pivot D, D, by which they are fixed to the platform.
Figure 2 represents the arrangements on and in the platform. A is one
of the rifle cases in position, the other being placed at B, at the four angles
of which are shewn the sunken wheels C, C, C, C, on which the case tra-
verses, and whereby a facility of range is obtained. I) is the chamber, which
receives the pivot upon which the case turns. The pivot has a joint which
admits of the elevation or depression of the case; it extends one foot through
the platform, and is surrounded with india-rubber washers, to assist in breaking
the recoil, as shewn at D, Figure 1. E is a chamber fitted with springs, in
which the pivot traverses. These springs receive the pivot and subdue the
recoil of the cases. On either side of the platform between it and the case are
screws, whereby the elevation or depression of the cases is effected. In the
centre of the platform are chambers for the cartridges G, G. Drawing II:,
Figure 1, represents the rifle case drawn to an enlarged scale, with the breech
doors A, A, open, and the hammer trigger B turned back. When the breech
doors are open they disclose the breeches of the rifle barrels, and permit of their

page_text: being loaded and primed. The closing of these doors secures the charge in
the breeches and prepares the pieces for firing.
Figure 2 represents a plan of the rifle case with the top removed, shewing
one tier of barrels ranged parallel with each other. The barrels are received
in two racks A and B.
Both of these racks are cut into joints. The rack B which receives the
muzzles of the barrels has a movement, whereby each joint is capable of being
opened from or drawn towards the centre, as seen in the elevation of this rack
at Figure 3. By the distention or contraction of this rack the distribution of
the charge is effected at pleasure. This movement is effected by turning a
thumb screw A, Figure 2. The motion of the breech rack responds in a less
degree to the expansion or contraction of the muzzle rack..
Figure 4 represents a section of the doors of the case and their counterparts,
in which the breeches of the rifles are held. The breeches of the rifles are
open at each tier at A, and are closed by the block B. C is a chamber which
receives the priming; the recoil of the discharge is received upon the block B,
behind which is an india-rubber pad or buffer D. This india-rubber pad or
buffer is intended to break the force of recoil of the discharge upon the
door...
Each tier of barrels is provided with a spring trigger, as shewn in Figure 1,
Drawing I., and Figure 2, Drawing II. This hammer strikes in the centre of
each tier upon a percussion tube, to which is attached a muslin bag filled with
gunpowder, extending along the whole of each tier of rifle breeches, and
lying in the chamber C, Figure 4. The fire of this train communicates to a
cartridge of peculiar form, shewn at Figure 5, Drawing II. The ball of the
cartridge is fixed in a tube holding the powder, and is secured at the other
end by a muslin shield, through which the explosion of the priming train
passes freely.
The cartridge, upon loading, is inserted into the open breech, and as the
barrel after each discharge is opened from end to end, it is not susceptible of
fouling. The arrangement for the decks of vessels consists in taking as much
of the platform as belongs to each case and its rifle case, and fixing the same
upon suitable supports. The arrangement for the tops of vessels consists in
slinging the case with its platform from the sides. The arrangement for the
bullwarks of vessels consists in employing pistol barrels in a similar manner to
the rifle barrels.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise arrangements herein laid down, so long as the

page_text: peculiar features of my Invention be retained. But what I claim as new, and
intended to be protected by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
-
Firstly, the arrangement of the rifle cases, as herein-before described and
referred to in the Figures the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, the arrangement for closing the breeches, as herein-before described
and referred to in Figures 1 and 4, Drawing II.
Thirdly, the arrangement of the racks in which the rifle barrels are inserted,
and the mode of distending or contracting the muzzles of the same at the
joints, as herein-before described and referred to in Figures 2 and 3,
Drawing II.
Fourthly, the mode of constructing the cartridge, and the contrivance for
priming and firing the same, as herein-before described and referred to in
Figures 4 and 5, Drawing II.
Fifthly, the arrangement of the platform for supporting the rifle cases, and
the contrivances for subduing recoil, and for effecting facility of range, elevation,
and depression, as herein-before described and referred to in Figures 1 and 2,
Drawing I.
Sixthly, the shields for protecting the wheels and the stays for supporting or
steadying the carriage, as herein-before described and referred to in Figure 1,
Drawing I.
Seventhly, the arrangement of cases of rifle or pistol barrels with platforms
upon carriages or supports for field service, for fortifications, or for the decks or
tops or bullwarks of vessels, as herein-before described and referred to in the
various figures of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Samson Thomas, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE.
FRED S. THOMAS. (L.S.)