IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Winiwarter, of 38, Red Lion Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 5th August 1853, and dated the 12th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Winiwarter
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th February 1853.
I, GEORGE WINIWARTER, of 38, Red Lion Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
The Drawings hereunto annexed represents a section of a pistol con-
structed according to my Invention.
A, A, is the barrel, which is loaded at the breech, as usual in fire-
arms constructed upon the needle principle of action. The barrel is
hinged at a, to the stock B, and is free to be lowered into the position
shewn by the dotted lines, so as to receive the charge. C, is the needle
for exploding the charge. This needle is connected to the tumbler D,

page_text: main spring E, and trigger F, in the usual manner in fire-arms of this
description. G, is a moveable breech, which is screwed into the casing
H. In the end of the barrel A, at c, as also in the moveable breech
at d, are turned circular grooves concentric with one another, and into
each of which is fitted a ring of vulcanized india-rubber e, e. I, is a
tube, square upon the outside, which is attached by the screws f, f, to
the moveable breech G. K, is a bevil wheel upon the tube I, geared
into by the bevil pinion L, upon the spindle of which is keyed the handle
M, shewn in dotted lines. Thee wheel K, is retained always in gear with
the pinion L by the collar h; but' tlie tube I, is free to slide in the
square hole in the centre when acted upon in the manner hereafter to
be explained. The mode of using this pistol is as follows :---To load
the pistol the barrel is turned down, as indicated by the dotted lines,
and the charge placed in the breech. The barrel is then restored to
its proper position, and the handle M, turned round, which gives motion
to the pinion L, and bevil wheel K, which by its rotation causes the
tube I, also to revolve; and the action of the screw on the moveable
breech G, causes it to be moved forward until the circular projections
i, i, are thrust into the circular grooves c, d, and firmly abut against
the india-rubber rings e, e, by which not only is the barrel retained
securely in its place, but all escape of the gases consequent upon the
firing of the charge is entirely prevented. The needle is drawn back
by means of the cock O, shewn in red lines, and the pistol discharged
by the trigger F, the pull of which causes the main spring E, to act
upon the tumbler D, and forcibly thrust the needle forward' into the
charge. The handle M, is then turned back; which withdraws the
moveable breech, and allows the barrel to bé turned 'down to receive a
fresh charge. The moveable breech, at the same time that it is being
-withdrawn, forces back the needle to half cock, and so renders it per-
fectly secure from accidentally firing. the charge:: P, is 'an foil reservoir
formed in the back of the moveable breech, and closed' by the stuffing
box Q, for the purpose of greasing the needle in order to prevent its
.corrosion.
"Although I have shewn the various improvements above described
.as applied to pistols, I wish it to be understood that the same arrange

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Winiwarter in the Great Seal Patent Office!
on the 12th August 1853. ...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE WINIWARTER, of 38, Red Lion Square, in the County of Mid->
dlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
!3.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Winiwarter, Her special licence that I, the
said George Winiwarter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Winiwarter, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no otliers; 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' Islé
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said George Winiwarter, "by an in-
strument 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 George Winiwarter, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say: ..

page_text: My Invention has relation to improvements in that class of fire-arms
known as the breech-loading needle fire-arm, in which the charge is
inserted at the breech, and caused to be exploded by means of a needle
being forcibly protruded into the charge by a suitable arrangement of
mechanism in connection with the trigger. It has been found that in
fire-arms of this description, but constructed in the ordinary manner,
that the connection between the barrel and the stock at the breech has
been more or less imperfect, and that in consequence thereof the gases
arising from the explosion of the charge have escaped, whereby the
projectile or explosive force has been diminished, and the piece is ren-
dered imperfect at those parts consequent upon corrosion after frequent
firing. The Drawings hereunto annexed represent a pistol constructed
with my improvements, whereby all escape of the gases is prevented by
the connection at the breech being more perfect.
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of a pistol constructed according to
my Invention. A, A, is the barrel, which is hinged at a, to the stock B,
and is free to be turned down into the position shewn by the dotted
lines, so as to receive the charge. C, is the needle for exploding the
charge; this needle is connected to the tumbler D, main spring E, and.
trigger F, in the usual manner in fire-arms of this description. G, is a
moveal breech, which is screwed into the casing H. In the end of the
barrel A, ac c, and also in the moveable breech at d, are turned circular
grooves concentric with one another, into each of which is fitted a ring
of vulcanized india-rubber e, e. I, is a tube, square upon the outside,
which is attached by the screws f, f, to the moveable breech G. K, is
a bevil wheel upon the tube I, geared into by the bevil pinion L, upon
the spindle of which is keyed the bandle M, shewn in dotted lines. The
wheel K, is retained always in gear with the pinion L, by the collar h;
but the tube I, is free to slide in the square hole in the centre of the
wheel K, when acted upon in the manner hereafter to be explained.
The mode of using this pistol is as follows:-To load the pistol the
barrel is turned down, as indicated by the dotted lines, and the charge
placed in the breech; the barrel is then restored to its proper position,
and the handle M, is turned round, which gives motion to the pinion L,
and bevil wheel K, which by its rotation causes the tube also to revolve;

page_text: and the action of the screws on the moveable breech G, causes it to be
moved forward until the circular projections i, i, are thrust into the
circular grooves, and firmly abut against the india-rubber rings é, e, by
which not only is the barrel retained securely in its place, but all escape
of the gases consequent upon the firing of the charge is entirely pre-
vented. The needle is drawn back by means of the cock O, shewn in'
red lines, and the pistol discharged by the trigger F, the pull of which
causes the main spring E, to act upon the tumbler D, and forcibly thrust
the needle forward through the percussion cap into the charge. The
handle M, is then turned back, which withdraws the moveable breech,
and allows the barrel to be turned down to receive a fresh charge.
The moveable breech, at the same time that it is being withdrawn, forces:
back the needle to half cock. P, is an oil reservoir formed in the back.
of the moveable breech, and closed by the stuffing box Q, for the pur-
pose of greasing the needle in order to prevent its corrosion.
Figures 2, and 3, are respectively a longitudinal section and plan of
the upper side, also in section, of a modification of the above arrange-
ments, also shewn as applied to a pistol. Similar letters refer to similar
parts of the pistol before described, and represented in Figure 1. In this
arrangement I am enabled to dispense with the bevil wheels and handle
M, and substitute in lieu thereof a screw R, of one, two, or more:
threads cut on the outside of the tube I, which in this case is made
round, instead of square. S, is a nut cut with an interior thread.
corresponding with the screw R. This nut has cut on either side of it
a groove:m, in which the forked end of a lever T, takes. This lever is
centred at n, and the lower and longer portion of it forms the trigger
guard when placed in its proper position before discharging the pistol,
where it is retained by the catch o. The nut S, is prevented from
turning round when caused to slide along the tube I, by means of a
groove cut in its under side into which the plate U, of the stock fits, as
represented in Figure 4.
Figure 5, is a separate view of the needle. The action of this.
arrangement is as follows:-When it is desired to load the pistol the
catch o, is bent down so as to liberate the trigger guard, which, upon
its being pushed forward into the position indicated by the dotted lines,

page_text: "
causes the nut, S, to slide along the tube I, and by means of the
screw R, causes it to rotate, which withdraws the moveable breech G,
and with it the circular projections i,, i, whereby the barrel-is liberated
and capable of being turned down so as to receive the charge, after
which the barrel is restored; and by bringing the lever T, into its
proper position to serve as the trigger guard the nut S, is caused to
slide forward on the tube I, and the moveable breech, replaced, which
causes the circular projections. to enter the concentric: grooves, and
thereby render the barrel firm in its place, and prevent the escape of
the gases.
Although I have shewn the various improvements, above described.
as applied to pistols, I wish it to be understood that the same arrange-
ments for closing, the breech to prevent the escape of gases, and
the method of greasing the needle, may also be applied with slight
modifications to fire-arms and ordnance of all descriptions, where the
loading is effected at the breech..
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim-
the several arrangements and combinations of mechanism, together with
the use of vulcanized india-rubber. rings for closing the brecch. of fire-
arms and ordnance, and also, the method of greasing the needle, as
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings hereunto.
annexed..
"In witness' whereof, I; the said George Winiwarter, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.
GEORGE WINIWARTER. (L.S.)"