AN IMPROVEMENT IN ORDNANCE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Maudslay, of the Westminster Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN ORDNANCE."
Sealed the 26th January 1855, and dated the 2nd December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Maudslay at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd December 1854.
I, JOSEPH MAUDSLAY, of the Westminster Road, Lambeth, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN ORDNANCE" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of forming each piece of ordnance with an opening
through the breech at right angles to the barrel, and, by preference, in a ver-
tical direction, within which opening or passage a breech piece is moved, so as
at one time to be in a position at the end of the barrel, to have its charge of
powder discharged-through-the barrel, and at-another-time-oppósite an open-
ing through the breech, and in position to receive a cartridge, the hinder end of
the barrel being then open to receive a ball or other projectile. The back
side of the passage through the breech is slightly inclined, so that the moving
breech may fit closely when in position to have the charge therein fired, and
yet move freely in other parts of the opening or passage through the
gun.

page_text: It is preferred that the diameter of the bore of the moveable breech should
be less than the barrel through which the charge' is fired. The hinder part of
the piece of ordnance opposite the end of the barrel is solid, and forms a solid
end to the moving breech when the same, is brought into the position to have
a charge fired. The moving breech may be moved by rack and pinion, or by
other convenient mechanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Maudslay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MAUDSLAY, of the Westminster Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting..
at
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen. Victoria, by Her Letters-
Patent, bearing date the Second 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 Joseph Maudslay, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Maudslay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Joseph Maudslay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
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 "AN IM-
PROVEMENT IN ORDNANCE," upon, the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph-Maudslay,-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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters. Patent.
NOW KNOW YE,, that I,. the said Joseph Maudslay, do hereby declare.
the nature of the 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 (that is to say)::
This Invention consists of an arrangement for enabling pieces of ordnance
to be loaded at the breech in the following manner

page_text: The gun is so made at the breech end as to allow of an oblong aperture
through the side sufficiently large to receive a breech piece or charge chamber,
which rests on two-pivots, so placed as to keep it in balance, and which
enables the charge chamber to be easily moved round sideways by a rack and
pinion, or other suitable nieans, so that the open end of the chamber may
receive the powder and shot, and be then returned to its position for firing,
where the bore of the charge chamber is in a right line with the bore in the
body of the gun. This chamber is also moved forward into, close contact
with the body of the gun, in order to prevent escape and consequent loss of
effect, in the discharge, by means of a powerful screw or wedge. By this
arrangement, the gun can be readily loaded and discharged without exposing.
the men, as at present, near the mouth of the piece. It likewise affords
the means of inserting a ball or other projectile that shall-more, closely fit the
bore of the gun.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews, a side elevation of a. piece, of ordnance constructed on the
above principle, the breech end having a horizontal opening through it to
receive the breech piece. I would remark that the breech piece or charge
chamber, (which is open at one end and closed at the other,) may be made of
different metal to that of which the gun itself is constructed, wrought iron
being preferred; and, if desirable, it may be so constructed that the open end to
receive the charge may turn upwards instead of sideways, as described. Figure 2
is a back end view, Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, and
Figure 5 shows a horizontal section, of the breech end of the gun. In each
of these Figures the same letters of reference are used to indicate like parts.
A is the gun, formed with an enlarged and strong breech, with an opening b
through it, to receive the breech piece C, which turns on the points d, d, there
being a slight play in these points of bearing to admit of the breech piece C
being set up tightly by the screw e against the end of the barrel of the gun a,
there being a recess formed in the back end of the breech piece C to receive
the end of the screw e, and to secure it in the right position to be discharged.
The breech piece is formed with a toothed rack f, into which the pinion on the
axis g takes. h.is.a handle, fixed on the axis g, by turning which the breech
piece C is moved into and out from the opening; when it has been moved
out, it will be in a position to receive a cartridge, and also a ball or other
projectile.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself

page_text: to the precise details so long as the peculiar character of my Invention is
retained; but what I claim is, the combination of parts herein described,
whereby a breech-loading gun is produced, having a distinct chamber open
only at one end to contain the powder and shot, which chamber is capable of
being moved on pivots so as to receive the charge, and be then returned readily
to its position for firing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Maudslay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
4, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn.
JOSEPH MAUDSLAY. (L.S.)