IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bentley, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 26th September 1854, and dated the 4th April 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bentley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
April 1854.
I, JOSEPH BENTLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gun Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS " to be as follows:-
To construct (say) a gun according to this Invention, the lower limb of the
hammer is elongated, so as to extend below the lock frame a little in front of
the trigger; by which arrangement, when the lower end is pressed forward
(which can be instantly done by the thumb of the left hand), the hammer
receeds back to half or full cock at pleasure. The hammer is attached by a
swivel link to the main spring; the lower front end of the main spring also acts
as a spring to force and keep the trigger into notches formed in the base of
the hammer, and by which it is held up. The chambers are caused to revolve
by means of a small lever (connected by a pin to the side of the hammer, and)
working (within a recess in the inside of the stock frame) against a toothed
ratchet formed on the back of the revolving chambered breech, in the same
way as described by the applicant in a Specification of a Patent granted to him,
dated 4th December 1852.

page_text: The chambers are securely held in their position when the gun is on
full cock, and until the point of the hammer has been in contact with the
nipple and returned to half cock by a small lever bolt or stop, which works in
a recess or groove formed in the stock frame immediately below the chambers.
This stop bolt consists of a small piece of metal working on a transverse pin
about two-thirds of its length from the front end. On the upper side of the
front end there is a projection, which takes into recesses formed in the surface
of the revolving chambers, into which it is pressed by a small spring placed
beneath that end; the near or reverse end is turned upwards to about one-
fourth the height of the entire length of the lever; upon the back of the top of
the portion turned up, a catch or projecting notch is formed, and which is used
to lift that end of the lever and consequently depress the other, so that the
projecting stop upon the top of the other end is withdrawn from the recess in
the rotating chambers to allow them to revolve, and bring the next chamber
into a position to be discharged, the catch taking into the next notch, and so
on. This stop or chamber bolt is withdrawn from the recesses in the revolving
breech by means of a "pall" (or small piece of metal) jointed to the front of
the lower limb of the hammer, and which is provided with a spring at the
back, so that it can yield in a backward direction to allow it to pass the pro-
jecting notch on the back of the chamber bolt, when by the action of the
hammer it is carried below it, when it is ready to press it up on the next
upward action of the hammer. When the hammer arrives at a little past half
cock, they (the pall and chambers bolt) disconnect themselves, so that the near
end of the chamber lever bolt is again pressed downwards by the action of the
spring under the outer end, pressing up that end against the revolving cham-
bers and into one of the recesses cut therein, when it arrives just above it, and
remains there until the piece is discharged and the hammer is again brought
back.
That the foregoing description may be the more readily understood,
annexed is a Drawing (partially in section), showing this Invention applied to
a gun. Like letters refer to similar parts. A, the hammer (or cock) working
on its pin at a. B, the trigger; 6, the trigger guard. C, the main spring,
with its lower front end acting as a spring to keep the trigger in position,
and connected to the hammer by the swival link c. D, a pall or lever (jointed
to the lower limb of the hammer), for causing the chambers to rotate by acting
upon a ratchet on the back of the chambers; d, a spring to keep the lever to
its work. E, the lever stop or bolt, by which the chambers are securely held
during the act of fireing, and working on a transverse pin at e. F, spring,
to press the outer end of the breech bolt upwards. f, recesses formed in the

page_text: breech, to receive the projection upon the top of the bolt E. G, a small
pall or lever (jointed to the hammer by a pin at g), to press upwards the near
end of the lever E. H, a spring, to allow the pall G to yield a little back-
wards in passing the projection on the back of the chamber bolting lever E.
K, the stock (partially shown). L, the stock frame (partially in section).
M, rotating breech. N, barrel, partially shown.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Bentley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BENTLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gun Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, 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 Joseph Bentley, Her special license that I, the said Joseph Bentley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Bentley, 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 BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Bentley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 Joseph Bentley, 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 state-
ment, reference being had to the Drawing thereunto annexed, and to the
letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
To construct a gun according to this Invention, the lower portion or limb of
the hammer is elongated, so as to extend below the lock frame (or body) a little

page_text: in front of the trigger; by which arrangement, when the lower end is pressed
forward (which can be instantly done by the thumb of the left hand), the
hammer receeds back to half or full cock at pleasure. The hammer is attached
by a swivel link to the main spring; the lower front end of main spring also
act as a spring to force and keep the trigger into notches formed in the base of
the hammer, and by which it is held up.
The chambers are caused to revolve by means of a small lever, connected
by a pin to the side of the hammer, and working within a recess in the inside
of the stock frame against a toothed ratchet formed on the base of the revol-
ving chambered breech (in the same way as described in a Specification of a
Patent granted to me, dated the Fourth December 1852).
The chambers are securely held in their position when the gun is on full
cock, and until the point of the hammer has been in contact with the nipple
and returned to half cock, by a small lever bolt or stop, which works in a recess
or groove formed in the stock frame immediately below the chambers. This
stop bolt consists of a small piece of metal working on a transverse pin, about
two-thirds of its length from the front end; on the upper side of the front end
there is a projection which takes into recesses formed in the surface of the
revolving chambered breech, into which it is pressed by a small spring placed
beneath that end; the near or reverse end is turned upwards to about one-
fourth the height of the entire length of the lever. Upon the back of the top
of the portion turned up, a catch or projecting notch is formed, and which is
used to lift that end of the lever, and consequently depress the other, so that
the projecting stop upon the top of the other end is withdrawn from the recess
in the rotating chambers, to allow them to revolve and bring the next chamber
into a position to be discharged, the catch taking into the next notch, and so
on. This stop or chamber bolt is withdrawn from the recesses in the revolving
breech by means of a "pall," or small piece of metal, jointed to the front of
the body of the hammer, and which is provided with a spring at the back,
so that it can yield in a backward direction to allow it to pass the projecting
notch on the back of the chamber bolt, when by the action of the hammer it
is carried below it, when it is ready to press it up on the next upward action
of the hammer. When the hammer arrives at a little past half cock, they
(the "pall and chamber bolt) disconnect themselves, so that the near end of the
chamber lever bolt is again pressed downwards by the action of the spring
under the outer end, pressing up that end against the revolving chambers and
into one of the recesses cut therein, when it arrives just above it, and remains
there until the piece is discharged and the hammer is again drawn back.
Beneath the barrel and immediately in front of the lower portion of the

page_text: revolving chambers, I place a short ramrod, having a screw formed upon it,
and which works through a hole formed in the metal, by which the barrel is
attached to the stock frame. The ramrod has a short lever attached to its
outer end, by which it is worked. The chamber to be rammed being brought
in front of the end of the rod, the charge is forced home by merely giving the
rod a short turn.
That this Invention may be the more clearly seen and understood, I have
hereunto annexed à Drawing (partially in section) of so much of a gun as will
be requisite to show the application of my improvements to a gun. My
Invention is equally applicable to repeating fire-arms in general. Like letters
relate to similar parts.
A, the hammer or cock (working on its pin at a), having the lower portion
(or limb) formed to extend below the stock frame. The piece is cocked or
placed at half cock, and the revolving chambers brought in rotation opposite to
the bore in the barrel of the gun ready to be discharged, upon the lower
limb of the hammer being pressed forward, which can be instantly done by the
thumb of the left hand, and without taking the gun from the shoulder. B, the
trigger; b, trigger guard. C, the main spring, with its lower front end acting
as a spring to keep the trigger in position, and connected to the hammer
by the swivel link c. D, a "pall" or lever, jointed to the front of the body
of the hammer, for causing the chambers to rotate by acting upon a ratchet
on the back of the chambers; d, a spring to keep the lever to its work. E,
the lever stop or bolt, by which the chambers are securely held during the
act of firing, and working on a transverse pin at e. F, spring, to press the
outer end of the breech bolt upwards. f, recesses formed in the breech, to
receive the projection upon the top of the bolt E. G, a small "pall" or lever
(jointed to the hammer by a pin at g), to press upwards the near end of the
lever E. H, a spring, to allow the pall G to yield a little backwards in
passing the projection on the back of the chamber bolting lever E. K, the
stock (partially shewn). L, the stock frame, partly in section. M, rotating
breech. N, barrel (partially shewn). 0, screw ramrod, place to work
beneath the barrel, so that the chambers can be brought in rotation opposite
the end of the rod.
Having now described my Invention, and in what manner the same may be
performed, what I claim is,-
First, the application to breech-loading fire-arms of the hammer (or cock)
having the limb or "comb" formed to extend below the stock frame, as herein-
before described.
Secondly, the use of a screw ramrod, as herein-before described.

page_text: Thirdly and lastly, the general arrangements and combination of the various
parts to form a lock suitable for repeating firearms, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bentley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOSEPH (L.s.) BENTLEY.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER.