IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Harvey, of 68, South Street,
Exeter, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
ARMS."
Sealed the 22nd July 1858, and dated the 26th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James
Harvey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 26th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY, of 68, South Street, Exeter, Gun
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a series of short barrels (to receive the
charges) made in one piece, each barrel having a nipple at the back
end. This series of barrels revolve on an axis fixed to the butt or
breech, and the barrel through which the discharges take place is
fixed to the axis in front of the revolving barrels. Such barrel has on
it a guard, which covers the short revolving barrels; the advantage is,

page_text: to prevent the charge getting damp or injured; consequently, in order
to load them the front barrel, with the guard attached, is removed.
In front of the lock there is a hollow chamber, within which the
series of barrels revolve, and is closely covered thereby, so as to prevent
wet getting to the caps on the nipples.
The series of barrels is made to revolve, step by step, in rotation, by
means of a lever put in motion by the trigger; also the bolt or slide on
the inside is moved forward and locks the revolving barrels, which
prevents more than one being fired at each time.
The bolt on the outside, on the left, is pressed in on pulling back the
trigger about half way, which retains the cock or striker from any
accident in loading; it cannot act unless the trigger is pulled back
for use, when the same action causes the bolt to recede in its place
again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William James Harvey in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 25th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY, of 68, South Street, Exeter, Gun Maker.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William James Harvey, Her special
licence that I, the said William James Harvey, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William James
Harvey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-

page_text: tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William James Harvey, 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 William James Harvey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of a series of short barrels (to receive the
charges) made in one piece, each barrel having a nipple at the back
end. This series of barrels revolve on an axis fixed to the butt or
breech, and the barrel through which the discharges take place is.
fixed to the axis in front of the revolving barrels; such barrel has in
it a guard, which covers the short revolving barrels; the advantage
is, to prevent the charge getting damp or injured; consequently, in.
order to load them the front barrel, with the guard attached, is
removed.
In front of the lock there is a hollow chamber, within which the
series of barrels revolve, and is closely covered thereby, so as to prévent
wet getting to the caps on the nipples.
The series of barrels is made to revolve, step by step, in rotation, by
means of a lever put in motion by the trigger; also the bolt or slide on
the inside is moved forward and locks the revolving barrels, which
prevents more than one being fired at each time.
The bolt on the outside on the left is pressed in on pulling back the
trigger about half way, which retains the cock or striker from any
accident in loading; it cannot act unless the trigger is pulled back
for use, when the same action causes the bolt to recede into its place
again.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
.

page_text: Figure 1, shows a longitudinal section of a pistol constructed
according to my Invention. Figure 2, shows two views of the barrel
separately, and shield in front of the short barrels, which contain the
charges. Figure 3, shows a back end view of the short barrels which
receive the charges, and which revolve on an axis, in order, in succes-
sion, to come opposite the end of the stationary barrel. The other
views show some of the parts separately. In each of these figures the
same letters are used to indicate the same parts. a, a, are the short
barrels which receive the charges. These barrels a, are carried by the
fixed axis b, and are capable of revolving thereon; and the barrel c,
through which the charges are all fired, is keyed on to the axis b, by a
key d, the axis itself being fixed to the stock or handle by means of the
plate e, which has flanges e', which form a cylindrical guard to the
nipples, and the detonating caps placed thereon. The centre of the
plate e, is made to receive the ratchet f, formed at the back of the
barrels a; and through the plate e, is a slot, in which the end of a
lever h, works, and by which the barrels a, are turned partly round, so
as to bring up another barrel a, correctly to fire through the barrel c,
by the end of the lever h, acting on one of the teeth of the ratchet;
and, in order to prevent the barrels a, being moved too far, a sliding
bolt i, moves through a hole in the plate e, and locks the barrels from
being moved too far. j, is the trigger constantly pressed on by the
spring k, with a tendency to bring it back. 7, is a driver attached to the
upper end of the trigger, such driver being constantly pressed outwards
by the spring m.
When the trigger is pulled the driver 1, acts on the
lever n, which is in connection with the main spring o, by means of the
link p.
At the upper end of the lever n, is attached the hammer or
ram q, which gives the necessary blow to the cap on a nipple. The
sliding bolt i, and the lever h, are connected to the upper end of the
trigger.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not claim the parts separately, nor do I confine

page_text: myself to the details here given. But what I claim is, the combination
of parts herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Harvey, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
WILLIAM JAMES HARVEY. (L.s.)