IMPROVE MENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Timothy Whitby, of Millbank Street, Westminster,
and William Dempsey, of Great George Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 24th April 1860, and dated the 26th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Timothy Whitby and
William Dempsey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th October 1859.
We, TIMOTHY WHITBY, of Millbank Street, Westminster, and WILLIAM
DEMPSEY, of Great George Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The first of our improvements in ordnance and fire-arms consists in forming
a recess at the breech end of the interior of the gun or cannon, into which is
placed a metal spring or springs; on the fore part of this spring is attached a
metal plate or piston, around which is fixed an elastic ring for the purpose
of making the recess air-tight. The object of this arrangement is, by
means of the metal spring to give impetus to the projectile on the discharge
of the gun or cannon.
Our second improvement consists in forming on the gun or cannon an
Price 81

page_text: air chamber or chambers communicating with the interior thereof behind
the charge, thus giving space for the expansion of the explosive material.
We propose using projectiles with a small passage or vent way through them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, TIMOTHY
WHITBY, of "Millbank Street, Westminster, and WILLIAM DEMPSEY, of
Great George Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineers, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us
the said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey, Her special licence that we,
the said Timothy Whitoy and William Dempsey, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Timothy Whitby and
William Dempsey, our 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
ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing.under our. or their. hands. and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, or them, 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 Timothy Whitby, on behalf of myself
and the William Dempsey, de hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon (that is to say):

page_text: , парр
the barrel of a piece of ordnance or a fire-arm, and these improvements may
be used in combination or separately.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a plan, and Figure 2 a side view of a piece of ordnance
having a metal spring and a moveable breech or piston applied thereto, accord-
ing to our Invention. a is the piece of ordnance, which is of the ordinary con-
struction, except that the end is open, and receives a sliding breech or piston
which is made to fit accurately, so that when a charge is fired the gases may not
pass back. The piston or sliding breech is caused by the force of the charge,
when fired, to be moved back a short distance in opposition to the spring b, of the
form shewn or of other suitable construction, which is retained in position by
means of the frame c, or otherwise. The position and form of the spring or
springs used may be greatly varied and applied either in the rear of the gun,
or in some cases the spring may surround the gun and be connected with the
sliding breech or piston in any convenient manner, and when desired, the
sliding breech or piston may be arranged in a suitable manner to admit of the
gun being loaded at the breech. Figure 3 shews a side view, and Figure 4
a plan in section of another gun, in which is used a sliding breech or piston
resisted by a spring, and combined therewith there is an air-chamber com-
municating with the interior of the barrel, according to the second part of our
Invention. a, a, is the barrel of the gun, on the exterior of which there is a
sliding case d fitted with packing at e, e, to prevent the passage of gases when
the gun is fired. b is a conical spring around the rear end of the gun. The
forward edge of the spring rests against the interior of the case at d¹, and the
hinder end of the spring rests against a shoulder formed near the breech end
of the barrel, or other forms of metal springs may be used. In this arrange-
ment the sliding breech is fixed to the sliding case and is made with longitu-
dinal grooves therein, excepting near the back end where it correctly fits the
breech end of the barrel. f is an air chamber or space, which when the
piston or sliding breech is moved back by the force of the discharge is made
to communicate with the interior of the barrel. The form and position of the
air chamber may be varied. This gun is shewn to be loaded, and the ball or
projectile used is shewn to be made with a passage through it, and such is also
the case in respect to the two wads employed with the ball or projectile, by
which there will be an air passage at all times opened.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim the
improvements in ordnance and fire-arms, herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Timothy Whitby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
TIMOTHY WHITBY. (L.8.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Timothy Whitby, of Millbank Street, Westminster,
and William Dempsey, of Great George Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineers, for the Invention of " IMPROVE
MENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 24th April 1860, and dated the 26th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Timothy Whitby and
William Dempsey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th October 1859.
We, TIMOTHY WHITBY, of Millbank Street, Westminster, and WILLIAM
DEMPSEY, of Great George Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The first of our improvements in ordnance and fire-arms consists in forming
a recess at the breech end of the interior of the gun or cannon, into which is
placed a metal spring or springs; on the fore part of this spring is attached a
metal plate or piston, around which is fixed an elastic ring for the purpose
of making the recess air-tight. The object of this arrangement is, by
means of the metal spring to give impetus to the projectile on the discharge
of the gun or cannon.
Our second improvement consists in forming on the gun or cannon an
ונם...מ

page_text: air chamber or chambers communicating with the interior thereof behind
the charge, thus giving space for the expansion of the explosive material.
We propose using projectiles with a small passage or vent way through them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, TIMOTHY
WHITBY, of Millbank Street, Westminster, and WILLIAM DEMPSEY, of
Great George Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us
the said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey, Her special licence that we,
the said Timothy Whitoy and William Dempsey, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Timothy Whitby and
William Dempsey, our 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
ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Timothy Whitby and William Dempsey, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, or them, 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 Timothy Whitby, on behalf of myself
and the William Dempsey, de hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon (that is to say): :-

page_text: the barrel of a piece of ordnance or a fire-arm, and these improvements may
be used in combination or separately.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a plan, and Figure 2 a side view of a piece of ordnance
having a metal spring and a moveable breech or piston applied thereto, accord-
ing to our Invention. a is the piece of ordnance, which is of the ordinary con-
struction, except that the end is open, and receives a sliding breech or piston
which is made to fit accurately, so that when a charge is fired the gases may not
pass back. The piston or sliding breech is caused by the force of the charge,
when fired, to be moved back a short distance in opposition to the spring b, of the
form shewn or of other suitable construction, which is retained in position by
means of the frame c, or otherwise. The position and form of the spring or
springs used may be greatly varied and applied either in the rear of the gun,
or in some cases the spring may surround the gun and be connected with the
sliding breech or piston in any convenient manner, and when desired, the
sliding breech or piston may be arranged in a suitable manner to admit of the
gun being loaded at the breech. Figure 3 shews a side view, and Figure 4
a plan in section of another gun, in which is used a sliding breech or piston
resisted by a spring, and combined therewith there is an air-chamber com-
municating with the interior of the barrel, according to the second part of our
Invention. a, a, is the barrel of the gun, on the exterior of which there is a
sliding case d fitted with packing at e, e, to prevent the passage of gases when
the
gun is fired. b is a conical spring around the rear end of the gun.
The
forward edge of the spring rests against the interior of the case at d¹, and the
hinder end of the spring rests against a shoulder formed near the breech end
of the barrel, or other forms of metal springs may be used.
In this arrange-
ment the sliding breech is fixed to the sliding case and is made with longitu-
dinal grooves therein, excepting near the back end where it correctly fits the
breech end of the barrel. f is an air chamber or space, which when the
piston or sliding breech is moved back by the force of the discharge is made
to communicate with the interior of the barrel. The form and position of the
air chamber may be varied. This gun is shewn to be loaded, and the ball or
projectile used is shewn to be made with a passage through it, and such is also
the case in respect to the two wads employed with the ball or projectile, by.
which there will be an air passage at all times opened.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim the
improvements in ordnance and fire-arms, herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Timothy Whitby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
TIMOTHY WHITBY. (L.S.)