IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVER PISTOLS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by llenri Adien Bonneville at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
August 1865.-A communication from Pierie Drivon and Claude
Joseph Biron, residing at Belleville, in the Empire of France.
I, HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
24, Rue du Mont Thabor, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 38, Porchester
Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVER PISTOLS," a
communication from Pierre Drivon and Claude Joseph Biron, persons residing
at Belleville, in the Empire of France, aforesaid, to be as follows .-
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improved escapement of the cocks of
evolver pistols whereby the cocking is effected continuously with the same
movement of the trigger as that required for firing; secondly, in an improved
means of causing the cartridge chamber to rotate; thirdly, in an improved
mode of expulsling or discharging the cartridge cases; and, fourthly, in an
improved catch or fastening for retaining the barrel and cartridge chamber in
place when the pistol is fired.
The improved escapement is composed of a circular plate turning on a
central pivot and provided with two excentric projections, on one of which the
trigger acts. The other projection receives the pressure of a spring, which
brings the circular plate back to its place and brings the haminer down.
When the trigger is pulled, its upper end acting on the first excentric pro-
Jection or pin lifts the hammer, but the plate turning and the upper end of

page_text: the trigger being rounded off it escapes from the projection or pin and lets
the hammer fall. A second spring brings the trigger back, and its upper end
slides over the end of the excentric pin which is bevilled towards that side.
Thus the pistol is cocked and fired with the same movement of the trigger.
The cartridge chamber is made to rotate by means of a sort of star placed on
its hinder surface, and provided with divergent leaves bevilled from left to right.
A small lever fixed on the circular plate above mentioned acts on the edges
of the leaves each time the trigger is pulled, causing the chamber to rotate to
a certain extent each time the pistol is fired. The star or face cam above
described also serves for discharging the cartridges as follows:-The barrel
and cartridge chamber with their shoulder piece are hinged to the extremity
of the stock, and this extremity acts on the end of a rod or pin fixed to the
central part of the star, and which passes through the cartridge chamber.
Thus when the barrel is lowered the end of the stock being relatively nearer
the centre of the cartridge chamber than when the arm is in a position for
firing, pushes the rod, and with it the star towards the back of the pistol, or
nearer the handle, and as the cartridge cases are partly carried by the star
piece they are driven out in order to be able to load the pistol anew.
The barrel and cartridge chamber are held in place for firing by means of
a small catch fixed to the shoulder piece of the barrel, which enters a second
catch on the end of the trigger guard. To let the barrel down, the trigger
guard is pulled back, when the catches are placed out of contact, and the
barrel disengaged.