IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Patrick Plunkett Leslie Stafford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th June 1863.
I, PATRICK PLUNKETT LESLIE STAFFORD, of St. James' Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Captain in Her Majesty's Indian Army, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS,"
to be as follows:-.
My Invention of improvements in fire-arms relates, in the first place, to
breech-loaders, which I make with the breech chamber in a piece, which is
jointed in the rear, and at the upper part to the abutment or head of the.
stock, and when moved on its joint rises up thereon. The fore end of this.
breech-piece, which will contain the whole of the charge, is reduced and
shouldered down so as to fit into a recess formed in the rear end of the
barrel. The barrel is fitted to the stock so as to slide forward from off this
fitted part of the breech-piece; for this purpose the barrel is fitted and held
to the stock by rings which embrace its exterior. These rings I make of
hoops of metal, which are split or open at one side, and have a tendency to
spring open, but when closed fit accurately on the barrel. The abutting parts
of the rings at the split or opening are prolonged in a radial direction, and
fit down into recesses in the stock which keep the rings collapsed tight on
the barrel, and a key passing somewhat in the usual manner through the
stock, and such depending radial projections keeps the rings firmly in place;
metal socket pieces and bands are fitted and fixed to the stock for their

page_text: reception. The keys and ring projections slide in their sockets equal to the
distance the barrel slides, subject to the control herein-after described.
The split radial projection of the rear ring is prolonged considerably, and
passes quite through the stock, and in such prolongation I secure, by screw or
otherwise, a knob handle, the neck or prolongation of which is rectangular,
and fits into a circular recess, from which a rectangular recess extends
forwards towards the muzzle. When this handle is turned in one direction
the barrel will be fixed securely, but when turned at right angles thereto it
is free to slide forward so as to leave the breech free to rise, as first explained,
and so receive the charge. A curved pin projects from the rear end of the
breech-piece which takes into a hole in the break off when the breech-piece
is down. A lever or other contrivance may also be substituted for the
revolving knob handle. A spring is fitted to the stock under the barrel,
which has a constant tendency to force the barrel back on the breech-piece;
the breech-piece also has a spring which throws it up when released from the
barrel. A considerable amount of metal is placed behind the breech-piece so
as to present a good abutment thereto.
Another part of my improvements relates to the means of discharging fire-
arms, which I effect by the percussion of a small cylinder or piece fitted in
the position of the nipple, which slides a short distance towards the centre, but
behind the bore of the breech chamber, and is thrown up again by a spring
encircling it, or otherwise, or it may be by its own gravity, while the fire-arm-
is being loaded, if desired; this pin may be removed and replaced by an
ordinary nipple. A small central chamber is bored in the bottom of the
breech chamber which receives a small percussion tube projecting from the
rear end of the cartridge. In firing, the hammer in falling strikes the small
steel cylinder before mentioned, which in its turn strikes the percussion tube,
and so explodes the charge.
When using the ordinary nipple in lieu of the percussion cylinder, the
discharge will take place with a loose charge of powder as usual. This
method of discharging fire-arms I apply to small arms generally, but it is more
particularly applicable to and convenient for revolvers.