IMPROVEMENT IN MANY-CHAMBERED-CYLINDER FIRE-ARMS - United States Patent 698

United States Patent Office.

THEO. F. STRONG, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS. IMPROVEMENT IN
MANY-CHAMBERED-CYLINDER FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 698, dated April
21, 1838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Theodore F. Strong, of Northampton, in the
county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented
certain Improvements in the Construction of
Many-Chambered-Cylinder Guns or FireArms, of which the following
is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the gun as it
appears externally when ready for use, and Fig. 2 a section
exhibiting the interior arrangement of the lock and revolving
cylinder.

a a is the many-chambered cylinder, the chambers of which
terminate in nipples to receive percussion-caps at their back
ends, the nipples being each contained in an excavation or
nipple-chamber, b b, formed in the cylinder and guarding it from
injury. The cylinder revolves upon a tubular axis, c c, which is
in one piece with the circular plate d d, the stock-strap e e and
the general iron attachments forming the case of the lock and
connecting these parts with the stock. The chambered cylinder is
surrounded by a cylindrical case or box, within which it
revolves, said case or box being closed at each end by front
plates of metal. The periphery of this case is shown at f. The
end j forms one solid piece with or is firmly attached to the
part, and is made thick, as shown in the drawings, and it is so
made because it constitutes a cover to the open ends of the
chambers. This end will have the effect of arresting a ball in
case of accidental discharge of a loaded chamber not opposite to
the barrel of the gun. Through this end y there is a perforation,
into which the end h h, of the barrel is securely screwed.

If preferred, a separate piece of wood, i i, forming a part of
the stock of the gun, may be attached to the barrel; or it may,
as in many fowling-pieces, be finished entirely of iron. The end
i1 of the stock is represented as passing into the tubular axis
of the chambered cylinder, and there is an opening at j, or in
some other part of the forward end of the hollow axis c c, which
will allow of the escape of the discharged powder, should such
discharge accidentally take place in one of the chambers an
accident not likely to occur, but one the bad effects of which
are effectually prevented by this escape-vent and the arresting
of the ball.

The bivech and barrel ends of this fire arm form two distinct
parts, which are attached to each other by means of a screw,
allowing of their ready separation.

The cylindrical case and its end constitute one part with the
barrel of the gun, pistol, or other arm, and into the center of
the plate g the tubular axis c c is screwed, the circular plate d
d entering and forming the back end of the cylindrical-case f f.
To keep the two parts in their due position when screwed
together, the spring k k1 has a pin projecting down at the end
k1, which falls into a notch or opening on the edge of the
head-plate d d.

The hammer I I slides on the upper side of the lock in a line
with the axis of the barrel, so as to strike directly upon the
percussion-cap. It is forced forward by a rack-and-pinion
movement in the manner distinctly represented in the drawings,
the general operation of the mainspring m3 in producing this
effect being like that in many other locks, as is also the action
of the trigger.

By the operation of cocking the chambered cylinder is turned so
as to bring a fresh or charged chamber into the place opposite to
the bore of the barrel, and this I effect in the following
manner:

A lever, m m1, turns on a fulcrum at m2 by the return of the
tumbler v, on the shaft of which there is an eccentric, w, in
consequence of which, when the gun is cocked, the end m1 of the
tumbler is raised and carries with it a latch, n, attached to it
by a joint-pin, and this latch, bearing against the sides of
suitable depressions made for that purpose in the back end of the
chambered cylinder, pushes it round.

Fig. 3 shows the end of the chambered cylinder, o o being the
depressions upon which the latch operates. To hold the cylinder
in place, a bolt, p, is forced forward by a spiral spring and is
made to catch in the notches or depressions q q, Fig. 3. The
cocking of the gun draws the bolt p back, so as to allow the
chamber to turn by the action of the latch. A spring attached to
the bolt has a catch on its end, which falls into a notch at q1
on the top of the hammer, and consequently retracts the bolt; but
the bolt not being able to slide back as far as the hammer does,
the catch is disengaged from the notch, the bolt is shot forward,
and the latch n having at this time performed its office, the
bolt enters the proper notch or depression and confines the
cylinder. A slight spring, r, bears upon the latch so as to force
it forward and cause it enter the depressions o o.

Instead of the bolt p for holding the cylinder in its place, with
its spiral spring and the catch g, I have devised another mode of
effecting the object intended to be accomplished by that
apparatus.

In Figs. 4 and 5, s is a ferrule or ring, which is to be so
situated that it maybe made to embrace the rear end of the barrel
where it comes in contact with the revolving chamber, and may
also embrace each chamber successively.

Fig. G shows the open ends of the chambers, the dark lines s s
which surround them representing grooves, into which the edge of
the ferrule may pass. The shank tt of the ferrule s has a button,
u, on its lower end and works upon a joint-pin at its center. Its
situation on the — is shown by the dotted lines on the place g in
Fig. 2. The ferrule s occupies the part above named, which is
represented by the dark lines above and below the screw in the
rear of the barrel and extending into the chambered cylinder. By
pressing the finger on the nut u the ferrule s is drawn entirely
onto the rear of the gun-barrel and the cylinder is at liberty to
revolve, and when it turns round so as to present another chamber
to the bore of the gun the ferrule s will be forced into the
grooves by the spring r, Fig. 4, surrounding it, which will hold
it firmly in its place. The ferrule is made to swivel on the
upper end of the shank t, as shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus fully described the construction and made known the
operation of the gun or other fire-arm a right to which I desire
to secure by Letters Patent, I do hereby declare that what I
claim as my invention therein is—

1. In forming a case to the revolving chamber-cylinder, in the
manner described, with heads completely inclosing the opening of
the chambers and percussion-caps, excepting that one of each
which is to be discharged, the forward head being so fixed as to
arrest a ball in the event of an accidental discharge of one of
the chambers.

2. The combination of the foregoing case with the aperture
through the tubular axis, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the respective parts of the lock,
constructed substantially in the manner described, consisting of
the combined action of the hammer and bolts with the tumbler
lever and latch, for the purpose of revolving the cylinder and
discharging the piece.

T. F. STRONG.

Witnesses: P. I. K. Morsell, Linton Thorn.