US45983A - Improvement in revolving fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

No. 45,933. Putcntvd Jun. 24. 1865.

2 Sheets- SMM 2.

W. C. DODGE.

Revolving Fire-arm No. 45,983. Patented Jan. 24, 18H5.

UNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. DODGE, OFIWSHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

-INIPROVENIENT IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,983., dated January '14, 1865 To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G Donen, of thc city of Washington and District of Colum-- bia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters ot' reference marked, which several tgures will be hereinafter explained.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures.

The nature ot' my invention consists in the peculiar construction .of the frame, cylinder, and hammer ot revolving tire-arms, and the manner of attaching said parts to each other, whereby the arm is adapted to the use of a retractor for the removal instantly ot' the cartridge-cases without the removal from connection with the arm of any of'the parts or the employment of any separate or detached rod or other device. l

lo enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improvements, I will proceed to describe them.

In all cases where a retractor is to be use d which will simultaneously remove all the cairtridge-cases it is necessary that the cylinder be so hung or att-ached to the frame that the end from which the cartridge-cases are to be ejected can be uncovered or exposed free'froxn. obstructions in order to permit the retractor to operate. To accomplish this object, and at the same time give the requisite strength and accuracy of movement to' the various parts, it is necessary to construct the frame in a peculiar manner and to attach the cylinder thereto by novel means.

When it is desired to have the cylinder and barrel swing over in a vertical plane, I construct the post e of frame C in the style shown in Fig. 2, in which the part e' is made to project backward underneath the cylinder at a right angle to e. This part e is then bored out longitudinally, thereby forming a sleeve, as clearly shown in section iu Fig. 2. The front portion of F' is then formed into a journal to iit into said sleeve, where it is secured by the screw a. The upper portion ot' frame C' is so constructed as to extend back from the upper end ot post e above the cylinder, forming the bridge-piece p, which reaches back to the recoil or breech plate, with which it engages by a dovetail or lock joint, as shown in Figs. 2, 9, 11, and 16. By these means I secure great accuracy of movement in the parts Wthouthaving any projection ot' the joint in front otpost c, and at the same time the bridgepiecep, by being locked to the breech, receives more or less of the strain caused by the eXplo-` sion of the charge, and thereby saves the joint below from injury or undue strain,which would otherwise soon renderthejoiutloose, and thereby destroy the accuracy of movement necessary to make the arm operate as intended. p

When it is desired toihave the cylinder and barrel swing round ina horizontal plane the front part of F is made to extend upward above the main or horizontal part thereof and at a rightangle thereto, as shown in section in Fig. 1l at c. This part c" is then bored through vertically, thus forming a sleeve, into which the lower portion of part 6 is fitted, the journal u being formed thereon for that purpose, and the parts being secured together'by the screw a', as in the case above described,`

When it is desired to use a cylinder in which the cartridges are inserted and ejected at the front end thereof the frame is constructed as lshown in Fig. 2, as it is evident that the front end of the cylinder can only be exposed by having the barrel and frame'so pivoted as to swing in a vertical plane, the cylinder in such case being attached at its rear end to the recoilplate or breech portion ot the frame, as vshown in Fig. 16.

When the style of' frame shown in Figs. 2 and 16 is used I place a sliding bolt, q, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) longitudinally in a suitable seat provided for it in bridge-piecep,

said bolt having a projection on its under side,

which, as the bolt is forced back by a spring,

engages in the recess or notch r in the frontV face of recoil-plate E. (Shown in Fig. 16.) The face of this projection ou bolt q is so beveled that when the frame is swung into position for rin g the bolt will yield automatically as it comes in contact with the face of plate E, and thus permit pto swing into place, where it is securely and automatically locked by bolt g, as already described.

When the style of frame shown in Fig. 9 is used the locking-bolt is located vertically in' breech piece or plate E, the special arrangement thereof being hereinafter described.

In order to attach the cylinder properly and t it for the use of my retractor, I hang it upon a tubular bolt, g, as shown in section in Fig. 2. It' the cylinder is to be charged at the rear, then bolt g will be rigidly attached at its front end to post e; but if the cylinder is to be charged at its front end, then the boltg will be secured to the breech piece or plate E. It is 'obvious that this boltg may be formed solid with the frame G or breech-piece E, it' desired.

In Fig. l1 I have shown another method of hanging the cylinder which will accomplish the same objects, and which I consider but a modied foxm ot that above described. In lthis case the cylinder is hung and rotates upon a neck orjournal, lL, projecting from the end of the cylinder, and which, if desired, may be made solid with the cylinder, forming a part thereof'. Thisjournal h will have its bearing in iront in post e or in rear in plate E, according as the cylinderis intended to be loaded at front or rear end.

In Fig. 1l the cylinder is shown with the central bore for the passage of the retractorstem b enlarged or chambered rn'ost of the way through. This is done for the purpose ot' seating the spring c therein, whereby room for its expansion and contraction is obtained without having the stem b protrude so far in front as when the springis applied entirely outside of the cylinder, as in Fig. 2. The spring may -be similarly seated when the tubular bolt g is used by similarly chambering its central bore.

Itwill be observed that whetherthe cylinder be hung as shown in Fig. 2 or as in Fig. ll there is no permanent attachment of the cylinder to the frame except at one end. For the purpose of rendering the cylinder more secure in its position and insuring the coincidence of its chambers with the bore ofthe barrel, Iprovide it with a movable support or bearing at the end opposite that which is attached to the frame. This I accomplish by causing the end ot'stem b to pass through plate a and project outside of a, as shown by fz', Figs. 9, l1, and 1G. This projectionentersacorresponding groove, q', in the plate E, (or other portion ofthe frame, if the cylinder loads atthe 'ront,) where it has a firm bearing. The projection t' is securely held in place by means oflatch 7c, which works in a recess in the face of plate E, said latch k having a notch or recess, n, in its upper edge, which engages with i when the latter is forced into its seat at the center ot' E, as shown in Fig. 14.

VVithin the plate E is placed avertical latch `or spring-bolt, Z, which is connected to latch 7c and the former by the projecting point as the parts are swung into position for tiring. When the pa-rts are in position they are securely locked there by the upper end ot' bolt l engaging in asuitable recess in the under side ofp and the point engaging in the notch n. in latch r.

The hammer is located centrally in the stock for the purpose of allowing the use ofthe simplest form of lock, .and the neck or body of it, as it rises above the stock, is then curved or bent to the left for the purpose of allowing more room for the thumbto operate the thumbpiece m, as shown in Fig. 5. This will bring the point 10 of the hammer in such a position that it will strike vertically along one side of .thc face or end of the cartridge, as shown in Fig. 14, in which the position ofthe cartridge is indicated by a red line. By this means the face of the hammer is made to cover a much larger portion ofthe rim containing the fulminate than when it strikes radially across said rim, as is usual, and thus the probability ot' igniting the charge is proportionately increased.

The hammer is constructed as shown in Fig. 2, and so located that no portion of it is elevated above bridge piece p. Instead of the usual projecting hook, the upper rearportion is formed as shown at Fig. 2. The object of thus forming the hammer is twofold: rst, to prevent it from catching in the bolster or pocket when inserted therein and producing accidental discharges; and, secondly, to prevent it from becoming entangled therein when it is desired to withdraw it for use.

By these various means I provide a revolving arm to which the many-faced retractor can be applied and operated without detaching any of the parts.

By pressing the thumb upon m the pivoted frame and cylinder are ins-tantly released, when, by a slight pressure ofthe barrel against the saddle, leg, or other object, it is swung round, bringing the nut (l on thc end ot' the retractor-stein within reach ot' the thumb, by a slight movement of which all the cartridgecases'are sim ultaneously and instantly ejected without the aid of any separate device, and all by the use ot' one hand only.

By these improvements I also avoid the'necessity of deta'ching the cylinder or any other portion of the arm for the purpose either of removing the cartridgecases or of reloading it, and hence all danger of dropping or losing any ot" the parts is entirely avoided. This in the case of mounted troops is very important, and it' the arm is to be used in the dark, as is oftentimes the case, this feature is rendered still'more important.

By this construction and arrangement ot' the parts I provide a revolving arm which, by the ease and rapidity ot' its manipulations, can be repeatedly loaded and tired in an action, Whereas the arm as usually constructed is seldom emptied ofits charges but a single time; and, tinally, I provide perfect security against the accidental discharges now so frequent, and also against the danger of the arm being rendered inoperative orunavailable at a moment when its instant use is of vital importance, as' already explained.

Having thus fully described my improvements and their operation, what I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The slidinglock-bolt q, arranged in'bridgepiece p, as shown and described, whereby the parts can be locked automatically and can be unlocked and swung over by a sin gle applica'- l tion ofthe thumb, and the whole operation performed by the use of one hand only.

2. Hanging the cylinder on the tubularbolt r/ or hollow journal ,h when connected to the frame at one end only, whether at front or rear.

8. Supporting the detached end ot' the cylinder by the projection i, and groovej, substantially as specified.

4. Locking the projection@ in place by the latch 7c, or its equivalent, substantially as shown and described.

5. So arranging bolt Z and latch 7c that both can be operated simultaneousl y and by a single movement.

6. Constructing .and arranging bolt l and latch k in such a manner as to permit the front and rear portions ot' the frame to be locked automatically as they are swung` into position for firing, whereby the use of one hand only is required in the operation.

Witnesses: WlLLlAM C. DODGE.

R. D. O. SMITH, JNO. D. PATTEN.

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