Fig. 15 shows the trigger and its appendages, which are formed in a way not presenting any claim to novelty. u is the attachment of the mainspring to the lock-plate, and v its attachment to the stirrup and hammer.
Fig. 16 shows the apparatus which I employ for forcing the balls into the chambers. b2 b2 are two of the chambers, shown in section; and C, the arbor by which the barrel is attached to the stock and upon which the receiver turns, as already explained. G is a lever carrying a rammer, H, by which the balls are to be forced into the chambers. The forward end of the lever H passes into the mortise c2, which receives the key by which the barrel is attached. The operation of the rammer H upon the ball d′ will be apparent. In using this lever the receiver is to be turned upon the arbor, and the chambers brought in succession under the rammer. This lever, at its end e′, constitutes a wrench for screwing and unscrewing the percussion-tubes, and also contains a picker attached to a screw-cap, f′. A fulcrum for the lever H may be formed on the barrel or otherwise, instead of using the mortise c2, if preferred.
Figs. 17 and 18 are a top and sectional view of my improved cap-primer, which differs in some important particulars from the English and other cap-primers now in use. I make a spiral groove, a a a, in a plate of brass or other metal, which groove is of such depth and width as to receive the percussion-caps, and to allow them to move freely therein. b b b are caps within said groove. In the center of the primer, under the plate c c, is a spiral spring, d d, operating like the mainspring of a watch upon its barrels and turning the plate c c. This plate has a groove across it which carries a sliding arm, e e′, having under its end e′ a projecting piece which enters the groove, draws the arm out, and presses upon the row of caps. At the mouth of the spiral groove, where the the cap b′ is seen, a steel spring, f, checks the cap and counteracts the pressure of the spiral spring d d; but when the cap b′ is placed upon the tube or nipple the spring f will recede by the withdrawal of the cap, and a new one will be made to occupy its place, and so on until the whole are exhausted. The cover g, which in Fig. 17 is shown as raised, is held down by a spring-catch at h. There is a spring-catch at i, which holds the sliding arm e at its end e′, when it is brought round to the inner end of the spiral groove, its use being to detain the arm while the groove is being filled with caps, when it is to be raised, and the arm left at liberty to operate. The spring d d may be wound up by a small key, k, or by inserting a screw driver in a notch made for that purpose, or simply by forcing the arm e e round until it is caught by the catch i.
Fig. 19 is a representation of my ammunition-flask, by means of which all the chambers in my receiver may be simultaneously charged with powder and with balls. It consists of two separate chambers, one of which is a powder and the other a bullet magazine, a being the former and b the latter, the two being connected together by a bayonet-joint at c. d d d are charging-tubes adapted in number and position to the mouths of the chambers of the receiver which they are to enter.
Fig. 21 shows the closed top of the powder-magazine, with a valve or turn cover, e, which closes a hole through which the magazine is to be filled. This magazine occupies the space from f to g, Fig. 19, where the powder is contained in bulk. The space from g to h is a receptacle which is divided by partitions into separate chambers, the same in number with the tubes d d, each of which chambers contains the quantity of powder required for the charge of a single chamber, i i is the rim of this chambered receptacle, which is capable of being turned round to a short distance by the thumb and finger for the purpose of charging the chambers with powder. This turning round brings openings u u, Fig. 20, in the lower end of the chambered box to coincide with the openings in the tubes d d, so that the powder contained in the chambers in i i may pass out therefrom into the chambers of the receiver. There are openings also in the upper plate or top of the receptacle i i corresponding with openings in the bottom of the magazine a, which are closed by turning the rim i i, so as to prevent powder from falling through from the magazine while the receiver is being filled.
Fig. 27 is a section through the middle of the chambered receptacle i i, the circles r r representing the chambers for containing the powder. s s are the openings in the top plate of these chambers, through which the powder is admitted into them from the magazine a. The dotted lines t t show the plan of the openings in the bottom plate of the chamber a, the chambered receiver being shown in the position in which those openings are covered.
In Fig. 28 the same parts are represented; but the chambered receiver is supposed to be turned round or standing in its ordinary position, so that the openings S S and t t coincide. The chambered receptacle is restored to its place by means of a spring of any suitable form. The whole operation of this part will be more clearly made known by the sectional representation of the magazine for balls, which I am now about to describe.
The end of the flask, Fig. 19, is, I have said, the magazine for balls. Fig. 22 is an end view of this magazine, and Fig. 23 a section along its axis. The portion from f to j, Figs. 19, 23, and 24, is divided into as many tubular chambers as there are chambers in the receiver—say five. These are open at top and are to be filled with balls, as shown at k k in the section Fig. 23. These tubes are also open at their lower ends, so that the balls may pass from them into a chambered receptacle, l l, similar to that for the powder. From this chambered receptacle they are to fall into the chambers of the receiver when the lower end of the flask, Fig. 22, is applied thereto for that purpose, the openings m m in the lower end of the flask being adapted thereto. The rim of the chambered receiver l l is to be turned round to allow the balls to escape through m m, as already described in the charging with powder. In Fig. 22, n n are the divisions between the chambers of the chambered receiver, and which retain one set or tier of balls until the rim is turned around so as to cause the chambers to coincide with the openings m m. The balls will then pass through. The same motion of the chambered receiver causes the divisions between the tubes and the chambered receiver to pass under and sustain the balls in the magazine. In the case of the powder-magazine the action is the same; but the powder being in fine particles, the apertures at one end of the receptacles must be perfectly closed before those at the other begin to be opened, which is not necessary with the balls. In Fig. 24 a portion of the exterior of the magazine is removed to show how a spring, o o, may be placed within it so as to act upon l l; but spiral or other springs may be placed in many ways to answer the same purpose. The central part of both the magazines is tubular, as shown at p p, said tube fitting onto the arbor C′, Fig. 16, when the barrel is removed therefrom, and the receiver left on for the purpose of being charged, which operation does not require to be further explained. Upon the barrel of this tubular part the chambered receptacles are received and revolve.
Figs. 25 and 26 represent a top view and a side view of a part of an improved bullet-mold, which I describe without intending to make any claim thereto, but merely for the purpose of showing the whole of the apparatus employed in a complete and connected series. a a are the two handles of the mold, and b the handle of the knife by which the sprue is cut off. c is one-half of the mold, of which d d is the hinge-joint. e is a plate of steel, through which there is a hole, f, for pouring in the lead, the lower edges of which constitute a knife by which the sprue is cut off and the ball left perfect. This knife turns on the joint-pin g.
Having thus fully described the manner in which I construct and use my improved fire-arms, and the respective articles of apparatus appertaining thereto, it has been necessary in so doing to mention many parts which I do not claim as new, the same being similar to what has been before used and patented by me, or which are common property. I do hereby declare, therefore, that I limit my claim to the following particulars.