Unusual Patents

[Feltwad]

The history of the gun saw many patents registered at the Patent House most were at the lattter part of the percussion era and the early breech loader enclosed are images of just a couple which may be of interest to members .

Feltwad

Jeffries patent side open pinfire notice the patent for the barrels to slide open

 

Jeffries Patent side opening pinfirre breech loader

The muzzle barrel end showing the 3 barrels of Joseph Childs Patent 3 barrel percusion gun

The breech section Josh Childs Patent 3 barrel percussion gun

Joseph Childs Patent 3 barrel gun

Edited December 29, 2016 by Feltwad

[Seadog1408]

Very interesting, thanks for posting!

 

 

Mike

[Feltwad]

Only 1 reply thought there would have been more interest !

Feltwad

[CaptainBeaky]

Thanks, fw - I was busy yesterday, so only just seen these.

Hmmmm...

The three-barrel jobbie looks a brute, and the side-opening pinfire gun looks like an accident waiting to happen: "slide the barrels past the hammers, with the primer pins exposed - what could possibly go wrong?"

 

Wonder how many were sold?

Edited December 30, 2016 by CaptainBeaky

[steve d]

I was going to post that my mum and dad were strange too.........until I read the title properly.

 

Too much cider methinks

[nagantino]

Lovely unusual piece and thank you for taking the bother to photograph and post. It all adds to our knowledge. I know nothing about it but glad to have peruse it.

[Feltwad]

Thanks, fw - I was busy yesterday, so only just seen these.

Hmmmm...

The three-barrel jobbie looks a brute, and the side-opening pinfire gun looks like an accident waiting to happen: "slide the barrels past the hammers, with the primer pins exposed - what could possibly go wrong?"

 

Wonder how many were sold?

Although Jeffries patent was in the pinfire period he did carry on making guns with this patent to the centre fire hammer gun , for how many were made I donot think a lot but they are part of our gun history.

Feltwad

[Blackpowder]

Side opening you would not think that was possible but there you are before your eyes a side opening breech loader.

 

Blackpowder

[Jay_Russell]

Very interesting.. thanks for posting 😊

[1066]

Certainly interesting - some of these old mechanisms were ingenious, especially considering the tools available at the time.

 

Here's a little side opening breech loader I made many years ago - It's a loose copy of a Colt No 3. HERE

 

and just to show there's still some life in those old ideas.

 

Here's a "Harmonica gun" designed by J. Browning (father of J. M. Browning) in the early 1800's HERE

 

and here's my 5 shot muzzle loading target pistol that works exactly the same.

 

 

[JohnfromUK]

Thanks for posting those; there were so many ideas that just 'fizzled out'. I suppose that most were just not as good as the ideas that 'lived on', but I do wonder with modern precision machining, things might have evolved differently. For those interested, the three volume set by Ian Crudgington & David Baker "The British Shotgun" contains a wealth of carefully researched detail, and is a comprehensive look at the gun's evolutionary progress.

[Old farrier]

Hi felt wad

Was the top barrel rifled

I see it's a smaller bore

 

All the best

Of

Happy new year to you and your family

[Feltwad]

Hi felt wad

Was the top barrel rifled

I see it's a smaller bore

 

All the best

Of

Happy new year to you and your family

It is a small calibre but it is only smooth bore cannot see any signs that it has been rifled but some were rifled . I do have a copy of the patent drawings somewhere in my files .All the best to you and family for 2017

Feltwad

Edited December 31, 2016 by Feltwad

[FatFreddysCat]

Looks like the hammer for the top barrel is attached to the right hand hammer. Does it fire with the right hand barrel? Looks from the pic that the top hammer may be able to swivel across, is it an option to fire the lower barrels first and then re-cock the right hand hammer to fire the top barrel? What is the trigger arrangement?

[CaptainBeaky]

Thanks for posting those; there were so many ideas that just 'fizzled out'. I suppose that most were just not as good as the ideas that 'lived on'

Herein lies the fascination - the ideas that didn't catch on, the ones that seemed like a good idea at the time, and the ones that would have worked using today's techniques and materials.

 

Please keep on posting this stuff, Feltwad

[Feltwad]

Looks like the hammer for the top barrel is attached to the right hand hammer. Does it fire with the right hand barrel? Looks from the pic that the top hammer may be able to swivel across, is it an option to fire the lower barrels first and then re-cock the right hand hammer to fire the top barrel? What is the trigger arrangement?

That is correct the hammer nose for the middle barrel is able to turn allowing to fire the bottom barrel first. If you look close at the image you will see on the standing breech behind the middle hammer what remains of a folding V sight for the middle barrel

Feltwad

[welshwarrior]

Very interesting post thank you.

 

 

Herein lies the fascination - the ideas that didn't catch on, the ones that seemed like a good idea at the time, and the ones that would have worked using today's techniques and materials.

 

Please keep on posting this stuff, Feltwad

Exactly don't forget we stopped making over and unders for a while as they didn't work looks like the 1900s fixed that ok.

[FatFreddysCat]

That is correct the hammer nose for the middle barrel is able to turn allowing to fire the bottom barrel first. If you look close at the image you will see on the standing breech behind the middle hammer what remains of a folding V sight for the middle barrel

Feltwad

I see now. Hadn't appreciated that the top barrel was a rifle barrel. The V sight also explains why the nipple is offset to the right.