(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. G. HOWE.

REVOLVING FIRE ARM. 110,373,893. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

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(No Model.) ~ 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2. J. G. HOWE.

REVOLVING FIRE ARM.

Patented Nov. 29,1887. No. 373.893.

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‘zen of the United States,

_ UNITED,_' STATES ‘ ‘PATENT OFFICE. I ' »

Joan‘. e. HOWE, or WORCESTER, MAssAoHUsEi-‘Ts, Assiouon rro SULLIVAN: : ' , ‘y p _ _ FQREHAND, or SAME rLAoE. .

- HBJEVQLVING'FIRE-ARI'VL,;.,' '

SPBCII'ICATIOR forming part of Letters Patent No. 313.893. dated November 29, 188-7. Application llled April-1, 1687. Serial m5. 233.251. (No models

.Z’o all whom it may concern: > > Be it known that I, JOHN C. HOWE. a citi

residing at Worces ter, in the county of Worcesteriand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and

- useful Improvements in Revolving Fire Arm's;

‘ a full, clear,

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and I do hereby declare that_the following is _ and exact description thereof,‘

which, in connection with the drawings‘ mak ing a part of this speci?cation, will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same. My invention‘ relates to improvements in re- '

volving ?re-arms; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and operation of the mechanism for cockingjand?ring the same, and also or‘' the mechanismfor securing

. the barrel portion to the stock, to prevent the’

20' discharge of the ?re arm in case the not properly secured together. ' _ The object of my invention, is to construct

' a revolving ?re-arm in such a manner that it

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cannot be discharged by drawing back the trigger, as is customary in self mocking .re-_ volvers, but requires the pressing in of abut ton extending through the handleorstoclc to release the hammer after itis cooked and allow the same to operate to discharge the‘?re-arm. By my improved construction I prevent the _ hammer-from being operated to discharge the ?re-arm, except by the pnshing‘in of a button extending through the' handle; but ‘I do'not

- prevent the trigger and connecting mechanism

35 from being operated tojcause/ the cylinder to‘ be revolved and the hammerto be fully cooked . preparatory to ?ring, for this'can be done, as in ?re-arms of the ordinary construction',with out regard to the button for operating, the

. hammer; '

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A‘second feature of my invention relates to my improved‘ manner of securing the barrel portion,'adapte_d to be tilted, on the stock to the stock, so as to; prevent the ?re-arm from being discharged in case the stock and barre portion are not properly secured together,‘ as‘ ‘will be' hereinafter fully described.

. Referring to the drawings, Figure is a side ‘ ‘elevation of a revolver embddyi n'g my improve‘

50 ments. Fig. 2 is the revolver shown in Fig.1? with the stock‘ shown in section to more clear] y

same are 7

)

illustrate my improvements. The parts are shown in their normal POSllilOllSJ-f Fig‘. 3 is a

' vertical‘ section through a portion of the stock ‘ of ‘the revolver, taken at line an, Fig. 2,1ook iug in the directionof arrow 0, to illustrate _, the construction and operation of he mech anism for releasing the hammer t'ter it ‘ is coekedand allowing the same to operate.v Fig. 4 is adetached view‘, taken on line b b, Fig. 3, looking-in the direction of ‘arrow d, same ?gure, to illustrate the manner of holding the ?ring-.

to pin in. place. Fig. 5 corresponds with the, I view shown in'Fig. 2‘, except that the several parts ‘of the cooking and'?'ring mechanism are shown‘ in their opposite positions ready for the discharge of the revolver. by pushing‘. in vthe button (not shown) to release-the-hammer'and 'allow it to operate. ‘ The dotted lines repre sentrthe hammer after it is released,‘ and-also the position of the lever connecting the ham

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the barrel portion not properly secured to the , stock, and the manner of preventing the ham- _ mer from beingcoekod, and the discharge of the. revolver ‘by pushing in the 'button' to re‘ lease the hammer, as will be hereinafter fully described. ' -' ' ' ' '

Inlthe. accompanying drawings, the barrel I lis'co'nuected by a hinge-joint at2 ‘with the stock- 3, and is adapted tobe' tilted thereon in the ordinary ‘manner, ‘The revolving cylini der 4 is supported-and turns on its central .ste_m,5, secured in the barrel portion in any well-known manner- The stock‘ or fram'e3 has ingth'is instance‘ the trigger 6 in its lower forwardpart pivoted on‘a pin, 7. "A spring, 8, secured at 9 to the stock 3,with its free end pressing upon the upper part of trigger 6 back, of its pivot-point, serves to restorethe trigger to its'normalv position, Fig. 2, afterf it has been operated. The hammer lO’is pivotedlon'a f tubular stud, 11, screwed into the under side of the stock or frame 3. _ (See ‘Fig. 3.‘) ~ The vinainspring 12 is connected with the ‘hammer 10 in any ordinary way to ‘cause the same to operate. " '- " ‘ -‘

Theupper end ofthelhannner'ldisadaptedr vi 7 to eugage'wit-h-thezhead 70f ‘the ?ring-pin 13, (see Fig.2)‘- of any'o'rdinary construction‘, sup ported in thei'stock_3;i and in 'thisinstance ‘held

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10 I mer with ‘the trigger; and Fig. 6; represents , - '

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in ‘place by a pin,'14, secured‘in the ‘stock an ‘entering iiito a circumferential groove madein-the ?ring-pin 13. (See Fig. 4'.) A lever or pawl, 15," is securediat its lower

-5-end- to the hammerv 10, and is adaptedto en vgageat itsvupper end with the ratchet-‘teeth .on the mind of the cylinder 4, to' cause said

" ,cylinder‘to revolve'in the‘ usual manner, as he" ammer 10 is tilted back or cooked. (See

r'o Fi'gs.-2and 5.) - “ ‘ ' ' ‘

The trigger 6 is connected with the hammer 10 by means of a lever,'16,' pivoted at one end by a pin, 17, to said trigger,' and provided with a notch, 18, (see dotted lines, Fig. v5,) at

_x5 vits-other end adapted to engage with ascrew .or stnd,.19, secured ‘in or formed-on the ham-.

'3 '_mer10.- ‘In this instance the surface of the " ‘hammer I0 is cut out, as'indicated at v20, Figs. 2 ' and-‘3, so that the upper surface of the lever 16 will be ?ush with the upper surface of the 20

‘ hammer and allow said lever 16 to pass freelyj ' 7 under the pawl v15.- (See Fig. d.)v The cylin-v

, deli-locking lever 21 is. pivoted at 22, and is. operated to release the cylinder and allow the.

25-.same to be revolved by the pawl 15 in the or

means of a ream or projection, 23, upon the uppe'r'edge of the lever 16. A spring, 24, se-‘

-4 cured at 25, serves to keep the lower end of the lever 21 in contact with the lever 16, to be operated by the same, and'at the same time serva to force down the lever 16 at its. free

' . 'end, so that the notch 18 will engage with the , stud 1,9, as before described. , I _

35 From the above description, in connection , ‘ with the drawings, it will be readily seen that by drawing back the trigger 6 the cylinder

_- lockinglcver21is'operated to release the cyl ' vinder'by means of the projection 23 on the le 40 ver 16. The hammer 10 is cooked through

the intervention of the lever 16, connecting it with thetrigger 6 in the manner above de scribedgand the pawl 15,,connected with the ~ hammer, is operated to revolve the cylinder 4, and the several partsof the mechanism as-_ sume the position shown by full lines, Fig._ 5. . The notch 18 in the lever 16, engaging with

' the stud 19 on the hammer 10,‘v as above. de scribed, holds said hammcr in its backward position when it is cocked, and ,will so hold it and prevent it'from being operated to .dis

> ‘charge the ?re arm until some supplementary mechanism is brought into action to raise the free end of the lever 16 and disengage it from the stud ‘19 on the hammer 10, thus releasing said hammer and allowing thev mainspring 12 to act tooperatctbe same to discharge the ‘?r‘darm, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 5. . ,

I will now proceed to describe the mechan I-‘e ism’for raising the free end of the lever 16 or

v _ - disengaging the notch 18 therein from thestud 19 on the hammer 10 to release the same and allow it to operate to discharge the ?re-arm.

I have shown' in the drawings one way of constructing said mechanism; but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this construction, as any equivalent way may be

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dinary manner as-the hammer 1'0 isco'cked by _ - spiral spring,

vemployed in'licuof that-shown. Said mech anism for raising the free cnd'of the lever 16 and releasing the hammer 10 after it has been cocked, to allow itto operate, is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and a clear ‘understanding 0t?~ the construction and operation of said mechanism will be obtained by referring to said Fig. 3, in connection with Fig. 5. iThe handle of the stock 3 is provided

. with an opening extending through the same on the left-hand side therco?to allow the push button 26~toi extend through the handle at one side," with its outer surface projecting slightly above the surface of the handle. (See Figs.1and 2.)‘ In this instance the head of the push-button 26 is adapted to fit into a ci-r- _ cnlar o’penlng made in the left side of the han dle, and the shank of said button extends through the side of the handle and is provided with an internal screw-thread adapted to en gage with a screw-thread upon the end of a pin, 27, forming the central studor spindle of the button 126 ‘and moving in and out with said‘ibutton.vv The pin 27 extends through the, tubular stud 11,'up,on which the hammer 10 is pivoted, as hereinbefore described,and asmall

28, cncirclw ‘said pin'27 and is inclosed-within- the stud 11,. Said spring 28 bears at its lower end against a shoulder or

_ ?ange upon the interior of thetubular stud

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11, and at its upper end against the inner sur- _ face of. the circular head or ?ange 29, formed upon the upper part of the pin 27. The up per surface of the head 29 comes in contact with the interior surface of the side of the ban‘ dle (see Fig. 3) and limits the action of the spring 28. _ By pushingin the button 26 against the action of the spring 28 the pin 27 and vthe head 29 thereon‘ move with it. ,The lowerv part of the head'29 is made beveled or slightly tapering, (see Fig; 3,);for the purpose to be hereinafter described. - The lever16, connecting the trigger 6 with

the hammer 10, as above described. has a curved arm or projection, 16', extending out from its free'end,.wand the end of said arm 16' is adapted to extend, directly under the‘ lower tapering edge of the head 29 on the pin 27 when the trigger is drawn back and the ham mer fully cooked. (See Figs. 3 and 5.) By pushing in the button 26 when the hammer is cocked the tapering edge of the'head 29 on-the pin 27 comes in between the stud 11 and the arm'16’ (see Fig. 3) and forces said arm and thc'lever 16 up, (see dotted lines, Fig. 5,) thus tripping the lever 16 and releasing the notch 18 in- said lever from the stud 19 onthe ham mer 10, and allowing said hammer to operate to discharge the ?re-arm.

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From the above description, in connection '. with the drawings, the operation of the mech anism for releasing the hammer or allowing it to operate after it has been cocked, by pushing in the button 26, extending through the handle ‘of u the ?re-arm, will be understood by those skilled in the 'art. A continuous ?ring of the revolver until all’

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313.893 (

' the cartridges are discharged is ‘obtained by keeping the~button,26, pushed in,when the ?re arm acts in the same manner and can be dis charged with a rapidity equal to or greater

_ than selficockin'g tire-arms of the‘ ordinary con , struction. '- ' _ - ‘. _ j '

It will be understood that the details of con struction of my improved mechanism for cock-‘

- ing and discharging a revoiving ?re-arm may be varied somewhatt‘rom what I have described without, departing from the principle of -_my invention, and the'same may be adapted to be employed in connection ‘with revolving ?re-_ arms of any ordinary‘construction, _ The push-button, for releasing the hammer

after itvhas been-fully cocked, instead of ex'-_ tending through the side of the hammer, as above described,’ and illustratedv in the draw ings, may extend through the rear or front

as part of the handle and be adapted to operate ‘_ to release- the hammer in substantially the manner hereinbefore set forth. ‘\ ' ‘Iwill now describe the second feature of m

improvements in revolving ?re arms, relating 25-tothe manner of securing the barrel portion _

to the-stock, so as to prevent, in case they are not properly secured together, (see Fig. 6,.) the

> full-cocking of the hammer 10 and the opera-_ tion of the same by ;pushing in the button 26," as above described? _ ‘ - - l - ~ >

In the upper part of the‘stock 3 is pivoted, ' by means of pins-B0, extending througheachl side thereof, the fbarrel - catch 31,- provided _with a hook at its forward end to extendint'o and engage a bevellslot,; ‘32,;made in the" rear end of the barrel portion 1 to secure said bar; rel portionv to the stock. A‘ conical or taper ing projection, 33, is formed upon the upper parto't' the stock 3, adapted to enter into and engage a-corresponding depression made‘in the barrel portion when said barrel portion is

“ in its proper position to befsecured to said _ "stock. (See Fig. 2.) ‘A spring. 34, is secured/ within the’ handle 'or , stock 3, and'presses against the lower end of the catch 31-and- de presses the upper end of said catch',-_caiis_ing the hook thereomto engage‘with the beveled

. _ slot 32 in'the barrel portion when .the same is depressed suf?ciently. ‘ A small pin or screw, 35, secured in the stock 3 and extending through an elongated hole, 36,'in the catch '31, (see Fig. 2,) limits the backward-and-for ward tilting motion of said catch. The'catch 31 is slottcdulongitudinally or cut out upon its interior surface, as indicated‘in Figs. 2,5, and 6, to allow of' the hammer 10 passing freely back and forth within said catch 31. A stop-pin or screw, 37, extends through the up.

‘ per part of the catch 31,‘with'its inner end ‘projecting slightly beyond the interior surface of said catch. The object of .the pin 37, used in connection with the barrel-catch 31 and the hammer 10, is to prevent the full-cocking and operation of said hammer to discharge the

_6 5 ?re-arm in case the barrel portion ‘is not prop perly secured to the stock, ‘as shown in Fig. 6.

is

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35

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SO

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‘ scribed;

- It will be understood that the hammer must

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be. fully cocked in ‘order to be released or al-_ lowed to operate by pushing the'bntton 26, as above described. ' _ f - When the barrel portion and the stock are I

properly secured ‘together by means of the‘ catch 31, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,, the, end of the hammer 10 will pass freely by the end of , the pin 37; but when the barrel portion is not 75 properly secured to the stock, as indicated in. Fig. 6, . the rear end of the “barrel portion presses against the hooked end of the catch 31 and forces it_ba.ck, and causes the end of the

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pin 37 tocomeincontact with the upper 'end 80. . of the hammer 1,0 as thesame is forced back by ' _ the operation of the trigger, preventing said hammer 'from'being fully cooked, as indicated in-said ?gure, and ‘thus preventing the push bntton 26 from. releasing said hammer or al- 85 low‘in'git‘to, operate, by reason of the curved , arm 16’ not being drawn back snf?ciently far to he acted upon by't'he head‘ 29 on the pin 27 of: the button" 26 in the manner above dc

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Inlieu of the‘ pin' 37, a knob or projection, .may- be formed upon the inner surface of the catch 31~ to accomplish the'same result as de scribed vabove. The value of this feature of z-i'nyjimproveme‘nts will be readily appreciated 95 :by those skilled in the art,-for without this . provision to prevent the full-cocking of the , hammer and the discharge of. the ?re-arm > when thefbar'rel portion ‘is not properly se cured;.to.the' stock serious ‘accidents might occur by‘the-til'ting forward of the barrel,

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‘ caused by the. operation of the hammer and the discharge of cartridge, either-accidentally or otherwise. - _

- ,‘The great advantage of my improvements in the mechanism for cooking and ?ring re volving ?re-arms will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. - ‘ - f

I am enabled to prevent the hammer from being accidentally or inadvertently operated to discharge the ?re-arm after it has been cooked by means of the trigger, for a separate - anddistinet operation is- required to operate ‘ the hammer after it has been cocked-'-na'mely, the pushing in of a button extending through the handlevof the ?re-arm. . V "

I can obtain a continuous discharge of the ?re-arm, as in ?re-arms of the ordinary con struction, by simply holding the'but-ton pressed in and operating the trigger. ' v Having thus described my improvements in

?re-arms, what I claim as new,‘ and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—-_ _

1. In a ?re-arm, the combination, with the trigger pivoted in the stock, a lever connect ing said trigger with the hammer to cook the same, and said hammer, of a push-button ex tending through-the handle and provided with an actuating-spring, a central spindle,‘ and'an enlarged head adapted ‘to ‘engage with and operate the lever to release the hammer after it is cockedand allow the same-to operate, sub stantially as set forth. .

2. The combination, with the trigger, a le

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.7 and allow 10 forth. . _ _ v

- 3. 'The eoinnination,_'with a lever, 16, con- ’

a‘ ver, 16, connecting said trigger with the ham-~ mer, and said hammer provided with spin or _ ‘stud to engage said lever, and ‘amainspring for operating said hammer, of a push-button provided with an actuating-spring and a cen

‘ tral-spindle, and an‘ enlarged head adapted to engage with the lever 16, to o erate the same to release the hammer after it as been cocked

it to operate, substantially as set

--necting'tl1e_-trigger with the hammer and pro‘ vvided with a'cani'or projection, 23, to engage .and operate the lower end of the cylinder-lock

! 5 ing lever 21, of said cylinder-locking lever 21,

v as shownand described. -

operated by said- lever '16 in the manner set forth, andan actuating-spring,- substantially

4. In a ?re-‘arm, acatch for securing the 20. barrel portion to the stock, ‘provided with a

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' onjthe stock, vof-a. barrel-catch pivoted in‘ the l.

pin or kncb‘against which the hammer strikes to prevent the full-cocking of the same in case . thestock and barrel portion are not properly . secured together, substantially as set forth.

5. In a ?re-arm, the combination, with the ' ‘stock and barrel portion adapted to, be tilted

stock for'securing the barrel portionthereto and provided with a stoppin or knob‘to‘ pre

"6.1111 a-?re-arm, _ . H -

catch pivoted’ in thestock and Provided with 35 __

‘same, substantially

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vent the full-cocking and operation or the . hammer in?case the- barrel portion and the stock are not properly‘secured together. sub stantially as set forth.» - ; ' ~

the combination, with a

a stop pin or knob, of the hammeradapted to strike against said pin to prevent the full-cock5 .ing and operation of said hammer in case'the stock and barrel‘ portion. are not properly se cured together, substantially as set forth. -- ~

" '7. In a ?rearm, acatchefor'securing the barreltothe stock, hung‘ on a‘ pin extending __ through the stock and adapted to be swung

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thereon and to extend‘througb‘thestock-to I. form the upper exposed edge thereof and'pro vided' with-an actuati-n'g- pring, substantially asshown'and‘described; ' * -- - - ‘

8. ‘In a ?rearm‘, a. barrel-catch, 3'1, pivot

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ally hung onv a‘ pin. 30',- in the stock and pro- - vided with an actuating-"spring, '34,-and cut out upon its interior surface to permit .01; the hammer passing back.‘ and forthwithin' the

as shown- and described. a _ _ '_ ', JOHN e.-_Ho.wn.,.'

_:‘Witnesses:_ - . "

'JQHNC. DEWEL. ' M. RALPH DRYDEN. .

/ .

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