Journal of the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts:
Devoted to Mechanical and Physical Science, Civil Engineering, the Arts and Manufactures, and the Recording
of American and Other Patent Inventions. Vols. 1-69 include more or less complete patent reports of the
U. S. Patent Office for years 1825-1859.
Philip A. Morineau was living for two years in the United States. The improvements claimed in his patent
granted on October 10, 1832, are intended, principally, for muskets, fowling pieces, and other guns of
that description. In the general construction, these guns resemble some others wich have recently been
invented in France, but the patentee claims to have made a much better arrangement of the parts, and
it is upon this that he founds his claims.
The gun is loaded at the breech, which is, for this purpose, made to revolve upon tateral trunnions. When
the cartridge, with its percussion primer, has been inserted in its place, the breech is being turned
round cocks the gun. The bayonet is fixed in a more convenient manner than upon the old musket, the
absence of a ram-rod affording an opportunity so to do.
The advantages which this gun is said to possess over others, are that it may be loaded and discharged
in any position, and with increased celerity: that it has less recoit; that it is secured against damp
and wet; that it is not liable to become foul, and is redily cleaned; that its concstuction is more
simple; that it requires no ram-rod, with its appendages; that it is cocked and primed by the operation of
loading; ant that the bayonet is more redily and conveniently fixed.
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