Smith, Gilbert

Name	Street	Town	State	From	To
Smith, Gilbert		New York	New York	1847
Smith, Gilbert		Buttermilk Falls	New York	1855

Patent	Date	Remarks
14,001	Decembre 25, 1856	Breech-Loading Fire-Arm view patent
15,496	August 5, 1856	Breech-Loading Fire-Arm view patent
17,644	June 23, 1857	Breech-Loading Fire-Arm Patent drawing Patent drawing 2nd page Specification Specification 2nd page Specification 3rd page
17,702	June 30, 1857	Cartridge Patent drawing Specification Specification 2nd page

Contract	for
in 1869 U.S. Army	300 Smith Carbined for field tests but is seems non was delivered

Product
At age of 40, in 1847, Gilbert Smith lived in New York City and was a machinist working at Hoe and Company, makers of printing presses. His interest in firearms was first shown with a demonstration in the nearby marshes of Hoboken of a carriagemounted muzzle-loading rifle of his design (New York Herald of February 7, 1847). New Invented Poktablk Kiplk Cannon. We witnessed, yesterday, on the marshes of Hoboken, the result of an important invention, designed and executed by Mr. Gilbert Smith, one of the most scientific artista, lor many years in the em- poyment of Hoc & Co., of this city. It is a piece of field ordnance of 36 inches in length from the breech to the bore, bored with rille fluting, through a solid piece of steel, and weighing about 70 lbs. It is mounted on a light field carriage, with every requisite lor ammunition, and capable of being moved by simple manual labor, upon any emergency-the whole not exceeding 200 lbs. in weight. A target was placed at 700 yards distance, and notwithstanding a very high wind, everv bullet, conically formed, weighing but five ounces, and forced only by one ounce of powder, told either in the target, or within a few inches range of tho very limited space allotted to it. The mounting of the piece is simple, but sure, and divested of any power of derangement; the sight being regulated by a screw, and the gun capable of being raised or depressed by a similar arrange- ment, possessing one advantage above all others, that instead of sponging in front, the gun can be sponged and loaded by a swivel movement, as a common musket, and immediately returned to its position. We are convinced that for mountain passes, where horses are impediments, in bush skirmishing, where the rifle cannot reach, this invention will be found worthy of the government patronage, and the inventor's ingenuity re- warded by a patent. New York Times, 8 May 1854 he demonstrated a breechloading rifle to Army officers at the Washington Arsenal. Over 30,000 Smith Carbines were produced. Without manufactur facilities Smith's Carbines were produced by the Massachusetts Arms Co. and the American Machine Works of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Military sales were handled by Poultney & Trimble, Baltimore. It is reported that Smith sold his patent to Poultney & Trimble in or about 1860. Civilian were sold by Schulyer, Hartley & Graham, New York City. They also sold the unique ammunition for the gun. .50 caliber combustible cartridge (rubber) with caplock, Smith carbine, 21 5/8" round barrel, single shot, largely used by the Northern cavalry during the Civil War. right side lock Early production with sling swivel, right side

Product

At age of 40, in 1847, Gilbert Smith lived in New York City and was a machinist working at Hoe and Company, makers of printing presses. His interest in firearms was first shown with a demonstration in the nearby marshes of Hoboken of a carriagemounted muzzle-loading rifle of his design (New York Herald of February 7, 1847).

New Invented Poktablk Kiplk Cannon. We
witnessed, yesterday, on the marshes of Hoboken,
the result of an important invention, designed
and executed by Mr. Gilbert Smith, one of the
most scientific artista, lor many years in the em-
poyment of Hoc & Co., of this city. It is a piece
of field ordnance of 36 inches in length from the
breech to the bore, bored with rille fluting, through
a solid piece of steel, and weighing about 70 lbs.
It is mounted on a light field carriage, with
every requisite lor ammunition, and capable of
being moved by simple manual labor, upon any
emergency-the whole not exceeding 200 lbs.
in weight. A target was placed at 700 yards distance,
and notwithstanding a very high wind,
everv bullet, conically formed, weighing but five
ounces, and forced only by one ounce of powder,
told either in the target, or within a few inches
range of tho very limited space allotted to it. The
mounting of the piece is simple, but sure, and
divested of any power of derangement; the sight
being regulated by a screw, and the gun capable
of being raised or depressed by a similar arrange-
ment, possessing one advantage above all others,
that instead of sponging in front, the gun can be
sponged and loaded by a swivel movement, as a
common musket, and immediately returned to
its position. We are convinced that for mountain
passes, where horses are impediments, in
bush skirmishing, where the rifle cannot reach,
this invention will be found worthy of the government
patronage, and the inventor's ingenuity re-
warded by a patent.

New York Times, 8 May 1854 he demonstrated a breechloading rifle to Army officers at the Washington Arsenal.

Over 30,000 Smith Carbines were produced. Without manufactur facilities Smith's Carbines were produced by the Massachusetts Arms Co. and the American Machine Works of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Military sales were handled by Poultney & Trimble, Baltimore. It is reported that Smith sold his patent to Poultney & Trimble in or about 1860.

Civilian were sold by Schulyer, Hartley & Graham, New York City. They also sold the unique ammunition for the gun.

.50 caliber combustible cartridge (rubber) with caplock, Smith carbine, 21 5/8" round barrel, single shot, largely used by the Northern cavalry during the Civil War.

right side
lock
Early production with sling swivel, right side