Rollin White
Encyclopedia
Rollin White was an American gunsmith who invented a revolver with a bored-through cylinder which allowed metallic cartridges to be loaded from the rear.
in 1818. He learned gunsmithing from his older brother, J. D. White in 1837. He would later claim that the idea for a "rear-loading" Pepper-box
revolver came to him while working in his brother's shop in 1839. In 1849 he went to work for Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company
as a gunsmith under contract, turning revolver barrels on a lathe. During this time he procured two "junk" revolver cylinders from Colt and placed them in his barrel lathe, cutting the front off one and the rear off the other. He assembled these parts into a single bored-through cylinder that would fit in a Colt revolver.
Up until that time, revolvers were black-powder percussion arms. The shooter had to pour powder into each of the six cylinder mouths, swage a bullet over the powder, and load a percussion cap
on the rear of the cylinder, making the reloading process cumbersome. White's idea was to completely bore through the cylinder and insert metallic cartridges from the rear.
For the next three years, White worked on his idea while at Colt's, where his contract was now to cut rifling and polish the bores of revolver barrels. White went through various loads and filler material to enable his revolver to work. White was warned by other employees and contractors against approaching Colt with an "improvement" to his revolver design, saying Colt was known for firing workers or cancelling the contracts of employees who suggested design alterations. Despite these warnings, he took his idea to the president of the company, Samuel Colt
, in 1852 when he perfected it, but Colt dismissed it as a novelty. Colt subsequently granted White a contract to manufacture the lockwork of revolvers.
In December 1854, Colt stopped the process of manufacturing by contract and White was no longer employed by Colt. White filed his patent on April 3, 1855 in Hartford, Connecticut as patent number 12,648: Improvement in Repeating Fire-arms. On November 17, 1856 White signed an agreement with Smith and Wesson for the exclusive use of his patent. The contract stipulated that White would be paid 25 cents for every revolver, but that it was up to him to defend his patent against infringement as opposed to Smith & Wesson
.
After the Smith & Wesson revolver came on the market, White began production of a revolver of his own in 1861 in a factory in Lowell, Massachusetts called "Rollin White Arms Company". Approximately 4300 revolvers were made under Rollin White Arms, most of which were sold to Smith & Wesson to keep up with demand. White liquidated the company in 1864 and the assets were bought by Lowell Arms Company, which began manufacturing revolvers directly infringing on White's patent. White sued them, but not until after they had made 7500 revolvers.
Patent infringements were common against White, the Manhattan Firearms Company, Ethan Allen
, Merwin & Bray
, National Arms Company
, William Irving
and others. The courts mostly sided with White, but allowed these manufacturers to continue production runs, with a royalty paid to White. In some cases, Smith & Wesson bought the guns back to remark and sell; such guns are marked "APRIL 3 1855" as a patent date.
. These rifles were built by White, Christian Sharps
, and Richard Lawrence at Robbins & Laurence in Windsor, Vermont
. White later designed a self-cocking mechanism for the 1855 pattern Sharps and built 50 of these rifles for a potential US Navy contract, but the Navy only purchased 12 of them.
Rollin White died in Lowell, Massachusetts on March 22, 1892.
Early life
White was born in Williamstown, VermontWilliamstown, Vermont
Williamstown is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,225 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.3 square miles , of which 40.2 square miles is land and 0.2 square mile is...
in 1818. He learned gunsmithing from his older brother, J. D. White in 1837. He would later claim that the idea for a "rear-loading" Pepper-box
Pepper-box
The pepper-box revolver or simply pepperbox is a multiple-barrel repeating firearm that has three or more barrels grouped around a central axis. It mostly appears in the form of a multi-shot handheld firearm...
revolver came to him while working in his brother's shop in 1839. In 1849 he went to work for Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
as a gunsmith under contract, turning revolver barrels on a lathe. During this time he procured two "junk" revolver cylinders from Colt and placed them in his barrel lathe, cutting the front off one and the rear off the other. He assembled these parts into a single bored-through cylinder that would fit in a Colt revolver.
Rollin White patent
Percussion cap
The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzleloading firearms to fire reliably in any weather.Before this development, firearms used flintlock ignition systems which produced flint-on-steel sparks to ignite a pan of priming powder and thereby fire the...
on the rear of the cylinder, making the reloading process cumbersome. White's idea was to completely bore through the cylinder and insert metallic cartridges from the rear.
For the next three years, White worked on his idea while at Colt's, where his contract was now to cut rifling and polish the bores of revolver barrels. White went through various loads and filler material to enable his revolver to work. White was warned by other employees and contractors against approaching Colt with an "improvement" to his revolver design, saying Colt was known for firing workers or cancelling the contracts of employees who suggested design alterations. Despite these warnings, he took his idea to the president of the company, Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company , and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. Colt's innovative contributions to the weapons industry have been described by arms historian James E...
, in 1852 when he perfected it, but Colt dismissed it as a novelty. Colt subsequently granted White a contract to manufacture the lockwork of revolvers.
In December 1854, Colt stopped the process of manufacturing by contract and White was no longer employed by Colt. White filed his patent on April 3, 1855 in Hartford, Connecticut as patent number 12,648: Improvement in Repeating Fire-arms. On November 17, 1856 White signed an agreement with Smith and Wesson for the exclusive use of his patent. The contract stipulated that White would be paid 25 cents for every revolver, but that it was up to him to defend his patent against infringement as opposed to Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
.
After the Smith & Wesson revolver came on the market, White began production of a revolver of his own in 1861 in a factory in Lowell, Massachusetts called "Rollin White Arms Company". Approximately 4300 revolvers were made under Rollin White Arms, most of which were sold to Smith & Wesson to keep up with demand. White liquidated the company in 1864 and the assets were bought by Lowell Arms Company, which began manufacturing revolvers directly infringing on White's patent. White sued them, but not until after they had made 7500 revolvers.
Patent infringements were common against White, the Manhattan Firearms Company, Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen (armsmaker)
Ethan Allen was a major American armsmaker from Massachusetts. He is believed to be unrelated to the revolutionary Ethan Allen. His first firearm, the "Pocket Rifle" was developed in 1836, and his first patent was granted in 1837....
, Merwin & Bray
Merwin Hulbert
Merwin, Hulbert, and Co. or Merwin Hulbert was an American firearms manufacturer and marketer based in New York City which made revolvers and rifles from 1876 until 1916. The guns, themselves, were manufactured by a subsidiary company: Hopkins & Allen of Norwich, Connecticut...
, National Arms Company
National Arms Company
The National Arms Company was a Brooklyn, New York-based manufacturer of firearms that flourished for a decade in the mid-19th century, around the time of the American Civil War....
, William Irving
William Irving
William Irving may refer to:* William Irving , British Labour Co-operative MP 1945–1955* William Irving , steamship captain from Scotland, active in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia...
and others. The courts mostly sided with White, but allowed these manufacturers to continue production runs, with a royalty paid to White. In some cases, Smith & Wesson bought the guns back to remark and sell; such guns are marked "APRIL 3 1855" as a patent date.
Other works
White invented the knife-edge breech block and self-cocking device for the "box-lock" Model 1851 Sharps rifleSharps Rifle
Sharps rifles were those of a series begun with a design by Christian Sharps. Sharps rifles were renowned for long range and high accuracy in their day.-History:Sharps's initial rifle was patented September 17, 1848 and manufactured by A. S...
. These rifles were built by White, Christian Sharps
Christian Sharps
Christian Sharps, the inventor of the first successful breech loading rifle, was born in Washington, New Jersey in 1810. He married Sarah Elizabeth Chadwick of Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. The couple had two children, a daughter Satella and son Leon Stewart.Sharps was issued a patent for...
, and Richard Lawrence at Robbins & Laurence in Windsor, Vermont
Windsor, Vermont
Windsor is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,756 at the 2000 census.-History:One of the New Hampshire grants, Windsor was chartered as a town on July 6, 1761 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. It was first settled in August 1764 by Captain Steele Smith and...
. White later designed a self-cocking mechanism for the 1855 pattern Sharps and built 50 of these rifles for a potential US Navy contract, but the Navy only purchased 12 of them.
Rollin White died in Lowell, Massachusetts on March 22, 1892.