| Description | DM162/162/10/12/ folio 1. Letter to Westley Richards regarding the Octagon Rifle. Desire to experiment on rifle, deterred by the possibility of cessation of such by patents also by not knowing whether barrel rifling machinery would obtain varying twist, Whately, enquiry as to Richards' apparatus and making of the barrel. 25 October 1852.
DM162/162/10/12/ folio 2. Letter to Westley Richards regarding the Octagon Rifle. Requirement of barrel, the octagon shaped inside, with more and increasing twist, enquiry as to manufacture for experiment. [See also letter book 9, p. 125.] 7 February 1853.
DM162/10/12/folio 2. Letter to Westley Richards relating to the Octagon Rifle. Receipt of Richards' communication, recommendation of his taking out a license from Whitworth for octagon guns, no intention of interfering with Whitworth's patent although objection to patents, etc., previous inventions of gun by Brunel and others, enquiry as to nature of patent etc., success of Brunel's rifle at Woolwich, principle of action of ball and polygon barrel action. [See also Letter Book 11, p.125]. 26 November 1858.
DM162/10/12/folio 5. Letter relating to Rifle barrels. Memorandum by W[estley] Richards criticising Whitworth, belief that in giving him detailed information for Government use he should receive improved machinery for barrel construction enabling independence from skilled labour and improved rifles, Whitworth's setting up in same trade refusing Richards machines and barrels, advantages of Whitworth and Richards working together, Richards' anxiety for arbitration but Whitworth's decision for law relating to his patent, etc. 30 May 1860.
DM162/10/12/folio 6. Letter from Westley Richards to Isambard Kingdom Brunel relating to the Octagon Rifle. Acknowledgement of letter enabling taking of license from Whitworth without depriving Brunel of credit of invention, patent including polygon barrels and shaped projectiles. 26 November 1858.
DM162/10/12/folio 6. Letter from J. Bennett to Westley Richards relating to the Octagon Rifle. Richards' meeting with Brunel in January 1855, sending of gun to former in March 1855 via G.W.R., inability to find letters from Richards or Whitworth. 19 May 1859.
DM162/10/12/folio 6. Letter from Westley Richards to T. Aston relating to the Octagon rifle. Statement of Richards' views, including introduction to George Whately to effect Brunel's ideas, request to make barrel, meetings with Whitworth, visits to Manchester, completion of Brunel's rifle, Ordnance Office Committee appointment for rifle experiments, etc., Whitworth to show invention and making of model previous to meeting Richards, taking of license and upholding of former's legal right, Whitworth's apparent complaints, etc. 30 May 1860.
DM162/10/12/folio 10. Letter from Captain Hawes to I. Brunel relating to the Octagon rifle, heavy polygonal gun. Hawes' meetings with Brunel, Hawes' experiments, Brunel's rifle made but ideas not new, Richards' making of increasing spiral and octagonal bore, success of trials, Whitworth's patent specification obtained, Brunel's meeting with him, idea having come from Brunel's rifle, Brunel's interest in experiments, notification to Royal Arsenal Gun Factory of polygonal bored and rifled heavy ordnance, Brunel's opinion of Whitworth, etc. 9 January 1863. |