POTD: Sounds Like a Gun That Goes “Pew!” – Whitney Walking Beam
Sam.S 03.15.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The Whitney-Beals revolver featured an innovative “walking beam” trigger design patented by Fordyce Beals in 1854. Manufactured by Eli Whitney’s factory, this unique walking beam mechanism converted the linear motion of pulling the trigger into rotational motion to index and rotate the 7 shot cylinder. To avoid Colt’s patents, the walking beam system handled cylinder indexing, while the hammer was cocked separately. Around 3,200 of these distinct walking beam revolvers were produced in .28 and .31 calibers before the Civil War, with some potentially converted to cartridges by Whitney himself prior to his 1888 retirement. The revolver had a distinctive side cover over the linkages of the walking beam indexing system.
“This Whitney-Beals’ Patent Pocket Revolver a.k.a. “Walking Beam Pocket Revolver” was manufactured by the Whitney Arms Co. c. 1854-1860s. Surviving examples are scarce. Designed to evade all Colt patent claims, this revolver has a full octagon barrel, seven-shot cylinder, ring trigger and distinctive shield on the left side of the frame that covers most of the cylinder. The two-piece walnut grips have a square profile butt and a high polish piano finish. The barrel has a brass cone front sight. A fixed brass rear sight with rounded top is mounted on the top strap. The top strap is roll-stamped: ADDRESS E. WHITNEY/WHITNEYVILLE CT.” in two lines. The cylinder has etched decoration. “K12″ is stamped on the bottom of the frame ahead of the ring trigger, on the left side of the frame beneath the grips and on the inside of both grips. All of the visible serial numbers match.”
Lot 103: Whitney-Beals’ Patent “Walking Beam Pocket Revolver” – Whitney-Beals’ Patent “Walking Beam Pocket Revolver” with Scarce 7-Shot Cylinder. (n.d.-a). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4090/103/whitneybeals-patent-walking-beam-pocket-revolver.
