How the Gatling Gun's Rotating Barrel Mechanism Works
Richard Gatling's 1862 patent for a multi-barrel firearm that used a hand-cranked rotating mechanism to fire bullets in rapid succession.
Original patent title: “Improvement in revolving battery-guns”
Richard Gatling's 1862 patent for a multi-barrel firearm that used a hand-cranked rotating mechanism to fire bullets in rapid succession. Granted to Richard J. Gatling in 1862 with 7 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a mechanical system where multiple barrels are arranged around a central shaft. As the operator turns a hand crank, the barrels rotate, and a cam-driven system loads, fires, and extracts cartridges sequentially. This design allowed for a much higher rate of fire than single-shot rifles, as each barrel had time to cool while the others were being cycled.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover automatic weapons that use gas pressure or recoil to cycle the action
- Does not cover single-barrel repeating firearms like lever-action rifles
- Does not cover electronic or motorized firing systems
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
By using a rotating cluster of barrels, the design solved the problem of barrel overheating, which would have caused a single barrel to melt or jam during continuous rapid fire.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Gatling Gun
Modern rotary cannons like the M61 Vulcan
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention fundamentally changed infantry tactics by introducing the concept of sustained suppressive fire. It served as the precursor to modern machine guns and influenced military doctrine for over a century.
Granted
November 4, 1862
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Modern defense contractors like General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman continue to use the rotary barrel principle in high-rate-of-fire weapons systems for aircraft and naval defense.
Market impact
The invention shifted the focus of military hardware toward high-volume fire, effectively ending the era of slow-loading, single-shot muskets and forcing a complete overhaul of battlefield tactics.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a mechanical system where multiple barrels are arranged around a central shaft. As the operator turns a hand crank, the barrels rotate, and a cam-driven system loads, fires, and extracts cartridges sequentially. This design allowed for a much higher rate of fire than single-shot rifles, as each barrel had time to cool while the others were being cycled.
The clever bit
By using a rotating cluster of barrels, the design solved the problem of barrel overheating, which would have caused a single barrel to melt or jam during continuous rapid fire.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover automatic weapons that use gas pressure or recoil to cycle the action
- Does not cover single-barrel repeating firearms like lever-action rifles
- Does not cover electronic or motorized firing systems
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
18/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$5K – $15K
Midpoint $10K · expired or expiring · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
(1862). How the Gatling Gun's Rotating Barrel Mechanism Works (U.S. Patent No. 36,836). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/36836/gatling-gun
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the Gatling Gun's Rotating Barrel Mechanism Works cover?
Richard Gatling's 1862 patent for a multi-barrel firearm that used a hand-cranked rotating mechanism to fire bullets in rapid succession.
Who owns patent US 36836?
Richard J. Gatling owns this patent, granted in 1862.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 36836 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention fundamentally changed infantry tactics by introducing the concept of sustained suppressive fire. It served as the precursor to modern machine guns and influenced military doctrine for over a century.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover automatic weapons that use gas pressure or recoil to cycle the action
Patent monitoring