Be sure to catch the American Rifleman Television show on the Gardner Gun airing Dec 6,8, and 11th.!
All Patent images presented here are the work of the U.S. Patent Office website at www.uspto.gov
U.S. Patents relating to the Gardner Gun
| Patent No. | Description | Date Issued | Assignee |
| 174,130 | Machine Gun | 2/29/1876 | William Gardner |
| 177,030 | Machine Gun | 3/14/1876 | James P.Taylor |
| 190,645 | Machine Gun | 5/8/1877 | James P. Taylor |
| 206,365 | Machine Gun | 7/23/1878 | James P. Taylor |
| 216,266 | Machine Gun | 6/10/1879 | William Gardner |
| 227,648 | Tripod -Support for Machine-Guns | 5/18/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 228,777 | Machine-Gun | 6/15/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 228,926 | Cartridge Packing Case | 6/15/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 229,007 | Cartridge Feed Case for Machine Guns | 6/22/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 231,607 | Machine Gun | 8/24/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 231,927 | Cartridge Packing and Feed Case | 9/7/1880 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
| 235,627 | Cartridge Feeder for Machine Guns | 12/21/1880 | W. Gardner & E. G. Parkhurst |
| 245,710 | Machine Gun | 8/16/1881 | William Gardner |
| 341,500 | Friction Holdfast | 5/11/1886 | Edward G. Parkhurst |
Patent # 174,130 The original patent applied for, and granted to, William Gardner of Toledo, Ohio on Feb. 29 1876
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The following patent, Number 177030, was granted to James P. Taylor just a few weeks after the initial patent issued William Gardner. The story of Mr. Taylor is just beginning to emerge and will surely prove to be an interesting addition to the development history of small arms. Mr. Taylor worked in the Patent office, apparently saw room for improvement on designs that came across his desk, and patented them. His venture into the development of machine guns produced at least one working gun which is now in the Smithsonian. Little information has surfaced regarding the gun but the story of Taylor and his inventions makes a very interesting entry into the story of the Gardner gun. You see, there appears on the the top cover of one Gardner gun the patent date of May 8, 1877 and I have not found a patent issued to William Gardner for that date. Mr. Taylor, however, does have a patent issued on that date, number 190,645. Any information on this person, his patents, or known relations to the Gardner gun would be appreciated.
Patent 177030, issued to James P. Taylor May 2, 1876
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Patent 190645, issued to James P. Taylor May 8, 1877
The photo below is of the top cover of gun number 59 which now resides in a private museum in California. This is the only Gardner gun that I have seen with a significant amount of markings. The others that I have seen had only serial numbers and the occasional Pratt & Whitney horizontal oval. Gun number 59 is U.S. inspected by "DFC" and shows the "US" stamp in many locations about the casing.
Top Cover from Garder #59. Note May 8th date. |
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Patent 216266, issued to William Gardner June 10, 1879
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