Colt Revolver

Samuel Colt, USA, patent of 1836. The rotating cylinder plus interchangeable parts.

Overview

Colt patented his revolving-cylinder pistol in 1836, failed, then revived on Texas and Mexican War orders. His real innovation was the assembly line with interchangeable parts, funded by the patent monopoly. The 1851 Great Exhibition made Colt a celebrity of manufacturing. The 1860 Army model became the American Civil War sidearm. Colt sold to both sides when possible. The phrase new and improved via patent extension shaped American marketing.