A Gatling gun is a gun with multiple firing pins an breeches connected to multiple rotating barrels. Each barrel fires a single shot as it reaches a certain point in the cycle after which it ejects the spent cartridge, loads a new round, and in the process, somewhat cools down. This configuration allows higher rates of fire without the problem of an overheating single barrel, though accuracy suffers. The gun was designed by the American inventor Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861 and patented in 1862.