Loading devices for muzzle loading rifles

My invention provides a fully loaded device which is carried by a hunter in an easily accessible position for quick re-loading of a muzzle loading rifle. The device comprises a tubular member and removable end caps on opposite ends of the member. Removal of one end cap permits a patch and ball shot to be inserted into the open end of the tubular member. Replacement of such one end cap and removal of the other end permits powder to be poured into this open end of the tubular member. After replacement of said other end cap, the fully loaded device is adapted to be suspended by a neck sling. In order to quickly fire a second shot, the hunter grasps the tubular member with one hand and pulls downwardly thereon. This causes disengagement of said first end cap so that in the same motion the open end of the tubular member may be positioned over the end of the rifle barrel and in alignment with the barrel bore. Thereafter, a plunger is operated to push the patch and ball into the barrel bore.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
Prior art known to me is represented in the following patents: U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 163,404, Phillips, May 18, 1875; 184,079, Hovis, Nov. 7, 1876; 
3,747,252, Walker, July 24, 1973. 
The early prior art, as shown in the Phillips and Hovis patents, related to 
revolvable chambers, much like that used in the ordinary hand gun. These 
required a cap-piece which was adapted to fit over the end of the rifle 
barrel, and means to align a chamber with the barrel bore. The later 
patent to Walker relates to a tool for lining up and piloting a ball shot 
into the rifle muzzle. The known prior art devices did not provide a 
readily accessible loading device, and insofar as applicant is aware, are 
not widely used because of this. 
In contrast, my improved device may be loaded with a patch, ball, and 
powder and, since it is suspended by a neck sling, it is immediately 
accessible for use. To quickly load the rifle for a second shot, the 
hunter merely pulls on a tubular member forming part of my improved 
device. This pull releases the member from one end cap so that the grasped 
member may be inverted and aligned with the rifle barrel bore, whereby the 
powder flows into the bore and the patch and ball are started on their way 
into the bore by a plunger carried by the tubular member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
My improved loading device 10 is adapted to be supported from the neck of a 
person by a suitable sling 11, as seen in FIG. 1. In this position, it 
dangles in the chest area of a user and is immediately accessible for use. 
The loading device 10 comprises a tubular member 12 which may be formed of 
any rigid material, such as a suitable metal or plastic. An end cap 14 is 
removably connected to one end of the tubular member and a second end cap 
15 is removably connected to the opposite end of the member. At least the 
connection between the tubular member 12 and the end cap 15 should be such 
that disconnection may be effected by a separating pull. For this purpose 
I have found it suitable to utilize a split metal ring 16 seated in an 
annular groove in the tubular member 12, but projecting from the external 
surface of the latter sufficiently to snap into an annular groove on the 
interior surface of the end cap 15. The end cap 14 may have a different 
type of connection with the member 12, such as screw threads, bayonet 
connection, or the like, but for simplicity of manufacture, this 
connection may also be in the form of a split ring 17, similar to that 
just described. In some cases, it is desirable to make the split ring 
connection 17 more resistant to separation than that of the ring 
connection 16, to insure that a pull on the tubular member 12, as shown in 
FIG. 2, will always cause separation of the connection 16. 
The end cap 15 is provided with an apertured head 18 so that the neck sling 
11 may be connected thereto. The sling may take any suitable form and 
preferably is flexible, such as a leather thong as herein shown, which may 
have its ends knotted together to form a loop which will freely pass over 
the head of a person. 
Slidable axially within an opening in the end cap 14 is a plunger 19 which 
is presently in the form of an elongated round rod of any suitable rigid 
material, such as metal, wood or plastic. The rod preferably has an 
enlargement 20 on its outer end for hand-grip purpose. The inner end of 
the rod has an undercut portion 21 over which a ferrule 22 is pressed and 
firmly held in position. The ferrule has a headed extremity 23 to prevent 
complete withdrawal of the rod from the end cap 14, and the extremity 23 
has a circular concavity 24 to receive a peripheral part of a ball shot 
25. 
The loading device is shown in empty condition in FIG. 4, and may be loaded 
during the leisure time of a hunter, and when the device is not suspended 
from the hunter's neck. To load the device, the end cap 14 is removed, and 
this may be effected by grasping the tubular member 12 in one hand and 
pulling on the rod 19 or end cap with the other. 
A lubricated patch 26 and the ball 25 are placed on the open end of the 
tubular member 12 and pushed by finger pressure into the member to the 
position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 5. The end cap 14 is then 
replaced, the tubular member 12 is inverted, and the end cap 15 is 
removed, as seen in FIG. 6, so that gun powder 27 may be poured into the 
open end of the tubular member in any desired amount, as measured in a 
commercially available powder measure 28. The end cap 15 is then replaced 
and loading of the device has been completed. The sling 11 is placed over 
the hunter's head so as to support the device 10 in the position shown in 
FIG. 1. 
After the hunter has fired the single shot already in the rifle, he may 
quickly reload the rifle for a second shot in the following manner: First 
he grasps the tubular member 12 in one hand and may hold the rifle in the 
other hand with the muzzle pointing upwardly. He then pulls downwardly on 
the member 12 and this separates the latter from the end cap 15 which 
remains suspended from the neck sling. In the same motion, the hunter may 
invert the tubular member 12 and place it in abutting relation over the 
end of the rifle barrel, using the same hand to hold the tubular member 
and the upper end of the rifle barrel, with the tubular member aligned. 
Then with the other hand, which no longer is needed to support or steady 
the rifle, the hunter pushes down on the plunger 19 to move the patch 26 
and ball 25 on their way into the barrel bore, the powder 27 having 
already gravitated toward the closed lower end of the barrel bore. The 
loading device is then removed from the rifle and the usual ram rod (not 
shown) is used to move the patch and ball downward to final position 
wherein the two seat on the powder and compress the same.