The morning call., 1894-06-10

often occurs, IS not clearly stated
AIR-GUN-L. b., MaltermOro, Fresno County,
Cal. The air-gun is an instrument for throwing
bullets or DrOjectiles by the force OF COM
pressed air instead Of gunpowder Various
forms of construction have been adopted. The
most usual plan Is 10 insert a condensing Sy-
ringe in the stock of the gun. The piston Of
this syringe is worked by an apparatus which
passes through the interior of The gun, and this
working toward a small body of air 10 be con
densed INTO a chamber. The chamber has
valve opening into the barrel. just behind the
place where the bullet Is lodged The gun Is
loaded from the muzzle as ordinary muSkets or
fOwliDg pieces; and there is at that time gust
behind it small BODY OF highly compressed
air, ready to rush out at any opening. This
opportunity is afforded by a movement of the
trigger which opens the valve; the air ruShes
form with such impetuosity as 10 propel the
bullet. BY certain management OF the trig-
ger, two or three bullets, successfully and
separately introduced, Can be thrown by
one mass OF condensed air. Another
form OF air-gun contains several bullets
In a receptacle or channel under the
barrel; by the movement OF a cock or
lever one of The bullets can readily be shifted
into tile barrel; thus several successive dis
charges can be made after one loading, on a
principle somewhat analogous 10 The revolver.
Some varieties OF ihe ait-gun have the con-
denslng syringe detached, by which a more
powerful condensation of air may be produced.
This done the air chamber is replaced In its
proper position behind the bullet in the barrel.
Those aiT-guns which present the external ap-
peaTdnce OF stout walking sticks and are called
air canes, have a chamber within the handle
for containing condensed air, which can be I'M
screwed and subject 10 the action of the con-
denSlng syringe. One inventor has devised a
form OF aiI-gun with Two barrels-One OF small
bore for thr reception of bullets, and another
OF larger bore for The reservoir OF condensed
air, the condenSlng syringe being within the
stock OF the gun. An attempt has more Ie-
Gently been made 10 combine the action OF
elastic springs with That of compressed
air IN an alr-6un. Springs of gutta-DeTcha
or of vulcaniZed India rubber are EN-
ployed In substitution OF In CO
operation with the cOUdenslng syringe. No
form OF aiT-gun hitherto made has had power
enough TO UrOpel a bullet 10 any considerable
distance and Their fore the Instrument Is
scarcely available in war. There are, however
circumstances under which such an arm NAV
be useful, seeing that there is no expense for
gunpowder, no noise, no smoke, no unpleasant
odor. The aTgun was known IN France more
than TWO centuries ago, and the ancieuts were
acquainted with some kind Of apparatus by
which air was made 10 act upon the shorter
arm OF a lever while the larger arm implied
bullet. or rec Mt years an aiT-gun has been
Invented for use In shOOting-gaIleTies, ana
While the principle is The same as that al
ready described the manner of applying il is
somewhat different. While II may be used for
the purpose OF propelling small bullets a short
distance with considerable degree of accu.
racy II Is considered but little more than a SCI
entltic toy. The principle OF the air-gun has
been applied 10 the projecting of toTpedOes
from torpedo guns, but iattrrly gunpOwpeT has
taken The place OF air for this purpose.