IMPROVEMENTS IN
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau,
of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
"
led the 28th April 1854, and dated the 9th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand le
Comte de Fontaine Moreau at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th February 1854.
I, PETER ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-ARMS to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in introducing the per-
cussion caps by means of a tube adapted to the stock of a gun, pistol,
or any other similar fire-arms. The percussion caps being conducted
into the tube slide down, and are taken hold of by a moveable piece or
holder, by which they are placed on the nipple; the gun is thereby
primed and ready to be discharged.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Morean in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PETER ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine.
Moreau, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontaine Moreau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Treland; the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS," communicated to me from a foreigner
residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de
Fontaine Moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,.
reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say:

page_text: The Invention consists in mechanical arrangements for the supply of
percussion caps to guns, pistols, and other similar fire-arms, causing the
caps one by one, from a tube let into the stock along the side of the
barrel, to enter a moveable priming piece, which after placing one of
the caps on the nipple directly returns to its original position to receive
a second.
The priming piece is placed in an iron, brass, or other suitable metal
piece set in the stock above the lock plate, and flush with it; it is made
to slide forwards at will to deposit the cap by the mere pressure of the
thumb upon a small knob or stud projecting from its upper face, after
which the spring (herein-after described) returns it to its natural
position immediately that the knob or stud is released.
On the annexed Drawing the same letters of reference denote similar
parts of the mechanism in all the Figures.
Figure 1, is a side view of a fowling piece shewing the lock, in which
A, is the stock; P, lock plate; C, hammer; d, small iron or brass
tube attached to the barrel and let into the stock, one of its extremities
being in communication with the nose cap or band, the other entering
the piece E; the percussion caps are introduced in the tube d, by an
opening at h, and slide down therein, so as to enter a recess at the end
of the moveable priming piece B, shewn in Figure 4. This priming
piece slides between guides on the piece E, which is let into the stock
A, behind the breech, and which is of sufficient length to receive the
priming piece, and allow of its travelling thereon.
The piece E may be of iron, cast or wrought, or of brass, or of any
other suitable metal; it extends beyond the wood of the stock A, and
flush with the lock plate P. Inside it is a small spiral spring r, Figures
5 and 6, on the rod w, Figure 6, having a circular groove i, into which
enters the end of the screw o, Figures 1, 2, and 3. By this the force
of the spring is communicated to the priming piece B, so as to return
it to its position, when the cap c, having being deposited on the nipple,
as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, the thumb releases the knob f.
Figure 2, is the side view of a military rifle. The cape is placed on
the nipple, and the priming piece restored to its natural position; g,
trigger; S, trigger guard; d, iron tube soldered on the barrel; one end

page_text: is under the breech, and the other under the nose cap or band h, which
covers it. This band has a slight protuberance y, hollowed to receive
the tube which contains the caps.
Figure 3, is also a side view of the same rifle, wherein the priming
pièce B is seen when placing the cap c upon the nipple, which is seen
on the projecting part k; in this moment the knob f, is pushed entirely
by the thumb.
b,
Figure 4, view of the priming piece detached. 6, is a hole at its
extremity for holding the cap; j, a hook adapted to that piece for the
purpose of preventing the other caps falling from the tube when one
of them is placed upon the nipple; e, is a groove made in the priming
piece for the screw n of the piece E (Figures 1, 2, and 3); f, knob or
stud for passing forward the priming piece, as already mentioned.
Figure 5, is an under view of the piece E, represented separately,
shewing the spiral spring placed on its rod.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner of putting the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down; but
what I claim as new is,-
The use of a moveable priming piece for placing the percussion cap
upon the nipple by means of a stud or knob that may be worked by the
thumb, as herein-before described, reference being had to the Figures
of the Drawing hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand Le Comte de
Fontaine Moreau, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
THO HADGLEY.
L' DE FONTAINE MOREAU. (L.S.)