IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOMPIONS FOR CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, WHICH 99 IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICADRE TO STOPPING BOTTERS AND OTHER VAS www PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Crapelet, of No. 4, Rue des Fossés, Mont-
martre, in the City of Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOMPIONS FOR CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, WHICH
99
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICADRE TO STOPPING BOTTERS AND OTHER VAS
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Crapelet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
April 1855.
I, CHARLES CRAPELET, of No. 4, Rue des Fossés, Montmartre, in the City of
Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOMPIONS POR CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, WHICH IM-
PROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO STOPPING BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in introducing into the orifice to be closed a plug of
vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic substance, in such a manner
that the said plug may after insertion be compressed longitudinally by means
of a screw or otherwise, and in this manner the diameter of the plug is
encreased until it tightly fits the orifice.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Crapelet in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CRAPELET, of No. 4, Rue des Fossés, Montmartre, in the City of Paris, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Crapelet, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Crapelet, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Crapelet, 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 Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OP TOMPIONS FOR CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO STOPPING BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Crapelet, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in tho 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 Charles Crapelet, 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 (that is to say): :-
This Invention consists in introducing into the orifice to be closed a plug of
vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic substance, in such a manner
that the said plug may after insertion be compressed longitudinally by means
of a screw or otherwise, and in this manner the diameter of the plug is
increased until it tightly fits the orifice.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and

page_text: readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
Figure 1 shows, by side view and section, a tompion or stopper adapted for
closing the barrel of a musket, the mouth of a bottle, or other similar aperture.
A is a metal screw with a conical head; on this screw is the nut B, which is
made of wood or other suitable material. C is a ring of vulcanized india-
rubber or other suitable elastic substance, which is compressed between the
inclined head of the screw A and the inclined end of the piece D, when the
nut B is screwed on to the screw A.
The instrument above described is employed in the following manner :-The
nut B is unscrewed, so that the ring C may take its natural form and pass
freely down the barrel of the gun, until the shoulder d on the piece D comes
in contact with the end of the barrel, and prevents it from descending farther;
then by turning the nut B, the ring C is compressed against the side of the
barrel, and makes a perfectly tight joint. Figure 2 shews a somewhat different
arrangement of apparatus for the same purpose. A is the screw, and B the
nut; C is the vulcanized india-rubber ring; and D is a plate of metal, which
lodges on the top of the barrel, and against which the ring C is compressed.
Figure 3 shews another form of the apparatus. A is an iron pin, to which is
connected the piece B, having inclines 6 on its under side; D is a piece
having similar inclines on its upper side; then, by turning the piece Da
quarter round, the elastic ring C becomes compressed between the head of the
pin A and the metal incline E. Figure 4 shows a form of the apparatus in
which the pressure on the ring C is given by a spiral spring F. It will be
seen that when the piece B on the top of the pin A is pressed upon, the ring C
will be able to contract sufficiently to enter the orifice to be closed, and when
the pressure on the top is removed, the spring comes into action and expands
the ring C. Figure 5 shows a section of another similar apparatus adapted
for closing the muzzle of a cannon or other similar aperture. A is a disc of
wood, on which is a conical projection a, on which is placed the elastic ring B;
C is another disc of wood, in which is a hollow to fit the projecting cone on
the disc A; D is a brass nut connected to the disc C; and E is a screw
which passes through the discs A and C. The instrument is used in the
following manner:-The screw E is slackened to permit the elastic ring B to
descend to the smaller part of the cone a; in this state the instrument is
introduced into the mouth of the gun, until the shoulder on the disc A rests
against the muzzle, then the screw E is tightened, so as to force the ring C up
the cone, and expand it until it presses tightly against the interior of the gun.

page_text: Figure 6 shows- another form which may be given to an apparatus of this
description, and which will be readily understood from the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Crapelet, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this, Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
CHARLES CRAPELET.. (L.S.).
Witness,
E. B. WOODCOCK,
of 4, Rue des Fossés, Montmartre, Paris.