Improvements in Small Arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 21st July, 1900
COMPLETE DIUITIVATION.
Improvements in Small Arms.
I, CHARLES RAMUS, of 153, Cours de Villembanne, Lyons, in the Republic
of France, Gunsmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The object of the present invention is a cane-gun, having an internally
arranged percussion-trigger, made so as to allow of its being readily either
set or rendered inoperative, and with the special advantage that, although the
gun may be kept loaded and the trigger set, there will be no danger of its going
off accidentally.
In the annexed drawing:-
Fig. 1 is a section on the axial line of the cane, shewing its interior parts,
in the position they occupy after firing.
Fig. 2 is an exterior view of the barrel and of the breech, the latter being
drawn back to permit the insertion of the cartridge.
Fig. 3 is a similar view, the breech being returned to its normal position and
the trigger set.
Fig. 4 is a view of the interior mechanism, the trigger being set.
Figs. 5, 6 & 7 are views shewing the various positions the trigger can occupy.
The cane-gun, as shewn in the drawing, is composed of the following parts:-
a tube (1) secured at one end of the barrel (2). which is lodged in the cane or
hollow stick, and a breech (3). secured to the handle (4) of the cane, by means
of a screw (5).
In the axial line of the breech, is a rod (6) to which, at the end next the barrel,
a striking-pin (7) is attached a coiled spring (8) is fitted on the said rod, and
bears, at one end, against a disk (9), which screws on this rod, and, at the other
end, against a second disk (10) fixed to the breech by a screw (11). The rear
end of this central rod is of square section and is cut so as to form two branches,
between which the head of a lever, (13) pivoted on a screw (12), may work up
and down. This lever constitutes the trigger of the gun. The upper surface
of the above mentioned part of the central rod is provided with a click, or
catch (14) which, when the trigger is set, is held by a hook (15) at the end of
a spring (16) arranged within the breech (Figs. 1, 4).
The breech (3) slides in the tube (1) and is joined by a screw to a tube (17),
which slides on tube 1.
In Figs. 2 and 3, this tube 17 is shewn cut away, in order to shew tube 1
and the breech (3). The latter has, on the outside, two raised portions (18 & 19)
of rectangular shape, their thickness being equal to that of tube 1. The object
of these relief portions will be, hereinafter, explained.
A slot (20) see Fig. 2 is formed in the breech to permit of the sliding of a
tooth (21), which serves to set the trigger. This tooth, supported by a
spring (22), is made to disappear within a groove, cut in the rod (6) of the
striking-pin, to which the above mentioned spring is fastened by a pin (23).
An extractor (24) serving to remove the case or socket of the spent cartridge,

page_text: is simply laid upon the breech (3), the shoulder (25), which forms its rear end,
fitting in between the two rectangular projections (18 and 19); this extractor is
held by tube 17 and when the breech is pushed towards the barrel, as shewn in
Fig. 3, the end of the said extractor lodges in the groove (26) formed in tube 1.
The apparatus is used as follows:-The normal position of the various parts
is shewn in Fig. 1, the rectangular relief portions (18, 19, in Fig. 3) being
lodged in the notch (27) of tube 1.
In order to set the trigger, the operator, holding the handle or knob with his
right hand and supporting the cane with his left hand, turns the handle round
to the left, until the rectangular raised portion (18) comes in contact with the
extractor (24). The breech then occupies the position shewn in Fig. 3, but
the tooth (21) will be in the position shewn by a dotted line in the drawing,
and the trigger (13) will be lodged inside the breech, as shewn in Fig. 1. The
operator draws the handle towards himself, the tooth (21) passes under a pro-
jection (28) of tube 1, which limits the passage, and the extractor (24) then
strikes against this projection, as shewn in Fig. 2.
The operator then inserts a cartridge in the barrel (2) and pushes back the
handle. In doing so, the tooth (21), meeting the projection (28), will remain
stationary, and the breech, still continuing its course, compresses the spring (8;
between the disks (9, 10), thus setting the trigger; the latter, pushed by a
spring (29), lodged between the branches of the rear part of the striking-pin rod,
projects outside the cane, through an opening (30) cut in the latter: at the
same moment, the catch (14) of the said rod, engages the hook (15) of the
spring (16). This is the position shewn in Figs. 3 & 4 and the tooth (21),
being still on the projection (28), the operator turns the handle to the right,
until the rectangles (18 & 19) meet the edge of the notch (27), in tube 1. The
tooth (21) having, in consequence of this movement, become disengaged from
the projection (28), the trigger is free to operate. Then, if the operator draws
the trigger, the shoulder of the latter pushing the hook (15) of the spring (16)
upwards, releases the catch (14) the spring (8), acting on rod 6, forces the
latter forward, and the striking-pin (7) hits the cartridge in the centre, causing
it to go off.
Let us now suppose that the trigger is set and the operator does not wish
to fire immediately. I have devised means for absolutely preventing the gun
from going off accidentally. This device is shewn in Figs 5 6 and 7, wherein
the trigger is represented in the three positions, it can possibly occupy.
The opening (30) in tube 1 (Fig. 5), for the passage of the trigger, is cut in
such a manner as to form a projection (31), between the two extreme positions
of the trigger. In Fig. 5, the trigger is shewn as just set; in this position,
however, it cannot operate, as has been explained above. To fix it in this
position, so that it will remain stationary any length of time, the operator has
only to turn the handle to the right, until the trigger is opposite the pro-
jection (31) see Fig. 6. At this point, the rectangular pieces (18 & 19), being
half engaged in the notch (27) of tube 1, will prevent the breech from sliding,
and thus double security is afforded.
When the operator wishes to fire, he again turns the handle to the right,
to bring the trigger to its extreme position (Fig. 7), where it becomes operative.
In order to facilitate the movements above described, notches may be made in
the cane and the handle, where these parts meet, and their co-inciding with one
another will indicate the different positions of the trigger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A cane-gun, in which a tube is secured to the barrel, which is itself lodged
within the cane, a breech arranged in the handle of the cane and capable of
sliding in the aforesaid tube, a central strike-pin attached to a movable rod

page_text: and surrounded by a spiral spring, which propels it for igniting the cartridge,
the said rod being slotted in its rear portion to receive the trigger, which, when it
is not set, remains lodged within the breech, a catch, formed on the rear portion
of the rod and hooking itself, when the trigger is set, to a spring, whilst the
trigger projects beyond the handle of the cane, the shoulder of the trigger
pushing, (when the trigger is pressed) against the said spring, to effect the
release of the striking-pin rod and fire the gun; means for keeping the trigger
set without the possibility of the gun going off accidentally, and an extractor
for expelling the empty cartridge cases.
2. A cane-gun, characterised by a movable breech (3) made to slide in a
tube (1), fixed to the barrel, along with another tube (17) connected with the
breech and sliding on the outer surface of the first mentioned tube (1), two
raised portions (18 and 19) on the breech, of equal thickness with the said tube 1,
and holding between them the shoulder of the extractor 24, a central striking-
pin (7) carried by a rod (6), arranged within a spiral spring (8), which bears
against the disk (9) screwed on the said rod and the disk (10), secured to the
breech by a screw (11), a catch (14) on the rod, engaging a hook (15) secured
to a spring (16), fixed to the breech to set the trigger, a trigger (13), lodged
between the branches of the rod (6) and made to project, by the action of a
spring (29), through an opening (30) in the cane, pressure on the said trigger
releasing the catch, and so effecting the discharge of the gun.
3. In a cane-gun, as claimed under No. 1, the device of a tooth (21), con-
nected with the striking-pin rod by a spring, and sliding in a slot (20) cut in
the breech, said tooth engaging a projection (28), or assuming the position
indicated in Fig. 3, and serving to set the trigger.
4. In a cane-gun, as claimed under No. 1, a device enabling the operator to
keep the trigger set, without any danger of the gun going off, distinguished by
a projection (31) formed in the opening (30), through which the trigger projects
when it is set, the whole substantially as above described and as shewn in the
accompanying drawing.
D
1011
TY
11000
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.