A New or Improved Device for Varying the Position of the Triggers of Guns and Rifles, so that they can be Adjusted to the Position most Suitable for the Persons using them.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1899--Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
PROVIDIUNAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Varying the Position of the Triggers
of Guns and Rifles, so that they can be Adjusted to the Position
most Suitable for the Persons using them.
We, WILLIAM HENRY WATTS, of 54A, Marshall Street, Golden Square,
London, Gun Maker, and JAMES KNOWLES, of York Minster Tavern, Wardour
Street, London, Publican, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be
as follows:-
Our invention relates to ordinary sporting guns, or rifles, and it has for its
object means and apparatus by which the distance of the trigger or triggers from
the butt of the gun stock can be readily and quickly varied, adjusted and fixed,
in the position best adapted to the length of arm, and to his convenience, of the
person using it.
I
For this purpose we use a supplementary trigger-plate carrying the trigger,
or triggers, and guard, and arranged so that it can be moved longitudinally
within sufficient limits, by sliding it along a suitable guide on the lower side of
the usual trigger-plate underneath the gun-stock; the sliding plate being pro-
vided with a screw or catch by which the sliding plate can be fixed in the deter-
mined position.
The arm of the pivotted plate, which, by raising the sear releases the hammer
of the gun, is made sufficiently long to be acted upon by the trigger in any of
the positions in which the sliding plate carrying the latter may be adjusted.
We preferably make a projecting strip, dovetail-shaped in cross section, upon
the lower side of the fixed trigger-plate, and a guide of corresponding shape
and of sufficient length upon the upper side of the moveable trigger-plate, so
that the latter can slide freely but steadily along the former, and we
make a series of notches or holes along one or other of the plates, into
which a spring catch upon the alternate plate enters, and holds the two plates
firmly locked together when once adjusted. Or, a screw or equivalent device
may be used for the same purpose. Any other suitable form of guide for the
moveable plate may be used.
Of course, where a double-barrelled gun is used, both triggers are carried upon
the moveable plate.

page_text: A New or Improved Device for Varying the Position of the Triggers
of Guns and Rifles, so that they can be Adjusted to the Position
most Suitable for the Persons using them.
We, WILLIAM HENRY WATTS, of 54A, Marshall Street, Golden Square,
London, Gun Maker, and JAMES KNOWLES, of York Minster Tavern, Wardour
Street, London, Publican, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
-tained in and by the following statement, and accompanying drawing, that is
to say :-
Our invention relates to ordinary sporting guns, or rifles, and it has for its
object means and apparatus by which the distance of the trigger or triggers from
the butt of the gun stock can be readily and quickly varied, adjusted and fixed,
in the position best adapted to the length of arm, and to his convenience, of the
person using it.
For this purpose we use a supplementary trigger-plate carrying the trigger,
or triggers, and guard, and arranged so that it can be moved longitudinally
within sufficient limits, by sliding it along a suitable guide on the lower side of
the usual trigger-plate underneath the gun-stock; the sliding plate being pro-
vided with a screw, or with a catch, by which it can be fixed in the determined
position.
The arm of the pivotted plate, which, by raising the sear releases the hammer
of the gun, is made sufficiently long to be acted upon by the trigger in any of
the positions in which the sliding plate carrying the latter may be adjusted.
We preferably make a projecting strip, dovetail-shaped in cross section, upon
the lower side of the fixed trigger-plate, and a guide of corresponding shape
and of sufficient length upon the upper side of the moveable trigger-plate, so
that the latter can slide freely but steadily along the former, and we
make a series of notches or holes along one or other of the plates, into
which a spring catch upon the alternate plate enters, and holds the two plates
firmly locked together when once adjusted. Or, a screw or equivalent device
may be used for the same purpose. Any other suitable form of guide for the
moveable plate may be used.
Of course, where a double-barrelled
the moveable plate.
gun is used, both triggers are carried upon
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention. Figure 1 is a
side view of part of a double-barrelled gun or rifle, having our invention applied
to it. Figure 2 is a view of the same from below; and Figure 3 is a front view
of the moveable trigger-plate and guard. Figure 4 shows a somewhat, different
arrangement of the catch.
In Figures 1 and 2, a is part of the wooden stock of the gun, to the front of
which is firmly screwed the part b, into which the breech end of the barrels is
fitted in the usual way, being locked when closed by the transverse bolt e actuated
by the hand lever d. The hammers e, e, lock plate f, and the interior mechanism
of the lock, are of the usual kind.
The trigger guard g is firmly fixed to, or forms part of, a supplementary trigger
plate which can slide longitudinally backward and forward for a sufficient
distance upon the trigger-plate itself i which is screwed in the usual way to the
bottom of the stock. k is a guide, dovetailed in cross section as shown in
Figure 3, upon which the plate fits and slides, the latter being of corresponding
section as shown. The plate h also carries the triggers 1, 7. A lever m is

page_text: pivotted by a horizontal pivot at n to the side of the plate h, and is provided at
one end with a pin or stud at o which can enter one or other of a series of holes p
in a plater forming part of the plate i, or screwed to the stock close to the latter.
The other end of the lever m has a thumb plates, and is kept raised by a spring t.
By pressing down the lever 1, the pin is withdrawn from the hole p, and the
plate together with the triggers can then be, moved to any desired position nearer
to or further from the shoulder of the person using the gun, (às shown in dotted
lines in Figure 1) the lever being then released and the pin entering the corre-
sponding one of the holes p, and holding the plate and trigger firmly in the
required position.
Instead of the lever a separate screw may be used, which is screwed by hand
into one or other of the holes ? when the position of the plate and trigger has
been adjusted.
Figure 4 shows a slight modification of the arrangement above described
and shown.
In this case the lever m turns upon a vertical pivot at n, and the pin o at its
outer end passes freely through a hole in the side of the sliding plate h and enters
one of the corresponding holes p at the edge of the guide k.
We do not confine ourselves to the exact details or proportions of the parts of
the apparatus, which may be varied more or less to suit different circum-
stances, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is ;-
1. In guns or rifles, the method of making the triggers and trigger-guard
moveable and adjustable longitudinally, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
2. In guns or rifles made according to Claim 1, the combination of the
guide k, the sliding plate h carrying the triggers 1, 1, and the lever m, turning
upon a pivot at n, and carrying a pin at o fitting into one or other of the holes p,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Dated this 1st day of March 1899.
EDWARDS AND CO.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.