Improvements in Pocket Fowling Pieces, Partly Applicable to other similar Small-arms.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 6th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
Improvements in Pocket Fowling Pieces, Partly Applicable to other
similar Small-arms.
I, JOHN TITUS COOPER, of Linden House, Serpentine Road, Harborne, Staffordshire,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the improvements in pocket fowling pieces herein set
forth which improvements are partly applicable to other similar small-arms.
A single barrelled pocket fowling piece is, according to my Invention, constructed
as follows: The back end of the barrel forming the breech is screw threaded inside
for the purpose of readily screwing it on to or unscrewing it from a screw plug or
breech-piece which fits therein. The said breech-piece forms one end of a metal bar
which, immediately at the back of the barrel, is turned downwards for a short distance
and then turned backwards horizontally for about twelve inches more or less its back
end being attached to the wooden stock of the gun. The said screw plug or breech-
piece is made hollow and of such a length as to be just capable of holding one charge
of powder and a "wad" to prevent the powder falling out. Fixed in the back of
the screw plug or breech-piece is an ordinary nipple for the cap. The horizontal part
of the said bar forms a guide for a striking-piece which is capable of being moved
along the said guide to strike the nipple or of being moved back therefrom. The said
striking-piece consists preferably of a flat bottom part, which slides upon the said bar,
having at its front and back ends an upwardly projecting part. It is maintained in
its normal position close to the nipple by a spiral or other spring.
projecting part serves as a striker and the back projecting part is convenient for
moving the striker backwards to compress the spring when firing. A short distance
above the said bar and connected thereto at each end is a parallel guide rod which
passes through holes in the upwardly projecting parts of the said striking-piece and so
forms an additional guide therefor.
The front
The gun as above described is loaded and fired as follows:-The barrel having
been unscrewed from the breech plug a charge of powder is placed in the hollow part
of the latter where it is maintained by a paper wad. The shot or bullet are or is

page_text: placed in the breech end of the barrel (preferably in a specially prepared cartridge
which forms no part of this Invention) which latter is then screwed on to the breech
plug. If preferred the gun may be loaded in the ordinary manner at the muzzle.
When firing the gun the striking-piece is first drawn backwards away from the nipple
along the guide thus compressing its spiral or other spring which causes the striking-
piece to fly forwards when released and to strike the nipple.
I prefer to attach the wooden stock to the said bar by means of a backwardly
projecting piece fixed to the upper side of the latter which enters the front of the
stock, a screw in addition passing through the bar near its extreme end into
the stock.
When the gun as above described is required for firing ordinary cartridges the
breech plug has a firing needle passing through it centrally which is struck by
the striking-piece in firing. A cartridge can be placed in the barrel by first
unscrewing it from the breech-piece.
When the barrel is disconnected from the stock and firing mechanism as above
described the gun is easily carried in the pocket and it may be so carried in a loaded
state without danger as the powder is contained in the breech plug which is separate
from the barrel containing the shot or bullet. If preferred instead of making the
barrel that it can be detached from the bar and firing mechanism as above described
the barrel may be permanently attached to the said bar and firing mechanism and the
gun used as a muzzle loader only.
A double barrelled gun can be constructed similarly as above described with
reference to a single barrel gun.
Instead of attaching the barrel to the breech plug by screwing one within the other
as above described I may dispense with the screw threads and use an ordinary
"bayonet or other joint for the same purpose so as to be able to attach and detach
the barrel more quickly. I prefer to employ a bayonet slot at each side of the barrel
and a pin at each side of the breech plug corresponding with such bayonet slots and
fitting therein and in order to lock the barrel when in position and prevent its turning
round I form the said guide rod as a bolt and make its front end project through the
bar into a hole in the back end of the barrel. When the guide rod is withdrawn the
barrel can be turned round and detached from the breech plug, a notch being
formed in the bar into which the back end of the guide rod snaps when in its locked
position.
Dated this 8th day of October 1886.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pocket Fowling Pieces, Partly Applicable to other
similar Small-arms.
I, JOHN TITUS COOPER, of Linden House, Serpentine Road, Harborne, Staffordshire,
Gentleman, 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 :-
My Invention consists in the improvements in pocket fowling pieces herein set
forth which improvements are partly applicable to other similar small arms.
A single barrelled pocket fowling piece is according to my Invention constructed
as follows and as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawing of which
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of the gun complete; Fig. 3
is a similar view with the barrel detached; Fig. 4 shews part of the gun and the
striking piece in the position which it occupies after being fired as hereinafter
described and Fig. 5 represents in end and side elevations and in plan the striking-
piece separately. The remaining Figures illustrate modifications of my Invention as
hereinafter described.
Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 5, both inclusive, A is the barrel the back end a of
which forming the breech is screw threaded inside for the purpose of readily screwing
it on to or unscrewing it from a screw plug or breech-piece which fits therein. The
said breech-piece forms one end of a metal bar B which, immediately at the back of
the barrel, is turned downwards for a short distance at 6 and then turned backwards
horizontally at 62 for about twelve inches more or less its back end 63 being attached to
the wooden stock C of the gun. The screw plug or breech-piece b is made hollow and
of such a length as to be just capable of holding one charge of powder and a "wad"m
to prevent the powder falling out. Fixed in the back of the screw plug or breech-
piece b is an ordinary nipple & for the cap. The horizontal part 62 of the bar B forms
a guide for a striking-piece E which is capable of being moved back therefrom. In
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the striking-piece is represented a short distance from the nipple d
and in Fig. 4 it is shewn close up to the nipple as it is on the gun being fired. The
said striking-piece E consists preferably of a flat bottom part e' which slides upon the
bar B having at its front end an upwardly projecting part e² and at its back end an
upwardly projecting part e. The striking-piece E is maintained in its normal position
close to the nipple d by the india-rubber spring band or a spiral or other spring may
be used. The front projecting part e serves as a striker and the back projecting
part is convenient for moving the striker backwards to extend the spring when
firing. A short distance above the bar B and connected thereto at each end is a

page_text: parallel guide rod G which passes through holes h³, h2 in the upwardly projecting
parts e, e³ of the striking-piece E and so forms an additional guide therefor.
The gun as above described is loaded and fired as follows:-The barrel A having
been unscrewed from the breech piece b a charge of powder is placed in the hollow
part of the latter where it is maintained by a paper wad m (see Fig. 3). The shot n
or bullet are or is placed in the breech end a of the barrel A (preferably in a specially
prepared cartridge which forms no part of this Invention) which latter is then screwed
on to the breech plug (see Fig. 4). If preferred the gun may be loaded in the
ordinary manner at the muzzle. When firing the gun the striking-piece E is first
trawn backwards away from the nipple d along the guide G (see Figs. 1 and 2) thus
extending its spring which causes the striking-piece E to fly forwards, when released,
and to strike the cap on the nipple.
I prefer to attach the wooden stock to the bar B by means of a backwardly
projecting piece i fixed to the upper side of the bar B which enters the front of the
stock C, a screw j in addition passing through the bar B near its extreme end into
the stock C.
When the gun as above described is required for firing ordinary cartridges the
breech plug b has a firing needle k passing through it centrally (see Fig. 6) which is
struck by the striking-piece in firing. A cartridge can be placed in the barrel by
first unscrewing the barrel from the breech-piece.
When the barrel A is disconnected from the stock and firing mechanism as above
described and represented by Fig. 3 the gun is easily carried in the pocket and it may
be so carried in a loaded state without danger as the powder is contained in the breech
plug 6 which is separate from the barrel A containing the shot or bullet. If preferred
instead of making the barrel that it can be detached from the bar and firing
imechanism as above described the barrel may be permanently attached to the said bar
and firing mechanism and the gun used as a muzzle loader only.
Instead of attaching the barrel to the breech plug by screwing one within the other
as above described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6, I may dispense with the screw
threads and use an ordinary "bayonet" or other joint for the saine purpose so as to
be able to attach and detach the barrel more quickly. This modification is illustrated
by Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 of which Fig. 7 represents a part sectional side elevation of
the gun on an enlarged scale, Fig. 8 is a part side elevation and Fig. 9 a part plan
of the same and Fig. 10 represents in side and end elevations the breech piece of the
same separately. I prefer to employ a bayonet slot at each side of the barrel (these
slots are marked respectively o', o") and a pin p², p² at each side of the breech plug b
corresponding with such bayonet slots and fitting therein so as to hold the barrel
firmly on the breech plug and in order to lock the barrel A when in position and
prevent its turning round I form the said guide rod G as a bolt and make its front
end project through the bar 6¹ into a hole y in the back end of the barrel A. When
the guide rod is withdrawn (see Fig. 8) the barrel A can be turned round and
detached from the breech plug b a notch being formed in the bar 62 into which the
back end g² of the guide rod, which is formed as a spring, snaps when in its locked
position (see Fig. 7) and a similar notch is also provided for the end of the guide
rod to snap into when in its unlocked position represented by dotted lines in Fig. 7.
When used for firing cartridges as represented by Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the barrel of
the gun is provided with a cartridge extractors which forms no part of this
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
clain is:
1st. The improved construction of the body of a pocket fowling piece or other
similar small arm consisting of the hollow breech piece to which the barrel can be
attached provided with the backwardly projecting bar B forming a guide for the
striking piece and arranged to be fixed to the stock of the gun all substantially as
described and illustrated.

page_text: 2nd. The striking piece E and its guide G constructed and arranged substantially
as described and shewn and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The improved method of fixing the wooden stock C to the bar B consisting of
the backwardly inclined piece i fixed to the bar B and entering the front of the stock
in combination with a screw or screws j.
4th. The combination, construction and arrangement of parts forming the improved
pocket fowling picce substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
5th. The combination, construction and arrangement of parts forming the improved
pocket fowling piece substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 7,
8, 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawing.