IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBES AND CAPS MADE OF INDIA-RUBBER OR OTHER KNOWN ELASTIC GUM, AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthias Edward Bowra, of Upper Norwood, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBES
AND CAPS MADE OF INDIA-RUBBER OR OTHER KNOWN ELASTIC GUM, AND IN THEIR
APPLICATION TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthias Edward Bowra
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th June 1864.
I, MATTHIAS EDWARD BOWRA, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBES
AND CAPS MADE OF INDIA-BUBBER OR OTHER KNOWN ELASTIC GUM, AND IN THEIR
APPLICATION TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to make tubes and caps of india-rubber or
other known elastic gum, and render them suitable for ornamenting sticks,
canes, whips, umbrellas, shunshades, and parasols; and for covering the handles
of whips; and in finishing and making waterproof the caps fitted over the ends
of the ribs next the ferrule ends of umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols; and in
making waterproof caps for covering the muzzle ends of rifles and other guns;

page_text: also in making tubes or caps to fit round the butt end of ramrods to prevent
injury to the rifling and for cleaning the barrel.
The nature of my Invention consists in making the said tubes and caps of
india-rubber or other known elastic gum, either plain or in colors, or embossed,
corrugated, or grooved in any suitable or similar manner in which the said
materials are now used for other purposes, and in applying the same to
covering sticks, canes, whips, umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols, either
straight or tapered to the form and sizes of the sticks to be covered, and in
fitting or covering the handles or knobs of the same with the said materials.
The tubes and caps are made somewhat less in diameter than the sticks or
parts to be covered, and are drawn over the same so as to clip the said sticks
or parts, and in some cases I would use any of the known and suitable
cements for the better securing the same on to the sticks or parts when required.
The said tubes are sometimes made the whole length of the stick or whip to
be covered, and at other times in short lengths so as to cover the handle or
other part only of the stick or whip, and when used in these short lengths
the parts not covered by the tubes would be finished in any ordinary manner.
The knobs or handle ends of the said sticks or whips would be made either
by enclosing the end of the tube with india-rubber to the form of the said
knob or handle, or in having a seperate piece of the same material and
slipping on or cementing the same in the manner herein-before described.
The improved cap for umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols I make in the
form of a nipple with a hole through the centre or in the form of a tube with
a funnel mouth, which I slip over the ferrule end of the stick funnel down-
wards and clip over the ends of the ribs surrounding the stick, and therewith
make a finished and waterproof joint.
The improved cap for the muzzles of rifles or other guns I make in the
form of a tube with a closed end and slip the same over the said muzzle;
'the said cap would be made either plain, perforated, or ornamented, and would
sometimes be combined with a metal end or regulating valve for ventilation.
The improved cap or tube for the butt ends of ramrods I make in a form
and size that will cover over and clip the jagged or grooved end of the rod,
leaving the button of the rod clear, or I would sometimes cover over the
button also, and for plain ramrods I would use my improved corrugated, grooved,
or embossed tube to clip on close to the button of the rod.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthias Edward Bowra in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHIAS
EDWARD BOWRA, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Matthias Edward Bowra, Her special licence that I, the said Matthias
Edward Bowra, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Matthias Edward Bowra, 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 TUBES AND CAPS MADE OF INDIA-RUBBER OR OTHER KNOWN
ELASTIC GUM, AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Matthias Edward
Bowra, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain 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 Matthias Edward Bowra, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said 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 my Invention is to make tubes and caps of india-rubber or
other known elastic gum, and rendering them suitable for covering walking-.
sticks, canes, whips, umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols; and for covering
the handles of whips or sticks; and in finishing and making waterproof caps
and fitting them over the ends of the ribs next the ferrule ends of umbrellas,
sunshades, and parasols; and in making waterproof caps for covering the
muzzle ends of rifles and other guns, also in making tubes or caps to fit round

page_text: the butt ends of ramrods to prevent injury to the rifling and for cleansing the
barrels.
The nature and description of my Invention consists in making the said
tubes and caps of india-rubber or other known elastic gum, either plain or in
colors, or embossed, corrugated, grooved, or roughed in any suitable or similar
manner in which the said materials are now used for other purposes, and in
applying the same to covering walking-sticks, canes, whips, and the sticks of
umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols, either straight or tapered to the form and
sizes of the sticks to be covered, and in fitting and covering the handles or
knobs of the same with the said materials. The tubes and caps are made
somewhat less in their inner diameters than the sticks or parts to be covered,
and are drawn over the same so as to clip the said sticks, handles, or parts,
and in some cases I would use any of the known and suitable glues, gums, or
cements for the better securing the same on to the sticks, handles, or parts
when required. The said tubes are sometimes made the whole length of the
stick or whip to be covered, and at other times in short lengths so as to cover
the handle or other part only of the stick or whip, and when used in these short
lengths the parts not covered by the tubes would be finished in any ordinary
manner. The knobs or handle ends of the sticks or whips would be made
either by enclosing the end of the tube with india-rubber to the form of the
said knob or handle, or in having a seperate piece of the same material and
in slipping on gluing, gumming, or cementing the same in the manner herein-
before described, and I would sometimes make the cores of the riding whips
of old india-rubber manipulated to the taper form, and then cover the same
with the tubes herein-before described.
The improved cap for umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols I make in the
form of a nipple with a hole through the centre, or in the form of a tube with
a funnel mouth, which I slip over the ferrule end of the stick funnel down-
wards and clip over the ends of the ribs surrounding the stick, and therewith
make a finished and waterproof joint.
The improved cap for the muzzle of a rifle or other gun I make in the
form of a tube with a closed end and slip the same over the said muzzle;
the said cap would be made either plain, corrugated, or ornamented, and
would sometimes be combined with a metal end or regulating valve for
ventilation.
The improved cap or tube for the butt end of a ramrod I make in the form
and size that will cover over and clip the jagged or grooved end of the rod,
leaving the button of the rod clear, or I would sometimes cover over the

page_text: button also, and for a plain ramrod I would use a roughed, corrugated, or
grooved tube to clip on close to the bottom of the rod.
Having thus stated the nature and description of my Invention, and
the manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make
no claim to any of the parts taken seperately, nor do I confine myself to the
precise details, but what I do claim is, the improvement and application of
tubes and caps made of india-rubber or other known elastic gum, and in the
combination of parts in their uses, as are herein described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthias Edward Bowra, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-four.
MATTHIAS EDWARD BOWRA. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Matthias Edward Bowra, in
the presence of
HENRY LAXTON,
Patent Agent,
34, Arundel Street,
Strand.