IMPROVE- MENTS IN CREASERS FOR CREASING CARTRIDGES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CAPPING AND RECAPPING CARTRIDGE CASES, COMMONLY CALLED RECAPPERS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Simeon Edge, the younger, of Yardley, in the
County of Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CREASERS FOR CREASING CARTRIDGES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
CAPPING AND RECAPPING CARTRIDGE CASES, COMMONLY CALLED RECAPPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Simeon Edge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1880.
JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CREASERS FOR CREASING CARTRIDGES,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR CAPPING AND RECAPPING CARTRIDGE CASES, COMMONLY
CALLED RECAPPERS."
My Invention consists, first, of the construction and arrangement herein after
described of the parts of creasers for creasing cartridges, that is, for forming an
annular groove or crease in the cartridge case immediately above the wad by which
the charge is retained in the said case.
By this part of my Invention the creasing mechanism is so constructed that it
adapts itself to the height of the charge in the case to be creased, and hence the
creasing is effected at the required part of the case whatever the charge may be in
the case.
In constructing a creaser according to my Invention I use at the back of the
creaser a tubular guide in which a plunger works. This plunger is pressed outwards
or towards the front of the creaser by a coiled spring. The nose or front end of
the plunger fits accurately in the cartridge case and the extreme end of the said
nose has a shoulder or reduced part upon which the creasing of the cartridge case
is offected. The rear end of the spring plunger projects from the back of the
tubular guide and is connected to a cross piece or head carrying a rod situated
parallel to the said plunger but outside the plunger guide. This rod works in
guide eyes on the case of the creaser. On the said rod a lever turns freely, the
said lever carrying a creasing roller or tool. The position of the creasing lever on
the parallel rod is such that the creasing roller or tool is situated opposite the
creasing shoulder on the spring plunger. The spring plunger and its parallel rod,
1001...מ

page_text: on which the creasing lever turns, thus move together, so that when the plunger is
pushed inwards to accommodate it to the charge in the cartridge case, the creasing
lever moving with it has the same relative position with respect to the creasing
shoulder on the plunger.
The cartridge to be creased is held and rotated in a tubular holder turning in a
tubular bearing at the front of the creaser, the said holder being rotated and the
The said holder and
case held in it by a lever jointed to the said holder.
lever are of the ordinary kind. The creaser is clamped to the table or other support
for use.
In using the creaser the charged cartridge is introduced into the holder and
On first
pushed home until its flange enters a seat at the front end of the holder.
putting the cartridge into the holder its open end passes onto the nose end of the
spring plunger, the wad of the cartridge abutting against the said nose of the
plunger, and when the said cartridge case is pushed fully home into its holder, the
plunger and its creasing lever are pushed back and the coiled spring of the plunger
compressed. The cartridge being fixed in the holder by its lever the said cartridge
is ready to be creased, the creasing lever on the parallel rod of the plunger being
situated opposite the creasing shoulder on the plunger in advance of the wad of
the cartridge. The creasing lever is next turned down and its creasing roller
pressed forcibly upon the exterior of the cartridge case, and by rotating the
holder by its lever the cartridge is creased by the creasing roller immediately above
the wad.
Creasers constructed according to my Invention may be used for creasing metallic
and non-metallic cases of cartridges.
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing and arranging, in the manner
herein after described, the parts of recappers, that is to say, apparatus for removing
the spent percussion cap from the head of the cartridge casc and replacing it by a
fresh one.
The apparatus may also be used for capping new cartridge cases.
Instead of using two pillars or supports, one for supporting the cartridge cases
during the ejecting of the spent cap, and the other for supporting the case during
the pressing of the fresh cap into the cap chamber, I use only one pillar or
support, which is hollow or tubular for supporting the cartridge case during both
operations, in conjunction with a tubular bearing, to which a pressing lever of the
construction herein after described is jointed. Instead of making the pin by which
the spent cap is ejected fixed, as usual, I attach the said pin to a rod situated and
In the hollow or
sliding in the axis of the hollow or tubular pillar or support.
tubular bearing of the pressing lever a second rod slides, the two rods being
connected together at bottom by a lever. By means of spring the rod in the
tubular bearing is pressed upwards and its extreme end projected a short distance
above the top of the bearing and near the joint pin, on which the pressing lever
turns. When the last named rod is pressed upwards the ejecting pin on the other
rod is withdrawn into its pillar or support. By pressing down the projecting end of the
rod in the bearing in the manner herein after described, the ejecting pin is raised from
The pressing
its pillar or support ready for ejecting the spent cap from the case.
lever jointed to the hollow bearing by a shifting fulcrum, so that different parts
of the lever may, at the pleasure of the user, be brought over the cartridge case
supporting pillar of the recapper. The joint of the said lever consists of a cross pin
working in a curved slot. When the lever is moved outwards, so as to lengthen
it to its full extent, the joint pin works in one end of the curved slot, and a
projection or protuberance on the bottom edge of the lever is brought opposite the
top of the tubular pillar and a recess is brought over the end of the rod of the
ejecting pin, and when the lever is moved backwards, so as to shorten it, the joint
pin is situated in the other end of the curved slot and the projection described on
the lever is removed from over the pillar and a semi-circular recess is brought over
the said pillar, and an uncut away part of the lever is also brought over the
projecting end of the rod of the ejecting pin ready to act upon the said rod and

page_text: cause the ejecting pin to be raised from the pillar.
When the lever is in the last
described position it is ready to eject the spent percussion cap from the cartridge
case, and when in the first described position the lever is ready to press a fresh cap
into the cap chamber of the cartridge case, the ejecting of the spent cap from and
the pressing of the fresh cap into the cap chamber being effected in the same way
as in an ordinary recapper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Simeon Edge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st July
1880.
JAMES SIMEON EDGE, the younger, of Yardley, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CREASERS FOR CREASING CARTRIDGES,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR CAPPING AND RECAPPING CARTRIDGE CASES, COMMONLY
CALLED RECAPPERS."
My Invention consists, first, of the construction and arrangement herein after
described of the parts of creasers for creasing cartridges, that is, for forming a crease
in the cartridge case immediately above the wad by which the charge is retained in
the said case.
By this part of my Invention the creasing mechanism is so constructed that it
adapts itself to the height of the charge in the case to be creased, and hence the
creasing is effected at the required part of the case whatever the charge may be in
the case.
In constructing a creaser according to my Invention for forming a crease or
annular groove in the cartridge case, I use at the back of the creaser a tubular
guide in which a plunger works; this plunger is pressed outwards or towards the
front of the creaser by a coiled spring. The nose or front end of the plunger fits
accurately in the cartridge case, and the extreme end of the said nose has a shoulder
or reduced part upon which the creasing of the cartridge case is effected. The rear
end of the spring plunger projects from the back of the tubular guide, and is con-
nected to a cross piece or head carrying a rod situated parallel to the said plunger,,
but outside the plunger guide; this rod works in guide eyes on the case of the
creaser. On the said rod a lever turns freely, the said lever carrying a creasing
roller or tool. The position of the creasing lever on the parallel rod is such that
the creasing roller or tool is situated opposite the creasing shoulder on the spring
plunger. The spring plunger and its parallel rod on which the creasing lever turns
thus move together, so that when the plunger is pushed inwards to accommodate it
to the charge in the cartridge case, the creasing lever moving with it has the same
relative position with respect to the creasing shoulder on the plunger.
The cartridge to be creased is held and rotated in a tubular holder turning in a
tubular bearing at the front of the creaser, the said holder being rotated and the
case held in it by a lever jointed to the said holder. The said holder and lever

page_text: are of the ordinary kind. The creaser is clamped to the table or other support
for use.
In using the creaser the charged cartridge is introduced into the holder and
pushed home until its flange enters a seat at the front end of the holder. On first
putting the cartridge into the holder its open end passes onto the nose end of the
spring plunger, the wad of the cartridge abutting against the said nose of the
plunger, and when the said cartridge case is pushed fully home into its holder,
the plunger and its creasing lever are pushed back and the coiled spring of the
plunger compressed. The cartridge being fixed in the holder by its lever the said
cartridge is ready to be creased, the creasing lever on the parallel rod of the plunger
being situated opposite the creasing shoulder on the plunger in advance of the wad
of the cartridge. The creasing lever is next turned down, and its creasing roller
pressed forcibly upon the exterior of the cartridge case, and by rotating the holder
by its lever the cartridge is creased by the creasing roller immediately above the
wad.
When the creasing is effected by the turning in of the end of the cartridge case,
the creasing roller is dispensed with, and the acting end of the spring plunger is
shaped to effect the said turning in.
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing and arranging, in the manner
herein after described, the parts of recappers, that is to say, apparatus for removing
the spent percussion cap from the head of the cartridge case and replacing it by
a fresh one. The apparatus may also be used for capping new cartridge cases.
Instead of using two pillars or supports, one for supporting the cartridge
case during the ejecting of the spent cap, and the other for supporting the case
during the pressing of the fresh cap into the cap chamber, I use only one
pillar or support, which is hollow or tubular for supporting the cartridge
case during both operations, in conjunction with a tubular bearing to which
a pressing lever, of the construction herein after described, is jointed. Instead
of making the pin by which the spent cap is ejected fixed, as usual, I
attach the said pin to a rod situated and sliding in the axis of the hollow or
tubular pillar or support. In the hollow or tubular bearing of the pressing lever
a second rod slides, the two rods being connected together at bottom by a lever.
By means of a spring the rod in the tubular bearing is pressed upwards and its
extreme end projected a short distance above the top of the bearing, and near the
joint pin on which the pressing lever turns. When the last named rod is pressed
upwards the ejecting pin on the other rod is withdrawn into its pillar or support.
By pressing down the projecting end of the rod in the bearing, in the manner
herein after described, the ejecting pin is raised from its pillar or support ready for
ejecting the spent cap from the case. The pressing lever is jointed to the hollow
bearing by a shifting fulcrum, so that different parts of the lever may, at the
pleasure of the user, be brought over the cartridge case supporting pillar of the
recapper. The joint of the said lever consists of a cross pin working in a curved
slot. When the lever is moved outwards, so as to lengthen it to its full extent, the
joint pin works in one end of the curved slot, and a block at the bottom edge of
the lever is brought opposite the top of the tubular pillar and a recess is brought
over the end of the rod of the ejecting pin, and when the lever is moved backwards,
so as to shorten it, the joint pin is situated in the other end of the curved slot, and
the block described on the lever is removed from over the pillar and a semi-circular
recess or hollow block is brought over the said pillar, and a projection on the lever
is also brought over the projecting end of the rod of the ejecting pin ready to act
upon the said rod and cause the ejecting pin to be raised from the pillar. When
the lever is in the last described position it is ready to eject the spent percussion
cap from the cartridge case, and when in the first described position the lever is
ready to press a fresh cap into the cap chamber of the cartridge case, the ejecting
of the spent cap from, and the pressing of the fresh cap into, the cap chamber being
effected in the same way as in an ordinary recapper.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings,

page_text: the manner in which my Invention may be performed. Figure 1 represents partly
in elevation and partly in longitudinal section a creaser constructed according to
my Invention for producing a crease or annular groove in the cartridge case
immediately above the wad of the cartridge, and Figure 2 represents a cross section
of the same; Figure 3 represents a part of the creaser. The creasing lever is
represented raised out of action in Figure 1, and depressed into its acting position
in Figure 2.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3. a is the body of
the creaser clamped in the usual way to the table or other support; 6 is the tubular
holder by which the cartridge is held, the said holder turning in the tubular
bearing 68; c is the fixing lever by which the cartridge is held in the holder and
rotated. The said holder b, bearing 62, and fixing lever care of the ordinary kind,
and constitute no part of my Invention. At the back of the creaser is a tubular
guide a² in which the plunger d works, the said plunger being pressed towards the
front of the creaser by the coiled spring e around the reduced rear part of the said
plunger. The nose or front end of the spring plunger fits accurately in the cart-
ridge case, and the extreme end marked d³ is of reduced size and constitutes a
shoulder upon which the creasing of the cartridge case is effected. Fixed to the
rear part d' of the plunger d, and external to the tubular guide a², is a cross piece
or head e, to which head a rod f parallel to the plunger d is secured; the said rod
fis capable of sliding in the guide eyes g, g, on the fixed part of the creaser.
Secured to the rod f, but capable of rotating thereon, is a lever h carrying the
creasing roller or tool i. The creasing lever h is secured on the sliding rod f in such
a position that its roller or tool i is situated opposite the creasing shoulder d³ on the
plunger d. By the arrangement of parts described and represented the spring
plunger d and its parallel sliding rod f move together, so that when the plunger is
pressed back to accommodate it to the charge in the cartridge case, the creasing
lever has the same relative position with respect to the creasing shoulder d³ on
the said plunger.
In using the creaser the charged cartridge case is introduced into the tubular
holder b, and pushed home until its flange enters a seat at the front of the holder b,
and the cartridge is then fixed in the holder by the lever c in the usual way. On
first putting the cartridge into the holder, its open end passes onto the nose end of
the spring plunger d, the wad k of the cartridge abutting against the said nose of
the plunger, and when the said cartridge is pushed fully home into its holder, the
plunger d and the creasing lever h connected with it are pushed back, and the
coiled spring e of the plunger is compressed, as represented in Figure 1. By this
means the plunger & accommodates itself to the charge in the cartridge case. The
cartridge fixed in the holder is now ready to be creased, the creasing lever h on the
rod f being situated opposite the creasing shoulder d³ on the plunger.
The creasing lever h is next turned down into the position represented in
Figure 2, and its creasing roller i pressed forcibly upon the exterior of the cartridge
case, the cartridge case being rotated by means of the holding lever c, a crease or
annular groove is formed by the action of the creasing roller i and shoulder d³
immediately above the wad k, and the charge is thereby retained in the case.
The creaser described and represented may be used for creasing metallic and
non-metallic cases of cartridges.
Figure 4 represents in side elevation partly in longitudinal section a creaser
constructed according to my Invention, for effecting the creasing by the turning in
of the end of the case of the cartridge. Figure 5 represents a front elevation of the
creasing plunger and body of the creaser.
In this creaser the front end of the spring plunger 7 is tubular, or has an annular
recess m made in it, into which the open end of the cartridge case passes across the
annular recess m, and at opposite points are two creasing studs n, n, of the ordinary
kind for creasing or folding inwards the end of the cartridge case.
The cartridge is
held and rotated by the holder b and handle c as before described with respect to
Figure 1.
When the cartridge is placed in the holder b, its open end passes into

page_text: the annular recess m in the spring plunger 1, the said plunger being pushed back in
the tubular guide p³ to accommodate itself to the length of the cartridge, the said
spring plunger bearing against and putting the requisite pressure upon the end of
the cartridge case for the creasing operation. By turning the handle c the cartridge
is rotated, and the end of its case creased or turned inwards by the joint action of
the spring plunger 7 and the creasing studs n, n, in the said plunger. Rotation of
the spring plunger is prevented by the guide pin s fixed on the collar t at the
reduced end of the plunger, sliding in the tubular guide p³ in which the plunger
works.
Instead of rotating the cartridge the cartridge may be stationary, and the spring
creasing plunger be made to rotate. This modification of my Invention is
illustrated in Figure 6, where p is the spring creasing plunger constructed as before
described with respect to Figure 4, excepting that a handle p³ is fixed on the end
of the reduced part for turning it. The cartridge to be creased is placed in the
fixed holder q at the front end of the creaser, which holder has a depression in its
face to receive the rim of the cartridge. The cartridge is fixed in the holder q by
the binding lever being made to bear upon the side of, and to cross the head of
the cartridge, so as to press it tightly to its seat. By rotating the spring plunger p
by its handle p³, the pressure of the said spring plunger and its rotatory motion
effect the creasing or turning in of the end of the stationary cartridge case.
The arrangements, Figures 5 and 6, are especially applicable to the creasing of
paper cartridge cases, but may also be applied to the creasing of metallic cartridge
cases.
Figures 7 and 8 represent partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section
a recapper constructed according to my Invention, that is to say, apparatus for
removing spent percussion caps from cartridge cases, and for fixing percussion
cups in the said cases. In Figure 7 the recapper is shown ready for fixing a fresh
cap in the cartridge case, and in Figure 8 the recapper is shown ready for ejecting
the spent cap from the cartridge case.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 7 and 8.
a is the tubular pillar or support on which the cartridge case b is supported
during the capping or recapping or the ejecting of the spent cap.
The cartridge
case represented is provided with a cap anvil having a projecting stalk or stem;
c is the tubular bearing to which the pressing lever d is jointed. The pillar a and
bearing c are supported upon the foot or stand e. In the tubular pillar a a rod f
slides by which the spent cap is ejected from the cartridge case, and in the tubular
bearing b another rod g slides, the two rods f, g, being connected together at bottom
by the lever turning on the centre h². I will herein after call the rod f the
ejecting rod and the rod g the bearing rod. Around the ejecting rod f is a coiled
spring i bearing at top against a shoulder inside the tubular pillar a, and at bottom
against a collar f2 on the ejecting rod f, as seen in Figure 8. By means of the said
spring i the two rods ƒ and g are made to take the normal positions represented
in the Drawings. When in these positions the upper end of the bearing rod g
projects a short distance above the top of the bearing c, and the top end of the
ejecting rod f does not press upon the tail or stem of the cap anvil of the cartridge
case supported on the pillar a, a, recess being made in the top of the said rod f for
the stalk or stem of the cap anvil to enter, as represented in Figure 8.
The pressing lever d is jointed to the hollow bearing c by a shifting fulcrum, so
that the said lever can both slide and turn upon its joint pin, the sliding motion
of the said pressing lever permitting it either to be shortened for ejecting the
spent cap, as illustrated in Figure 8, or lengthened for pressing in a fresh cap, as
illustrated in Figure 7. The joint of the lever d consists of a cross pin k passing.
through the knuckles of the bearing c, upon which pin a curved slot in the. said
lever works. On the said lever d is a nearly solid block m having a semi-circular
recess in it for pressing the cap into the head of the cartridge case, and near the
said block m is a hollow or tubular block n into which the spent cap is forced.
On the lower edge of the pressing lever d and near the block m is a projection p

page_text: for actuating the bearing rod g, and through it and the lever h the ejecting rod f
for ejecting the spent cap.
The action of the recapper is as follows:-When it is wished to press a percussion
cap into the cartridge case the said case is supported on the pillar a, and the
pressing lever d is made to occupy the position represented in Figure 7, the said
pressing lever by means of its shifting fulcrum being lengthened to its full extent.
When the pressing lever is in this position, the block m is brought over the
percussion cap q to be pressed into the cartridge case on the pillar a, and the
projection p is removed from over the bearing rod g. By pressing down the lever
d it turns on its joint pink, and the block m acting upon the percussion cap q
forces it into the cap chamber in the head of the cartridge case.
The ejecting parts
of the apparatus are inoperative during the pressing in of the percussion cap.
When it is wished to eject the spent cap from the cartridge case, the pressing
lever d is made to occupy the position represented in Figure 8, that is to say, the
pressing lever is shortened by moving it backward upon the joint pink, the said
joint pin now occupying the other end of the curved slot in the said lever. By
this change of position of the lever d the block m is removed from over the
pillar a, and the hollow block n brought over the said pillar. The projection p on
the pressing lever d is at the same time brought over the projecting end of the
bearing rod g. The apparatus is now ready for ejecting the spent cap by pressing
down the lever d. As the lever d descends its projection p presses down the rod g,
and the latter through the lever h lifts the ejecting rod f in the tubular support a,
and causes the upper end of the said rod to press upon the stalk of the anvil and
eject the spent cap from the case. By the descent of the lever d its hollow block n
bears upon the head of the cartridge case, and holds it upon the support a while
the spent cap is ejected into the hollow block n, as will be understood by an
examination of Figure 8. In this way the same apparatus may at the pleasure of
the user be employed either for capping or recapping the cartridge case, or for
ejecting the spent cap from the cartridge case.
In order to fit the apparatus to eject the percussion caps of cartridge cases
having ordinary anvils, that is, anvils without stalks or stems, the ejecting rod f is
furnished at top with an ejecting pin for acting upon the spent cap when the rod
is raised in the tubular pillar a, in the manner before described.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,―
First. The improvements in creasers for creasing cartridges by forming a crease
or annular groove in the cartridge case, herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the combination
of a spring plunger with a parallel sliding rod carrying the creasing lever, the said
spring plunger and creasing lever moving together, and being constructed and
operating substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The improvements in creasers for creasing cartridges by creasing or
turning in the open end of the cartridge case, herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the adaptation
to or combination with the said creasers of a spring creasing plunger having either
a sliding or a sliding and rotary motion for putting the required pressure upon the
cartridge, to effect when the cartridge is rotated or is held stationary the creasing
or turning in of the end of the cartridge case, the said spring creasing plunger also
accommodating itself to the length of the cartridge to be creased.
Thirdly. The improvements in apparatus for capping and recapping cartridge
cases, commonly called recappers, herein before described and illustrated in Figures
7 and 8 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the combination of the
hollow support a and hollow bearing c together with the ejecting mechanism
contained in the said support and bearing with the pressing lever d having a
shifting fulcrum, and being provided with the appliances marked m, n, and p, for
pressing the percussion cap into the cartridge case for receiving the ejected

page_text: percussion cap and for operating the ejecting mechanism, whereby the same
apparatus may be used either for capping or recapping the cartridge case, or for
ejecting the spent cap from the cartridge case, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Simeon Edge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JAMES SIMEON EDGE, JNE. (LS.)