Improvements in Mechanical Toys.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
Improvements in Mechanical Toys.
I, WILLIAM BRITAIN Junr. of 28 Lambton Road, Hornsey Rise London,
Mechanical Model Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of a method of making a spring cannon that will take to
pieces to be packed on the backs of toy animals, and when fitted together shall
form a breach loading cannon capable of firing a shot or bolt with sufficient force
to overthrow toy soldiers and horses.
For fixing the gun together I make a horizontal slot in each side of the carriage,
entering from the front, to receive the axle of the wheels; and I make a vertical
hole or slot in each side of the carriage so that pins pushed into them when the
axle is in position will hold the axle and prevent it falling out, I make two pins
project downwards from the trunnions of the gun to correspond with the holes in
Then
the frame and I hold the wheels on to the axle in any convenient way.
when the axle is fitted into the frame, and the pins on the gun are pushed into the
holes in the frame, the whole is fixed firmly together.and ready for use.
I make a vertical slot extending from the breach of the gun some distance.
towards the trunnions, I make a straight spring fixed in the tail of the carriage
and projecting about half way along it; I make a "striker" somewhat in the
shape of a bell crank, consisting of a long lever fulcrumed in the carriage a little
forward of the front end of the spring, and projecting upward through the slot in
the gun, and a short lever projecting backwards from it to press on the end of the
spring.
To load the cannon I pull the top end of the lever backwards right out of the
breach of the gun and press it down until the short lever which is pressing upon
the spring stands perpendicular to the spring and so holds it in check without
power to act. Then the gun is ready to receive a shot or bolt which is placed in
the breach; and the striker is then slightly raised until it passes the dead centre
when the spring comes into action and suddenly sends the striker forward driving
the bolt before it.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Toys.
I, WILLIAM BRITAIN Junr. of 28 Lambton Road, Hornsey Rise London
Mechanical Model Maker 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 of a method of making a spring cannon that will take to
pieces to be packed on the backs of toy animals, and when fitted together shall form
a breach loading cannon capable of firing a shot or bolt with sufficient force to
overthrow toy soldiers and horses.

page_text: Fig. 2 the carriage.
Fig. 3 the wheels.
Fig. 4 is a section through the principal parts of the whole fitted together.
י
For fixing the gun together I make a horizontal slot a in each side of the
carriage, entering from the front to receive axle b of the wheels, and I make a
vertical hole or slot c in each side of the carriage so that pins pushed into them
when the axle is in position will hold the axle and prevent it falling out, I make
two pins d project downwards from the trunnion of the gun to correspond with the
holes in the carriage; and I hold the wheels on to the axle in any convenient way.
Then when the axle is fitted into the carriage and the pins on the gun are pushed
into the holes the whole is fixed firmly together and ready for use.
I make a vertical slot e extending from the breach of the gun some distance
towards the trunnions, I make a straight spring fixed in the tail of the
carriage, and projecting about half way along it, and a "striker." somewhat in
the shape of a bell crank, consisting of a long lever fulcrumed in the carriage a
little forward of the front end of the spring, and projecting upwards through the
slot in the gun, and a short lever / projecting backwards from it to press on the
end of the spring.
To load the cannon I pull the top end of the lever backwards right out of the
breach of the gun and press it down until the short lever which is pressing upon
the spring stands perpendicular to the spring and so holds it in check without
power to act.
Then the gun is ready to receive a shot or bolt which is placed in
the breach; and the striker is then slightly raised until it passes the dead centre
when the spring comes into action and suddenly sends the striker forward driving
the bolt before it."
2.
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
claim is :-
1st. A toy cannon with slots in the front of the carriage to receive the axle, and
pins projecting downwards from the trunnions through holes in the carriage and
past the axle thus holding the whole together substantially as described.
2nd. A toy cannon with a spring in the tail of the carriage, pressing upon the
short lever of a striker shaped something like a bell crank and with the long lever
working in a slot in the breach of the gun substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1895.
W. BRITAIN, JR.