MECHANISM FOR CAPPING OR PRIMING AND DE-CAPPING CARTRIDGE SHELLS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for MECHANISM FOR
CAPPING OR PRIMING AND DE-CAPPING CARTRIDGE SHELLS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to that class of implements which remove exploded caps
or primers from gun cartridge shells and replace them with fresh ones.
A frame has a clamp by which it may be secured to any suitable support a
groove extending along it from end to end to form a guide way for a slide with
two plungers mounted upon its rear end and extending forward in line with the
frame.
One of these plungers is shorter than the other and is provided with a depriming
pin. A partition extends along the slide between the plungers.
At the front end of the frame a shoulder projects upward in line with one
plunger but not extending high enough to intercept the depriming pin.
A standard is mounted upon the opposite side and further to the front of the
frame A stationery die projects rearward from this standard in line with the
plunger and in line with a passage through the bottom of the primer magazine
which has a smooth bottomed base which rests upon the floor of the frame and is
held in an upright position by a rod which projects forward through a hole in the
standard thus allowing the magazine to slide back and forth along the frame.
A lever is pivotted to the slide at such a point in front of the plungers that
when one plunger is brought in contact with the magazine a point of one plunger
will coincide with the end of the frame and allow the lever to be depressed-A lug
projects from the front of the frame and forms a fulcrum for the lever.
The magazine is broad and flat the cavity within it being somewhat wider from
front to rear than the length of a primer so as to admit a single column of primerз
placed with their faces to the sides of the magazine and allow the primers to fall
downward by their own weight.
One edge of the magazine is perpendicular and the front and rear walls of the
magazine at their edges are cut away at the bottom leaving two apertures of
sufficient size to admit the passage of a primer through them.

page_text: The bottom of the magazine slopes from the other side toward the top of the
openings at which point it becomes perpendicular forming in connection with the
perpendicular wall of the edge of the magazine a tube just large enough to contain
a single primer.
A spring having two lags or jaws coinciding in width with the aforesaid
apertures is mounted upon the perpendicular edge of the magazine so that the
jaws project across the openings and retain the primer in the tube at the bottom of
the magazine as long as the spring is free.
The rear jaw is of the same thickness as the rear wall of the magazine so as to
present a smooth surface to receive the head of the shell when it is forced forward
by the plunger. The front jaw is much thicker and is bevelled upon its front side
so that when the magazine is forced forward the die which is in line with the
passage will engage with the bevelled jaw and force it outward pressing the spring
from the edge of the magazine and leaving the passage at the bottom of the
magazine unobstructed.
The rod which extends forward from the base of the magazine through the
standard is of such length as to be flush with the front side of the standard when
the magazine is thrown back far enough to free the jaw from contact with the die
when the magazine is pushed forward the rod projects from the standard. The
lever is provided with a projecting rim which comes in contact with the rod when
the plungers are retracted to their fullest extent and forces it backward thus
retracting the magazine and freeing the jaw from contact with the die and
relieving the springs which advances the jaws across the openings.
A knob and rim are movably attached to the end of the lever so that they may
be removed when it is desired to withdraw the slide from the frame.
The frame is slightly elevated at the sides and just wide enough to hold two
shells side by side with the plunger.
A slot is cut in the wall of the magazine beneath the spring so as to allow the
primers in the magazine to project against the spring which by its motion to and
from the magazine agitates the primers and prevents them from clogging.
The end of the die is concaved to fit the closed end of the primer so that the
primers will not be pressed out of shape while being forced into the pocket of the
shell.

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for MECHANISM FOR
CAPPING OR PRIMING AND DECAPPING CARTRIDGE SHELLS" (a communication from
Henry Thomas Hazard of Washington United States), and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of implements which remove exploded caps or
primers from gun cartridge shells, and replace them with fresh ones.
The object of the said invention is to accomplish this in a rapid and efficient
manner; this is effected by means of the mechanism herein described, and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
In factories where it is desired to simply prime the shells, without having to
remove exploded primers, the priming mechanism may be used alone and be
operated by reciprocal motion without the use of the lever.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the plungers P P¹ retreating to allow the
shell to be placed in the frame.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same in a reverse position, showing the
plunger advanced to seat the primer.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the de- and re-priming plungers P P¹ mounted
on the slide B a portion of the lever L being broken away.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the primer magazine R.
Figure a side elevation of the same with the spring S removed.
Figure 6 is an inner elevation of the spring S.
Figure 7 is a rear elevation of a portion of the magazine R with the spring S
removed.
The remaining figures represent details of construction.
A is the frame having a clamp, C by which it may be secured to any suitable
support. A groove V extending along it from end to end to form a guide way for
the slide B which has two plungers P P mounted upon its rear end and extending
forward in line with the frame A.
One of these plungers is shorter than the other and is provided with a depriming
pin D.
A partition a extends along the slide between the plungers.
At the front end of the frame, a shoulder I projects upward in line with the
plunger P but not extending high enough to intercept the depriming pin D.
A standard H is mounted upon the opposito side, aud further to the front of the
frame. A stationary die O projects rearward from this standard in line with the
plunger P and in line with a passage G G through the bottom of the primer
magazine R The magazine R has a smooth bottomed base i which rests upon the
floor of the frame A and is held in an upright position by a rod Q which projects
forward through a hole in the standard H thus allowing the magazine to slide back
nd forth along the frame.
A lever L is pivotted to the slide B at such a point in front of the plungers P P
hat when the plunger P is brought in contact with the magazine R the point at P

page_text: will coincide with the end of the frame and allow the lever to be depressed.
lug t projects from the front of the frame and forms a fulcrum for the lever so that
when the lever is depressed great force may be exerted to advance the plungers
while ejecting and seating the primers.
The magazine R is broad and Hat; the cavity within it being somewhat wider
from front to rear than the length of a primer so as to admit a single column of
primers placed with their faces to the sides of the magazine, and allow the primers
to fall downward by their own weight.
One edge of the magazine is perpendicular and the front and rear walls of the
magazine at their edges are cut away at the bottom, leaving two apertures G G of
sufficient size to admit the passage of a primer through them. The bottom of the
magazine slopes from the other side toward the top of the openings G G at which
point it becomes perpendicular, forming, in connection with the perpendicular wall
of the edge of the magazine, a tube just large enough to contain a single primer.
A spring Shaving two lugs or jaws E F coinciding in width with the apertures G G
is mounted upon the perpendicular edge of the magazine so that the jaws E F project
across the openings G G and retain the primer in the tube at the bottom of the
magazine as long as the spring is free.
The rear jaw F is of the same thickness as the rear wall of the magazine, so as to
present a smooth surface to receive the head of the shell when it is forced forward
by the plunger P. The front jaw E is much thicker, and is bevelled upon its front
side so that when the magazine R is forced forward, the die O which is in line
with the passage G G will engage with the Levelled jaw E and force it outward
pressing the spring from the edge of the magazine and leaving the passage at the
bottom of the magazine unobstructed.
The rod Q which extends furward from the base of the magazine through the
standard H is of such length as to be flush with the front-side of the standard when
the magazine is thrown back far enough to free the jaw E from contact with the
die O when the magazine is pushed forward, the rod Q projects from the standard
ns shown in Figure 2. The lever L is provided with a projecting rin J which
comes in contact with the rod Q when the plungers are retracted to their fullest
extent, and forces it backward thus retracting the magazine and freeing the jaw E
from contact with the die O and relieving the springs S which advances the
jaws E F across the opening G G as shown in Figure 1.
The knob and rim J are movably attached to the end of the lever so that they
may be removed when it is desired to withdraw the slide from the frame.
The frame A is slightly elevated at the sides Z Z Z Z and is just wide enough to
hold two shells side by side with the plungers P P.
A slot n is cut in the wall of the magazine beneath the spring S so as to allow
the primers in the magazine to project against the spring, which, by its motion to
and from the magazine, agitates the primers and prevents them from clogging.
The end of the die O is concaved to fit the closed end of the primer so that the
primers will not be pressed out of shape while being forced into the pocket of the
shell.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The frame is first clamped to a table; the primer magazine is then removed by
slipping it back until the rod Q is withdrawn from the standard H.
A box of primers is emptied upon the table, a part falling upon one side and part
upon the other; the primers laying upon their open ends are separated from the
others; the magazine is then placed against the edge of the table with the rear
side uppermost, and resting upon the teats T T which causes the lower side of
the cavity to coincide with the top of the table. All the primers laying with their
open ends uppermost are then placed into the magazine, which is then turned over
and held against the table as before, with the front side up, when the remainder
of the primers may be put into it.
By this means themagazine is filled with primers, all of which have their open
ends pointing toward the rear of the machine. The magazine is now placed in the

page_text: frame and the machine is ready for operation. The operator grasps the lever by
the handle and pushes it backward until the plungers P P are retracted to their
utmost extent; an exploded shell is placed in front of the plunger P the lever Lis
drawn forward, advancing the plunger until the depriming pin D comes into contact
with the exploded primer in the head of the shell; the point between the lever and
slide B now coincides with the front of the frame, allowing the lever to be depressed
and brought in contact with the fulcrum t whereupon, a further depression of the
lever advances with great force; the pin D enters the vent in the head of the shell
and ejects the primer from the shell which is held stationary by the shoulder I.
The lever is now elevated and pushed back to retract the plungers; another
exploded shell is placed in the frame thus rolling the deprimed shell to the other
side of the frame where it is stopped by the elevations Z' Z' and held in line with
the plunger P¹.
The plungers are now advanced and the depriming of the second shell proceeds
as before described.
In the meantime the end of the plunger P comes into contact with the head of the
deprimed shell and forces it against the magazine R which receeds toward the front
of the frame and brings the bevelled face of the jaw E into contact with the die O
thus withdrawing the jaws E F from the apertures G G and leaving a free passage
through the bottom of the magazine. Upon the further advance of the plunger, the
primer in the tube between the openings G G comes into contact with the die O
which holds it stationary while the shell advanced and received it into the pocket
therefor in the head of the shell.
•
The plungers are now retracted as before; the lever being pushed back until the
rim J strikes upon the rod Q and throws the magazine forward from the die O
leaving the spring S free to advance the jaws E F across the apertures G G and
retain the primer which falls to the bottom of the tube as soon as the die is with-
drawn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First In a cartridge capping implement, the combination of a fiame provided.
with a stationary anvil to sustain the primer against the pressure of the shell
moving in it, a yielding device substantially such as described for holding the
primer in front of said anvil, a plunger adapted to carry a cartridge shell, and a
lever for moving said plunger; whereby the shell may be forced toward the anvil
and over the primer sustained thereby.
Second: In a de- and re-capping implement, the combination of a frame having
a cross piece to support a cartridge head while being decapped, and a fixed anvil,
a movable cap tube provided with spring jaws adapted and arranged to be separated
by said anvil, a slide provided with a decapping plunger, a recapping plunger and
an ejector; and a lever connected with the slide, substantially as shown and
described.
Third-In a recapping implement, the combination of a fixed anvil, a swinging
cap tube, and bevelled spring retaining jaws at opposite sides of said tube, adapted
to be pressed agaiust and separated by the anvil, through the pressure against them
of the shell to be recapped.
Fourth In combination with a frame having stationary anvil, a movable cap
tube closed at its lower extremity and provided with laterally moving jaws
bevelled at their inner edges opposite the end of the anvil, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Fifth-In a de- and re-capping implement the combination with a frame and
with a slide moving therein and carrying de- and re-capping plungers, a cap
reservoir, an agitator having its end arranged within said reservoir, and an operating
lever connected with the slide and with the agitator, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.

page_text: Sixth-In a repriming implement, the combination of a frame provided with
a stationary anvil, a yielding device substantially such as described for holding a
primer in front of said anvil, a slide having a plunger, and a lever adapted to move
said slide, substantially as shown.
Seventh-In an implement for recapping cartridge shells a cap tube provided
with a loop or bar, at its lower end to prevent the fall of caps therefrom, and with
laterally-moving spring jaws projecting over openings in the front and rear faces of
the tube to prevent the escape of caps except when the jaws are pressed apart, and
mechanism substantially as described to force apart the spring jaws.
Eighth The priming mechanism consisting of a reciprocating plunger, a
stationary anvil, and a movable cap tube having a passage way across it substan-
tially as shown; whereby the shell is advanced upon the primer and received into
the pocket thereof.
Ninth In combination with a plunger adapted to carry a shell, and with a
fixed anvil in line with the centre of the plunger, a primer-feeding mechanism
consisting of a tube closed at its lower end and having a passage across it closed
by movable jaws substantially as shown,-whereby the primers are held in position
to be seated in an advancing shell.
Tenth In combination with a frame, a repriming plunger, and means substan-
tially as shown and described for imparting a reciprocating motion to said plunger,
a flat detachable reservoir provided with a tube and spring jaws, said jaws pre-
venting the escape of primers in applying the magazine or reservoir to the frame,
or in handling after filling.
Eleventh The device for depriming and repriming cartridge shells, consisting
substantially as shown of a frame forming a guide way for a slide, carrying two
parallel plungers arranged side by side horizontally; one of such plungers being
provided with a depriming pin as shown; the frame-being provided upon its
forward end with a shoulder and a die; the shoulder projecting upward in line
with the depriming plunger, and the die projecting backward in line with the
repriming plunger, and being in combination, substantially as shown, with a primer
feeding apparatus; whereby, a shell, when moved horizontally across the frame
from the depriming mechanism, will be brought into line with the repriming
mechanism substantially as set forth.
Twelfth In a cartridge implement, and in combination, respectively, with a
depriming and repriming mechanism, substantially as shown, two horizontal
plungers arranged side by side, and having a horizontal reciprocating motion;
whereby a shell in passing laterally through the implement, may be acted upon
first by one of the plungers and then by the other, substantially as and for the
purpose shown and described.
Thirteenth-In a cartridge implement, a slide, carrying a depriming and
repriming plunger, mounted in a frame, and having a lever pivotted substantially
as shown at such a point thereon as to coincide with the edge of the frame at the
moment the plunger begins to eject and seat the primers; whereby great power is
secured to advance the plungers while ejecting and seating the primers.
Fourteenth-In a cartridge implement, a primer magazine, terminating at the
bottom in a narrow tube having an aperture across it closed by movable jaws, and
being mounted upon a base having an arın projecting from it into a suitable guide-
way in the frame of the implement; whereby the magazine is held erect and
allowed to move to and fro for the purpose set forth.
Fifteenth In a cartridge implement, a primer feeding magazine having a
smooth bottomed base mounted in horizontal guide ways, substantially as shown
whereby it is adapted to receive a horizontal reciprocating motion for the purpose
Bet forth.
Sixteenth-In a cartridge implement a shallow frame of sufficient width to
contain two shells side by side and being slightly elevated at its edges, substantially
as shown, whereby the shel's are held in position to be operated upon, and may
easily be ejected by pressure upon their side.

page_text: Seventeenth-In a cartridge implement designed to de-and-reprime shells, a
magazine having an opening on one of its sides; which opening is covered by the
jaw-sustaining spring, the motion of which spring agitates the primers contained
in the magazine, and prevent the same from clogging.
Eighteenth In an implement for repriming cartridge shells, a flat primer
magazine having an aperture in one of its edge walls large enough to permit the
primers to project through the wall; such aperture being closed by a spring against
which the primers projecting through the aperture may rest; such spring being
adapted to be alternately sprung from and allowed to recoil against the wall of the
magazine as described, whereby the primers in the magazine are agitated and
prevented from clogging.