IMPROVEMENT IN THE PAN OF THE LOCKS OF GUNS AND FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1816

page_text: SAMUEL NOCK, of Number One hundred and eighty, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name
and on behalf of His Majesty, did, by Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Twelfth
day of August, in the fifty-sixth year of the reign of His Majesty King
George the Third, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Nock, his
especial licence, that I, the said Samuel Nock, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might exclusively use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention or "IMPROVEMENT IN THE PAN OF THE LOCKS OF
GUNS AND FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained
a proviso, obliging me, the said Samuel Nock, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within two calendar months after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the
said Samuel Nock, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described
in the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the description hereunder
written. In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Nock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of October, in the fifty-sixth
year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, and in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixteen.
The following is a Specification of my Patent for an Improvement in
the Pan of Locks of Guns and Fire-arms:-The improvement consists
in a hollow tube or chamber in the pan of the lock opposite to the
touch-hole of the barrel, and lying in such a direction as that a straight
line passing through the centre of such tube or chamber from one end
to the other would enter the touch-hole of the barrel. This tube or
chamber in its length occupies about three fourth parts of the length
of the pan, leaving the remaining part of the pan between it and the
touch-hole of the gun a free space, or it may occupy in its length the
whole or any part of the length of the pan. That end of the tube or
chamber nearest the touch-hole of the barrel is open, the other or
exterior end is closed or stopped up, either by being left or made solid,
or by a screw plug or slide applied to such exterior end, and which
screw plug or slide, if capable of being removed or taken out, will
facilitate the cleaning out of the tube or chamber when foul. The tube
or chamber can be made of such proportionate size to the pan as to be
wholly or partly covered with the gunpowder, and to leave either the
whole or part of the surface of the pan to be covered with gunpowder.
A small hole or vent resembling a touch-hole is made in the tube or
chamber near to its exterior end, whereby a more ready communication
between the gunpowder on the surface of the tube or chamber and the
gunpowder within it is obtained, though such hole or vent is not
absolutely necessary. This tube or chamber may be shortly described 30
as resembling a small cannon fixed in the hollow of the pan, opposite
to and firing straight into the touch-hole of the barrel. This improve-
ment may be applied to all sorts of guns and fire-arms, but it is
more peculiarly adapted to such as prime themselves from the loading
For the more minute particulars the 35
or charge put into the barrel.

page_text: details in the annexed Drawing may be referred to. Figure 1, is a
view of the lock plate with the improved pan applied to it. A, is
the pan; B, the tube or chamber in the pan, in a line with the touch-
hole of the barrel; C, the interior or open end of the tube; D, the
free or open space between the interior end of the tube and the touch-
hole of the gun; E, the hole resembling a touch-hole on the surface
of and into the tube near its outward or closed end; F, the outward
or closed end. Figure 2, is a view of the improved pan, presenting its
appearance when the lock is screwed or fastened to the barrel, shewing
the outward or closed end of the tube or chamber stopped up by means
of a moveable screw plug or slide marked F. C, is the interior or open
end of the tube or chamber placed opposite to or in a line with the
touch-hole of the barrel.
SAM NOCK. (L.S.)