Improvements in Attaching Fire Arms to Cavalry Harness, and in Manipulating and Firing the same.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Attaching Fire Arms to Cavalry Harness, and in
Manipulating and Firing the same.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK PELL, of the Bachelors Club, Piccadilly, London, W.,
Captain in Her Majesty's Army, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to attach Remington or other rifles or fire arms, to
the harness of cavalry horses or other animals in such a manner that they may be
fired at the will of the rider while so attached.
In carrying out my invention, I provide and fit to the underside of the girth or
belly band or other similar portion of the harness, a hook, clip, strap, or other
suitable appliance, for attaching and adjusting the breech end (or thereabouts) of a
Remington or other rifle or fire arm, in a central position, longitudinally, under the
body of the horse or other animal. The muzzle end of the gun projects forward
beyond the chest of the animal; the barrel passing between its fore legs. Suitable
attachments are also fitted to the harness to support and adjust the muzzle end of
the fire arm.
The rider is provided with means and appliances for discharging the fire arm,
while the latter remains in the position above described. These means may consist
of electrical, pneumatic, or other appliances.
In working by means of electricity, a battery, accumulator, or dynamo may be
fitted to the saddle; and electro magnets or other appliances may be fitted so as to
operate the trigger of the gun; the connection being effected by means of one or
more wire or wires, so arranged that, by touching a button, the electric force causes
the piece to fire; the operation being repeated, as required, until the weapon has
discharged its ammunition.
In an analogous manner compressed air may be utilised, either with a reservoir
of air under pressure, communicating, by means of a tube, with suitable mechanism
for operating the trigger; or the air may be compressed by hand, and caused to
operate the trigger mechanism, in a similar manner. Or the trigger may be
actuated by direct mechanical means, consisting of a cord or other connection
leading to the mechanism.
The harness is also arranged so that the rider may prevent the horse's head
being lowered when firing.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Attaching Fire Arms to Cavalry Harness, and in
Manipulating and Firing the same.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK PEEL of the Bachelors Club, Piccadilly, London, W.,
Captain in Her Majesty's Army, 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 attach repeating or magazine rifles, or other
fire arms to the harness of cavalry horses or other animals, in such a manner that
they may be fired at the will of the rider, while so attached.
In carrying out my invention, I provide and fit to the underside of the girth,

page_text: or belly band or any equivalent position of the harness, a hoop, clip, strap, or other
suitable appliance, for attaching sustaining and adjusting the fire arm in a central
portion, longitudinally, under the body of the horse or other animal; the muzzle
end of the fire arm projecting forward in the direction of and preferably beyond
the chest of the animal; the barrel passing between its fore legs. Suitable
attachments are also fitted to the harness to support and adjust the fire arm.
The
rider is provided with means and appliances for discharging the fire arm while in
the saddle and while the fire arm remains in the position above described. These
means may consist of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, or other appliances.
In working by means of electricity, a battery accumulator, or dynamo, may be
fitted to the saddle; and electro magnets or other appliances may be fitted so as to
operate the trigger of the fire arm; the connection being effected by means of one
or more wire or wires, so arranged that, by touching a button, the electric force
causes the piece to fire; the operation being repeated, as required, until the fire
arm has discharged its ammunition.
In an analogous manner compressed air may be utilised, either with a reservoir
of air under pressure, communicating, by means of a tube, with suitable mechanism
for operating the trigger; or the air may be compressed by hand, and caused to
operate the trigger mechanism, in a similar manner.
The harness is also arranged so as to prevent the animal's head being lowered,
when firing, by means of a bearing rein or other attachment to the bit or bridle.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascer-
tained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the position of the fire arm, attached to a horse.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1, looking forward.
Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1, also looking forward.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the belly plate.
Fig. 5 is a side view and Fig. 6 a transverse view showing another method of
releasing the fire arm.
Fig. 7 shows a method of fitting the pivot in a more forward position, and
regulating its line of fire by means of a worm and toothed rack, in combination with
a flexible shaft.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views, showing a method of attaching the flexible shaft
to the worm above mentioned and to the saddle.
Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate another method of mounting and elevating the
fire arm.
Fig. 13 is an elevation and Fig. 14 a section, showing a magazine fire arm
mounted and regulated by a worm and toothed rack, and Fig. 15 is a plan of the
same.
Fig. 16 is a part plan, and Fig. 17 an elevation illustrating another method of
mounting the fire arm, and attaching a movable stock or butt.
Fig. 18 is an elevation showing a method of fitting a hinged stock to a magazine
or other fire arm so as to adapt the same for firing from the shoulder, as well as
under the horse.
Fig. 19 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 20 is a section on the line 5, 6, and Fig. 21 a section on the line 7-8 of
Fig. 18.
Fig. 22 is a plan view showing another method of attaching a folding stock, when
the latter is arranged to fold to the side of the fire arm.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a is a portion of the girth or belly band of a horse.
b is a surcingle, outside the girth a. c is a plate securely held in position by the
surcingle b, which passes under the plate c. d is a vertical plate, formed in one
with or attached to the plate c. The forward end of the plate d carries a rect-
angular frame e, one side of which is provided with notches for receiving a spring
bolt. The back ends of the plates c and d support a frame h, to which the breech
of the gunk is pivoted at g. a is a spirit level. The muzzle of the gun k can be

page_text: raised, lowered, or levelled, and secured in either of these positions by means of
the bolt, engaging in either of the notches in the side of the frame e.
The action and other parts of the gun, liable to be injured by dust and dirt, may
be covered in with leather or other suitable material, as shown by dotted lines in
Figs. 1, 13, and 15.
is a bell crank lever, pivoted to the frame h for actuating the trigger i. The
long arm of the lever is fitted with a cord or line, whereby the piece may be fired
by the rider at any time.
One method of detaching the gun is shown in Fig. 3. The hinged side /¹
(forming one side of the frame h) is held in its place by a spring 42, one of the
pivots or trunnions g passing through the side . By lifting this hinged side 'the
gun is freed and may be withdrawn from. the supports.
Figs. 5 and 6 show a modified form of the above arrangement in which the end
of the pivot g. has a groove into which the gab of the spring catch ³ engages. By
withdrawing this spring catch from the pivot g, the hinged side of the frame /. is
freed, and may be lifted previously to removing the gun, as before described.
Referring to Figs. 7 to 10, the gun k. is shown pivoted to the frame e, at g. The
breech end of the gun is fitted with a stud k' on each side. These studs slide in
slots in the frame h. m is a worm fitted in bearings carried by the frame h. A
rack to correspond with the worm m is formed upon the gun; whereby the gun
can be adjusted. m¹ is a flexible shaft inclosed in a flexible tubular case, the upper
end of which is carried to the saddle.
Fig. 8 is a face view and Fig. 9 a section, showing the method of actuating the
upper end of the flexible shaft and mounting the same upon the saddle. n is a
locking plate, attached to the saddle by the provision n'. n is a handle fitted with
a spring plug for engaging in one of the holes or countersinks n³. The crank is
fitted to the flexible shaft m' whereby the latter and also the worm m. (Fig. 7) are
turned as required.
Fig. 10 is a section showing one method of attaching the end of the flexible
shaft m' to the axle m' of the worm m. m³ is a spring catch for securing the shaft
to the axle m* of the worm m.
Fig. 11 is an elevation and Fig. 12 a front view showing more particularly a
modified form of the plate c. In this case the plate c is prolonged upwards by two
flexible wing pieces of and c', the extremities of which pieces are provided with
studs c, which pass through holes in the surcingle and so secure the former to
the latter. The regulation in this case is effected by the milled headed screw o
raising or lowering the frame piece o', in which the gun rests, and which is
carried by the frame e; the gun being pivoted as in the former case at g. in the
frame h.
Referring to Figs. 13, 14, and 15, a gun is shown of a modified arrangement
mounted in an analogous manner to that shewn in Fig. 7 but with the flexible shaft
dispensed with. The worm gear m is shown in plan in Fig. 15.
In Figs. 16 and 17 the gun is shewn pivoted at g. to the frame h, and having the
worm and rack m. arranged at the fore end, whereby the muzzle can be raised and
lowered, as required, a method of attaching a stock p. being also shewn in Fig. 17,
which will be understood from the drawing.
In Figs. 18 to 21 another method of pivoting a stock to the gun is shewn. The
stock is formed in two parts p' and p². The lower part p' is pivoted to the gun
at T", and the two parts are pivoted together at r¹. p³ is a spring acting tensionally
to cause p³ to act as a latch to secure the stock in position. When locked as
shewn in Fig. 18, the bell crank levers secures the same against accidental
detachment.
Fig. 22 shows another method of fitting a hinged stock to the gun in this case
the stock is folded against the side of the gun as shewn in dotted lines, which will
be understood from the drawing.
All the working parts of the apparatus may be enclosed, in any suitable material,

page_text: Eo as to render the casing practically dust proof, and prevent the same becoming
clogged with dust and dirt.
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 :-
1. The combination, with cavalry harness, of a fire-arm, supported in a central
position under the animals body, the muzzle of the fire arm being pointed forward,
so as to fire in a line approximately parallel with the body of the animal; the
firing being under the control of the rider, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The combination, with cavalry harness, of a plate e securely held in position
by a strap or surcingle b, for the purpose of attaching a fire-arm thereto, such
fire-arm being pointed forward, so as to fire in a line approximately parallel with
the body of the animal, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
3. The improvements in the method of and in means and appliances for attaching
fire-arms to cavalry harness, and in manipulating and firing the same, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C. Agent.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C. Agent.