A NEW OR IMPROVED RIFLE REST
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Irvine, of Patshull, in the County of Salop,
Musketry Instructor, and John William Hand, of Beckbury, in the
County of Salop, Builder, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
RIFLE REST."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Irvine and John
William Hand at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 14th August 1862.
We, JOHN IRVINE, of Patshull, in the County of Salop, Musketry Instructor,
and JOHN WILLIAM HAND, of Beckbury, in the County of Salop, Builder,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
RIFLE REST," to be as follows:-
Our said new or improved rifle rest is constructed essentially in the follow-
ing manner:-A trough of wood lined with india-rubber is fixed on a ball-
and-socket joint, which said ball-and-socket joint is mounted on a vertical
rack, the said rack sliding in a hollow pillar or upright fixed on the base of
the instrument. The trough of wood is of a shape proper to receive and
support the rifle from the lower band to the trigger guard, and the rifle is
fixed in the said trough by means of a screw on one side, which said screw
carries at its end a spring, which by the action of the said screw is made to
press against the rifle and bind it tightly in the trough. The ball-and-socket
joint is provided with a clamp screw for fixing it in any required position

page_text: and the rack which carries the ball-and-socket joint and trough is raised
and lowered by means of a pinion in the pillar or upright which said pinion
is worked by a handle on its axis. The rack is also provided with a clamp
screw so as to fix it in the required position, as well as a pall or click which
engages in the teeth of the rack and prevents the descent of the rack after it
has been lifted by the pinion. The said pall or click can be disengaged from
the rack by pressing on a thumb plate when it is required to lower the said
rack. The pillar or upright is connected to the base or platform by strong
iron stays and bolts, and the said platform is made to fold up and form a box
in which the pillar and other fittings can be packed.
In using our new or improved rest the rifle is fixed in the trough by means
of the screw and spring before described. The elevation and direction of the
rifle are adjusted by means of the ball-and-socket joint, which is fixed by its
clamp screw, and the rifle is raised or lowered to the required height of the
shoulder of the shooter by means of the pinion and rack, and the rack after-
wards fixed by its screw. The rifle may be fixed and adjusted in our rifle rest
in a few seconds.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said John Irvine and
John William Hand in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
IRVINE, of Patshull, in the County of Salop, Musketry Instructer, and
JOHN WILLIAM HAND, of Beckbury, in the County of Salop, Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 14th day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
the said John Irvine, Musketry Instr. & John William Iland, Builder, Her
special licence that the said John Irvine, Musketry Instructor, and
John William Hand, Builder, their executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as they, the said John Irvine, & John William Hand, their
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
herein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED RIFLE REST,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that they, the said John Irvine & John
William Hand, their executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that they, the said John Irvine & John William
Hand, do hereby declare the nature of their said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention has for its object a new mode of constructing rifle rests, such
as are commonly employed for the purposes of instructing and improving rifle
shooting in the army, navy, and volunteers, but more particularly for learning
recruits and others the theory and practice of rifle shooting, also for "sighting,"
and proving the accuracy of the shooting of their rifles; and the novelty of the
said Invention consists in constructing the rifle rest so as it can be easily
adjusted to the height of the shoulder of the shooter, by means of a wheel,
break, and set screw, and enabling him to take a correct aim, by placing his
rifle in a box lined with india-rubber, and securing it by a spring, to which a
screw is attached, and turning the screw until it gradually presses the s ring
and india-rubber to the rifle and firmly holds it. The required aim is most
easily obtained.
The most important feature in this part of the Invention, consists in so con-
structing and applying a strong ball-and-socket joint, fitted with a set screw to
fix it; by this means a more accurate, finer, and quicker aim can be obtained
than by any other process we are aware of. The rifle rest is so constructed
as to be easily taken to pieces; the platform is made in two parts, and con-
nected on the under side with strong iron hinges, and folds up and forms a box
in which all the other parts and fittings can be packed and afterwards
locked up.
But in order to explain the nature of this Invention more fully, and to point
out in what respect it differs from the "rest" hitherto commonly employed, we
would remark, that the rifle rest heretofore generally used by the army, navy,
volunteers, and others, was simply a tripod and sand bag, on which the rifle
rested in taking aim, the use of which was not only objectionable, but very
difficult for recruits to get a correct aim with, and occupied an unnecessary

page_text: length of time in going through "aiming drill," the only thing for which it was
of any service. For "preliminary ball practice," it was almost or quite use-
less; the recruit being left to his own judgment entirely, discharges his rifle,
and in all probability misses the target, but whether it is caused by his bad
aim, pulling the rifle on one side in discharging it, the effect of the wind on the
.bullet, or from his own want of judgment, he not only cannot tell himself,
nor can the instructor put him right, in consequence of not being able to
look at or correct his aim before firing from tripod and sand bag. But with
our Invention, the recruit after taking aim and fixing his rifle by means of
the ball-and-socket joint, is enabled to move his head on one side, to allow the
drill instructor or other person to point out and correct any defect in his aim,
and he can discharge his rifle without fear of deranging his aim in pressing
the trigger, or from similar causes in discharging his rifle, and so prove to him
the accuracy of his aim, the necessity of "pinching" instead of "pulling," the
trigger, and above all, give him confidence in his rifle by the accuracy of his
shooting, which, by the use of the old tripod and sand bag, he could not have
attained.
In order to explain the said Invention as completely as possible, and in
order that it may be most fully understood, we now proceed to describe the
best means we are acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,
reference being had to the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon, respectively as
follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
That part of the rifle rest as shown on the Drawings, in Figures 1, 2, and 3,
and tinted "brown," is intended to be formed with timber, that part tinted
"yellow" to be formed with gun metal or brass, and that part tinted grey,
to be iron, except the springs, which are to be steel.
Figure 1 is a side elevation or view of the rifle rest, and a sketch of the
application of the rifle thereto, fixed as it would be previous to the shooter
taking aim. Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1 elevation, Figure 3 is a back
elevation or view. Figure 4 is a plan of the trough in which the rifle
is placed, and which also shows the manner in which the rifle is fixed
in the trough by means of the screw and spring, it also shows the india-
rubber lining. At each of the foregoing Figures we employ similar letters
of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or
can be seen at each of the said Figures respectively, and each part denoted
by a letter of reference, and having other parts connected thereto; such
other part or parts will be denoted by figures of reference.

page_text: Figures 1, 2, and 3, figured A thereon, is the framing of platform; B is the
floor of platform; Care feet made to take off by the screw I, and the two parts
of the platform being connected with iron hinges and screws; D is the pillar
which is prepared in two parts, with a groove F in the middle to allow the
shaft G to work in; the two parts of the pillar are securely bolted together
with iron bolts and nuts H, and secured to the platform with the iron bolt I,
which is screwed up from the under side the platform into a nut K, let into
and fixed inside the pillar before it is bolted together. The pillar is also
supported by iron stays L, which are secured to the pillar at the top by the
bolts H and M, and made secure thereto by their respective nuts, and bolted
to the platform at the bottom with screw bolts 3. The pillar has a cap fitted
on the top and firmly screwed thereto with brass screws, with a socket the size
of the groove F for the shaft G to slide through; P, in Figure 3, is a
handle attached to a spindle, which passes through the rack wheel Q in
Figure 2, the spindle 4 also forms the axle for the rack wheel to work on;
this spindle also passes through the plates R, in Figures 1 and 3, and is held
therein by the nut 5, and the plates are screwed to the pillars with screws 2.
S is a fillet round the bottom of the pillar and resting on platform Q. In
Figure 2 is a rack wheel with notches or cogs 6 formed on the outer edge
and which are intended to fit and work into corresponding notches or cogs
in the rack 6 of the shaft; T, on Figures 2 and 3, is the face plate of the
break, which is fitted to and fixed to the pillar with screws 2; at the back of
this plate in Figure 2 two ears 7 are fixed, with a leaver 8 passing between
them with an axle on each side, the axles working on corresponding holes in
the ears; the nose 10 of this leaver by being acted on by the spring 9, is
pressed into the notches of the rack of the shaft G, and holds it to any
required height; the knob 11, the pin of which screws into the lower end of the
lever, by being pressed releases the nose of the leaver from the shaft and allows
the shaft to descend. The handle 12, in Figures 1 and 3, screws through a plate
the end of screw presses against the shaft and secures it to any required height.
U in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is a ball-and-socket joint, the top part of the socket
being screwed on to the lower part at the joint 18 in Figure 2. The handle V in
Figure 3, is attached to a screwed pin which screws through a thickened part
of the socket; in screwing the same it presses a small nut inside against the
ball and makes the joint stick to any position required; the upper end of that
portion forming the ball of the joint screws firmly at 14, into the under side
the plate W, in Figure 1, which clips the box E in which the rifle is placed, tho
outer plates are firmly screwed to the box, the handle of screw ✗ passes through
the right side of box; a spring 15 in Figure 4 is attached to the end of the

page_text: screw of this handle, and a thin washer 16 placed between, the screw being
first turned less to form a shouldering for the washer and spring which are
secured on the end by the nut 17, and the end of the pin rivetted to prevent
the nut unscrewing; the plate is thickened at 18 for the screw of handle to
work through. The box E is lined inside with strong india-rubber 19 screwed
to the box with small screws; Y, in Figures 2 and 3, are iron handles made to
slide in and out of the box by passing through the front and back rails, a
clip 20 being fixed to each in the inside to keep them in their place; the
ends are turned to form a stop against the clips, and to prevent the hands
slipping off the end. The section Figure 2, shows one handle drawn out
and the other in its place when not wanted; by these handles the rifle rest
can be carried from one "range" to another very easily. Z is a pad on which
the shooter kneels to take aim, the pad is lined with hair, and covered with
leather, 2 pegs are fixed under side and fitted into corresponding holes on the
floor of platform to prevent it slipping.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention of the
construction of a new or improved rifle rest, and in what manner the same.
is to be and may be performed, we would remark in conclusion what we
claim is the constructing of a rifle rest with a ball-and-socket joint U, as
at Figures 1, 2, and 3, and the general arrangement of the details as
shown and set forth by the annexed Drawings, and the letters and figures
written thereon and particularised in this Specification.
JOHN IRVINE.
for self &
JOHN WILLIAM HAND.
(L.S.)