IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Dalziel Dougall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1877.
JAMES DALZIEL DOUGALL, of St. James's Street, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS."
The object of this Invention, which relates to certain very desirable and useful
improvements in the construction of fire-arins or small-arms and pistols, is to over-
come a difficulty which frequently deters persons from shooting, and in many cases
causes sportsmen great pain, injury, and inconvenience. This difficulty lies in the
fact that many sportsmen cannot use fire-arms as at present constructed without
sustaining injury to their middle or other fingers by getting them knocked and
bruised by the triggers or trigger guard at each discharge, and the repetition of
which during a day's shooting often induces a swelling of the parts affected, and
causes great pain. If shooting under these circumstances be persevered in the
joints of the fingers often become normally swollen and stiffened.
Attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by varying the form and
the positions of the triggers, and of the bow or trigger guard, but these attempts
have not succeeded.
According to the present Invention I remove the triggers from their present
position under the stock, and I dispense with the usual bow or trigger-guard, and
in lieu of this the usual arrangement for discharging or freeing the locks I cause
this action to be effected by means of trigger-levers, which pass upwards through
the stock, and can be actuated by a slight backward movement of the thumb
pressing upon a button, as herein-after mentioned. These trigger levers are
centred upon a pin held in bearings which I form upon the inner surface of the
usual trigger plate; they are somewhat of a bell-crank form, having two arms, one
of which extends under the ordinary sear of the lock, and the other of which, as
above referred to, passes upwards through the stock and emerges at its top side,
where it is provided with a serrated thumb piece or button, by which it is actuated.
The trigger levers are kept in position by small springs, as in the usual arrangement
of triggers. The wood of the stock is cut away to correspond with the shape of the
bearings, and to allow of the free movement of the trigger levers. This cutting has
no weakening effect upon the stock, as it is effected well in rear of the breech
facing

page_text: In other modifications the trigger levers can be so applied as to lift the sears and
free the locks on receiving a slight downward pressure, or a slight side or forward
movement, in lieu of the backward movement above mentioned.
With the exception of the above improvements I make no departure from the
usual forms of the fire-arms, nor any alteration in any part of their mechanism,
the Invention can therefore be easily adapted to existing fire-arms.
The Invention is applicable to all varieties of fire-arms or small-arms, such as
breech loaders, muzzle loaders, single-barrel fire-arms, and pistols.
In addition to the advantage of effectually attaining the above-mentioned object
the adoption of the principle of my Invention, as above described, will enable a
superior steadiness in firing to be attained, the fire-arm not being drawn to one side
by pulling the triggers, as hitherto. It will also enable those to shoot who are at
present incapacitated by gout, rheumatism, or other infirmity, or by the crippling of
the fingers, as so long as any of the fingers or the thumb remain usable the fire-arm
can be readily discharged. And it will further enable shooting to be successfully
accomplished, and with ease, in very cold climates, where thick gloves have to be
worn.