CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS UPON FIRE-ARMS AND THEIR LOCKS
Year: 1803

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
DURS EGG, of the Parish of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, within the
Liberty of Westininster, Gun Maker, send grecting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the
Third did, by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-third day of March, in the forty-third year of His
reign, give and grant unto me, the said Durs Egg, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Durs Egg, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
UPON FIRE-ARMS AND THEIR LOCKS," within England and Wales and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said Durs
Egg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should in our discretion
seem meet; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that if
I, the said Durs Egg, should not particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and
cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chan-
cery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all
liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly
cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the said recited Letters
Patent (relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Durs Egg, do hereby declare that my said improvements upon
fire-arms and their locks are described and ascertained in manner
following, that is to say:
The great advantage in the improvements upon the lock for all sorts
of fire-arms consists in a much superior quick action than any others,
and is constructed in a much smaller center axle on the tumbler, which
acts in and is supported by a second bridle which goes over the cock,
fixed on the outside of the lock. By the same construction I can
make the axle of the tumbler as large as required to fix the cock on a
sufficiently large square to secure the cock from getting loose or being
quite lost. Also a great advantage is in pitching the axle hole in the
lock plate higher than usual, which gives the cock a greater power in
striking, and cutting the hammer more regular, better fire, and more
direct into the pan. Also a new plan to take the lock to pieces without
taking ont any screws, to clean and put it together again, is by a con-
struction of a center pin that forms the axle through the bridles and
tumbler, and when drawn out the cock and tumbler come out together
in one piece through the upper part of the plate, and may be put in its
place properly fixed as before in two or three seconds, which must be
a great advantage, as the persons who take the locks to picces very
seldom put them together right, and the screws in their proper places.
The open part of the plate is filled up with a cover, either to slide, or
with a joint and screw, or to slido in and out with a center pin. Another
new way to take the lock to pieces:-The cock and tumbler go in and out
together through the upper part of the plate and bridle, and the bridle

page_text: remains fixed on the plate with (at least) three screws in the swivel
locks, one before the crane of the tumber, or at the bottom of the
tumbler, another by the scar screw, and one through the bridle and eyc
of the sear spring, which supports and prevents the bridle being screwed
too tight on the sear by the sear screw, so as to hinder it from acting.
The opening of the plate and bridle is filled up with a cover, either to
slide, or with a joint and screw, and the plain or military locks with a
stud on the bridle, in which case the brille must be taken off first. The
axle of the tumbler is larger than usual to fix the cock on a larger
square, and firmer than others, to prevent the cock getting loose or lost;
and to procure as quick action as a small center, the axle of the tumbler
is reduced on each side, bears only on a quarter center similar to the
bearer of an axle in a scale beam, which gives the cock great power in
going down, and the quickest action. A new method of priming, by
which one cannot put too much powder or too little, when the hammer
is shut, is by an opening at the front of the hammer and pan, with a
cover fixed on the hammer, with a spring to open and shut like the
hammer, also with a plain cover to slide on a screw or otherwise.
An.
improved pan and hammer to expel the damp and water:-The hammer
seat is lined with copper, or any other soft metal or composition, to
form its level and perfect joint. The fence that joins against the barrel
with a double arch to guide the water on each side of the pan, which
will prevent the water getting to the powder in the pan; also a larger
arch on the hammer to go over part of the barrel, with a guide to the
guides on the sides of the pan. An improved hammer to prevent the
great disappointment of missing fire, as those hitherto made arc too
much subject to, through the mode the steel is put on (viz') by a weld-
ing heat, by which they are too often spoiled, as also by hardening
improperly. I mean to make them in 2 pieces, the whole face of the
hammer to be made of the best and purest steel, and so constructed as
that it may be put on the rest of the hammer in different ways so that
it may be well hardened on or off; it may be fixed with a hook or
hooks, or screws, so as the steel and spare ones may be put on easy and
firm. To expel the water from the whole lock I mean to make a box
to cover the whole lock compleatly from the back part of the cock with

page_text: a joint at the back part of the pan. A part of the box to go over a
piece of iron or frame left on the barrel over the touch-hole, which
forms part of a guide to prevent the water getting to the lock,
which guide reaclies and goes down before and behind the lock to join
at the back part of the pan, and a joint before the hammer to open and
shut with the hammer or without. The cover is kept shut by a spring
catch, and is opened by the action of the cock, and a spring to throw
it open. Another way to open and shut the box is to slide forwards
over and before the hammer, to open and shut with the hammer or
without. Both these covers of the above boxes are made with part to
go over the cock when shut, and when open room enough to draw the
cock up with a lever that will come through part of the box to
cock it. Also another way is with a lever fastened to the axle of
the tumbler or cock which goes through the box and the lever on
the outside to move the cock up and down. Another way is with a
frame round the lock from the back part of the cock and the piece of
iron or frame left on the barrel to form that part of the frame, and a
cover to go over the lock to fix on the frame to put on and off, with
a joint or without. Some of them may be made large enough for the
lock to act when on, with an opening at the pan to let the fuse and
smoke out, with a cover to open and shut, and others without. These
lock covers may be made in different forms and ways to open and shut
according to the fancy of the maker and purchasers. A new way to
load all sorts of firc-arms at the breech, much quicker and casier than
any other whatever heretofore made, and exempt from any accidents in
loading and firing, either with cartridges, ball, or shot, is with an
opening at the breech, best on the top of the barrel, with a hole through
the upper part of the barrel to put the charge in, and a slide across or
nearly across through the metal of the barrel to cover or shut up the
opening with a provision of metal or arch on each side of the opening
on the barrel to replace and support the parts cut away, with a lever on
the side of the barrel, fixed to the barrel with a joint and screw, and
another fixed to the slide, and the handle of the lever lays up towards
the nose of the barrel, and is long enough and projects from the barrel
wide enough to put about two or three fingers between to pull it open

page_text: and shut it by, and a stop on the barrel with a spring to keep it in its
place, and a guide and stop on the barrel near the slide to keep it firm
and from pulling it too far. The above slide, which shuts up the
opening of the barrel, I mean also to make to open and shut with a
rising screw. A new nipper or shear to cut the cartridge for priming,
which is so constructed as to cut the paper off with an easy stroke, and
not liable to spoil or to cut one's self:-It may be made with a joint to
fix on the lock or gun with a screw, and joint to move or lay close to
the gun when not wanted, or with a spring to put on and off. An
improved way of priming from the inside of the barrel when charging
through the touch-hole:-The touch-hole is so constructed as to be
sufficiently large to prime much better than any made before, and not
to lose more or so much of the strength in shooting as a common
touch-hole, which is by the touch-hole shutting itself up when fired by
the recoil of the barrel, which is made to slide back at least so far as
to cover the touch-hole with a piece of iron fixed at the breech, or at
the
pan of the lock to stop the fuse, and the spring at the breech to
keep it in its usual place. Another way is with a slide on the lock to act
with the cock to shut and uncover the touch-hole; and in the cover a
provisional small touch-hole. It may also be made with the action of
the hammer to slide with a balance to cover and uncover the touch-
hole; and also with a valve fixed on the barrel with a balance or spring
to shut itself up when fired by the fuse or pressure of the charge. For
the before-mentioned way of priming through the touch-hole care must
be taken to have a cartridge or wadding that fits the bore of the barrel
so as to press the air down through the touch-hole into the pan, which
has a provision to let the air through, which is made through the front
of the pan or sent of the hammer in the joint, or by a small hole or
holes, and is often necessary to other fire-arms where the pan fits nearly
or quite air-tight. The fire-armis constructed for the barrel to slide in
the stock by the pressure of recoil to give with a spring is a great
advantage in shooting better and truer, and will much diminish the
unpleasant striking or kicking. An improved sight at the breech :-
The body of it is fixed not to move, and the notched part made to slide
within the other, which secures it from moving by accident.
Also a

page_text: new cover for the sight, which may be adopted and used on all sorts of
fire-arms, and will cause to shoot much truer than any ever used before.
and will be a particular advantage for bullet guns and pistols. It is
made in the form of a tube when shut, and several inches long, suitable
to the size of the fire-arms, and when the tube is open it will form
about half a circle, and the upper part is made to take off or slide under
the other half, and to slide forwards or backwards if required; and
when wanted to cover and shade the sight, the upper part of the tube
is turned up or put on, by which the most perfect aim can be obtained.
A tube may also be made to slide in and out to make it longer, and to
bring it as near the eye as required. An improved stock to pistols with
a support on the upper part of the stock or grip as a stop against the
hand to prevent the pistol moving when fired, which stop or support
may be made with the stock, or put on and fixed, of steel or other
materials, with a provision to move farther or nearer to the hand; also
a support to rest against the arm or shoulder, which is best fixed at the
end of the butt or grip with a joint to open and shut in the grip or on
the side of it, or on the side of the pistol. Also a new constructed pistol
for firing off cannons, to prime and load together without wadding, which
has a chamber near the pan to contain the charge, and shoots the flash
through the tube or barrel to the touch-hole; and an improved cock and
side nail to prevent accidents by the turnscrow slipping out, which is
prepared by the notch jagged and a hole in the center to keep the
turnscrew in its proper place. For ramrods an improved worm, the
spiral part goes round the center beam similar to a wood screw.
In witness whereof, I, the said Durs Egg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and three
WILMOT
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of
September, in the forty-third year of the reign of His Majesty King
George the Third, the said Durs Egg came before our said Lord the
King, in His Chancery, and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above

page_text: written. And also the instrument aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the several Statutes made in the sixth year of the reign of
the late King and Queen William and Mary of England, and so forth,
and in the seventeenth, twenty-third, and thirty-seventh years of the
reign of His Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and three.