IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY PISTOLS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Murdoch, of No 7, Staple Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY
PISTOLS." A communication.
Sealed the 8th November 1854, and dated the 27th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murdoch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
May 1854.
I, JAMES MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY PISTOLS," communicated to me by a foreigner residing
abroad, to be as follows:-
These improvements consist, first, in forming the barrel of such pistols of two
tubes or cylinders, the moveable one in which the cork or pellet is inserted
sliding within the other and over a fixed piston.
Secondly, in the application of a stop, to prevent the moveable barrel from
being forced into the fixed barrel when the pellet or cork is being inserted
into the moveable barrel.
Thirdly, in the addition to such pistols of a hammer and a nipple to receive
a detonating capsule, the fall of the hammer being effected by the forcing in of
the moveable tube, by which the expulsion of the pellet is produced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Murdoch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Murdoch, IIer special licence that I, the said James Mur-
doch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Murdoch, my 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 therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY
PISTOLS," (a communication from a foreigner residing abroad,) upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Murdoch, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and scal, 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 I, the said James Murdoch, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof (that is to say):-
The Invention consists in certain arrangements in the construction of toy
pistols, whereby they may be discharged by one hand, as ordinary pistols are,
and also in the application of percussion caps to such pistols.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent one construction which I employ for carrying
out the Invention; Figure 1 being a longitudinal section of a toy pistol; Figure
2, a plan of a portion of the upper side of the pistol, partly in section; and Figuro
3, a plan of a portion of the under side of the pistol. a is the stock of the pistol;
b, a metallic barrel fixed into the same; c is a moveablo barrel, capable of
sliding within the barrel a, and closed at the breech or inner end by a block
or disc d; c is a piston fitting into the barrel c, the piston rod f passing through

page_text: a hole in the block d, and being made fast in the stock a.. A slot g is cut in
the under side of the stock a and barrel b, to allow of the movement of the
trigger h, which is screwed into the block d. The pistol is represented in the
position in which when the plug or cork i is inserted it is ready for a discharge,
which is effected by drawing back the moveable barrel c by means of the
trigger h, whereby the air in the barrel c, becoming compressed between the
plug and the piston, expels the plug. To prevent, the barrel c being driven in
during the insertion of the plug, or until it is required to discharge the pistol,
the slot g, through which the neck of the trigger passes, has a notch & cut on
one side of it, as shewn in Figure 3; and the barrel c, being turned upon its
axis, the neck j of the trigger is lodged in the notch k, and serves to retain
the barrel c in the position shewn. When it is required to discharge the pistol,
the pressure of the finger upon the trigger will release it from the notch. The
moveable barrel may be restored to its position after the discharge by means
of a helical spring contained within the stock, and acting upon the breech of
the moveable barrel. The arrangement for applying percussion caps to these
pistols is as follows:-At m is formed a raised channel supporting the cock or
hammer n, turning upon its axis o and the nipple q, in which the cap is inserted.
A helical spring is attached at one end to, the channel m, and at the other
end to the cock or hammer n, and tends to maintain the hammer in the posi-
tion of full cock. A slot or grooves is cut through the upper side of the
barrel b, opening into the channel m, to allow the movement of a stud t,
screwed into the upper side of the moveable barrel (c).
When in discharging the pistol the barrel is drawn back, the stud t, striking
upon the shoulder of the hammer, brings down the latter upon the cap, and
causes it to explode.. Figure 4 represents in section another construction of
toy pistols to be discharged by one hand. a is the stock of the pistol; and 6,
a metallic barrel fixed into the same. e is a piston moveable in the barrel;
and f, the piston rod, having at the inner end a disc or pistone', to serve as a
guide to the piston e, and to maintain its parallelism. 9 is the trigger, formed
as a lever of the first order, and turning upon a pin at g' in the trigger
guard g". The upper end of the trigger passes through a slot in the under
side of the stock and barrel, and engages in a slot i in the piston rod. The
operation of the piston is as follows:-The cork or plug, being inserted in
the mouth of the barrel, the pistol is held in one hand, and the lower end of
the trigger being drawn back, the upper end presses forward the piston, and the
air between the plug and the piston becoming thereby compressed, discharges
the plug. A slot is cut through the upper side of the barrel and stock to
allow of the passage of the upper end of the trigger..

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would observe that I do not limit myself to the
precise details herein-before described, as they may be modified without depart-
ing from the principle of the Invention; but I claim,-
Firstly, the constructing toy pistols with two barrels, the outer one being
fixed in the stock, and the inner one sliding within the outer one, and over a
fixed piston secured by the piston rod to the stock, as herein-before described.
Secondly, the employment in such pistols of a stop or detent, to maintain the
moveable barrel at the outer extremity of the fixed barrel during the insertion
of the plug, and until it is desired to discharge the pistol, as herein-before
described.
Thirdly, the application of a disc or block to the breech of the moveable
valve, through which passes the piston rod, for the purpose of preventing the
moveable barrel being entirely withdrawn from the fixed barrel.
Fourthly, the restoring the moveable barrel to its original position after each
discharge, by means of a helical spring contained within the stock.
Fifthly, the application to such pistols of percussion caps, as herein-before
described.
Lastly, the constructing toy pistols with a single barrel and a moveable
piston, the piston being pressed forward by a trigger acting as a lever of tho
first order, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Murdoch, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
E. C. COLE.
JAMES MURDOCH. (L.S.)