IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1814

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
JEAN SAMUEL PAULY, of Little Charlotte Street, in the Parish of Saint
George, Hanover Square, and County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third
did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth
day of August, in the fifty-fourth year of Elis reign, give and grant unto
me, the said Jean Samuel Pauly, my exors, admiors, and assigns, His
special licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Jean Samuel Pauly, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, should and
lawfully might, during the term of years herein mentioned, make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND USE OF FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent there is con-
tained a proviso that if I, the said Jean Samuel Pauly, shall not par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the 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 Chancery within six calendar months next

page_text: and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the
said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby
granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by
the same (relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Jean Samuel Pauly, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and manfier .in. which the same is to be performed, are
particularly. described as follows, that is to say:
By the rapid action of a syringe or instrument of the like description,
or by the more rapid action of a syringe or instrument-as-aforesaid than
has heretofore been commonly used, 1-do put the atmospheric air into
or upon gunpowder or other combustible material within the chamber
or barrel of a musquet, fowling-piece, or other fire-arm or instrument.
intended to contain or allow of a charge of explosive powder of any kind
or description; and I do prevent the atmospheric air, by a closure of the
nature of a valve, or by an impediment produced by crushing a small
portion of the powder in. or very near the hole of communication or
touch-hole of the said nusquet, fowling-piece, or other fire-arm or
instrument, from escaping before the condensation shall have become
sufficient to afford the heat of ignition or giving fire; and when
required I do produce the same effect by closing the hole of the
syringe by a small slider with an hole therein, which I do introduce
between the touch-hole aforesaid & hole of the syringe, and do
move the said slider by an oblique stroke of the piston or otherwise, so
as to cause a direct communication nearly at the time or very nearly
when the stroke terminates: 'And, farther. I do cause the ignition,
explosion, and discharge of such of the said inusquets, fowling-pieces,
or other firearms or instruments intended to contain or allow of a
charge of explosive powder of any kind or description, by setting fire to
the said charge by air forced upon the same, in manner aforesaid.
And, moreover, with regard to the aparatus needful and expedient
for carrying my said improvements into effect, which may be greatly
varied according to convenience, or the circumstances under which the
same may be required to be done, and with regard to any other said
improvements, the-same may be more particularly understood from the

page_text: Drawings hereunto annexed, and the explanations thereof. Fig. 1 A,
is the vertical section of a gun, of which 9, g, represents the breecth
pin with part of the chamber having its touch-hole behind, and opposite
to b, b, an air syringe, having its minute perforation opposite the touch-
hole, and its piston b, b, driven by the tumbler d, which receives its force
from the main spring when discharged by the trigger m, fitted up as
usual, and the machinery is supported by and in connection with the
lock plate a, and bridle e. Fig. 2, shews the same parts distinguished
by the same letters, and will be sufficiently understood from the
Drawings, excepting the piston b, b, where the fore part is seen
perforated in the upper sketch, and closed by a valve opening outwards,
but kept shut by a weak interior spring in the lower sketch, and the
eflect of the said valve is to admit the external air during the time of
cocking the piece; and Fig. 1 A, is a view of the upper part of the
same gun which has been drawn as double barrelled; ", represents
the cock. Fig. 3, represents the method of charging at the breech by
means of a joint at the inner end of the barrel, which is perforated all
through, and is provided with cartridges attached to or contained in a
cup or cap of wood, metal, or other fit material having the touch-hole
therein, as shewn at h, Fig. 8 A, and at f, Fig. 2, one of which, when
charged, is to be put into the breech of the piece; and the same kind of
cap may be attached to the piece to open and shut, and used with a
cominon cartridge, and the said cartridge or piece is provided with a
small touch-hole, and is discharged by the means or method herein-before
described at such time as the barrel of Fig. 3, has been restored to
the proper right line direction thereof. K, shews a sliding piece for
preserving the said direction, which may be done by a variety of other
methods in common use for other purposes. Fig. 4, shews a method
of charging for the use and application of my means of giving fire also
by the breech. i represents a leaver piece which lifts up and down,
containing the air syringe and its aparatus, and the other parts of the
lock are fixed along with the barrel and stock. When i is lifted up,
the charge of Figure 3, may be put in at hand-upon restoring it to
its ordinary position; wherein i and p are locked together, the whole
aparatus becomes, united, and the discharge may be made as herein-
before described; and in both constructions wherein Fig. 3, is used the

page_text: parts are made to come together in the manner of a curve lined joint,
so that Fig. 3, is very securely held in its place. Fig. 6a, is the
profile, and Fig. 6 b, the plan of a cannon to be discharged by con-
densed air, and to be charged at the breech; and the same numeral
figures everywhere denote the same things. 1, 1, 1, 1, denote two side
pieces which embrace the cannon, and are applied upon the hinder
trunions 5, unto which the same are attached by the screw 6; and,
moreover, the screws and bolts 10, 10, 10, 10, pass through both side
pieces, and connect the same together with great sollidity. 4, is a
breech piece capable of being firmly applied to the breach end of the
barrel, against which it fitts with great precision. 2, is a powerful screw
which passes through the side pieces, and is so attached to the breech
piece Fig. 4, that it is not only capable of giving severe pressure
thereto, but likewise of withdrawing the same to a small distance to
releive the friction of the curve lined joint. 7, 8, represent a syringe
piston for giving fire to the powder or other part of the charge by
compressed air. In Fig. 6, are seen the cannon with its side pieces and
other connected parts raised and the bore open, into which the
cartridge or charge 9, Fig. 6 B, which is of the same kind or descrip-
tion as that shewn in Fig. 3 b, is shewn, and afterwards when the side
pieces have been returned to the situation in which the apertures of the
syringe and of the cartridge are accurately in the same line, and the
syringe is charged or drawn back, the piece is ready to be fired by
the condensed air urged by a stroke or pressure at 7, or otherwise. And
the said syringe may be constructed and fitted up in various ways, but
I do prefer making the form shewn in b, Fig. 2, and that the stroke
or pressure be given by the action of a strong helical spring, and the
holding up or discharging of the same be done by a detent or catch, as
is well known. Fig. 7, shows the method of placing the barrells and
cartridges to be used in a considerable number for quick firing, according
to my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Samuel Pauly, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the of
Tawd Ona thousand oight hundred and fifteen.
year
JEAN SAMUEL (L.S.) PAULY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that the Third day of
February, in the year of our Lord 1815, the aforesaid Jean Samuel
Pauly came before our said Lord the King, in His Chancery, and
acknowleged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written, thro' the
interpretation of William Nicholson, the said interpretor being first
Sworn that he would truly interpret the acknowledgment to the said
Jean Samuel Pauly. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Third day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifteen.