Improvements in or relating to Devices or Means for Cleaning Small Bore Rifle Barrels.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Devices or Means for Cleaning
Small Bore Rifle Barrels.
I, DUGALD SCOTT, of 12, York Street, Manchester, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For cleaning the barrels of small-bore rifles particularly army rifles there has been
used a device consisting of a piece of string or cord or equivalent with a loop or
loops at one end and with a weight at the other said weight being of a size adapted
to pass readily through the rifle barrel so as to draw the string therethrough and to
this string a rectangular piece of flannelette has been attached so that by simply
pulling said string through said barrel thereby the piece of flannelette is pulled
through said barrel for the purpose of cleaning same and in such arrangement
most of the work is done by the front part of the flannelette where it is bunched
at the front part as it is drawn through the barrel the two ends trailing behind
loosely.
Now the present invention consists in forming the piece of fabric by which the
cleaning operation is performed of a special shape whereby a very effective cleaning
action is obtained on the interior of the barrel as follows:-
The fabric which may advantageously be an unbleached cotton velvet or may be
flannelette or other suitable material is formed stamped or cut with the middle
portion thereof narrower than the ends so that when this piece of fabric of this
special form is threaded through the aforesaid loop in said string etc. or otherwise
suitably attached to said string etc. by which it is to be pulled through the rifle
barrel thereby the binch or front portion of the fabric as it goes through the
barrel is of less bulk than the rear part or ends and consequently the piece
of fabric bears against the interior of the barrel along a greater part of
its length than heretofore and thereby a very effective clearing action is
obtained.
The cords or pull throughs" are provided with two loops one at the extreme
end of the cord the other close to it and heretofore in using the pull through the
rectangular piece of flannelette has been passed generally or usually through this
end loop while in using this improved cleaner the specially shaped piece of fabric is
passed through the inner loop and not through the end loop of said cord or pull
through and the broad ends of said piece of fabric are wrapped round the cord
between the two loops the latter forming a core and effecting with the broad ends
of the shaped piece a more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a
conical point the coning being obtained by the hollowing out of the middle of the
shaped piece.
In forming these specially shaped pieces of fabric or "cleaners" for the purpose
aforesaid according to the present invention they are stamped out of the material
in the piece in suchwise that the portions cut out to form the narrowed middle
part of each "cleaner" form the enlarged end parts of the adjacent cleaners so that
there is no waste or practically no waste in cutting these specially shaped cleaning
devices out of a length of cloth etc. and by means of suitable hollow cutters of the

page_text: shape of the cleaner a number of thicknesses of material can be cut through at each
stamping operation.
These specially shaped cleaners will be found very suitable for use in
conjunction with the regulation cords at present in use for cleaning army rifles or
the like.
If desired these specially shaped "cleaners" may be prepared for sale or use with
oil or other suitable preparation for instance same may be saturated with or have
applied thereto alkaline oil such as is now issued to the army by the British
Government for cleaning rifles where cordite ammunition is used.
Improvements in or relating to Devices or Means for Cleaning
Small Bore Rifle Barrels.
I, DUGALD SCOTT, of 12, York Street, Manchester, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
For cleaning the barrels of small bore rifles particularly army rifles there has
been used a device consisting of a piece of string or cord or equivalent with a loop
or loops at one end and. with a weight at the other said weight being of a size
adapted to pass readily through the rifle barrel so as to draw the string therethrough
and to this string a rectangular piece of flannelette has been attached so that by
simply pulling said string through said barrel thereby the piece of flannelette is
pulled through said barrel for the purpose of cleaning same and in such arrangement
most of the work is done by the front part of the flannelette where it is bunched
at the front part as it is drawn through the barrel the two ends trailing behind
loosely.
Now the present invention consists in forming the piece of fabric by which the
cleaning operation is performed of a special shape whereby a very effective cleaning
action is obtained on the interior of the barrel as follows:-
The fabric (which may advantageously be an unbleached cotton velvet or may be
flannelette or other suitable material) is formed stamped or cut with the middle
portion thereof narrower than the ends so that when this piece of fabric of this
special form is threaded through the aforsaid loop in said string etc. or otherwise
suitably attached to said string etc. by which it is to be pulled through the rifle
barrel thereby the bunch or front portion of the fabric i.e. the front end as it goes
through the barrel is of less bulk than the rear part or ends and consequently the
piece of fabric bears against the interior of the barrel along a greater part of its
length than heretofore and thereby a very effective cleaning action is obtained.
The cords or "pull throughs" are usually provided with two loops one at the
extreme end of the cord the other close to it and heretofore in using the pull through
the rectangular piece of flannelette has been passed generally or usually through
this end loop while in using this improved cleaner the specially shaped piece of
fabric may advantageously be passed through the inner loop and not through the
end loop of said cord or pull through and the broad ends of said piece of fabric are
wrapped round the cord between the two loops the latter forming a core and

page_text: effecting with the broad ends of the shaped piece a more or less uniformly cylindrical
cleaner surface with a conoidal point this latter being obtained by the hollowing
out of the middle of the shaped piece; or if desired the specially shaped piece of
fabric can be used in the aforesaid end loop only in which case as there would be
no cord to form a core around which to wrap the ends of the fabric and consequently
the ends of the piece of fabric would have to be made larger that is big enough to
form per se the cylindrical shaped cleaner of the desired size when the 2 ends
thereof are simply wrapped or rolled upon one another and same may then if
desired be tied round to prevent them unrolling.
Or if desired these specially shaped pieces (advantageously of differing material)
may be used in each loop-for instance a piece of textile material in the inner loop
and a piece of wire gauze in the end loop.
These specially shaped cleaners will be found very suitable for use in conjunction
with the regulation cords at present in use for cleaning army rifles or the like.
If desired these specially shaped "cleaners
may be prepared for sale or use
with oil or other suitable preparation for instance same may be saturated with or
have applied thereto alkaline oil such as is now issued to the army by the British
Government for cleaning rifles where cordite ammunition is used.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
-
Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate means heretofore well-known for cleaning army rifle barrels
according to the old method.
Figs. 5 to 11 illustrate the present invention.
For cleaning the barrels of small bore rifles particularly army rifles there has
already been used a device consisting of a piece of string or cord or equivalent a
with a loop or loops a¹ a² at one end with a weight b at the other end (see Fig. 1)
said weight being of a size adapted to pass readily through the rifle barrel so as
to draw the string a therethrough and to this string a rectangular piece of
flannelette y (Fig. 2) has been attached usually by passing same through the end
loop a² (as shown in Fig. 3) and bringing the ends together as shown in Fig. 4 so
that on pulling said string through the rifle barrel x thereby the piece of flannelette
is pulled (as shown in Fig. 4) through said barrel for the purpose of cleaning same;
but in such arrangement practically all the cleaning work is done by the front part
of the flannelette where it is bunched up at y* as it is drawn through the barrel x
the two ends trailing behind loosely and practically uselessly as they do little or
no work towards cleaning the inside of the barrel.
Now the present invention consists as follows-reference being had to Fig. 1 and
Figs. 5 to 11 of the drawings hereunto annexed :-
The same device as, or a similar device to, Fig. 1 is used and in conjunction
with which according to the present invention I employ a piece or pieces of
fabric or material (by which the cleaning operation or operations is or are performed)
of a special shape as shown in Fig. 5 or equivalent shape whereby a very effective
cleaning action is obtained on the interior of the barrel as follows:-
The fabric or material (which may advantageously be an unbleached cotton
velvet or may be flannelette or wire gauze or other suitable material) is formed
stamped or cut. (as shown in Fig. 5) with the middle portion thereof at ¹
narrower than the ends 22 so that when this piece of fabric z of special form
(as shown in Fig. 5) is threaded through the loop a¹ (as shewn in Fig. 6) in
said string a the one end thereof is first wrapped round the thickened part a*
(see Fig. 6) of the string a as shown in Fig. 7 and then the other end of the piece of
fabric see Fig. 7 is wrapped closely around the first-named end (and tied as at z³
if desired though this tie 23 I do not find at all necessary in practice) the part a*
of the string a (Fig. 6) serving as a core for this piece of fabric z which thus forms
an even or cylinder-like shape (as shown in Fig. 5) the front portion * (Fig. 8) of
the folded fabric as it goes through the barrel x (Fig. 9) being of less bulk than the
rear cylindrical part and consequently the piece of fabric 2 bears against the interior
of the barrel along a greater part of its length than in the old arrangement and
consequently a very effective cleaning action is obtained.

page_text: In Fig. 10 the cleaning material 24 illustrated is made of thin wire gauze of the
same shape as Fig. 5 this wire gauze being passed through the end loop a² in the
cord a and first one end is closely rolled up upon itself and then the second end is
closely rolled around said first-named already rolled end as shown in Fig. 11 the
front portion zx of this arrangement (see Fig. 11) being of less bulk than the rear
portion as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 8 the said rear portion being
of a cylindrical or even shape along the greater part of its length as before described
with reference to Fig. 8-the object of the arrangement shown in Fig. 11 being for
cleaning or clearing the interior of rifle barrels which are badly clogged or in such
a state that the cleaner made of textile fabric as shown in Figs. 5 to 9 will not be
strong enough to clean same; so that after first using the cleaner arrangement
shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the cleaner shown in Figs. 5 to 9 can then be used to
finish the cleaning operation or if desired the wire gauze arrangement shown
in Fig. 11 and the textile. fabric arrangement shown in Fig. 8 may both be
used on one and the same cord a; or where not necessary the use of the wire
gauze would be dispensed with.
A more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface is thus provided with a
conoidal point this latter being obtained by the hollowing out of the middle of
the shaped piece as shown in Figs. 5 and 10.
'
In forming this specially shaped cleaner or for the purpose aforesaid
according to the present invention they are stamped out of the material in the
piece in suchwise that the portions cut out to form the narrowed middle part 2¹
of each cleaner z or form the enlarged end parts 22 of the adjacent cleaners so
that there is no waste or practically no waste in cutting these specially shaped cleaning
devices out of a length of cloth or material; and by means of suitable hollow cutters
or dies of the shape of the cleaner as shown in Figs. 5 to 10 a number of thicknesses
of the fabric or material can be cut through at each stamping operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device for cleaning the interior of rifle barrels consisting of the combination
with a flexible cord provided with a loop therein of a piece of cleaning material
consisting of a strip of cloth or the like whose longitudinal sides are recessed or cut
away in suchwise that after the strip has been passed through the loop of the cord
and wrapped around said cord same thereby assumes a cylindrical form operative as
a cleaning surface along the whole or the greater part of the length thereof
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
2. A device for cleaning the interior of rifle barrels consisting of the combination
with a flexible cord a provided with a loop a¹ therein at one end and a weight bat
the other of a piece of textile. fabric specially shaped with the ends wider than the
narrowed out middle portion thereof and adapted when passed through said
loop a¹ to have the ends folded round said string and thereby form a more or less
uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a conoidal end of less bulk than said
cylindrical portion substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. A device for cleaning the interior of rifle barrels consisting of the combination
with a flexible cord a provided with a loop. a2 therein at one end and a weight bat
the other of a piece of suitable flexible material specially shaped with the ends
wider than the narrowed out middle portion thereof and adapted when passed
through said loop a² to have the ends rolled up one within the other that is the first
end rolled upon itself and the 2nd end rolled round the first and thereby form a
more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a conoidal end of less
bulk than said cylindrical portion substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. A device for cleaning the interior of rifle barrels consisting of the combination
with a flexible cord a provided with two loops a¹ and a² at one end thereof and a
weight b at the other end thereof; of a piece of textile fabric specially shaped with
the ends wider than the narrowed out middle portion thereof and adapted when

page_text: passed through said loop a¹ to have the ends folded round said cord and thereby
form a more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a conoidal end of less
bulk than said cylindrical portion and a piece of wire gauze specially shaped with
the ends wider than the narrowed out middle portion thereof and adapted when
passed through said loop a² to have the ends rolled up one within the other i.e. the
first end rolled upon itself and the 2nd end rolled upon the first and thereby form a
more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a conoidal end of less bulk
than said cylindrical portion substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. In devices or means for cleaning sinal bore rifle barrels-the combination
with a cord such as a having a loop or loops such as a¹ a² therein of a piece of
flexible material specially shaped in suchwise that when passed through said loop
and the ends brought together and rolled up one within the other same will
form a more or less uniformly cylindrical cleaner surface with a conoidal point of
less bulk than the said cylindrical portion substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein before described and as illustrated in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Loudou, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.