IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONVERTING BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS INTO MUZZLE-LOADING FIRE-ARKs
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William George Rawbone at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd January 1869.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE RAWBONE, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONVERTING
BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS INTO MUZZLE-LOADING FIRE-ARKs," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of apparatus constructed as herein-after
described to be used for converting central-fire breech-loading fire-arms
into muzzle-loading fire-arms, that is, into fire-arms capable of being
charged with loose gunpowder and ball or shot.
The said apparatus consists of a strong tubular plug of a size and
figure proper to accurately fill up the cartridge chamber of the barrel.
The base or rear end of the said plug is provided with a rim or flange
similar to the rim or flange of a breech-loading cartridge, the said rim
or flange of the plug when the said plug is placed in the barrel
occupying the depression at the mouth of the said barrel in the same

page_text: way as the rim or flange of the breech-loading cartridge. The tubular
plug is divided near its rear end by. a solid block or division into two
parts or chambers. In the axis of the rear chamber a nipple is fixed,
the tube of the said nipple being screwed into a hole in the said block
or division. The nipple tube is thus made to communicate with the
front chamber of the plug into which the loose gunpowder passes when
loading the fire-arm from the muzzle end. A percussion cap is placed
on the said nipple. As the said percussion cap is situated a little below
or within the base of the plug it cannot be accidently discharged either
by the action of the breech-closing mechanism of the fire-arm, or by the
ramrod when loading the fire-arm from the muzzle end. The front or
narrow end of the plug is rounded or bevilled from the outer edge
inwards, so that the gunpowder introduced from the muzzle end of the
barrel cannot rest thereon. In converting a breech-loading fire-arm
into a muzzle-loading fire-arm by the use of my Invention, the tubular
plug, having a percussion cap on its nipple, is introduced into the
cartridge chamber of the barrel, the said plug occupying the position
ordinarily occupied by the breech-loading cartridge when the fire-arm
is used as a breech-loader. The breech having been closed by the
closing mechanism of the fire-arm the said plug is supported in its place
'by the said closing mechanism. The fire-arm can now be charged at the
muzzle end with loose gunpowder and ball or shot, and discharged by
the pin or striker of the fire-arm striking upon and igniting the
percussion cap on the nipple of the tubular plug, the flash passing down
the nipple tube to the gunpowder in the front end or chamber of the
said plug. The tubular plug or apparatus need not be removed from the
barrel after each discharge, as it is only necessary to open the breech
and remove the exploded percussion cap from and place a fresh percussion
cap on the nipple to make the fire-arm again ready to be loaded at the
muzzle end. By removing the tubular plug from the cartridge chamber
the fire-arm can again be loaded at the breech by the use of ordinary
breech-loading cartridges,