IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR LOCKS AND BOLTS AND OTHER FASTENERS GUN LOCKS AND GUN BREECHES: CATCHES FOR WEAVING SHUTTLES: DOUBLE SCREWS: RIPLES. PISTOLS. OTHER FIREARMS. AND ORDNANCE; WEAVING TRAVERSERS: WINDERS SEWING, WEAVING, NETTING, AND OTHER MACHINES, AND SELF- ACTING CLAWS AND GRAPPLERS
Year: 1861

page_text: to Henry Thomas Coles, ol Silchester, in the County
of Hants, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM
OR APPARATUS FOR LOCKS AND BOLTS AND OTHER FASTENERS GUN LOCKS
AND GUN BREECHES: CATCHES FOR WEAVING SHUTTLES: DOUBLE SCREWS:
RIPLES. PISTOLS. OTHER FIREARMS. AND ORDNANCE; WEAVING TRAVERSERS:
WINDERS SEWING, WEAVING, NETTING, AND OTHER MACHINES, AND SELF-
ACTING CLAWS AND GRAPPLERS."
Sealed the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 6th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Thomas Coles
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th June 1861.
I, HENRY THOMAS COLES, of Silchester, in the County of Hants, Esquire.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR LOCKS AND BOLTS AND OTHER FASTENERS; GUN
LOCKS AND GUN BREECHES, CATCHES FOR WEAVING SHUTTLES DOUBLE SCREWS:
RIPLES. PISTOLS, OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND ORDNANCE: WEAVING TRAVEESERS:
WINDERS; SEWING, WEAVING, NETTING, AND OTHER MACHINES, AND SELF-ACTING
CLAWS AND GRAPPLERS," to be as follows, viz. :-
The adaptation of the principle of a wheel or turning piece and double
screw action to locks, bolts, and other fastenings; gun locks and gun breeches,
and the other things above named; also the moving and replacing the hammer

page_text: face of a gun lock or the breech. For instance, as an illustration of the means
of effecting the said Invention, a circular flat piece of metal is formed, and a
circular groove is made on each side of shallow depth, and of the width of about,
say, one-eighth of the diameter of the distance of, say, one-third of the diameter
measuring from the outer rim of the piece of metal; and, secondly, a straight
cut is made of the depth of, say, one-fifth of the diameter of the piece of
metal, leaving the piece of metal with one straight side. Thirdly, a curving
cut is made commencing on the said straight line at the distance of one-eighth
of the diameter of the said piece of metal from the outer rim, and one-tenth
(say) of the diameter in width until an imaginary line is reached running
at right angles with the before-mentioned straight line, forming the end of the
curved cut. Fourthly, a centre action is formed and a perforation or cone on
one side. A double screw (when adopted) is placed in a case together with
the first-described piece or one of its respective variations, forming a screw,
bolt, or lock which is turned by the key, a small sheath for one end of
the screw being placed within the lock. This double screw can be used
without a case to fasten timbers, flooring, and all substances whatever toge-
ther in lieu of nails, bolts, and common screws. And I claim the double
crew when used separately and distinct from the lock first described, and
its several variations and applications; the centre part of the double screw can
be of various forms and shapes, and is made with the worm working reverse
ways or otherwise. To adapt this Invention to other things than locks, it is
only necessary to fit and adjust the above-described parts or some of them or
any mere modification in a suitable manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Thomas Coles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
THOMAS COLES, of Silchester, in the County of Hants, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and, successors, give and grant unto me
the said Henry Thomas Coles, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Thomas Coles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as 1, the said Henry Thomas Coles, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR LOCKS AND BOLTS
AND OTHER FASTENERS GUN LOCKS AND GUN BREECHES: CATCHES FOR WEAVING
SHUTTLES; DOUBLE-SCREWS: RIFLES, PISTOLS, AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND ORDNANCE;
WEAVING TRAVERSERS: WINDERS; SEWING, WEAVING, NETTING, AND OTHER
MACHINES.AND SELF-ACTING CLAWS. AND GRAPPLERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Thomas Coles, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 Henry Thomas Coles, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, as hath heretofore been intimated in the Provisional
Specification left and recorded on application for the said Letters Patent.
This Invention consists in the introduction of improvements in mechanism
or apparatus for locks and bolts, and other fasteners; gun locks and gun
breeches; catches for weaving shuttles; double screws; rifles, pistols, other
fire-arms and ordnance; weaving traversers, winders, sewing, weaving.
One of
netting, and other machines, and self-acting claws and grapplers.
the parts of the machinery by which this is effected is as follows:-A circular
flat piece of metal, say, of about one inche and a half in thickness, and six
inches in diameter is formed; and first a circular groove is formed on each
side of shallow depth, of the width of about one-eighth of the diameter, and
at the distance of one-third of the diameter, measuring from the outer rim of
the piece of metal; and, secondly, a straight cut is made of the depth of
about one-third of the diameter of the piece of metal, leaving the piece
of metal with one straight side. Thirdly, a curving cut is made commencing
on the said straight side at the distance of about one-eighth of the diameter
of the said piece of metal from the outer rim, and about one-fourth of the
diameter in width, until an imaginary line is reached, running at a parallel
line with the before-mentioned straight line, leaving about one-fifth of the
diameter between such straight lines. Fourthly, a centre action is formed

page_text: by making the centre part of the original piece in the form of a part sphere.
A perforation or cone is made on one side of the periphery of the piece of metal
to receive the cartridge. For the purpose of clearness of description the
circular grooves have in the preceding passage been described as being made
in the piece of metal; they can, however, be made in the case or cover formed
to fit the piece of metal, and projecting rims be formed in the turning piece.
These projecting rims are fixed with three or more screws from the outside of the
box after the turning piece is inserted in such box, and the variations of the
same. The case of the piece of metal is adapted to the periphery of the piece
of metal; I proposé to vary the form of the said piece of metal by forming two
parallel straight cuts of about one-third of the diameter, leaving the piece of
metal with two straight sides, except that the periphery of one of such sides
is left in the form of two narrow curved pieces like boars' tusks, with or without
cogs; when without cogs, these curved pieces project below the stock, and
on resting the left hand against it, it raises the breach. A projecting axis is
formed on one or both sides. One or more perforations or cones are formed
at one end of the periphery of the metal as a single or donble barrel may he
made. The periphery of the turning piece is rounded off in a curve at
right angles with its periphery, a round piece of four inches diameter, and one
and a half inch in thickness, with one-third of its diameter cut off, forms another
turning piece. This part of the Invention is an improvement in the Patent of
Messieurs Golden and Hanson, patented in the year One thousand eight hun-
dred and forty-one, and numbered 9129, so far as relates to the projectile
being placed in a roller or barrel, by being introduced on the upper side of
the breech, and in other known methods for loading fire-arms and ordnance al
the breech. This part of the improvements consist mainly of using spherical
form instead of the conical, in adding a tube for a long projectile, the variation
of a part circular piece instead of a circular piece, and the novel means of
raising the breech for loading, as shewn, Figures 1, 2, and 3. By means of
these pieces, which are described of the size used for a rifle, and by fixing
them in the breech of fire-arms and ordnance in beds or boxes adapted to
their form, varying the size and shape according to the calibre and
requirements of the pieces, I introduce a wheel or turning piece, spherical
piece piece with its axis at right angles with the bore of the barrel, and
by its part circular form move it for loading, and replace it in the alignment
of fire, with its front and rear resting or the periphery of its box or bed, as
shewn in the Drawing, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 28, and 29, without any
pin for a hinge: the result aimed at is, that the recoil should take place
against the periphery of the box resting solidly on its iron cover, or on the

page_text: iron itself, which is fixed on the stock in a small arm, and against a piece in
lieu of such iron, formed on a piece of ordnance. The loading may take
place at the bottom. top. or sides of the fire-arm or piece of ordnance,
as shewn in the Drawing. In fire-arms these pieces are turned by handles
on any side, as well as by a cog. as shewn in Drawing. Figure 3. In
heavy ordnance a cog or pinion screw or lever action is used, as shewn in
Drawing. Figure 1, mouth. Figure 2 mouth, and 3 a square or round piece,
is added to the periphery of the turning piece to lengthen the bore when the
length of the cartridge or projectile requires it; the periphery of the piece can
be made smaller in proportion, and the added piece longer, to suit different
fire-arms and ordnance: the curve from the centre of turning is radiated in
such a curve as to fill up its own space on being placed in the alignment of fire:
the perforation or cone may be omitted, and the sides of the cone filled by a
screw, which I term a double screw. and describe fully hereafter, acted on by
a straight chain or curved cogged slide, which forms also the handle to turn
the turning piece: this screw then forms the stop or plug of the barrel to
prevent the screw from fouling: I introduce a self-cleaning brush. Figure 10.
applicable to other methods of breech-loading where a screw is used: the end
of the thread of the screw which enters the bore of the barrel is cut out in a
slot: in this slot a metallic brush of fine steel wire fixed in a metal box is
fixed. projecting the twentieth part of an inch from the face of the worm of the
screw. and partaking of its form a circular metallic brush is placed on the
part of the turning piece fixed in a ring, and screwed on with the brushes
radiating towards the centre; this is fixed at the mouth of the female screwed
formed in the turning piece, in which the screw retires (to enable loading to
be effected): in this mode the part circular turning piece is depressed instead
of being raised. It is intended that the one brush should clear the female
screw in the box of the barrel, and the other clear the screw as it retires. the
brushes clearing each other on coming in contact. I propose to place a plug
or wedge at the end of the screw with a swivel when the threads of the screw
used run different ways: the screw or wedge may he used with or without air
expanding up. with elastic material between it, and said plug, or screw, a
ing passing over the stock and barrel of a rifle, slides over the part circular
urning piece where it opens. to fix it in its place; a ring of about of an inch
n thickness is sufficient in a piece of ordnance; cogs can be placed on any
art of the turning piece, and acted on by a pinion duplicate. Figure 3; when
ogs are used on the curving pieces a friction roller is placed on the opposite
ide to that acted on by the pinion. A spring like the inain spring of a gun
ock is fixed to a stud at the back of the turning piece. which ensures its

page_text: returning to the true alignment of fire after loading. The turning piece can be
raised, and the cartridge inserted underneath it, through a slanting orifice; it
then forms the heel of the breech, see Figure 5.
I introduce an improvement in the sights of pieces of ordnance by placing
sights similar to those in use underneath the barrel instead of over it, when
the angle of elevation in the old sight becomes the angle of depression, and
the angle of depression the angle of elevation. The cannon itself in great
measure then affords protection to the artilleryman to utilise this arrangement
of the sight and breech-loaders generally. I introduce three varieties of hollow
supports for cannon made of wrought-iron plates four to four and a half inches
thick, somewhat in the form of a boat bottom upwards; the first consists of a
support with a cover for the cannon itself, see Figure 7, with the curving piece
which shuts into the space left under the barrel of the cannon as it is elevated;
the second, see Figure 8, has no cover for the upper half of the cannon. The
support has a mould of iron to envelope one-half of the periphery of the
cannon; a cowl-shaped piece is fixed to the barrel of the cannon projecting
underneath faced with a loophole for the sight, and a similar cowl piece fixed
to the butt of the cannon, both which overlap the support. This cannon loads
underneath. The third, see Figure 9, with a cone behind the cannon,
elevated above it with a cowl on a hinge, which rests on the middle of the
cannon, and lifts as the cannon is elevated. A cowl of wrought-iron plate is
fixed to the barrel projecting below the cannon, also fitted with a loophole for
the use of the underneath sight, see Drawing. Wheels and fixed to these
hollow supports adapted for a railway traction on roads, or turning on circular
rails, as may be required. The cannon is elevated and depressed by curved
pieces, with cogs acted on by a pinion in the form described, see letter A.
The wheels of the hollow piece are fixed to the iron plates instead of axletrees
by means of T-shaped pieces bolted on to the inside of the iron plates. The
traversing action of the carriage is accomplished by a lever with a wheel fixed
in a crutch at the end of it, see letter B; this, when not in use, is elevation at
an angle to clear the ground. It is made to traverse to a perpendicular
sition by means of a screw lever or circular cogged piece and pinion fixed
to the side of the after part of the iron support, and constructed so that on
reaching the ground it projects about four inches beyond the tire of the hind
wheels; it thus raises the hind part of the carriage, and enables it to be
traversed and turned round for firing. A loophole is made of about one inch
in width in the front of the cowl-shaped iron piece fixed to the cannon to
enable the artilleryman to make use of the sight; this is closed by a slide
when not actually in usc. I introduce an elongated spherical projectile having

page_text: a hollow running one-half of its length at the rear, see Figure 27; in this
hollow a composition is placed similar to that used for rockets. but less active,
rendered as hard as wood by the addition of selica; this assists the projectile
in its flight. introduce certain improvements in gun locks: these, among
other things, consist improved hammer, in respect of which I introduce
the improvement of the principle, for the first time introduced, of removing
and replacing the face of the hammer. leaving the lip in the meantime fixed
and undisturbed. sec Figure 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22; this can be effected by
various forms upon the principle mentioned. One of them is the following, see
Figure 18: The neck of the hammer is slightly enlarged; a conical per-
foration is made two-eighths of an inch from the lip; in this a cone is fixed with
perforation or cone on one side: this is fixed by means of a screw at each end
to a curved piece in the same way as a gun hammer is fixed to the tumbler.
This curved piece stands up slightly above the top of the neck, and is turned
backwards and forwards by the hand, and is in the form of an arch. When
the cone is over the nipple, the face the hammer is said to be removed, and
the life of the hammer, which square part is increased to double its
size, and raised as high as the copper cap will allow. When this round
piece is turned so that its periphery strikes the copper cap. the face of
the hammer is said to be replaced, and ignition takes place. The screw, the
wedge, the square, the triangle, the slide, the corkscrew, the round, the
octagon, the sexagon, the spade shape, and various forms are equally applicable
to the carrying out this principle, which I claim to apply to dies and common
hammers.
I introduce an improvement in gun locks, which consists in placing a
trigger in front of the common trigger, which I then term double triggers, see
Figure 17 and 21, and forming the two triggers so as to open like a pair of
callipers on the finger being placed between them; the front trigger moves a
slide which rests against a bolt fixed to the old form of trigger. which slips
into such slide on the triggers being divided by the finger, and until the finger
is placed between them the hind trigger cannot be moved alone. This Inven-
tion is applicable to most of the safety apparatus now in use, and also serves
to press out a small curving cheek, see Figure 21, in the form of a half-moon
at the point of the screw of the lockplate, so as to force the spade, safety
hammer, Figure 19. or cogged slide, Figure 20, into the position for striking
the cap by the falling of the gun hammer itself during its rotation, or to act
on other mechanical means in common use, which may be adapted for removing
and replacing the face of a gun hammer.
I introduce an improvement in the tumblers of gun locks by forming the

page_text: hammer and tumbler in one piece, and the lock plate in 2 pieces, see
Figure 24, divided at the centre of the round orifice where the tumbler now
enters; I join these two pieces by means of side nuts, the top nut inside and
the under one outside below the space occupied by the hammer; I vary this
construction, see Figure 22 and 23, by forming the pin which passes through
the centre of a tumbler and the gun hammer in one piece; the tumbler is
formed of a triangular piece fixed to such pin inside the lock. I form the
spring in a circular form emanating from the centre, and fix it to such pin at
one end, and fix the other to the hind stud of the lock plate or the lock plate
screw.
I introduce the following method of fixing the barrel in the stock of fire-
arms, see Figure 15:-A metal tube to receive the ramrod is made the whole
length that the ramrod enters the stock, and brazed on to the barrel with a
narrow block between; a groove to receive this tube is formed of metal, and
fixed into the stock with screws; the barrel then slides in and fixes itself in a
similar way to the slide rest in a lathe. This tube may be in the form of a
dovetail, it has a notch with the pin to act, which now is used to fix gun barrels.
The butt of the barrel is fixed by one or more of the double screws, shewn in
the Drawing, Figure 1, moved by a cogged slide, Figure 12, which slides in and
out at a point above the centre of the present lock plate, where the hammer
will allow it to act; on pulling this cogged slide outwards, the barrel is detached
and the cartridge inserted; on pushing it back, the barrel is fixed by the screws.
This is applicable to some breach-loading guns named "Bascule," when
applied, instead of elevating the butt of the barrel on a hinge, it is then to be
pushed forward to be beaded with a play of four inches in the notch already
mentioned. Introduce in the fixing of the gun barrels in filling up the
breeches of guns, and in the construction of common locks and bolts, a screw
having the worm the same way or different ways with a piece to turn it by in
the centre, leaving about four inches in length on each side for a rifle or
ordinary house lock; in this centre of the screw I form cogs either larger
than the diameter of the screw. or smaller as required; this cogged piece is
acted on by a cogged chain, see Figure 16, cogged slide, see Figure 12 o
cogged wheel, the two ends of such screw in two female screws, and by
turning the centre picce the screw is moved into one of the female screws
and withdrawn from it the threads of the screw run different ways; a
female wedge-shaped piece is placed on the end of the screws for locks
and gun barrels. In door locks, see Figure 25, these screws are turned
by a triangular piece working on a pivot at one angle, and having cogs pro
jecting at another angle, see letter C, so as to turn the screw by its centre

page_text: cogs; this triangular piece is acted on by keys in the ordinary form; the lock
may be turned also by a slide key in the way already described for fixing the
butt of a gun barrel: the part circular gun breeches already described are
applicable for locks, see Figure 25. I introduce a bolt into them in the conc
already described as the receptacle for a cartridge, and place a bolt with a pin
from the rear centre terminating in a three-part ring, see letter D; this ring.
when the key is in the lock, keeps this bolt within a bolt from shooting into a
socket at half lock; if any picklock key is used the lock will be immediately
hampered in the act of locking it; I also form this bolt within a bolt on the
side of a turning piece, see letter E. I claim to apply the double screw, before
described, to fire-arms, ordnance, presses, ship-building, and to the purpose
of fastening timber, flooring, iron, and any other substance together, in lieu of
common nail screws and bolts; two parallel holes are drilled in the substance
required to be connected, the screw is placed in these holes and turned round
by a key or crank; for this purpose an octangular centre, or holes in the centre
of the screw, for pins to turn it, are used. The turning pieces form grapplers
by placing two so as to gripe any substance. see Figure 26, and are acted on
by a cog shaft passing through a hollow shaft, see Figure 26, and variation to
which the two pieces are fixed by a pivot, see Figures 26; this hollow shaft is
fixed in a weaving machine, see Figure 26 F, with a shuttle placed in its
grippers, and is passed through the warp, instead of the shuttle being thrown;
it thus takes the shuttle throngh the warp, and leaves it on the opposite side
and retreats, the warp is then passed; the warp being passed, it then fetches
the shuttle back, and the warp is again passed, thus doing away with throwing
the shuttle by carrying it instead of throwing it, like passing a thing from the
right to the left hand: this applies to sewing, lace, and netting and other
machines in which a shuttle is used; the shuttle is held by a fixed spring
claw on the side opposite the one from which the hollow shaft is propelled.
The grippers turn on centre pivots, and are arranged to open and shut alter-
nate times by a cogged wheel, which takes two turns to one of the motions of
advance and retreat. The propelling tubes are moved by a lever, strap, or other
action. I claim to use these as self-acting claws and grapplers to grip any sub-
stance whatever. I introduce a straight cogged slide as a key, this passes
between two cogged rollers, one of which only is part of the double screw;
on being pushed in it turns one cogged roller, then it locks, and it is turned
round before being withdrawn; the reverse action is used when it is wished to
inlock. The pinion used in the before-described machinery is constructed
with a square to fix a handle on, next a round, which, for a cannon, is two
nches in diameter, and next eight flutes or cogs, then a round one and a half

page_text: inches in diameter even with the base of the flutes; to this a handle is fixed
at the square part, and fastened by a screw or pin; the handle fixes itself by a
stop catch like or crank or crane. I claim to apply the cog action, straight
and curved, to other purposes besides elevating fire-arms and ordnance.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Thomas Coles, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY T. COLES. (L.S.)