IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER CHAPARRO
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hawksley, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, and Thomas Bissell, of 75, Tooley Street, London, Gun
Maker. for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER CHAPARRO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hawksley and
Thomas Bissell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd March 1868.
We, GEORGE HAWKSLEY, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer,
and THOMAS BISSELL, of 75, Tooley Street, London, Gun Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER
CHARGERS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in constructing the chargers of powder flasks, that is,
the appliances fixed on powder flasks for measuring and pouring the charge of
powder into guns and rifles. Hitherto there have been two chief parts in
such articles, a fixed tube or cylinder and a movable tube with a contractad
mouth. The movable tube has had notches cut in it and an inclined or
straight slot, into which the notches open; the movable tube has been set for
use by a pin or stud inserted in the fixed tube, entering one or other of the
notches in the movable tube; there has been no means, however, of regu-
lating the capacity of the charger to any point intermediate between any two
notches. Now our Invention consists in fitting an upright parallel with the
fixed tube, in connecting the movable tube to a bar having an aperture

page_text: through it, into which the upright enters, and on which it is free to slide up
and down, taking the movable tube with it. A set screw attached to the bar
on the movable tube fixes it at any desired height on the upright. We mark
graduated scales of grains and drams on the fixed tube, and make apertures
in the lower part of the movable tube to read the scales.
In some cases we dispense with the upright and apply a set screw to the
movable tube to fix it at any height on the fixed tube.
Another part of our Invention consists in fitting a spring lid, which moves
horizontally, to close or open the mouth of the movable tube. This horizontal
spring lid is also applicable to powder flask chargers however otherwise
constructed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hawksley and Thomas Bissell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
HAWKSLEY, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer, and THOMAS
BISSELL, of 75, Tooley Street, London, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said George Hawksley and Thomas Bissell, Her special licence, that
we, the said George Hawksley and Thomas Bissell, our executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Hawksley and
Thomas Bissell, our 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 POWDER
CHARGERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George
Hawksley and Thomas Bissell, or one of us, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we; the said George Hawksley and Thomas Bissell,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Our Invention consists in constructing the chargers of powder flasks, that is,
the appliances fixed on powder flasks for measuring and pouring the charge of
powder into guns and rifles. Hitherto there have been two chief parts in
such articles, a fixed tube or cylinder and a movable tube with a contracted
mouth. The movable tube has had notches cut in it and an inclined or
straight slit, into which the notches open; the movable tube has been set for
use by a pin or stud inserted in the fixed tube, entering one or other of the
notches in the movable tube. There has been no means, however, of regu-
lating the capacity of the charger to any point intermediate between any two
notches. Now our Invention consists in fitting an upright parallel with the
fixed tube, in connecting the movable tube to a bar having an aperture through
it, into which the upright enters, and on which it is free to slide up and down,
taking the movable tube with it. A set screw attached to the bar on the
movable tube fixes it at any desired height on the upright. We mark gra-
duated scales of grains and drams on the fixed tube, and make apertures in the
lower part of the movable tube to read the scales.
In some cases we dispense with the upright and apply a set screw to the
movable tube to fix it at any height on the fixed tube.
Another part of our Invention consists in fitting a spring lid, which moves
horizontally, to close or open the mouth of the movable tube. This horizontal
spring lid is also applicable to powder flask chargers however otherwise
constructed.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings are views of a powder
charger constructed according to our Invention and applied to a flask. a is
an upright parallel with the fixed tube b; c, a bar connected to the movable
tube d, having an aperture through it into which the upright a enters, and on
which it is free to slide up and down, taking the movable tube d with it; e is
a set screw attached to the bar c for fixing it at any desired height on the
upright a.. We mark graduated scales of grains and drams on the fixed
tube b, as shewn, and make apertures f in the lower part of the movable
tube d, to read the scales. On one side we mark the grains, and on the
opposite side the drams. To prevent the movable tube d and bar c coming
cutirely off the fixed tube and upright, we make a projection or flange g on the

page_text: top of the upright (as shewn in Figure 3, which is a detached view of the
fixed tube and upright), against which the set screw catches.
Figure 4 shews a charger of the same construction as that represented in
Figures 1 and 2, except that the set screw is attached to a different part of
the bar c; h, Figures 1, 2, and 4, is a spring lid which moves horizontally to
close or open the mouth of the tube; is a spring fixed on the bar c, for
maintaining the lid open or closed, as desired. This spring lid may be dis-
pensed with, and it may be fitted to other forms of powder chargers.
Figures 5 and 6 are views of a charger fitted with our means of regulating
the capacity of the charge, and with the old method of closing the outlet from
the movable tube.
Figure 7 is a view shewing a charger in which the upright is dispensed
with and a set screw e is applied to the movable tube d, to fix it at any required
height on the fixed tube.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as our
Improvements in Powder Chargers,"-
First, constructing powder chargers with a movable tube free to slide up
and down a fixed tube, and secured at any desired height by a set screw,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second, constructing powder chargers with two graduated scales, one of
grains and the other of drams, on the fixed tube, and with apertures in the
movable tube through which the scales are read, as herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
And, third, constructing powder chargers with a spring lid, which moves
horizontally or across the outlet therefrom, to close or open the outlet, as
herein-before described and illustrated at Figures 1, 2, and 4 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hawksley, for myself and on
behalf of the said Thomas Bissell, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
GEORGE HAWKSLEY. (L.S.)