IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER FLASKS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haycraft, of 23, Lombard Street, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER FLASKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haycraft at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1861.
I, GEORGE HAYCRAFT, of 23, Lombard Street, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDER
FLASKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in powder flasks.
In constructing powder flasks according to one part of my Invention the
mouth of the flask is formed by a tube which projects up from the flask. This
tube also projects down a short distance into the flask. Both ends of the tube
are open, and the end of the tube exterior of the flask is closed by a lid or
cover similar to an ordinary canister cover. Within the tube and fitted
closely to it is a second tube. This tube is closed at the bottom and open at
the top, the top extending a short distance above the first tube. In the top of
the inner tube are two notches, into which a rib or projection on the interior
of the top of the cover enters, so that the inner tube may be turned round by
turning round the cover. Apertures are formed through the sides of the lower
part of each of the tubes, and when the inner tube is turned so that the

page_text: apertures in the two tubes coincide and the flask is inverted, the powder in
the flask passes through the apertures and fills the inner tube; if the inner
tube is then turned so that the apertures shall not coincide, the powder in the
inner tube will be prevented from passing back into the flask, and the charge
contained in it may be withdrawn by taking off the lid. The inner tube is
prevented from dropping through the outer tube by a pin on the inner tube
passing through one of the apertures in the outer tube or otherwise. In place
of apertures being formed throngh the sides of the tubes the bottoms of the
tubes may be fitted with perforated discs, the disc at the bottom of the inner
tube being in contact with the disc at the bottom of the outer tube. In
place of both tubes being perforated and the inner tube being rotated to bring
the perforations to coincide, the inner tube only may be perforated at its sides,
the perforations in it being ordinarily closed by the outer tube. In this case
I arrange the inner tube so that it may move endwise within the outer tube,
and around the inner tube I place a spiral spring which constantly presses the.
inner tube outwards. When it is desired to fill the inner tube with powder
the flask is inverted, the end of the inner tube is closed, and the inner tube is
pressed inwards, so that its bottom end extends into the flask beyond the outer
tube; the apertures in the inner tube will thus be opened, and the tube will
fill with powder; if the pressure on the tube is then relaxed the tube will be
moved back by the spring, and the tube will enclose a measured quantity of
powder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haycraft in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HAYCRAFT, of 23, Lombard Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Haycraft, Her special licence that I, the said George
Haycraft, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Haycraft, 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,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN POWDER FLASKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Haycraft, 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 George Haycraft, do. hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in powder flasks.
In constructing powder flasks according to one part of my Invention the
neck of the flask is formed by a tube which projects up from the flask; this
tube also projects down a short distance into the flask. Both ends of the tube
are open, and the end of the tube exterior of the flask is closed by a lid or
cover similar to an ordinary canister cover. Within the tube and fitted
closely to it is a second tube. This tube is closed at the bottom and open at
the top, the top extending a short distance above the first tube. In the top of
the inner tube are two notches into which a rib or projection on the interior of
the top of the cover enters, so that the inner tube may be turned round by
turning round the cover.. Apertures are forined through the sides of the lower
part of each of the tubes, and when the inner tube is turned so that the
apertures in the two tubes coincide and the flask is inverted, the powder in
the flask passes through the apertures and fills the inner tube; if the inner
tube is then turned so that the apertures shall not coincide, the powder
in the inner tube will be prevented from passing back into the flask, and the
charge contained in it may be withdrawn by taking off the lid. The
inner tube is prevented from dropping through the outer tube by a pin
on the inner tube passing through one of the apertures in the outer tube or
otherwise.
Figure 1 is an exterior view, and Figure 2 is a vertical section of the upper
portion of a powder flask so constructed, the Figures being about twice
the real size.
a is a portion of the body of the flask; b, a tube open at both ends, soldered
into the same; c, another tube fitting loosely within the tube b. The tubes b

page_text: and c have both openings at the sides, as the Drawing clearly shews. The inner
one c is closed at the bottom and open at the top, which is notched at c¹, and
projects somewhat above the top of the tube b.
Figure 3 is a section, and Figure 4 an under side view of a cover which fits
on over the top of the tube b. There is a pin b¹ fixed on the exterior of the
'tube b, and a slot cut in the cover so that the cover can only be put on and
taken off when the opening in the bottom edge of the cover is suitably placed
to allow the pin b¹ to pass. There is also a rib fixed in the top of the cover
which, when it is put on enters the notches c¹ in the top of the tube c, and the
rib is placed in such a manner as respects the notches that when the cover is
so turned that it can be taken off, it brings the tube c into such a position as
to close the neck of the flask, the openings in this tube then being opposite
parts of the tube b, in which there are no openings. Hence, in using the flask,
the cover being in its place, in order to obtain a measured charge of powder,
it is necessary only to invert the flask, and whilst it is so inverted to turn
round the cover fit for coming off; then after bringing the flask to an upright
position, on taking off the cover, the neck will be found to contain the charge
required, the turning round the cover having securely closed the neck of the
flask. When the cover is replaced and turned as far round as the slot will
permit, a passage is opened for another charge of powder to enter the tube c.
A convenient way of preventing the tube c dropping out of the tube b is to
form a lip projecting inwards on one side of the opening in the tube b, as the
Drawing, Figure 5, shews, this being a horizontal section taken at the line 1, 1,
Figure 1. In place of apertures being formed through the sides of the tubes b
and c the bottoms of the tubes may be fitted with perforated discs, the disc at
the bottom of the inner tube being in contact with the disc at the bottom of the
outer tube. In place of both tubes being perforated and the inner tube being
rotated to bring the perforations to coincide, the inner tube only may be
perforated at its sides, the perforations in it being ordinarily closed by the outer
tube. In this case I arrange the inner tube so that it may move endwise
within the outer tube, and around the inner tube I place a spiral spring
which constantly presses the inner tube outwards. When it is desired to fill the
inner tube with powder the flask is inverted, the end of the inner tube is closed,
and the inner tube is pressed inwards so that its bottom end extends into the
flask beyond the outer tube; the apertures in the inner tube will thus be
opened and the tube will fill with powder. If the pressure on the tube is then
relaxed the tube will be moved back by the spring, and the tube will enclose
a measured quantity of powder.

page_text: This arrangement is shewn at Figures 6 and 7, the former of which is a
side view, and the latter a vertical section of the upper part of a flask so
arranged, the figures being as before about twice the real size of the article.
a is a portion of the body of the flask; b, a tube soldered into the same;
c, another tube capable of sliding longitudinally in the tube b, but stopped at
the ends by flanges c', c¹. The tube c is closed at its lower end and has
apertures through its sides similar to those in the tube marked c, in Figures 1,
2, and 5. d is a spiral spring tending to press the tube c upwards. When
the parts are in this position the flask is securely closed. To obtain a charge
of powder the flask should be inverted and the tube c pressed inwards with the
finger or thumb, which at the same time closes its outer end. The powder
then descends by the side openings in the tube c and fills this tube, then on
withdrawing the pressure the tube c returns, closing the mouth of the flask,
and the charge will be left in the tube c.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of a cover which may be placed on the top
of the flask to protect it from injury.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haycraft, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEO. HAYCRAFT.
L.S.)