A New or Improved Apparatus for Gun and Rifle Practice.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Gun and Rifle Practice.
I, JAMES CROCKART STEWART of 100 West Graham Street, Glasgow,
Lanarkshire, North Britain, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for gun and rifle practice,
and is more especially applicable for indoor practice.
The invention consists of a casing or shell having at one end a valve actuated
by a spring for the purpose to be hereafter mentioned. Over this end there is
placed a kind of cap having its end constructed somewhat similar to an ordinary
cartridge.
In carrying my invention into practice I charge this casing with air by means
of a pump having a regulator, and then place it together with the projectile (the
construction of which I shall hereafter describe) into the rifle or gun. When the
trigger is drawn the striker comes in contact with the valve spindle and opens
the valve and the air escaping propels the projectile.
The bullet or dart which I prefer to adopt, although I do not limit myself to its
particular construction, is shaped somewhat similar to the Martini-Henry bullet and
having a screwed point, which secures the dart in target.
Dated this 26th day of December 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Gun and Rifle Practice.
I, JAMES CROCKART STEWART, of 100 West Graham Street, Glasgow,
Mechanic, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for gun and rifle practice
and is more especially applicable for indoor practice.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in the several
figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of reference.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cartridge or shell.
Figure 2 is a section of the same.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the dart.
Figure 4 is a section of the same.
Figure 5 is a part elevation and part section of the pump or charger with a shell
or cartridge in the act of being charged drawn to a reduced scale and shown
inverted.
Figure 6 is a part plan showing how the pump barrel is connected with the arms
or levers.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section showing how the cartridge is fixed to the pump-
taken through the line Figure 5.
My invention consists of a shell A of any suitable metal having at one end a
valve B, the construction of which I shall hereafter more fully describe. This
shell A is filled with compressed air, and to the end of it there is fixed by means
[Price 8d.

page_text: of a bayonet joint a cap D constructed somewhat similar to an ordinary cartridge
base. This fits the chamber of the gun, and is constructed to carry a pin C com-
municating with the valve of the shell. On the striker acting upon this pin C i.
is driven in and opens the valve B of the shell A, and the air escapes forwar
along the slots in the cap, and around the shell which is held centrally in but does
not fill the chamber, and propels the dart E, (the construction of which dart
shall hereafter more fully describe) which had been placed in the chamber in
front of it:
The shape of the shell A. varies to suit the chamber of the gun it is to be used
with, although that shown is for the Martini. Henry.
The valve B consists of a metal spindle a, upon one end of which is fixed a
vulcanite pad or washer having an accurately shaped spherical face. This
spherical shaped end fits into a spherical metal' seat and is held in position by a
perforated and screwed washer d which compresses a spiral spring e on the spindle a,
thereby keeping the valve B closed.
The projectile or dart E consists of a metal body having a taper screw cut
on it at one end. This screw g serves to hold the dart E in the target which is of
wood or other material, thus allowing the marksman to see where it has been struck.
When used on self-registering targets this screw can be dispensed with. Imme
diately behind the screw g there is a shoulder h which almost fills the barrel, and
behind that the body is screwed, and a packing F of chenille of a kind to be
described' is wound on and' takes the rifling, thereby securing accuracy and also
preventing any escape of air. There is also a metal washer o on end of dart.
There is thus no metallic contact with the barrel of the gun, which would other-
wise injure it in course of time, and thus be objectionable. The fibre of the
chenille used for packing the dart is made up of a fibre known as eis wool, and is
preferred because of its remaining unchanged even with a considerable amount of
oil about it.
Of course. it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the construction of
the dart as just described, as other forms might with advantage be used.
The pump or charger is constructed with arms or levers G, G', which are jointed
at H, the free ends forming handles I, I', and near the handles I, I¹ there are two
stops J, J' meeting in the centre. At a distance of about one third of the length
of the arms or levers G,. G¹ from the joint H, an eye L has been made on each
lever for the purpose of attaching the pump barrel M, as shown more particularly
in Figure 6, and a block N to which the piston rod O is attached. This
block N is hollowed out and screwed at both ends, one end being connected with
the piston rod O, while the other which is wider receives a screwed plug P.
Turning this plug P regulates the pressure of a spiral spring Q which again
rests on the end of a rod R passing through a hole S drilled right through the
axis of the piston rod O. The point of this rod carries a valve T similar to
that as described with reference to the shell which is seated' in the end of the
piton. As the arms or levers G, G' are opened the piston is drawn near to
the top of the barrel M, allowing the air to pass into it. With a cartridge or
shell A coupled to the bottom of the barrel M of the pump or charger (shown
more particularly in Figure 7) and by bringing its arms or levers G, G' smartly
together the charge of air is forced through the valve B into the shell A, and
by repeating this operation the pressure in it is raised until it becomes equal
to the pressure exerted on the valve in the piston by the spiral spring acting on
the end of the rod. The instant the desired pressure has been attained in the
shell A, the air escapes backward through the piston rod O.
I prefer to use such a pressure as will propel the projectile or dart with the force
necessary to carry it through a range of three yards, this being proportional to the
force required when using the regulation cartridge to carry the bullet 100 yards;
for example in firing with compressed air cartridge at eighteen yards distant from
the target, the sighting of the rifle would be the same as for 600 yards practising
with regulation ammunition.

page_text: 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. The apparatus for gun and rifle practice substantially as described and shown
on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The shell A, valve B, and cap D, constructed substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
3. The dart or projectile constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
4. The general arrangement and operation of the pump for charging the shell
substantially as described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 26th day of September 1892.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.