IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE ALTERATION AND ADAPTATION OR PARTS OR EXISTING FIRE-ARMS."
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Snider, junior, of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania,
in the United States of America, but now residing at Devereux Court,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE
TO THE ALTERATION AND ADAPTATION OR PARTS OR EXISTING FIRE-ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Snider at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th September
1865.
I, JACOB SNIDER, junior, of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, in the United
States of America, but now residing at Devereux Court, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE ALTERATION AND ADAPTATION OF PARTS OF EXISTING FIRE-ARMS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements connected with breech-
loading fire-arms, and is especially applicable to cases in which it is desirable
to substitute breech-loading apparatus for loading at the breech instead of
loading at the muzzle, and also barrels possessing a bore or calibre smaller
than that of the original barrels of the muzzle-loading weapons for which
they may be substituted, without the substitution or application thereof
rendering necessary any alteration of the stocks and furnitures, which latter
are thereby completely utilized to breech-loading weapons. These objects
are accomplished by connecting a new barrel, which may be of reduced internal
P

page_text: calibre with a "shoe," which "shoe" forms the breech, and holds, carries, or
comprises the breech-loading gear or apparatus in such a manner that the
barrel and "shoe" when combined will exactly fit into the hollow or bed of
the stock which previously received the muzzle-loading barrel, or for which
such a barrel was destined, and also the recess formed to receive the nipple
lump of the original muzzle-loading weapon without any change or alteration
of the stock. The new barrel is connected with the shoe by means of a
screw formed on the end thereof, and fitting into a corresponding worm in
the forward end of the shoe. By this means I am able to substitute and
adapt barrels of a reduced internal bore or calibre having breech-loading
apparatus adapted and connected thereto, and formed of external dimensions
precisely similar to the removed or previously adapted or destined muzzle-
loading barrels, so as to be attached to the former or old stocks and furnitures,
or new stocks and furnitures similar thereto as destined for muzzle-loaders, in
order to utilize them to the purposes of breech-loading arms of reduced calibre
without any change in the said stocks and furnitures.
An important feature connected with this Invention is that in its application
to fire-arms manufactured in Government and other large factories by ma-
chinery, the stocks and furnitures can still be constructed, as previously for
muzzle-loaders, without any alteration or modification of the machinery now
employed for their manufacture, or any change in pattern of the said stocks.
and furnitures as for muzzle-loaders, but so that the stocks and furnitures pre-
pared at present for muzzle-loading arms of Government or other standard
patterns will be entirely applicable without any change whatever to a breech-
loading weapon of reduced bore or calibre.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jacob Snider in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACOB SNIDER,
junior, of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America,
and lately residing at Devereux Court, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
but now of Lamb's Conduit Street, in the said County, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by ller Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
Feign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Jacob Snider, Her special licence that I, the said Jacob Snider,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Jacob Snider, 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO
THE ALTERATION AND ADAPTATION OF PARTS OF EXISTING FIRE-ARMS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jacob Snider, 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 immediatley after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jacob Snider, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in certain improvements connected with breech-
loading fire-arms, and is especially applicable to cases in which it is desirable
to substitute apparatus for loading at the breech instead of loading at the
muzzle, and also to apply barrels possessing a bore or calibre smaller than
that of the original barrels of the muzzle-loading weapons for which they may
be substituted, without the substitution or application thereof rendering
necessary any alteration of the stocks and furnitures, which latter are thereby
completely utilized to breech-loading weapons. These objects are accom-
plished by connecting a new barrel, which may be, if desired, of reduced
internal calibre, with a shoe, which shoe forms the breech, and holds, carries,
or comprises the breech-loading gear or apparatus in such a manner that the
barrel and shoe when combined will exactly fit into the hollow or bed of the
stock which previously received the muzzle-loading barrel, or for which a
barrel was destined or adapted, and also the recess formed to receive the nipple
lump of the original muzzle-loading weapon without any change or alteration
of the stock. The new barrel is connected with the shoe by means of a screw
formed on the end thereof, and fitting into a corresponding worm in the
forward end of the shoe. It is unnecessary for me to describe more particu-
larly the construction of the shoe or the mode of connecting the barrel
therewith, as the same will be well understood by persons acquainted with such
like mechanism. By the means above described I am able to substitute and

page_text: adapt barrels which may be, if. desired, of a reduced internal bore or calibre,
having breech-loading apparatus adapted and connected thereto, such barrels
being formed of external dimensions precisely similar to the removed or
previously adapted or destined muzzle-loading barrels, so as to be attached to
.the former or old stocks and furnitures, or to new stocks and furnitures similar
thereto as destined or adapted for muzzle-loaders, in order to utilize them to the
purposes of breech-loading arms of reduced calibre without any change in the
said stocks and furnitures.
An important feature connected with. my said Invention is that on its
application to arms manufactured in Government and other large factories by
machinery, the stocks and furnitures can still be constructed, as previously for
muzzle-loaders, without any alteration or modification of the machinery now
employed for their manufacture, or any change in the pattern of the said
stocks and furnitures, but so that the stocks and furnitures prepared as for
muzzle-loading arms of Government or other standard patterns will be entirely
applicable without any change whatever to a breech-loading weapon of reduced
bore or calibre.
Having thus fully declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting
the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent are, the construction and combination of mechanism whereby
breech-loading apparatus and barrels to be used therewith can be connected
together and applied to stocks and furnitures constructed or adapted or
destined for muzzle-loading fire-arms as aforesaid without any alteration of
the same, as substantially herein-before set forth and described, or any mere
modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Snider, have hereunto set my
and and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
:
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane,
Agent for the Patentee...
JACOB SNIDER, JUN.
(L.S.)