IMPROVEMENTS IN WADS FOR FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Scott, of the City of Worcester,
Button Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WADS FOR
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 11th June 1862; and dated the 12th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
December 1861.
I, JOHN WILLIAM SCOTT, of the City of Worcester, Button, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WADS FOR FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the manufacture of a compound wad or wad and
valve of leather or other suitable material, the valve part of which will yield
and allow of easy insertion and ramming home of the charge, but which upon the.
discharge of the arm will be expanded and forced into contact with the whole
circumference of the bore, and not only offer the necessary resistance to the
explosive gases, but at the same time cleanse the barrel. The most simple
form of compound wad and valve, and that which I prefer, consists of a cup
of compressed butt leather of or about the same circumference as that of the
bore of the arm in which it is to be used; the edges of this wad may be
toothed or plain, and instead of its being in the form of a cup, it may be a

page_text: plain disc, and of any suitable material. To this wad, and preferably at the
centre only, I attach by a rivet, pin, or stud, or by glue or cement, a leather valve
rather larger in circumference than the bore. This valve when the compound
wad is inserted in the barrel is placed uppermost. I sometimes form my
compound wads by inserting in or fixing to the edge of the wad, whether
cupped or not, a ring or annular valve of leather, cloth, or other suitable
material.
-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John William Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM SCOTT, of the City of Worcester, Button. Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, 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 John William Scott, Her special licence that I, the said John William
Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John William Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WADS FOR FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John William Scott, 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
inimediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John William Scott, 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

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:
1
My Invention consists in the manufacture of a compound wad or wad and
valve of leather or other suitable material, the valve part of which will yield and
allow of. easy insertion and ramming home of the cliarge, but which upon the
discharge of the arm will be expanded and forced into contact with the whole
circumference of the bore, and not only offer the necessary resistance: to the
explosive gases, but at the same time cleanse the barrel. The most simple
form of compound wad and valve, and that which I prefer, consists of a cup
of compressed butt leather of or about the same circumference as that of the
bore of the arm in which it is to be used; the edges of the wad may be
toothed or plain, and instead of its being in the form of a cup it may be a
plain disc, and of any suitable material. To this wad, and preferably at the
centre only, I attach by a rivet, pin, or stud, or by glue or cement, a leather
valve rather larger in circumference than the bore. This valve when the
compound wad is inserted in the barrel, is placed uppermost. I sometimes
form my compound wads by inserting in or fixing to the edge of the wad,
whether cupped or not, a ring or annular valve of leather, cloth, or other
suitable material.
My Invention also consists in forming wads of simple discs of leather or
other suitable material with toothed edges.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side view, Figure 2 is a
section, and Figure 3 is a plan of a cup of compressed leather, for forming
the wad portion of this compound wad and valve. In Figure 4 the wad is
shewn as a plain flat disc, and in Figure 5 this disc is shown toothed; Figure 6
is a view of the leather valve; Figure 7 shows the compound wad and valve
complete, the wad being shown united to the valve by a pin and stud;
Figure 8 shows a flat disc, united to a valve by glue: to form the compound
wad and valve as before; and Figure 9 is a view of a wad, having an annular
ring connected to it to form the valve; Figure 10 shows in longitudinal
section that portion of a gun barrel containing the charge with my compound
wad between the powder and shot.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to
making the cups and valves of leather, though I prefer that material, any
rigid material, such as papier mache, may be used for the cups, and cloth or
other fabric for the valves; and I claim as my improvements in wads for
fire-arms,―
First, the manufacture and employment of compound wads consisting of

page_text: wads and valves united together, substantially in manner and for the purposes
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, forming wads of simple discs with toothed edges, as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Scott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.