Improved Means for Assisting to Hold Small Arms in Firing Position.
Year: 1897

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Assisting to Hold Small Arms in Firing
Position.
1, EUGENIO CAESAR ABELLA, of 39, Victoria Street, Westminster, Colonel in the
Uruguayan Army, and Consul General for Uruguay, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows
My invention has reference to improved means whereby a gun stock may be held
to a person's shoulder and supported at the butt end in suchwise as to leave one of
the user's hands free whilst the gun is retained in firing position ; or, if there be also
used a support according to an invention for which I have made separate application
for Letters Patent, then the gun may be kept in firing position whilst both hands of
the marksman are free.
According to my present invention two interlocking devices are employed one on
the butt end of the gun the other carried by a shoulder strap to be worn by the user
of the gun the construction and arrangement of the interlocking devices being such
that they may be readily engaged with and disengaged from with one another as I
will now more fully explain by aid of the accompanying illustrative drawings
representing examples of ways in which my invention may be carried out.
Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in front and in back elevation an arrangement
of accoutrement according to my invention comprising a couple of shoulder straps a¹
each crossed under the wearer's arms and at its respective ends a a² and a³ ³
buckled to a belt b that carries ammunition pouches c c. Each shoulder strap carries
two front straps d d and d¹ d¹ and two back straps e e and e¹ e¹ the front straps of one
being buckled crosswise to those of the other (see Fig. 1) and the back straps of one
in like manner buckled crosswise to those of the other (see Fig. 2). To the front of
one of the shoulder straps is suitably secured by screwing, riveting or otherwise (it
may be by sewing) one of the interlocking devices I have already mentioned namely
the one adapted to engage with that which is on the butt end of the gun.
I will now briefly describe some constructions of such interlocking devices.
Figs. 3 and 4 show respectively a front elevation and a section at right angles
thereto of the locking device represented diagrammatically in Fig. 1.
Figs. 5 and 6 are corresponding views of the gun stock appliance adapted to engage
with the device shown by Figs. 3 and 4.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, f is a plate secured to the shoulder strap a. Beyond
the front of this plate there projects a couple of hooks or studs y.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, h, h are two recesses in the butt end of the gun; i is a
butt plate in which, opposite the said recesses there are two slots k, k, each made
larger at its lower than at its upper end. To use the gun it is raised into position so
that the larger parts of the slots k,l come opposite the hooks or studs g, gand the butt
of the gun is placed in contact with the shoulder plate f and then slightly lowered so
that the shanks of the hooks or studs g, g come within the smaller parts of the
lots k, k and the upward projections of the hooks or studs are within the recesses h

page_text: of the gun stock and behind the butt plate so that the gun is supported and is held
to the shoulder. As will be seen in Fig. 4, the shoulder plate f is curved in two.
directions, namely, both vertically and horizontally, so as to conform to the shape of
the butt end of the gun stock. l is a felt pad adapted to fit to the wearer's
shoulder.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate f is provided
with a large headed stud g and the butt plate i with one correspondingly large
slot k.
Figs. 9 10 and 11 illustrate another modification. In this case the shoulder plate f
is made with projections f¹ f¹ whose inner edges form with the plate ƒ a dove-tail
groove of tapering form it being slightly wider at that end which is uppermost than
at that which is lowermost and the butt plate i is formed with a correspondingly
dovetail projection adapted to be readily inserted into and held and supported within
the dovetail groove of the shoulder plate.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate f is made
with two angular flanges f¹, wider apart at their upper ends than at their lower ends,
and in the gun stock just in advance of the butt plate i there are formed a couple of
grooves m, m so that the butt end of the stock as seen in a horizontal section thereof
Das a somewhat dovetailed formation such that it can be readily placed into position
between the flanges f¹f of the shoulder plate f so as to be thereby held and supported,
but so that the gun stock can nevertheless be quite easily and readily raised out of
engagement with the shoulder plate f.
Figs. 15, 16 and 17 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate f is made
narrower at that part 3 (see Fig. 17) which is next to the shoulder strap a so that
between the marginal portion of the shoulder plate and the strap a there is formed a
groove (see Fig. 15) the shoulder plate in effect having some resemblance to an
elongated button of which is the shank. The butt plate i of the gun around its
upper marginal part is formed with a projection i² 2 of approximately ✓ section (see
Fig. 17) such as to form a kind of groove into which the upper marginal portion of the
shoulder plate enters when the gun is placed against the shoulder somewhat above
the firing position and is then lowered into firing position.
As will be evident the details of construction of the interlocking devices may be
more or less varied without departure from the characteristic features of my invention
and devices of the nature of those described as being carried by the shoulder plate
may be carried by the gun stock the corresponding devices which I have shown as
applied to the gun stock being in such cases adapted and applied to the shoulder
strap.
Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate a construction of support that may be used in front of
the trigger guard for supporting the gun.
This support is telescopic the upper tubular part n being movable vertically in the
lower tubular part o and capable of being secured at any desired height by a clip p
and the screwed stem which carries the fork and spring holder & being vertically
adjustable by turning a nut t.

page_text: 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 has reference to improved means whereby a gun stock may be held
to a person's shoulder and supported at the butt end in suchwise as to leave one of
the user's hands free whilst the gun is retained in firing position; or, if there be also
used a support according to the specification of another application for Letters
Patent filed by me No. 21969 of 1896, then the gun may be kept in firing position
whilst both hands of the marksman are free.
According to my present invention two interlocking devices are employed one on
the butt end of the gun the other carried by a shoulder strap to be worn by the user
of the gun the construction and arrangement of the interlocking devices being such
that they may be readily engaged with and disengaged from one another as I will
now more fully explain by the aid of the illustrative drawings accompanying my
provisional specification which represent examples of ways in which my invention
inay be carried out.
Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in front and in back elevation an arrangement
of accoutrement according to my invention comprising a couple of shoulder
straps a a¹ each crossed under the wearer's arms and buckled at its respective
ends a a² and a³ a³ to a belt b that carries ammunition pouches c c. Each shoulder
strap carries two front straps d d and d¹ d¹ and two back straps e e and e¹ e¹ the
front straps of one being buckled crosswise to those of the other (see Fig. 1) and
the back straps of one in like manner buckled crosswise to those of the other (see
Fig. 2). To the front of one of the shoulder straps is suitably secured by screwing,
riveting or otherwise (it may be by sewing) one of the interlocking devices I have
already mentioned namely the one adapted to engage with that which is on the butt
end of the gun.
I will now briefly describe some constructions of such interlocking devices.
Figs. 3 and 4 show respectively a front elevation and a section at right angles
thereto of the locking device represented diagrammatically in Fig. 1.
Figs. 5 and 6 are corresponding views of the gun stock appliance adapted to
engage with the device shown by Figs. 3 and 4.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, f is a plate secured to the shoulder strap a. Beyond
the front of this plate there project a couple of hooks or studs g.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, h h are two recesses in the butt end of the gun; i is a
butt plate in which, opposite the said recesses there are two slots, k, k, each made
larger at its lower than at its upper end. To use the gun it is raised into position
so that the larger parts of the slots k, k come opposite the hooks or studs g, g and
the butt of the gun is placed in contact with the shoulder plate f and then slightly
lowered so that the shanks of the hooks or studs g, g come within the smaller parts
of the slots kk and the upward projections of the hooks or studs are within the
recesses h of the gun stock and behind the butt plate so that the gun is supported
and is held to the shoulder. As will be seen in Fig. 4, the shoulder plate f is curved
in two directions, namely, both vertically and horizontally, so as to conform to the
shape of the butt end of the gun stock. is a felt pad adapted to fit to the wearer's
shoulder; or in lieu of or in addition to such a pad, a curved steel plate may be
used.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate f is provided
with a large headed stud g and the butt plate i with one correspondingly large
slot k.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate another modification. In this case the shoulder
plate is made with projections fl f¹ whose inner edges form with the plate fa dove-
tail groove of tapering form it being slightly wider at that end which is uppermost
than at that which is lowermost and the butt plate i is formed with a correspondingly.
dovetail projection adapted to be readily inserted into and held and supported
within the dovetail groove of the shoulder plate.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate f is made

page_text: with two angular flanges f¹, f¹ wider apart at their upper ends than at their lower
ends, and in the gun stock just in advance of the butt plate i there are formed a
couple of grooves m, m so that the butt end of the stock as seen in a horizontal
section thereof has a somewhat dove-tailed formation such that it can be readily
placed into position between the flanges f¹ f¹ of the shoulder plate f so as to be
thereby held and supported, but so that the gun stock can nevertheless be quite
easily and readily raised out of engagement with the shoulder plate f.
Figs. 15, 16 and 17 illustrate a modification in which the shoulder plate fis
made narrower at that part f³ (see Fig. 17) which is next to the shoulder strap a
so that between the marginal portion of the shoulder plate f and the strap a there
is formed a groove (see Fig. 15), the shoulder plate in effect having some
resemblance to an elongated button of which f³ is the shank. The butt plate i of
the gun around its upper marginal part is formed with a projection 2 12 of
approximately L section (see Fig. 17) such as to form a kind of groove into
which the upper marginal portion of the shoulder plate fenters when the gun is
placed against the shoulder somewhat above the firing position and is then lowered
into firing position.
As will be evident the details of construction of the interlocking devices may be
more or less varied without departure from the characteristic features of my invention
and devices of the nature of those described as being carried by the shoulder plate
may be carried by the gun stock the corresponding devices which I have shown as
applied to the gun stock being in such cases adapted and applied to the shoulder
strap.
Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate a construction of support that may be used in front of
the trigger guard for supporting the gun.
This support is telescopic the upper tubular part n being movable vertically in
the lower tubular part o and capable of being secured at any desired height by a
clip p and the screwed stem q which carries the fork and spring holder 8 being
vertically adjustable by turning a nut t.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. For assisting to hold small arms in firing position, means comprising two
interlocking devices one of which is arranged on the butt end of the gun and the
other on a shoulder strap to be worn by the user of the gun, the construction and
arrangement of the interlocking devices being such that they can be readily
engaged with and disengaged from one another substantially as herein before described.
2. The construction and use substantially in the manner described and for the
purpose specified of the means or appliances shewn in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive; in
Figs. 7 and 8; in Figs. 9, 10 and 11; in Figs. 12, 13 and 14; in Figs. 15, 16, and 17
of the annexed illustrative drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of November. 1897.
EUGENIO C. ABELLA.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.