Improvements in or appertaining to Rifles, Guns, or other like Weapons.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Rifles, Guns, or other like
Weapons.
We, ORSINI STUART of South Alton, Rose Mount, Oxton in the County of
Chester, Merchant, and THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT of Seel Street, Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that in a rifle, gun or other like weapon, the firer is subjected
to a very unpleasant jar or shock to the shoulder at the moment of firing. In some
cases, these sudden jars or shocks are found to be absolutely injurious to the person,
and it is the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement whereby
they may to a great extent be absorbed or modified.
In carrying our invention into effect as applied to ordinary rifles, we form the
end of the gun stock where it abuts against the shoulder with one or more inflated
pads or cushions of rubber or any other suitable material. These pads or cushions
may be formed hollow and closed with air inside at normal pressure, or they may
be inflated with air, in which case a valve is provided to enable it to be inflated by
blowing with the mouth or by inserting a suitable inflating pump. The pads
might even be formed of hollow balls and pipes arranged and combined in such a
way as to form a resilient cushion. Thus instead of a hard unyielding surface
resting against the shoulder, a stock is produced with a resilient end which will
absorb the vibration or jar consequent on firing the weapon, and prevent the
shoulder being hurt. The stock itself may be formed of bollow rubber, inflated
with air, or filled with air at normal pressure if desired, in which case the rubber
may be strengthened with canvas, wire gauze or other material.
We have described our invention more especially in connection with rifles, but
it is obvious that it may be used for other fire arms in which the vibration or jar is
liable to hurt the shoulder.
Dated this 8th day of April 1895
: Improvements in or appertaining to Rifles, Guns, or other like
Weapons.
We, ORSINI STUART formerly of South Alton, Rose Mount, Oxton, in the
County of Chester, but now of Elm House, Seaforth, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, and THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT, of Seel Street, Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Timber Merchant, 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 :-
It is well known that in a rifle, gun or other like weapon, the firer is subjected
to a very unpleasant jar or shock to the shoulder at the moment of firing. In some
Dori

page_text: cases, these sudden jars or shocks are found to be absolutely injurious to the person,
and it is the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement whereby
they may be to a great extent absorbed or modified.
In carrying our invention into effect as applied to ordinary rifles, we form the
end of the gun stock where it, abuts against the shoulder with one or more
pneumatic pads or cushions of rubber or any other suitable material. These pads
or cushions are formed hollow and closed with air inside at normal pressure, or
they may be inflated with air, in which case a valve is provided to enable it to be
inflated by blowing with the mouth or by inserting a suitable inflating pump. Thus
instead of a hard unyielding surface resting against the shoulder, a stock is
produced with a resilient end which will absorb the vibration or recoil consequent
on firing the weapon and prevent the shoulder being hurt.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing our invention applied to an ordinary
rifle stock;
Figures 2 and 3 are slightly modified arrangements.
In these figures,
A, is the rifle stock, B the pneumatic pad or cushion. In Figure 1 the hollow
cushion is provided with a valve at the back, there being a corresponding recess in
the stock to receive the valve when the cushion is fastened on in place. At one
end of the cushion there is a projecting hood 6 adapted to retain the pad in position
and at the opposite end the cushion is made solid to receive a fastening screw D.
The cushion is inflated with air through the valve C, either by blowing with the
mouth or by a suitable inflating pump. When inflated to the required pressure,
the cushion is fitted to the end of the rifle stock and secured in place by inserting
the screw D. If a flexible inflating tube be used instead of the valve C, the tube
will fold down and lie flat between the cashion and the end of the stock when the
former is secured in place, the stock being slightly recessed to clear the tube.
In Figure 2 a slight modification is shown in which the cushion is provided with
a lateral rubber projection E of dovetail form and a hole of corresponding form in
the end of the stock. The larger end of this projection when compressed can be
inserted into the hole, but expands again when it reaches the larger end, and so in
conjunction with the screw D keeps the cushion firmly secured to the stock. The
cushion in this case is intended to be filled with air at atmospheric pressure, or it
may be inflated through a hole, and the hole afterwards closed permanently with
rubber solution or the like.
In Figure 3 a further slight modification is shown in which the cushion is formed
of a hollow pad filled or inflated with air, or it may be made of a canvas bag
enclosing an inflated bladder. F is an elastic rubber pocket or sheath for receiving
the cushion and clasping the end of the gun stock, thus holding the cushion in place
on the stock by virtue of the elasticity of the sheath.
We have described the above ways of carrying our invention into effect, but it is
obvious that the pads might even be formed of hollow balls and pipes filled with
air arranged and combined in such a way as to form a resilient cushion, and,
moreover, the stock itself might be formed of hollow rubber inflated with air or
filled with air at normal pressure if desired, in which case the rubber night be
strengthened with canvas, wire gauze or other material. Furthermore, we do not
confine ourselves solely to nir, as other fluid might be used almost equally well as a
filling for the cushion. The invention has been described more especially in
connection with rifles, but it is obvious that it may be used for other smallarms in
which the vibration or jar is liable to hurt the shoulder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improvement in impact cushions for attachment to the stocks of guns for
absorbing or modifying the recoil or shock to the firer's shoulder at the moment of

page_text: firing, namely, forming them of hollow pads or cushions closed with air or other
fluid inside or inflated with air under pressure substantially as described.
2. A gun stock in which that portion to be brought into contact with the
shoulder is formed of a hollow rubber cushion or pad adapted to contain air or
other fluid, either at normal pressure or under compression so as to possess the
required degree of resiliency, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The manufacture of pneumatic recoil cushions for absorbing the recoil of
small arms, of hollow pads formed as described, the hollow portion being filled with
air or other fluid at normal pressure or inflated to possess the required degree of
resiliency.
4. The combination with a pneumatic recoil cushion for rifles or other like
firearms of an elastic rubber sheath or pocket for receiving the cushion and
clasping the end of the gun stock, whereby the cushion is held in place on the
stock by virtue of the elasticity of the sheath, substantially as set forth.
5. The various improved forms for the purposes set forth of recoil cushions,.
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Dated tuis on day or
oruary 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents..