IMPROVEMENTS IN FOWLING PIECES AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES DOWNING, of Bideford, in the County of Devon, Gentleman,
do send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of August, in the sixth year
of His reign, did give and grant unto me, the said Charles Downing:
my executors, administrators, and assigns, His special licence that I;
the said Charles Downing, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully night
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick upon Tweed, my new invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOWLING
PIECES AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Charles Downing, under my
hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Juvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Charles Downing, do declare that my said Invention of improve-
ments in fowling pieces and other fire-arms is described in the manner
following, and in the Drawings, sections, and plans hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My said new invented " * Improvements in Fowling Pieces and
other Fire-arms," consist in new arrangements, forms of, and additions
to the locks or machinery for igniting the gunpowder, commonly
called the charge of the said fowling pieces and other fire-arms,
when rammed into them in the usual manner, the particulars of
which arrangements, forms, and additions are described as follows:-
First, I have represented in the first Figure of the Drawings hereunto
annexed the longitudinal section of the lock, breeching piece, and part
of the barrel of a fowling piece or fire arm joined to the but of the
stock, with the parts thereof formed and arranged in one of my new
invented improvements for the same, particularly applicable to the
ignition of the charge, by the use of any of the species of compo-
sitions known by the name of percussion powder, which composition
or compositions I form into small pellets or grains about the size of
coriander seeds, in the way in which medicinal pills are shaped, or in
any other convenient manner, one of which pellets or grains of the per-
cussion composition aforesaid, (which I shall call in future percussion
grains,) being placed in the receptacle provided for it in the said lock,
and the same lock being cocked, and then let go by drawing the trigger,
the cock thereof will strike the said percussion grain by a part
projecting from it for that purpose, which will cause the same to
produce a sudden flame, which flame will ignite the charge aforesaid.
Now, in Figure first aforesaid, the part marked C, exhibits a side view
of the cock aforesaid of its full size; S. shews the side of the sear with
its spring joined to it, and T, shews the trigger. which turning round
on its pivot there represented. will raise up the tail of the sear when
pulled, which causing its catch to depart from the cavity of the tumbler
(which in this lock forms a part of the cock as there shewn,) by which

page_text: it keeps the said cock back, will thereupon let it pass off and deliver it
up to the action of the main spring, which, pulling it violently forward,
will cause it to produce the effect before explained. Now, in this my
new improved lock, it will be seen that I have simplified the construc-
tion by making the main spring thereof in the form of the guard, by
which the one piece serves the two purposes of guard and main spring.
The guard-main-spring is connected with the lower part of the cock C,
in front by a joint formed in a part of the piece P, which projects from
it there for that intention. This part P, also serves a double purpose,
for while its lower part forms the connection just explained, its upper
part serves as a cover to keep in the percussion grain in the small
cavity formed for it at the entrance of the touch hole in the upper part
of the touch hole screw V, at such time as the lock is in the positions
called half cock and full cock, but in the act of letting go the cock for
the discharge, it is pulled down by the spring, leaving the small cavity
open, and the percussion grain exposed to the action of the point or
striker of the cock C, which small cavity is also left uncovered by P,
when the sear enters into a third nick in the tumbler that is below that
for half cock as shewn in C, Fig. 1. The side of this part is shewn in
Fig. 1, of its full size, together with its joints and connections with the
guard-main-spring and the cock; and in Fig. 3, is shewn a front view
of it, which distinguishes the broader covering part of it (that prevents
the percussion grain from fallng out of the cavity at half and full cock,)
from the thin part which constitutes the connection between the cock
and the guard-main-spring; the side of the cock is shewn at Fig. 1, as
before explained; but Fig. 2, gives a front view of it, to exhibit the
form of its upper part, which projects above the cavity that contains
the rest of the lock, which part is used for drawing it back to full cock
or half cock, and also to shew the breadth of the portion of it which
descends into the said cavity. Of the sear, scar-spring, and trigger
shewn in Fig. 1, no more need be said, but that their thickness or
breadth is the same as that of the cock shewn at Fig. 2, as their form,
size, joints, and relative positions to each other, and to the other parts
are sufficiently well represented in said Fig. 1. The cavity or mortise
in the breeching piece which contains the parts of the lock described is

page_text: -
shewn in section in the shaded parts of Fig. 1, included between the
.letters A, B, E, F, part of the said breeching piece being supposed to
be removed at one side to shew the internal parts; the length and
depth of said cavity are shewn by the space included between the
said letters, and its transverse breadth is about the same as that of the
-cock shewn at Fig. 2, only exceeding it sufficiently to permit the cock
and other parts to move freely in their proper direction within its extent.
The form of the chamber of the breeching piece, and its junction by a
screw with the but end of the barrel, is shewn in section in Fig. 1, so
as to require no farther explanation.
The touch hole is drilled through the serew V, Fig. 1, as there
shewn, and at the top of said screw V, is formed the small cavity
for holding the percussion grain before mentioned. This screw V, is
screwed into the breeching picce from the bottoni upwards, as shewn
in said Figure, or from the top downwards, its part being formed into
a screw for that purpose. The small cavity for holding the pereussion
grain is represented of its full size at the upper end of the said serew
V, near the top of P, in one direction; in the other direction or cross-
ways it is limited by the thickness of the screw, which will sufficiently
explain its form and nature. It will be observed in said Figure that a
knob or handle projects from the bottom of the stock in front of the
guard-main-spring marked K; this knob serves for supporting the
piece by the left hand in the action of discharging it, and also protects
the guard-main-spring from any blow in front that might displace it or
cause it any injury. Fig. 4, exhibits an external view of a breeching
piece and lock formed for discharging fire-arms by the percussion caps
in common use. In this Figure, C, represents the cock; S, the tail of
the scar; U, the bottom of a small piece that connects the tumbler of
the lock with a guard-main-spring similar to that of Fig. 1, and in the
same manner that P, is joined to it in that Figure. N, in said Fig. 4, is
the top of the touch-hole screw, projecting as represented to receive a
copper percussion cap on it in a reversed position, and having a serew
ent on it to enable it the better to hold fast and retain the smaller
percussion cap when pressed down on it. A mortice or oblong cavity
is cut in the middle of this breeching piece from the bottom upwards,

page_text: from which cavity S, and U, project, and which is large enough to
contain the tumbler, sear, and sear spring; these two latter do not
materially differ from those drawn in Fig. 1, so do not require any
particular representation; the tumbler does not so much differ in form
from a common tumbler to require a Figure for its shape sideways,
but its breadth or thickness is shewn at R, Fig. 5, together with the
manner in which it is connected with the cock C. (drawn as seen from
the back part in that Figure,) by a pin that passes through them and
the breeching piece; the ends of which pin and the screws that confine
it are seen in C, Fig. 4, and its full size and forms are shewn in the
said Fig. 5. In this Figare U, shews the thickness of the part that
connects the guard-main-spring with the tumbler, while the same letter
U, in Fig 4, shews its breadth. This part is joined above to a part
that projects from the front of the tumbler to receive it, and its lower
part is joined to the upper part of the guard-main-spring in a similar
manner to that in which the bottom of the part P, in Fig. 1, is jointed
to the guard-main-spring there represented. The chamber or cavity
for the powder is similar for the breeching piece Fig. 4, to that shewn
in section in Fig. 1, and the touch hole drilled through the centre of N,
joins the middle of its farthest extremity inwards, in the same way that the
lower part of the touch hole in Fig. 1, communicates with the chamber
in that Figure. In the face of the cock C, is formed a small cavity into
which the part N, enters when C, is let go, by which the action in the
percussion cap is more certainly effected. Fig. 6, exhibits a lock for
igniting the charge by percussion grains, in some particulars different
from that shewn in Fig. 1. It is like the latter drawn in section, and
in like manner shews the internal part of the cavity, in which the
several parts of the lock are placed, which is represented by the shaded
parts included by the letters A, M, E, F, which shews its depth and
length, and its breadth across is just so much more than the thick-
ness of the cock C, as will permit the latter to move freely back
and forwards within it, and which cock is about the same thick-
ness as that shewn in Figs. 1, and 2. Fig. 6, also shows the section
of the powder chamber and of the touch hole screw, which, with the
other parts mentioned, are all included in the breeching piece. The

page_text: cock C, shown in this Fig. 6, is somewhat like that in Fig. 1; but
differs from it in lying entirely within the cavity A, M, E, F. To
the projecting part at the bottom of the cock in front, the part U, is
jointed, which is nearly of the same breadth and thickness of a similar
part marked by the same letter in Fig. 4, and is like it intended to
form the connection between the cock and a guard-main spring, of the
same sort as that shewn in Fig. 1, and connected with the stock and
the part U. in the same manner as that is with the stock and lower
part of P. The sear S, in Fig. 6, is in one piece with the trigger,
which projects from its lower part; behind it lies the sear spring, which
with the pivot, are both shewn of the duc size, and in the proper posi-
'tion for a sear of the dimensions there represented. The point or
striker of the cock is so placed that it will fall exactly against the top
of the touch hole screw V, and this touch hole screw has a cavity at its
top, there shewn, for receiving and holding a percussion grain, like the
same part shewn in Fig. 1; but this screw differs from the other in
being screwed in from above, in which way it will be less liable to be
set fast from any battering that its top may get from the striker; the
top of this screw may either have a square cavity cut in it for the end
of a turnscrew, or a common nick across, but I prefer the former, as
being less liable to be deranged. The touch hole is drilled through the
centre of the screw V, as shewn in section in the Figure, and its lower
part enters into the farther extremity of the powder chamber as therein
represented. Just above the cock will be seen two small lids L, and
M, united to one hinge; the lower lid M, shuts down into the cavity
beneath it, when the cock is drawn back, and rests with its extremity
on a small projection that may be seen immediately below the cavity
of the touch hole screw, and when in this position its sloping part will
form a conveyance to the said cavity of the touch hole screw, by which
the passage of the percussion grain to it will be very much facilitated,
while the level part of it, in conjunction with this, will effectually pre-
vent the percussion grain from falling into the cavity of the lock. The
second lid L, shuts down over the lid M, and has a small spring beneath
its joint to keep it close down in that position, and being broader than
the lid M. effectually shuts out rain or other moisture or sand from

page_text: getting into the cavity, and at the same time, by a small triangular
piece at its top, shewn in the Figure, closes up the space behind the
cavity at the top of the touch hole screw, so that when the percussion
grain is lodged in this cavity, and the said lid L, shut down, the said
percussion grain cannot pass backwards out of its place; but when the
cock C, is let go, it will in passing strike its head against the sloping
part or inclined plane of the lid M, and by the stroke will knock the
two lids upwards, by which the parts of them that stand between it and
the cavity of the touch hole screw will be effectually removed, and the
percussion grain left entirely exposed to the action of the striker. The
upper parts of these two lids, and the part that connects them to the
top of the breeching piece, are shewn in Figs. 8, and 9, the former
Figure representing the lid L, the hinge, and the piece that connects
them to the breeching piece, in which connecting piece are to be seen
two holes for screws for that purpose. Fig. 9, shews the top of the lid
M, of its full size, and its joint, by which it is connected underneath
the hinge in Fig. 8, at its central part, where a part of the joint of the
hinge, of the same breadth as that of the joint of Fig. 9, may be
observed; these Figures 8 and 9, shew more particularly the breadth
of the two lids respectively, which could not be represented in Fig. 6.
The parts of Fig. 6, described shew the apparatus compleat for a per-
cussion lock on my principles, with the exception of the handle, which
will be described farther on; but as on some occasions it may be con-
venient to convert the said lock into a common lock, acting by a flint
impelled by the cock against the steel of a hammer, I have contrived
the following method for effecting that purpose:-At H, in Fig. 6,
may be seen a circular cavity in the narrow part of the powder
chamber; this is intended to represent the place where a round aper-
ture is drilled from without into the chamber, of about that diameter,
and tapped inside with a hollow screw, into which the screw of the pan
and hammer, Fig. 7, fits tightly; this latter screw is drilled through its
centre to form a touch hole from the pan to the chamber, and this
screw is then a real touch hole screw, at the same time that it connects
the hammer and pan to the chamber. That part of said hammer and
pan are shewn in Fig. 7, with part of the spring of the hammer and

page_text: the head of the screw that connects it to the pan, together with the
touch hole screw already described. In the lower part of the cock C,
Fig. 6, at its centre of motion, is drawn a square hole, through which
a screw or pin with a square part on its shank passes; that, besides con-
necting it with the sides of the cavity of the breeching part in which it
lies, joins it also to a handle of a similar form to the cock C, of Fig. 4,
when it is intended to act as a percussion lock, and which being placed
outside the breeching piece at its right side, serves to move the internal
cock C, to half cock or full cock as required; but when the lock is
required to act as a common flint lock, then the handle last described
is to be taken off, and in its place is to be put a common flint holding
cock, of a size suitable to the hammer, Fig. 7, which latter being
screwed into the screw hole H, Fig. 6, by the touch hole screw W,
Fig. 7, the whole will then form a common flint and steel lock. The
flint cock to be occasionally put on the lock of Fig. 6, outside, differing
in no respect from a common flint cock, does not require a separate
Figure; a solid screw which is used for closing up the screw hole
F, in Fig. 6, when the hammer and pan, Fig. 7, are taken off, is
also not drawn in the Figures, as it has nothing particular in its
form, and only requires to be of the same size as the screw W, in
Fig. 7, and to be so stopped that its lower end may not pass beyond
the side of the chamber so as to project in any degree into its cavity
when screwed into its place. When my patent locks are used with
double barrelled pieces, I recommend that the guard main spring be
split in two pieces, from the top downwards, and from the front where
it acts on the cock to near the screw by which it is fastened to the
stock, each division being made sufficiently strong to serve as a main
spring for the lock on which it is to act; and when the lock represented
in Fig. 1, is used with said double barrelled pieces it will be further
necessary to alter the shape of the cock at the side next the other lock,
so that no part of it may project in that direction that might interfere
with or obstruct the motions of the cock of the adjoining lock, which
may be easily done by cutting off some of the projecting part of its
upper portion, by which it is pulled back by the thumb or finger at the
side next the other lock, and making the remaining portion somewhat

page_text: broader, which directions will be casily conceived on inspecting the
figure of the lock C, shewn at Fig. 2. The cocks of the locks shewn
in the other Figures 4, and 6, need no particular directions in placing
them, as of course one of them must be put at each side of the piece
with its respective lock when used with double barrelled fowling pieces
or other double barrelled fire arms. The lock represented in Fig. 6,
may be altered so as to make it suitable for the use of percussion caps
by putting into it a touch hole screw similar to that shewn in Fig. 4,
marked N, instead of that in said Fig. 6, and making the top of the
cock C, so far like that in Fig. 4, as will fit it for acting properly on
the percussion cap (in double guns the plugs containing the locks, &c.
are parallel with the barrels, their diameters being the same). The lock
shewn in Fig. 1, may also be in the same manner made to act on
percussion caps by putting into it in the place of the touch hole screw,
there represented, one similar to N, Fig. 4, but either so placed as to lie
in front of the piece P, without obstructing its motions, or else the upper
part of P, may be removed when the part N, is added to the lock, and
by also altering the top of the cock C, in the manner just described for
that of Fig. 6. In Fig. 10, is shewn a side view and section of a small
percussion pan that may be used with the lock shewn in Fig. 4, in place
of the projecting touch-hole screw N. This percussion pan Fig. 10, is
formed of two pieces B, and D, the upper one of which B, serves as
a cover to keep in and protect a percussion grain, when placed under
it; the lower piece D, has a small cavity in its upper part (shewn in
the Figure) for holding the said percussion grain, and from its lower
part projects a screw, there represented, through which is drilled a
touch hole into said small cavity, thereby forming it into a touch hole
serew, which screw is to be screwed into the breeching piece Fig. 4, in
the place of the screw N, the said N, being previously removed. The
two parts B, and D, of Fig. 10, are joined by a hinge or joint, there
shewn, and at the back of thein lies a small spring on the principle of
that used with the hammer, Fig. 7, shewn edgeways in the said Fig. 10,
and joined to the upper piece B, by the screw there represented; the
use of which spring is to keep down the piece B, over the percussion
grain until the cook is let go.
When this percussion pan is used.the

page_text: form of the cock shewn in Fig. 4, must be so far altered as to have a
point or striker projecting from its face similar to those of the cocks of
the Fig 1, and 6, so arranged that when said cock is let go the said
point or striker shall fall into the small cavity of the percussion pan,
Fig. 10, that contains the percussion grain, and by the blow cause it to
ignite, at the same time driving back the piece B, from above the said
grain as it passes on to make the percussion. Figure 11, represents
a small screw; and Fig. 12, a little key for turning it, which I use
to secure a fowling piece or other piece from being discharged in
the absence of the owner, by which many fatal accidents may be pre-
vented which are liable to occur when fire arms lie within reach of
children or of careless and incautious persons. This small screw, Fig. 11,
enters in at the side of the lock shewn at Fig. 1, or at Fig. 6, at nearly
the point where the letter C, lies in each Figure; and when the cock is
drawn back to half cock, will upon being turned by the key, Fig. 12,
pass in, a little beyond the side of the said cock, into the cavity of the
breeching piece, which will effectually prevent the cock from descending
or advancing towards the touch hole until such time as said screw is
turned back again sufficiently to permit the cock to pass by it without
obstruction. The small cut shewn at the lower end of the key, Fig. 12,
receives the little projecting piece represented at the top of the screw,
Fig. 11, when used fer turning it, which, being a less common way of
forming a screw head and a key, will increase the difliculty of undoing
the screw to all who have not the key. The manner of uniting the
breeching piece to the stock may be either that common one of making
it in two pieces, shewn in Fig. 1, or the more ancient mode of having it
all in one piece, and fastening it to the stock by a screw passing through
a piece projecting from it for that purpose. The materials of which the
various parts of my locks and fowling pieces and other fire arms are to
be made are those commonly used for them, and all the parts thereof
not specially directed in this my Specification to be made otherwise are
to be of any of the common forms and constructions most approved. It
is also to be understood that the various parts of my aforesaid locks may
be altered in the shape considerably in the portions of them not directly
employed in producing the effects before explained, which alterations

page_text: will nevertheless not exempt them from coming within the limits of my
Patent, when the said parts are used for the purposes before recited in
this my Specification. I esteem it useless to enumerate the parts of gun
locks and other portions of fire arms in common use which I do not
claim, though similar enumerations are inserted in some Specifications,
since of course my right would not be extended by such enumerations
to the parts that I omitted farther than their being newly invented by
me would justify. What I do claim is sufficiently set forth in the
foregoing descriptions, particularly my guard main spring, the cavity
in the breeching piece which contains the sear and spring and tumbler
or cock and the pan belonging to the flint lock, the parts for keeping
in the percussion grains and for securing the cavities of the locks from
moisture and dirt, shewn at P, Fig. 1, and at L, and M, Fig. 6, the
percussion pan, Fig. 10, the locking screw and key, Fig. 11, and 12,
and the general arrangement and form of the several parts before de-
scribed which suit them for the purposes recited. I must also mention
that some parts may be added to my improvements before recited without
altering their nature or exempting the whole from the limits of my Patent,
of which I shall only particularize the addition of a second guard over my
guard main spring, which some may prefer to have for greater security,
and which may be made as guards usually are, care only being taken
that its fastenings or the parts-connected with-them-may not in any way
impede the action of my guard main spring. This second guard I do
not, however, consider to be necessary, as the guard main spring is
defended from any blow in front by the knob or handle K, Fig. 1, and
and from any blow behind by the projection of the butt of the stock;
and since, besides being partly defended from a blow from beneath by
the knob K, such blow could, at most, only bring the cock to half
cock or full cock, but could not by any means let it off' so as to
discharge the piece.
Having this described my several new invented improvements in
fowling pieces and other fire arms, and in what manner the same are
to be performed, in obedience to the proviso of the Patent aforesaid,
granted to me by His Majesty King George the Fourth, at the time

page_text: and place before mentioned, I declare the same to be the Specification
of my said new invented improvements.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Downing, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.