IMPROVEMENTS IN POWDED FLAGES AND TRUST AND RANDADS OF FIRE DATE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Boucher, of 3, Surry Villas, Camberwell New
Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
POWDED FLAGES AND TRUST AND RANDADS OF FIRE DATE"
ор
Sealed the 26th November 1855, and dated the 6th June 1855.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th June 1855.
I, JOHN BOUCHER, of 3, Surry Villas, Camberwell New Road, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN POWDER FLASKS AND IN THE SIGHTS AND RAMRODS OF FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the loading and more accurate
aiming of fire-arms. For this purpose a powder flask is made with a rotating
cylinder, having several chambers therein, each of the correct size for a charge
of powder. This cylinder is arranged to rotate between the flask which
contains the powder and the spout by which a charge of powder is poured into
a fire arm, by which, when one of the chambers is brought into position to be
emptied, another chamber is brought opposite the opening into the flask, and
it will be filled when the other is emptied. The pillar of the sight of a fire-
arm is made to fold on a joint or hinge, and is kept upright by a spring. The
pillar has a screw parallel to it, with a slide, which is guided by the pillar, and
as the screw is turned the slide is moved. The ramrod is made partly of metal
and partly of papier maché. The interior is formed of a rod or tube of metal
on which the knob at one end and the cup at the other are fixed, and the
exterior of the ramrod is coated with-papier-maché. –

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Boucher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BOUCHER, of 3, Surry Villas, Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Boucher, Her special licence that I, the said John Boucher, my exccu-
tors; administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Boucher,
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 POWDER FLASKS
AND IN THE SITES AND, RAMRODS OF FIRE-ARMS, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Boucher, by an. instrument, in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Boucher, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner t
anner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
4 241%
The object, of this Invention is to facilitate the loading and more accurate
aiming of fire-arms. For this purpose a powder flask is made with a rotating
cylinder, having several chambers therein, each of the correct size for a charge
of powder. This cylinder is arranged to rotate between the flask which con-
tains the powder and the spout by which a charge of powder is poured into a
fire-arm, by which, when one of the chambers is, brought into position to be
emptied, another chamber is brought opposite the opening into the flask, and
it will be filled when the other is emptied. The pillar of the sight of a fire-
arm is made to fold on a joint or hinge, and is kept upright by a spring. The
pillar has a screw parallel to it with a slide, which is guided by the pillar, and
as the screw is turned the slide is moved. The ramrod is made partly of metal

page_text: and partly ofcpapier, maché The interior is formed of a rod or tube of metal
on which the knob at one end and the cap at the other are fixed; and the
.exterior of the ramrod is coated with papier machés
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE, DRAWING
Powder flasks Axis the exterior view of the magazine for: holding the
gunpowder (there is nothing new in this), B, therexterior view of a case con-
taining four chargersC; a section of the same; D; the exterior, view of na
division between the chargers and the magazine; E; the interior view of the
same; F, the top view of the chargers Gthe bottom view of the same ;:.H;
the exterior view of a division between the chargerscanda funnel; I, the
interior view of the same; K, the funnel;Lasspring which: marks teach
charger as it comes round; N is a screwinut, which screws on ito. ther end of
an axle leading through P, and keeps the whole together
In loading,place the funnel in the muzzle of the barreliandumove the case.
B round one quarter of a turn with the finger and thumb of the rightshand;
until the spring stops-it, when the charge arrives opposite the aperture: Ix
leading to the funnel through which it falls into the barrel. In loading, the
muzzle of the rifle or, fowling piece should rest in the hollow ofthe left hand
the fore finger and thumb steadying..the flask by holding gitsiat H. As the
chargers are made to correspond in size with each other, the same quantity as
a charge is insured at all times. As one charger is emptying into the barrels
another is filling from the magazine. The diameter of the funnel.should. bé
nearly the same as the.calibre of the. barrel-used, and the opening in the lower.
part of it about a fourth part of the calibre, by which means, if the barrel is
held perfectly upright, the powder in running in will be directed down the
centre of the barrel without sticking on the sides, as it is but too apt to do in
loading with cartridges or a common flask. In the act of loading, none of the
powder can be lost or, blown away, by the wind, nor can the funnel hurt the
barrel-by rubbing or pressing against it.
In loading, when lying at full length on the ground (which the rifleman can
do without exposing his body to the enemy's shot), the case M is, used, as each
alternate charger is a blank. The manner of loading in that position is as
follows: Hold the flask with the chargers downwards, so that the powder may
fill the charger, from the magazine move the case round one quarter of a turn,
when the charge of powder will be secured from either, falling out.or falling back
into the magazine; place the funnel in-the-muzzle of the barrel, and move the

page_text: case round another quarter of a turn, which will bring the charge opposite the
barrel; raise the barrel perpendicularly with the flask in the muzzle, when
the powder will fall into the barrel without a particle of the charge being lost.
In flask for loading 'revolving fire-arms the funnel is placed at the side
immediately under the, charger as it comes round; as represented at O
The sight. A is the side view; it is supported in the upright position by
the pressure of a spring at the bottom G, but which permits it to be laid flat
on the barrel; either backwards or forwards. B is the front view. ..
The peculiarity consists in the slide C (over which the eye takes aim) being
made to move upwards or downwards, by turning the screw pillar E with the
finger and thumb, that part of the slide at D forming a nut to the pillar E,
a flat threaded screw. By this means the slide may be moved with rapidity
and certainty to any part of the scale marked on the pillar F, and (if the parts
are made to fit correctly) remains where it is placed, without being moved by
the shock of the discharge during firing.
The ramrod. A ramrod, to be efficient and 'load correctly, should be nearly
as thick as the calibre of the barrel, as it then permits of a better grasp,
and more power and steadiness in pressing the bullet home straight. Iron
ramrods are much too small for the grasp, and if made thicker would be
too heavy to be portable; besides, they would destroy the inside of the barrel
by rubbing against it. "The thick wooden ramrod is much better for loading,
but it is not strong enough for general service.
The present improvement is a combination of the properties of both. In
the centre A is a metal rod, to which the knob at the top B and the cup and
drawing worm C at the bottom are rivetted. Over the metal rod D is a
coating or covering of papier maché, horn, or other light hard substance, which
cncreases the rod to the size of a thick wooden one, without adding materially
to' its weight.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Boucher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JOHN BOUCHER. (L.S.)