Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
I, FRANK GARRETT of Manor House Armscote, Shipston-on-Stour in the County
of Worcester, Liqueur Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an apparatus which can be used either alone or in
conjunction with and attached to a fire-arm and to be used as a weapon of defence,
its object being to expell a fluid which will blind the eyes of the opponent for a time
and thus render him powerless.
One form of my invention consists of an instrument carrying a trigger having an
ordinary snap action this trigger actuates a plunger carrier and draws back the
plunger which is within a barrel or tube and is thrown forward by a spiral or other
spring. The liquid is contained in a flexible reservoir situate in a stock or other
convenient part of the instrument and connected by a tube with the barrel. An arm
on the trigger when in its normal position presses against the tube at this point and
thus closes or locks the passage or gate and prevents the issue of the liquid. Beneath
a removable side plate of the stock is a spring or springs pressing against the flexible
reservoir. When the trigger is pressed by the forefinger it opens the gate and allows
the liquid to pass into the fore end of the barrel and at the same time a lifting lever
acts on a bent on the plunger carrier and draws back the plunger and when the lever
releases from the bent the spiral spring drives forward the plunger which ejects the
liquid.
Or the instrument may consist of a cylinder containing an india rubber or other
flexible reservoir compressed or extended by a spiral spring fitted at one end of the
cylinder, the action of the spring being regulated by a gearing fitted into a toothed
rack on the exterior of the cylinder. The toothed rack is attached to a separate
spring fitted into a stock carrying a trigger to control the action. Pulling the trigger
releases the spring in the cylinder which then presses upon the reservoir and forces
the liquid through a nozzle at the end of the cylinder. This nozzle is closed by a
cap or valve sufficient to resist the ordinary pressure of the liquid but which will
give way or open upon the discharging pressure being applied.
When using these instruments in conjunction with a rifle or other fire-arm they
may be provided with projections upon their outer face to slide in grooves on the
fore end of the rifle, or other suitable modes of attachment may be employed.
The liquid which I prefer to use consists of strong tincture of capsicum and croton
oil in about the proportions of three drachms of oil to each pint of tincture of
capsicum and a dye may be added.
Thated this AL 1
HENRY F. TALBOT,
7 Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Weapon of Defence.
1, FRANK GARRETT of Manor House Armscote Shipston-on-Stour in the county of
Worcester, Liqueur Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
[Price 8d.]
1, FRANK GARRETT of Manor House Armscote Shipston-on-Stour in the county of
Worcester, Liqueur Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
[Price 8d.1

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
This invention consists of an apparatus which can be used either alone or in
conjunction with or attached to a fire arm, and to be used as a weapon of defence by
expelling a fluid which will blind the eyes of an opponent for a time & thus render
him powerless.
The fluid which I use for this purpose consists of tincture of Capsicum and Croton
Oil in about the proportions of three drachms of oil to each pint of Tincture of
Capsicum.
The effect of this liquid on entering the eye is to cause immediate loss of sight,
but in a short time (say a few hours at most) the effects wear off and sight returns,
without any permanent injury having been caused to the eye.
The instrument may consist of a cylinder containing an india-rubber or other
flexible reservoir compressed or extended by a spiral spring fitted at one end of the
cylinder, the action of the spring being regulated by a gearing fitted into a toothed
rack on the exterior of the cylinder. The toothed rack is attached to a separate
spring fitted into a stock carrying a trigger to control the action.
But I do not wish to confine myself to any one particular form of weapon to eject
the liquid specified for the purpose herein set forth.
One form of weapon which I prefer to use for the purpose consists of an instrument
carrying a trigger having an ordinary snap action, this trigger actuates a plunger
carrier and draws back the plunger which is within a barrel or tube, the end of which
is closed by a gate or shutter kept in position by a spring. In front of this barrel is
a nozzle piece formed preferably of india-rubber; the plunger is thrown forward by a
spiral or other spring. The liquid is contained in a flexible reservoir situate in
a stock or other convenient part of the weapon and connected with the barrel by a
flexible tube which extends to the bottom of the reservoir. The pressure of the
finger upon the trigger brings it in contact with a bent on a lever the arm of
which working in a slot on the plunger draws it back. By this action some of the
liquid is drawn from the reservoir through the flexible tube into the barrel. When
the trigger is raised in this position the top portion thereof comes in contact with a
tit or projection near the fulcrum of a pivoted arm and raises the arm so that it
presses against the flexible tube and thus closing the passage prevents the outflow of
more liquid than is required for each charge. This regulating arm or limb on rising
presses against the back arm of a pivoted lever the front arm of which fits in a slot
in the lower part of the gate or closing piece in front of the barrel and drawing it
down opens the tube or barrel whilst the plunger flying forward ejects the charge of
liquid therefrom, a washer on the plunger preventing the liquid from escaping
backwards.
To load the weapon the fluid is placed in a bottle or other suitable vessel laving
its neck or apperture lined with cork or other resisting substance of sufficient diameter
to allow of fitting the nozzle of the weapon therein, but leaving open a small gutter
or channel in the cork to act as an air passage. Having placed the nozzle of the
weapon in the neck of the bottle, their position is reversed so as to allow the liquid
to flow into the weapon when the passage for it has been opened. To do this, I use
a sliding stud projecting through the side plate of the weapon the inner end of which
raises the regulating limb to a sufficient height to open the gate or shutter and only
partially close the tube connecting the barrel and reservoir, thereby allowing a free
passage for the liquid.
I will now more fully explain the weapon I have described by referring to the
accompany drawings upon which similar letters and numerals on the several Figures
relate to similar parts.
Fig. 1 Represents a side elevation of a Complete weapon.
Fig. 2 is a view with a side plate and a cheek or side piece of the stock removed so
as to expose the interior

page_text: and Fig. 3 is a sectional view shewing the interior and working mechanism.
Fig. 2 shewing the weapon in its normal position, and Fig. 3 the weapon in the
act of discharging.
A is the trigger acting upon the bent of the lever B, the arın B¹ of which is
connected with the piston or plunger Cin the tube or barrel D so as to draw back
the plunger C, as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the barrel D is closed by a gate or
shutter E, which is kept up in position by the spring E. In front of the barrel D is a
nozzle F made of india-rubber enclosed in the outer case or covering G of metal or
other hard substance. The liquid is contained in a flexible reservoir H, into which
passes a flexible tube I opening into the barrel D at 1. Pressure upon the trigger A
draws back the plunger C, and causing a vacuum draws by suction some of the liquid
out of the reservoir H into the tube I and barrel D, and the action of further raising
the trigger brings the upper portion of it in contact with the projection J¹ on the
pivoted arm J, and causes its end J (which is covered with india-rubber) to press
against the flexible tube I and prevent the upward flow of any more liquid by
shutting off the communication with the reservoir, at the same time the end J2 of
the arm J comes in contact with a pivoted lever K and tilting it causes it to press
upon the tube I at K (where the lever is padded with india-rubber) and thus assist
in firmly closing the tube I whilst the arm K catches in a slot E in the gate or
shutter E and drawing it down as in Fig. 3, opens the barrel D whilst the plunger C
being released is thrown forward by the spring S and ejects the liquid from the
barrel D. L is a washer to prevent any of the liquid getting into the back of the
barrel D. M is a stud which is brought into use when filling the reservoir as before
described. This Stud M slides in the slot N and has on its inner face an arm or
projection which when the stud M is pushed upwards comes in contact with the
pivoted arm J and raises it sufficiently to act upon the arm K2 of the pivoted lever K
and cause the opening of the gate E whilst not entirely closing the tube I by the
pressure of the arms J and K, thus leaving a free passage from the nozzle F to the
barrel D and thence through the tube I to the reservoir H, to allow of the inflow of
a supply of liquid to the reservoir.
The parts of the weapon with which the liquid comes in contact must all be made
of non-corrosive material, I therefore make the barrel D, the plunger C, and the
gate E, preferably of bone or vulcanite and the reservoir H, tube I, and nozzle F of
india rubber.
The weapon may be provided with projections upon its outer surface to slide into
or attach to suitable arrangements upon a rifle or other arm so as to be carried upon
it and used in conjunction with it at close quarters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The employment of a liquid consisting of the ingredients herein set forth to
be ejected from a weapon for the purpose of temporarily destroying the sight without
permanent injury to the eye.
2. An instrument of defence containing a fluid and actuated by a trigger or
similar device for ejecting the fluid into the face of an opponent.
3. In a weapon of defence the use of a reservoir to contain a fluid the ejection of
which is effected by the use of a trigger or similar device in combination with levers,
springs and other mechanism substantially as herein set forth.
4. In a weapon of defence to contain fluid the use of a sliding stud or similar
device acting upon the internal mechanism so as to open the passages in the tubes
giving access to the reservoir and allow of the inflow of the liquid to replenish the
reservoir.
HENRY F. TALBOT,
7 Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.