THE IMPROVE- • MENT OF THE FORM OF THE STOCKS OF RIFLES, CARABINES, AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Palmer Evelyn, of Eccleston Terrace, in
the County of Middlesex, Esquire, for the Invention of "THE IMPROVE-
•
MENT OF THE FORM OF THE STOCKS OF RIFLES, CARABINES, AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 21st April 1859, and dated the 4th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Palmer. Evelyn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th November 1858.
1, GEORGE PALMER EVELYN, of Eccleston Terrace, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said' Invention for
"THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FORM OF THE STOCKS OF RIPLES, CARABINES, AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
A gun stock of the proposed construction will suit any man, whether he be
long or short in the neck or arm, and will be less weighty and cumbersome
than those ordinarily in use. Increased quietness and accuracy will be obtained
in snap shooting, as a "stock" of the proposed form must necessarily be placed
in the position proper for taking aim by the mere action of the hand in
raising the barrel into adjustment with the eye.
With the aid of the said Invention the use of one hand will be found
sufficient in aiming and firing a rifle of ordinary weight and length of barrel.
The said Invention is therefore believed to be peculiarly applicable to the
arms of horsemen engaged either in war or sport. These proposed advantages

page_text: are to be attained by constructing the stock of the rifle, carabine, or other
fire-arm of a certain form, in consequence of which the mere action of the
hand in raising the piece for the purpose of taking aim will be the means of
placing the "but" in its required position under the arm-pit.
The "but" will not rest against the shoulder but between the arm and
side, the effect of recoil being sufficiently counteracted by the pressure of the
arm against the sides of the "but." There will be no "swell" or face of the
but in a gun stock of this description, as the upper edge of the but will be
made nearly in the prolongation of the "hand" or "small" of the stock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Palmer Evelyn in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PALMER EVELYN, of Eccleston Terrace, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Palmer Evelyn, Her special licence that I, the said
George Palmer Evelyn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Palmer Evelyn, 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 law-
fully 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
"THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FORM OF THE STOCKS OF RIFLES, CARABINES, AND OTHER
FIRE-ARMS," upon.. the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Palmer Evelyn, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Palmer Evelyn, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
The Invention consists of an improved form of gun stock to be called "the
under-arm gun stock." It is capable of being modified to suit various descrip-
tions of fire-arms, and its object is the attainment of the following advantages
(that is to say):
:-
1st, to construct a gun stock, by means of which persons varying in height,
length of arm and neck, will be enabled to use the same weapon with equal
ease and efficiency. 2nd, to counteract the difficulty usually experienced in
taking aim with the long range sights of rifles, in consequence of their height
above the breech. 3rd, to avoid the necessity for lowering the head in taking
aim, as is the case with an ordinary gun or rifle at a short range, thus ensuring
increased accuracy in snap shooting. 4th, to construct stocks to carabines, so
as to permit that weapon to be fired with one hand without inconvenience. 5th,
to make a musket less "top heavy" when fired with the bayonet fixed. 6th,
to lessen the effect of the recoil on the shoulder.
The above advantages are attained by the peculiar form given to the but of
my "under-arm gun stock," the "sole" of which when placed in the position
proper for taking aim, lies obliquely in respect to the man's shoulder, the
"toe" passing underneath his armpit. Any required degree of obliquity may
be given to the "sole" of the "but," the effect of the recoil on the shoulder
being in inverse proportion to the amount of the obliquity. Thus the "sole"
may be shaped so as to be nearly parallel to the man's shoulder, or to be so
much inclined to it as to form a curved prolongation to the "hand" of the
stock. In the latter case which is suitable to weapons of small calibre and
lightly charged, the recoil on discharge will be but little opposed by the
shoulder.
The but is wedged in laterally towards the "toe," so that the right arm, which
in firing should be placed close against the outside of the but, affords con-
siderable resistance to the action of the recoil. This resistance is increased by
the friction caused by the buts being roughed or chequered on both sides.
The wedged form of the but being restricted to its outer side (right-hand side)
does not interfere with the squareness of the inner side necessary to insure
the perpendicularity of the sights when aim is taken. The effect of the recoil
is therefore opposed obliquely by the shoulder, and laterally by the pressure
of the right arm against the wedge-shaped but. In aiming with the long
range sights of a rifle, the weapon is to be drawn in towards the body by
bending the arms until the breech sight is lowered to the level of the eye;
thus all movement of the head or lowering of the shoulder is rendered

page_text: unnecessary. In a similar manner (that is to say) by bending or extending
the arms in a greater or less degree, so as to cause more or less of the but
to pass under the arm, the stock may be virtually lengthened or shortened to
suit the dimensions of the person using it. In "snap shooting" with a gun
stocked on the "under-arm" principle, the natural sympathy that exists
between the eye and hand is not impeded by a movement of the head at the
moment of firing, as the form of the but admits of the barrel being brought
up at once to the line of sight, the eye being kept steadily fixed on the object
to be struck. The support of the left hand may be dispensed with when
"under-arm" stocked carabines and other guns of moderate length and
weight are fired by mounted men. This advantage is due to the fulcrum
obtained in support of the weapon by the action of the but under the armpit.
Gun stocks may be formed on this principle to suit left-handed shooters, and
they will be found well worthy the attention of sportsmen who have lost the
use of one arm.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Palmer Evelyn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE PALMER EVELYN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-
named George Palmer Evelyn in the
presence of
JOHN THOMAS ROUMIEU,
Lincoln's Inn, London, Solicitor.
HENRY KENT Lockwood, his Clerk.