IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF SNAP CAPS OR NIPPLE PROTECTORS' FOR FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Lilly, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF SNAP CAPS OR NIPPLE PROTECTORS' FOR FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 2nd November 1863, and dated the 12th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Lilly at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1863.
I, BENJAMIN LILLY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brass-
founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SNAP CAPS OR NIPPLE PROTECTORS FOR FIRE-ARMS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has three objects in view, viz., first, fastening the stricken
pad or seating into the metal cap.
Second, forming the metal cap in two or more pieces, so that the outer
casing which carries the pad or seating shall revolve at pleasure round the

page_text: inner socket which fits the square of the nipple, by this means the face of the
pad against which the hammer falls or rests can always be brought to a fitting
surface with the hammer face, no matter in what position the squares of the
nipple itself may be.
And, third; introducing when required a soft metal washer immediately
below the pad or seating, so that when the snap cap is in use the said metal
washer being between the pad and the face of the nipple prevents the latter
from becoming choked by any particles which may be given off from the pad
or seating when struck by the hammer; the said pad or seating being
generally made of leather or other suitable material at once soft, tough, and
weather-proof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Lilly in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
LILLY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brassfounder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Lilly, Her special licence that 1, the said Benjamin Lilly,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benja-
min Lilly, 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 THE
CONSTRUCTION OF 'SNAP CAPS' OR 'NIPPLE PROTECTORS' FOR FIRE-ARMS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Lilly, 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
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

page_text: six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Lilly, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
==
This Invention consists in constructing the outer casing of the snap cap
with a top or bottom or with top and bottom sockets or chambers of suitable
depths, so that the leather or other pad on which the gunlock hammer falls
can be securely fastened in the one, and a metal washer fitting the square of
the gun nipple loosely secured in the other, while facility is also afforded for
the introduction of a soft metal washer in conjunction with the pad in the top
chamber, so as to interpose between the pad and the mouth of the gun nipple
when the snap cap is in use.
The top socket may be made of an equal depth all round, but it is preferred
to form it with a high and a low, side; into this socket is fitted the pad,
and firmly secured therein by turning over against it the top edge of said
socket, this is easily effected either by the process known as spinning, or by
rivetting, and thus the pad is secured against loss as well as prevented from
being beaten out of shape by action of the hammer. The bottom socket is
made of an equal depth all round, and into it a metal washer with a square
hole fitting the square of the gun nipple is secured in the manner already
described, but loosely, so that the said washer may revolve within this lower
socket.
It will now therefore be readily seen that by rotating this improved
snap cap on the gun nipple, the upper surface of the pad will revolve
eccentrically with the base of the snap cap, thus an adjustment is obtained of
the pad surface with the hammer face, no matter at what angle the gun
nipple may be set, or in what position its squares may be, causing the hammer
when down to bear equally all round the pad face, and so secure a close fit of
the snap cap base on that part of the gun barrel on which it rests to the
preservation of the gun nipple.
As a further security against the entrance of any foreign substance tending
to choke the gun nipple, this improved form of suap cap admits of a soft
metal washer being fastened in along with the pad, so that it shall interpose
between the said pad and the mouth of the nipple when the snap cap is on,"
thus hindering the entrance into the nipple of any particles given off from said
pad when struck by the hammer.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawing, by the words, figures, and letters marked thereon and
herein-after alluded to.
Figures 1 and 2 represent side and end elevations of the snap cap;
Figures 3 and 4, plan views of same, the former looking at the top, the latter
looking at bottom of cap; while Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sections of the
first and second Figures; Figures 7 and 8 being plan sections of 5 and 6
across the lines A, B, and C, D; Figure 9 is another vertical section of
Figure 1, showing the soft metal washer fastened in along with pad; and
Figure 10 exhibits the snap cap complete, with its guard chain for attaching
it to the gunstock or barrel; Figure 11 is a repetition of Figure 4, but
including the soft metal washer, this Figure 11 is drawn to an enlarged scale,
viz., double of actual size, for the purpose of showing more distinctly in
section the various parts which constitute the cap.
a, a, is the outer metal casing of snap cap divided by a web or diaphragm,
see Figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11, into top and bottom sockets or chambers, into the
former of which the pad b, b, and into the latter the revolving washer c, c, are
secured as already described. The high and low sides of pad are seen in
Figs. 2, 6, and 11, the opening or orifice rising from the bottom of the cap
up into and under the pad, see Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, is for the
reception of the gun nipple, and is eccentric with the centre line of cap, as
shown in Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11. The revolving washer c, c, has a square
hole, see Fig. 4, for the purpose of fitting or dropping on to the square of the
gun nipple, and as this washer is made so as to revolve within this lower
socket, so vice versa the cap will revolve if the washer is held stationary; it is
so held when on the square of the gun nipple; and the outer casing being
made to revolve round it till the pad face is brought fair with that of the
hammer, the latter is let down on the snap cap and retains the whole in its
place on the gun nipple.
The soft metal washer which acts as an additional security is marked d, d,
see Figs. 9 and 11.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
shown and described, so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be
retained, as the same may be greatly varied without departing from the nature
of the improvements herein fully set forth; but what I claim is the "Improve-

page_text: ments in the Construction of Snap Caps' or 'Nipple Protectors' for Fire-
arms," as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Lilly, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
JOHN MUIR,
Commercial Clerk,
198, George Street,
Birmingham.
BENJAMIN LILLY. (L.S.)