CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN HAIR TRIGGERS OR DETENTS FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE BARRELLED GUNS OR PISTOLS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hunt, Hair Trigger Manufacturer, of Birming-
ham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAIR TRIGGERS OR DETENTS FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE BARRELLED GUNS
OR PISTOLS."
Sealed the 15th January 1861, and dated the 18th July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
July 1860.
I, JAMES HUNT, Hair Trigger Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR TRIGGERS OR DETENTS FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE BARRELLED
GUNS OR PISTOLS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
The object of my Invention is to render hair triggers or detents more secure
and certain in their action, and this is essential, as the detents now ordinarily
made are so uncertain in their detention of the trigger that even the concussion
arising from the exploding or discharging of one barrel, has been found
frequently to free the detent, and thereby discharge the other barrel without
the trigger in connection with it being touched. And again, the mere putting
the butt of a gun with such hair trigger or triggers applied to it to the ground
with the trigger or triggers on the hair detent frequently causes the piece to go
off, thus rendering them dangerous and unsafe to handle.

page_text: And my improvements are intended to render hair triggers or detents more
positive and certain in their action, and this I effect by the introduction of an
additional spring which prevents the parts from being freed, unless relieved by
the trigger in the usual way, and although I introduce an additional spring,
nevertheless it does not require any increased effort or pressure of the finger
on the trigger for discharging the gun to which my improved detent or hair
trigger may be applied, thus rendering them as safe as the ordinary triggers,
unless accidental pressure is brought in contact with it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HUNT, Hair Trigger Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Hunt, Her special license that I, the said James Hunt, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Hunt, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAIR TRIGGERS OR DETENTS FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE BARRELLED GUNS
OR PISTOLS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Hunt, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hunt, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 (that is to say):-

page_text: The object of my
Invention is to render hair triggers or detents more secure
and certain in their action, and this is essential, as the detents ordinarily made
are so uncertain in their detention of the trigger, that even the concussion
arising from the exploding or discharging of one barrel has been found fre-
quently to free the detent, and thereby discharge the other barrel without the
trigger in connection with it being touched. And again, the mere putting the
butt of a gun with such trigger or triggers applied to it to the ground, with
such trigger or triggers on the detent, frequently causes the piece to go off,
thus rendering them dangerous and unsafe to handle.
And my improvements are intended to render hair triggers or detents more
positive and certain in their action, in the means of effecting the detention and
in relieving the same, and this I effect by the introduction of an additional
weak spring and dog, which prevents any freedom or looseness in the parts,
unless relieved by the trigger in the usual way. And, although I introduce an
additional spring, nevertheless it does not require any increased effort or
pressure of the finger on the trigger for discharging the gun to which my
improved detent or hair trigger may be applied, thus rendering them as safe
as the ordinary trigger, unless accidental pressure is brought in contact with
the trigger or triggers of such detents.
But in order that my improvements may be well understood, both in its
conception and realization, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed, observing that the same parts, as they occur in the various figures
and views, are defined or marked with the same letters of reference.
Fig. 1 represents my improvements as applied in a double action to the
trigger plate A, A, and guard B, B, with the blades of the trigger C and
middle bit D elevated to relieve the main spring E, the part F (lying at the
back of the main spring E and fine spring G) is the outside plate on this side,
behind which the trigger blade works on the axis H, I and J being the back
and front triggers; the screw K secures the main spring to the trigger plate
A, and the screw L holds down the fine spring G. Fig. 2 is a top view of
Figure 1; the additional parts (shown in this view) being indicated with the
same letters as at Figure 1, but defined by being marked with a dash; Figs. 3
and 5 are the same as Figures 1 and 2, with the guard removed from the trigger
plate, also the main springs E and E', for the purpose of showing the position
of the fine spring hereafter to be referred to. One of the main springs, say E',
is exhibited in a separate top, edge, and reversed view at Figure 4; these springs
by taking a bearing on the trigger plate at the part a, and being screwed down.
by the screw K, naturally depresses the end b, causing the angle part indicated
by that letter to bear on the projecting ends of the middle bit D, as shown at

page_text: Figure 7, marked c, and which middle bit works on the same axis as the trigger
blade to which it is attached, marked d, and shown separate in an edge view at
Figure 9. And Figure 8 represents a side view of the trigger and trigger blade,
without the middle bit; Figures 10 and 11 represents the same parts as in con-
nection with the trigger, marked 1 of Figure 1, and drawn merely to show that
the middle bit and blade are identical with Figures 7 and 8, with the exception of
the position of the trigger. As far as this description goes, there is no difference
in the construction of the hair trigger thus described, and the ordinary hair
triggers as commonly constructed.
And my improvements consist in adding an additional fine spring to each
action and an additional dog, so that each fine spring shall act on both dogs in
each action, that when the blade of the trigger is deflected to be held in
position (by the dogs) the mainspring will be brought into action on the
middle bit, which exerting its force upward, holds and prevents any freedom in
the trigger blade, which will have the effect of holding the middle bit, as it
were, in control, and provent all looseness of the parts. I have shown a com-
bined fine spring in a top, bottom, and reverse edge view at Figure 6, showing
the head of the screw downward. On referring to Figure 5 it will be seen
that the mainsprings are removed, but the projecting end of the middle bit on
which the mainspring acts is seen, marked c, as working on the axis d. The
circular hole partly shown in dotted lines marked f represents the pin or axis
on which the-dogs work, the part of which acted on by the fine spring G is
seen marked e, and which dog is represented in the same position at Figure 12
marked with the same letter. And Fig. 13 represents the same dog with the
additional one behind it, marked e', showing that the inner one is so constructed
that it has an additional motion in itself on the axis f, and an angle at its back
end nearest its axis for the additional fine spring to act on; thus the angle h,
Figure 6, of the outer fine spring acts on the angle k of the dog e, while the
angle m of the inner fine spring G acts on the angle of the inner dog e¹ here
shown in dotted lines marked n; Figure 14 is an edge view of the two dogs,
showing the axis f on which they work; and Fig. 15 represents the reverse
side of Figure 13, clearly defining the angle n of the dog e', and the angle of the
dog e marked k, on which the fine springs operate, and which springs depress
the ends of the dogs furthest from their axis, so that when the blade of the
trigger is detained or held by the part of the dog e marked p, the extreme under
ends of the dogs marked r, r, are in contact with that part of the trigger blade
as at Figures 7 and 8, marked s, so that the trigger is always held firm, and
does not shake or vibrate, but the moment that the trigger is pulled back for
discharging the piece, the part p is relieved from the end of the middle bit, and

page_text: the mainspring immediately acting on the middle bit elevates the trigger
blade.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that what I claim
and wish to protect by these my in part recited Letters Patent, is, the im-
provements to hair triggers or detents of the additional fine spring and dog, for
the purpose of additional security, as herein described and exhibited.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hunt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JAMES HUNT. (L.S.)