Powder Flasks, Shot Bel, and other
Year: 1814

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS SYKES, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Gunsmith and
Manufacturer of Powder Flasks, Shot Belts, and other Articles, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third,
in and by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster
the Fourth day of August, in the fifty-fourth year of His reign, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, did give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Sykes, my exors, aduiors, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas
Sykes, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself,
and themselves, and by my or their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such others as I, the said Thomas Sykes, my exors, adiiors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called
England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed,

page_text: my Invention of "VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUNS,
PISTOLS, AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND OF IMPLEMENTS USED FOR LOADING
THEM;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso,
obliging me the said Thomas Sykes, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery, within two calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Thomas Sykes, do hereby particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, as follows (that is to say):
The improvements which I have invented in the construction of
guns, pistols, and other fire-arms, are,-1st, an improvement in the
construction of under and over barelled double guns and pistols, which
when made on my improved plan I call "improved under and over
barrelled double guns or pistols." 2ndly, an improvement in the con-
struction of ramrods of guns, pistols, and other fire-arms. 3rdly, im-
provements in the construction of triggers of single and double barelled
guns, pistols, and other fire-arms, which, when made on my improved
plan, I call "improved fall down triggers."
1. In the construction of the common under and over barrelled
double guns and pistols, the lock of the under barrel, which is the
barrel mostly used, is placed so far from the centre of the diameter of
the bore of the barrel as to require a long train of powder from the
touch hole to the pan, which occasions what is termed "hanging fire."
This defect is completely remedied by the application of the improve-
ment I have invented, which consists in placing the lock that discharges
the under barrel so much lower than the lock of the upper barrel as to
cause the under barrel to fire as quick as the upper barrel. The following
is a description of the manner in which this is accomplished, when the
under barrel is discharged by the left hand lock, from which description
the improvement may be introduced when the right hand lock discharges

page_text: the under barrel-The wood stock is made and secured to the barrels
in the usual manner by a bolt or bolts as the stock of a single gun, and
is made of sufficient substance at the locks to admit the left hand lock
to be placed low enough for the pan to be laid to the touch hole at
or very near to the centre of the diameter of the bore of the under
barrel, exactly in the same manner as the pan of the lock is laid in
the barrel of a single gun; that is to say, the pan of the left hand
lock, or that which discharges the under barrel, is placed as much
lower than the pan of the lock which discharges the upper barrel, as the
bore of the under barrel is lower than the bore of the upper barrel,
which causes the pan of the lock of each barrel to be in the same
situation with respect to the bore of each barrel as the pan of the lock
of a single gun is with respect to the bore of its barrel. In order to
secure the locks, a raised or upright part is attached to the lock plate
of the lower lock of sufficient height and strength, having a hole oppo-
site to the hole in the lock plate of the upper lock, through which
the side screw passes, which side screw will then be passed through the
hole in the lock plate of the upper lock, and screw into the hole of the
upright part of the lock plate of the lower lock, and secure the locks
to the gun or pistol in the usual manner.
2. The improvement invented by me in the construction of ramrods,
cousists in making top ends or tips of the ramrods, to admit the passage
of air through them when in the act of loading with punched wads. The
following is a description of the manner in which this is performed:-
The top end or tip of the ramrod is made in the usual form, being
smallest at that part where the tip joins to the rod. An opening or
cavity of sufficient width and depth is made in the centre of the top
end of the ramrod, or in the centre of the top end of the tip; and
at the bottom of the sides of this opening or cavity, through the sides of
the ramrod or tip, such number of small holes are made as will permit
the air to pass freely through, so that the wad, being punched or made
with a hole in or near the centre, in the way now made, the air in the
barrel passing through the hole in the wad will not be confined by the
solid end of the ramrod, but have free vent into the opening or cavity
at the end or tip and through the holes in its sides to escape from the

page_text: barrel, and the wad will then pass down the barrel to the charge with-
out the confined air pressing down the powder so as to cause the instru-
ment to "hang fire," and without the danger of discharging it in the act
of loading by the force required in putting down the wad by the ramrods
now made, in case the lock should inadvertently be left at full cock.
3. The improvements which I have invented in the construction of
triggers, consists in making the trigger of a single gun, pistol, or other
fire-arm, and either one or both of the triggers of a double one, to lay
down on the trigger plate when not in use, and to rise up by a
side motion when wanted, or when the lock or locks is or are at full
cock.
A single gun, pistol, or fire-arm made with this trigger is safer to
carry, not being liable to be discharged by anything striking the trigger
when at half cock; and as the trigger never stands up but when the
lock is at full cock, it serves as an indicator of danger, which fre-
quently arises from fire-arms being carelessly carried when at full
cock.
A double gun, pistol, or other fire-arm made with these improved
triggers is not liable to the unpleasant mistake of applying the finger to
the wrong trigger when only one lock is cocked, which frequently
occurs with double guns having two upright triggers as now generally
made. The following is a description of the manner in which the
improved triggers are constructed when both the triggers of a double
gun, pistol, or other fire-arm are made to fall down-In Number 1,
of the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figure 1, represents a front or flat
view of the trigger plate and triggers when both triggers are laid down;
Figure 2, a side view of the triggers and trigger plate when both the
locks are at full cock, and the triggers stand up ready for use; Figure 3,
the trigger plate; and the Drawings A, A, B, C, C, under the same
shew the several parts taken out of it. A, A, are levers which work in
the grooves c, c, in the stoop h, upon an axle screwed into the stoop,
and passed through the ends of the levers at c, c, and placed in such
manner that the ends b, b, bear upon, but do not raise up the triggers
when the locks are not cocked or are left at half cok, and kept in
their proper places by the spring B, upon the tops of these screws at
-

page_text: 712, 177.
The levers D, D, are pressed by the motion of pulling the
locks to the full cock, and the ends b, b, are forced through the trigger
plate against the triggers, and raise them up, the ends b, b, are forced
through the trigger plate against the triggers and raise them up, the
ends b, b, passing so far across the joints of the triggers J, g, as to keep
the tails of the finger parts of the triggers steady, and to prevent them
from falling down until the locks are let off. B, is a spring secured
by a screw or screws to the trigger plate behind the levers A, A, at k,
the ends of which press upon the levers at d, d, and bring them
to and retain them in their places after the locks are let off. C, C,
are the triggers hung in the usual manner at a, a; g, g, are the
joints in the triggers which permit the tails or finger parts of the
triggers to fall or lay down sideway on the trigger plate; e, e, are two
very gentle springs which are fixed in grooves in the webs of the
triggers so as to lay under or even with the surfaces of the flat side of
the webs, and are secured in the grooves by small screws or rivets,
which springs must be of sufficient strength to bring the tails or finger
parts of the triggers down upon the trigger plate after the locks are
let off, the ends bearing upon the hooks or catches formed in the
ends of the tails or finger parts of the triggers at f, f, but must not
be so strong as to impede the motion of the triggers in firing by
pressing the triggers against the ends b, b, of the levers A, A. D, D,
are two levers, one of which is put upon a square made at the end
of the axle of the tumbler of the left hand lock, and the other is put
upon a square made at the end of the axle of the tumbler of the
These
right hand lock, and secured thereon by a screw or screws.
levers are placed on the tumblers in such a manner that their ends
furthest from the axles touch the tops, but do not press down
the levers A, A, until the locks are pulled up past the half cock,
and when the locks are at full cock force down the ends b, b, of
the levers A, A, and raise up the triggers. E, is a shield to cover
the opening in the trigger plate at the ends of the triggers, so that
when the locks are not cocked, or are at half cock, the springs e, e,
pressing upon the hooks in the triggers at ff, keep the tails or finger
parts of the triggers flat on the trigger plate; and when the locks are

page_text: at full cock the levers D, D, are brought down upon the tops of the
levers A, A, at m, m, and press down the ends b, b, through the trigger
plate upon the side of the tail or finger part of the triggers, and raise
them up and pass so far across the joints g, g, as to keep the triggers
steady, and at the same moment when the locks are let off by the
natural pull of the finger upon the triggers, the levers D, D, being
taken off the levers A, A, by the motion of the axles of the tumblers,
and the levers A, A, raised up by the spring B, the tails or finger parts
of the triggers are brought down upon the trigger plate by the action
of the springs e, e, upon the hooks in the triggers at f, f. When
one only of the triggers of a double gun, pistol, or other fire-arm is
imade to fall down, the fast or standing trigger is made as the triggers
of double guns are generally made, and the other or fall down trigger
is made in the manner disclosed in the preceding description, in which
way the fall down triggers of single guns, pistols, and fire-arms are also
made.
The improvements which I have invented in the construction of
implements used for loading guns, pistols, and other fire arms arc,-
1. Improvements in the construction of the powder flask top, which,
when made in the improved manner, I call "the improved fire-proof.
powder flask top."
2. Improvements in the construction of the shot belt top, which,
when made after the improved plan, I call "the improved self filling
stop top."
3. Improvements in the construction of pocket powder and pocket
shot chargers, which, when made according to the improved method, I
designate as follows, namely:-I call one of them "the slide spring
cap pocket charger," another "the improved secret spring pocket
charger," and another "the slide pocket charger."
1. One of my new invented improvements in the construction of the s
powder flask top consists in making the cutter work between two
plates, each plate having a hole in the centre or any other convenient
part to admit the passage of the powder from the body of the flask to
the charger, and both plates fitting close to the latter.
The under surface of the upper plate fitting close to the upper

page_text: surface of the cutter and the upper surface of the bottom plate, or that
next the body of the flask fitting close to the under surface of the
cutter, and the solid part of the cutter being between and covering the
holes in the plates when the flask is in use, in the act of loading, no
fire can penetrate to or communicate with the powder in the body of
the flask, in case the powder in the charger take fire, either from fire
remaining in the barrel of the gun after being discharged, or from any
other cause; an accident which has proved fatal in many instances,
and not sufficiently guarded against in the powder flasks now in general
use. Another of these improvements consists in making the charger
move with the cutter in the manner herein-after described. Another of
these improvements consists in making the graduating part, or what is
commonly called "the rising charger," on a construction that permits
it to be made to hold more or less without unintentionally unscrewing
the charger from the top, an inconvenience to which the graduating
charges now in general use are subject. The annexed Drawings,
Number 2, and the following explanation thereof, describe what I
consider the best manner of making this powder flask top, although its
construction may be varied as to the form without departing from the
principle of my Invention:-Figure 4, represents the flask top complete.
A, is the charger; a, the outside; b, an improved spiral graduating
part by which the charger is made to hold a greater or lesser quantity,
and which is made more or less spiral, and the spiral part longer or
shorter according to the proportions in which the charger is intended
to rise and the number of divisions required; c, a small screw which is
passed through the aperture in the rising part and secures a, the out-
side, and d, the inside of the charger together in the usual manner.
B, the upper plate which is fastened to the bottom plate E, by the two
screws h, h, passed through the holes g, g, in the under side of which
plate is a groove to receive the edge of the upright rim of plate E, to
keep the two plates steady together; f, the hole in the plate (which
may be of any form) to permit the power to pass from the body of the
flask to the charger, having a screw cut in the inside to receive the
screw e, of the charger; h, h, are two screws which fasten the plates
together, one of which screws serves as the axle of the cutter C; C, is

page_text: the cutter, the nob or thumb piece by which the cutter is moved
backward or forward; k, the hole through which the screw h, (the axis
the cutter works upon) is passéd; 7, the hole through which the powder
passes from the body to the charger, made the same form as the
holes in the plates, which hole when the charger is to be filled is
brought between the holes ff, in the plates B, and E, by moving the
cutter by the nob or thumb piece i; and when the charger is filled is,
by the action of the spring D, removed to and remains between the
solid parts of the plates B, and E, and the solid part of the cutter is
brought to and remains between and covers the holes in the plates,
so that the communication between the charger and the body of the
flask is securely cut off by the upper plate fitting close upon the upper
surface of the solid part of the cutter, and the bottom plate fitting
close to the under surface of the solid part of the cutter. D, the
spring, made of sheet, or rolled, or forged steel; m, m, are the studs
or pegs by which the spring is secured to the plate E, the spring
being placed within and the studs close to the inside of the upright
rim 2, 2.
E, is the bottom plate; f, the hole in the plate to admit
the passage of the powder from the body to the charger; g, g, are
two holes into which are screwed the two screws h, h; n, n, an
upright rim, as thin as it can be to be useful, in order to give room
for the cutter and spring, being as much higher than the thickness of
the cutter as it has to go into the groove of the plate B.
0, 0, the
screw by which the bottom plate is fastened into the collar or rim F,
at o. F, the collar or rim by which the top is secured to the body of
the flask made in the usual manner. The spring D, may be fixed on
the outer side of the upright rim n, n, in plate E, such plate being
made sufficiently large on the outside of the rim, and the spring in
that case will be secured to the plate by a screw passed through an eye
in the end of it as the springs of powder flasks are now generally
secured. When the top contains a moving charger all the parts are
made as already described, except that the charger A, is screwed or
fastened into or upon the hole 1, in the cutter C; and the upper plate B,
is without the screw or hole at f, and an opening is made in it of
suflicient length and width to admit the charger to pass with the

page_text: cutter from the solid part of the plate E, to the hole f, and when filled
to be by the action of the spring D, returned to and continued upon
the solid part of the plate E. When the solid part of the cutter remains
upon and covers the hole f, and the powder in the charger is removed
from and has no communication with the powder in the body of the
flask, and the charger being stationed at the side of the flask the
hand need not be held over the muzzle of the gun in the act of
loading.
2. In the shot belt top, which I call "the improved self-filling stop
top," the improvement invented by me is in constructing the top (when
made with a stop or cutter to prevent the shot from being lost out of
the belt when the charger is removed) in such manner that by the
action of putting the charger within or upon the outside or socket the
stop or cutter is opened or raised, so that when the charger is in or
upon the top the shot can pass from the bag of the belt into the
charger and a proper quantity or load be taken out without any other
trouble than taking out the charger, and the step or cutter by the
action of a spring closes the mouth of the bag at the same instant that
the charger is removed, so that no shot can pass but what is contained
in the charger, nor can any shot escape from the bag when the charger
is in use, in the act of loading, or removed from the top by any other
means. This top is made in various ways. For instance, the cutter or
stop is made to work sometimes by means of what is commonly called
a jahapant spring, sometimes by a spiral or worm spring, as made in
what are called "cross pump tops," and sometimes by a lever and
spring, as made in what are known by "lever or balance tops." But
the two plans of constructing it, as described in the annexed Drawings,
Number, 3, and Number 4, and the following explanation thereof, are
what I consider the best:-In the Drawings, Number 3, Figure 5, repre-
sents the top complete, except the socket, which is made and fastened into
the belt in the usual manner. A, is the charger; a, the hole in the cap
through which the spring passes; b, a groove to receive the spring, which
hole and groove are the same as in the cominon Irish spring charger;
and spring B, is secured to the charger by a small screw at c, in the
same manner as the springs of Irish spring chargers are usually secured;

page_text: d, d, d, the nose or lip of the charger, which is made sufficiently long to
be very gradually sloped, and made thin at the end to permit it to enter
under and raise up the cutter or stop E, E, by passing under it at the
chamfered parts, s, s, high enough to admit the shot from the bag into
the charger; the square or perpendicular part at the top of the slope
being made to fit close to the flat side of the cutter. B, the charger
spring, made of rolled or sheet steel, and cut out by proper tools in a fly
or press, or of steel forged with the hammer, being hollow on the upper
side to lead the end of the screw g, into the hole e, by which means the
charger is secured to the socket C; or this spring is made with a catch
or shoulder, and forged with the hammer, as the springs of Irish spring
shot chargers are made; or the shank, or part which springs, is made of
rolled or sheet steel cut out with proper tools in a fly or press, and the
head of sheet or rolled iron or steel, which is better than iron cut out in
like manner, and the head and shank are welded or sodered together,
and a catch or shoulder is left in the same manner as the catch or
shoulder of Frish springs.
When the springs are made as last described there is a considerable
-saving, not only in the expense of steel but also of labour.
When the springs are made in either of the two ways last mentioned,
having a catch or shoulder, the moulding or mouth of the socket c, is
made broad, and has a ring or rim in the inside, to receive the catch
of the spring.
C, the outside or socket; f, the small hole at which the
spring D, is fastened to the socket; h, h, the grove or niche in which
works the cutter E; i, the grove or niche which receives the projecting
part 1, of the cutter E; k, the screw by which the outside or socket C, is
screwed into a socket secured in the belt; D, the cutter spring, made of
rolled or sheet steel; f, the hole through which the screw y, passes,
and secures the spring to the socket C, at f, the small end of the spring
resting upon and pressing down the cutter or stop E, E.
E, E, a
front and back view of the cutter or stop; m, m, a recess which fits
and receives the small end of the spring D, and keeps the spring
steady; n, n, a hole in which is screwed a small screw 7, to prevent
the cutter rising too high; p, p, are two projections by which the cutter
may be raised to return shot into the belt; s, s, s, the bottom of the

page_text: front of the cutter which is chamfered off to permit the, nose or lip of
the charger to pass under and raise up the cutter; 7, 7, a projecting
part on the back of the cutter made to fit and work in the groove i, in
the socket C, in order to keep the cutter steady, so that this cutter
when the charger A, is put into the socket C, is raised up by the
stopped end of the charger passing under it, and permits the passage of
the shot from the bag into the charger, and whilst the charger is taking
out of the socket C, the cutter is by the action of the spring D, forced
down upon the sloped part of the charger, and prevents any shot from
passing, except what is contained in the charger.
are
In the Drawings, Number 4, hereunto annexed, Figure 6, repre-
sents the top complete, except the socket, which is secured to the
belt in the usual way, and is made sufficiently large to admit the
passage of the shot to the opening h. A, is the charger which
slips over and upon the outside tube C, and is fastened by the catch
e, e, of the spring c, c, upon the catch 1, 1, of the tube C; c, c, a
front and side of the spring, made of forged or rolled steel; f, f, a
the holes by which the spring is secured on the charger by two small
screws; d, is an opening in the charger to admit the catch e, of the
spring c; a, a bolt or peg, which is passed through two holes, made
to receive it in the charger at b, b, and is small at one end to prevent
its going too far through, the small button or nob at the end being
screwed or sodered on after it is put through the charger. One end of
this bolt or peg rests upon the end of the spring, so that when the
charger is wanted to be taken off the top, the catch of the spring is, by
pressing down the peg or bolt, raised out of the catch 7, 7, in the tube
C, and the charger is set at liberty. p, a flat piece of metal sodered in
the inside of the charger as near as possible to the bolt or peg a, to pre-
vent the shot getting to the bolt or peg, which piece of metal when the
charger is fastened upon the tube C, presses upon and forces down the
end of the moving tube B, and opens the opening h, h, in tubes B, and
C, and permits the shot to enter into and fill the charger. B, the inner
or moving tube; g, a part of the tube of smaller diameter, which
works within the collar or moulding of the tube C, at 1, 1, and which is
pressed down by the charger A; h, an opening of the same size and

page_text: form as that at the tube C, at h, which opening when the tube B, is
pressed down by the charger is brought exactly under the opening h
in tube C, and permits the shot to pass from the bag into the charger;
i, the part of the tube which works in and fits close into the tube C, at
1, and which, when the charger A, is taken off the top, is forced upwards
by the action of the spiral spring D, and closes up the opening h, in
tube C, and prevents any shot from passing out of the belt, except
what is contained in the charger; k, a small peg or catch which moves
in the groove m, in the tube C, and prevents the moving tube B, from
going too high or too low. C, the outer tube; 1, 1, the catch which
receives the catch of the spring, and secures the charger on the top;
n, n, the screw by which the tube is screwed into a socket, fastened in
the belt; 7, an opening of the same size and form as that in tube B.
D, the spiral spring made in the usual manner, which passes up the
bottom of the tube B, and is stopped from going too far by a flat piece
of metal sodered within at t. E, the bottom which fits and slips upon
the tube C, and is secured to it by the catch s, s, at 1, and presses the
spring D, up to t, in tube B, and confines it within the tube.
3. The improvement invented by me in the construction of the pocket
powder or shot charger, which I call "the slide spring cap pocket
charger," consists in making it with the lids or caps to slide off sideway,
with springs in the lids or caps to secure them in their places, instead
of the lids being made to rise up by a spring on the outside, as
pocket chargers are usually made. The following is a description of a
manner in which this charger is made with reference to the annexed
Drawings, Number 5; in which Drawings, Figure 7, represents the
body of the charger, divided by a partition, sodered in the inside at
such distance from the ends as will make them contain the quantities
required; d, d, are two small hollows which the ends of the springs C, C,
are received when the lids are shut. A, A, are two sockets of sufficient
substance sodered into the ends of the body in which the shanks or
axles of the lids work in the holes a, a. B, B, the lids or caps; b, b, the
shanks or axles which work in the holes a, a, of the sockets A, A, and
are secured therein by a small wire screw passed through the body and
sockets, in a proper direction to catch in the grooves y, y, in the shanks

page_text: or axles b, b. c, c, the grooves in the under side of the lids or caps of
sufficient depth and width to receive the springs; or these lids or caps
are secured to the body by screws passed through them and secured
into the sockets; which screws, by having the shanks near to the heads
without any threads or screw, serve as the axles for the lids to work
upon. C, C, the springs, made of rolled or forged steel, or of brass
hammer-hardened, and made taper to keep them within the grooves in
the lids; when the lids are shut, the ends of these springs drop into
the small hollows d, d, in the ends of the body, and secure the lids in
their places, and when the lids are to be opened, the springs are raised
out of the hollows by pressing upon the ends of the springs, and the
lids are at liberty to be moved sideway off the ends of the charger.
The improvement which I have invented in the pocket, powder or
shot charger, which, when constructed on my improved plan, I call
"the improved secret spring pocket charger," consists in placing the
spring in the inside of the body, so that it does not appear when the
lids or caps of the charger are shut, by which means it is made much
neater, and it is not subject to have the spring set fast and rendered
useless by rust, which is the case with the common spring pocket.
charger with springs on the outside.
The following is a description of the manner in which the improved
charger is made with reference to the annexed Drawings, Number 6:
In these Drawings, Figure 8, represents the body of the charger. e, e,
are two openings in the ends, made to fit and receive the joints g, g, of
the lids D, D. A, is the spring made of rolled or sheet steel, cut out
by proper tools in a fly or press, or of forged steel; a, the part of the
spring which rests upon the bottom of the inside of the trough B, at b;
h, h, the ends of the spring, which by pressing upon the inner and.
bottom squares of the points g, g, of the lids D, D, keep the lids shut
or open.
B, the spring bed or trough which is placed in the inside of the
body, the two ends reaching to and placed at the openings e, e, and
may be either sodered into the body, or to the partition C. C, the par-
tition, which may be sodered either into the body or to the trough, at
such distance from the ends as will make them contain the quantities

page_text: required; d, the opening made to fit upon and contain the trough;
D, D, the lids or caps; g, g, the points by which the lids are fastened
to and work in the ends c, c, of the trough B, and the openings c, c,
of the body by pins passed through the body and trough at f, f.
The improvement which I have invented in the pocket powder or
shot charger, which I call the "slide pocket charger," consists in making
it in such manner that the opening which receives and discharges the
powder or shot is closed by sliding covers without springs.
The following are descriptions of two ways in which this charger is
made with reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed, Number 7,
and Number 8:-In these Drawings, Figure 9, represents the body made
as the body Figure 7. a, a, are two grooves to receive the screws d, d,
of sufficient length to permit the slides to pass up and down; b, b, the
openings by which the powder or shot is put into or out of the body,
which openings may be made of any form; e, e, the ends which are
sodered to the body after the slides are placed within it. A, A, the
sliding covers which fit into and are placed inside of the body, and
secured by the screws d, d, passed through the grooves a, a, and screwing
into the sliding covers at c, c, so that the sliding covers are moved up
or down by the heads of the screws, and open or cover the openings b, b,
in the body.
Figure 10, represents the body made cylindrical, and divided by a
partition sodered in the inside at such distance from the ends as will
make them contain the quantities required; a, a, are two holes or
openings which may be of any form to admit the powder or shot into
or out of the body; b, b, are two grooves to receive the screws c, c, of
sufficient length to permit the openings a, a, to be opened or covered
by the sliding covers. A, A, are the sliding covers made to fit close
into or upon the inside or outside of the body, and of sufficient length
to work steady; a, a, the two openings of the same size and form as
those in the body; c, c, two small screws which are passed through and
move in the grooves b, b, and are screwed into the sliding covers, so
that by the heads of the screws the sliding covers are moved backward
or forward, and the holes in the covers brought to or removed from
the openings in the body, and the openings shut or opened. The

page_text: charger last described is also made with the openings a, a, at the ends
instead of being in the sides of the charger.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sykes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in
the fifty-fourth year of His said Majesty's reign, and in the
year of our Lord Christ One thousand eight hundred and
fourteen.