NEW INVENTED FIRELOCK, MORE PORTABLE AND SAFE THAN ANY EVER
Year: 1775

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, HENRY
Nock, of the Parish of Saint Andrew, Holborn, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gun Lock Smith, WILLIAM JOVER, of Long Acre, in the Parish
of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, in the County of Middlesex aforesaid,
Gunmaker, and Joux GREEN, of the City of London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth day of April, in the fifteenth year of His reign,
hath, for Himself, His heirs and successors, given and granted unto the
said Henry Nock, William Jover, and John Green, their executors,
adiiors, and assigns, His especial license, full power, sole privilege, and
authority to make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Great
Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
their "NEW INVENTED FIRELOCK, MORE PORTABLE AND SAFE THAN ANY EVER

page_text: BEFORE MADE, THE LOCK OF WHICH IS SO CONCEALED THAT THERE IS NOT THE
LEAST APPEARANCE OF IT ON THE OUTSIDE, NOR ANY SPARK OF FIRE OR SMOKE
ARISES FROM THE SAME WHICH WILL IN ANY RESPECT AFFECT OR OBSTRUCT THE
SIGHT OF THE OBJECT WHEN IN EXECUTION, THE SMOAK BEING CONVEYED
THROUGH A TUBE MADE FOR THAT PURPOSE; THAT THE GUN OR OTHER FIRE-
ARMS ON THIS CONSTRUCTION WILL DO THE SAME SERVICE IN EXTREME RAINY,
HAZY, SNOWY, OR WINDY WEATHER, AS ANY OTHER GUN OR OTHER FIRE-
ARMS NOW USED WILL IN FINE CALM WEATHER; THAT THE PRIME IS SO
SECURED THAT THE PIECE MAY BE LAID (WITHOUT ANY COVER) IN THE OPEN
RAIN FOR A WHOLE DAY OR MORE, WITHOUT BEING, BY REASON OF SUCH RAIN,
IN THE LEAST OBSTRUCTED OR IMPEDED IN THE FIRING OFF OR DISCHARGING
THE SAME; THAT THE SAID INVENTION IS SO SIMPLY CONTRIVED, THAT THE
PERSON WHO USES THE-SAID GUN (OR ANY OTHER FIRE-ARMS ON THIS CON-
STRUCTION) MAY IN ANY OPEN FIELD TAKE THE BARRELL FROM THE LOCK
WITH GREAT EASE, WHICH RENDERS THE BARRELL EXCEEDINGLY EASY TO BE
CLEANED, AND THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION OF A BREECH PIN, AS IN OTHER
GUNS OR FIRE-ARMS; AND LIKEWISE THEIR NEW INVENTED LEAVER THAT
SETS THE LOCK IN MOTION, WHICH INSTANTLY CAN BE TAKEN AWAY, AND
THEREBY DISENGAGES THE ACTION OF THE GUN (OR ANY FIRE-ARMS ON THE
SAME CONSTRUCTION), AND IS QUITE SAFE FROM GOING OFF WITHOUT THE
APPLICATION OF THE LEAVER, WHICH MAY BE APPLIED IN A MOMENT, AND
WHICH SAID FIRELOCK MAY BE USED EITHER TO A GUN, PISTOL, CANNON,
OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT OF FIRE-ARMS WHATEVER, WHICH HATH EITHER
ONE, TWO, THREE, OR MORE BARRELS;" together with the whole profit,
benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, grow-
ing, aceruing, and arising by reason of the said Invention, for, and
during the term of fourteen years, according to the form of the statute
in that case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent, amongst
other things, it is provided; that if the said Henry Nock, William Jover,
and John Green shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of their said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under their hands and seals, and cause the
same to be inrolled in the High Court of Chancery within four calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the same Letters Patent,
that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages what-

page_text: soever thereby granted; should utterly cease, determine, and become
void, anything therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in any
wise notwithstanding.
NOW KNOW YE, that they, the said Henry Nock, William Jover,
and Jolin Green,' in pursuance of the intention of the said Letters
Patent, and in compliance with the provisoe therein contained, do hereby
declare that the nature of their said Invention of a new firelock and
leaver, as above set forth, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, is as follows (that is to say):
4.3
'A gun with a barrell, stock, and lock, as follow:-The barrel of any
length and size at pleasure; the stock the same; and the whole made of
any metal, as other guns are made. The lock consists of a main plate, a
steel pan cover or hammer, a cock concealed, a main spring, two small
swivels, a main center pin, a leaver, a leaver spring, a hammer spring,
a pan cover center pin, a trigger, a trigger spring, a guard, a lock cover,
a bolt, a lock cover spring, a tube, a lever to cock the gun. The main
plate of the lock answers the purpose of the pan touch hole and breech
pin. The pan is covered by the hammer or steel cover, and moves in a
joint with the assistance of two small springs acting upon the semi-
circular ends of the joint pin, or may be with one spring, a cock which
acts in the centre of the main plate (in a joint through which is a center
pin) which receives its force by a double main spring fixed on the
main plate, or may be with a single one. The cock is connected with
the main spring by two small swivels. The hammer is carried over the
flint as the gun is fired by a small leaver thrown up with a spring which
is disengaged at half-cocking the gun: The trigger acts in the center
of the main plate, and answers the purpose of both sear and trigger,
and may be applied to either side upon
the trigger is caused by a small spring covered with a guard. The lock
cover has, a joint, shuts fast by'a double bolt or locking spring, and opens
by the pressure of the finger or thumb on the bolt leaver assisted by a
small spring, a leaver which fixes on the end of the main center pin
to cock the gun. The fire and smoke occasioned by the prime in the
pan being fired are conveyed through a tube, which represents a part
of the gun stock, and is about sixteen inches long, or may be continued
the center pin. The action of

page_text: to the muzzle of the gun. This covered lock may be applied to either
side of the breech of the barrel.
In witness whereof they, the said Henry Nock, William Jover,
and John Green have hereunto set their hands and scals, the
Fifth day of August, in the fifteenth year of the reign of our
Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and seventy-five.