IMPROVED MEANS FOR FIRING OFF GUNS OR CANNON
Year: 1884

page_text: I CHARLES WOOD of Middlesbrough in the County of York Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR FIRING OFF GUNS
OR CANNON" to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improved means for firing off guns or cannon.
I employ a nipple screwed into the breech of the gun or cannon upon which is
put a percussion copper or other cap in the usual form but in place of the usual
hammer, I place immediately in front of the nipple a cylinder about 3/4 of an inch
in diameter and about eight inches long. This cylinder contains a loosely fitting
piston or plunger or ram. On the end of the cylinder opposite the nipple a piece of
flexible or other pipe is attached this pipe may be fifteen or more feet long. After
the gun has been brought into position the other end of the tube is placed in the
mouth of the person wishing to fire the gun. The person then standing a distance
off blows through the tube with a sharp quick breath and the plunger or piston is
sent along the cylinder with such velocity that striking the copper or percussion
cap it causes an explosion. The person then sucks a little air out of the tube which
draws the piston or ram back again ready for another shot.
This mode of firing is of especial advantage when a person could not reach a
trigger and where a string or electric wire would be dangerous and inconvenient.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, CHARLES WOOD of Middlesborough in the County of York Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR FIRING OFF GUNS
OR CANNON " and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object improved means for firing off guns or cannon.
I employ a nipple screwed into the breech of the gun or cannon upon which is
put a percussion copper or other cap in the usual form but in place of the usual
hammer I place immediately in front of the nipple a cylinder about 3/4 of an inch
in diameter and about eight inches long. This cylinder contains a loosely fitting
piston or plunger or ram. On the end of the cylinder opposite the nipple a piece of
flexible or other pipe is attached this pipe may be fifteen or more feet long. After
the gun has been brought into position the other end of the tube is placed in the
mouth of the person wishing to fire the gun. The person then standing a distance
off blows through the tube with a sharp quick breath and the plunger or piston is
sent along the cylinder with such velocity that striking the copper or percussion -
cap it causes an explosion. The person then sucks a little air out of the tube which
draws the piston or ram back again ready for another shot.
This mode of firing is of special advantage when a person could not reach a
trigger and where a string or electric wire would be dangerous and inconvenient.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a gun such as is employed in the
generative Hot Blast Stoves for causing a concussion of air; the invention
however is applicable to other guns,
Figure 2 represents a full sized section of the ram cylinder with the ram inside.
A is the gun it is mounted on a wheeled carriage to facilitate its removal from place
to place. B is the breech piece into which the nipple is screwed. B¹ is a small
hole in the breech piece for putting in a little fine priming powder when using
pebble or coarse blasting powder in the gun. C is the nipple upon which is placed
an ordinary gun cap C³. D is a cylinder bored out and placed opposite the nipple.
E is a piston or ram which is made to slide easily the whole length of the barrel or
cylinder. F is a long piece of tube which may be of india rubber or other material.
This tule is fixed upon one end of the barrel or cylinder D and may be of any
convenient length, one end having a mouth piece attached marked G.
To fire off the gun all that is necessary is to load or charge it in the usual way,
copper cap is then placed upon the nipple. The gun is then wheeled to the stove.
and placed by means of the handles with which its carriage is furnished in position
for firing; the tube is then taken to any convenient place or out of danger, the
mouth piece G is then placed to the mouth of the person firing, a suck is then
made to draw the Ram back the full length of the cylinder, when this is done a
good sharp puff or blow is given through the tube which sends the ram or piston
along with such velocity that striking the copper cap it causes it to instantly
explode.
The piston or ram may be actuated by blowing from the mouth or by air
compressed by any known means or it may be actuated by steam or by gas which
shall be under pressure.

page_text: The design may be otherwise modified as by using Paper Caps in the place of
Copper Caps, or Cartridges may be used and the piston or ram made to strike
directly upon the priming of the Cartridge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is my improved means for firing off guns or cannon consisting in an
arrangement of apparatus such that a piston or ram being forced by an air blast
along a cylinder comes in contact with a cap or priming with sufficient force to
explode it and thereby to fire the charge substantially as described.
Deted this 4th dou if November 1901