Improvements in Air Guns.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
Improvements in Air Guns.
We, CHARLES LANE, JOHN BURR LANE, and ERNEST LANE, all of
No. 454 New Church Street, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
as
This invention relates more particularly to the cocking and releasing of air guns
and has for its object to increase the strength and durability of the operating parts
and to render the pull when discharging the gun, smoother than is the case with
air guns as hitherto constructed, and consequently enabling more reliable aim to be
obtained. According to this invention the plunger which slides to and fro in the
cylinder of the gun in the usual manner is provided with a recess containing a
spring bolt consisting preferably of a small metal ball acted on by a spring, tending
to force the said ball outward from the recess but which in its normal condition is
compressed within the recess by the interior surface of the cylinder in which the
plunger works, or instead of the metal ball a bolt with a rounded end may be
employed. When the plunger is slidden in its cylinder into its cocking position,
the spring bolt or ball will leave the internal surface of the cylinder and be forced,
by its spring, outwards against a shoulder or the end of a groove, in the cylinder so
as to retain the plunger in its cocked position the said spring bolt or ball also
pressing outward a hinged lever pivotted between flanges or cheeks depending from
the cylinder. The free end of this lever is caused to bear against another pivotted
lever provided with an adjusting screw by means of which the distance to which
the first named lever is permitted to project can be regulated as required. On this
first named lever the trigger is caused to act to discharge the gun and consequently
the pull on the trigger to effect the discharge of the gun may be regulated
required by adjusting the extent to which the lever is made to project. The
trigger may be pivotted to the flanges or cheeks on the cylinder hereinbefore
described or it may be carried on the operating lever by which the gun is cocked
which lever also constitutes the trigger guard. This lever as hitherto constructed
is liable to break when cocking the gun owing to the power required to be exerted
by the lever to compress the main spring thereby causing much annoyance,
inconvenience and expense. In order to obviate this defect the combined operating
lever and trigger guard constructed according to this invention is provided with a
strengthening bar or strengthening bars which connect the two ends of the bowed
portion of the lever. This strengthening bar or these strengthening bars may be
formed in one with the lever or if desired they may be attached thereto in any
suitable manner. The trigger may be pivotted to this strengthening bar or bars or
in case the trigger is pivotted to the cylinder in the usual manner the said
strengthening bar may be provided with an opening through which the trigger can
pass, or a strengthening bar can be fixed to the lever on each side of the trigger.
The operating lever is pivotted at one end to the barrel of the gun its opposite end
being connected to a block fitted to slide in guides between the cheeks or flanges on
the cylinder a projection on this sliding block entering a groove formed longitudin-
ally in the plunger against one end of which slot the projection on the block acts,
when cocking the gun. Instead of the metal ball being carried in a recess in the
plunger as herein before described the said ball may be contained in a recess or bent
in the trigger or in a sear or short lever operated by the trigger so that the plunger

page_text: will slide over the said ball and when the plunger is in position for cocking the ball
will enter an annular recess in the plunger it being then engaged by a shoulder or
side of the recess in the plunger and so retain the said plunger in its cocked
position. When the trigger is pulled the ball will pass from the recess in the
plunger and release the said plunger and so discharge the gun. An adjusting screw 5
is provided to regulate as required the pull on the trigger as before described.
Dated this 31st day of October 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Air Guns.
We, CHARLES LANE, JOHN BURR LANE, and ERNEST LANE, all of
No. 454 New Church Street, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates more particularly to the cocking and releasing of air guns
and has for its object to increase the strength and durability of the operating parts
and to render the pull, when discharging the gun, smoother than is the case with air
guns as hitherto constructed, and consequently enabling more reliable aim to be
obtained. According to this invention the plunger which slides to and fro in the
cylinder of the gun in the usual manner is provided with a recess containing a
spring bolt consisting preferably of a small metal ball acted ou by a spring tending
to force the said ball outward from the recess but which in its norinal condition is
compressed within the recess by the interior surface of the cylinder in which the
plunger works or instead of the metal ball a bolt with a rounded end may be
employed. When the plunger is slidden in its cylinder into its cocking position,
the spring bolt or ball will leave the internal surface of the cylinder and be forced,
by its spring, outwards against a shoulder or the end of a groove, in the cylinder so
as to retain the plunger in its cocked position the said spring bolt or ball also
pressing outward a hinged lever pivotted between flanges or cheeks depending from
the cylinder. The free end of this lever is caused to hear against another pivotted
lever provided with an adjusting screw by means of which the distance to which the
first named lever is permitted to project can be regulated as required. On this
first named lever the trigger is caused to act. to discharge the gun and consequently
the pull on the trigger to effect the discharge of the gun may be regulated as
required by adjusting the extent to which the lever is made to project. The
trigger may be pivotted to the flanges or cheeks on the cylinder hereinbefore
described or it may be carried on the operating lever by which the gun is cocked
which lever also constitutes the trigger guard. This lever as hitherto
constructed is liable to break when cocking the gun owing to the power required
to be exerted by the lever to compress the main spring thereby causing much
annoyance, inconvenience and expense. In order to obviate this defect the
combined operating lever and trigger guard constructed according to this invention
is provided with a strengthening bar or strengthening bars which connect the two
ends of the bowed portion of the lever. This strengthening bar or these
strengthening bars may be formed in one with the lever, or if desired they may be
attached thereto in any suitable manner. The trigger may be pivotted to this
strengthening bar or bars or in case the trigger is pivotted to the cylinder in the
usual manner the said strengthening bar may be provided with an opening through
which the trigger can pass, or a strengthening bar can be fixed to the lever on each
side of the trigger. The operating lever is pivotted at one end to the barrel of

page_text: the
gun its opposite end being connected to a block fitted to slide in guides between
the cheeks or flanges on the cylinder, a projection on this sliding block entering a
groove formed longitudinally in the plunger against one end of which slot the
Instead of the metal ball
projection on the block acts, when cocking the gun.
being carried in a recess in the plunger as hereinbefore described the said ball may
be contained in a recess in the trigger or in a sear or short lever operated by the
trigger so that the plunger will slide over the said ball and when the plunger is in
position for cocking the ball will enter an annular recess in the plunger it being
then engaged by a shoulder or a side of the recess in the plunger and so retain the
said plunger in its cocked position; when the trigger is pulled the ball will pass
from the recess in the plunger and release the said plunger and so discharge the
gun. An adjusting screw is provided to regulate as required the pull on the trigger
as before described.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the sa ne and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures in the annexed sheets of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an air gun constructed according to this invention
with the parts in their normal position.
Figure 2 shews the parts moved into position for cocking the gun and for
receiving the charge.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of part of the gun, drawn to a larger scale and
shewing the parts in their cocked position ready for discharging and Figure 4 is a
similar view shewing the parts in their normal position or after the gun has been
discharged.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 shewing a modification in the cocking and
discharging mechanism the parts being shewn in the cocked position and Figure 6
is a similar view shewing the parts in their uncocked or normal position.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4 A is the stock of the gun to which is connected by
screwing or otherwise a cylinder B in which is fitted to slide a plunger C, the said
cylinder being hollow to receive one end of the main spring D which bears on the
internal surface of the head or forward end of the plunger whilst the opposite end
of the said spring bears against the stock A the tendency of the spring being
to force the plunger forward in the cylinder B. E is the barrel of the gun hinged
at F to the cylinder B the bore of which barrel when closed or in the normal
position, coincides with a hole or passage G for air in the head of the cylinder B.
The barrel is held in its closed position by a spring latch or detent H attached to
the cylinder B and engaging with a shoulder or projection I provided by forming a
recess K in the rear end of the barrel in which recess is a hinged lever L. One
end of this lever when the barrel is closed is beneath the latch or detent H so that
by depressing the opposite end of the said lever the latch is forced up out of
engagement with the shoulder or projection I so that the barrel can then be turned
on its hinge F into the position shewn in Figure 2. The cylinder B has on the
under side a longitudinal slot or opening M, and on each side of this slot is a
longitudinal cheek or flange M' having grooves N in which is fitted to slide a
block having a projection P thereon which slides in a longitudinal slot or
opening in the plunger C. To the block O is hinged or pivotted one end of the
trigger guard R, the opposite end of which is hinged at S to the barrel E so that
when the barrel is being turned into the position shewn in Figure 2 the block O
is caused to slide rearwardly between the cheeks or flanges M³ and at the same
time the projection P on the block by engaging with the rear end of the slot or
opening in the plunger C forces the said plunger rearwardly in the cylinder B
and thereby compresses the main spring D. Near the frout end of the plunger C
is a recess T containing a spring U and a hard-metal ball V which constitute a
spring sear, which ball when the plunger is in its extreme rearward or cocked
position is pressed outwards by the spring U into the slot M in the cylinder and
caused to engage with the forward end of the said slot and so retain the plunger in

page_text: its cocked position, the ball being supported in this position by a lever W pivotted
between the cheeks or flanges M. When the plunger has been cocked tlie barrel
can be closed or returned to its normal position and a bullet having been inserted
in the barrel the gun is ready to be discharged. The trigger X for discharging
the gun may be pivotted to the cheeks or flanges M' but preferably is pivotted on
a bar Y formed in one with the trigger guard R as shewn. In connection with the
trigger X and passing through a hole in the bar Y is a pin or stud Z provided at
its lower end with a head between which head and the bar Y is interposed a
spring a which maintains the said head in contact with the trigger and tends to
maintain the trigger in its normal position. The upper end of the pin or stud Z,
when the barrel is closed, is in contact or nearly in contact with the lever W,
which supports the hard-metal ball V when the gun is cocked, so that by a slight
pull on the trigger the stud will depress the lever W and force the ball V against
the pressure of the spring U away from the end of the slot M into the recess T,
and so release the plunger C which then by the expansion of the main spring D
will be driven forward with force thereby compressing the air contained in the
cylinder in front of the plunger, which compressed air in its turn acting on the
bullet placed in the bore of the barrel projects the said bullet from the barrel with
great force. To regulate as required the pull on the trigger to discharge the gun
a screw may be provided in the lever W and caused to bear on the cylinder B the
screw being caused to project more or less through the lever whereby the ball V
may be caused to project more or less from the recess T and so regulate as required
the pull on the trigger necessary to discharge the gun. Or instead of passing the
screw through the lever W a small lever a² as shewn in the drawings may be
pivotted to the cylinder B one end of which lever engages with the lever W the
other end being provided with an adjusting screw b by means of which the distance
to which the ball is allowed to project from the recess T may be regulated as
required and so adjust the pull of the trigger.
Hitherto in guns of this description in which the gun is cocked by means of the lever
constituting the trigger guard the said lever is liable to break when cocking the gun
owing to the great power required to compress the main spring, this defect is obviated
by connecting together the two ends of the bowed portion of the lever by a
strengthening bar or strengthening bars Y as shewn. In the arrangement hereinbefore
described the ball V is carried by the plunger C in its longitudinal movements in
the cylinder B but in the arrangements illustrated by Figures 5 and 6 the metal
ball V is not carried by the plunger but is retained in a recess in the trigger. In
this modification the longitudinal slot Q hereinbefore described in the plunger C
is omitted the sliding block O when cocking the gun engaging with a shoulder a³
on the rear end of the plunger. Near the front end of the plunger is an annular
groove T into which the metal ball V enters when the plunger is in the cocked
position the said ball also bearing against a shoulder at in the cylinder B and
resting on the trigger X thereby retaining the plunger in its cocked position. The
lever or trigger guard can then be returned to its normal position by closing the
barrel as herein before described the gun being then ready to be discharged.
When pulling the trigger to discharge the gun the recess 62 in the trigger is brought
into position beneath the ball V into which recess the ball will pass from the
annular groove T2 in the plunger which being thus released is forced forward by
the expansion of the main spring as hereinbefore described. The trigger in this
modification is pivotted to the cylinder B and in the strengthening bar of the
trigger is an opening through which the trigger projects when the parts of the
gun are in their normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
.
1. In air guns having a plunger sliding in a cylinder and means for sliding the
said plunger into its extreme rearward or cocked position a ball which is caused to

page_text: engage with the plunger and with a shoulder in the cylinder so as to retain the
plunger in its cocked position substantially as herein before described.
2. In air-guns of the kind referred to a recess in the plunger to contain a spring
and ball or round-headed stud, the spring tending to force the ball or the like from
the recess, a slot or opening in the cylinder into which the ball is forced by. the
spring when the plunger is in its cocked position, and a lever by which the ball is
supported when in the slot or opening in the cylinder, which lever is acted on by
the trigger when pulled so as to force the ball from the said slot or opening
into the recess in the plunger and so release the said plunger substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination with the subject matter of the last preceding claim of au
adjusting device for regulating as desired the pull of the trigger to release the
plunger substantially as herein before described.
4. In air guns of the kind hereinbefore described a combined cocking lever and
trigger-guard having the ends of the bowed portion of the said lever or trigger
guard connected together by a bar or bars substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the air, gun hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improvements in
air-guns substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figures 5 and 6
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of April 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.