AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF CONTINUOUS PRIMING FOR AND IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1.
CHARLES LOUIS STANISLAS Baron HEURTELOUP, of Albany Street,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen. Victoria,
by Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Ninth day of September, in the fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Charles Louis Stanislas Baron Heurteloup, Her
especial licence that I, the said Charles Louis Stanislas Baron Heur-
teloup, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Louis Stanislas Baron Heurteloup, my exors, adñiors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of Jersey.
Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her Majesty's
Colonies aud Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF CONTINUOUS PRIMING FOR AND IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR

page_text: THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF FIRE-ARMS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said
Charles Louis Stanislas Baron Heurteloup, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, 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 enrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said hercin-before in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Charles Louis Stanislas Baron Heurteloup, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention to consist,-
First, in an improved material or composition of the detonating
materials of which the continuous priming is manufactured.
The
material being such, or the relative proportions of the said materials
when more than one material is used, being so regulated, that though
the explosion caused by the percussion on the piece of priming, which
is immediately over the nipple of the fire-arm, is sufficient to ignite the
charge in the barrel, it will not cause the remainder of the priming to
ignite, or if it should the priming will only burn along a very short
length, and will extinguish itself immediately, without the possibility of
lamage accruing from such last-mentioned ignition of so small a portion.
And, secondly, my Invention consists in improved mechanism for
the application of the said priming, in which the priming is coiled
round, within a hollow case in a very small space, without interfering
in any way with the stock of the fire-arm, and carefully protected from
rain, and such moisture as fire-arms are subjected to in ordinary use.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Charles
Louis Stanislas Baron Heurteloup, do hereby describe the manner in
which my said Invention is to be performed, by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawings annexed, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, similar letters being used to
denote similar parts in all the Figures and Drawings. And first, of
the improved manufacture of continuous priming, (which I have before

page_text: said depends upon the material or the relative proportions of materials
used,) I have found that continuous priming in straight narrow tubes,
heretofore used, and which priming is composed of chlorate of potash,
sulphur, and charcoal, in proportions of about five parts chlorate of
potash, one sulphur, and one and a half charcoal, is liable to ignite
beyond the part struck by the hammer, and necessary for exploding the
charge in the barrel of the fire-arm, and then often continues to burn
like a slow match, until the whole tube of priming is consumed; and
thus, in the event of any portion of a stored stock of such priming
being by accident set fire to, the whole would probably be consumed,
though the magazine in which it was stored might escape injury.
This liability to loss may be entirely prevented, as I have discovered,
by either using chlorate of potash by itself, or manufacturing the mate-
rials usually compounded for the purpose in the following proportions,
that is to say, to forty-eight parts of chlorate of potash I add only one
part of sulphur, and one part of charcoal; these, being finely powdered,
I shake into small soft metal drawn tubes of pewter or other soft
metal, of about one tenth of an inch in diameter, by means of a
hopping or jolting apparatus, as shown at Figure 1, on the Drawing
marked No. 1; the parts marked a, being a framing mounted upon a
platform b, and provided with guide pieces c, c. d, is a spindle having
two rollers e, e, mounted upon it, with notches or teeth on their peri-
pherics, and which rollers are turned by a handle f, at the end of the
spindle. g, h, are two boards, the former being smooth on both sides,
and the other having one side cut into grooves i, i, the grooves being
sufficiently deep to allow the tubes to he placed in them without pro-
jecting beyond the grooves, so that the board g, when laid against the
grooved surface, shall only touch the spaces between the grooves, and
also be clear of the tubes placed therein. Upon the top of the grooved
board is fixed a row of hoppers, corresponding in number with the
grooves in the board; the hoppers are larger in diameter than the
grooves, but are tapered at bottom to the same size as the grooves.
1,1,1, are screw bolts for fastening the boards g, and h, together when
the tubes are placed between them; at the bottom of the board g, is
screwed a strip of metal m, (see more clearly in the enlarged Figure

page_text: 31,) for the purpose of pressing against the end of the tube, and keep-
ing it tight whilst being jolted upon the rollers. The tubes, previously
to being placed in the grooves, are closed at their lower ends by being
pinched, which keeps the powder from running out, and the upper end
is widened out as in Figure 31, where it rests in the conical part of
the hoppers. As soon as the tubes are placed in the grooves the flat
board g must be placed against them, and tightened up by the thumb
screws; the hoppers may then be supplied with the priming powder,
and placed between the guides of the frames, resting at bottom upon
the rollers c, e; the handle being turned will cause the boards to be
jolted up and down, and shake the powder into the tubes; after
which the boards may be unscrewed, and the tubes taken out by
hand; and by drawing them through the conical part of the hoppers
they will become compressed, and thus enclose the powder within them;
the tubes must then be passed through a pair of rollers, which will
flatten them, and cause them to assume the form of tapes shewn in
Figures 32, 33, and 84. Figure 28, is a plan of Figure 1; Figure
29, is a front view of the groove board h; and Figure 30, is a side
view of one of the rollers e. In the aforesaid shape of long narrow
tapes they are introduced into my said improved mechanism, from
which they are to be used. And I wish it to be distinctly understood
here, that I lay no claim, as regards the said Letters Patent, to the
mode of filling the tubes, though of my own Invention. the same having
been used and patented by me in France previously to the date of the
said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, and therefore pro-
bably previously known in England. through the medium of the foreign
periodical publications; but as I do herein-after claim chlorate of
potash by itself, or the composition in the proportions aforesaid, which
is shaken into the said tubes, I have thought it right, in order to leave
nothing unexplained, to enable competent workmen to carry out my
Invention from the instructions contained in the Specification alone, to
insert the foregoing description of the manner of filling the tubes with
priming powder. Thus, it will be seen that chlorate of potash by itself,
inclosed as aforesaid, or the new relative proportions of the materials of
which the powder is composed. (as explained in the claim hereafter,)

page_text: enclosed as aforesaid, constitutes my said improved manufacture of
continuous priming. And I will now proceed to describe the improved
mechanism in which it is to be placed for use. Figure 2, on Drawing
No. 2, represents the appearance of the sail mechanism complete, as
applied to an ordinary single-barrelled gun with a common breccli.
To the parts here visible I have given the following names, a statement.
of which will facilitate the comprehending of the other Figures. The
names are as follows:-A, the hood; B, the side shield; C. the
foundation plate; D. the securing screw, that holds the three last-
mentioned pieces, and also a fourth piece (not here seen), which they
enclose firmly together; E, a thumb lever or priming guage for deter-
mining the length of priming tape to be brought over the nipple; F,
the hammer for cutting off and detonating the piece of priming tape
required for exploding the charge in the barrel of the fire-arm, being
furnished with a nib or blade, which, passing close to and under the
end of the beak, cuts off the piece of tape required. Figure 3, is
a side elevation of the foundation plate C, and Figure 4, is a similar
elevation, showing its position on the barrel of the gun to which it
is to be brazed. Figure 5, is a section of the foundation plate
and barrel brazed together; and Figure 6, is a perspective view of
the foundation plate, in order to give a more perfect idea of its
formation. The Figures 4, 5, and 6, also shew the direction of the
touch-hole. Figure 7. is a side elevation of the hood A Figure 8.
a plan of its under side; and Figure 9, a front elevation of the
same. Figure 10, is a side elevation of the side shield B; and
Figure 11, an elge view of the same. Figure 12, is the securing screw
D. shown separately. Figure 13, is a side clevation of the fourth
piece before alluded to when describing Figure 2, and which in that
Figure is concealed under the hood A. This fourth picce G, Figure
13, I call the magazine; and Figure 14, shows it placed in its proper
position in the foundation plate C. This magazine contains the priming
tape coiled round within it, a portion of which is seen protruding at K.
from the mouth, or (as I call it) the beak of the magazine. The thumb
lever or priming guage E, it will be seen, is attached to the magazine,
and its action in bringing the priming tape over the nipple will be

page_text: explained hereafter. Figure 15, is an end view of the magazine
and Figure 16, is a separate view of the thumb lever or priming
guage, which it will be perceived is furnished at its inner end with
a triangular boss, the apex of cach angle of the boss being roughed
or toothed for a purpose herein-after explained. Figure 17, is a
side elevation of the magazine G, with the priming tape, which is
colored red, coiled round within it; the side here shown is the side
which is placed next the foundation plate when in use, and thus when
in its position on that plate the whole of the priming may be said to be
inclosed within a complete case. But now more particularly to describe
Figure 17. J, is a small spring on the top of the magazine, and
screwed on to it at L; this spring is furnished with a boss at its end J,
which presses upon the priming tape, and keeps it down upon the
triangular boss II of the thumb lever below it; the tape being thus
pressed between the two bosses is acted upon by the teeth on the apex
of each angle of the boss H, and drawn forward or backward as this
boss is turned one way or the other by the thumb lever E. If turned
in the direction of the arrow marked in this Figure it will advance the
tape out of the beak of the magazine; and this Figure shows the teeth
of the boss H, biting on the tape, while Figure 18, shows the tape
advanced far enough to be over the nipple, and the tape held upon
one of the flat sides of the boss H. Figure 19, is a transverse section
through the magazine, from 7 to 8, and Figure 20, a similar section
through the beak of the magazine, while Figure 21, is a transverse sec-
tion through the beak, side shield, and hood, showing the space occupied
by the foundation plate when the magazine is placed in its proper position
on that plate. It is only further necessary, in explanation of this Sheet
of Drawings No. 2, to observe that the nib shown at F, on the hammer
in Figure 2, answers the purpose of the steel blade formerly used, giving
a scissars cut to divide the tape, instead of a knife cut as formerly. In
order to charge this magazine it is only necessary to introduce an end
of the priming tape at the mouth or beak of the magazine until it
reaches the bosses, when, if the thumb lever is turned backwards, it
will draw the tape into the magazine, and the tape will coil itself round
the central part of the circular portion of the magazine as shown in

page_text: Figures 17 and 18, and when full the tape may be cut off even with
the mouth of the magazine. Sheet No. 3, represents the mode of
applying my said Invention to a double-barrelled fowling piece having
patent breechies. A mere inspection of Figures 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and
27, on this Sheet, will be sufficient to explain it, after what has been
already described; similar letters being used to denote such parts as
correspond with those similarly marked in Sheet No. 2.
Now whereas I have felt it necessary, in order to a clear comprehen-
sion of the details of my said Invention, to describe several things which
1 do not claim as any part of the Invention for which the said herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent were granted: And whereas I
therefore declare that I hereby only claim as my Invention,-first, the
improved manufacture of continuous priming herein-before and herein-
after described, that is to say, continuous priming made of chloride of
potash only, or chloride of potash, sulphur, and charcoal, either or both,
in such proportions, dependant on the particular strength and condition
of the materials used, as shall be sufficient to explode such parts thereof
as shall be exposed in tubes rolled into tapes to the action of a blow, for
the purpose of continuous priming, without thereby at the same time
exploding, burning, or otherwise destroying any other or material part
of the same in immediate contact with the part so struck, such improved
continuous priming having the inherent property of self-extinguishment,
in consequence of chloride of potash only being used, or when the com-
pound of materials is used in consequence of such attention to relative
proportions as aforesaid. And, secondly, the improved mechanism by
which such improved continuous priming is applied to muskets, fowling
pieces, and such other fire-arms as are from their form and nature
susceptible of such application; that is to say, the covering marked
A and B, the foundation plate C, and the magazine G, and the mode
of applying the same to the fire-arm with which it is to be used, either
as shown in Sheet No. 2, or in Sheet No. 3.
And such my Invention being to the best of my knowledge and
belief entirely new, and never before used within that part of Iler said
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
Her said Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the

page_text: Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, or in any of
Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare
this to be my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this
my said Specification doth comply in all respects fully and without
reserve or disguise with the proviso in the said herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore I hereby claim to maintain
exclusive right and privilege to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, J, the said Charles Louis Stanislas Baron
Heurteloup, hath hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and forty-two.
BON HEURTELOUP. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid Charles Louis Stanislas
Baron Heurteloup came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and
every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And
also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute nade for that purpose.
Inrolled the Ninth day of March. in the year of our Lord One