Improved Arrangement for Adjusting Gun and Rifle Stocks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Arrangement for Adjusting Gun and Rifle Stocks.
JOHN SQUIRE BOREHAM 150 High Street Colchester Essex Gun Maker
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for it object a gun or rifle that may be fired from the shoulder,
so constructed that the stock can be moved at the will of the operator to any bend
or cast, to enable the gun maker to find out the proper shaped weapon to fit persons
of different build and eye sight.
I claim for my invention a great improvement in an adjustable gun by the small
amount of metal required at the bandle. The horizontal or vertical movement
being from one place, the hand of the shooter does not feel the difference from an
ordinary weapon and in rough usage or hard shooting it remains unaltered by
recoil.
To effect the above object I may take an ordinary gun and divide it through the
handle (shortest cut)-a hole is bored up the centre of divided handle towards the
breech a metal rod or spindle which has firmly fixed to it a metal plate collar
(preferably steel,) about inch thick, and full circumference of the handle, which
is firmly fixed on flat of handle of stock by means of pins passing through the wood
and corresponding holes in spindle. Four holes are made in steel plate collar
quartering it-top, bottom, right, & left. Four wires preferably square steel
about 9 inches long with heads are put through holes in steel plate from back side
before fastening in position on handle of stock-the holes are left larger in front
and are preferred square at front and round at back giving the wires play. A
second plate similar to the last named about inch thick or more with four holes
the size of the wires to be used, corresponding to the holes in first plate; in the
centre of this plate is screwed a piece of steel with a cone point resembling a centre
punch, an indentation is made on front of first plate exactly where the point of the
cone rests. When threading the second plate on the four wires and bringing the two
plates together-the screw cone is set to the movement required at handle and
receives the recoil when firing the gun or rifle.
The butt end of stock a slice is cut off corresponding to the shape at heel-plate,
leaving the butt then about 9 inches long.
A second cut from the handle below the comb to the butt end, which is afterwards
hinged at butt end, an excentric wheel is used by means of pins and set screw to
raise and lower the comb with a key.
A thin metal plate is fixed at butt with four holes corresponding with the plates
at handle. The second collar plate is fixed on the handle of butt, and four holes
bored through the stock from this collar plate to the plate at butt, to receive the
four wires which have threaded screwed ends, and tapped nipples or nuts are well
fitted to these-by regulating the screwed nipples, the alterations are made and are
held firmly in the desired position whilst firing the gun or rifle, by means of
tightening the four screwed nipples or nuts on the threaded wire rods.
Instead of boring holes through the stock to receive the wire rods, I divide the
stock in halves longitudinally so to fit the wire rods to a nicety, if round wires are
used. I fit carriers to keep the rods from turning when pressure is put on the
threaded nipples or nuts. I do not confine myself to steel wire rods I may use
chains or jointed pulleys, or other similar material strong enough to alter the gun
and hold it in position.
The divided butt is a great advantage to fit the other mechanism-viz. The
excentric wheel with its pins and set screws for lifting the comb before described.

page_text: 4
The two brass blocks with their set screw for regulating the length at butt, all the
above being carefully fitted and enclosed between the butt longitudinally cut
which is now put together by screws cups &c. giving same appearance before the
division. .
Instead of using the cone pointed screw in the plate at handle I may use a
metal shot or steel ball bearing which is not connected to either plate, or I
construct the face of the handle plates convex.
may so
The moveable heel plate has one large or four smaller holes opposite the nipples
to allow the turn key to pass for regulating bend or cast.
Dated this 15th day of December 1892.
JOHN SQUIRE BOREHAM,
150, High Street, Colchester, Essex, Gun Maker.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Arrangement for Adjusting Gun and Rifle Stocks.
1 JOHN SQUIRE BOREHAM of 150 High Street, Colchester, Essex, Gun Maker
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
he performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of the present invention is to provide improved means whereby the
stock of a gun or rifle may be easily and quickly adjusted to any bend or cast
desired to fit persons of differing build and eyesight. Guns constructed according
to my invention will be found to be lighter in the handle than the adjusting or
measurement guns at present employed & the adjusting device will not wear loose,
and will not be affected by the recoil.
According to my invention the gun is divided transversely at the handle, and
the stock and remaining portion of the gun are adjustably connected by means of
rods, wires, or the like, maintained in a state of tension. A centre point or pivot,
or a ball bearing, is placed between the opposed faces of the divided portions of
the gun upon which the stock moves or pivots when adjusted, or the said opposed
faces may be made convex. The adjustment of the stock to the required angle
or inclination is effected by varying the relative tensions of the different rods or
wires.
Further according to my invention I provide gun stocks with an adjustable
comb which is made separate from the stock and pivotted thereto at one end, the
said comb is elevated or depressed by means of a cam path, snail, lever, or like.
device.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said invention and the manner of performing the same, having reference to the
accompanying drawings in which similar letters refer to corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of the stock and handle of a gun
constructed according to my invention.
Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are detached views of some of the parts shewn in Fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is the stock and B the handle which is divided trans-
versely at C. For reasons hereinafter mentioned I prefer to divide the stock
longitudinally into halves secured together by pins and screws. In the drawing
the stock is represented with the near half removed. a is a plate secured to the
handle upon the breech' side of the division C by the bolt b which passes up the
handle and is held by the pin c. a is a plate secured by suitable screws to
the handle upon the stock side of division C. d d are four metal rods which pass
through holes e in the plates a a'. They are preferably of square section to prevent
'them from revolving when their tension is regulated as hereinafter explained. The
square holes e in plate a¹ should fit the rods d closely, but the square holes e in

page_text: plate a should allow plenty of angular play to the said rods which terminate at one
end in heads d' fitting into the rounded countersunk portions of the holes e in plate a
clearly shewn in Figs. 2 and 3. If desired this arrangement may be reversed and
the holes in plate a fit the rods closely whilst plate a allows angular play thereto.
The rods d fit closely within grooves cut in the sides of the divided stock, and the
reason I prefer to divide the stock is because it is easier to cut grooves or recesses
for the various parts in the opposed surfaces of the divided portions than to bore
such grooves or recesses out of a solid stock.
The other extremities of the rods d pass through a plate as having corresponding
holes to plate a', and the said extremities are threaded and provided with the adjusting
nuts or nipples f. g is the heel plate of the gun here shewn as made adjustable in
the well known manner by rods h secured thereto sliding in the guides i.
kk are
holes through the heel plate to admit the key för adjusting the nuts f. 1 (Figs. 4
and 5) is a centre point on adjustable screw cone in the centre of plate a! which
bears upon the face of plate a, a corresponding depression being formed therein for
the reception of its point. If desired corresponding central recesses might be
formed in the opposed faces of plates a and a' and a small sphere interposed between
such recesses thus forming a ball bearing, or the opposed faces of the plates a and a¹
might be made convex.
The action of the adjusting mechanism is as follows :-
The nipples being screwed up the stock B and remaining portion of the gun or
rifle will be obviously rigidly connected by the tension of the rods d, the said
divided portions of the gun being separated by centre point which presses firmly
against the corresponding recess in plate a. Now if certain of the nipples fare
loosened, and other of the nipples tightened, thus relieving the tensional stress
upon some of the rods d and increasing the tensional stress upon the others, it is
obvious that the stock B will be moved upon its pivot in any desired direction or
angle in relation to the rest of the gun according to the nipples adjusted, and the
amount of their adjustment, also that to whatever position the stock is adjusted in
that position it will remain rigidly fixed until altered again by fresh adjustment of
the nipples f. For example if the nipples f of the top and right hand rods d are
tightened and those of the bottom and left hand rods loosened, a combined side and
upward movement of the stock with regard to the rest of the gun will be obtained.
There being in my device no hinge, or ball and socket joint, to work loose by wear,
the adjusting mechanism will remain perfect in action for an indefinite period, a
saving in weight in the handle is also effected.
o is a disc mounted
m represents the adjustable comb pivotted at n to the stock.
on the axis p passing through the side of stock and rotated from the exterior
thereof by a suitable key, in which is cut an eccentric or cam path q which engages
with a pin fixed in the comb. It will be clearly seen that by turning the disc o
in one or the other direction the comb m will be raised or depressed. I do not
confine myself to the disc o with cam path 9 for raising the comb as this might
obviously be effected by other simple means such as a pivotted lever arm for
example.
Although in my Provisional Specification I have mentioned the rods d as being
about 9 inches long I prefer to make them as short as possible so as to reduce
weight in the butt, that is to say the nipples will preferably be placed nearer the
handle than shewn in the drawings.
If rods or wires d of circular section are employed they should be provided with
feathers or angular projections to prevent them from turning when the nipples f are
adjusted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A gun having an adjustable stock, wherein the said stock and the remaining
portion of the gun are connected together by rods or wires under a tensional stress,

page_text: the adjustment of the stock to the required angle or inclination being effected by
varying the relative tensions of the said rods or wires substantially as described.
2. In a gun having an adjustable stock, the combination of rods or wires
connecting said stock and the remaining portion of gun, screw adjustments for the
rods and a centre point or pivot or ball bearing between the opposed faces of the
divided portions of the gun substantially as described.
3. In a gun divided into two portions transversely through the handle, in
combination, rods or wires under a tensional stress and opposed convex faces at the
junction of the said divided portions substantially as described.
4. In a gun having an adjustable stock the combination of the plates a and a¹.
having convex opposed faces or a centre point or pivot or ball bearing between
their opposed faces, the connecting rods d, and the screw adjustment for regulating
the tension of such rods, substantially as specified and described with reference to
the drawings.
5. A gun stock having a detachable comb pivotted at one end thereto and
capable of being raised or depressed by a cam path, snail, or equivalent device,
substantially as described.
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11
T
1000
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON, Fels. Chartd. Inst. P.A.,
19, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.