for Practice with Small-arm Ammunition.
Year: 1886

page_text: for Practice with Small-arm Ammunition.
I, WILLIAM WALTON URQUHART, of Rosebay, Broughty Ferry, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Lieutenant Colonel of Auxiliary Artillery, 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:-
My, said Invention has for its object to provide improved apparatus for adapting
breech-loading ordnance for practice with small-arm ammunition; such apparatus
allowing of men being drilled and instructed in the use of the tangent and dispart
or other sighting apparatus, and in laying and firing ordnance without the expense
of heavy ammunition.
'
My improved apparatus is shown as fitted to a breech-loading gun on an
accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, being a longitudinal section
of the gun and showing the apparatus in side elevation inside of it, whilst
figure, 2, is an enlarged section of the apparatus and the breech of the gun.:
My improved apparatus is shown as used for securing in the axis of the gun the
barrel, R, of a Martini-Henry rifle this barrel having its lock attached to it, but
with the stock removed; my apparatus may however be used for similarly
securing any other suitable rifle, and it is one of the advantages of it that a
special barrel and firing mechanism is not required. The apparatus comprises an
inner tube, A, and an outer tube, B, the inner tube having inserted at its ends rings
or collais, C, C1, bored to fit the tapered exterior of the rifle barrel, R, and turned
slightly conical on their outsides, the tube, A, being bored at its ends to fit on the
collars. The tube, A, is externally turned parallel but with enlarged end portions
of equal diameters for seats for sliding cones, E, F ; and it has a flange, H, fixed
upon its rear end the other end being screwed to receive a flanged adjusting
nut, D. The outer tube, B, has a cone, E, fixed : on its rear end, by means of
screws or otherwise; and at the forward end the other cone, F, is screwed on.
The cones, E, F, are bored to fit the inner tube, A, externally; and they themselves
engage externally with two split rings, G and G1, which are of conical form
internally, and the external diameters of which are made to fit accurately in the
calibres of the gun at their respective positions. The small-arm barrel, R, has a
crossplate, N, fitted at the rear end of the lock, which plate is secured by means of
a screw, P, fitting into the screwhole made for fastening on the ordinary stock of

page_text: the rifle. The plate, N, carries a pulley, M, over which a piece of lanyard, or other
cord, L, is passed, this cord, L, being looped at one end to catch the trigger of the
small arm, and guided over the pulley, M, and through a hole in the upstanding
finger, O, attached to the flange, H. A knot or stop, is formed on the cord on the
side of the finger, O, further from the pulley, M, and beyond this stop another loop
is formed into which the usual ordnance lanyard can be hooked. Between the
finger, O, and the trigger there is a hook and eye connection on the cord to allow
of the small-arn, barrel, R, being quickly disengaged from the other parts. The
plate, N, is connected by two tension rods, K, (of which one is seen in the figures)
to the flange, H.
In manipulating the apparatus the tube, B, with the cones, E, F, and G, are
slipped, on the tube, A, as shown on the drawing, and pins are then screwed into
the inner tube, A, through a slicket hole in the outer tube, B, which pins. are left
projecting sufficiently to prevent the tube, B, from rotating round the tube, A.
The plate, N, is secured in its position on the rear of the small arm barrel by.
means of the screw, P. The split collar, C, is put in its position in the barrel, R,
of the small arm, which is then inserted within the inner tube, A, until the
collar, C, is brought to its bearing in the cone seat in the end of the tube, A. The
other split collar, C1, is then slipped on the small-arm barrel from the other end;
and the nut, D, is screwed on the end of the tube, A. The nuts on the tension
bolts, K, K, are then screwed on until the collar, C, clasps the barrel of the small
arm tightly; after which the other collar, C1, is brought to its bearing by means
of the adjusting screw, D. This operation firmly secures the barrel of the small
arm concentrically with the tube, A.
The apparatus is then inserted at the breech end of the gun, until the cone, F, is
in such a position as to allow of the split cone, G1; being put on at the aperture
for the usual vent piece of the gun. The whole arrangement is then pushed
forward towards the muzzle until the flange, H, is stopped against the rear end of
the breech. Then by the application of a key, or by other means, the screwed
cone, F, is turned so as to increase the distance between the cones, E, and F, until
they are sufficiently separated to cause the split cones, G, and G1, to jam in the
calibre, or inside walls, of the gun. The whole apparatus is thus firmly retained,
with the small-arm barrel, R, concentric with the axis of the gun.
The parts of the arrangement hereinbefore described are preferably made :-the
cones and collars of bronze; and the other fittings of wrought-iron, but other
metals or combinations of metals may be used in the construction.
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 :-
1
The improved construction or combination of parts of apparatus for adapting
breech-loading ordnance for practice with small-arm ammunition substantially as
herein before described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this twenty nith day of May 1886.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.