IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Jules Manceaux, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKS
FOR FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 8th February 1859, and dated the 13th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Jules Manceaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th August 1858.
I, FRANÇOIS JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forming stocks for guns, pistols, and other fire-
arms in which stocks are used, of a combination of wrought-iron or other
metal, wood, and leather. I prefer to use thin wrought-iron plate as the most
suitable metal. I bend and fashion it into the form of stock to suit the arm
for which it is intended. All that part in front of the lock which supports the
barrel is open, and dished or curved to receive a block of wood hollowed out
at top for the barrel to lie in. The butt end of the stock is furnished on the
inside with strengthening pieces to prevent the sides collapsing. A sheath of
cow-hide or other suitable leather is stretched in a damp or wet state over the
metal and wood, and a barrel is forcibly pressed down on the leather over the
fore part of the stock, to cause it to assume the exact form of the stock. The
open ends of the leather sheath are turned in and secured over the butt end of

page_text: the metal frame. The leather is heated and plunged in a bath of melted wax,
and after being thoroughly saturated the wax is drained off, and the leather
polished by brushes. A solid butt piece of metal is screwed on to the open
butt end of the metal frame. The lock is contained in the hollow of the stock
and is held by screws; a transverse screw bolt passing through a hole
formed in a block on the bottom of the breech end of the barrel, keeps the
barrel in place. A metal plate is screwed on outside the leather to receive the
friction from the working of the hammer of the lock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Jules Manceaux in. the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th February 1859..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said François Jules Manceaux, Her special licence that I, the said
François Jules Manceaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said François Jules Manceaux, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS,"
проп the condition (amongst others) that I, the said François Jules
Manceaux, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said François Jules Manceaux, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in forming stocks for guns, pistols, and other fire-
arms in which stocks are used, of a combination of wrought iron or other
metal, wood, and leather. I prefer to use thin wrought-iron plate as the most
suitable metal. I bend and fashion it into the form of stock to suit the arm
for which it is intended. All that part in front of the lock which supports the
barrel is open, and dished or curved to receive a block of wood hollowed out
at top for the barrel to lic in. The butt end of the stock is furnished on the
inside with strengthening picces to prevent the sides collapsing. A sheath of
cow-hide or other suitable leather is stretched in a damp or wet state over the
metal and wood, and a barrel is forcibly pressed down on the leather over the
fore part of the stock to cause it to assume the exact form of the stock. The
open ends of the leather sheath are turned in and secured over the butt end of
the metal frame. The leather is heated and plunged in a bath of melted wax,
and after being thoroughly saturated the wax is drained off, and the leather
polished by brushes. A solid butt piece of metal is screwed on to the open
butt end of the metal frame. The lock is contained in the hollow of the stock,
and is held by screws; a transverse screw bolt passing through a hole formed
in a block on the bottom of the breech end of the barrel keeps the barrel in
place. A metal plate is screwed on outside the leather to receive the friction
from the working of the hammer of the lock.
I now proceed, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings, to explain the
manner in which I carry my Invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my stocks with lock and barrel com-
plete; Figure 2 is a top plan, and Figure 3 a plan of the under side of the
stock; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the stock, shewing the lock;
Figure 5 is an external elevation of part of the stock, shewing a plate on the
side of which the hammer is to work; Figure 6 is a cross section through the
line a, b, of Figure 1; Figure 7, cross section through the line e, f, of Figure 8,
which is a longitudinal section through c, d, of Figure 7; Figure 9 is also a
longitudinal section through c, d, of the opposite side of the arm; Figure 10
is a cross section through g, h, of Figure 4; Figure 11, cross section through
h, l, of Figure 4; Figure 12, cross section through m, n, of Figure 4;
Figure 13 is an internal view of the bult plate; Figures 14, 15, and 16, are
cross sections respectively through the lines o, p, q, r, and s, t, of Figure 18;
Figure 17 is an external elevation of a pistol stock, with barrel and lock
complete; Figure 18 is a sectional elevation of a pistol stock, showing the
lock; Figure 19, longitudinal section on a reduced scale of the wrought iron

page_text: part of the stock of a gun; and Figure 20 is a plan also on a reduced scale of
the leather covering shewing its shape spread out. The same letters refer to
similar parts throughout all the Figures.
I first form moulds and dies in metal, and then by successive heats and
under hydraulic or other pressure fashion a sheet of plate iron into the form
represented at a, Figure 19; I braze the edges of the plate, and make a
perfect joint. This is the shell or carcass of my improved stock. I next
furnish the interior of the rear end of the shell with a Z-shaped strengthening
piece a', Figures 4 and 12, to prevent the sides collapsing, and with two nuts
ff, screwed to the shell to receive the ends of screws for holding the butt
plate to the stock. The fire part of the metal shell is filled with a bed of
wood c, Figures 4, 11, and 18, hollowed out at top and rivetted to the shell.
I next take a hide 6 of the shape shewn, and sew it up at the sides to form a
sheath. The leather is softened by steeping, and while wet or damp is drawn
over the metal shell and wooden bed, until the two open ends extend beyond
the shell; a false barrel is then placed over the leather and secured over the
wooden bed by screw or other clamps, to cause the leather to assume and
follow the shape thereof. A wooden block is introduced between the turned-
over edges of the leather at the breech, see Figures 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 12.
In drying the leather follows the exact form of the shell, and in order to dry
it thoroughly I introduce and work about a hot iron inside of the hollow part
of the stock. I next plunge the stock in melted wax, and rub the wax into
all the pores of the leather; I then allow the wax to drain off and the stock to
cool, when cold I polish the waxed leather with a rubber and brush. One
end of the sheath is turned in over the butt end of the shell, and is covered
and secured by, a rim e on the inside of the butt plate, which is attached to
the nuts f. f, by the screws e', e'. The opposite end of the sheath is turned in
over the wooden bed. The lock is placed bodily in the hollow of the shell, and
is there fixed by screws, sec g', g', Figures 4 and 8. kis the hammer secured
on the spindle by the screw ¹; 9 is the lock plate held inside the shell by the
screws g, g; l is a metal collar screwed to the outside of the shell against the
face of which the side of the hammer works, and is thus kept from chafing
the leather; d is the barrel placed in the bed in the fore part of the stock, and
secured by means of a screw d¹, which traverses a hole made in a lump on the
under side of the barrel, and of a screw screwed with a block i on the rear
of the barrel; h is a strengthening block inserted into the shell of the stock on
the side opposite the lock plate, for the purpose of giving additional solidity to
the stock at that part, and for maintaining the barrel in the centre of the
stock, this block is traversed by the screw d'. At the further end of the stock

page_text: there is a ring p, which encircles the barrel, and is secured to the stock by a
screw. If thought necessary in order to protect the extreme end of the barrel,
the wooden bed might be prolonged and fastened by rings to the barrel as in
the ordinary military musket. The wooden bed should be covered over its
whole length with leather, and then the leather sheath might be composed of
two parts united at the breech or other suitable part. m is the guard plate
screwed to the under part of the shell, and n the guard; o is the trigger,
which works in a slot made in the shell; q, q', are buckles for attaching
a sling.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim constructing the
stocks of fire-arms of wrought iron, wood, and leather, essentially in the manner
herein-before described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Jules Manceaux, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
MANCEAUX. (L.S.)