IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS AND GUNS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS AND GUNS.” A communication from abroad
by Iver Johnson and Martin Bye, both of Worcester, Massachusetts, United
States of America.
Sealed the 14th October 1876, and dated the 29th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th May 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS AND GUNS."
A communication.
These improvements relate to that class of air pistols and guns in which the pro-
jectile is thrown by the compressed air, and are more particularly applicable to arms
in which a spring is used with a piston to compress the air at the instant of firing,
though parts of the said improvements may with slight variations be used with
repeating or magazine arms.
The said improvements comprise,-
First. So arranging and securing the barrel by joints with the other parts that
its rear end may be elevated for loading, and returned to place, and securely held
with a tight fit to its breech and socket.
Second. So pivoting the barrel to the piston rod that when its rear end is
released the barrel may be turned at right angles, or nearly so, to form a ready and
convenient means for compressing the spring or air by means of the piston.
Third. Providing the piston rod with a spring head or similar means to hold the
barrel firmly pressed to its seat to make a tight joint.
Fourth. Furnishing the piston rod with a groove and spline to keep the barrel
always in position to be turned to its seat.
Fifth. The use of a screw breech pin so arranged that a partial turn will advance
the pin and hold it firmly against the end of the barrel, and the reverse motion will
free it for loading.
The piston is pressed in the air chamber by a powerful spring toward the end in
which the cap is screwed. This cap has a slightly recessed seat for the end of the
barrel, and a hole for the rod by which the spring is compressed, and a recess on its
Pasion G1

page_text: inner surface for the head of the said rod, and an opening from it to the barrel. A
part of the said cap is made to project below the barrel to make a rest for it and a
guide for the rod. This rod has a groove extending its entire length, and a small
portion of the cap below the barrel is punched towards the rod to form a spline or
key on which the groove slides, keeping the barrel, which is pivoted to the outer
end of the said rod always in position to be turned down to its seat.
The construction of the spring head of the rod is such that its action holds the
barrel firmly to the sent, and yet gives the slight freedom necessary to allow it to
be removed or slipped out, when the barrel can turn to a position at right angles
and form a good handle to compress the spring and piston by moving the piston
beyond the catch, whereby it is held ready to be discharged. The aforesaid rod is
then drawn out, the projectile inserted, the spring of the rod allowing it to enter,
and holding it firmly when there. This spring action may be obtained by the use of
well known devices substituted for the spring head; or instead of this spring motion,
a screw breech pin may be used, and a positive action obtained to hold the barrel
firmly in place, the rod being held from turning by its groove, and the barrel is
always in position to be returned quickly to its place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
November 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS AND GUNS."
A communication from abroad by Iver Johnson and Martin Bye, both of Worcester,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
These improvements relate to that class of air pistols and guns in which the pro-
jectile is thrown or discharged by compressed air, and are more particularly
applicable to arms in which a spring is used with a piston to compress the air at
the instant of firing, though parts of the said improvements may with slight varia-
tions be used with repeating or magazine arins.
The said improvements comprise,-
First. So arranging and securing the barrel by joints with the other parts that
its rear end may be clevated for loading, and returned to place, and securely held
with a tight fit to its breech and socket.
Second. So pivotting the barrel to the piston rod that when its rear end is
released the barrel may be turned at right angles, or nearly so, to form a ready and
convenient means for compressing the spring or air by means of the piston.
Third. Providing the piston rod with a spring head or similar means to hold the
barrel firmly pressed to its seat to make a tight joint.
Fourth. Providing the piston rod with a groove and spline to keep the barrel
always in position to be turned to its seat.
Fifth. The use of a screw breech pin so arranged that a partial turn will advance
the pin and hold it firmly against the end of the barrel, and the reverse motion will
free it for loading.
Sixth. Forming a groove around the piston for the point of the trigger to
catch in.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 is a side view of a pistol embodying these improvements with a part of
one side of the air or spring chamber removed, and its cap shewn in section.
Figures 2 and 3 shew a breech pin.
And Figures 4 and 5, the details drawn to an enlarged scale.
A is the air chamber, in which the piston F is pressed by a powerful spring
toward the end in which the cap G is scrowed. This cap has a slightly recessed

page_text: seat D for the end of the barrel B, and a hole for the rod C, by which the spring is
compressed, and a recess on its inner surfaco for the head of the rod C, and an
opening from the air chambor A to the barrel B. The groove P is formed around
the piston F for the trigger point v to catch in. This device prevents the necessity
of pushing the piston clear by this point, and saves the wearing in the piston which
would otherwise be caused by the frequent passage of the piston over the said point
allowing the air to escape. The piston is made with a teat S to fit inside the end
of the coiled spring, or it may be recessed, as shewn in the broken lines T, the end
of the spring entering the same. One part of the cap G is made to project below
the barrel B to make a rest for it and a guide for the rod C. This rod has a groove
its whole length, and a small portion of the cap G below the barrel is punched
towards the rod C so as to form a spline or key on which the groove slides, sec
Figure 4, keeping the barrel, which is pivoted to the outer end of the said rod C,
always in position to be turned down to its seat D.
The construction of the spring head E of the rod C is plainly shewn in Figure 5,
its action being to hold the barrel B firmly to the seat D and yet allow the slight
freedom necessary to permit it to be removed or slipped out when the barrel can
turn, as indicated by the curved arrow, to a position at right angles, and form a
good handle to compress the spring and piston by moving, as indicated by the
straight arrow, which forces the piston F beyond the catch shewn near the trigger
in broken lines, by which it is held ready to be discharged. The rod C is then
drawn out, the projectile inserted into the barrel B, and its rear end returned to its
scat, the spring of the said rod C allowing it to enter, and holding it firmly when
there. This spring action of the rod C may be obtained in other ways by the use
of well known devices as a substitute for the spring head E, the spring in the
cap G may be oval at its outer end and a spring used there or at the joint of
the rod C with the barrel, or instead of this spring motion the screw breech pin
shewn in Figures 2 and 3 may be used, and a positive action obtained to hold the
barrel firmly in place as the pin L is fitted to screw into the cap G, so that a partial
turn of its lever from N to N¹ will advance the pin L, causing it to meet the
barrel B, and the reverse action will retract it and leave the said barrel free to
move. The rod C being held from turning in the cap G by its groove and the
spline, as shewn in Figure 4, the barrel B is always in position to be returned
quickly to its place.
The operation of the other parts is like that of similar arms now in use.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six,