CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUNS OR MUSKETS AND OTHER SUCHI
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
JOHN SOMERVILLE, Minister of Currie, in the County of Edinburgh,
Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain,
bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the
fifth year of His reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-five, did, for Himself, His heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said John Somerville, His especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John
Somerville, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Somerville, my executors, administrators, 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 mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales.
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUNS OR MUSKETS AND OTHER SUCHI

page_text: FIRE-ARMS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that
I, the said John Somerville, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said 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 John Somerville, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, is
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following descrip-
tion thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):
My Invention of certain improvements in the construction of guns
or muskets and other such fire-arms has for its object the preventing
the accidental discharge of fowling pieces and other fire-arins, when
from any unintentional cause the trigger of the lock is pulled at the
time the hammer is at full cock, or when the hammer or flint is acci-
dentally released and would fire off the gun; and consists in preventing
the hammer reaching the nipple of a percussion lock, or the flint
reaching the steel of an ordinary flint lock, by the interposition of
moveable safety studs or pins, which protrude from under the false
breach before the hammers of the locks, and prevent them descending
upon the nipples or steels, such safety studs or pins being moved out
of the way by the pressure or force of the right hand of the person
using the gun when in the act of firing, that is, when the force of the
right hand and arm is being exerted to press the butt end of the stock
of the gun against the shoulder, while the aim is being taken and the
trigger pulled. It is well known to all persons in the habit of using
fowling pieces or muskets, that very considerable force is and should be
exerted by the right hand when firmly grasping the stock of the gun
in the act of pressing the butt of the stock against the shoulder at
the time of taking aim and firing; and it is by this force exerted by
the right hand at this time that the protruding safety studs are moved
out of the way of the hammer when the trigger is pulled. And

page_text: this movement of the safety studs or pins may be and is effected by
the thumb of the right hand, when firmly grasping the stock, pressing
upon a moveable button or stud, which acts upon levers connected to
the safety pins, and draws them inwards out of the way of the ham-
mers of the locks; or the same may be and is effected by the ball of the
right thumb, when the hand is firmly grasping the stock, pressing upon
a similar button or stud, and acting upon levers and studs or pins in a
similar manner; or by the heel of the right hand pressing upon move-
able buttons or studs, and acting in a similar manner, and producing the
same effect when firmly grasping the stock of the gun in the act of
firing. At the same time the gun may be safely carried when laid on
the left arm, and the right hand lightly grasping the stock, as in the
usual position of carrying a fowling piece in the field, without acting
upon the moveable buttons or studs, for the right hand is generally
placed about an inch higher up the stock in the act of carrying the
gun at rest, than it is when in the act of taking aim and firing. In
the first position, that is, carrying the gun at rest, the proper parts of
the thumb or hand do not come over the moveable buttons or studs;
but when the hand is drawn down towards the butt, and firmly grasping
the stock in the act of firing, the proper parts of the thumb or hand
are then placed over the moveable studs or buttons, and depressing
them acts upon the safety pins, and moves them out of the way of the
hammers. And I would here remark, that there have been many con-
trivances and inventions for preventing the accidental discharge of
fowling pieces and other fire-arms by means of sliding bolts, catches,
or stops, which confine the main spring trigger or hammer of the lock,
but all of these that I know of require a separate movement and force
or pressure of the hands of the person using the gun, independant of
the ordinary movements and force or pressure required in properly
taking aim and discharging the gun; for instance, I would refer to the
Specification of a Patent granted to me by His late Majesty King
George the Fourth, on the Fourth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-four, which Specification was duly inrolled
in Chancery, on or before the Fourth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-five. All of such sliding bolts, stops, or

page_text: catches, or other contrivances, when requiring separate or additional
movements of the hands previous to firing, I disclaim as forming part
of this my present Invention, although they may be combined with
these improvements if thought desirable. And, further, I disclaim all
contrivances or Inventions for effecting this safety, which require the
thumb of the right hand to be laid along the stock to work them, or
out of its natural or proper position for firmly grasping the stock in the
act of firing; and, further, all those contrivances or inventions which
are placed on the under side of the stock, and worked by the fingers of
the right hand pressing upwards when grasping the stock, as they form
no part of my present Invention.
And in order that my improvements may be better understood, and
the manner of carrying them into effect better explained, I have shewn
in the accompanying Drawings several different methods of construct-
ing, arranging, and bringing them into use, although I do not mean
or intend to confine myself to the precise form or exact arrangement
therein shewn and described, as the same may be varied to suit dif-
ferent sized guns or muskets, or the will of the manufacturer; my
Invention consisting, as before stated, in the manner of moving or
working the safety apparatus, studs, or pins by the right hand, when
firmly grasping the stock of the gun in the act of firing, as herein-
before particularly described.
Figure 1, is a side view of part of a double percussion gun; and
Figure 2, is a top view of the same, which will serve to explain my
improvements, and shew one method or manner of carrying them into
effect. A, is the stock of the gun; B, B, the barrels; C, the breach;
D, the nipples; E, the false breach, on the under side of which the
levers which work the safety studs or pins are placed; F, is the shield
of the false breach; G, G, the triggers; H, the lock plate; and I, I,
the hammers, all of which are constructed as in common. a, a, are
the safety studs or pins which protrude before the shield F, and work
through guide pieces b. b, on the under side of the false breach, see
Figure 3, which is a representation of it detached from the stock, and
shewing the arrangement of the levers, the safety pins being shewn
projecting outward from the false breach.

page_text: Figure 4, is another similar view, shewing the safety pins drawn in-
ward out of the way of the hammers; c, c, are bent levers connected by
pins or joints to the safety studs at their longer ends, and having their
fulerums on pins d, d, fixed in the false breach; the other or shorter
ends of these levers cross each other, and are connected by bridle pieces
e, e, to one end of the sliding piece f, which is jointed at its other end
to the shorter end of the bent lever g, having its fulcrum on a piu h.
on the strap of the false breach; the other end of this lever 9, is acted
upon by the button, stud, lever, or part i, which is pressed by the thumb
or other part of the right hand (according to the situation in which the
part i is placed) when firmly grasping the stock in the act of firing. k.
is a spring attached at one end to the strap of the false breach, and the
other end pressing on the longer arm of the lever g, and thereby tends,
through the slide piece f, and levers c, to keep the safety studs at all
times protruding out from the false breach and in the way of the
hammers, and would prevent their reaching the nipples, on their being
accidentally released, as before stated, the pins receiving the blow
and preventing their descent; but they are moved out of the way at
the proper time for firing by the pressure of the right hand or thumb
depressing the part i, which moves the longer end of the lever g, and
cause its shorter end to draw the slide f, and by the bridle pieces e, to
move the longer end of the lever c inwards, which draws the safety
studs into the false breach out of the way of the hammers, as shewn
in Figure 4, the spring k returning them into their former position
when the pressure of the hand is taken off the part i.
Figure 5, is another detached representation of the under side of the
false breach, shewing another arrangement for effecting the movements
of the safety studs, which are shewn projecting in this Figure, but are
shewn drawn inward in Figure 6. In this instance there are two springs
k, k, and the piece or button i, acts upon the end of the lever Y which
turns the tumbling lever 1, placed between the ends of the levers c, c,
and moving them outward produces the movements of the studs.
would here remark, that the piece i, may be shaped as shewn in Figure
7, and jointed by a hinge to the stock, and be made to protrude from
the stock by the spring k; or it may be shaped as in Figure 8, that is.
T

page_text: like a button, the shank or tail acting upon the end of the lever g; or
it may stand flush with the stock, and be depressed into a recess in
the stock. In Figures 1, and 2, the button or piece i, is shewn in the
position for the thumb of the right hand to act upon it, but when the
pressure of the ball of the right thumb is to produce the movement of
the safety studs, it must be placed in or near the position marked 'K)
in Figures 1 and 2; and when the heel of the right hand is to effect
the movements of the safety studs, the button or piece i, must be
placed at ①or nearly so, in Figures 1 and 2. In these two last-
mentioned positions the lever g (which is acted upon by the button or
piece i to work the safety studs through the slide f) would require to
be of a different shape and differently mounted, for example, as shewn
in the partial detached representation, Figure 9. In conclusion, I
would remark, that when the hammers are down upon the nipples after
discharging the gun, the ends of the safety pins press against the
inner side of the hammers; and it will of course be understood, that
when this Invention is adapted to single barrelled guns or muskets,
only one pin a, lever c, and bridle piece e, will be required.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Somerville, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
five
JOHN (L.S.) SOMERVILLE.
Taken and acknowledged by John Somerville
(party hereto) at Edinburgh, in the County
of Edinburgh, in that part of the United
Kingdom called Scotland, before me,

page_text: Alexander Downie, of the City of Edinburgh, Writer, maketh oath
and saith, that he was present and did see John Somerville, Clerk,
Minister of Currie, in the County of Edinburgh, seal, sign, and deliver
as his act and deed the accompanying Specification or parchment
writing, and also take and acknowledge the same as the Specification
of his Patent, which he desired to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery in England, before John Fletcher Macfarlan, one
of the Justices of the Peace for the County of the City of Edinburgh.
And this deponent further saith, that he did see the said John Fletcher
Macfarlan take the said acknowledgment, and that the signature or
name "John F. Macfarlan" placed under the same is the true hand-
writing of the said John Fletcher Macfarlan; and that he, this deponent.
knows the said John Fletcher Macfarlan to be one of His Majesty's
Justices of the Peace of the said County of the City of Edinburgh.
er,
nousan erg
nore
thirty-five, before me,
J. GIBSON CRAIG,
Justice of Peace for the County of Edin'.
George Cullen, of No. 7, Budge Row, in the City of London, Gentle-
man, maketh oath and saith, that he knows and is well acquainted
with John J. Macfarlan, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace
for the City of Edinburgh, in that part of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland called Scotland, by frequent correspondence
with him, and that he is well acquainted with the character and manner
of his handwriting. And this deponent further saith, that the sig-
nature "John J. Macfarlan, J. P. for said City of Edin'," set and
subscribed to the parchment writing or Specification of John Somer-
ville, Clerk, Minister of Currie, in the County of Edinburgh, North
Britain, dated the Twenty-second day of October instant, for bis In-
vention of "Certain Improvements in the Construction of Guns or
Muskets and other such Fire-arms," now produced and shewn to this

page_text: deponent at the time of swearing this affidavit, marked with the
letter A, is of the proper handwriting of the said John J. Macfarlan.
And this deponent further saith, that the said John J. Macfarlan
is one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said City of
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