Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Pneumatic Guns, Pistols, and the like with Shot Charges or Bullets.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Pneumatic Guns, Pistols,
and the like with Shot Charges or Bullets.
BERNARD RODWELL BANKS of 22 Elgin Road Croydon Surrey Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This my vertion relates to an apparatus for carrying charges of shot or single
bullets for pneumatic guns and the like. It will be seen that to charge a tube or
gun barrel open at both ends with shot, necessitates a wad or something similar in
front of the shot and another at the back of the charge, the shot charge being
between the two wads where it remains till the gun is discharged.
For my invention I use a tube, the internal diameter of which is the same as the
gun to be loaded, and of sufficient length to contain as many charges as may be
tound convenient (say from six to twelve). This tube will be fitted with a piston
block or other suitable appliance working inside the tube as far as may be desired,
and actuated from the outside by means of a slot running the necessary length of
the tube; or other suitable means. To charge the tube the piston is advanced to
the necessary space from the front end of the tube and a wad, a charge of shot,
and a second wad, inserted, the piston is then withdrawn a second space and
charged again as before and so on till the tube is full. I use any suitable means
for stopping the piston from advancing or receding more than the necessary space
to contain the charge. To load the gun the charged tube its end being coned to
fit the countersunk breech of the gun, is placed at the said countersunk breech,
and the piston advanced one space which will be sufficient to deposit within the
bore of the gun one complete charge of one wad the shot and another wad behind
it. In using this tube for shot charges nothing but the last wad is necessary to
keep the charges in the tube. But when used for bullets I use a spring at the end
of the tube or other suitable means for keeping the bullets within the tube and I
release the front spring or other arrangement with the same movement that I press
forwards the piston and so deposit a single bullet in the breech of the gun.
front spring or other arrangements closing the front of the tube immediately or as
soon as necessary after the piston has ceased to move.
The
It will thus be seen that a limited number of shot charges or bullets can be
carried ready for use while the tubes can be refilled over & over again. As an
alternative method I may carry out the same principle, that is, to provide the
proper charges of shot and wads ready to be injected into the barrel of the gun,
by any other suitable means. For instance I may provide a circular disc of a
sufficient thickness to carry a charge of shot and two wads or a bullet,and provided
with a suitable number of holes parallel to the axis and of the same diameter as
the bore of the gun, to contain the said charges. This disc I mount on a shaft
in its centre so that it can be revolved by ratchet or other stable means, so that
the holes one by one will coincide with a short tube of the same internal diameter
as the bore of the gun and coned externally to fit the countersunk breech of the
gun. I also provide a reciprocating plunger or piston in line with the aforesaid
short tube. The disc containing the charges is revolved until one charge coincides
with the short tube which is held to the breech of the gun. The reciprocating
plunger is then pressed forward so that the charge is forced from the revolving
disc through the short tube into the breech of the gun. The disc can then be

page_text: revolved until a fresh charge is opposite the plunger and shot tube and so on till
the disc is empty when it can be easily reloaded by placing a wad, a charge of shot
& another wad within in.
Dated this 26th November 1894.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Pneumatic Guns, Pistols,
and the like with Shot Charges or Bullets.
BERNARD RODWELL BANKS of 22 Elgin Road Croydon Surrey Engineer,
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 :-
This my invention relates to an apparatus for carrying charges of shot or single
bullets and injecting them into the breech of pneumatic guns and the like.
For my invention 1 use a circular disc marked A in Figs. 1, 2, & 3 of the accom-
panying diawings of sufficient diameter to carry the required number of charges
and of suitable thickness. This disc A revolves on a centre G between the
cusing B. B. and is furnished with a suitable number of holes C parallel to the
axis G. These holes to be of suitable diameter. As the disc A is revolved these
holes are brought opposite the apertures E and D. The aperture D is fitted
with a moveable piston or plunger F. The action is as follows The apertures C
are filled with one wad a charge of shot and a second wad. The disc is then
revolved so that one aperture C comes opposite the aperture E and the piston F.
The aperture E is then placed at the breech of the gun and the piston pressed
down to the position shown in Figure 3, where the charge is removed from the
dise A to the breech of the gun.
As an alternative method 1 employ a tube A Figures 4 and 5 of a suitable
length and diameter to hold a convenient number of charges of shot or bullets;
down the centre of tube AI provide a slot B in which works the finger C which is
carried on the sliding piece D. The finger C is always kept depressed in the
slot B by the spring E. The action is as follows The tube A is filled with a
suitable number of charges of shot or bullets. The finger C is lifted and drawn
back the distance of one charge or bullet, it is then depressed between two charges
or two bullets. The end of the tube A is placed to the breech of the gun and the
sliding piece D carrying the finger C is pushed forward until the charge is lodged
in the breech of the gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
I. A circular revolving disc of the requisite thickness and diameter with
apertures of the necessary size either parallel to its axis or at right angles thereto,
fitted with a reciprocating piston coinciding with the apertures and with a short
tube, for the purpose of pressing the charges contained in the disc into the breech
of an air gun or similar implement, substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
11. A tube of the requisite diameter a piston, slide or other arrangement
attached thereto for placing charges of wads & shot or bullets into the breech of
a pncumatic gun or similar implement substantially as set forth in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: III. An apparatus capable of holding several charges of shot and wads or
bullets, fitted with means for injecting the same into the breech of an air or other
gun charge by charge as required, substantially as described and set forth in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of August 1895.
BERNARD RODWELL BANKS.