IMPROVED ATMOSPHERIC TOY PISTOLS AND GUNS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED ATMOSPHERIC TOY PISTOLS AND GUNS."-A-communication from
abroad by Mr. Laurent Marie Réné Péan, Manufacturer, of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 17th March 1863, and dated the 3rd October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
October 1862.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED ATMOSPHERIC TOY PISTOLS AND GUNS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of toy for children known
as a popgun, which is applied to pistol canes, riding whips, or otherwise, and
consists in the following improvements :-
1st. The cork or projectile of this popgun is attached to the ramrod of the
pistol or gun in such way that in firing the cork returns of itself into the tube,
the cord or string being only of the same length as the ramrod.
2ndly. A socket is placed at the extremity of the barrel to receive the cork
after the explosion, so that it cannot escape, and by that means cannot injure
any one, while at same time it is always ready to re-enter the barrel.
3rd. I can also dispense with the cord, the cork would then be placed
in position in the tube by the fingers through the openings in the socket.

page_text: 4th. Instead of employing the socket above described I may terminate tho
barrel of the pistol by a bell mouth, or by a round rim, which would facilitate
the re-entry of the cork into the tube, and increase the noise caused by the
explosion.
5th. I may also add any kind of toy to the ramrod, such as a cane, riding
whip, or whistle, which may itself form the ramrod, or they may be applied to
the end of the barrel where I form the funnel. I have represented in the
annexed Drawings several arrangements of these articles.
6th. I may also apply this system wholly or partly to cannons, guns, popguns,
swords, or to objects standing on their ends, such as figures or dolls, and add
a spring to return the spring and cork to position.
7thly. I also place a piston at each extremity of a tubo having corks united
to a central rod; to this piston rod I impart an alternate rectilinear to-and-fro
movement by any suitable means. In this manner I obtain a new atmospheric
toy, one cork being placed in position while the other is being fixed, and vice 1
versa.
:
8thly. I may also apply this system to rocking horses; thus, if I place it
under the rockers, or the saddle, or in the mouth of the horse, or it may be
under the feet of the child on the horse, the former might, by certain move-
ments, cause explosions, which would create much amusement. In the
annexed Drawings I have represented these improved toys.
Fig. 1 shows a central vertical section of a pistol cane; Fig. 2 shows, in
section, a double exploding tube herein-before mentioned; Fig. 3 shows a
part central vertical section of a pistol in which the extremity of the tube is in
the form of a funnel; Fig. 4 shows an elevation of a pistol cane, the piston of S
which is worked by the knob of the cane, as before mentioned; Fig. 5 shows
a modified view of the funnel. In these Figures the same letters of reference
indicate the same parts.
a, cane, properly so called, it forms a piston in the exploding tube, Fig. 1,
and is furnished at its extremity with a leather washer 6, and ring c; d, metal
or other tube, one of its extremities is furnished with a socket 6 of somewhat
larger diameter, furnished with openings or slits f; this socket serves for the
reception of the cork; g, cork, of the same size as the tube d, it is attached
to piston 6 or cane a by a cord h; i, bandle or knob of the cane a.
b
Fig. 2 shows a central longitudinal section of part of the tube of a double
pistol. a, piston rod, carrying at each extremity the leather pistons b, secured
by packings ; d, exploding tube, having sockets e at each extremity, furnished
with apertures f; g, corks, attached one at each end by cords h to the rings b;
;, button, fixed to rod a, projecting on the exterior of tube d; it is worked by
•

page_text: a rectilinear to-and-fro movement in a groove k. It will be readily understood
that the parts being arranged as described at Fig. 2, by working the button
on knob j alternate explosions of corks g will take place. I would observe
that the toy should be longer than that represented at Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 shows, as before mentioned, a part central longitudinal section of a
single pistol, with the extremity of the barrel in the form of a funnel, so as to
guide the cork in its return. The rim is represented in red in these two latter
arrangements. The handle i of the pistol works the piston rod as in ordinary
toy pistols already in use.
Fig. 4 shows a part central vertical section of a pistol cane, in which the
body a of the cane is fixed, whilst the handle i, on the contrary, works the
piston b, as in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shows, in elevation, a modification of the socket e; instead of being a
tube with openings f, it is formed of four wires 1, disposed crosswise, in which
the cork works.
Fig. 6 shows, on a smaller scale, a single pistol, furnished with a socket
mouth, with apertures in which the handle i of the pistol moves the piston rod.
In this case the mouth is closed at its extremity, so that the cork cannot leave,
and which returns of itself by the traction of the handle, or by the action of
the fingers, as already explained.
The advantages of these improved toys are as follows:-
1st. The cork replaces itself instantaneously, by which successive firings can
be made to resemble running fire.
2ndly. The cork being enclosed in the socket, cannot be lost nor injure
any one.
3rdly. The toy can be used without a cord.
4thly, if the cord becomes detached, it does not stop the action, only in this
case the cork would require to be replaced by hand.
5thly. By fixing it to a cane, riding whip, or sword, two toys are obtained
which are not more inconvenient to handle than one. In this manner the
postol canes, riding whips, swords, and other toys to which the Invention is
connected, may be made to produce a startling explosion, for instance, by
bearing on a cane, a doll, or a column, an explosion is produced which causes
astonishment, the objects of themselves not giving rise to any idea of such an
occurrence. It is well known that these reports amuse children, which is the
object of connecting these exploding tubes to the different objects before
mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Clark,
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 "IMPROVED ATMOSPHERIC TOY
PISTOLS AND GUNS," a com" to him from abroad by Mr. Laurent Mario
Réné Péan, Manufacturer, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, 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 same 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 I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
--
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of toy for children,
known in general as a popgun, which is applied to pistol canes, riding whips,
or otherwise, and consists in the following improvements :-
1st. The cork or projectile of this popgun is attached to the ramrod or
piston of the pistol gun in such way that in firing the cork returns of itself
into the tube, the cord or string being only of the same length as the ramrod.
2ndly. A socket is placed at the extremity of the barrel to receive the cork

page_text: after the explosion, so that it cannot escape, and by that means cannot injure
any one, while at same time it is always ready to re-enter the barrel.
Srdly. I can also dispense with the cord; the cork would then be placed in
position by the fingers through the opening in the socket.
4thly. Instead of employing the socket above described, I may terminate the
barrel of the pistol by a bell mouth or by a round rim, which would facilitate
the re-entry of the cork in the tube, and increase the noise caused by the
explosion.
5thly. I may also add any kind of toy to the ramrod, such as a cane, riding
whip, or whistle, which may itself form the ramrod, or they may be applied at
the end of the barrel, where I form a funnel. I have represented in the
annexed Drawing several arrangements of these articles.
6thly. I may also apply this system wholly or partly to cannons, guns, pop-
guns, swords, or to objects standing on their ends, such as figures or dolls, and
add a spring to return the piston and cork to position.
7thly. I also place a piston at each extremity of a tube, having corks united
to a central cord; to this piston rod I impart an alternate rectilinear to-and-
fro movement by any suitable means; in this manner I obtain a new atmo-
spheric toy, one cork being placed in position while the other is being fired,
and vice versa.
8thly. I may also apply this system to rocking horses; thus, if I place
under the rockers, or the saddle, or in the mouth of the horse, or it may be
under the feet of the child on the horse, the former might at certain move-
ments cause explosions which would cause much amusement.
In the annexed Drawings I have represented these improved toys.
Fig. 1 shows a central vertical section of a pistol cane; Fig. 2 shows in
section a double explosive tube, herein-before mentioned; Fig. 8 shows a part
central vertical section of a pistol in which the extremity of the tube is in the
form of a funnel; Fig. 4 shows an elevation of a pistol cane, the piston of
which is worked by a knob of the cane, as mentioned; Fig. 5 shows a
modified view of the funnel. In these Figures the same letters of reference
indicate the same parts.
a, cane, properly so called; it forms a piston in the explosive tube, Fig. 1,
and is furnished at its extremity with a leather washer b and ring c; d, metal
or other tube; one of its extremities is furnished with a socket e, of somewhat
larger diameter, and furnished with openings or slits f; this socket serves for
the reception of the cork; g, cork of the same size as the tube d; it is
attached to piston 6 or cane a by a cork h; i, handle or knob of the cane a.
Fig. 2 shows a central longitudinal section of part of the tube of a double

page_text: pistol. a, piston rod, carrying at each extremity the leather pistons b, secured
by packings c; d, explosive tube, having sockets e at each extremity, furnished
with apertures f; 9, corks, attached one at each end by cords h to the pistons b;
j, button fixed to rod a, projecting on the exterior of the tube d; it is worked
by a rectilinear to-and-fro movement in a groove h.
It will be readily understood that the parts being arranged as described at
Fig. 2, by working the button or knob j alternate explosions and projections
of the corks g will take place, I would observe that the toy should be longer
that that represented at Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 shows, as before mentioned, a part central longitudinal section of the
single pistol, with the extremity of the barrel in the form of a funnel, so as to
guide the cork in its return; the rim is represented in red in these two latter
arrangements; the handle i of pistol works the piston rod as in ordinary pistols
already in use.
Fig. 4 shows a part central vertical section of a pistol cane, of which the
body a of the cane is fixed, whilst the handle i on the contrary works the
piston b, as in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shows in elevation a modification of the socket e, instead of being a
tube with openings fit is formed of four wires / disposed crosswise, in which
the cork works.
Fig. 6 shows on a smaller scale a single pistol furnished with a socket
mouth with apertures, in which the handle i of the pistol moves the piston rod;
in this case the mouth is closed at its extremity, so that the cork cannot leave,
and which returns of itself by the traction of the handle, or by the action of
the fingers, as already explained.
Fig. 7 shows a section of a pistol flute; Fig. 8, plan of the plate on which
are fixed the tongues or reeds for producing the sounds. a, piston, furnished
at its extremity with a leather ring 6 and a fixed piston and ring c; this piston
is formed of a semi-cylindrical part d of wood or metal, having perforations e;
f, metal plate, having tongues or reeds g, corresponding to openings e of part d;
h, metal cylinder or tube forming the other half of this cylinder; this con-
stitutes the mouthpiece i, the air on being blown into which passes out at
openings e, which are being closed by the fingers, and thus produces vibrations
in reeds g, which may be of any suitable number.
The advantages of these improved toys are as follows:-
1st. The cork replaces itself instantaneously, by which successive firings can
be mado to resemble a running fire.
2ndly. The cork being enclosed in the socket cannot be lost nor injure

page_text: Srdly. The toy can be used without a cord.
4thly. The cords becomes detached; it does not stop the action, only in such
case the cork would require to be replaced by hand.
5thly. By fixing it to a cane, riding whip, or sword, two toys are obtained,
which are not more inconvenient than one. In this manner the pistol canes,
riding whips, swords, and other toys to which the subject of this Invention is
connected may be made to produce a startling explosion; for instance, if by
leaning on a cane, a doll, or a column an explosion is produced which causes
astonishment, the objects of themselves not giving rise to any idea of such an
occurence. It is well known that these reports amuse children, which
is the object of connecting these explosive tubes to the different objects before
mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
58, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)