Year: 1887

page_text: 1, JOHN HOPE, of 14 Water Street, Liverpool, Mechanical Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is a simple contrivance to enable a person to take aim when
discharging a pea or dart gun.
To effect this purpose I raise the straight part of the barrel of the gun above the
blow orifice so as to bring the straight part to the level of the eye when the mouth is
applied to the blow orifice.
I accomplish this in several ways. I may use a continuous tube with the mouth
end bent upwards to a long straight portion. Or i make the curved mouth end and
the straight part of the barrel separable. Or I fix the straight barrel to a stock, and to
the shoulder end of the barrel I attach a flexible tubing carrying the blow orifice.
For small heavy projectiles I use in any of the forms previously described a
piston sliding within the barrel constructed of a short tube with a diaphragm at right
angles to its length.
In another modification I use an elastic ball with the flexible tubing previously
described, and attached between the mouth piece and the barrel. This may be charged
with air and afterwards utilized for propelling the piston or projectile.
A stop of some sort is employed to prevent the projectile or piston falling into the
bent part of the barrel or tube.
Dated this 29th day of January 1887.

page_text: I, JOHN HOPE, of No. 14 Water Street, Liverpool, Mechanical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
My Invention is a simple contrivance to enable a person to take aim when discharging
a Pea, or Dart Gun.
To effect this purpose, I raise the straight part of the barrel of the gun above the
blow orifice so as to bring the straight part to the level of the eye when the mouth is
applied to the blow orifice.
I accomplish this in several ways.
I may use a continuous tubo with the mouth end bent upwards to a long straight
portion, or, I may make the curved mouth end and the straight part or barrel separable
by constructing the barrel to slide in it for breach loading, or I fix the straight barrel
to a stock and to the shoulder end of the barrel 1 attach a flexible tubing carrying
the blow orifice.
For small heavy projectiles, I use in any of the forms previously described a piston
sliding within the barrel constructed of a short tube having a diaphragm at right
angles to its length and suitable contrivances are inserted to prevent damage to the
barrel by the action of the piston.
In another modification I use an elastic ball with the flexible tubing previously
described and attached between the mouthpiece and the barrel. This may be charged
with air which is afterwards utilized for propelling the piston, or projectile. A stop
of some sort is employed to prevent the projectile, or piston falling into the bent part
of the tubing.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto annexed a
sheet of Drawings which make a part of this Specification and are marked with letters
and figures of reference corresponding with those used in the following explanation.
Like letters and figures are used to denote the same, or corresponding parts throughout
the Drawings.

page_text: Figure 5 shows the breach of the gun illustrated at Figure 4 on a larger scale
(shown closed).
Figure 6 illustrates a modification of breach for the gun shown at Figure 4 (shown
closed).
Figure 7.
Figure 7 shows the breach illustrated at Figure 6 open.
Figure 8 is an end section of the gun taken at xx
Figure 9 illustrates a sliding piston and spring which I employ in the gun when
using small heavy projectiles.
Figure 10 illustrates an arrangement of elastic ball which I may use with the
gun.
Figure 11 illustrates the type of dart used for the gun.
According to my Invention to enable a person to take aim when discharging the
gun 1 raise the barrel a of the gun above the blow orifice a¹. This I effect by bending
the barrel down at the breach end as shown at Figures 1 and 2, or by providing
the barrel a with a flexible tubing a² the end of which is provided with a blow
orifice a¹ as shown at Figure 4. The gun may be made of a continuous tube as
shown at Figure 1, or it may be made with the barrel a separated from the bent
end a² and the bent end is made to slide, or turn in the barrel at a³, a portion of the
bent end a² and the barrel a being cut away as at a so that by turning the end a²
the open breach at a is exposed for charging as shown at Figure 3. 6. 7 and 8; or
instead of constructing the breach to open by turning it may be made to slide as
shown at Figures 4 and 5.
In the exainple shown at Figure 4 the barrel a is fixed to the stock 6 and the end
of the barrel a is provided with the flexible tubing a² and mouthpiece, or blow
orifice a.. The side of the stock b is provided with a range plate c and adjustable
sighting piece d, the lower end d¹ of which moves over the graduated are c¹ on the
range plate and the upper end is provided with a sight piece e adjustable side ways
to provide for windage.
The gun illustrated at Figures 1 to 8 inclusive is intended to use a dart such as
that shown at Figure 11. When it is desired to use shot, or small heavy projectiles,
I provide the gun with a loose piston f see Figure 9. This piston is constructed of a
short piece of tube having a diaphragm i. The piston f is made to slide casily in the
barrel and so that it can be blown through the barrel carrying the projectile with it.
To prevent the piston leaving the barrel, I provide the end of the barrel with a
spring stop which takes the blow of the piston, the projectile leaving the
piston when it strikes the spring k; instead of the spiral spring k shown in
Figure 9. an annular rubber spring or a buffer of wood, or other suitable material
may be used.
In Figure 10 there is shown an elastic ball m which I may place between the
flexible tubing a² and the barrel a. This ball m is carried on a T piece n having an
inlet valve p and an outlet valve s so that by blowing through the tube a² the ball m
can be distended as shown in dotted lines; then by releasing the valves by a trigger,
or other device, it will fly open and the air in the ball will be forced into the barrel of
the gun and force out the projectile, or propel the piston with its projectile.
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 :-
First. A Pea, or Dart Gun consisting of a tube constituting a barrel and a
mouthpiece, such barrel and mouthpiece being so constructed that a sight can
O be taken along the barrel, when the mouth is applied to the blow orifice, substantially
as set forth.
5
Second. A Pea, or Dart Gun, the barrel of which is provided with a bent end
forming the blow orifice as herein set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawings.
Third. In a Pea, or Dart Gun a barrel a provided with a flexible tube a² and a
blowing orifice a' as herein set forth with reference to Figure 4-of the Drawings.

page_text: Fourth. In a Pea, or Dart Gun the combination of the barrel
a, the opening breach
piece a³ the bent end, or the flexible tube a² and the blow orifice a' as set forth with
reference to the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth. The Pea, or Dart Gun herein described and shown at Figures 4 to 8 inclusive
of the Drawings consisting of the barrel a breech piece a³ flexible tube a² blow
orifice a stock b range plate c sight d and piece e substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In a Pea, or Dart Gun a barrel a provided with a loose piston fand a
spring stop as, or substantially as herein set forth with reference to Figure 9 of the
Drawings hereto annexed.
k
Seventh. In a Pea, or Dart Gun a barrel a provided with an elastic ball placed
between the breech and the blow orifice thereof as, or substantially as set forth with
reference to Figure 10 of the Drawings.