CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PERCUSSION CAPS, AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING CERTAIN PARTS OF THE SAME
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Mary Ann Walker and Richard
Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 1st February 1859.
We, MARY ANN WALKER, of the Firm of Charlotte and Mary Ann Walker,
trading under the name of Richard Walker, as Percussion Cap Manufacturers,
of Graham Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and RICHARD
WALKER, Manager of the said Works, also of Birmingham, as aforesaid, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PERCUSSION CAPS, AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE SAME," to be as follows (that is to say):
Our improvements consist, first, in the means of waterproofing and lining
percussion caps; secondly, in the form of the blank or shells of percussion
caps as applied in a particular way for the discharge of fire-arms; and, thirdly,
in the mechanical arrangements or appliances for giving effect to certain parts
of our improvements. The first will be understood by the following descrip-
tion:-
We cut out discs of paper which has been waterproofed in the sheet, such
disc being a little larger than the internal circumference of the metallic shell;
but in order that such disc may be readily placed within the shell, it is drawn
through a smaller hole, which has the effect of giving to it a kind of cup
shape, which we put in the cap with its concave side towards the powder. In
this condition it is bumped or pressed down, which spreads the lining, which
being waterproofed thoroughly protects the powder from the effects of moisture

page_text: or damp for any period of time, and caps so treated may be used in this
condition. Or such kind of paper may be waterproofed with a suitable
waterproofing material either on one or both sides in the sheets, and such
sheets may have printed or otherwise impressed on one of their sides a series
of gilded or silvered circular impressions, with or without a plain dot, in the
centre; and in cutting up this paper for the purposes, as before described, we
cut it up that each disc may be silvered or gilded on its face side, which we
subsequently draw through a smaller hole to give to them the cup form, as
before described, placing them in the caps in like manner, as before stated,
when the disc may be bumped down, not only rendering the cap waterproof,
but presenting all the appearance of a metallic lined cap, but without the
objections attendant on the use of metal for such purpose; or caps may be
treated as herein described, the powder being protected with the waterproof
cup, and be further protected by a lining of paper, which paper may be water-
proofed on one or both sides, and gilded or silvered on the other; or a sheet of
paper may be printed or impressed on one side with a series of small discs,
gilded or silvered, such discs being impressed with gold or silver, or any alloy
of such metal, and so distributed over the sheet of paper that the discs may
be cut out singly or in rows by suitable apparatus hereafter to be described.
But in each case an important feature of our Invention is, that a cap or row
of caps charged with powder and ready to receive this lining shall be placed in
a suitable cavity immediately beneath a perforated bed of steel, over which the
said paper is passed, and by suitable tools a gilded or silvered disc is cut out
and passed down, and pressed into the cap or row of caps at one operation,
thus making the punch or top tool that cuts out the disc press it down into
and finish the cap at the same operation, leaving the cap bright and clear on
the inside with all the appearance of a foil or metal-lined cap; and this plan
is also applicable for the general caps as well as for what are called "central-
fire caps." While we state that paper silvered or gilded on its surface may be
used, as also paper printed with silver or gold circles or annular rings, printed
or impressed in any of the ordinary ways in which such work may be done,
nevertheless we claim the doing of it between a pair of rolls or one roll and a
suitable bed. The position of the small circles or annular rings from which the
gilded impressions are obtained may either be on the roller or on the bed, the
said apparatus being fitted with suitable means of distributing the silver or
gold bronze over such projections; and this apparatus being put in motion
with the paper suitably arranged, the circles or rings intended to be silvered or
gilded will not only be so done, but also more or less glazed, according to the
amount of pressure used in the operation.

page_text: Having given a general description of our improvements in these descrip-
tions of caps, we will describe the apparatus by which we purpose cutting out
say a dozen discs, and pressing them into a dozen (more or less as convenience
may suggest) caps at once, which constitutes the third part of our improve-
ments, which consists in a suitable bed having one or a series of holes through
it in a vertical position. In connection with this fixed bed, a punch or series of
punches, is so arranged that at the time they are put in motion they also put in
motion feed rolls, which causes the paper from which the discs are to be cut to
be regularly advanced, at the same time further to give motion to an under
plate or shifting bed, in which are fitted in suitable rows the percussion caps
intended to receive the discs of paper to be cut out, so that the operation of
cutting out the paper also carries the paper down, and presses or bumps it in
the
cap or row of caps beneath, and the return stroke not only puts in motion
the feed apparatus connected with the paper, but also causes the next cap or
row of caps to advance for receiving the lining by the next or continuous
action; and although these improvements are given in a consecutive way,
nevertheless we claim to use the improvement stated, wholly or separately, as
desired.
And our improvements named under the second head relate to the general
form of the cap, such caps being intended to be used not by resting or fitting
on a nipple, but by inserting them in a part of the touchhole enlarged for that
purpose; and such caps consist in making them much smaller than the
ordinary cap and a little longer, with an enlarged conical or other shaped
head, which head prevents the cap from going too far into the touchhole, and
in discharging, the hammer striking on the enlarged head of the cap will cause
it to explode, and as the escape of sulphur from the cap is entirely cut off,
they will be found not only stronger in their firing, but safer and less
disagreeable in use, and may be made thoroughly waterproof.