IMPROVE MENTS IN AIR PISTOLS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT Allison Owen Swett, Henry Newton Sheldon, and James
Rollin Marble Squire, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN AIR PISTOLS." A communication from Augustus Bedford, residing at
Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the United
States of America.
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 3rd January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Allison Owen Swett, Henry
Newton Sheldon, and James Rollin Marble Squire at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, on the 3rd January 1876.
ALLISON OWEN SWETT, HENRY NEWTON SHELDON, and JAMES ROLLIN MARBLE
SQUIRE, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the
United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS." A communication to
us from Augustus Bedford, a person resident at Boston, in the County of Suffolk,
and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
In principle this pistol embraces the following elements:-A magazine to which
air is admitted, a spring impelled plunger playing within such magazine and
expelling the air from it, and a barrel surrounding the air magazine, and connected
with it by a passage through which the air is impelled into and through the bore
of the barrel, a tufted dart or a leaden pellet being introduced into the rear end of
the barrel, and expelled by the escaping currents of air after the manner usual with
air pistols in general.
Our present improvements relate,-
First. To such a construction and arrangement of the barrel, air magazine, and
plunger, that the spring is set, and the plunger "cocked" by a rearward or pushing
motion, in lieu of a forward or draft motion, our object in this respect being to
obtain a greater power over the contraction of the spring than has heretofore been
secured.
Secondly. These improvements consist in locating the breech end of the barrel at
the forward end of the air magazine in order that a forward motion of the plunger
shall expel the air from the latter.
Thirdly. These improvements consist in a peculiar method of closing the rear
end of the barrel by a movable breech, the same being as herein-after described.
[Price 6d1

page_text: Fourthly. These improvements consist in the employment of a sectional
expansible plunger within the air chamber, whereby a close fit is maintained at
all times; the same consisting in forming the plunger in two parts connected by a
and capable of endwise adjustment with respect to each other, a washer or
packing of leather or other suitable expansible material being interposed between
the two portions of the plunger, and acted upon by the latter to maintain a
uniform diameter and an accurate fit within the air magazine.
screw,
Several minor features of the improvements will be duly explained.
The Drawings accompanying this Specification represent in Figure 1, a central
and longitudinal section; and in Figure 2, a transverse section of a pistol
embodying our improvements; and in Figure 3, a plan of the breech closing
mechanism.
In these Drawings A represents the frame of the pistol, of which B is the portion
in which the air magazine C is located, and D the stock or handle.
The barrel of the pistol is shown at E as secured to the upper forward part of
the frame B, and formed at its rear part with an air passage a which coincides with
a suitable passage b created in the stock below, the conjoint passage a, b, serving
to open communication between the forward end of the air magazine, and the rear
end of the barrel.
The plunger of the pistol is shown at F as composed of two circular discs c, d,
the former or outer one of which screws into the other by means of a screw tenon e,
while a washer or ring f of leather or other proper expansible or semi-elastic
material is interposed between the two portions c, d, the diameter of the washer
being somewhat greater than that of the rest of the plunger to prevent injury to
the interior of the air magazine. A peripheral channel a² is cut in the circumference
of the part d to receive the trigger as herein-after explained..
Should the periphery of the plunger become worn to such an extent that air
passes between it and the wall of the air magazine, the portion c is screwed up to
a slight extent, the result being that the washer is expanded diametrically, and its
circumference increased to the desired extent.
An axial tenon g is formed upon the inner end of the portion d of the piston to
receive and steady the end of the spring h which impels the plunger to the outer
end of the air chamber, and against the head of a rod G which is shown in the
accompanying Drawings as passing loosely through an aperture i created in the cap
or bolt k which closes the outer end of the air magazine, the inner end or head of
this rod being converted into a conical valve which fits a valve seat m formed in
the inner face of the cap and about the orifice. i, while the outer end of the rod is
provided with a head n which encloses and slides upon the barrel E, a coiled
spring o encircling the rod G and interposed between the cap k and head 'n serving
to force the rod outward, and maintain its valve l in close contact with the seat m
and thus prevent escape of air at this point.
The trigger of this pistol is a double one, and acts with a reverse movement,
that is to say, it is composed, first, of a vertical lever p, which is pivoted to the
under side of the frame A, and whose nose q is pressed upward by a spring r; and,
secondly, of a horizontal latch 8, and pivoted at its forward end to the under side
of the frame A and in advance of the trigger or lever p, the nose q of said lever
engaging the free end of the latch in such manner that when the trigger is pulled
the latch is lowered and the plunger released. We do not, however, claim this
trigger as our Invention.
The device for closing the rear end of the barrel consists of a vertical gate or
plate t covering the open end of the barrel, and pivoted at its upper edge to the
upper rear corner of the barrel, as shown at u in the Drawings, while in addition
to this gate or movable breech block we employ a locking device, consisting of a
turn button v pivoted at its upper end to the center of the gate t by a pivot w,
and formed with a handle or knob x for convenience in turning it upon such pivot,
while in the frame A below this button we cast a transverse channel y, whose rear
boundary or wall z is disposed obliquely to the axis of the barrel and the plane of

page_text: the gate and button in order that when the button is swung into the position
which locks the breech it shall at the same time be crowded powerfully forward by
the sloping wall z and force the gate or movable breech t tightly up against the
rear end of the barrel, a suitable packing a¹ being interposed between the breech
and barrel to ensure an air-tight joint.
We do not in any sense restrict ourselves to this method of closing the rear end
of the barrel, but intend to avail ourselves of any practical method by which the
result may be brought about. The present one we represent as an efficient and
practical method.
The method of using this pistol is as follows:-The stock is grasped in the left
hand, and the head n of the rod G seized by the right, or such head may be placed.
against the edge of a table or other object, and the rod and with it the plunger
pushed inward, and the spring h contracted until the channel a³ of the plunger F
coincides with the free end of the latch 8, when the latter enters such channel and
the pistol is cocked and the plunger set, the air chamber being filled by air entering
it through the aperture i as the rod is pushed inward and the air prevented from
escaping by this aperture by the valve, which closes when the rod returns to its
normal position by the action of its spring o. The button v is now turned upon
its pivot from out the channel y and the gate or breech block t turned upward so
as to expose the rear end of the barrel, the dart or other projectile being next
inserted within the barrel and the movable breech returned to place. The pistol is
now loaded, and is discharged by pulling upon the trigger lever p, the effect of
which is to remove the latch s from its hold upon the plunger, and the latter is
released and suddenly shot forward by the stress of its spring, in its flight
expelling the air from the air chamber upward through the passage a, b, inter-
cepting the projectile in the barrel and expelling it from the latter.
The head n of the rod G, in addition to constituting a means whereby the rod is
readily pushed inward, also serves, in connection with the barrel; as a guide to
steady the movements of such rod. The spring o serves, after the cocking or
setting of the plunger, to return the rod G to its normal position and close the
aperture i against escape of air at this point when the plunger advances. But, for
the employment of this spring or its substitute the rod would often be left within
the air chamber after the plunger was set, the result of which would be that the
rod would be driven back with great violence, to the injury of the parts, and the
air within the air magazine would escape by the aperture i in lieu of being driven
upward through the barrel.
To break the vacuity which would otherwise exist in the air magazine an
advance of the plunger we create an aperature 6¹ in the wall of such air magazine
at its extreme rear part, or through the center of the bolt or head c¹ which closes
the rear end of such magazine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Allison Owen Swett, Henry Newton Sheldon, and James Rollin
Marble Squire at the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July 1876.
ALLISON OWEN SWETT, HENRY NEWTON SHELDON, and JAMES ROLLIN MARBLE
SQUIRE, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the
United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR PISTOLS." (A communication to
us from Augustus Bedford, a person resident at Boston, in the County of Suffolk,
and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America).
In principle this pistol embraces the following elements:-A magazine to which
air is admitted; a spring impelled plunger playing within such magazine, and
expelling the air from it; and a barrel surmounting the air magazine, and connected
with it by a passage through which the air is impelled into and through the bore

page_text: of the barrel, a tufted dart or a leaden pellet being introduced into the rear end of
the barrel, and expelled by the escaping currents of air after the manner usual with
air pistols in general.
Our present improvements relate;-
First. To such a construction and arrangement of the barrel, air magazine, and
plunger that the spring is set. and the, plunger "cocked" by a rearward or pushing
motion in lieu of a forward or draft motion, our object in this respect being to obtain
a greater power over the contraction of the spring than has heretofore been secured.
Secondly. These improvements consist in locating the breech end of the barrel at
the forward end of the air magazine, in order that a forward motion of the plunger
shall expel the air from the latter.
Thirdly. These improvements consist in a peculiar method of closing the rear end
of the barrel by a movable breech, the same being as herein-after described.
Fourthly. These improvements consist in the employment of a sectional expan-
sible plunger within the air chamber, whereby a close fit is maintained at all times,
the same consisting in forming the plunger in two parts, connected by a screw and
capable of endwise adjustment with respect to each other, a washer or packing of
leather or other suitable expansible material being interposed between the two
positions of the plunger, and acted upon by the latter to maintain a uniform diameter
and an accurate fit within the air magazine.
Several minor features of my improvements will be duly explained.
The Drawings accompanying this Specification represent in Figure 1 a central
and longitudinal section, and in Figure 2 a transverse section of a pistol embodying
our improvements; and in Figure 3 a plan of the breech-closing mechanism.
In these Drawings A represents the frame of the pistol, of which B is the portion
in which the air magazine C is located, and D the stock or handle.
The barrel of the pistol is shown at E as secured to the upper forward part of
the frame B, and formed at its rear part with an air passage a, which coincides
with a suitable passage b created in the stock below, the conjoint passage a, b,
serving to open communication between the forward end of the air magazine and
the rear end of the barrel.
The plunger of the pistol is shown at F as composed of two circular discs c, d,
the former or outer one of which screws into the other by means of a screw tenon e,
while a washer or ring f of leather or other proper expansible or semi-elastic
material is interposed between the two portions c, d, the diameter of the washer
being somewhat greater than that of the rest of the plunger to prevent injury to
the interior of the air magazine. A peripheral channel a² is cut in the circum-
ference of the part d to receive the trigger, as herein-after explained.
Should the periphery of the plunger become worn to such an extent that air passes
between it and the wall of the air magazine, the portion c is screwed up to a slight
extent, the result being that the washer is expanded diametrically, and its circum-
ference increased to the desired extent.
An axial tenon g is formed upon the inner end of the portion d of the piston to
receive and steady the end of the spring h, which impels the plunger to the outer
end of the air chamber and against the head of a rod G, which is shown in the
accompanying Drawings as passing loosely through an aperture i created in the
cap or bolt k, which closes the outer end of the air magazine, the inner end or head
of this rod being converted into a conical valve l, which fits a valve seat m formed
in the inner face of the cap and about the orifice i, while the outer end of the rod
is provided, with a head n which, encloses and slides upon the barrel E, a coiled
spring o encircling the rod and interposed between the cap and head n serving
to force the rod outward and, maintain its, valve 7 in close contact with the seat m,
and thus prevent escape of air at this point.
The trigger of this pistol is a double one, and, acts with a reverse movement, that
is to say, it is composed first of a vertical lever p, which is pivoted to the under
side of the frame A, and whose nose q is pressed upward by a spring r; and
secondly of a horizontal latch s, and pivoted at its forward end to the under side

page_text: of the frame A, and in advance of the trigger or lever p, the nose q of said lever
engaging the free end of the latch in such manner that when the trigger is pulled
the latch is lowered and the trigger released. We do not however claim this trigger
as our Invention.
The device for closing the rear end of the barrel consists of a vertical gate or
plate t, covering the open end of the barrel, and pivoted at its upper edge to the
upper rear corner of the barrel, as shown at u in the Drawings, while in addition
to this gate or movable breech block we employ a locking device, consisting of a
turn button v, pivoted at its upper end to the center of the gate t by a pivot w,
and formed with a handle or knob x for convenience in turning it upon such pivot,
while in the frame A below this button we cast a transverse channel y, whose rear
boundary or wall z is disposed obliquely to the axis of the barrel and the plane of
the gate and button, in order that when the button is swung into the position
which locks the breech it shall at the same time be crowded powerfully forward by
the sloping wall z, and force the gate or movable breech t tightly up against the
rear end of the barrel, a suitable packing a¹ being interposed between the breech
and barrel to ensure an air-tight joint.
We do not in any sense restrict ourselves to this method of closing the rear end
of the barrel, but intend to avail ourselves of any practical method by which the
result may be brought about. The present one we represent as an efficient and
practical method.
The method of using this pistol is as follows:-The stock is grasped in the
left hand and the head n of the rod G seized by the right, or such head may
be placed against the edge of a table or other object, and the rod and with it
the plunger pushed inward, and the spring h contracted until the channel a² of
the plunger F coincides with the free end of the latch 8, when the latter enters
such channel and the pistol is cocked and the plunger set, the air chamber being
filled by air entering it through the aperture i as the rod is pushed inward, and
the air prevented from escaping by this aperture by the valve which closes when
the rod returns to its normal position by the action of its spring o. The button v
is now turned upon its pivot from out the channel y and the gate or breech block t
turned upward, so as to expose the rear end of the barrel, the dart, or other
projectile being next inserted within the barrel and the movable breech returned
to place. The pistol is now loaded and is discharged by pulling upon the trigger
lever p, the effect of which is to remove the latch s from its hold upon the plunger;
and the latter is released and suddenly shot forward by the stress of its spring, in
its flight expelling the air from the air chamber upward through the passage a, b;
intercepting the projectile in the barrel and expelling it from the latter.
The head n of the rod G in addition to constituting a means whereby the rod
is readily pushed inward also serves in connection with the barrel as a guide to
steady the movements of such rod. The spring o serves after the cocking or setting
of the plunger to return the rod G to its normal position, and close the aperture i
against escape of air at this point when the plunger advances. But for the employ-
ment of this spring or its substitute the rod would often be left within the air
chamber after the plunger was set, the result of which would be that the rod would
be driven back with great violence to the injury of the parts, and the air within
the air magazine would escape by the aperture i in lieu of being driven upward
through the barrel.
To break the vacuity which would otherwise exist in the air magazine in
advance of the plunger we create an aperture 6' in the wall of such air magazine
at its extreme rear part, or through the center of the bolt or head c¹, which closes
the rear end of such magazine.
In Figure 4 of the Drawings we have shown a plan of a mechanism for closing
the breech which we propose to adopt in some instances, and which consists as
follows: Upon the top of the stock A and in rear of the barrel E¹ we place a
sliding bolt D, this bolt playing to and fro, of a longitudinal bore a³ of a tube b*

page_text: affixed to the upper part of the said stock A, a space c² being left between the
tube band barrel E¹ to admit of ready insertion of a projectile in the rear end of
the said barrel; E2 in the Drawings represents a handle affixed to and projecting
laterally from the side of the bolt D, while in connection with this handle we
create in the tube 62 a longitudinal channel or slot e, which terminates at front in a
right angular bend or branch fƒ, the rear side or abutment g² of this branch f
constituting the means whereby the bolt is forced tightly up to and held against the
barrel. The abutment g² is disposed obliquely to the axis of the bolt D, in order
that when the handle E is turned down into a horizontal position it shall wipo
against said abutment, and by the latter be crowded for ward in such manner as to
force the bolt tightly up to and against the barrel. The channel e permits the
handle E and with it the bolt to be retracted in rear of the barrel to such a
distance as to admit of insertion of the projectile in the latter. To ensure an
air-tight joint about the rear end of the barrel we secure to or form upon the front
end of the bolt D² a cup or receiver h³ to receive a block or disk of leather, india-
rubber, or other elastic or semi-elastic substance, and when the bolt is crowded
forward this packing is compressed between the bolt and barrel and an air-tight
joint ensured.
The operation of the above-described mechanism is as follows:-It being observed
that when the bolt is forward against the barrel and the breech closed, the shank
of the handle E2 is in a horizontal position upon one side the pistol and against the
abutment g. The operator grasps the handle E2 and turns it and the bolt in the
arc of a circle to such a distance that the shank of such handle coincides with the
channel e when the handle and bolt may be and are withdrawn, the rear end of
the barrel being thus exposed. A dart or other projectile is inserted in the barrel,
the bolt by means of the handle is pushed forward against the barrel, and the handle
returned to the position first stated, the oblique or sloping abutment g² serving to
crowd the bolt or its packing * closely up to the end of the barrel as stated.
First. The employment with the barrel, air chamber, and plungers of an air
pistol of a movable breech of any suitable character, whereby with a stationary
barrel a dart or projectile may readily be inserted in such barrel, substantially as
and for purposes stated.
Second. The combination of the barrel E, air magazine C, plunger F, and rod G,
whereby by a backward movement of said plunger its spring is set and it is cocked,
substantially as and for purposes stated.
Third. The combination of the barrel with the air magazine substantially as
herein explained, that is, with air entering the rear end of the barrel from the
forward end of said magazine, in order that a forward movement of the plunger
may expel the dart from the bore of the barrel, essentially as and for purposes
stated.
Fourth. The movable breech-closing device herein explained, consisting of the
gate t and button v, the former. being pivoted to the barrel and the latter to the
gate, essentially as and for purposes stated.
Fifth. The rod G, provided with the spring o, or its equivalent, in combination
with the plunger F and cap k, under such an arrangement that the rod serves to set
or cock the plunger and to prevent escape of air from the air magazine on return of
Buch plunger, substantially as and for purposes stated.
Sixth. The adjustable or expansible plunger composed of the two parts c and d
and the interposed washer or packing f, substantially as and for purposes stated.
Seventh. The combination of the air magazine and barrel under the arrangement,
substantially as herein shown, whereby air enters the former in advance of the
plunger and leaves at the same end of such magazine, passing into the barrel at the
rear end of the latter, essentially as and for purposes stated.

page_text: Eighth. In air pistols the combination with the barrel E¹ and air chamber C2 of
the bolt D2, handle E³, and irregular slot or channel e, the bolt being provided at
its front end with a suitable packing, and the whole operating substantially as and
for purposes stated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Allison Owen Swett, Henry Newton
Sheldon, and James Rollin Marble Squire, have hereunto set our hands and
seals this Twenty-fourth day of January, 1876.