THE MORE PERFECTLY FINISHING- OFF AND CLOSING LOADED CARTRIDGE CASES USED IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING GUNS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Baker at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th June
1861.
I, JOHN BAKER, Manager at the Firm E. M. Reilly & Co., Gun Makers,
5 315, Oxford Street, London, W., in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "THE MORE PERFECTLY FINISHING-
OFF AND CLOSING LOADED CARTRIDGE CASES USED IN BREECH-LOADING SPORTING
GUNS," to be as follows:-
My hand machine is for the more perfectly finishing-off and closing loaded
cartridge cases, also whereby a great diminution of hand labour is effected
compared with all previous processes. The charge likewise being more
securely packed and compressed, rendering it impossible to be shaken or
loosened in the second barrel of double guns through the discharge of the
first barrel by which the second charge is generally so much less effective and
too frequently useless. The cartridge cases when operated upon by my
machine are so firmly yet delicately held in position as completely prevents
their being creased, enlarged, or bulged, the usual faults attending all previous
processes creating difliculty of and sometimes impossibility of inserting them
into the chambers or breeches of the barrels. The marked feature of this
Invention and that which renders it perfectly original in principle from

page_text: anything ever before attempted is totally at variance with a machine known
as Jeffries' patent (which is worked by screw pressure and the revolution of
the finishing tool on the cartridge cases), whereas in my machine the
cartridge cases are made to revolve on the finishing tool.
Another feature of this Invention consists in dispensing with the necessity
of cutting off any portion of the cartridge cases, for no matter how much extra
length be left when they are loaded with smaller charges of powder, shot, or
wad, it succeeds in turning over most effectively the entire surplus length.
From the simple nature of of its construction my machine is little liable to get
out of order, and by changing the cylinder and end of the finishing tool can
be applied to cartridges of any calibre. The body, handles, or any part thereof
can be made of wood or any kind of metal, and it is so portable it can be
packed in any gun case.
The machine consists of a cylinder open at both ends and of the exact
calibre of and to admit the cartridge cases to be operated on, which are held
in their place by a simple arrangement of a handle, which, attached by a
screw at one.end of the cylinder when in use and turned in one direction,
closes in the cartridge case and afterwards by turning it in the contrary
direction disengages it; the principal use of this handle is to turn the cylinder
and cartridge enclosed during the operation at any amount of rapidity required.
The other end of the cylinder is left open for the insertion of the turn over or
finishing tool to be applied to the other end of the cartridge case; the cylinder
is ennabled to revolve by being worked in a collar attached to the body of the
machine of which it forms the principal portion. The application of the
finishing or turnover tool is effected in the easiest manner by a simple
arrangement of another handle, which is worked at one end on a pivot attached
to the body of the machine, its centre is curved, and on this curve the finishing
or turnover tool is worked through a slot cut in it, the other end of tho
handle being appropriated to the hand, by which means this tool can be
advanced in or out of the cylinder and the due amount of pressure applied at
will and with the greatest nicety; it is also used to push out the cartridge
case afterwards. The left hand is required to use this handle if the right
hand be engaged on the other, which latter effects the speedy and complete
disengagement of the completed cartridge; by turning this handle the reverse
way, as before stated, the cases that have been turned over and finished
in my machine are beautifully and evenly completed, and it was the damaging
effects on cartridge cases which unregulated screw pressure invariably
produced with every previous system that drew my attention to the necessity

page_text: of inventing a better contrivance. This system of mine can be applied to
and worked in any lathe, in which case the two handles may be dispensed
with. The little hand machine can be promptly and temporarily fixed to any
table, bench, &c., &c., by a little hand serew cramp which can be supplied
with each machine.