IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND PISTOLS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Poole, of Serle's Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND PISTOLS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Poole at the
office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his petition, on
the 1st October 1852.
I, MOSES POOLE, of Serle Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND PISTOLS " to be as
follows:-
This Invention is a communication from America, on behalf of
Mr. Goodyear, the Inventor, and consists of applying India-rubber
combined with sulphur, with or without other materials, in the making
of the stocks and furniture and in coating the metal parts, such
materials when so applied being converted into a hard substance by a
high degree of heat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Moses Poole, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 30th March 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MOSES POOLE, of Serle-Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Moses Poole, Her special licence that I, the
said Moses Poole, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or, such
others as I, the said Moses Poole, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND
PISTOLS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Moses
Poole, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Moses Poole, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof; that is to say,
This Invention is communicated from America, in behalf of
Mr. Goodyear, the Inventor, and consists of applying India-rubber
combined with sulphur, with or without other materials, in the making
of the stocks and furniture and in coating the metal parts, with such
materials when so applied being converted into a hard substance of
a high degree of heat; and in order that the Invention may be most

page_text: fully understood, and readily carried into practice, I will proceed to
describe the means practised by the Inventor. The material which
is preferred to be used is compounded of two parts by weight of
India-rubber and one part by weight of sulphur, though colouring
and other matters may be combined therewith as described in the
Specifications of other patents granted to me on behalf of the same
Inventor, such as shellac, gutta percha, coal tar, or pitch deprived
of water, and white lead, oxide of zine, and other colouring matters,
and even other matters may be added, but it is generally preferred
not to do so, except for the interior of stocks. In making the stock
of a gun or pistol it may be made solid or hollow; if hollow, then it
is preferred to line the interior with rough sheet iron of the form of
the stock; if solid, then it is preferred to make the interior of a cheaper
compound made of the materials before named, or of wood roughly
formed to or approaching the desired shape; the plastic material
being laid on in sheets or other pieces all over the exterior, and then
pressed between dies to make the surfaces take the exact shape
desired. The wood for this purpose should be well steamed and
dried in order to prepare it for undergoing the heat to which it will
be subjected in converting the compound of India-rubber and sulphur
into the hard substance of a whalebone or ivory-like texture.
The parts of the lock and other furniture are to be coated all
over with very thin sheets of the material, by which they will be
enclosed on all parts, and thus will they be protected and preserved
from rust, such coating being performed by pressing the sheet material
in contact with all parts, and causing the edges thereof to overlap, so
that no part shall be uncovered; and in coating the barrels and ram-
rods of guns and pistols the same are to be wrapped all round and
enclosed within sheets of the compounded material, taking care that
the edges of the material overlap. The heat is applied to the articles
thus made or coated gradually in half an hour to the temperature of
about 230° of Fahrenheit, keeping up that temperature for about an
hour and a half, then gradually increasing the heat for the remainder
of six hours up to 295° to 305° of Fahrenheit; but if a large
quantity of foreign matters be in the compound the heat may be

page_text: raised more quickly. I would remark that I do not claim the moulding
and coating articles above described, as the same has been described in
respect to other articles of manufacture in the Specifications of other
Patents granted on behalf of the said Mr. Goodyear, and although it
is preferred to employ sulphur in compounding the material, substances
containing or giving off vapour of sulphur on the application of heat
may be used.
What I claim is, the application of the hard substance
of a whalebone or ivory-like texture in the manufacture of parts of
guns and pistols as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
MOSES POOLE. (L.S.)
Witness, B. GOBEY.