AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PERCUSSION POUCH
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PERCUSSION
POUCH." A communication from abroad by Silvanus Jenkins Macy, of
New York City, in the State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 28th June 1864, and dated the 2nd March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd March 1864.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PERCUSSION
POUCH," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain novel means of keeping percussion caps
apart within a pouch, and of feeding them out of the pouch one at a time,
as required for use. The pouch itself is a flat box of nearly elliptical form,
that is to say, slightly oblong with rounded ends, and within it there is placed
a rotating circular plate, having provided in it a number of holes of proper
size and form for the reception of the percussion caps, such holes being
arranged in helical or convolute form. This circular plate carries a central
pivot, which enters a straight slot made in the back of the box to receive and
form a guide for the traverse of the plate from end to end of the box. On

page_text: the back of this plate there is a corresponding helically arranged or convolute
ratchet, which works between two stationary guide pins or pieces in such a
manner that when rotary motion is given to the plate by means of a pawl
lever protruding through the exterior of the pouch, and acting in the holes of
the plate, the plate is caused at the same time to move lengthwise of the
box, and present the caps one at a time opposite to a spout through which they
are discharged from the pouch by means of a spring and pin, which also act
on the ratchet to prevent the plate from turning backward.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patont Office on
the 2nd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PERCUSSION POUCH," being a communica-
tion from abroad by Silvanus Jenkins Macy, of New York City, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 fol-

page_text: lowing statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in certain novel means of keeping percussion caps
apart within a pouch, and of feeding them out of the pouch one at a time,
as required for use. The pouch itself is a flat box of nearly elliptical form,
that is to say, slighly oblong with rounded ends, and within it thero is placed
a rotating circular plate provided with a number of holes of proper size and
form for the reception of the percussion caps, such holes being arranged in
helical or convolute form. On the back of this plate there is a corresponding
helically arranged or convolute ratchet, which works between two stationary
guide pins or pieces in such a manner that when rotary motion is given to the
plate by means of a pawl lever protruding through the exterior of the pouch,
and acting in the holes of the plate, the plate is caused at the same time to
move lengthwise of the box and present the caps one at a time opposite to a
spout through which they are discharged from the pouch by means of a spring
and pin, which also act on the ratchet to prevent the plate from turning
backward.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents in front view a pouch full
size; Fig. 2 is an inside view of the same, the lid being removed; Fig. 3 is
a central longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 4 is a back view of the
rotating plate, which contains the purcussion caps. Similar letters of refer-
ence indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A represents the box flat and of oblong form with rounded ends made of
tin plate or other metal, and having its outer side formed of a hinged lid B.
This box is covered with leather, and the hinge a of the lid, which is at the
lower side, may be formed of metal or of the leather covering, as represented.
The lid is secured in a closed condition by two pivotted metal clasps c, c,
substantially like what are used on portemonnaies. Near one end there is
provided on the lid the short discharging spout b, which is turned downward.
On the back of the box there are two vertical loops d, d, Fig. 3, for the
reception of the waist belt, by which the pouch is attached to the body in a
position just in front of the right bip; C is the rotating circular plate, in
which are the holes e, e, for the reception of the caps f,f. This plate is of
such diameter that it may rotate freely within the box A, and move from end
to end thereof. At its back it carries a central pivot 9, which fits easily into
a longitudinal sloth in the back of the box, and keeps the edges of the plate
clear of the upper and lower sides of the box. The holes e, e, are just large
enough for the caps to drop easily thereinto, and the lid when closed comes
near the face of the plate, and so prevents the caps from slipping out in a

page_text: forward direction. The caps are prevented from slipping out of the holes in
a backward direction by means of their own flanges, when made with flanges,
as represented in Figures 1 and 2, or if the caps are not made with flanges
the plate must work near enough to the back of the box to prevent them from
slipping out. The holes e, e, are arranged in a helical or convolute line,
commencing at a short distance from the centre of the plate, and terminating
near the circumference thereof, and at the outer end of the series there is au
extra hole e' of smaller size, as shown in Fig. 2, the purpose of which will be
presently explained. j is a ratchet on the back of the plate arranged in a
helical or convolute form corresponding with the arrangement of the holes e, e,
but in such manner as to come between and not opposite to the holes. This
ratchet enters between the two stationary guide pins i, i, which are secured in
the back of the box A in a position nearly in line with the slot h, and at such
distance from one end of the box that when the plate C is at that end the end
of the ratchet will be very near the said pins, as shewn in Fig. 2. D is the
pawl lever for producing the rotary movement of the plate C in the direction
of the arrow shewn on it in Fig. 2. This lover works on a fulcrum pin k
seemed in the lid B of the box at or near the centre thereof. It is arranged
between the exterior of the lid B and its leather covering, as shewn in Fig. 3,
and projects beyond one end of the box that it may be easily worked by the thumb
The hooked
and finger when the pouch is attached to the body by the belt.
pawl 7, which is rigidly attached to the lever D, enters the box through the
spout in such manner that its point may enter the holes e, e, and pull round
the plate C. The movement permitted to the lever is limited by stops on the
lid, so that it is just sufficient to remove one of the holes e, e, from a position
opposite the discharging pin E, and bring the next hole opposite to the said
pin. This pin works through an opening in the back of the box opposito the
upper opening of the spout 6, and is attached to a steel spring m, which is
secured to the exterior of the back of the box inside of the leather cover, and
inside of a metal guard n, which is secured to the back inside of the leather
cover. On that side of the pine which is nearest the centre of the box,
there is a projection r, the upper part of which is bevilled or rounded to enable
the ratchet teeth to push it back easily as they pass over it, and the lower edge
of this projection is of suitable form to serve as a stop against the ratchet
teeth, and prevent the plate C from turning backward. Every time a tooth
of the ratchet passes by the pin E, after having pushed it back, the spring m
throws the said pin suddenly forward against the cap in the hole e, which has
been brought opposite to the said pin, and knocks out the said cap through
the spout b. To fill the pouch the lid is opened, and the plate C placed with

page_text: the hole c' over the pin E, and caps are then inserted into all of the holes e, e,
and the lid closed up and secured. The pouch when filled is attached to the
body by the belt, and the caps taken out one at a time by placing the hollow
of the right hand over the spout b, with the second, third, and fourth fingers
under the bottom of the pouch, and working the lever up and down with the
fore finger and thumb. Every time the lever is moved down it brings a hole e
containing a cap opposite to the pin E, and causes the discharge of the cap by
the said pin through the spout into the hollow of the hand. When the lever
is moved up again it passes into the hole from which the cap was last
discharged, and in this hole it operates to turn the plate C and produce the
discharge of the cap from the next hole when the lever is next moved down-
ward. During the backward or upward movement of the lever the plate C
and pin E are pressed by the pawl toward the back of the box A, and by
this means the pawl is enabled to pass out of the hole in which it last operated
to turn the plate. The hole e' is only intended for the pawl to act in to effect
the discharge of tho first cap, and is made smaller than the holes e, e, in order
that no cap can be placed in it.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved Con-
struction of Percussion Pouch," as communicated to me from abroad, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the plate C
with its helical or convolute series of holes e, e, and corresponding ratchet j,
the lever D with its pawl I, and the discharging and stop pin E; the whole
applied in combination with each other and with the box A to operate
substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year or
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
0 Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)