METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A WALKING STAFF TO CONTAIN A PISTOL, POWDER, BALL, AND SCREW TELESCOPE, PEN, INK, PAPER, PENCIL KNIFE, AND DRAWING UTENSILS
Year: 1814

page_text: Walking Staff, to contain Pistol, Powder, and Ball,
Telescope, Pen, Ink, Paper, Pencil, Knife, and
Drawing Utensils.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I.
HENRY WILLIAM VANDER KLEFT, of No. 253, High Holborn, in the:
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day of August, in the fifty-third
year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry William Vander Kleft, His special
licence, that I, the said Henry William Vander Kleft, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Williamı
Vander Kleft, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of a "METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A
WALKING STAFF TO CONTAIN A PISTOL, POWDER, BALL, AND SCREW TELESCOPE,
PEN, INK, PAPER, PENCIL, KNIFE, AND DRAWING UTENSILS;" in which said

page_text: Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Henry
William Vander Kleft, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the
same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
two calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Henry William Vander Kleft, do hereby declare that the nature
of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, is described and ascertained in the following explanation
thereof (that is to say): The staff is about the usual length of a common
walking cane, and is made of brass, and may be covered or veneered with
prepared whalebone, leather, or any other substance; and the shape is
round and rather conical, tapering from the head to the point. It is
divided into nine parts, principally tubes (exclusive of the cap or head,
and the top or lid of the inkstand), which are all screwed together,
except that part containing the pistol, which is fastened by means of
two spring catches fixed opposite to each other. The first or upper-
most part or division is an inkstand, with a metal lid screwed thereon,
and a small hole in the centre of such lid for a pen to pass through,
and a metal knob or button to screw into the hole as a stopper when
the stand is not in use. The cap or head of the staff screws on the
inkstand, and may be made of silver or any other metal. The second
part serves for the handle of the pistol (which is made of iron), and
fixed in the lower end thereof, the barrel being about five inches in
length, and about half an inch in diameter. The trigger shuts in under-
neath the barrel, and is projected by the act of cocking the pistol; and
the pistol is kept at half cock, as well as the pan fastened down when
not in use, by a small bolt affixed to the upper side of the barrel, the
removal of which disengages the pan, enables the pistol to be brought
to the full cock and discharged. In the upper end of the second part
is placed a piece of wood with three small holes to receive a penknife
pen, and black-lead pencil, and the wood is covered with a brass o

page_text: silver plate, with correspondent holes; the distance of the plate from
the opening is about an inch. And on each side of the second part, near
the middle, is fixed two small silver loops, through which pass a leather
strap and tassel, to put round the wrist of the person carrying the staff.
The third part is a hollow tube or case for the reception of the pistol,
with a narrower circular space at the bottom to fit the muzzle and
keep it steady in the case, and immediately underneath which space
is a distended worm-spring made of steel, with a small circular brass
plate upon which the muzzle of the pistol rests or presses; the use of
which spring is to throw off the pistol case, and the lower part of the
staff, from the pistol, immediately on pressing the spring catches. The
fourth part is about eight inches in length, and forms a telescope, with
two or more brass sliding tubes. The fifth part of the staff is a hollow
tube or case for carrying writing or drawing paper in. The sixth part
is a hollow tube or case for carrying a piece of India ink and several
hair pencils in. The seventh part contains a turnscrew for taking off
the fore part of the pistol barrel when it is to be loaded or cleaned.
The eighth part is a small case for containing gunpowder; and the
ninth part is a case for containing the pistol balls; and the eighth and
ninth parts are made of brass, and form together the ferrule of the
shaft.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry William Vander Kleft, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fourteen.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Thirteenth day
of October, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Henry William
Vander Kleft came before our Lord the King, in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained, in form above written. And also the Specification

page_text: aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in that
case made and provided.
Trolled the come Thintaanih dov