Year: 1805

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALEXANDER WILSON, of Titchbourne Street, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex, Gun Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the
Third, in and His Letters Patent under His Great Seal of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of
July, in the forty-fifth year of His reign, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, did give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Wilson, my
executors, adininistrators, and assigns, His especial license, full power,
sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said Alexander Wilson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by myself
and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such others as I, the said Alexander Wilson, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of His said Majesty's United Kingdom called England, His.
Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my In-

page_text: vention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO SHOT BELTS, POWDER
FLASKS, AND FIRE-ARMS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Alexander
Wilson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, 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 one
calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the
said Alexander Wilson, do hereby describe and ascretain the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, by the Drawings in the margin of these Presents, and as follows,
that is to say:
a...
Fig. 1, an interior view of the breech A. The chamber contains the
charge, being nearly the shape of an egg, cupped out at the top with
[Roll illegible].the size of the bore, which prevents the bullet,
shot, or wadding from compressing the powder, and consequently. adds
to its explosion and velocity, is much easily cleaned, and not so... [Roll
illegible]... lead or lose in shooting. B, the interior metal touch hole,
projecting into the chamber in the form of a cone, prevents the shot
from lodging so as to make the gun miss or hang fire. C, the bottom
of the antichamber, which passes beyond the interior or inside touch
hole about of an inch. Fig. II. an exterior or outside view of the
lock side of the breech. D, the extremity of the antichamber, and its
diameter upon the lock side of the breech forming an interior cone from
C to D, (Fig. I. & II.), which contains the priming always loose, and if
it should at any time get damped can easily be removed by the picker F,
(Fig. III.), and fresh priming introduced. The exterior part or lock side
of the breeching, being sloped in an obtuse angular direction towards the
top of pan, as represented in Figure III., brings the locks of a double gun
nearer together, which renders it more convenient to cock the left cock,
conducts the eye quicker to the object, and makes the priming in the
pan tend more to the antichamber gun locks. Fig. IV. the under jaw.of

page_text: the cock, being sloped towards the outside, the upper jaw corresponding
with the under, holds the flint in an oblique direction, and striking the
hammer in that direction, the hammer face being also oblique or twisted
towards the outside of the lock, gives the flint more friction, increases
the quantity of fire, and throws it close up to the antichamber or touch
hole. The webs of the parts are rounded, which prevents the powder
from lodging so as to disjoint the hammer, and the pan is easier
cleaned, and not liable to lose the priming. Fig. V. an iron or metal
rest for a gun, being well calculated for a rifle or other gun, it being
forged solid upon the second pipe or any other convenient place, may be
either brazed, screwed, or fixed with soft solder, or made to act with a
swivel or joint; a metre or iron socket being fixed upon the end of the
rammer, the rest on the pipes is introduced into the socket, the head of
the rammer being large and chequered to adhere to the small clothes,
is placed upon the thigh near the groin, either standing or kneeling,
which supports the gun with such ease that a very heavy one can be
elevated or depressed at pleasure, or the head of the rammer may be
placed upon the ground, the rest being previously fixed on the socket
shot belt. The head of the shot belt, Fig. VI., is made to contain more
or less quantities of shot, as occasion may require, is filled with accuracy,
without loss of time or hazard in spilling the shot, and always contains
a charge ready to load with. Fig. VI. a, a, a, a, the extremity of the
exterior or outward measure that contains the charge, and which can
be raised or lowered at pleasure on the inner tube, and fixed at proper
distances by the screw c, c, according to the quantity or charge required.
A, the cover, into which a piece of steel is screwed, and afterwards
hardened and tempered to prevent the friction of the spring from
wearing it. B, the top or extremity of interior or inner tube. C, the
lower end or extremity which is screwed into the plate VII. marked H.
D, the hoop that is soldered or cast on the exterior tube. C, C, the slit
and screw by which the exterior tube is elevated or depressed. F, F, F,
the perpendicular spring and screw that fastens it, which prevents the
cover from opening to spill the shot. Fig. VII., H, the plate to which
the interior tube is screwed. I, I, I, the spring and lever by which the
flap acts that admits the shot into the charger. Fig. VIII. the flap which

page_text: admits or cuts off the communication of the shot, is sloped nearly from
the contro to the edge, which edge is rounded to prevent the flap from
catching or cutting the shot; the interior or inner tube is also rounded
at the bottom edge. Fig. IX: the brass hoop which is soldered to the
bottom of plate 5, to which the shot bag is fastened, and which is about
one inch in depth, and grooved in order to make the leather adhere to
it; and is widest at the bottom to prevent it from slipping. Fig. X. an
interior view of the cover of the shot belt, which acts upon the perpen-
dicular spring ff, f, shewn in Fig. VI.; the spring acts upon the part
marked G. Fig. XI. a view of the back-end of the plugs or breechings
of a double gun, which are sloped more or less in an obtuse angular
direction towards the top of the breeching to bring the locks nearer to
or keep them at a greater distance from each other, as occasion may
require. Fig. XII. the tool, made of thin sheet steel or other metal, with
which the breeching or plugs are sloped. The advantage to be derived
from my improved brecching or plugs are, that they have an interior metal
touchhole placed in a peculiar manner behind the centre of the charge,
projecting into the chamber in the form of a cone, and thereby prevent-
ing the shot from lodging so as to make the gun miss or hang fire; the
touchhole also communicates with the powder in the pan through the
antechamber, which is so constructed that in damp weather the gun cannot
miss or hang fire; the inside of the breeching which contains the charge
is nearly of the shape of an egg, and so constructed as to admit the
powder to remain always loose, it is easier cleaned, and has the advan-
tage of lighting the powder much quicker and in a more perfect manner
than any breeching heretofore used. The locks of a double gun are
nearer together than any hitherto made, which renders it more con-
venient to cock the left lock. The exterior of the breeching, being
sloped in an obtuse angular direction, conducts the eye quicker to
the object, and makes the priming in the pan tend more to the anti-
chamber. Guns on this new principle are much stronger than any
others, they will throw the shot more regular, with greater velocity, and
are not so liable to lead or lose their shooting, The jaws of the cock
holds the flint in an oblique direction, which gives it more friction,
increases the quantity of fire, and throws the fire close up to the touch-

page_text: hole. The web of the pan is rounded, which prevents the powder from
lodging so as to disjoint the hammers, the pan is easier, the priming
always kept dry, and the pan is not liable to lose it. The rest for rifles
loes not exceed two inches in length and one ounce in weight, may be
used standing or in any other position; a very heavy gun may be
clevated or depressed with one hand at pleasure, and at the same time
kept perfectly steady. The head of the shot belt is so constructed as to
contain various quantities of shot, is filled with accuracy, without loss of
time or hazard in spilling, and always contains a charge, as occasion
may require, ready to load with. This improvement upon the shot belt
is equally applicable to the powder flask.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Second day of August, in the forty-
fifth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third,
Ly the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and five.
ALEXR WILSON. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Second day of
August, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Alexander Wilson
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 aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Second day of August, in the year above
written.