IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RELOADING CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE- ARMS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Buttery and John
Pashley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 21st February 1871.
I, WILLIAM BUTTERY, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Foreman,
and I, JOHN PASHLEY, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RELOADING CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be
used in reloading cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms. The apparatus
to renew the priming of sporting cartridges and to close in the charge
consists of a standard on a base plate, and on the standard a platform
can be slidden up and down by means of a hand lever jointed to the
standard and pressing on the under part of the platform. The platform
projects on each side of the standard, and on one side it serves to

page_text: support the base of the cartridge whilst it is closed to secure the charge.
This is done by means of a turning or closing tool mounted at the top
of the standard. On the other side the platform carries a block on
which the cartridge case to be reprimed is placed, the block can slide
up and down a short distance on a stem fixed to the platform, and
having a needle projecting from its upper end. The old cap is poked out
from its recess in the head of the cartridge case by this needle. To
perform this operation the case is placed on the block when it is in its
lower position on the stem and the needle then projects above. The
platform is now raised so as to bring the head of the cartridge against
a moveable abutment on the top of the standard, and the cartridge case
being thus stopped whilst the needle is raised the cap is ejected by it.
The abutment piece is turned out of the way to admit of the removal
of the cartridge case from the block. The operations in recapping are
similar, except that the block is now placed in its higher position, and
an opening in the abutment through which the exploded cap was ejected
is now stopped with a plug moveable in and out around a centre pin.
The cartridge case with the cap suitably placed upon it is put on the
block, the platform is raised and the cap is pressed home by being
forcibly brought against the plug in the abutment. To raise and lower
the block upon its stem it is turned partly round, which causes a pin
in the block to traverse along an inclined slot in the stem. Ball cart-
ridge cases are sized after firing by inserting into them a mandril or
plug, and then forcing the case with the plug within it into a gauge
tube. This gauge tube is mounted vertically on a base, also carrying a
standard to which a hand lever is jointed. The cartridge case with the
plug within it having been entered into the gauge tube, the hand lever
is turned over so as to bring the flat face of a presser connected with
the lover by a pin on to the head of the cartridge case, pressure being
then applied to the lever handle the cartridge case is forced home into
the gauge tube and its size is thus corrected. The lower end of the
plug within the cartridge case now rests on the end of another smaller
lever, and the case and plug are ejected from the tube by pressure
upon the handle of this lever. The cartridge case thus sized having
been charged, and the bullet inserted into it is placed with its head in
a small cup fixed or formed upon the base on the side of the standard
opposite to the gauge tube. The hand lover is then turned over so as
to bring the presser down upon the bullet. On the side of the presser
.

page_text: now operating there is a deep cavity into which the bullet fits and it
is thus steadied. Pressure on the handle of the lever carries the bullet
down to its proper bearing within the cartridge case and the operation
is complete.