Patch Lock Ignition

[Feltwad]

The short period from 1800-1820 saw many different patents of ignition for guns .When Forsythe discovered fulminate for ignition of his scent bottle lock saw a new era in firearms His fulminate was used in many patents such has tube locks , patch locks and then the percussion cap much to the down fall of many gun makers in bankruptcy who Forsythe sued for using his compound which included Joseph Manton gun maker
The tube lock and the patch lock soon lost favour for the percussion cap the patch lock With its detachable nose was converted to percussion after the copper cap became used not for getting that the first percussion caps invented by Joshua Shaw were made of iron and were refilled and used again
The patch lock was the most used although there were other inventions using fulminate ,James Rowntree was one of the first using a early type of back action lock ,also Nocks patent back action lock but Charles Spencer used a side lock in design to a flint lock See Images
Feltwad
Charles Spencers Side Lock

Rowntrees Back Action Lock

Nocks Patent Back Action

 

[azmntman]

No Images to see Sir :idunno:

 

[Feltwad]

No Images to see Sir :idunno:

Images are now there :thumbsup:
Feltwad

 

[ohio ramrod]

very informative. :idunno:

 

[Feltwad]

very informative. :idunno:

Nocks patent back action locks with detachable nose for the patch


Front View

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Feltwad,

These cocks are very similar to Joe Manton's with the detachable cups aren't they? Same spring loaded device. Very good to see, and thanks for these photos!

 

[coloradoclyde]

:thumbsup: Always interested by the evolution of ignition systems.

 

[Feltwad]

Feltwad,

These cocks are very similar to Joe Manton's with the detachable cups aren't they? Same spring loaded device. Very good to see, and thanks for these photos!

Yes Joe Manton did use this design of cock the first been on his tube lock. You will find that most of the patch locks have been converted for the percussion cap,, to find a original patch lock also a tube lock are now very rare and not often come on the market .
Feltwad

 

[MSW]

way cool - informative ... thank you for the post.
(i liked the photos ... old and beautifully made stuff is always worth a look; were i rich and famous, i'd simply surround myself with that sort of stuff ... aw heck - let's just stick with the rich part and i'll let fame go to some other poor sod ... deal?)

 

[Feltwad]

Image of Charles Spencer Patch lock using a side lock later converted to percussion

 

[tenngun]

You said Shaw’s caps were fist made of iron and refilled. I had not read this before. Did people buy raw fulmante to refill, how did they store that? I guess an ounce would last you a while but it would cause a pucker factor handling it. :shocked2: did it come in a pre waxed paper to load?

 

[Feltwad]

You said Shaw’s caps were fist made of iron and refilled. I had not read this before. Did people buy raw fulmante to refill, how did they store that? I guess an ounce would last you a while but it would cause a pucker factor handling it. :shocked2: did it come in a pre waxed paper to load?

Shaws caps were first used by James Rowntree who built for Shaw a sxs percussion cap gun they were made of iron in the shape of a top hat cap ,a device was made to hold on the cap that was spring loaded and replaced the frizzen The mixture of fulminate was mixed by hand to a paste a dangerous job with many accidents . In 1820 this did happen too Rowntree which left him blind in one eye, he also lost fingers from one of his hands ,he later sold the patent to Egg who then developed the copper cap
Feltwad

 

[tenngun]

Thx...ow!

 

[Zonie]

I know I sure would not want to try putting it into a cap.

Several different kinds of fulminates were all known long before Forsythe developed his priming devices but they all were so unstable few knew of a good use for any of them.

Some had tried using them as a primary propulsion charge in guns with disastrous results.

It was too dangerous to use for blasting rocks or blowing stumps because some of the fulminates could detonate from just the slightest pressure.

It makes me wonder how many close calls he had before he finally figured out how to do the job.

 

[Feltwad]

Forsyth fulminate for his scent bottle lock was in powder form and held in a magazine on the lock plate face ,one turn of the magazine allowed a small amount to fall onto a anvil which the hammer struck a pin which detonated the priming powder on the anvil and fired into the touch hole.
His pellet lock worked on a similar system but the magazine which was connected to the hammer slide back and forth . When the hammer was pulled to full cock the magazine slide forward over the pan and dropped a small amount fulminate into the pan , when the gun was fired the magazine slid back exposing the pan which the hammer struck and ignited the compound in the pan and fired into the touch hole. A interesting thing with these two locks they were inter changeable with a flintlock
Fulminate in powder form was used in the tube lock tubes which then was one of the better forms of ignition . paste, and pellets was used on several types of ignition .
Feltwad