US214484A - Improvement in gun-wipers - Google Patents

Description

T. Y.'BROWN..

Gun-Wipers.

Patented April 22,1879.

a'xg y N-FETERS1 FHOTO-HTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

T. YARDLEY BROWN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN-WIPERS.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,484 dated April 22, 1879 application filed September 14, 1878.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, T. YARDLEY BROWN, of the city of Readin g, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wipers or Cleaners for Small-Arms and Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the wiper or cleaner A, in connection with the patches D, cord B, washer g, knot 0, metal guard E, and knife end F. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base of the cone A, showing its serrations, and a plan of patch D. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevation of the barrel of a breech-loading gun, showing the application of the wiper to the same. Fig. 4 is a section and end view of an elastic serrated disk, which may be substituted forthe cone, but is not as efiectual.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

I am aware that rubber cones and other elastic devices have been patented and. used for the purpose of cleaning the barrels of breech-loading guns; but all that have passed under my observation have been combined with steel or other springs, or were placed in reverse order on and kept in place by nuts on the end of the ramrod, or the material forming the swab or cleaner was held between clampin g-disks secured on a pin by nuts or an equivalent device, the pin being pierced in the direction of its length for the introduction of a cord, which, being dropped through the barrel, was used to draw the swab or cleaner through the same. y

The objection to the use of the many devices offered for the purpose of cleaning firearms, more particularly breech-loaders, where a steel or iron or wooden rod, steel-ferruled, is used for the attachment of the wiper or cleaner, lies in the liability to injury of the muzzle or breech, (dependent upon which end of the barrel the insertion of the wiper is made,) occasioned by contact of the two metals in operating the cleaning device. This detracts from the shooting qualities of the gun, causing a constant and increased inaccuracy in the range and power of the piece.

There has been an attempt to correct this evil by the introduction of cylindrical swabs, wipers, or cleaners, in the use of which, in lieu of a ramrod, a cord attached to the swab was used for the purpose of drawing the wiper through the barrel to be cleaned. This device, in a measure meeting the objections to the first plan, has not met the wants of the sportsman. Owing to the rigidity of the clamped swabs there was not any, or at least very little, absorbent surface exposed, and the cylindrical surface not being susceptible of compression within itself could not adapt itself to but very slight differences of bore in the barrel desired to be cleaned, another objection being that, after a passage of the wiper through the barrel, the greater portion of the dirt removed would be found adhering to the wiper, V

notably so on the alternate plain and knotted disk-cleaners, thus necessitating the cleaning of the wiper itself.

Where cleaners have been used whose mobility in the bore was dependent upon springs, either making part of the cleaner, as in the Berdan patent, or placed on the rod, but independent of it, and on either of which patches have been used, the action of the springs, from want of uniformity, ride over or press harder upon some points than in others in passing through the barrel, thus leaving portions imperfectly cleaned; and when greasing the barrel to lay away, such parts as would be untouched would be liable to rust, to the injury of the gun.

I claim to have overcome all of the above objections, and to have constructed a wiper which is readily applicable, suitable for barrels of varying caliber, which may be carried in the vest-pocket, and is always ready for use, and after use cleaned by the simple withdrawal of the front patch from the cord.

To enable those skilled in the art to 0011- struct wipers or cleaners, in accordance with my invention, I will now explain the construction of the same.

The cone A or disk A" is made of elastic material, rubber being given the preference,

and is adapted to the bore of the barrel to be cleaned, and, in connection with the cone A or disk A, to the use of the patches D, which may be of felt, cloth, flannel, or any woolen material. These patches-from one to ten in number, and of such size that when drawn into the bore of the gun to be cleaned they shall envelop the cone A or disk'A-are pierced by the knife F of the guardE, and slipped over it and on the cord B until, in contact with the cone A or disk A, the cord B is secured in the cone or disk by a knot, O, the knot resting against a light metal washer, g, to distribute the pressure over the surface of the opposing cone or disk. The cone A and disk A are both serrated on plan, the serrations on the cone extending longitudinally on its face. (Shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4.) This permits the compression of the cone or disk, and they are thus adapted to suit any change which may occur in the bore from the breech to the muzzle, and also permits the use of a single wiper for barrels of considerable variation in caliber.

In cleaning a gun, the guard end E of th cord B is dropped through the barrel, seized by the hand, as shown in Fig. 4, and drawn through. This causes the patches D to crimp up around the cone or disk, which, although enveloped thereby, does not lose its elasticity, and furnishes the requisite force to cause the patches to follow all the inequalities of the bore, should any exist, thus thoroughly cleansing every part in both smooth and rifled bores. 0n withdrawing the wiper all the dirt contained in the barrel will be found adhering to the front patch, D. This is removed from the cord, leaving the wiper as clean as before use.

There being no hard substance used, there can be no abrasion of the barrel, and the firearm remains effective fora much longer period than when cleaned with the wipers now in use.

By dispensing with the ramrod, which by this improvement is rendered no longer necessary, the weight of I the fire-arm is to that extent lightened, and its construction cheapened by the saving of the labor on the ramrod and its accessories, together with the appliances to the barrel and stock in which to secure the ramrod when not in use.

My improvement is useful independent of its duty as a wiper, which will suggest itself to the sportsman. This is its use as a gamestring. After the days sport is over, the piece cleaned, and the first or dirt patch removed from the cord, then using the metal guard end E, with its knife-edge F as a needle, the game is strung upon the cord B, and retained by the wiper.

I do not, in the use of my improvement, confine myself to the cleaning of merely sporting or army small-arms, as the wiper is applicable to the cleaning of all breech-loading arms, including the largest ordnance, both smooth bore and rifled.

For use in large-bore guns, I would substitute for the cord B a light wooden rod, with a suitable wooden head, against which the cone A or disk A" would rest, with its patches D in advance, as on the cord B.

The force expended in doingthe work of cleaning being in the direction of the fibers of the wood, a comparatively light rod will answer.

3. The cord B, provided with a metal guard,

E, and knife end F, in combination with the elastic cone A, patch D, and washer g.

4. The combination of the elastic cone A, patches D, washer g, cord B, with its metal guard E and knife end F, when so combined and used, for the purpose substantially shown and described.

T. YARDLEY BROWN.

\Vitnesses ALFRED S. THOMPSON, AMOS BRINER.

Having thus described my improvement,

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