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UNITED STATES PATENT - OFFICE.
CHARLES KIRCHHOF OF NEWARK NEW JERSEY.
IMPROVEMENT IN BLAST-GUNS.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. dated April 21 1868; Reissue No. dated
July 27 1869.
To ail whom it may concern:
Be it known that I CHARLES KIRCHHOF of Newark Essex county New Jersey have invented a new and Improved Blast-Gun; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full clear and exact description thereof which-will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement; Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts.
This improvement consists principally in the combination with an air-tube or other air-reservoir of a device for holding paper or other sheet fabric or membrane across the outlet of the tube or reservoir in such a manner as to cause the. bursting of the paper or other sheet or mmbrane when the air contained in said tube or reservoir is compressed thereby producing a sound or signal resembling that of fire-arms.
My improvement further consists in the use in connection with the air-tube of other novel devices which will be hereinafter particularly described.
In carrying out my improvement I provide a-barrel or tube A made of any suitable material in which operates air-tight in the usual manner a piston C worked by its handle D. The front end of the tube A is provided with an enlargement or collar B the face of which contains a recess a which is filled with a packing-ring b open in its center which packing-ring is intended to be so arranged as to project slightly beyond the face of the tube or collar B so that when a piece of paper or other sheet membrane or fabric is pressed upon the packing all escape of air between the outlet of the tube-and such sheet or membrane will be prevented. A hinged clamp E having a central opening is pivoted to the collar B and the said clamp closes upon the face of the packing b and collar B in such a-manner that when closed with a piece of paper or other sheet placed between the clamp E and collar B the said paper or sheet will be firmly held across the outlet ofthe tube A and when the piston C is pushed inward the air in front of the piston will be condensed with great force against the surface of the said pallet or sheet. When the force applied to push in the piston is sufficient to overceme the inherent strength of the material composing the paper or sheet the latter will be ruptured with a loud report due to the sudden expansion of the air when the . rupture takes place.
F is a latch by which the clamp E is locked upon. or against the collar B.
G is a finger-bar attached to the clamp E to facilitate its convenient opening for the insertion of the sheet.
f is a spring arranged between the collar B and the finger-piece which spring serves to keep the clamp E partially closed against the collar B thereby preventing the accidental loss or falling out of the paper or sheet which is to be used in connection with the instrument.
When it is desired to change or concentrate the sound produced by the rupt re of the pa-per or sheet I attach a suitably-formed mouth-piece H to the clamp E as shown in Fig. 2.
When it is desired to drive a projectile I attach to the front of the clamp E an additional barrel I in which the projectile is fitted.
When it is desired to inflate an air-tight vessel—such as a bladder or rubber bag—such vessel is to be attached either to the barrel I or to the clamp E in which case the condensed air issuing from the tube or reservoir will en-ter such bag or vessel and cause its inflation. The dotted lines Fig. 1 indicate such a bag attached to the barrel I; also the projectile within the barrel.
I do not limit or confine myself to the form size or constructien of any of the parts herein mentioned as these may be varied in many ways without departing from my invention; but
What I do claim 'asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent
1. The combination with an air-tube or other air-reservoir; of a device for holding paper or otherfabric across the outlet of the tube or reservoir substantially as and for the purpose described.
3 469
2. The employment in combination with the clamp E substantially as and for the put.-the outlet of the air tube or reservoir of a pose described.
packing to prevent the escape of air between G. The employment of a device to hold the the paper or sheet and the outlet of the tube clamp in a partially-closed position to pre or reservoir substantially as herein described. 1 vent the falling or loss of the sheet substan-
3. The employment of the clamp E or its } tially as described.
equivalent in combination witli the packing 7. The clamp E of a blast-gun adapted to b and the tube or reservoir of a blast-gun sub- receive either the month-piece H or barrel I
stantially as and for the purpose described. substantially as described for the purpose
4. The latch F when hinged to the clamp specified.
E and constructed as shown whereby it is ! CHAS. KII{CHHOF. adapted to catch in the rigid notched projec-
tion 1 of the collar B as herein described for Witnesses:
the purpose specified. A. E. BEAcir
5. The finger-piece G in combination with I FRANK BLocKLr Y.