Description
Item number : UK WEB MF SP 7044 SIMPLEX
Origin : England
Style : MULTI FUNTION TOOL
Gauge : 12
Functions : Hand tool for (de-)capping, reloading, wad seating and closing
Suitable for pinfire : No (?)
Maker : P. WEBLEY & SON, London and Birmingham
Markings : “12, J.C. COCKER PATENT 5535” on press lever
Biggest length : 250 mm (excl. Rammer)
Weight : 318 grams (inc. rammer)
Press lever : Steel with wooden handle
Turning lever : N.a.
Closing cup : Brass
Cartridge pusher : N.a.
Materials body : Brass
Paint : N.a.
Table clamp : N.a.
Stabilizer : N.a.
Condition : Good
Repairs : Decapper pin fails as well as the metal pins in the closing cup
Remarks :
I have 2 (reprints of) catalogues of Webley, those of 1877 and 1888. These reprint are made by Cornell Publications, USA. Unfortunately the pages are not all fully copied. That’s why we miss some information.
This tool is listed in the 1888 catalogue as “The Patent Simplex Cartridge Machine”.
I have seen quite a few of these tools. There are six of these tools in this collection. Nevertheless none of these tools bear a makers name. Some of them have the engraving ”J.C. Cocker Patent 5535”, some of them only show the number of the patent (5535), with or without the year of the patent (1884).
As far as I know, this tool was made by Webley (catalogue page attached), Lightwood (catalogue page attached) and W.J. George (see Baker, page attached. George is absolutely unknown to me. Maybe he was only a retailer, selling Webley and/or Lightwood tools)
The question is therefore who manufactured which tools”
The Lightwood catalogue shows tools where the closing cup extends beyond the bottom of the decapper. In the Webley catalogue the closing cub is shorter.
That’s why I listed tools with a short closing cup as Webleys and the long closing cups as Lightwoods.
If you compare this tool with the RS 7044, the Simplex without closing possibility then you may wonder what patent 5535 is for. In bygone days, patents were applied for and granted very easily.