IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE AND IN LOADING AND FIRING ORDNANCE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theophilus Alexander Blakely, of Montpelier Square,
in the County of Middlesex, late Captain Royal Artillery, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE AND IN LOADING
AND FIRING ORDNANCE."
Sealed the 3rd June 1864, and dated the 8th December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Theophilus Alexander
Blakely at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th December 1868.
I, THEOPHILUS ALEXANDER BLAKELY, of Montpelier Square, in the County
of Middlesex, late Captain Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE AND IN
LOADING AND FIRING ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
Various contrivances have been suggested for causing projectiles to take the
rifling in the barrels of ordnance. Now my present Invention consists in
fitting a cupped ring of copper or other similar metal round the base of the
projectile in such manner that on its being fired the outer edge of the ring
shall be expanded beyond the circumference of the projectile. Or instead of
the cupped ring I sometimes fix on to the rear end of the projectile a concave
dise of copper or other similar metal, the edge of which is expanded on the
explosion of the charge beyond the circumference of the projectile.

page_text: My Invention for loading ordnance relates to such as are muzzle-loading,
and consists in the employment of a disc or piston carried or fixed at the end
of a rod, which passes through an aperture made entirely through the rear
end of the gun. In order to load, the piston is pushed forward to the muzzle
of the gun; the powder is attached by a string or otherwise to a projection on
the face of the piston, the piston is drawn back a sufficient distance to admit
the powder, the projectile is next attached to the powder bag, and the charge
is drawn into its proper position for being fired. In some cases I make the
vent through the travelling piston, and thereby fire the charge. In some
cases again I attach detonating powder to the powder case, and explode it by
a plunger or wire passing through the travelling piston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THEOPHILUS
ALEXANDER BLAKELY, of Montpelier Square, in the County of Middlesex, late
Captain Royal Artillery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely, Her special licence that I, the said
Theophilus Alexander Blakely, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein.
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR
ORDNANCE AND IN LOADING AND FIRING ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature,
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months.next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
.
Various contrivances have been suggested for causing projectiles to take the
rifling in the barrels of ordnance. Now my present Invention consists in fitting
a cupped ring of copper or other similar metal round the base of the projectile,
as shewn at a in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, in such manner
that on its being fired the outer edge of the ring shall be expanded beyond
the circumference of the projectile. Or instead of the cupped ring I some-
times fix on to the rear end of the projectile a concave disc of copper or other
similar metal, as represented at b, Figure 2, the edge of which is expanded on
the explosion of the charge beyond the circumference of the projectile.
My Invention for loading ordnance relates to such as are muzzle-loading,
and consists in the employment of a disc or piston c, Figures 3 and 4, carried
or fixed at the end of a rod d, which passes through an aperture e made
entirely through the rear end of the gun. In order to load, the piston c is
pushed forward to the muzzle of the gun into the position represented in
Figure 3; the powder is attached by a string or otherwise to a projection on
the face of the piston, the piston is drawn back a sufficient distance to admit
the powder, the projectile is next attached to the powder bag, and the charge
is drawn into its proper position for being fired (see Figure 4). In some cases
I make the vent through the travelling piston, as seen at f, Figure 4, and
thereby fire the charge. In some cases again I attach detonating powder to
the powder case, and explode it by a plunger or wire passing through the
travelling piston; 9 is a guide or support for facilitating the insertion of
the charge.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, fitting a cupped ring of copper or other similar metal round the base
of projectiles for ordnance, in manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.
Second, fitting a concave disc of copper or other similar metal to the rear
end of projectiles for ordnance, in manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.

page_text: And, third, loading and firing ordnance by the means and in manner herein-
before described and represented in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Theophilus Alexander Blakely, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
T. A. BLAKELY. (L.B.)