Improvements in Cartridges and Projectiles for Limited Ranges.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cartridges and Projectiles for Limited Ranges. .
I, ARMAND MIEG of No. 64 Weststrasse Leipsic in the Kingdom of Saxony,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a construction of cartridge and projectile for fire arms
which is mainly applicable for firing at short ranges, such as for target practice,
sporting purposes, and generally for all such cases in which the greatest amount
of security requires to be afforded for distances beyond the object fired at.
For this purpose I construct the projectile as a hollow body of limited length,
corresponding in calibre to the ordinary solid projectiles, but made as light as
possible. It is preferably constructed of two separate parts, namely the front
shell and the base, but it can also be made of one piece, and it may also be filled
with some specifically light substance. In all cases the base of the projectile is
made of concave form so that the outer shell on firing enabled by the inward
bending of the concave base to be pressed together somewhat on being forced
through the rifling of the barrel.
If the projectile consists of a shell or casing filled with light material, such as
paper, papier maché, wood &c. it is necessary or desirable that the mass should
be of a somewhat yielding nature so as to allow of the before mentioned contraction
of the casing when passing through the barrel.
Such projectiles can be formed with a hole at the front end of from 0.25 to
0.50 m.m. diameter, in order, on the one hand, to render the axis of rotation of
the projectile more stable on account of the penetration of the air into the interior,
that is to say, to prevent the axis from oscillating materially, and thus to increase
the precision of the firing, and also, on the other hand, to reduce the impetus of
the projectile and consequently the distance which it will travel by the resistance
offered by the entering air.
In projectiles consisting of a casing provided with a filling, the boring can be
carried through the latter to near the concave base, so as to form an axial channel
in which the air will be caught. Such a projectile, owing to its small weight,
will, with a more or less reduced charge of powder in the cartridge, receive a
considerably smaller velocity and vis inertia than an ordinary projectile, so that its
range and penetrating power will be correspondingly reduced.
In order however to reduce these still further, I construct the cartridge as
follows.
The cartridge cases, which are preferably such as are not available for ordinary
firing, but which are otherwise in good condition, are filled up to near the space
into which the projectile fits, with a liquid, semi liquid, or plastic mass, that will
readily solidify, and after such solidification and drying, it is bored longitudinally
through the centre or is otherwise provided with a firing channel which commu-
nicates by other channels with the igniting holes in the bottom of the cap
chamber.
A small space is left between this filling and the base of the projectile, and into
this space is introduced the powder charge, which is duly proportioned to the
weight of the projectile and to the desired range, and which may, if required, also
extend into the central passage.
It will be seen that with such a limitation of the space in the cartridge and
consequently of the powder charge in proportion to the weight of the projectile,
the desired object of providing an accurately aimed projectile having its action
limited as much as possible in the immediate vicinity of the object aimed at, will
be attained, so that, for example, in target practice in the open air, no danger will

page_text: be experienced by anyone entering the practice ground at a distance of, say,
100 yards behind the target, and thus fencing-in may be dispensed with.
Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings shew by way of example various
forms which may be adopted for my above described improved projectile.
Fig. 1 shews the construction of the cartridge and a projectile consisting of a
front part a and a base capsule slid over the same and having a cavity at C.
Both parts are tightly fitted one within the other, and are secured by soldering or
other means.
Fig. 2 shews a projectile in which the base capsule b is fitted with its cylindrical
part within the front part a.
Fig. 3 shews a projectile in which the front part a' and the concave c¹ base are
formed of one piece.
Fig. 4 shews a projectile consisting of a casing or shell a² with filling d of light
material with concave base c².
Figs. 5 and 6 shew projectiles with a perforation at the front end, and, in
Fig. 6, with a corresponding boring in the filling d.
Fig. 1 shews the described arrangement of the cartridge, the case being filled
will a mass e to such an extent as to leave between it and the base of the projectile
a space ef forming the powder chamber which is made to communicate by passages g
and g' with the firing holes of the cap chamber.
Dated this 29th day of November 1890.
ADEL & IMRAI,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cartridges and Projectiles for Limited Ranges.
I, ARMAND MIEG, of No. 64 Weststrasse, Leipsic, in the Kingdom of Saxony,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to a construction of cartridge and projectile for fire
arms which is mainly applicable for firing at short ranges, such as for target
practice, sporting purposes, and generally for all such cases in which the greatest
amount of security requires to be afforded for distances beyond the object fired at.
For this purpose I construct the projectile as a hollow body of limited length,
corresponding in calibre to the ordinary solid projectiles, but made as light as
possible. It is preferably constructed of two separate parts, namely the front shell
and the base, but it can also be made of one piece, and it may also be filled with
some specifically light substance. In all cases the base of the projectile is made
of concave form so that the outer shell on firing is enabled by the inward
bending of the concave base to be pressed together somewhat on being forced
through the rifling of the barrel.
If the projectile consists of a shell or casing filled with light material, such as
paper, papier maché, wood, &c. it is necessary or desirable that the mass should be
of a somewhat yielding nature so as to allow of the before mentioned contraction
of the casing when passing through the barrel. Such projectiles can be formed
with a hole at the front end of from 0.25 to 0.50 m.m. diameter, in order on the
one hand, to render the axis of rotation of the projectile more stable on account
of the penetration of the air into the interior, that is to say, to prevent the axis
from oscillating materially, and thus to increase the precision of the firing, and
also, on the other hand, to reduce the impetus of the projectile and conse-
quently the distance which it will travel by the resistance offered by the
entering air.
In projectiles consisting of a casing provided with a filling, the boring can be
carried through the latter to near the concave base, so as to form an axial

page_text: chamber in which the air will be caught. Such a projectile, owing to its small
weight, will, with a more or less reduced charge of powder in the cartridge,
receive a consideraby smaller velocity and vis inertia than an ordinary projectile,
so that its range and penetrating power will be correspondingly reduced.
In order however to reduce these still further, I construct the cartridge as
follows.
The cartridge cases, which are preferably such as are not available for ordinary
firing, but which are otherwise in good condition, are filled up to near the space
into which the projectile fits, with a liquid, semi liquid, or plastic mass, that will
readily solidify, and after such solidification and drying, it is bored longitudinally
through the centre or is otherwise provided with a firing channel which commu-
nicates by other channels with the igniting holes in the bottom of the cap
chamber.
A small space is left between this filling and the base of the projectile, and
into this space is introduced the powder charge, which is duly proportioned to the
weight of the projectile and to the desired range, and which may, if required; also
extend into the central passage.
It will be seen that with such a limitation of the space in the cartridge and
consequently of the powder charge in proportion to the weight of the projectile,
the desired object of providing an accurately aimed projectile having its action
limited as much as possible in the immediate vicinity of the object aimed at, will
be attained, so that, for example, in target practice in the open air, no danger
will be experienced by anyone entering the practice ground at a distance of, say,
100 yards behind the target, and thus fencing-in may be dispensed with.
Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification shew by
way of example, various forms which may be adopted for my above described
improved projectile.
Fig. 1 shews the construction of the cartridge and a projectile consisting of a
front part a and a base capsule b slid over the same and having an elastic concave
base c.
Both parts are tightly fitted one within the other, and are secured by
soldering or other means.
Fig. 2 shews a projectile in which the base capsule b is fitted with its cylindrical
part within the front part a.
Fig. 3 shews a projectile in which the front part a¹ and the concave base c¹ are
formed of one piece.
Fig. 4 shews a projectile consisting of a casing or shell a² with filling d of light
material with concave base c².
Figs. 5 and 6 shew projectiles with a perforation h at the front end, and, in
Fig. 6 with a corresponding boring in the filling d.
Fig. 1 shews the described arrangement of the cartridge, the case being filled
with a mass e to such an extent as to leave between it and the base of the projectile
a space forming the powder chamber which is made to communicate by passages g
and g' with the firing holes of the cap chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A projectile for cartridges for firing at limited ranges with a decreased
charge, consisting of a hollow shell a closed at the rear end by a cap b fitted over
or into it, and having an elastic base c, substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
2. A projectile consisting of a hollow shell a¹ formed in one with the concave
elastic base c', substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the
drawings.
3. A projectile consisting of a hollow shell a' filled with a light yielding
material d, such as pasteboard, paper, wood &c., the base c² being formed concave,
substantially as described with reference to Fig. 4.

page_text: 4. A projectile such as is referred to in the preceding claims, having either a
perforation at the front end as at Fig. 5, or a central passage in the filling as at
Fig. 6, substantially as described.
5. A cartridge for use in combination with the projectiles referred to in the
preceding claims, wherein the powder charge is reduced by filling the case with a
light material e of such a nature as to be capable of being filled in in a liquid,
semi liquid or plastic condition, and then to solidify, leaving a space behind the
project.le for containing the powder charge which communicates with the cap
chamber by passages y g', substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of August 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.