IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES SUITABLE FOR ORDNANCE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Stanton Slocum, of Providence, Rhode Island,
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES SUITABLE FOR ORDNANCE."-A communication from abroad by
Charles Tillingbest Tomos of Providenes. Rhode Icloud oforacoid
Sealed the 21st. February 1860, and dated the 14th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Stanton Slocum
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th September 1859.
I, JOHN STANTON SLOCUM, of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROJECTILES SUITABLE FOR ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in projectiles suitable for
ordnance, and consists in arranging the same, as is herein-after described, in
such a manner that the pressure generated by the explosion of the powder may
act directly on the back of a packing ring with which the projectile is provided,
and force the ring into the rifle grooves of the gun employed to throw the
projectile. The body of the projectile is, by preference, made conical or
pointed in front, and the hinder part thereof is made nearly to fit the bore of.
the gun, and around it a groove is formed to receive the packing ring, which
is made in four or other convenient number of sections; each a portion of the
circumference. The several parts of the packing ring are separated the one
from the other by ribs running across the groove in the projectile, and equal

page_text: in height to the depth thereof, and to retain the packing in its place; these
ribs are made of a dovetail form in section, and the top and bottom of the
groove also are undercut in a similar manner. Behind the packing ring
passages are formed, which proceed inwards towards the centre of the projectile,
where they meet in a central passage opening at the base thereof; it is by
these passages that the pressure generated by the explosion of the powder is
communicated directly to the back of the packing ring, and forces it into the
rifle grooves of the gun. The ribs which separate the different sections of the
packing ring, as before mentioned, prevent the packing turning on the projectile,
and this is consequently compelled in leaving the gun to rotate on its axis,
being governed by the rifle grooves. Immediately the packing ring of the
projectile issues from the muzzle of the gun, it is by the pressure behind it
blown out and falls away from its place. The apertures formed in the pro-
jectile then serve for the passage of air to prevent the production of a vacuum
behind the projectile. In order that the partitions separating the different
passages in the projectile the one from the other may not check its rotation by
striking the air, they a are made of a spiral form to correspond with the speed
of rotation of the projectile as it leaves the muzzle of the gun. In some cases,
in place of allowing the force of the explosion to act directly at the back of
the packing ring; the packing ring is caused to bear on plugs contained
within the passages in the projectile, and the inner ends of the plugs rest on a
central cone, which, when the gun is fired, being driven up by the explosion,
acts on the inner ends of the plugs, and thus expands the packing ring; or the
packing ring may be expanded after the projectile is placed in the gun, and
before the charge is fired, by attaching a stem to the upper end of the cone, and
causing this stem to pass up to the point of the projectile through a suitable
hole, and there to have a thread cut on it, and to receive a screw nut, which
can be turned by a suitable key while the projectile is in the gun; or the
projectile may be so formed as to allow of the cone being driven in so as to
expand the packing by the act of ramming the projectile home, and ratchet
teeth and chicks are then provided to prevent the return of the cone after it
has been driven up. It is preferred to form the packing of canvas, tin plate,
and lead; the outer surface of the packing is of canvas; it rests on the tin
plate, and the space between this and the bottom of the groove in the pro-
jectile is filled by casting in lead, the passages in the projectile being first filled
with sand; or in place of the above a packing of papier maché may be
conveniently employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Stanton Slocum in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STANTON SLOCUM, of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the
year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Stanton Slocum, Her special licence that I, the said
John Stanton Slocum, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Stanton Slocum, 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 SUITABLE FOR ORDNANCE," a com-
munication from abroad by Charles Tillinghast James, of Providence, Rhode
Island, aforesaid, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Stanton Slocum, 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 calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Stanton Slocum, 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, reference being had to the Drawings bereto annexed:-
The nature of the Invention consists in constructing the projectile in such a
manner that the pressure generated by the explosion of the powder may act
directly upon a packing ring or envelope with which the projectile is provided,
so as to force it against the sides or into the scores or rifled grooves of the gun
employed to throw the projectile. By this arrangement the usual windage is
destroyed, and when the gun is rifled a more perfect rotary motion is obtained
for the missile, while the clogging or "leadding" of the gun is prevented. In
order to embody the greatest weight of metal the projectile is in the form of a

page_text: cylinder, having its diameter made nearly to fit the bore of the gun, surmounted
by a canoidal head, and with or without a canoidal base. Upon the whole
cylindric surface a recess is sunk, leaving a shoulder at each end of the cylinder.
A packing or envelope fills up and covers this recess, and is usually composed
of lead, iron, and an external covering or layer of a fibrous, textile, or other
material having the same effect and purpose, which is, by interposing between
the metallic portion of the packing or of the missile itself, to prevent metallic
contact and consequent injury to and "leadding" of the gun. The tinned,
sheet iron, or other substitute forming the packing ring next to the fibrous
covering is employed in the form of a band and sprung on to the recess or
made in four or other convenient number of longitudinal sections of the circum-
ference of the recess, which are separated the one from the other by longitudinal
ribs left on the projectile; into these, being dovetailed for the purpose, they
slide and are kept in place. I do not, however, confine myself to these
particular plans of placing and securing the iron or its substitute, as there are
various other modes, some of which will be herein-after mentioned, so that the
explosive force of the powder may be received by it instead of by the fibrous
or external layer. Instead of an entire sheet the band may be cut transversely
almost across in the direction of and corresponding with the spiral ways here-
after mentioned.
The segments above mentioned may be of cast iron, and with the band may
be about th of an inch in thickness. In these and other modifications
the space between the metallic casing and the surface of the recess is usually
filled up with a thin layer of melted lead or zinc to make the whole more
compact, and the band or segments may be employed with arms fitted into
the channelled ways, hereafter mentioned, or alone. Before pouring the
melted lead in, the channelled ways may be previously filled with sand to
prevent their being closed by the lead.
A communication is made by apertures opened through, or channels cut on,
the surface of the projectile, through which the explosive force shall act upon
the interior surface of the packing for the purpose of expanding it as above
mentioned.
The whole packing must be so confined and secured to the shot by pins or
other suitable device, that it shall not slip upon but turn with it while passing
along the gun, but on leaving the muzzle shall become detached by the
explosive force and driven off. Then the apertures or ways formed to serve
as the communication through which the packing is acted upon, serve for the
passage of the air, and thus prevent the usual vacuum created behind the
projectile.

page_text: Instead of the combination above mentioned, papier machè, thick paste-
board, etc. used whole or in segments may be employed.. The shoulders at;
each end of the cylinder may be depressed in order to allow the outer layer of
the packing to come over and protect them from coming into metallic contact;
with the gun.
}
When a projectile with a canoidal base is used I no not propose to make
the communication through the central cavity shown in the Drawings, but by
means of longitudinal channels or grooves, made upon the surface of the
cylinder, and extending along the base. In this case especially, and it may be
found useful in the others, in order to prevent the escape of the gas in front of:
the missile, a circular groove may be sunk around the recess next the front
shoulder, so as to be below the line of direct action. Into this the end of the
metallic or other stiff packing made enough thicker is fitted. As an additional
security a dovetail cut under the forward shoulder may receive and hold down
that end of the packing. Different modes of packing and of constructing,
modes of communications are represented in the Drawings hereto annexed as:
part of the Specification. These exhibit the projectile only with the canoidal-
head, and having a central cavity ċ communicating with the cylindric surface
through radial openings or channelled ways a, a.
In Figure 1 the openings are made longitudinally, and towards the centre:
in a spiral form with a pitch corresponding with the twist of the scores at the
muzzle of the gun, longitudinal ribs t, t, either straight or spiral, are left upon:
the recess, r, cutting the entire surface.into equal segments, each containing
spiral channel way. Into these ribs, dovetailed for the purpose, are fitted:
metallic 1, 1, pieces covering each its segment, and over these the outer layer
or canvas packing is adjusted and secured.
a
Figure 1 is a cross section showing the spiro-radial direction of the
openings a, a, from the centre to the periphery.
!
A mode of packing with stiff pasteboard or similar substance V, V, in lieu
of the combination of fibrous packing, iron plate, and lead, is represented in
horizontal section on axial plane by Figure 2; 22 is a cross section on I, J, of:
Fig. 2. Figure 2' is a profile, and 23 an end view.
Figure 3 presents the longitudinal section; 3¹ a cross section at R, S, of
Fig. 3; 32, profile of exterior elevation; 3*, a cross section at P, Q, of 32;
and 33 an end view of the projectile with the channels a, a, a, the cavity c, the
fibrous packing in the form of a cord f,f; the pin or plug p for attaching the
packing to the shot, and the band s, s, interposed between the outer packing
and the recess.
Figure 4 represents a profile (the packing being removed) of the recess

page_text: and openings a; 4' a cross section on A, B, of Fig. 4, showing opening a, an
arm m, segments of lead 1, segments of iron i, and canvas f.
Figure 5 shows in longitudinal section, 5¹ in cross section on C, D, of Fig. 5.
the fibrous packing f on segments of cast iron i, i, covered or plated with lead,
tin, or copper l, l, and the arms m, m. Figure 10 is an end view of the same.
In longitudinal section at Figure 6, and at 6' in cross section on X, Y, of
Fig. 6, is represented a mode of impacting the packing upon the scores of the
gun before the explosion is made. By turning the nut n on the screw cut on
the rod of the mandril w, the latter is drawn forward, and acting as a wedge
upon the arms m, m, produces the desired expansion.
Figure 7, 7, represents a profile and end view of shot in Fig. 6, without
rod, mandril, and arms.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 8' a cross section at E, F, of
Fig. 8, of a method of securing the mandril by self-acting springs or
catches h, h, and ratchet t, t; when in forcing the ball home the mandril W
is driven forward so that its conical sides act upon, distend, and keep the
packing against the grooves of the gun.
Figure 9 represents the longitudinal section of the shot at right angles to
that of Figure 8, showing the mandril and one of the self-acting catches in
side elevation; Fig. 9' a cross section of same at G, H, of Fig. 9.
Premising that I do not limit myself to the special modifications above
mentioned and described, and having fully described the said Invention as
communicated to me, I now claim and desire to secure under the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent,-
The combination of layers of metallic and fibrous material to form a packing
and mode of applying the same, substantially as described.
Also, the application of pasteboard, papier maché or other preparation of a
character presenting a sufficiently solid resistance to the explosive action, and
at the same time prevent the clogging or leadding of the gun.
Also, the mode of applying the explosive force to act upon the packing or
sides of the shot through channel ways, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stanton Slocum, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, on this Twenty-fifth day of January, anno Domini,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOHN STANTON SLOCUM. (L.S.)