IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR SHELLS FOR CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE ARMS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Maurice Delmard, of Plumstead Common, in the County
of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR
SHELLS FOR CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE ARMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Maurice Delmard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1879.
MAURICE DELMARD, of Plumstead Common, in the County of Kent, Gentleman.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR SHELLS FOR CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE
ARMS."
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the cases or shells
of cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms.
Heretofore metallic cases or shells for cartridges have been ordinarily made with
the view to their being thrown away after being used a very few times, and have
been constructed of thin brass or similar metal which usually fits rather inaccu-
rately the barrel of the fire-arm in which they are to be used, and a shell of this
kind after once using the same cannot be advantageously filled and fired again.
Therefore it is necessary to provide a large stock of cartridges, and the necessity
for so doing frequently occasions great inconvenience to sportsmen and others using
breech-loading fire arms especially for use abroad, and if the supply is exhausted
the arm is rendered useless. For this reason muzzle loading fire-arms, notwith-
standing their many disadvantages, are used by sportsmen in many cases in
preference to breach-loaders.
Now my Invention is designed to obviate the disadvantages attending the use of
such cartridges, and to provide cartridge cases which may be readily loaded by the
person using them and fired any number of times.
For this purpose I construct the case or shell of the cartridge of strong metal,
preferably steel, and provide the same with a nipple for the reception of an ordinary
percussion cap. The said case or shell may be varied or modified with regard to
the details of its construction. I prefer, however, to make it in the form of a steel
tube with the base and rim solid therewith, and to form the nipple by turning an
annular recess in the centre of the base; the said nipple is perforated centrally, and

page_text: in some instances I make perforations through the recessed part surrounding the
nipple. The base is preferably made of considerable thickness, and the portion of
the tube which contains the powder is thicker than the other portion of the said
tube. The caps used may either fit the nipple in the ordinary manner or they may
be of a size to fit the interior of the annular recess. I thus obtain the advantage
of being able to use various sized caps according to which may be at hand when
required.
Instead of making the case or shell of one piece, as above described, I may form
the tube and the base separately, and unite them by welding or other suitable
means; and instead of forming the nipple in the centre of the base, that is to say,
making a central fire cartridge, I may adapt my Invention to pin fire cartridges by
forming or fixing the nipple at the side of the head and perforating the same to
communicate with the interior of the shell.
It will be obvious that these improved cartridge cases may be readily loaded and
reloaded any number of times by the hand, no machinery being necessary, and that
when fired they may be extracted from the gun in the usual manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Maurice Delmard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th April
1880.
MAURICE DELMARD, of Plumstead Common, in the County of Kent, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR SHELLS FOR CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS.".
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the cases or shells
of cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms.
Heretoforo metallic cases or shells for cartridges have been ordinarily made with
the view to their being used only once or a very few times and then thrown away,
and have been constructed of thin brass or similar metal which usually fits
rather inaccurately the barrel of the fire-arm wherein they are to be used, and it is
well known that a shell of this kind after being once used cannot be advantageously
filled and fired again. Therefore it is necessary to provide such a stock or number
of cartridges as will ensure a sufficient supply of the same for a longer or shorter
period, and the necessity for so doing frequently occasions great inconvenience to
sportsmen and others using breech-loading fire-arms, especially in countries or
districts where no manufacturers of such articles exist, for if the supply is exhausted.
the arm is obviously rendered useless. For this reason muzzle loading fire-arms,
notwithstanding their various disadvantages, are used by sportsmen in many cases,
in preference to breech-loaders.
I am aware that attempts have been made to produce cartridge-shells or cases.
capable of repeated use, but such attempts have proved abortive, and the cartridge
cases produced thereby are not of sufficient practical utility to ensure their employ-
ment to any great extent.
Now my Invention is designed to obviate the disadvantages attending the use of
ordinary cartridges and to provide cartridge-cases which may be readily reloaded
by any person using them, and fired a great number of times without the slightest
impairment or diminution of their efficiency.
For this purpose I construct cartridge cases or shells as shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing, which I will now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge case or shell.
Figure 2 is a similar section of the tube of the same without the base.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the base, and
Figure 4 is a side view of the nipple and the disc whereon the same is formed.
The other Figures are hereinafter described.
The case or shell a is constructed of strong metal, preferably steel, and I provide
the same with a nipple b for the reception of an ordinary or any suitable percussion-
cap. The said case or shell may be varied or modified with regard to the details of
its construction, as will appear from the following description. I prefer, however,
to use a steel tube with the part forming the base c and rim d attached thereto, as
hereinafter described. I form a central perforation through the nipple b, and other
perforations extending from the recess e surrounding the nipple into the interior of
the case, as clearly shewn in Figure 1. As the cap is expanded by its explosion so
that it fits tightly in the said recess these last named vents or perforations conduct
the fire freely and with certainty into the interior of the case.
preferably made of considerable thickness, as shewn; the portion of the tube a
which contains the powder is thicker than the other portion of the said tube, the
thickness being gradually diminished toward the front end of the shell, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2. The caps used may either fit the nipple b in the ordinary
I thus
manner, or they may be of a size to fit the interior of the annular recess.
obtain the advantage of being able to use various sized caps instead of being
confined to one particular size which might not be always obtainable when
required.
The base is

page_text: In the cartridge case shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the base c is screwed into
the tube, and the nipple b is formed upon a disc b' which is placed in the tube
against the shoulder a' and has the base e then screwed tightly down upon it.
C
A similar construction is shewn in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, which are similar views to
Figures 1 to 4, but in this instance the shoulder a¹ and disc b' are bevelled. When
the base c is formed to be screwed into the tube of the shell I prefer to provide the
same with small holes, as shewn at f, for the insertion of the prongs or pins of a
key with which the said base is screwed into its place.
In the cases or shells above described the nipple b is fixed or immovable in the
base c, and when a cap has been exploded on the said nipple it is necessary to insert
a small instrument into the cartridge to push the exploded cap from the nipple.
For this purpose I provide the instrument shewn in side view in Figure 22. This
instrument consists of a holder g in which I secure at one end a needle h by a screw
i or by other suitable means. The other end of this instrument is provided with
a handle or knob j with which it is conveniently held and manipulated. On the
holder g I secure a guide piece k of wood or other suitable material accurately
turned to enter and fit the bore of the cartridge case a. This guide piece k serves
to centre the needle, so that the same will readily enter the central perforation of
the nipple and push the exploded cap from the same when the instrument is
inserted into the case. I prefer to provide the holder g with a recess or chamber
at g' to hold a quantity of needles.
I may however obviate the necessity of an instrument for removing the exploded
caps from the nipple b, as hereinafter described, and as illustrated in Figures 9
to 19, in which my improved case or shell is shewn provided with a sliding
nipple.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge-case shewing a very advantageous
manner of forming the portions of the tube a and base c at the parts where they
are united so as to make a perfectly gas-tight joint at these parts.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section drawn to an enlarged scale of the base of a
shell, and
Figure 11 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 10. These Figures shew
the sliding nipple or striker so formed as to obviate the necessity of perforating the
same or the bottom of the recess. For this purpose I prefer to form or stamp the
said sliding nipple out of a sheet of metal, and with a square or flattened eck or
shank 6* which is passed through the cylindrical aperture in the base c and is
afterwards spread out or rivetted over, as shewn, by a suitable tool. By thus
forming the nipple with a square or flattened shank vents or openings are left
between the sides of the same and the opening in the base, as shewn in Figure 11,
for the passage of the fire to the interior of the case.
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge case shewing another method of
securing the sliding nipple within the same, and
Figure 13 is a similar section of the tube without the base.
Figure 14 is a section of the said base.
Figure 15 is a plan of a disc or washer, and
Figure 16 is a side view of the nipple.
The nipple b in this case is made with a neck b* and with a head 62. The discl
for controlling the movement of the nipple, and which is made to fit against the
shoulder a¹ of the tube, is formed in two parts placed together upon the neck of the
said nipple in such a manner as to allow the latter to slide through the said washer
when the parts are in place, as shewn in Figure 19. The base c is screwed into the
tube at the rear of the said washer 1, and the vents or perforations extend from the
recess e through the said washer into the case a.
In Figures 17, 18, and 19, which are similar views to Figures 12, 13, and 14, I
have shewn a cartridge with a sliding nipple b and a base c secured in the tube by
means of pins or studs m which project into slots n. This device acts to secure
the said base somewhat like an ordinary bayonet joint.
It is obvious that I may use either a fixed or movable nipple in either of the

page_text: above modifications of my improved case or shell, and that I may further modify
the details of the same. For instance, in Figures 20 and 21 I have shewn a longi-
tudinal section of a cartridge case and its base c which is so constructed as to be
rivetted down after insertion into the tube upon a shoulder a².
Or I may secure the base in the tube by means of screws passed through the
sides of the latter, or by other means, which will ensure the firm and solid retention
of the base in the tube. The said base may moreover be formed of steel, copper,
brass, or other suitable metal.
In some instances I form shallow screw-threads, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, in
the mouth of the cartridge case, or otherwise roughen the same to ensure the
stability of the top wad.
It will be obvious that these improved cartridge cases may be readily loaded and
reloaded any number of times by the hand, no machinery being necessary, and that
when fired they may be extracted from the gun in the usual manner.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that my Invention does not comprise a cartridge
case or shell divisible into two portions one of which is destined for repeated use
while the other is destroyed or rendered useless and is thrown away after each
discharge, that is to say, my Invention does not consist in or include a cartridge
case or shell whose base or part which carries the nipple or anvil is so attached to
the tube of the said shell as to be readily detachable therefrom by the person using
the arm, and the tube of which is so formed as to be destroyed or rendered unfit
for further use after each discharge. Moreover I wish it understood that the object
of my Invention could be attained most effectually with a case or shell whose base
and tube is formed of one and the same piece of metal but for the practical diffi-
culties of manufacture which render the formation of tubes from solid pieces of
steel very inconvenient and costly; I therefore have been compelled to devise the
means above described for attaching the base to the tubo in such a manner that the
two parts when united form practically one piece, so that there will be no escape of
gas at the joints where these parts are united, and the entire shell or case will be
capable of repeated use, as above specified. And I further wish it understood that
I do not claim broadly or irrespectively of the novel features herein specified the
making of a cartridge case or shell of one piece, or of two or more parts so united
as to form practically one piece, as I am aware that cartridge-shells have been
already constructed in such a manner; but I claim the several improvements
whereby I am enabled to construct a cartridge case or shell capable of repeated use,
and whose base and tubular portion are constructed in or so united as to form
practically one piece, and are not to be separated or detached from each other
after the discharge or firing of the same, that is to say, I claim in such a case or
shell,-
First. The nipple with or without a central perforation, and arranged within a
recess or cavity from which vents or perforations extending into the interior of the
shell, as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The various modifications of my Invention wherein the base and nipple
consist of separate pieces which are relatively arranged and secured in or to the
case or shell, substantially as above set forth.
Third. The various modifications of my Invention wherein a sliding nipple is
employed, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Maurice Delmard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
MAURICE DELMARD. (L.S.)