IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE SHELLS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Edward Williams, of Peckskill, Westchester
County, State of New York, one of the United States of America, at
present residing at Halifax, in the County of York, England, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE SHELLS."
Sealed the 5th February 1867, and dated the 10th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Edward Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th August 1866.
I, LEWIS EDWARD WILLIAMS, of Peckskill, Westchester County, State of
New York, one of the United States of America, at present residing at Halifax,
in the County of York, England, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE SHELLS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in having shells constructed in one or more central
or radial chambers, dividing the shell into sections, and other chambers, one
in each section, each having an aperture for charging, in which fuses are

page_text: afterwards inserted. The object of the Invention is to produce a number of
separate explosions. The first explosion divides the shell into distinct sections;
afterwards each section explodes and scatters separately; or the shell may be
charged so that the fuses may ignite and explode the sections altogether at
the same instant of time as one shell.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Lewis Edward Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEWIS
EDWARD WILLIAMS, of Peckskill, Westchester County, State of New York,
one of the United States of America, at present residing at Halifax, in the
County of York, England, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Lewis Edward Williams, Her special licence that I, the said Lewis
Edward Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Lewis Edward Williams, 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 EXPLOSIVE SHELLS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Lewis Edward Williams, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 1, the said Lewis Edward Williams, 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 and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is
to say):

page_text: or radial chambers, dividing the shell into sections, and other chambers, one
in each section, each having an aperture for charging, in which fuses are
afterwards inserted. The object of this Invention is to produce a number of
separate explosions. The first explosion divides the shell into distinct sections;
afterwards each section explodes and scatters separately; or the shell may be
charged so that the fuses may ignite and explode the sections all together at
the same instant of time as one shell.
5
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a section of the shell across the chambers, and Fig. 2 is
a sectional view of the shell lengthwise of the chambers. The shell here
shewn is spherical (but may be spherodical or elongated), having a central
and four radial chambers or grooves A, A, A, A, communicating with
each other, nearly dividing the shell into four parts, and four separate
angular chambers B, B, B, B, one in each of the parts or sections.
Each chamber has an aperture C, D, E, F, and G for charging, and into
which apertures the fuses are to be inserted and screwed. The fuse for the
aperture G is to be prepared for a shorter time of ignition than the
others, so as to cause the central chamber to explode first, and the other fuses
may be of equal time, so as to cause explosions of the sections simultaneously;
or they may be unequally timed, so as to cause explosions at differenent times.
The ends of the chambers or grooves A are formed angular, so that the metal
of the shell is thinner there than at any other part, consequently the bursting
will more easily take place at those grooves and explode the shell into sections.
Although I have shewn and described a shell constructed to burst in four
sections, I do not however wish to limit the bursting of these shells into four
sections or parts; I may make these shells in two, three, four, or more
sectious or parts, as may be found desirable, so as to form a multipartite shell
to burst into any number of parts.
Having thus fully shewn and described the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical operation, I would have it distinctly understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular form or size of shell, or to the number of
sections or parts for it to divide into; what I claim as my Invention, and
desire to secure by by Letters Patent is, the constructing of explosive shells
with a series of radial chambers extending from a common central chamber to
the inner perimeter of the shell or shot for the purpose of dividing the shell or

page_text: shot into a series of separate and distinct sections, having chambers therein to
contain explosive materials, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis Edward Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within-named Lewis Edward
Williams, in the presence of
W*. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
LEWIS E. WILLIAMS. (L.S.)