IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHELLS FOR ORDNANCE OR FOR MACHINE GUNS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, MAURICE DELMARD, of 11 Victoria Road, Old Charlton, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHELLS FOR ORDNANCE OR FOR MACHINE GUNS" to bo
as follows:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of shells for ordnance or for machine
guns.
In making a shell according to my present invention I take a disc of steel or
other metal of the requisite diameter and either of equal thickness throughout, or
slightly convex, and I heat this disc in a furnace and then work it by hammering,
pressing, or stamping by means of suitable dies until it has the form of a hollow
cylindrical or tubular body closed at one end.
I then insert in the said hollow cylindrical or tubular body a mandrel of the
shape which it is desired to impart to the interior of the shell, and I pass the said
hollow body with the mandrel therein through suitable dies by means of a draw-
bench, or by hydraulic or other power, until the metal has been reduced to the
desired thickness. I then forge the open end of the said hollow body to form the
apex or base of the shell as the case may be.
When a shrapnel shell (that is to say, a shell having a chamber for a bursting
charge at its base) is to be made, I employ a mandrel the extremity of which is so
shaped that it will form the said chamber for the bursting charge.
In making an ordinary shell, I use a mandrel having a rounded or other suitably
shaped end.
The mandrel should be very slightly taper to facilitate its withdrawal from
the shell.
Dated this 8th day of Novembom 100k
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Shells for Ordnance or for
Machine-guns.
I, MAURICE DELMARD, of 11 Victoria Road, Old Charlton, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of shells for ordnance or for machine-
guns.
In the specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 31st January,
1884, No 2466, I have described a method of manufacturing shells by first forming
a disc or circular piece of steel or iron with a central projection (which, when the
shell is completed, will constitute either its apex or its base) and then working the
said disc or piece into the desired form by means of dies or otherwise.
I have ascertained that, by employing a disc or circular piece of steel or iron of
the same, or approximately the same, thickness as the base or closed end of the
finished' shell, I am enabled to dispense with the aforesaid central projection, and
to simplify and improve the manufacture of the shells.
In making a shell, according to my present invention, I take a disc or piece of
steel or iron of the requisite dimensions and either of equal thickness throughout,
or slightly convex on one or both sides; I heat this disc in a furnace and then
work it, by means of suitable dies, by hammering or stamping or by pressure until
it has the form of a hollow cylindrical or tubular body closed at one end. I then
insert in the said hollow body a mandrel of the shape or configuration which it is
desired to impart to the interior of the shell, and I pass the said hollow body with
the mandrel therein through suitable dies by means of a draw-bench, or by hydraulic
or other pressure, until the said body is of the desired length and thickness.
I then forge the open end of the said hollow body to form the apex of the shell.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are central transverse sections of discs or circular blanks from
which shells are to be made.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional elevations illustrating the manufacture of a
shell according to my present invention.
Figures 8 and 9 are longitudinal central sections through the said shell showing
the same at different stages of its manufacture.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation illustrating one stage in the manufacture of a
shrapnel-shell according to my present invention.
Figure 11 is a central transverse section' showing a disc or circular blank
provided with a central projection for the purpose hereinafter explained.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
In making a shell with the fuse at its apex, I take a disc or circular blank A,
such, for example, as that shown in Figure 1, of the same, or approximately the
thickness as the base of the finished shell; I heat the said disc or blank and
place the same upon a die B (Figure 4) and force it into the said die by means of
same,

page_text: a hydraulic ram C. In this manner the said blank has imparted to it the shape
shown in Figure 5. I then place the said blank upon a die D (Figure 5) and force.
it into the same by means of the hydraulic ram C, thereby forming the hollow
cylindrical body shown in Figure 6.
In some instances, I force the blank successively into three or more dies in the
manner above described, in order to form the hollow body shown in Figure 6.
I then place the said hollow body upon a mandrel E of the shape or configuration
which it is desired to impart to the interior of the shell, and I draw the said hollow
body by forcing the same, with the mandrel therein, successively through dies
(such as those shown at F, G in Figures 6 and 7) by means of a hydraulic press,
until it is of the desired length and thickness, as shown in Figure 8. The open end
is then closed by forging to form the apex of the shell as shown in Figure 9, leaving
an aperture a for the fuse.
After the last passage, or the last passage but one, of the hollow body through
the dies, it is liable to be somewhat bell-mouthed by reason of the elasticity of
the metal. This defect can be removed by subjecting it to the action of a hammer,
after which it should be again passed through the dies to give it a smooth surface
both internally and externally.
In making a shrapnel-shell, I proceed as above described, but I employ a
mandrel E the working end of which has the shape or configuration shown in
Figure 10, so that the finished shell will have a chamber in its base for the
bursting charge.
In some instances, I use a disc or circular blank A provided with a central
projection A¹ (Figure 11) which, when the shell is completed, serves for the
attachment of the gas-check.
The mandrel E should be very slightly taper to facilitate its withdrawal from
the shell.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim:-
First The above described improved method whereby I provide for the manu-
facture of shrapnel or other shells from discs or circular blanks without the
formation of central projections thereon for the purpose described in my said
former specification.
Second A shrapnel or other shell manufactured substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.