Improved Means for Securing Percussion Caps in Cartridges for
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by WILHELM LORENZ, of No. 61, Krieg-Strasse,
Carlsruhe, Baden, in the German Empire, Manufacturing Engineer.]
Improved Means for Securing Percussion Caps in Cartridges for
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to enable percussion caps to be readily secured
in and removed from the metal bases of cartridges for ordnance and machine guns.
For this purpose the percussion cap is first introduced into a capsule which is of
cup shape, like the percussion cap, but which extends beyond the latter, such
extension being made with spring action, so that when the capsule together with the
percussion cap is pushed into the cap chamber of the cartridge, the said extension
will spring outwards to a slight extent into an enlargement at the inner end of the
cap chamber, and the capsule and percussion cap will thus be held securely in
position. The spring action of the capsule may be produced, either by slitting the
extension at several points, and bending the slit parts slightly outwards, or by other
means.
For effecting the ready removal of the capsule and cap, when required, the outer
end of the former is constructed with an inwardly projecting rim or lip, by preference
of oval shape, so that by introducing a key into the central opening of the lip and

page_text: turning it partly round, the edge of the key passes underneath the lip, which thus
affords a purchase for drawing out the capsule-and cap by means of the key.
The said overhanging lip or flange also affords some protection against accidental
firing of the cap.
According to another modification, the base of the capsule is formed either entirely
open or with an opening, so that the striker will strike directly upon the surface of the
percussion cap.
The before mentioned extension of the capsule may also be made to hold the loose
anvil in position when such is employed, by bending some of the slit portions inwards
somewhat, so as to bear against the edge of the anvil.
ABEL & IMRAY,
28, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Means for Securing Percussion Caps in Cartridges for
Ordnance and Machine Guns.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declaro
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 has for its object to enable percussion caps to be readily secured
in and removed from the metal bases of cartridges for ordnance and machine guns.
For this purpose the percussion cap is first introduced into a cap which is of cup
shape like the percussion cap but which extends beyond the latter such extension
being made with spring action so that when the capsule together with the percussion
cap is pushed into the cap chamber of the cartridge the said extension will spring
outwards to a slight extent into an enlargement at the inner end of the сар chamber
and the capsule and percussion cap will thus be held securely in position. The
spring action of the capsule may be produced either by slitting the extension at
several points and bending the slit parts slightly outwards or by other means.
For effecting the ready removal of the capsule and cap when required, the outer
end of the former is constructed with an inwardly projecting rim or lip, by preference
of oval shape, so that by introducing a key into the central opening of the lip and
turning it partly round, the edge of the key passes underneath the lip which thus
affords a purchase for drawing out the capsule and cap by means of the key.
The said overhanging lip or flange also affords some protection against accidental
firing of the cap.
According to another modification the base of the capsule is formed either entirely
open or with an opening so that the striker wlll strike directly upon the surface of the
percussion cap.
The before mentioned extension of the capsule may also be made to hold the loose
anvil in position when such is employed by bending some of the slit portions inwards
somewhat, so as to bear against the edge of the anvil. Fig. 1 of the accompanying
drawing shews one arrangement of the before described invention. The percussion
cap A with its charge A¹ is fitted into a capsule B, closed at its outer end and
having its inner end formed with tongues B³, that are bent slightly outward as
shown, so that when the capsule with its cap is introduced into the cap chamber C of
the cartridge, the said tongues being sprung inwards slightly, will hold the capsule
and cap in position with sufficient friction. In order to increase the security of this
hold it is preferred to widen out the inner end of the cap chamber slightly so that the
tongues will spring into such widened portion, as shewn. The edges of the capsule
between the tongues are by preference turned slightly over the edge of the percussion
cap, as shewn at B2, in order to hold the cap securely.
On the outer end of the capsule is formed a projecting overhanging lip B³, which
may either be formed oval as shewn in full lines in plan at Fig. 2 so that by

page_text: introducing a key having two claws corresponding in size to the large diameter of the
oval and turning it partly round so as to pass under the lip, the capsule and cap can
be readily withdrawn after firing. Or a notch may be formed at one point in a
circular overhanging lip as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 so that the key is
inserted through such notch and then turned round.
It will be seen that the overhanging lip of the capsule will afford some protection
against accidental firing of the percussion cap.
As the capsule will be held securely in the cap chamber by the spring-action of the
tongues, the body thereof need not be made to fit the cap chamber tightly, so that the
capsules with the caps can be casily inserted by the hand, the outer edge of
the cap chamber being suitable. rounded to facilitate this, and thus the introduction
thereof into the cartridges need only be effected at the place where these are to be
used. Fig. 3 shews the same construction as above described with the exception that
the outer end of the capsule is formed open, so that the firing pin of the gun acts
directly upon the сар.
Capsules of the form shewn at Fig. 1, that have been injured by the indenting or
perforating of the base may be converted into the form shewn at Fig. 3 by removing
the central part of the base so as to be again available for use. It will be evident
that instead of placing the fulminate or other detonating charge in a separate cap
it may be introduced directly into the capsule B as shown at Fig. 4, so that this
serves itself as the percussion cap, the construction being otherwise the same as above
described.
The anvil D may either be formed in one with the cap chamber C, as shown at
Figs. 1, 3, & 4, or it may be separate therefrom as shown at Fig. 5 in which case it
it may be held in position by bending inwards two or more of the tongues B¹ of the
capsule or cap as shown.
The end surface of the capsule B may either be made thin as at Fig. 1, or, by
preference, it is made thin round the edges, and thicker in the centre, as shown at
Fig. 4, so that on being struck by the firing pin, the thin edge will afford the base
sufficient spring to be bulged inwards to the required extent, while the thickened
centre will prevent it from being permanently indented or perforated, so that it can
bo used over again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The use for cartridges of a cap or capsule containing the percussion cap, or the
detonating charge, and having spring tongues bent slightly outward so as to be
somewhat larger than the diameter of the cap chamber, so that when introduced into
the latter the tongues will hold the cap or capsule in the chamber with spring action
substantially as herein described.
2. In caps or capsules such as are referred to in the preceding claim, providing tho
outer end thereof with an overhanging lip or flange so that the cap or capsule can be
withdrawn by means of a suitable key substantially as herein described.
3. The combination of a cap or capsule with spring tongues such as are referred to
in the preceding claims with the cap chamber of a cartridge case having an enlargement
at its inner end, into which the said tongues of the cap or capsule spring substantially
as herein described.
101 1
1 1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.