CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Cast Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 16th January 1866, and dated the 26th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Krupp at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
October 1865.
I, ALFRED KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Cast Steel
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has relation to giving to the front end of projectiles improved
forms or shapes, so as thereby to increase their penetrating and destructive
effects. For this purpose I either cast, forge, or machine the front end of the
shots or projectiles with plane surfaces of one, two, three, or more sides. For
close firing I should prefer to use a projectile having the front end formed
with only two planes. This form of projectile will be found very destructive
against iron armour plating. For longer ranges I should prefer to use the pro-
jectiles having the front end formed with three, four, or more planes. These
planes champher off from the sides of the shot and meet together at the apex,
thus forming at the front end pyramidal shapes of two, three, or more sides

page_text: according to the number of planes. These forms may be applied to solid shot,
or shells, or rockets, or other projectiles, and whether of iron, steel, or other
metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Krupp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdon of Prussia, Cast Steel Manufacturer, send
greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Alfred Krupp, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Krupp, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Krupp, 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alfred Krupp, 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 Alfred Krupp, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention has relation to giving to the front end of projectiles improved
forms or shapes, so as thereby to increase their penetrating and destructive
effects. For this purpose I either cast, forge, or machine the front end of the
shots or projectiles with plane surfaces of one, two, three, or more sides. For
close firing I should prefer to use a projectile having the front end formed

page_text: with only two planes. This form of projectile will be found very destructive
against iron armour plating. For longer ranges I should prefer to use the pro-
jectiles having the front end formed with three, four, or more planes. These
planes chamfer off from the sides of the shots and meet together at the apex,
thus forming at the front end pyramidal shapes of two, three, or more sides
according to the number of planes. These forms may be applied to solid shot,
or shell, or rockets, or other projectiles, and whether of iron, steel, or other
metal.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown some illustrations of the
mode of carrying out this my Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a shot, more especially of
service against iron plates, whether on ships or fortifications at short range.
The front end of this shot is formed with two planes chamfered off, as shown,
so as to present a cutting edge at the apex a. Figure 3 represents an eleva-
tion; and Figure 4, a plan of a shot with three planes; and Figure 5, an
elevation; and Figure 6, a plan of a shot with four planes. I do not, however,
limit myself to the number of planes, as the front end of the shot may, if
desired, be formed with a greater number, though I am of opinion that two,
three, or four planes are sufficient.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Krupp, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ALFRED KRUPP. (L.B.)