Year: 1898

page_text: I, WILLIAM CHARLES ELDON SERJEANT, of 1, Plowden Buildings, Temple, in
the County of London, Lieutenant-Colonel, 5th Battalion The Rifle Brigade
(The Prince Consort's Own), do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
"
"
My invention relates to small-arm projectiles, such, for example, as those used
in small-bore military and sporting magazine rifles, machine guns, automatic
pistols, and the like, and is chiefly designed to obviate the disadvantages inci-
dental to the Dum-Dum (so called) and other expanding projectiles hereto-
fore employed, and to provide a projectile which, whilst possessing all the
advantages of a solid projectile, will have a greater expanding or mushrooming
capacity and consequently greater smashing or stopping power than the
expanding projectiles now in use.
"
It has been found that in the case of the "Dum-Dum" and other projectiles
which have an exposed soft-lead nose or point, the said soft-lead nose is liable to
stick in the action of certain magazine rifles in rapidly re-charging from the maga-
zine, and in some instances the mantlet or jacket partially stripped off or strained
out of shape in the barrel before the projectile leaves the muzzle, thus impairing
the accuracy of flight of the projectile. In the case of the present British regu-
lation projectile, which is made with an open hollow front, oblique or adverse
winds operate greatly against its true flight, and the atmosphere materially
retards its progress; moreover this projectile is uncertan as regards its expanding
or mushrooming capacity.
Now my improved projectile is so constructed that the expansion, mushroom-
ing, setting-up or opening-out thereof will be effected on impact by the automatic
action of wedge-shaped component parts and by the compression of air in one
or more conical or wedge-shaped chambers in the body of the projectile.
I make my improved projectile with a complete mantlet or jacket of nickel
or like material, similar to that enveloping a solid projectile, and within the
body of the said projectile, are arranged wedge-shaped parts or one or more
conical or wedge-shaped air-chambers, so designed and arranged as to cause the
entire front-half or fore part of the projectile to break open and spread out on
impact only. The smashing or stopping" power of this projectile is therefore
enormous.
<
An expanding projectile made as above mentioned, can be readily and effectu-
ally manipulated and operated by any efficient discharging and recharging
mechanism, it will maintain its proper direction irrespective of oblique or
adverse winds, will minimize the retarding effect of resistance of the atmosphere
during its flight, and will preserve an unbroken or undamaged exterior until

page_text: actual impact takes place, when its expanding capacity will be found greater
than that of any existing small-bore projectile.
In carrying my said invention into practice, according to one form or modi-
fication, I provide at the head or front end of the lead core or body of the pro-
jectile, a conical or wedge-shaped chamber in the front end of which I arrange
a loose point-plug of slightly conical form, the forward end of which fills the
outer end of the said chamber and fits the inner point surface of the mantlet or
jacket, against which it is pressed by means of a strong spiral spring resting
in seats in the said plug and chamber respectively.
The said point-plug is preferably made of an alloy composed of 1 part of tin
to 40 parts of lead. The said plug, on impact, will be forced inward relatively
to the core or body of the projectile and, compressing the spring, will be driven
into the conical chamber; the front half or part of the projectile will thus be
caused to break open and spread out, this action being assisted by the compres
sion of the air enclosed in the said chamber.
The mantlet or jacket of my improved projectile is preferably provided with
two cannelures or grease grooves instead of with one only, thus the life of the
barrel is prolonged, friction is diminished, velocity increased and the chances
of key-holing minimised.
The contour of the projectile is, moreover, so preserved that the "bite" or grip
of the grooving of the barrel, during the progress of the projectile through the
bore, extends to only one third of the way up from the base to the apex of the
projectile.
Instead of a soft-nose or point of lead being exposed, or an open hollow front,
this projectile presents a solid, unbroken mantlet or perfect jacket to the manipu-
lation and operation of the recharging actions of magazine rifles; thus the pro-
jectile combines all the advantages of a solid projectile with those of a more
widely spreading or expanding projectile than any at present in use.
According to another form or modification of my said invention, I dispense
with the said spring, and make the point-plug with a conical chamber in its
rear end so that, when in position, its forward end will fit the internal surface
of the point of the mantlet, whilst an air-chamber having the shape of a double
cone will be formed between its rear end and the core or body. The compression
of the air in this chamber by the inward motion of the conical point-plug will
assist in the spreading of the front part of the projectile on impact.
According to a further modification of my said invention, I make the point-
plug so that it forms the whole of the front end of the core or body being either
a part of the latter or separate therefrom as desired, and I provide the said plug
with a conical chamber the wide end of which opens towards the point of the
projectile, whilst the smaller end registers with a cylindrical or slightly conical
chamber in the core the inner end of which is in the form of a cone, a semi-
circular air-cavity also being left between the forward end of the plug and the
point of the mantlet or jacket. The cross-sectional area of the said air-chamber
gradually diminishes from the front to the rear, and on impact, the air enclosed
in this chamber will be compressed by the forcing inward of the point of the
mantlet or casing, and will cause the breaking and spreading out of the front
part of the projectile.
My improved projectile can be constructed for use in the smallest practicable
bores of military and sporting magazine rifles, machine guns and automatic
pistols, its action being certain and regular.
Doted this 11th 1
1000
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Дmрrоvешению шошан
I, WILLIAM CHARLES ELDON SERJEANT, of 1, Plowden Buildings, Temple, in
the County of London, Lieutenant-Colonel, 5th Battalion The Rifle Brigade
(The Prince Consort's Own), do hereby declare 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:-
My invention relates to small-arm projectiles, such, for example, as those used
in small-bore military and sporting magazine-rifles, machine-guns, automatic
pistols, and the like, and is chiefly designed to obviate the disadvantages inci-
dental to the so-called "Dum-Dum" and other expanding projectiles heretofore
employed, and to provide a projectile which, whilst possessing all the advantages
of a solid projectile, will have a greater expanding or mushrooming capacity
and consequently greater smashing or stopping" power than the expanding
projectiles now in use.
It has been found that, in the case of the "Dum-Dum "and other projectiles
which have an exposed soft-lead nose or point, the said soft-lead nose is liable
to stick in the action of certain magazine-rifles in rapidly re-charging from the
magazine, and in some instances the mantlet or jacket is partially stripped off
or strained out of shape in the barrel before the projectile leaves the muzzle,
thus impairing the accuracy of flight of the projectile. In the case of the present
British Regulation projectile, which is made with an open hollow front, oblique
or adverse winds operate greatly against its true flight and the atmosphere
materially retards its progress; moreover this projectile is uncertain as regards
its expanding or mushrooming capacity.
Now my improved projectile is so constructed that the expansion, mushroom-
ing, setting-up or opening-out thereof will be effected on impact by the automatic
action of wedge-shaped component parts and by the compression of air in one or
more conical or wedge-shaped chambers in the body of the projectile.
I make my improved projectile with a complete mantlet or jacket of nickel
or like material, similar to that enveloping a solid projectile, and with conical
or wedge-shaped parts or one or more conical or wedge shaped air-chambers or
both within the body of the said projectile, so designed and arranged as to cause
the entire front half or fore part of the projectile to break open and spread out
on impact only. The smashing or stopping" power of this projectile is there-
fore enormous.
66
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 shows a central longitudinal section of one form of projectile con-
structed according to my said invention, drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figures 2 and 3 are also central longitudinal sections showing other forms or
modifications of the said projectile, also drawn to an enlarged scale.
a is the continuous or unbroken mantlet or jacket; b is the core or body of soft
lead enclosed within the mantlet a. This core is made with a chamber c in its
forward part having a conical or wedge-shaped part c¹, and in the head or front
end of the said core, Figure 1, is arranged a loose point-plug d of slightly conical
form, the forward end of which fills the outer or front end of the chamber c and
fits the internal surface of the point of the mantlet or jacket, against which it is
pressed by means of a strong spiral spring e resting in seats in the said plug and
core respectively.
The point-plug d is preferably made of an alloy composed of 1 part of tin to
40 parts of lead. The said plug, on impact, will be forced inward relatively to

page_text: the core or body b of the projectile and, compressing the spring e, will be driven
into the conical part c¹ of the chamber c; the front part of the projectile will
thereby be broken open and spread out, this action being assisted by the com-
pression of the air enclosed in the said chamber.
In Figure 2 I have shown another form or modification of my said invention
in which I dispense with the spring e and make the point-plug d with a conical
chamber in its rear end so that, when in position, its forward end will fit the
internal surface of the point of the mantlet, and an air-chamber c, 2, having
the shape of a double cone, will be formed between the point-plug d and the core
or body b. The compression of the air in this chamber c¹, c², by the inward motion
of the conical point-plug d, will assist in the spreading of the front part of the
projectile on impact.
According to a further modification of my said invention, illustrated in
Figure 3, I make the point-plug d so that it forms the whole of the front end
of the core or body b.
As shown in the drawing, the point-plug y is detached from the core or body b,
but these parts may, if desired, be formed in one piece. The plug d is traversed
by a conical hole the wider end of which, directed towards the point of the pro-
jectile, opens into a hemispherical or similarly shaped cavity f left between the
forward end of the plug d and the inside of the point of the mantlet or jacket a,
while the smaller end registers with a cylindrical or slightly conical recess c¹ in
the core b, the inner end of which recess is conical or taper.
The cross-sectional area of the conical hole. & gradually diminishes from the
front to the rear. On impact, the air enclosed in the air chambers or spaces will
be compressed by the forcing inward of the point of the mantlet or jacket, and
will cause the breaking and spreading out of the front part of the projectile.
The mantlet or jacket a of my improved projectile is preferably provided with
two cannelures or grease-grooves g instead of with one only, thus the life of the
barrel is prolonged, friction is diminished; velocity increased and the chances of
key-holing minimised.
The contour of the projectile is, moreover, so preserved that the "bite" or grip
of the grooving of the barrel, during the progress of the projectile through the
bore, extends to only one-third of the way up from the base to the apex of the
projectile.
An expanding projectile made as above mentioned, can be readily and effectu-
ally manipulated and operated by any efficient discharging and recharging
mechanism.
Instead of exposing a soft nose or point of lead or an open hollow front, this
projectile presents a solid, unbroken mantlet or perfect jacket to the manipula-
tion and operation of the recharging actions of magazine-rifles; thus the pro-
jectile combines all the advantages of a solid projectile with those of a more
widely spreading or expanding projectile than any at present in use.
It will maintain its proper direction irrespective of oblique or adverse winds,
will minimize the retarding effect of resistance of the atmosphere during its
flight, and will preserve an unbroken or undamaged exterior until actual impact
takes place, when its expanding capacity will be found greater than that of any
existing small-bore projectile, and it has great smashing or "stopping" power.
My improved projectile can be constructed for use in the smallest practicable
bores of military and sporting magazine-rifles, machine-guns, and automatic
pistols, its action being certain and regular.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A projectile having a continuous or unbroken mantlet or jacket of rela-
tively hard metal and having in the forward part of its soft metal core or body

page_text: 2. A small-arm projectile in which the mantlet or jacket is continuous or un-
broken at the head or point and the soft metal core or body is provided with an
internal conical or wedge-shaped air-chamber within which is arranged a conical
or wedge-shaped piece or plug, for the purpose above specified.
3. A projectile comprising a core of soft metal enclosed in a mantlet or jacket
of relatively hard metal, and having a conical or wedge-shaped air-chamber in
its forward part, a point-plug within the front end of the said chamber and a
spring between the said point-plug and the core, substantially as, and for the
purpose, above specified.
4. A projectile comprising a core of soft metal enclosed in a mantlet or jacket
of relatively hard metal and having a conical or wedge-shaped air-chamber in
its forward part, and a conical or wedge-shaped point-plug arranged within the
front end of the said air-chamber and having a conical or wedge-shaped air-
chamber in its rear part, substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
5. A projectile comprising a soft metal core enclosed in a mantlet or jacket
of relatively hard metal and having an air-chamber in its forward end, and a
point-plug in front of the said core having a conical air-chamber and of such
shape as to leave an air-space between its forward end and the head or point of
the mantlet or jacket, substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Dated this 4th day of August 1899
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.