IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARTRIDGES, a communication to me from abroad by the firm of L. Mandl and
Company, of Vienna, Austria, Manufacturers, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a new cartridge to be called "the lightning cartridge"
provided with a rapidly and radially acting exploder.-Reference being had to the
accompanying drawing it will be seen that cartridge exploders or primers hitherto
are comparatively small in size in proportion to the charge of powder (as shown
at a in fig. 1) and have the peculiar disadvantage of igniting only at one point and
that at the extreme rear end of the charge of powder, thus consequently only
effecting the instantaneous explosion of a very small part of the powder whilst a
comparatively large part which is situated remotely from the point of ignition is
not ignited before arriving at the barrel and some part even ejected before being
ignited at all. In this manner the explosive force of only a small part of the
charge of powder is utilized.
The present invention has for its object to avoid this inconvenience and to secure
a perfect ignition and consequently a considerable effect and is fully described
reference being had to the annexed drawing in which Fig 1 represents a cartridge
on the old system.
Fig 2 represents a cartridge constructed according to the present invention.
Fig 3 is a detached view of the igniting channel or tube and Fig 4 shows
detached views of the double anvil employed with and arranged inside of the
igniting channel
As may be seen from these figures an ignition channel of the shape of a tube or
bell A is employed (Figures 2.and 3) which replaces the small primer a shown in
Fig. 1.
m
This tube generally has a diameter of about 5 to 10 m and a length exceeding
somewhat half of that of the powder charge B to be used with it.

page_text: This tube however or ignition channel may have a larger or smaller diameter than
that mentioned above and may vary also in length so as to reach into any desirable
depth of the powder charge.
This tube or ignition channel is provided at its convex surface as well as at its
bottom with any desirable number of small perforations and is provided at its top
with an exploder d of somewhat larger size.
By the disposition of these perforations at the convex surface as well as at the
bottom of the tube and in consequence of the arrangement that this tube reaches
far into the charge of powder, the result is obtained, that the ignition is imparted
to the powder at many places or points so that the instantaneous and simultaneous
explosion of the whole charge is effected the ignition taking place in a lateral and
radial direction.
For the purpose of effecting this ignition by means of the exploder d with
greater security two anvils e c are employed (represented separately in Fig 4) since
by the employment of only one anvil the ignition might often fail.
The large exploder d causes a greater surface and intensity of the igniting fire
and consequently a more rapid and secure ignition.
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. In cartridges of all sorts the arrangement and employment of an ignition
channel in the shape of a perforated tube or bell A, perforated at its sides as well
as at its bottom and reaching far into the charge of powder for causing a radial and
instantaneous ignition, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination of the tubo or bell A with an exploder or primer d of large
size and double anvil e e for securing perfect ignition substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. As a new article of manufacture a cartridge (called "lightning cartridge")
provided with an ignition tube or bell A, reaching far into the charge of powder
and which is perforated at the cylindrical surface as well as at the bottom for the
purpose of securing rapid and certain ignition and which for the same purpose is
provided with a primer d of large size and double anvil e, e, substantially as and
for the purpose described.