AN IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR GUNS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Charles Mac Leod, of the City of
Carlisle, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROJECTILE FOR GUNS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Charles Mac
Leod at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th August 1874.
I, ALEXANDER CHARLES MAC LEOD, of the City of Carlisle, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR GUNS," to be as follows:—
The object of my Invention is to construct a projectile which can be
fired from a smooth-borc gun with the same effect and precision that an
ordinary projectile can be fired from a rifled gun.
I construct my projectilo with the fore part larger and heavier than
the rear part, which is the reverse of the present mode of construction,
that is to say, my projectile. leaves the gun as an arrow leaves a bow,

page_text: with the heavier end foremost, and I combine with this mode of con-
struction any suitable contrivance, such for example, as the formation of
spiral grooves on the surface, to give a spinning or rotatory motion to
the projectile, as is also produced in an arrow by the feathers spirally
arranged on its shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Charles Mac Leod in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CHARLES MAC LEOD, late of the City of Carlisle, but now of the City of
Winchester, Doctor of Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Charles Mac Leod, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Charles Mac Leod, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Charles
Mac Leod, 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
“AN IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOA GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, tho said Alexander Charles Mac Leod, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
naturo of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo
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 Alexander Charles Mac Leod, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained

page_text: in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is to construct a projectile which can be
fired from a smooth-bore gun with the same effect and precision that an
ordinary projectile can be fired from a rifled gun.
I construct my projectile with the fore part larger and heavier than
the rear part, which is the reverse of the present mode of construction,
that is to say, my projectile leaves the gun as an arrow leaves a bow,
with the heavier end foremost, and I combine with this mode of con-
struction any suitable contrivance, such for example, as the formation
of spiral or oblique grooves or ridges on the surface or spiral internal
channeling, or an oblique or twisted conformation of the surface
generally, to give a spinning or rotatory motion to the projectile, as
is also produced in an arrow by the feathers spirally arranged on its
shaft.
The accompanying Drawings shew by way of example one form of
bullet constructed according to my Invention, Figure 1 being a side
view, and Figure 2 a cross section through the linex .... a is the
head, which is made larger and heavier than the rear part b; c, c, aro
spiral grooves on the surface, for the purpose herein-before described.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to state that I am
aware that it is not new to form projectiles with spiral or oblique
grooves, or ridges, or other like contrivances for the purpose of giving them
rotatory motion when fired from a smooth-bore gun, but such projectiles
have hitherto failed, chiefly, I believe, because they have been fired with
their smaller or lighter end foremost. I am also aware that it has been
proposed to make bullets with their heavier ends in front for firing from
rifled guns, but not with any addition of spiral grooves or of other
contrivance for imparting a rotatory movement when fired from smooth-
bore guns; I therefore do not claim as my Invention the formation of
projectiles with spiral or oblique grooves or other like contrivances, per
se, nor do I claim as my Invention the formation of projectiles having
their heavier ends in front per se; but what I do claim is, constructing
projectiles for guns with the fore part larger and heavier than the rear

page_text: part, and with spiral grooves on the surface, or other like contrivance,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Charles Mac Leod, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.