IMPROVE- MENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES OR HOLDERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Blatchford Tucker, of No. 43, Parliament
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES OR HOLDERS."-A communication from
abroad by John Webster Cochran, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America.
Sealed the 7th August 1868, and dated the 12th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Blatchford
Tucker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th February 1868.
I, SAMUEL BLATCHFORD TUCKER, of No. 43, Parliament Street, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES OR HOLDERS," a com-
munication, to be as follows:-
The said improvements relate to boxes or frames for holding metallic-
cased cartridges in such a manner that they may be carried therein
without danger of being crushed or otherwise injured by coming in contact
with each other, and may be quickly and conveniently inserted into the

page_text: box or removed from the same; and the said improvements consist
chiefly in constructing the said boxes or frames with peculiarly arranged
portions of india-rubber or other similarly elastic material which binds
or grips the ends or sides of the cartridges and keeps each cartridge
separate from the others in the same box.
I construct a box or frame of wood or other suitable substance,
within which I enclose the elastic material for holding the cartridges.
I either form such elastic material with cells or chambers, into which
the cartridges are inserted endwise, or I place portions of such material
at one side or on two opposite sides of the frame and form therein
recesses to receive the ends of the cartridges. The elastic cells are
partially filled with any suitable lubricating substance, and the cartridges
are thereby covered with such substance.
I prefer to construct the elastic portion of the box or holder of
india-rubber, and to divide the same into a number of hexagonal cells of
the proper width between the sides to allow the cartridges to be readily
inserted and withdrawn, but yet to bind and hold each cartridge firmly
when it is inserted into one of such cells; the said cells are made of
the proper depth to suit the length of the cartridges with their projectiles,
leaving enough of each cartridge projecting outside its cell to be
conveniently taken hold of when the same is to be withdrawn. For
lubricating the cartridges I prefer to use bees'-wax mixed with a small
quantity of india-rubber, the two substances being melted and well
mixed together.
I form a seat or bed of this compound at the bottom
of each cell, and also fill the corners of the hexagonal cells with the
same, the body of the cell being partially filled with soft wax; the
cartridge is then inserted into the cell, and the case and projectile are
thus covered with the lubricating compound or substance.
When the cartridge holder is constructed with a sheet or strip of
elastic material at one or both sides of the box to hold the cartridges
by their ends the recesses at the opposite side of the box must be
exactly opposite to each other; the said recesses are formed at suitable
'distances apart to allow the cartridges to be readily inserted and removed,
and so that each cartridge will lie without coming in contact with the
others. The width of the box must be properly proportioned to the length
of the cartridge fitted with its projectile. The recesses for the latter
are made somewhat in the shape of the nose or end of the projectile,
and the frame of the box is preferably formed with holes behind these

page_text: recesses. The opposite recesses for receiving the rim or base of the
cartridges are also made to correspond in depth and diameter with the
size of the rim.
When thick india-rubber is employed cavities may be formed in the
same at the back of each of the recesses, which cavities serve instead
of holes in the wood frame or side. The recesses for receiving the rim
of the cartridge may be formed in the side of the frame or in a piece of
wood or other hard substance attached to the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL.
BLATCHFORD TUCKER, of No. 48, Parliament Street, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker, Her
special licence that I, the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Blatch-
ford Tucker, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE BOXES OR HOLDERS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
The said improvements relates to boxes or frames for holding metallic-
cased cartridges in such a manner that they may be carried therein
without danger of being crushed or otherwise injured by coming in
contact with each other, and may be quickly and conveniently inserted
into the box or removed from the same; and the said improvements
consist chiefly in constructing the said boxes or frames with peculiarly
arranged portions of india-rubber or other similarly elastic material,
which binds or grips the ends or sides of the cartridges and keeps cach
cartridge separate from the others in the same box. The said improve-
ments also consist in the means for lubricating the cartridges.
I construct a box or frame of wood or other suitable substance,
within which I enclose the elastic material for holding the cartridges.
I either form such elastic material with cells or chambers into which
the cartridges are inserted endwise, or I place portions of such material
at one side or on two opposite sides of the frame and form therein
recesses to receive the ends of the cartridges. The elastic cells are
partially filled with any suitable lubricating substance, and the cartridges
are thereby covered with such substance.
I prefer to construct the elastic portion of the box or holder of
india-rubber, and to divide the same into a number of hexagonal cells
of the proper width between the sides to allow the cartridges to be
readily inserted and withdrawn, but yet to bind and hold each cartridge
firmly when it is inserted into one of such cells; the said cells are made
of the proper depth to suit the length of the cartridges with their
projectiles, leaving enough of each cartridge projecting outside its cell
to be conveniently taken hold of when the same is to be withdrawn.
For lubricating the cartridges I prefer to use bees'-wax mixed with a
small quantity of india-rubber, the two substances being melted and
well mixed together. I form a seat or bed of this compound at the
bottom of each cell, and also fill the corners of the hexagonal cells with
the same, the body of the cell being partially filled with soft wax; the
cartridge is then inserted into the cell and the case and projectile are
thus covered with the lubricating compound or substance.

page_text: When the cartridge holder is constructed with a sheet or strip of
elastic material at one or both sides of the box to hold the cartridges
by their ends the recesses at the opposite sides of the box should be
exactly opposite each other; the said recesses are formed at suitable
distances apart to allow the cartridges to be readily inserted and removed,
and so that each cartridge will lie without coming in contact with the
others. The width of the box must be properly proportioned to the
length of a cartridge fitted with its projectile. The recesses for the
latter are made somewhat in the shape of the nose or end of the
projectile, and the frame of the box is preferably formed with holes
behind these recesses. The opposite recesses for receiving the rim or base
of the cartridges are also made to correspond in depth and diameter
with the size of the rim.
.
When thick india-rubber is employed cavities may be formed in the
same at the back of each of the recesses, which cavities serve instead
of holes in the wood frame or side. The recesses for receiving the rim
of the cartridge may be formed in the side of the frame or in a piece of
wood or other hard substance attached to the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved cartridge box or holder; Figure 2
is a longitudinal vertical section on the line a, a, Figure 1; Figure 3 is
a similar section of a box of modified construction; Figure 4 is a vertical
transverse section of a box or frame constructed according to another
modification of my Invention; Figures 5 and 6 represent opposite sides
of the interior of the same.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 a is a rectangular frame of wood or other
suitable material, and is the india-rubber, which in this case is
shewn arranged in cells or chambers c, each of which is of suitable size
to hold one cartridge; these cells are preferably constructed as in
Figure 2, that is to say, with a seat d at their lower end formed of a
composition of bees'-wax and india-rubber melted and combined together.
The proportions in which these substances are combined together may
be varied; but I find that when the composition consists of about
nineteen parts of wax to one part of rubber it is very tough and
adhesive, and cannot be removed from the shell or projectile without
scraping. Before inserting the cartridges in the box I partially fill the

page_text: cells c with soft wax; I then force the cartridges into the said cells,
the end of the ball or projectile resting on the seat while the sides
of the shell are enclosed in the wax, which by the insertion of the
cartridge is forced up around the said shell and fills the corners cof
the cells or chambers c. By this method of construction and lubrication
I obtain a box or holder which will hold the cartridges securely without
danger of injuring them by their contact with each other, and which
keeps them thoroughly lubricated and ready for use.
.
In Figures 4, 5, and 6, A is a rectangular frame, which may be of
wood or other suitable material, and which when in use is designed to
be fitted within a cartridge box in any suitable manner. The side of
the box A* is preferably formed with holes a', the said holes being
arranged in longitudinal series. The sheet or strip B of india-rubber
or other elastic material is attached in any suitable manner to the
interior of the side A*; this sheet B is formed with cups or recesses
which receive the end or nose of the bullet, as shown in Figure 4. The
interior of the opposite side A¹ of the frame is also provided with a
sheet or strip C of india-rubber, or other elastic material, which is formed
with circular recesses or cavities to receive the flange or base of the
cartridges. The depth of these cavities c should be equal to or slightly
greater than the thickness of the rim of the cartridge. These cavities
are arranged exactly opposite the recesses or cups b'. If desired wood
or other hard substance may be used instead of the sheet C of elastic
material, either by inserting a lining of such hard substance or by
forming the cavities in the side A' of the frame; in this case the
sheet B must be made slightly more elastic. If the sheet 1 is made of
sufficient thickness cups or recesses may be formed at the back of the
said sheet opposite the recesses in the sheet C; the holes a' in the
side A being then unnecessary. The cartridges are inserted separately
into the frame, the bullet end of each cartridge D being pressed into
one of the recesses with suflicient force to cause the rubber or other
elastic material to yield and permit the rear end or base of the cartridge
to be pressed downward to the opposite cavity c in the sheet C,
as shewn
in Figure 4. The cartridges are thus arranged in parallel rows with a
slight space between them, and are kept from coming into contact
with each other, and from being jammed in the box or lying loosely
therein, and are also held in such a position as allows them to be
conveniently grasped and removed from the box.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,
First. Constructing cartridge boxes or holders with portions of
india-rubber or other clastic material arranged within the box or frame,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. Lubricating the cartridges and projectiles in the box or.
holder, substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Blatchford Tucker, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
SAMUEL BLATCHFORD TUCKER. (L.S.)