IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES."-A communication from abroad
by Abiatha Fales Potter, of San Francisco, California, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th May 1870.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," a communication to me
from abroad by Abiather Fales Potter, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing projectiles with a head in any
of the known forms of projectiles, but upon the rear end or side of
which head are three or more flanges, wings, or blades extending.back-

page_text: ward from the head and converging to or toward each other in the
centre and in the line of one of its diameters. The bases or lines of
juncture of these flanges and the flanges themselves are set spirally
round said line. This spiral position of the flanges around the line of
the longitudinal axis of the head (which is also the line of projection
when the missile is thrown or fired) causes the air to act upon the
flanges or wings in their passage through it when the projectile is
thrown from a smooth-bore arm and gives to the projectile the motion
claimed, which is that of a rifle ball.
The improved projectiles are also provided with moveable false points
made in such shape and of such material as may be best adapted to the
different kinds of work they are intended to perform. In the head of
the shot is a socket into which a false point is fitted. The projectile
being held point foremost in its flight by the action of the flanges the
false point will remain in position, even if fitted loosely.
If an explosive shot is needed the head of the projectile is truncated,
and a large chamber and an inner chamber are made with vent holes
in the bottom of the inner chamber, leading from the inner into the
outer chamber. The false point of the projectile has a spindle or
needle in such position on the rear of the false point that when the
latter is in position the spindle is in the inner chamber, and of such
length as to reach the bottom when the false point is sent home to a
bearing on the head. In the bottom of the inner chamber I put a
percussion cap, wafer, or other percussion explosive. In the outer
chamber I put a charge of powder or other explosive. The false point
is then put into position, putting between it and the head a ring of
compressible matter of such density and thickness that it will keep the
needle from striking the percussion matter in the inner chamber until
the point of the projectile impinges on some object when thrown or
fired. The false point may be of any desired shape at its apex, and with
a shoulder fitting into the upper part of the outer chamber, the charge
in which is exploded by the original impinging force of the whole
projectile and while the projectile is in a forward motion. The original
forward motion of the entire projectile acts upon the false point, and
while the projectile is held up to its point of impingement by the
whole force of its original motion the auxiliary or secondary charge or
magazine in the outer chamber is exploded. This drives the point
forward by a new and further impulse.

page_text: The projectile has a sectional packing, which lies between the flanges
of the projectile and behind the head; it is made of sawdust, felt, or
other compressible and elastic material.
When ammunition is to be charged and fixed the cartridge bag is
tied to the projectile by a cord at the groove near the head, leaving the
rear of the cartridge bag open. The cartridge bag is then filled with
sectional packing, sawdust, felt, or other clastic substance, and to as
great a depth as may be desirable. Upon this the powder is poured and
the whole closed up by fastening the rear of the bag.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," a communication from abroad by
Abiatha Fales Potter, of San Francisco, California, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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
1

page_text: Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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 Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
The said Invention relates to improvements in projectiles for smooth
bore arms.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a perspective
view of one form of the improved projectile; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the wings of the projectile.
]
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a projectile with hollow head and 1
false point.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the head of a hollow projectile,
shewing the chamber for the percussion or igniting charge and the
chamber for the exploding charge.
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of different false points or heads 2
for projectiles.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of a false point detached to shew the
guiding shoulder and the exploding spindle or needle; Figure 9 is a
rear elevation of the same.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a projectile shewing the packing 2
herein-after referred to in place.
Figure 11 is a transverse section of the wings and packing in
position; and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the projectile in its
cartridge bag.
According to this Invention it is proposed to construct a projectile
with a head a in any of the known forms of projectiles, but upon the
rear end or side of this head are formed three or more flanges, wings,
or blades B, B, B, extending backward from the head a and converging
to or towards each other in the centre or in the line R, S, of the longi-
tudinal axis of the head produced backward, if it be slug shaped or a
conical or cylindrical, and in the line of one of its diameters if the head
be spherical. The bases or lines of junction of these flanges B, B, B,

page_text: are set spirally around the line R, S, and the flanges B, B, B, themselves
are set spirally round said line R, S. The length of the wings may be
two or three times the diameter of the bore. This spiral position of the
flanges around the line of the longitudinal axis of the head (which is
also the line of projection when the missile is thrown or fired) causes
the air to act upon the flanges or wings in their passage through it when
the projectile is thrown from a smooth bore arm and gives to the pro-
jectile a spinning motion. The line of juncture of the wings or flanges
along the line R, S, may be made on a spindle C, or they may be simply
brought together, or the wings may not actually touch each other on
said line or extend into the spindle C, provided their shape and position
are such that if projected towards said line R, S, their planes would
answer the requirements above named and would meet in spiral curves
around the line R, S.
The improved projectiles are also provided with moveable false points
made in such shape and of such material as may be best adapted to the
different kinds of work they are intended to perform. A socket F is
drilled in the head a of the shot and the false point H is fitted into the
socket. The projectile being held point foremost in its flight by the
action of the flanges B, B, B, the false point will remain in position even
if fitted loosely.
If an explosive shot be required the head a of the projectile is
truncated and a large chamber F is made in it, and an inner chamber G
formed in the centre of F with vent holes in the bottom of G leading
through the walls of G into F. The false point H of the projectile is
made with a spindle or needle J in such position on the rear of the
false point that when the latter is in position the spindle J is in the inner
chamber G, and of such length as to reach the bottom of G when the
false point is sent home to a bearing on the head a. In the bottom of G
there is placed a percussion cap, wafer, or other percussion explosive.
In F is placed a charge of powder or other explosive. The false point H
is then placed in position, putting between it and the head a a ring of
compressible matter K of such density and thickness that it will keep
the needle J from striking the percussion matter in the inner chamber G
until the point of the projectile impinges on some object when thrown
or fired.
To concentrate the force of the original impact of a projectile upon
a surface of less diameter than the diameter of the projectile, and to

page_text: drive the false point forward by an auxiliary explosion or discharge, the
chambers F and G are made in the head a of the projectile, as above
stated, leaving the wall of the chamber F in sufficient mass to stand
the discharge of the charge in F without bursting. The false point H
may be made of any desired shape at its apex, and with a shoulder L, L,
fitting snugly into the upper part of F. The projectile's head is then
loaded, as stated before. The charge in F is exploded by the original
impinging force of the whole projectile and while the projectile is in a
forward motion. The original forward motion of the entire projectile
acts upon the false point H, and while the projectile is held up to its
point of impingement by the whole force of its original motion, the
auxiliary or secondary charge or magazine in the outer chamber F is
exploded. This drives the point H forward by a new and further
impulsc.
The projectile has a sectional packing E which lies between the flanges
B, B, B, of the projectile and behind the head a. It is made of saw-
dust, felt, or other compressible and elastic material. It relieves the
sudden strain and diminishes the force of the recoil. This packing may
be lubricated, if preferred.
When ammunition is to be charged and fixed, the cartridge bag N is
tied to the projectile by a cord at the groove D, leaving the rear of the
cartridge bag open. The cartridge bag is then filled in with the sectional
packing, sawdust, felt, or other elastic substance, and to as great a depth
as may be desirable. Upon this is poured in the powder, and the whole
is closed up by fastening the rear of the bag.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not claim a
projectile without wings provided with a cushion between it and the
explosive charge behind it; but what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. A projectile provided with wings B, B, and an elastic cushion E
between the head and the explosive charge, substantially as described.
Second. The sectional elastic packing E, arranged between the wings
in front of the explosive charge and behind the head of the projectile,
substantially as described.

page_text: Third. The compressible ring K so placed as to yield when the shot
strikes and allow the spindle J to come in contact with the percussion
powder, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day.
of November One thousand eight hundred and seventy.