CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO- JECTILES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORNS ATTACHED TO VESSELS FOR WAR PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bond, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO-
JECTILES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORNS ATTACHED TO
VESSELS FOR WAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 10th October 1862, and dated the 24th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bond at the Office'
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th April
1862.
I, JOHN BOND, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROJECTILES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORNS ATTACHED
TO VESSELS: FOR WAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:→
My improvements are principally adapted to projectiles for smooth-bored
guns, but they can also be efficiently employed in rifled barrels. In' per-
forming. my Invention the projectile is cylindrical and elongated, and the
forward end is recessed to receive a charge of fülminating or other exploding
powder, and a plug either with a percussion cap or not; the body of metal
round the recess forms a punch, which penetrates with facility the armour
plates, or other body against which the' projectile strikes, and when the pro-
jectile has penetrated to a certain depth, which can be regulated by the shape
and arrangement of the plug, the projectile explodes and enlarges the hole
circumferentially. In using the projectile for smooth-bored fire-arms and
ordṇanče a taper plug with diagonal grooves is employed to close the recess;

page_text: a plug is required for pr
es used for rined barrels, but without the diagonal
In applying my improvements to the horns of vessels for war purposes, the
exterior plug may be dispensed with, and the recess containing the charge
must be hermetically closed in any convenient manner.
In applying my improvements to the horns of vessels for war purposes, the
exterior plug may be dispensed with, and the recess containing the charge
must be hermetically closed in any convenient manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Bond in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BOND, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Bond, Her special license that I, the said John Bond,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Bond, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROJECTILES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORNS ATTACHED
TO VESSELS FOR WAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said John Bond, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly 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 immediately.
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Bond, 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 in and by the following state-
ment (that is to say):-
My improvements are principally adapted to projectiles for smooth-bored
guns, but they can also, be efficiently employed in rifled barrels. In per-

page_text: forming my Invention the projectile is cylindrical and elongated, and the
forward end is recessed to receive a charge of fulminating or other exploding
powder, and a plug either with a percussion cap or not; the body of metal
around the recess forms a punch, which penetrates with facility the armour
plates, or other body against which the projectile strikes, and when the pro-
jectile has penetrated to a certain depth, which can be regulated by the shape
and position of the plug, the projectile explodes and enlarges the hole. In
using the projectile for smooth-bored fire-arms and ordnance a taper plug is
employed, and the projectiles are made with diagonal grooves.
In applying my improvements to the horns of vessels for war purposes the
exterior plug may be dispensed with, and the recess containing the charge
must be hermetically closed in any convenient manner.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and, readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Draw-
ings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a section, and Figure 2 an end view of one of my improved
projectiles, consisting of a cylindrical shell a, the rear end of which is recessed
at b, and the front end c is formed like a punch, in order that it may pene-
trate with facility the ship's side, armour plate, or other body against which
it strikes; the interior of the shell a is filled with fulminating or other
exploding powder, which is covered by the plug d, held in its place by a pin
or otherwise. When the projectile has penetrated the ship's side or other
óbject against which it strikes, the plug is forced against the charge in the
shell, which then explodes. The plug d may be provided with a percussion
cap or not, and it can be secured either nearer to or further froin' the front of
the projectile, so as to cause the projectile to explode when it has penetrated
to any required distance. When this projectile is discharged from a rifled gun
it is coated with lead in the ordinary manner to fit the rifled grooves of the
barrel.
Figure 3 is an outside view of a projectile similar to the one above.
described, but suitable for a smoothed-bored gun; in this case the shell a is
provided with three or other convenient number of spiral grooves e, e, of the
usual construction, by which the resistance of the air during the flight of the
projectile causes it to rotate around its axis; the plug d is made with a
conical cover f, shewn in section in Figure 4; the object of this cover is to
reduce the resistance of the air, and it is made very thin, so that when the
projectile strikes the cover breaks, and the plug d being forced against the
charge in the shell a causes it to explode, as before described. The conical
cover must be sufficiently strong to allow the projectile to be rammed home

page_text: in muzzle loading ordnance. For short ranges I prefer to use the projectile
without the conical cover f, and when the spiral grooves e are employed a
wad must be applied between the charge and the end of the projectile to
prevent windage.
-
Figure 5 is a side view of my improved horn for war vessels; Figure 6 is
a transverse section; and Figure 7 a longitudinal section of the same. gis.
the shell of the horn, which is connected to the vessel by a circular groove h,
fitting in a bracket i, securely attached to the bows of the vessel. The
interior of the horn is charged with fulminating or other exploding powder,
and with a projectile a, similar to the one described in reference to Figure.1, or
solid, and the front of the horn is closed by a plug d, with a cover f,
or in any
other convenient manner; the charge can be let off either from the interior
of the vessel by a rod jacting on a percussion cap fitting on the nipple k
at the rear end of the horn, or by the nipples 7, which are furnished with
percussion caps, acted upon, when the horn has penetrated a certain depth,
by the sliding bush m; this bush has one or more recesses n, see Figure 6, to
pass over the nipples ; it is then turned partly round, and held in its place
by a pin or otherwise. When the charge explodes the horn- bursts like a
shell, and at the same time the projectile a is propelled forward, therefore
when the horn penetrates at one side of a ship the projectile is discharged
against the other side. It is evident that as soon as the horn bursts, the
vessel to which it was attached is set at liberty, and can immediately be
reversed, a fresh horn is then shipped in the bracket i, and the vessel is again
ready for action.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improved projectiles shewn and described, which will explode
by contact or impact, and the adjustable or moveable plug marked d in
Figure 1.
Secondly, the exploding horn for war vessels, and the means of setting off
the charge, as shewn and-described..
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bond, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.