Improvements in Miniature Ammunition and in Apparatus for Making the same.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 1st Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th June, 1887.
Improvements in Miniature Ammunition and in Apparatus for
Making the same.
I, JOHN RICHARDS of Park Villa Liverpool Road Kingston Hill in the County of
Surrey Major 4th Volunteer Battalion The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide the means, in teaching soldiers or other
persons to shoot, of obtaining almost unlimited ball practice at an extremely small
cost.
In carrying out my Invention employ a Martini-Henry, Snider, or other breech
loading rifle from which I unship the service and replace it with a barrel adapted to
take my newly-invented miniature cartridge which is of a reduced calibre so far as
the cartridge case is concerned but carries a bullet of full calibre though much
lighter and shorter than the service bullet, and it has a flange upon which the
extractor acts to throw out the empty cartridge case after a shot has been fired.
This ammunition is what is known as the Government Pistol Cartridge but provided
with the iron base of a full size Boxer Cartridge, or the case and base may be drawn
solid. Or instead of being of the Government pistol Cartridge size its calibre may
be less than this and of a size adapted for the new service rifle. I also employ
miniature paper
or cardboard targets marked so as to resemble ordinary targets but
with the bull's eye and all the sections reduced in size in proportion to the reduced
distance of the range which may be 10 yards 15 yards 20 yards 25 yards 30 yards
or other distances instead of 100, 150, 200, 300 yards etc. the actual range
represented.
The principal novelty in my Invention is in the miniature cartridge and in the
materials and apparatus employed for building up the cartridge.
Great proficiency in shooting can only be attained ordinarily after an enormous
number of attempts, and my aim has therefore been to produce at the lowest possible
cost a cartridge which can be loaded, aimed, fired, and ejected precisely like the
service ammunition the service rifle being used with no other change than the
adaptation already named.
In order to reduce the cost to a minimum 1 so construct the cartridge that the
original cartridge case will serve for a great number of shots by which means the cost

page_text: of each shot is reduced to that of the few grains of powder, the wads and the
percussion cap required for each round of ammunition fired. The lead is used over
and over again, the old bullets being picked up after being fired and recast by means
of a bullet mould, and the cartridge case and a small anvil against which the
fulminant of the percussion cap is exploded are preserved for repeated use.
In remaking the ammunition I employ a few simple tools which I will now
describe.
The cartridge block or sizer consists of four parts constructed of steel, iron, or
other suitable metal. The lowest part or base is perforated in the centre so as to
receive the end of a small spindle or piston which forms the second piece or part.
The upper portion of this spindle passes through a metal tube or shaping piece
forining the third part into a cylindrical chamber of the exact form and size of the
cartridge to be constructed the upper portion of the tube being so formed as to take
the fourth piece which is a punch recessed to relieve the cap so as to prevent it from
exploding during the making of the cartridge. A mallet, an iron rolling plate,
and a spatula are also employed but I do not limit myself to the use of the
particular form of tool here described. Other equivalent forms of tools or tools
in the form of machine tools may be employed in the manufacture of my miniature
cartridges.
The following is my method of constructing the miniature ammunition. An empty
case which has been fired is taken and the old percussion cap is knocked out with a
needle or punch and cast away but the anvil attached to the cap is preserved. A
new cap in which the anvil has been placed is then put into the head of the cartridge
case and the cap is seated by means of a punch and a tap with the mallet on a hard
flat surface.
A thin membrane of paper or other equivalent substance is then placed within the
cartridge case to prevent the access of the powder to the cap chamber of the cartridge
case.
The required miniature charge of powder is then measured and poured in and
covered with a clean wad, this wad being used to separate the lubricating wad, which
is next inserted, from the powder. Another clean wad is inserted after the lubricating
wad to separate the greased wad from the bullet.
The cartridge is completed by the fixing in of the bullet but before this is done the
bullet is rolled upon the iron rolling plate upon which a mixture of bees-wax and oil
has been smeared. A portion of this greasy substance finds its way into
circumferential rings near the base of the bullet and lubricates it. The rolling
between the iron rolling plate and the iron spatula has also the effect of correcting
such little inequalities in the circumference of the bullet as are found to arise after a
bullet-mould has been for a certain time in use. The bullet is thus by a little
pressure if necessary, in rolling, made accurately to fit the cartridge case. The last
part of the process is to seat the bullet in the cartridge case. This is done by placing
the cartridge in the top of the sizer and giving it a smart tap or two with the mallet
and the punch.
The form of bullet preferred is slightly elongated with a hollow internally in the
base, but I do not limit myself to the use of that particular form of bullet. It is
essential that the bullet should be of a full calibre so as to enable it to receive the
proper spin from the rifling.
J. RICHARDS.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miniature Ammunition and in Apparatus for
Making the same.
I JOHN RICHARDS of Park Villa Liverpool Road Kingston Hill in the County of
Surrey Major IVth Volunteer Battalion The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
ctatement:
The object of my Invention is to provide the means in teaching Soldiers or other
persons to shoot of obtaining unlimited Ball practice at an extremely small cost in.
Drill Sheds or confined spaces.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a Martini-Henry, Snider or other breech-
loading rifle bushed to take my newly invented miniature cartridge which is shorter
than the Martini-Henry Service Cartridge and also differs from it in being of the
same calibre throughout, no increased powder space being required; or instead of
bushing the service barrel I substitute for it one adapted to my. new Miniature
Ammunition.
My miniature Bullet is much lighter as well as shorter than the Service
Bullet and it has two or more circumferential rings made externally which serve to
receive a lubricating material as hereinafter described and it has at the base an
internal hollow of slightly conical form which serves to secure the best proportion
between the weight and the dimensions of the Bullet. My Miniature Cartridge is
made by using what is known as the Government pistol Cartridge (minus the Cap
recess) in conjunction with the iron disc, the Cap-chamber and the paper packing as
in the Government Boxer Cartridge. Upon the flange of the disc the extractor acts
when the empty Cartridge case is thrown out after a shot has been fired precisely as
with the service ammunition. I do not limit myself to any particular size of
Cartridge Case nor to a Bullet of any particular calibre; these may be either less or
greater than those herein described and of a size adapted for any Service or other
Rifle. It is essential that the Bullet should be of a full Calibre in order that it may
receive the proper spin from the rifling.
I also employ miniature Iron, Paper, or Cardboard Targets marked so as to
resemble ordinary Targets but with the Bull's Eye and all the Sections reduced in
size in proportion to the reduced distance of the range which may be 20 yards
30 yards 40 yards 50 yards or other distances instead of 100, 200, 300, 400,
500 yards etc., the actual range represented.
The principal novelty in my invention is in the miniature Cartridge and in the
materials and apparatus employed for building up the Cartridge.
Great proficiency in Shooting can only be attained ordinarily after an enormous
number of attempts, and my aim has therefore been to produce at the lowest possible
cost a Cartridge which can be loaded, aimed fired and ejected precisely like the
Service ammunition, the Service Rifle being, in this case, used with only the change.
or the adaptation already named and a special foresight.

page_text: In order to reduce the cost to a minimum I so construct the Cartridge that the
original Cartridge case will serve for a great number of shots by which means
the cost of each shot is reduced to that of the few grains of powder the wads and the
percussion cap required for each round of ammunition fired. The lead is used over
and over again, the old bullets being picked up after being fired and recast by means
of a bullet mould and the Cartridge case and a small anvil against which
the fulminant of the percussion cap is exploded are preserved for repeated
In making the ammunition I employ a few simple tools which I will now
use.
describe.
The Cartridge block or sizer consists of four parts, constructed of Steel Iron or
other suitable metal. The lowest part or base is perforated in the centre so as to
receive the end of a small spindle or piston which forms the second piece or part, the
object of which is to eject the finished Cartridge this being done by a sharp blow on
the bench. This piston is at its upper end hollowed out to the proper shape of the
head of the bullet, the hollow serving to correct any inequality there may be in the
head of the bullot. The upper portion of this spindle passes through a metal tube or
shaping piece forming the third part into a Cylindrical Chamber of the exact form
and size of the Cartridge to be constructed the upper portion of the tube being so
formed as to take the fourth piece which is a punch recessed to relieve the Cap so as
to prevent it from exploding during the making striking or pressing of the Cartridge.
A mallet, an iron rolling plate and a spatula are also employed but I do not limit
myself to this particular method of working out the results or to the use of the
particular form of tools herein described. Other equivalent methods of working and
other forms of tools or machinery in the form of pressing Machines or Machine tools
may be employed in the manufacture of my miniature Cartridges.
The following is my method of constructing the miniature ammunition. An empty
case which has been fired is taken and the old percussion cap is knocked out with a
needle or punch and cast away but the anvil contained in the Cap is preserved.
A new cap in which the anvil has been placed is then put into the Cap Chamber
at the head of the Cartridge case and the Cap is seated by means of a punch and a
tap with the mallet on a hard flat surface.
A thin membrane of paper or other equivalent substance is then placed within the
Cartridge case to prevent the access of the powder to the Cap chamber of the
Cartridge Case.
The required miniature charge of powder is then measured and poured in and
covered with a clean wad, this wad being used to separate the lubricating wad which
is next inserted from the powder.
Another clean wad is inserted after the lubricating wad to separate the greased wad
from the Bullet.
The Cartridge is completed by the fixing in of the Bullet but before this is done
the Bullet is rolled upon the iron rolling plate upon which a mixture of Bees-Wax
and Oil has been smeared. A portion of this greasy substance finds its way into the
circumferential rings and lubricates the Bullet.
The rolling between the iron rolling plate and the iron spatula has also the effect of
correcting such little inequalities in the circumference of the Bullet as are found to
arise after a bullet mould has been for a certain time in use. The bullet is thus by a
little pressure if necessary in rolling made accurately to fit the Cartridge Case. The
last part of the process is to seat the bullet in the Cartridge Case. This is done by
placing the Cartridge in the top of the Sizer and giving it a smart tap or two with
the Mallet and the punch.
I employ a miniature Butt constructed of Iron as follows: I take a " thick iron
plate 6 feet high by 3 feet wide around which I place two frames formed of
2" x 2" angle iron each 3 feet x 3 feet and placed so as to divide the Butt into an
upper and a lower division the upper to receive the Target to be used for the standing
position and the lower for that to be used in the kneeling and prone positions.
Another frame is fixed within each division for the purpose of retaining the lead and
containing the Splashes of the Bullets. This is constructed of flat bar iron " thick

page_text: rivetted on edge and placed so as to leave a margin of 3 inches round the Target
which is an iron plate 12" x 9" half-inch thick with a hole punched centrally near
the top by which it is suspended from an iron peg fixed in the iron frame
or butt.
Care should be taken that the old Cartridge Cases be dry before being refilled I
find that good results are obtained at ranges from 10 to 50 yards by using a
powder charge of 10 Grains of fine grain powder with a bullet weighing 44 to the
pound.
If found desirable to extend the range beyond 50 yards I increase the powder
charge and increase in length the bullet and the Shell.
In the drawings appended to this specification the same letters in each figure refer to
the same parts all of which are represented of full size.
Fig. 1 is an exterior view of my miniature cartridge. It is composed of a metal
case A in which the bullet B (Fig. 4) is inserted after the proper charge of powder has
been added and a metal disc C shown in plan in Fig 2. The disc C as also shown in
Fig. 3 contains the cap-chamber D in which the percussion-cap E provided with the
anvil H is placed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the cartridge showing F the thin
membrane of paper used to prevent the access of the powder to the cap-chamber, the
lubricating wad G¹ and the two clean wads G, G used to separate the lubricating wad
from the powder and the bullet respectively. Fig. 4 shows the bullet with its
circumferential rings and Fig. 5 shows the bullet in position for being rolled between
the spatula J and the smeared plate K.
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 :-
First. The miniature ammunition as shown and described.
Second. The building up of the pistol or other cartridge case with the iron disc of
the Boxer Cartridge substantially as described.
Third. The thin paper wad or membrane as described for the purpose of giving an
extended period of life to the cap-chamber.
Fourth. The means and apparatus for rolling and at the same time greasing the
bullet in the manner and for the purposes described.
Dated this 31st day of March 1887.