IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTILES, AND MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Whitworth, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECTILES, AND MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE."
IN
Sealed the 29th June 1860, and dated the 30th December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Whitworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
December 1859.
I, JOSEPH WHITWORTH, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES, AND MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE," to
be as follows:-
My improvements relate to elongated projectiles and the machinery used in
making them. They consist, firstly, in so forming the projectile that the rear
part may have a proper relation to the fore part with regard to their respectivo
shapes and weights. The shape of the fore part depends upon the pur-
pose for which the projectile is to be employed, and may be more or less
pointed or curved, or flat fronted. The rear part is made to taper, and the
weight, form, and degree of convergence given to it must be determined by
and adapted to those of the fore part. The parts thus mutually adapted pre-
sent their surfaces to the action of the air under conditions most favourable to
the accuracy, velocity, and range of the projectile. Secondly, they relate to
the construction of lathes for turning projectiles, in which are employed two

page_text: or more cutting tools actuated by a screw in connection with a curved or
angular bar or bars, or cams, whereby the required external figure is given to
the projectiles. Thirdly, to machinery for shaping projectiles, in which several
tools are employed to operate upon one or several projectiles at the same time,
the projectiles or tools being actuated by a crank or screw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Whitworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WHITWORTH, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Whitworth, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Whit-
worth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Whitworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROJECTILES, AND MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Whitworth, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Whitworth, 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
statement, reference being had to the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings
(that is to say):-
My improvements relate to elongated projectiles and the machinery used in
making them; they consist,-

page_text: Firstly, in so forming the projectile that the rear part which is behind the
centre of gravity may have a proper relation to the fore part, which is in front
The shape of
of the centre of gravity with regard to their respective shapes.
the fore part depends upon the purpose for which the projectile is to be
The
employed, and may be more or less pointed or curved or flat fronted.
rear part is made to taper, and the weight, form, and degree of convergence
given to it must be determined by and adapted to those of the fore part. The
parts thus mutually adapted present their surfaces to the action of the air
under conditions most favourable to the accuracy, velocity, and range of the
projectiles.
For projectiles intended to be used for long ranges I employ the shape of
front whose longitudinal section is nearly that of a solid of least resistance,
having the front somewhat rounded. The rear has a taper shape, adapted to
that of the front in such a way that the air displaced by the front part is
allowed to be replaced in the rear as soon as possible. The middle part is left
parallel for a sufficient length to prevent windage, but not too long, as that
would diminish the flight, the quick replacement of the displaced air being
impeded. Projectiles which have the shape above described are less liable
to deviate from the line of flight and ricochet better than the elongated forms
previously employed.
The form of projectile which I have found most advantageous for giving
long range, and preserving sufficient bearing surface is shewn in Figures 1
and 2 (Sheet 1). The rear might be made in the shape of the frustrum of a
cone, but to afford sufficient extent of bearing surface, and prevent an abrupt
termination of the lines employ the curved shape shewn in the Drawing,
which may be made up of segments of a circle or other suitable curve.
the rear end I use a flat surface, as that gives steadiness of flight.
found that as compared with the projectiles formerly used, which had pointed
fronts and cylindrical or non-tapering rears, the projectiles shaped as herein
described will give from a quarter to one-third greater range.
For
I have
For shorter ranges for shell, where capacity is required for containing the
bursting charge, I employ the form shewn in Figures 3 and 4 (Sheet 1).
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 shew forms of my improved projectiles; Figs.
1 and 2 being respectively an end and side view of a solid shot, suitable for
use in a twelve-pounder gun; Fig. 3, an end view, and Fig. 4, a longitudinal
section of hollow shot or shell for use in the same gun; and Figs. 5 and 6
being end and side views of projectiles to be used in rifled small arms.
I am aware that projectiles have been made with their rear parts tapering
previously to the date of these my Letters Patent, with the object of attaching

page_text: to the rear wads or sabots; also projectiles of an egg-shape have been pro-
posod also projectiles, having parallel middle parts and parabolical or conical
ends, but such shapes are not advantageous for flight, and projecties so made
are liable to. turn over. The rear in such projectiles should not be pointed, as
a flattened surface gives a steadier flight; the middle or parallel part must
not be too long, as a quick replacement of the air is thereby prevented.
none of these shapes do I make any claim, nor do I claim all shapes which
taper before and behind, or any other shapes than those to which the principle
of adapting the rear to the fore part is applied, as herein described.
.
To
Secondly, my improvements in machinery for making projectiles relate to
the construction of lathes for turning projectiles, which are shewn in the
accompanying Drawings (Sheet 2), in which Fig. 7 is a plan; Fig. 8, a front
elevation; Fig. 9, an end elevation; and Fig. 10, a detached view. A is the
bed; B, the headstocks; C, the bottom rest, actuated by the guide screw D;
E is a compound slide rest with cutting tool a placed in front of the projectile
F to be turned; and G is a second compound slide rest, with cutting tool b
placed on the opposite side of the projectile F. Both compound slide rests
E and G have independent slides for adjusting their respective cutting tool,
but are connected together transversely by the right and left screw II. On
the outer end of the fast headstock is a pair of bevil wheels d, d, which com-
municate motion from the headstock to the worm e and worm wheel f. On
the side of the worm wheel is formed the cam I, into which the lever .g
works. This lever is attached to the change wheel J. which communicates
the motion received from the cam I through the other wheels K and L
to the longitudinal shaft h. At the other end of the shaft h is the bevil
wheel M gearing into the bevil wheel N placed on the right and left
screw H. The bevil wheel N is provided with a friction clutch and lever
i, by which the motion received from the cam I may be readily communi-
cated to or suspended from the transverse right and left screw II, and from it
to the two compound slide rests E and G, and to their cutting tools and b.
Another train of wheels O, P. Q, on the outer end of the fast headstock, com-
municates motion from it to the guide screw D. Such a shape is given to
the cam I, as will impart the requisite motion transversely to the cutting tools
a and b, simultaneously with the longitudinal motion which they derive from
the guide screw D, so that the projectile F, may be turned of the external
figure required. When the external figure of the projectile is such that its
longitudinal section is made up partly of segments of circles, the cam I and
guide screw D, with the change wheel arrangement O, P, Q, may be dispensed
with, and a continuous rotary motion be given to the shaft h. In this case

page_text: the arrangement of slide rest shewn in the detached view. Fig. 10, is adopted,
in which, in addition to the ordinary slides are the curved or segmentally
shaped bars or slides R. R, worked by the worms and worm segments S, S;
and by the wheels T, T. from the worms k. on the shaft I, which is con-
nected to the longitudinal shaft h, by the bevil wheels M and N. The radius
of the segments of the curved bars or slides is fixed, but the cutting tools may
be adjusted by the top slide and screw U, so as to turn the projectile to any
required radius.
Thirdly, my improvements in machinery for shaping projectiles are shewn
in Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings, (in which Fig. 11 is a plan,
Fig. 12 a side elevation, and Figure 13 an end elevation,) and are improve-
ments on part of the Invention described in the Letters Patent granted to me
and dated December 11th, 1857. A is the bed on which traverses the sliding
table B. propelled by the screw C, on which are pullies a. a. driven by
crossed and open straps as was described in the above-mentioned Patent.. At
the left hand end of the machine is a train of wheels b. b, for imparting. motion
from the screw C to the shaft D, and from it to the bevil.wheels. c. c. c. and
transverse worm shafts E, by which the worm wheels F. F. are worked. G. G.
are dividing headstocks fixed to the sliding table B, each having a spindle d,
on which the worm wheel F works freely. Each worm wheel is provided
with a notched clutch, and to each is also attached a bell-crank lever e, by its
fulcrum. The lower end of the levers e take into the clutches H, which are
keyed on their respective spindles d, d. The number of notches in the clutches
have relation to the number of sides the projectile is to have. The bell-crank
levers e, e, are carried round by and with their worm wheels F. F. the direc-
tion of motion of which is reversed alternately by the shifting of the straps
which drive the machine in the usual manner. The
bell-crank lever are jointed, and in rotating come in
stops h, screwed to the stands I. By this means the bell-crank levers are
made to turn on their fulcra f. and in doing so force the clutches H out of
the corresponding clutches in the worm wheels F. The worm wheels F con-
tinue rotating, but being free on their spindles d. the latter remain stationary.
and consequently their clutches I remain stationary also, until, by the retiring
of the bell-crank lever from the inclined stop h, the clutches II are left at
liberty to be and are again pressed into the worm wheel clutches F by the
springs J, J. During this time the worm wheel clutches F have each
advanced one or more notches or divisions, and have brought a fresh side or
face of the projectile to be operated upon by each tool i, i. The projectiles K
under operation are held between the centres of the headstocks in the usual
upper ends g. g. of the
contact with the incline

page_text: manner, or having tapering fronts and rear ends, the projectiles may be con-
veniently held in suitable hollow chucks. The cutting tools are placed in
holders L, which are fastened by screws J, into the segmental tee-grooves k,
in the slides M. Two cutting tools only are shewn to operate on each projec-
tile, and they are placed at an angle with each other to suit the number of
sides the projectile is to have. In certain cases three or more tools may be
employed. The arrangement of mechanism for changing the direction of
motion of the table, for determining the length of its traverse, for raising and
lowering the cutting tools, being the same as that described in my former
Patent before referred to, it is not necessary to repeat a description of it
here.
To none of the mechanical parts herein described do I make any claim, but
what I do claim is the combination and arrangement of parts forming respec-
tively the machines herein described for the purposes herein stated."
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Whitworth have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand cight hundred and sixty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Joseph Whitworth in the presence
of
JOSEPH WHITWORTH. (..s.)
EDWARD T. HUGHES, Patent Agent,