Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd -Mar., 1889
1, STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS, D.C.L., of Harrison, New York, United States of
America, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The chief object of my invention is to facilitate the use of high explosives as a
propelling agent in cartridges for cannon, machine guns, and fire-arins, whereby their
use alone or in connection with low explosives is rendered practicable, safe and
inexpensive.
An elastic or yielding cushion forms the exterior of the ordnance cartridge. This
cushion is preferably formed of a single soft wood cylinder and is adopted in the other
forms of my invention. By interposing said cushion between the high explosive and
the wall of the bore or barrel, the lateral strain incident to rapid combustion is slowly
and gradually communicated to the gun. The cushion in the ordnance cartridge is
provided with two or more chainbers supplied with accelerating charges of
Emmensite recently patented by me, or other high explosive. Each of these
chambers is provided with a reinforcing detonator in order to ensure perfect com-
bustion of the explosive. These chambers may be cylindrical bores, with or without
metal linings.
33
The said cartridges are also provided with a central metallic tube closed at the
breech end, in which a primer recess and flame aperture are formed. The bore of
this tube contains a starting charge of gunpowder or other low explosive, and its
front end is closed by a wooden plug. The said tube is preferably placed in the
centre of the cushion and the chambers are arranged diametrically opposite each other
in said cushion, said cliambers being at their front end closed by plugs. These plugs
are carried by a metallic wad, preferably of copper, with a swelled centre. The front
end of said cushion tube and plugs are shaped to fit the convex back of the metallic
wad.
A second pair of accelerating chambers with longer plugs, and other pairs of
chambers with still longer plugs, might be employed to open successively. These
chambers may be arranged in groups of three or more, so distributed in the cushion

page_text: as to equalize the lateral strain of the explosion. The cartridge is terminated in front
by a wooden wad which is aligned with said metallic wad by a central projection on
one of the wads fitting a socket formed in the other wad.
The primer located behind the starting charge is provided with a metallic cap
partly filled with fulminate, and a metallic anvil post in form of a sleeve with returned
fingers at one end against which the fulminate is driven when the cap is struck by the
hammer or firing pin. This primer may be placed in a cylindrical recess. The said
detonators may be the ordinary" percussion ones of a size proportional to the weight
of the explosive. The high explosive charges in said chambers are all accelerating
charges.
"
The flame from the primer of an ordnance cartridge is admitted by an aperture to
the starting charge which first explodes and starts said wads with the projectile, and
then the pairs or groups of high explosive charges are fired in succession as the plugs
are withdrawn from the accelerating chambers. The inertia of the projectile is thus
overcome without initial strain on the gun, and accelerated motion is obtained by the
explosions of the high explosive charges.
The cartridge for machine guns has a metallic shell provided with a primer recess
and flame aperture, which shell encloses the elastic cushion with its charges, detonators
and bullet. The bore of the central metallic tube loaded with a starting charge of
gunpowder or other low explosive is in direct communication with the firing primer.
The front end of said tube is plugged by a detonator, and a recess is formed in the
face of the bullet to receive the detonator when the starting charge explodes., The
reinforcing detonators are arranged in like recesses in the bullet.
"
The accelerating chambers, two or more in number, formed in the cushion, contain
charges of "Emmensite or other high explosive, and are. so arranged as to equalize
the lateral strain of said explosive. The central charge starts the bullet and explodes
a detonator which, an instant later, explodes the accelerating charges simultaneously
with their detonators, thereby ensuring complete explosion of these charges.
The cartridge for rifles and pistols has a similar metallic shell, also a recessed bullet.
The elastic cushion has a single chamber charged with "Emmensite" or other high
explosive. The complete explosion of the charge is ensured by a reinforcing detonator
which is driven into the recess formed in the bullet by explosion of the charge,
and undue strain on the barrel is prevented by the elastic cushion.
The cartridge for shotguns, is similar to the last described. The front part of the
elastic cushion is bevelled to fit a correspondingly bevelled wad which has a central
recess to receive a reinforcing detonator. This wad closes the charge chamber and
the shot may be, confined in front thereof in any suitable manner.
Dated this 24th day of April 1888.

page_text: Improvements in Cartridges for Ordnance and Small Arms.
I, STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS, D.C.L., of Harrison, New York, United States of
America, Civil Engineer, 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 statement :-
•
The chief object of my invention is to facilitate the use of high explosives as a
propelling agent in cartridges for cannon, machine guns and firearms, whereby their
use alone or in connection with low explosives is rendered practical, safe and
inexpensive.
In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification :
#
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a powder cartridge" for ordnance, partly
in elevation; embodying the several-features of my invention. Figure 2 is a half
cross section on line, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge
for machine guns embodying the main features of said invention. Figure 4 is a cross
section on line y y, Figure 3. Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge for
a rifle or pistol. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge for shotguns.
Figure 7 is a cross section on line, Figure 6. Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged
front and sectional views of the primer of the cartridges.
Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.
An elastic or yielding cushion A forms the exterior of the ordnance cartridge.
This cushion is preferably formed of wood and is adopted in the other forms of my
invention. By interposing said cushion between the high explosive and wall of the
bore or barrel, the lateral strain incident to rapid combustion is more slowly and.
gradually communicated to the gun. The cushion A in the ordnance cartridge is
provided with two or more chambers B charged with "Emmensite," recently patented
by me, or other high explosive. The said cushion is preferably formed of a single soft
wood cylinder. Each chamber is provided with a reinforcing detonator D in order to
insure perfect combustion of the explosive. The chambers B may be cylindrical bores
with or without metal linings. The primer C, clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9, is
provided with a metallic cap a, partly filled with fulminate, and a metallic anvil post b
in form of a sleeve with returned fingers at one end against which the fulminate is
driven when the cap is struck by the hammer or firing pin. The primer may be
placed in a cylindrical recess E, and aperture c will admit flame to the interior of the
cartridge. The detonators D may be the ordinary ignition ones and of a size pro-
portional to the weight of the explosive. The high explosive charges in chambers B
are accelerating charges. These cartridges are also provided with a metallic tube F,
closed at the breech end, in which primer recess E and flame hole care formed. The
bore G of this tube contains a starting charge of gunpowder or other low explosive,
and its front end is closed by a wooden plug H. The tube F is preferably placed.in

page_text: the center of cushion A, and the chambers B are arranged diametrically opposite
each other, the said chambers being at their front end closed by plugs L. These
plugs are carried by a metallic wad J, preferably of copper with a swelled centre.
The front end of cushion A, tube F and plug I are shaped to fit the convex back of
said wad. A second pair of chambers B', with plugs longer than plugs I, and
other pairs with still longer plugs, may be adopted to fire successively;
chambers B B may be arranged in groups of three or more, so distributed in the
cushion, as to equalize the lateral strain of the explosion. The cartridge is terminated
by wooden wad K, which is aligned with metallic wad J by a central projection Lon
one of the wads fitting a socket formed in the other wad.
or the
The flame from primer of the ordnance cartridge is admitted by aperture to
the starting charge, within bore G, which first explodes and starts said wads with the
projectile, and then the pairs or groups of high explosive charges are fired in succession
as the plugs are withdrawn from chambers B B¹. The inertia of the projectile is
thus overcome without initial strain on the gun, and accelerated motion is obtained by
the explosions of the high explosive charges.
The cartridge for machine guns Figure 3 and 4 has a metallic shell M provided
with recess E and flame aperture c. This shell incloses the elastic cushion A with
its charges and detonators and bullet N. The bore G of metallic tube F, loaded with
a starting charge of gunpowder or other low explosive, is in direct communication
with firing primer C. The front end of tube F is plugged, by a detonator D¹ and a
recessed is formed in the face of the bullet to receive the detonator when the starting
charge explodes. The reinforcing detonators D are arranged in similar recesses in the
bullet as shown. The chambers B, two or more in number, formed in cushion A
contain accelerating charges of "Emmensite," or other high explosive, and are so
arranged as to equalize the lateral strain of said explosive. The central charge starts
the bullet and explodes detonator D', which an instant later explodes the accelerating
charges in chambers B, simultaneously with detonators D, thereby insuring complete
explosion of these charges.
The cartridge for rifles and pistols, Figure 5, also has a similar metallic shell M and
recessed bullet N. The elastic cushion A has a single chamber B charged with
"Emmensite or other high explosive. The complete explosion of the charge is
insured by reinforcing detonator D, which is driven into recess d formed in the bullet
by explosion of the charge by primer C, and undue strain on the barrel is prevented.
by elastic cushion A.
The cartridge for shotguns, Figures 6 and 7, is similar to the last described. The
front part of cushion A is beveled to fit a corresponding beveled wad O, which has a
central recess to receive reinforcing detonator D. The wad O closes chamber B and
the shot P may be confined in front thereof in any suitable manner.
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. A cartridge, provided with a charge or charges of high explosives, encased
in an elastic shell or cushion A for the purpose set forth.
Second. A cartridge for ordnance, provided with three or more charges in separate
chambers formed in an elastic shell or cushion A, the central charge being a starting
charge of a low explosive, and the others being accelerating charges of a high explosive,
substantially as set forth.
Third. A cartridge, provided with a reinforcing detonator 1) for each charge of
high explosive, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. A cartridge for ordnance, so constructed that the pairs or groups of
_accelerating charges may be exploded in succession, for the purpose and substantially
as set forth.
"Fifth. A cartridge for ordnance, combining an elastic shell or cushion A,
chambers B, detonator D, plugs I, wads J.K, and primer C, constructed and
arranged substantially as set forth.

page_text: Sixth. A cartridge for machine guns, combining a metallic shell M, elastic
cushion A, chambers B, bullet N, metallic tube F, plugged by detonators D. D¹,
constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.
Seventh. A cartridge for rifles or pistols, combining a metallic shell M, cushion A
and reinforcing detonator D, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.
Eighth. A cartridge for shotguns, combining a metallic shell M, cushion A,
wad. O, chamber B and reinforcing detonator D, constructed and arranged sub-
stantially as set forth.