IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES AND OP CANNON FOR DISCHARGING THE SAME
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Coope Haddan at the
Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th March 1860.
I, JOHN COOPE HADDAN, of No. 14, Bessborough Gardens, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES AND OP
CANNON FOR DISCHARGING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to the conversion of already manufactured
ordinary shot and shell so as to render them adapted to use with rifled.
ordnance, and to the construction of new shot and shell and cannon for
discharging either the altered or entirely new projectiles of either kind.
When desiring to render the ordinary spherical shot or shell available as rifle
projectiles I employ the ordinary cup wad, and I form wings, swellings, or
projections upon the shot or shell for fitting and sliding within and receiving
the rifle twist from the rifled grooves or cuts in cannon, the which wings may
be constructed as herein indicated, or in any other convenient manner. The
method I propose being to add sheet metal wings, swellings, or projections
fixed in seatings turned in or upon the projectiles for their reception. Or,
otherwise, I produce temporary or non-permanent wings or twist receivers,
that is to say, not intended to accompany the shot or shell portion of the
projectile in its flight, but fixed to or held by the wad portion of the projectile
which is intended to separate from the shot or shell portion at or shortly after

page_text: leaving the muzzle of the cannon, such wings or twist receivers sliding in the
rifled cuts in the cannon and lying firmly within or against grooves or
seatings in such shot or shell portion, the which method of forming the wings
or twist receivers is also applicable to other than spherically shaped shot and
shell. Or the wings or twist receivers may be formed by a band or belt of
lead or soft metal, but not continued of sufficient breadth to serve as a guide
to prevent the tumbling over or disturbance of the axis of rotation, the
guiding service being performed by the combination of the cup wad in the
rear. But in making new spherical shot or shell I cast the wings or twist
receivers in one with or upon them, and instead of a strictly spherical form,
I also intend to cast or form them of an oblate, spheroidal, or orange
like shape, with the wings situate at the largest diameter. Or externally
spherically shaped shell may be cast, with the internal space so arranged as
to leave the greatest thickness at the wing diameter tapering off or reducing
to the least thickness at the axial diameter, so as to obtain the advantage
possessed by the spheroidal form, which I apprehend will insure fixity of
the axis or non-liability to turn or tumble over in the flight. The which
advantage may also be obtained either perfectly or partially in cylindrical or
other shaped shell, if not of too great length by a similar or analogous
listribution of the metal. In all the foregoing instances, and in other rifle
projectiles, I intend to diminish the atmospheric resistance in flight by the
addition of light hollow peaks or caps upon the intended fore parts or fronts
of the projectiles, and these peaks or caps may be formed of thin sheet metal,
and may be curved in accordance with the "wave line curve," which has
recently obtained so much favor in reference to the passage of ships through
water, and when these peaks or caps are applied to flat-headed shot or other
shot or projectile. which it is desirable should strike the object fired at
without such adjunct I intend enclosing a small charge of powder or com-
position to be fired by a fuse so as to blow away the peak or cap shortly
before the object is/struck.
And my improvements in cannon have reference to breech-loading in order
to the discharge of the above or other projectiles, whether of a rifle description,
or otherwise. When I propose to convert the ordinary service guns into
breech-loaders I intend continuing the bore completely through them, and in
the case of new guns I also bore throughout the entire length, and in either
case I somewhat enlarge the bore at the breech beyond the general calibre,
and fit therein a plug (tapering or otherwise) within the bore and extending
beyond the bore and terminating in an enlarged bead or end, and I screw or
otherwise fix on to the breech end of the body of the gun a strong stout metal

page_text: cap having a cross passage or cut or opening sufficiently large to admit a
block or wedge, which I pass into or through such opening for wedging up
the plug home in its seating, the cap having also an end or back opening at
the centre through which the loading, &c., &c., is to be effected when the
block or wedge and plug are withdrawn. Or, instead of a cap, as above
mentioned, I apply strong links, slings, or rods extending backwards from the
trunnions, or from mouldings or other convenient fastening, and to the
back ends of such links, slings, or rods I affix a strong cross head or bar to
form the resistance against which the block or wedge is to act in driving
home the plug, and such system of links, slings, or rods and cross head may
move on a centre situate at the position where connected to the gun so as to
be removed up out of the way in loading, and in such case the block or wedgo
may be dispensed with by forming the cross head with a wedge-shaped
surface where it is intended to fall down upon and against the plug, or by a
screw passing through the cross head for the purpose. When making new
guns I purpose casting upon them additional trunnions or centres specially
for receiving the forward ends of the links, slings, or rods, and upon which
these links, slings, or rods may turn in the manner above described. The
touch-holes for my improved guns may be formed as ordinarily through the
body into the bore, but I also purpose and prefer instead of so doing to make
the touch-hole through the plug, and if necessary a hole through the block or
wedge also when used; or through the cross head when no block or wedge
is used, and to apply a wad immediately behind the charge, which wad is not
intended to be discharged but to be compressed, and thereby wholly or
partially to close up the passage through the touch-hole and round the plug,
and thus prevent the loss of propulsive force.