Improvements in the Manufacture of Shell and other Projectiles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 6th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
Improvements in the Manufacture of Shell and other Projectiles.
I GEORGE SIDDELL of Roewood, Crabtree, Pitsmoor Sheffield in the County of
York Steel Forge Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to and consists in the application and use of a combined
process in the forging shaping and making of a compound forged or cast steel shell
or other projectile for ordnance or machine guns.
In carrying my invention into effect I first take a soft tough or low carbon steel
ingot and forge it into the form of a suitable cylinder having a cone at one end and
a collar at the other end, and with a tapering off towards the middle of the cylinder.
Or I cast a cylinder in the same form or with a solid base at one end, and it is made
bell-shaped at the other end, the collar or bell-shaped end is then forged or pressed
down upon a suitable mandrel to form the powder chamber and close the base and
cone, the fuse vent being formed round the small end of the mandrel which projects
from the powder chamber, the mandrel is then extracted.-Or I take a properly
shaped cast shell either before or after forging, and I place it in a suitable furnace
filled with carbonaceous matter, and when hot it is taken out and plunged into a
carbonaceous matter or liquid to cool, this operation converts it into a compound
shell or projectile having a very hard head or cone with a soft tough body and base,
which all projectiles require.
ր T
1000

page_text: I GEORGE SIDDELL of Roewood, Crabtree, Pitsmoor Sheffield in the County of
York Steel Forge Manager 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 in writing, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to and consists in the production in an improved manner of
a compound hard and soft forged or a cast steel shell or other projectile (such as a
shot) for ordnance or machine guns.
According to this invention I take a soft tough or low carbon steel ingot and I
forge and shape it into the form of the required shell or projectile, or into the form
of a suitably sized cylinder therefor. It has a cone at one end and a collar or
surrounding projection at the other end or base, and it has a tapering off towards the
middle of the shell or cylinder; the collar or projection is then forged or pressed
down upon a cast iron or other mandrel (of suitable shape and size according to the
form and dimensions of the shell or projectile required to be made) in order to form
the powder chamber in which the fuse vent of the shell is made; the mandrel is
then extracted, which can be effected by placing the shell or projectile in a furnace
and melting the mandrel out of it. I then harden the cone or head portion and if
necessary toughen the base and body portion as hereinafter described, and I hammer
the base and body portion, if required, to make it tougher.
Or I take a steel casting in the form of a shell or projectile and, either before or
after forging or pressing it, I place the cone or head portion of the shell or projectile
in a suitable perforated closed or open hearth furnace filled with a carbonaceous
matier (I prefer charcoal for the purpose) and by means of a blast or draught I blow
or burn the carbon of the carbonaceous matter into the cone or head of the shell or
projectile and when sufficiently carbonized 1 take it out and plunge the shell or pro-
jectile into a carbonaceous matter or liquid to cool, oil and black lead I prefer for this
purpose. By this operation I convert the soft steel shell or projectile into a compound
shell or projectile composed of hard and soft steel, the head or cone thereof being
very hard and the body and base being tough, those being the qualities of the said
respective portions which shells or projectiles require for piercing armour plates.
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 :-
1. The manufacture of shells or projectiles by treating the head or cone part of a
shell or projectile made of soft steel. so as to harden the soft steel at that part by
blowing or burning carbon into it leaving the base and body in the original state,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The manufacture of shells or projectiles by taking a soft steel casting and
treating the cone or head portion only so as to harden it as herein before described
and claimed, and then treating the said shell or projectile in oil and black lead to
increase the hardness of the cone or head part and toughen the body or base part,
substantially as hereinbefore described.