AN IMPROVED METHOD OF IGNITING THE CHARGE IN ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Desmond Gerald Fitz-
Gerald and George Bate at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th April 1860.
We, DESMOND GERALD FITZGERALD, of Cambridge Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, and GEORGE BATE, of Great George Street, in the
City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF IGNITING THE CHARGE IN ORDNANCE
AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS." to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in firing the charge in cannons, muskets, and other
fire-arms by means of two chemical substances or compounds, neither of which
will ignite separately, but by which fire is generated as soon as the substances
come in forcible contact.
By way of exemplification we proceed to describe one arrangement of gun,

page_text: and one set of chemical substances, which we find to answer well in carrying
our Invention into effect, but we do not confine ourselves to them.
In an angular direction through the breech we form a tubular aperture, and
hinge to the front of the hammer of the lock a pin or bolt, which fits accu-
rately in the tubular aperture. Over and opening into this aperture at a point
in front of the inner end of the bolt when the hammer is drawn back or at
full cock we place a reservoir or hopper, and in this hopper globules formed of
a mixture of chlorate of potash, sulphur, and sulphuret of antimony, with gum,
gelatine, or other like suitable agent. The opening from the hopper is so
calculated as to allow passage to one globule only at a time into the tubular
aperture, and then only when the hammer is at full cock.
We prepare the back end of our cartridges by applying a mixture of phos-
phorus, by preference amorphous phosphorus and emery powder, with gelatine,
gum, or other like agent which will prevent ignition of the phosphorus by
friction. To fire the arın, ram home the cartridge, withdraw the bolt in the
tube by placing the hammer at full cock, when one of the globules will fall
into the tubular aperture, pull the trigger, when the bolt will bring the globule
into forcible contact with a preparation on the cartridge, when ignition and
the consequent discharge of the arm will take place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Desmond Gerald FitzGerald and George Bate in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DESMOND
GERALD FITZGERALD, of Cambridge Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and GEORGE BATE, of Great George Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald and George Bate, Her special licence that we, the said
Desmond Gerald FitzGerald and George Bate, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Desmond Gerald FitzGerald
and George Bate, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF IGNITING THE CHARGE IN ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS." upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Desmond Gerald FitzGerald and
George Bate, or one of us, our executors, or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or one of our, 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 im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Desmond Gerald FitzGerald and
George Bate, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, that is to say:---
Our Invention consists in firing the charge in cannons, muskets, and other
fire-arms by means of two chemical substances or compounds, by which fire is
generated as soon as the substances come into contact with each other, by
percussion or otherwise.
By way of exemplification we proceed to describe one arrangement of gun,
and one set of chemical substances, which we find to answer well in carrying
our Invention into effect, but we do not confine ourselves to them.
In an angular direction through the breech we form a tubular aperture, and
hinge to the front of the hammer of the lock a pin or bolt, which fits accurately
in the tubular aperture. Over and opening into this aperture at a point in
front of the inner end of the bolt when the hammer is drawn back, or at full
cock, we place a reservoir or hopper, and in this hopper globules formed of a
mixture of chlorate of potash and sulphuret of antimony, in or about the pro-
portion of two parts by weight of the former to one of the latter, with a
sufficient quantity of gum, gelatine, or other like suitable agent, as a vehicle
for forming the composition. The opening from the hopper is so calculated
as to allow passage to one globule only at a time into the tubular aperture,
and then only when the hammer is at full cock.
We prepare the back end or the paper intended for application to the back
end of our cartridges, by applying a coating of a composition formed of about
one part of phosphorus, by preference amorphous phosphorus, one part of
sulphuret of antimony, and two parts of emery powder, with liquid glue,
gelatine, gum, or other like agents. These materials are compounded under
a degree of heat sufficient to melt the phosphorus. In some cases we apply

page_text: the paper to a wad at the back end of the cartridge.
To fire the arm, ram
home the cartridge, withdraw the bolt in the tube by placing the hammer at
full cock, when one of the globules will fall into the tubular aperture, pull the
trigger, when the bolt will bring the globule into forcible contact with a pre-
paration on the cartridge, when ignition and the consequent discharge of the
arm will take place.
The accompanying Drawing is a longitudinal section of so much of the
breech piece of a gun as will be necessary to illustrate the manner in which
we carry our Invention into effect. A is the plunger in connection with the
trigger of the gun, B is the reservoir for the globules, and C is the cartridge.
In the case of ordnance, we prefer to ignite the charge by inserting in the
vent hole a tube partially lined with the prepared paper, herein-before
described, which is brought into frictional contact with a portion of the
compound used for making the globules.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not limit ourselves
to materials herein-before named, nor to the exact method of using them; but
what we claim is, igniting the charge in ordnance and other fire arms by the
employment of substances or compounds which produce flame as soon as
they are brought into contact with each other, substantially in the manner
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Desmond Gerald FitzGerald, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
DESMOND G. FITZGERALD. (L.s.)