CARTRIDGES AND CARTRIDGE CASES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER of The Prize Gun Works St Marys Square,
Birmingham in the county of Warwick Gunmaker, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for CARTRIDGES AND CARTRIDGE CASES to be as follows:-
The construction of an elongated dome or cap chamber from the base of the
cartridge, for the purpose of regulating the force of the flash of the fulminating
cap, so as to obtain perfect ignition of the explosive in the cartridge without
detonation of the charge.
The dome or cap chamber may be solid, and shaped from the metal from which
the cartridge case is drawn; or in composite cartridge-cases, as also in solid metal
cases if expedient, the dome or cap chamber may be separately made and fixed
into the cartridge case.
The dome will extend into the interior of the cartridge case such distance as inay
be determined upon by the size of the cartridge and the quantity of explosive used,
but in no case will it extend further than the space occupied by the charge.
The dome is fitted with a square, oval, or other shaped anvil, reaching from the
apex of the dome to the base of the cartridge case, or the auvil on which the cap
is exploded may be without the leg and formed from the metal of the dome itself;
from the metal of which the cartridge case is constructed or may be a separate piece
of metal fixed in the base of the dome but in all cases the detonation of the
fulminate will take place at the base of the cartridge.
The flash from the detonation will traverse the length of the elongated dome
before coming into contact with the charge of the cartridge.
The contact will be permitted by apertures-one or more and of sizes proportionate
to the volume of the charge-in or near the apex of the dome, or at such distance
from the detonator as the nature of the explosive used may require.
The admittance of the flash to the charge by small definite apertures, causes the
flash to impinge in passing and thus a flame of increased heat and density results
which produces a perfect ignition of the charge whilst the isolation of the detonator
from the charge, and the confinement of the flash produced by the detonation
prevents the detonation of the charge.
There is no possibility of contact of the charge with the detonator, nor can
contagion from the force of the flash of the detonator result.
Dated this around 1

page_text: WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, Gunmaker, of The Prize Gunworks, St Mary's
Square Birmingham, in the county of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "CARTRIDGES AND CARTRIDGE CASES" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and b
the following statement :-
The construction of an elongated dome or cap chamber from the base of the
cartridge for the purpose of regulating. 'the force of the flash of the fulminating
cap so as to obtain perfect ignition of the explosive in the cartridge without
detonation of the charge.
This I accomplish in one or other of the following ways.
A. separate dome shaped cap chamber to be rivetted to the base of a composite
cartridge case as in Fig. 1. The shell of the cartridge A. A. is strengthened at
the base by a wad of paper pulp E E and this in conjunction with the shell and
base cap of the cartridge serves to rivet the dome C in the centre of the base
of the cartridge. f, is the loose anvil placed in the cap chamber. The fulminating
cap B, is detonated at the base of the cartridge case, the flash passing round f, to
the extremity of the dome C, and reaching the charge of powder-and igniting it-
by egress at the orifices c¹, c¹, in C.
The quantity of the powder charged in a a, of the cartridge case A. A, will
determine the length of the dome C, and the strength of the fulminating cap B, and
sensitiveness of the propellant explosive employed, as the charge will determine
the number and size of the orifices c¹ c¹ in C.
In Fig. 6 the domed cap chamber C is shewn detached from the cartridge
case A A, Fig. 1, and in Fig. 7, the anvil f, Fig. 1. is shewn in end and side
elevation.
In Fig. 2 the anvil fand domed cap chamber C are of a different form but the
method of fixing them to the cartridge shell A. A. is similiar to that of Fig. 1 and
the result is the same.
Fig. 4 shews sectional elevations of the domed cap-chamber C, used in Fig. 2.
and Fig. 5 side and edge elevation of the anvil f, found suitable to this form of
domed cap chamber.
Fig. 3, shews the application to a solid drawn brass cartridge case, in this the
domed cap chamber is composed of the dome-topped cylindrical tube C, rivetted
into the base E. E. of the shell of the case A, A. which base E, E, is itself so shaped
as to form a part of the cap chamber and to contain the anvil f.
The flash has access to the charge as already described Figs. 1. 2.
In Fig. 8 the cap chamber is formed from the metal of the cartridge case, the
anvil ff. is also formed of the metal in the base of the case. The same result is
obtained as with Figs. 1 & 2, the length of the domed cap chamber-now tubula
as C, C, Fig. 8, and the size of the orifice c¹, being determined as before by the
quantity and quality of the explosives used as charge and detonator. Fig. 9, shews
the base of the case A A, Fig. 8 with the fulminating cap B, Fig. 8. removed
exposing the anvil f, f, and part of the interior of C, C, Fig. 8, and the orifice c¹.

page_text: Fig. 10 shews another form of doined cap chamber the result of so fashioning
the anvil f, as to answer the purpose of a separate cap chamber C. The anvil f is
a hollow domed or cylindrical tube, slit at one end to produce a larger surface for
the cap, B, to be detonated upon, and at the same time to make it protrude so that
it will not be driven forward into the interior of the cartridge case. In Fig. 11;
f, is shewn detached it has two orifices c¹ c¹ for, and acting as c¹ c¹ in Figs. 1. 2.
3. & 8. already described.
With all the result is identical viz-the perfect ignition not detonation of the
charge. The fulminating cap is detonated at the base of the cartridge case, and the
flash from that detonation is made to traverse the length of the domed cap chamber
before coming into contact with the charge of propellant explosive. The contact
is permitted by apertures in the elongated domed cap chamber which are of size
and number commensurate with the quantity and nature of the explosive with
which the cartridge is charged. The admittance of the flash to the charge by
definite apertures produces a flame of increased heat and density and ensures
perfect ignition of the charge whilst the detonation of the fulminating cap is at
such distance from the charge as to prevent the detonation of the charge of
propellant explosive.
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 elongated domed cap chamber, C, and the orifices c¹ therein, for the
purpose of regulating the force of the detonator in cartridge cases.
2. The equivalents of C viz. c¹ Fig. 8 and f, Figs. 10, & 11.