IMPROVEMENTS IN PROIECTILES PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Preston, of the City of Manchester, Engineer;.
and Thomas Kennedy, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North
LETTERS: PATENT to Francis Preston, of the City of Manchester, Engineer;.
and Thomas Kennedy,. of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROIECTILES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Preston and
Thomas Kennedy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 8th November 1860.
We, FRANCIS PRESTON, of the City of Manchester,. Engineer, and THOMAS:
KENNEDY, of Kilmarnock, in- the County of Ayr, North Britain,. Gun Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES FOR FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention consists in making a small hole for the-
escape of air through the axis or other convenient part of the ordinary Minié
rifle ball, or other conical balls, shells, or projectiles..
Secondly, in making projectiles of two parts fitting into each other; one
part of these improved projectiles is of the shape of the ordinary minie or other
conical ball with an air hole as above described, and the other part consists of
a taper plug fitting into the usual recess of the said minie or other ball with
a hinder part similar in shape to the front part of the ball; a cup of wood or
other suitable material fitting the exterior of the hinder part of the projectile
is placed between the powder and the projectile.
Our compound projectiles may be modified by making them in three parts

page_text: instead of two, that is to say, a centre expanding piece may be used with two
end pieces, each with a taper plug and a rounded or conical end; this com-
pound projectile is particularly adapted for ordnance as the centre or expanding
portion can be of lead or other yielding metal or material, while the end pieces
are of cast iron or other metal.
Our improved compound projectiles may be made of more than three parts,
and otherwise modified in the details without departing from the principle,
which consists in forcing one part into another, and providing for the escape of
the air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANCIS
PRESTON, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, and THOMAS KENNEDY, of
Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Gun Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy, Her special licence that we, the
said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy,
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, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES
FOR FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy, our executors, or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or
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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Francis Preston and Thomas Kennedy,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
The first part of our Invention consists in making a small hole or holes for
the escape of air through the axis or other convenient part of the ordinary
minie rifle ball, or other conical balls, shells, or projectiles.
Secondly, in making projectiles of two parts fitting into each other; one
part of these improved projectiles is of the shape of the ordinary minie or
other conical ball, with an air hole or holes as above described, and the other
part consists of a taper plug fitting into the usual recess of the said minie or
other ball, with a hinder part similar in shape to the front part of the
ball; a cup or wadding of wood or other suitable material (fitting the exterior
of the hinder part of the projectile) is or may be placed between the powder
and the projectile.
Our compound projectiles may be modified by making them in three parts
instead of two, that is to say, a centre expanding piece may be used with two
taper plugs and rounded or conical ends; this compound projectile is parti-
cularly adapted for ordnance, as the expanding portion can be of lead or other
yielding metal or material, while the end pieces are of iron or other metal.
Our improved compound projectiles may be made of more than three parts,
and otherwise modified in the details without departing from the principle,
which consists in forcing one part into another and providing for the escape of
the air.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the accompanying two Sheets of Draw-
ings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 represents a section through an ordinary minie rifle
ball, illustrating the first part of our Invention, which consists in making a
small hole or holes through such projectiles for the escape of air; in this case
we have shewn two holes communicating from the conical recess at the hind
part of the ball to the sides near the curve leading from the cylindrical part
to the point; the object of these holes is to allow the air confined in the conical
recess of, the projectile by the cup or plug to escape. When the recess in the
ball or projectile is filled with oily or greasy matter the air holes also serve to
convey the grease from the interior of the projectile to the inner surface of
the barrel and thus lubricates it. This part of our Invention is equally appli-
cable to other conical balls, shells, or projectiles for fire-arms and ordnance;
and it is evident that the passage or holes for the air may be placed in various
other positions.
Figure 2 is a section of one of our improved compound projectiles consisting

page_text: of the two parts marked a and 'b; the part a is similar to the ordinary minie
rifle ball, and it is provided with air passages as in Figure 1; the other part b
"is furnished with a taper plug fitting into the conical recess of the part a; both
extremitics of "this compound projectile are alike in shape and in weight, and
a cup or wadding of wood, cork, or other suitable material, as shewn at c, is
or may be placed between the powder and the projectile. When the fire-arm
is discharged, this wadding, which may be saturated in or lubricated with the
*material 'known as paraffin or with any other suitable oily, fatty, or greasy
matter obtained by the distillation of mineral substanees, prevents the escape
of the gases evolved by the explosion of the powder, and the taper plug of the
thinder part of the projectile being forced into the recess of the foremost part
causes it to expand-and-to fit the barrel; the air between the two parts of the pre-
jectile being at liberty to escape allows the plug when forced forward to adhere
to or unite with the interior of the recess, thus 'forming, when the projectile
leaves the barrel, a solid piece, as shewn in Figure 3. The object of the shoulder
in the taper plug is to facilitate the joining together of the two parts of which
the projectile is composed. By means of these improvements a longer range
and more correct aim are obtained, as the action of the taper plug on the
conical recess causes the foremost part of the projectile to expand and to fit
accurately the bore and grooves of the barrel, thereby preventing any escape
of the explosive gases, and the projectile being alike at both ends is equipoised
during its flight. It is evident that oily or greasy matter may be supplied in
the space between the two parts of the projectile for the purpose of lubri-
cating the barrel, as described in reference to Figure 1.
Figure 2 A represents another mode of constructing the wadding. In this
case a wad of felt or other light material is applied to the end of the projectile,
and a second wad of leather or other suitable material with a hole through it
is placed on the powder; the object of the hole is to allow the rear of the
projectile to bed itself in the soft wad.
Figure 4 is a section of one of our improved compound projectiles suitable
for a small piece of ordnance; we prefer to make this description of projectile
of a mixture of lead and tin, but any suitable metal or combination of metals
or alloys of metals may be used. The shape of this projectile, being very similar
to that shewn in Figure 2, does not require to be more fully described.
Figure 5 is a section of another of our improved compound projectiles con-
structed of three parts; the centre part with two taper recesses, marked d, is
made of lead or other yielding metal or material, while the hindmost part e,
and foremost part f, which may be of iron or other metal, have each a taper
plug fitting in the centre part; air holes are made through the foremost part f

page_text: to allow the air to escape, and to convey the lubricating material (when used)
from between the ends of the taper plugs to the inside of the barrel.
The foregoing examples will be sufficient to illustrate the nature of our
Invention as applied to rifled fire-arms. The following examples are suitable
for smooth bore fire-arms.
In Figure 1, on Sheet 2, the foremost part, marked g, of the improved com-
pound projectile is made of lead or other heavy metal, while the hindmost
part h is of iron or other light metal; the opening i in the hindinost part of
this projectile is cored out or cast hollow to reduce the weight. The taper plug
of the part fits into the recess of the part g, which is provided with air
holes, as in Figure 2. During the flight of the projectile the heavy end keeps
in advance.
Figure 7 is very similar to Fig. 6; but in this instance the hindmost part of
the projectile is made with recessed circular shoulders.
Figure 8 represents a projectile composed of three parts, as in Figure 5,
with a centre expanding ring ; of lead or other yielding metal or material;
the foremost part k of iron, or other metal furnished with air holes, and the
bindmost part 1, with an opening m, cored out or cast hollow; both extre-
mities of this projectile are alike in shape, but the foremost being solid, with
the exception of the air holes, is heavier than the rear.
Figure 9 is another of our improved projectiles, very similar to Figure 8,
but with the rear of a conical shape.
We wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not limit ourselves to the
details given, as the improved compound projectiles may be made of more than
three parts, and otherwise modified without departing from the peculiar feature
thereof, which consists in causing the explosion of the gunpowder to force one
part of the projectile into the other, as described, thereby causing it to expand
and to fit accurately the barrel, and in providing for the escape of air from the
space between the parts of the improved compound projectiles described, and
from the recess in the ordinary minie rifle ball or other conical shot, shell, or
projectile.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Preston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
FRANCIS PRESTON. (L.s.)