IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE- . ARMS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Mounier Boxer, of the Royal Arsenal,
Woolwich, in the County of Kent, Colonel, Royal Artillery, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
. ARMS."
Sealed the 18th January 1867, and dated the 13th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Mounier Boxer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th October 1866.
I, EDWARD MOUNIER BOXER, of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in the
County of Kent, Colonel, Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-
ARMS," to be as follows:-
One part of my Invention has reference to an improved form and arrange-
ment of the anvil to central-fire breech-loading cartridges generally, whereby
the liability of the cartridge to explode when accidentally dropped or subjected
to any other blow than by the striker of the fire-arm is obviated. In the
arrangements heretofore employed the anvil has been made of such a form
that if the cartridge was subjected to a sufficiently sharp blow it could pass

page_text: more or less entirely into the percussion cap so as to strike against the
fulminating compound, and thus explode the cartridge.
Now my improvement consists in forming shoulders or projections of such
a form on the sides of the anvil that when the anvil is inserted into the cap
they rest against the edge of the latter, and thus prevent the anvil from
passing further into the cap under any circumstances, the point of the anvil
being then such a distance from the fulminating compound that it is impossible
for it to come in contact with the same, except when the back of the cap is
indented by the striker on firing.
Another part of my Invention consists in forming the base of the cartridge
of a solid metal disc, and in securing the body of the case to this disc in the
following manner:-The flanged cap chamber, that is to say, 'the flanged
tube which contains the cap and anvil, or other means of ignition, has one or
more cannelures formed upon its exterior surface. The rear end of the body
of the cartridge, whether of paper alone or of metal alone, or of paper, calico,
linen, or other similar material combined with metal is turned over upon the
wad which forms the bottom of the body. This wad when condensed enters
into the cannelures of the cap chamber, and at the same time jams the turned
over portion of the body between its bottom surface and the surface of the
metal disc, thus securely fastening the metal disc, the cap chamber, and the
body of the cartridge together. The wad I sometimes make of an alloy of
lead and antimony, or lead and tin, or an alloy of a similar character, and of
a cup shape, so that the explosion of the charge readily expands the edges of
the cup, and thus prevents the gas from passing down the sides of the case.
The above described arrangement is applicable to blank ammunition, and to
cartridges which have not to sustain any severe strain. In ball amunition I
prefer to strengthen the bottom of the body of the cartridge by means of a
thin metal cup which fits over the end of the body. In cartridges which have
to withstand a severo strain I further strengthen the bottom of the body by
means of a strip of thin sheet metal coiled on the exterior of the body, but
inside the cup, which strip extends beyond the cup. This strip of coiled
metal prevents the edge of the cup from cutting through the body of the
cartridge when it is expanded on firing.
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging blank cartridges in a
manner that will admit of the same case being repeatedly and readily re-
primed and reloaded. To effect this object I make the communication hole
of the cap chamber sufficiently large to admit of the anvil and exploded cap
being readily removed; and in order to prevent the gunpowder of the charge
entering the cap chamber I place a portion of wool or cotton wadding or

page_text: other similar material that will allow the flame from the cap to penetrate to
thic powder. Between the bottom of the cartridge case and the powder I
prefer to form the powder charge in the following manner :-Grain gun-
powder is somewhat condensed in a mould with a hole running through the
centre; this perforated cylinder of condensed gunpowder is then placed in a
paper bag rendered incombustible by any well known mcans, a small portion
of wool or cotton wadding being previously placed in the bottom of the
bag; another portion of wool is then placed on the top of the powder, and
the end of the bag is secured by twisting or folding. The charge thus formed
is placed in the cartridge case, the bottom of the paper bag being perforated
by the projecting cap chamber, and the end of the case is crimped slightly
over to secure the charge. This arrangement of the charge is also applicable
to sporting or other cartridges.
Another part of my Invention consists in providing cartridges having a
coiled metal case with a covering of linen, the entire surface of which is
cemented theroto by means of shellac, whereby the cartridge is rendered
perfectly waterproof, and is also protected somewhat from the liability of
being cut by the edge of the cup when expanding, on firing, as before
mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance. of the conditions of the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said Edward Mounier Boxer in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 25th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD.
MOUNIER BOXER, of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in the County of Kent,
Colonel, Royal Artillery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Mounier Boxer, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Mounier Boxer, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Mounier Boxer, my 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom

page_text: '
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Mounier Boxer,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Mounier Boxer, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
One part of my Invention has reference to an improved form and arrange-
ment of the anvil to central-fire breech-loading cartridges generally, whereby
the liability of the cartridge to explode when accidentally dropped or subjected
to any other blow than by the striker of the fire-arm, is obviated. In the
arrangements heretofore employed the anvil has been made of such a form
that if the cartridge was subjected to a sufficiently sharp blow it could pass
more or less entirely into the percussion cap so as to strike against the
fulminating compound, and thus explode the cartridge.
Now my improvement consists in forming shoulders or projections of such
a form on the sides of the anvil that when the anvil is inserted into the cap
they rest against the edge of the latter, and thus prevent the anvil from
passing further into the cap under any circumstances, the point of the anvil
being then such a distance from the fulminating compound that it is impossible
for it to come in contact with the same except when the back of the cap is
indented by the striker on firing.
Another part of my Invention consists in forming the base of the cartridge
of a solid metal disc, and in securing the body of the case to this disc in the
following manner:-The flanged cap chamber, that is to say, the flanged
tube which contains the cap and anvil or other means of ignition has one or
more cannelures formed upon its exterior surface. The rear end of the body
of the cartridge, whether of paper alone, or of metal alone, or of paper, calico,
linen, or other similar material combined with metal, is turned over upon the
wad which forms the bottom of the body. This wad, when condensed, enters
into the cannelures of the cap chamber, and at the same time jams the turned

page_text: over portion of the body between its bottom surface and the surface of the
metal disc, thus securely fastening the metal disc, the cap chamber, and the
body of the cartridge together. The wad I sometimes make of an alloy of
lead and antimony, or lead and tin, or an alloy of a similar character, and of a
cup shape, so that the explosion of the charge readily expands the edges of
the cup, and thus prevents the gas from passing down the sides of the case.
The above described arrangement is applicable to blank amunition, and to
cartridges which have not to sustain any severe strain. In ball amunition I
prefer to strengthen the bottom of the body of the cartridge by means of á
thin metal cup which fits over the end of the body. In cartridges which
have to withstand a severe strain I further strengthen the bottom of the body
by means of a strip of thin sheet metal coiled on the exterior of the body, but
inside the cup, which strip extends beyond the cup; this strip of coiled
metal prevents the edge of the cup from cutting- through the body of the
cartridge when it is expanded on firing.
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging blank cartridges in a
manner that will admit of the same case being repeatedly and readily reprimed
and reloaded. To effect this object I make the communication hole of the
cap chamber sufficiently large to admit of the anvil and exploded cap being
readily removed, and in order to prevent the gunpowder of the charge entering
the cap chamber, I place a portion of wool, or cotton wadding, or other
similar material that will allow the flame from the cap to penetrate to the
powder, between the bottom of the cartridge case and the powder. I prefer
to form the powder charge in the following manner:-Grain gunpowder is
somewhat condensed in a mould, with a hole running through the centre;
this perforated cylinder of condensed gunpowder is then placed in a paper
bag rendered incombustible by any well known means, a small portion of wool
or cotton wadding being previously placed in the bottom of the bag; another
portion of wool is then placed on the top of the powder, and the end of the
bag is secured by twisting or folding; the charge thus formed is placed in
the cartridge case, the bottom of the paper bag being perforated by the
projecting cap chamber, and the end of the case is crimped slightly over to
secure the charge. This arrangement of the charge is also applicable to
sporting or other cartridges.
Another part of my Invention consists in providing cartridges having a
coiled metal case with a covering of calico or linen, the entire surface of
which is cemented thereto by means of shellac, whereby the cartridge is
rendered perfectly. waterproof, and is also protected somewhat from the

page_text: liability of being cut by the edge of the cup when expanding on firing, as
before mentioned.
Having thus set forth the nature of my Invention, I will now proceed
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawing shows a sectional elevation to an
-enlarged scale of the before-described shoulder anvil A inserted in the
percussion cap B, against the edge of which the shoulders a, a, of the anvil
abutt, thus preventing it from passing far enough into the cap to cause the
ignition of the fulminate, which can therefore only be effected by indenting
the cap by the action of the striker of the
gun.
Figures 2 to 9 show one arrangement of my improved mode of forming
the base of the cartridge; this consists of the following parts, namely, first, a
metal washer C with a central hole c, shown detached in section and plan at
Figure 3; second, a thin metal cup D, also having a central hole d, shown
detached in section and plan at Figure 4; third, a cap chamber E, shown
detached in section at Figure 5; these parts are fitted together, as shown in
elevation at Figure 6, the cap chamber E being passed through the holes c
and d. in the parts C and D. The body of the cartridge case F, formed either
of paper alone or of metal alone, as at Figure 7, or of paper, calico, linen, or
other similar suitable material combined with metal, as at Figure 8, is then
inserted into the base, the rear end of the case having first been turned over
a wad G (shown detached in elevation and plan at Figure 9), as indicated at
Figures 7 and 8. The case is then secured to the base, as shown in the
section at Figure 2, by forming a cannclure c on the cap chamber E by
upsetting the end thereof, into which cannelure the wad G fits, the latter
being made to press firmly against the cap chamber and against the case F
by being condensed by pressure. The up-setting of the end of the cap
chamber may be effected either before or after the wad is condensed.
Figure 2A shows a section of a cartridge consisting of the same parts
described with reference to Figure 2, with the addition of a coil of thin
metal E, shown detached at Figure 10, turned over at the rear end, which
coil is inserted between the case F and the cup D, and is made to extend
beyond the edge of the latter, as shown in the detached elevation of these
parts at Figure 11. The base of the cartridge shown in section at Figure 2B
is formed of the same parts as the cartridge Figure 2A, with the further
addition of another coil of thin metal I extending beyond the first coil H, as
shown in the detached elevation at Figure 12; in this arrangement I
sometimes substitute a very thin cup for the first coil, as shown at E',

page_text: Figure 13, in which case the base cup D is made thinner than when a coil is
employed. The object of these base coils in the cartridges, Figures 2A and 2B,
being principally to prevent the cutting through of the body of the case at the
time of firing (which sometimes occurs from the body expanding more readily
than the base cup) the relative thicknesses and resistance to expansion of the
cups and coils must be regulated accordingly.
Figures 14 to 17 show my improved mode of forming the charges for
blank, sporting, and other cartridges. Figure 14. shows the bag K for the
compressed charge; Figures 15 and 16 show respectively an elevation and
section of the compressed charge L with perforation or recess secured inside
the bag K ready for being inserted into the cartridge case; a small portion
of wool M, M, is inserted at each end for the purposes before mentioned;
Figure 17 shows a section of the complete blank cartridge, the case F and
base being constructed and fixed together in the manner described with
reference to Figures 2 to 9. In some cases, however, for very light amunition
the cup D may be dispensed with, as before mentioned. The upper edge of
the case F is crimped over as shown to secure the charge in its place.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, what I claim under the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First, constructing the anvils to cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms with
shoulders or projections so formed as to abutt against the edge of the percussion
cap, and thus to prevent its entering the cap to such an extent as to cause the
ignition of the fulminate unless the cap is acted upon by the striker of the
gun, substantially as herein-before described with reference to Figure 1 on
the accompanying Drawing.
Second, constructing the base to breech-loading cartridges of a separate
metal disc and base cup, connected together and to the case of the cartridge
by means of the cap, chamber, and wad combined, and arranged substantially
as hercin-before described with reference to Figures 2 to 9 on the accompanying
Drawing.
Third, interposing one or more pieces of coiled metal or cups between the
base cup and the cartridge case, which coiled metal or cups extend beyond
the edge of the base cup, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described with reference to Figures 10 to 13 on the accompanying Drawing.
Fourth, constructing the charges for blank cartridges, as also for sporting
and other cartridges, in manner herein-before described with reference to
Figures 14 to 17 on the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Fifth, providing cartridges having a coiled metal case with a covering of
calico or linen, the entire surface of which is cemented to the case by means
of shellac or other similar waterproof cement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Mounier Boxer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eloventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
C. D. ABEL,
20, Southampton Buildings, W. C.
E. M. BOXER. (L.S.)