Improvements in or relating to Cartridge or other similar Cases.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cartridge or other similar Cases.
I, HENRY WILCOX of Great Garlands, Stanford-le-Hope, in the County of
Essex, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
In the manufacture of waterproof cartridge or similar cases from paper pasteboard
or other similar materials considerable difficulty has hitherto been experienced in
hermetically closing the ends and at the same time providing a ready means of so
securely attaching the detonator and fuse that they shall neither be withdrawn from
the cartridge in the operation of tamping or stemming, nor be blown, out at the
moment of explosion. In my improved cartridge case these difficulties are overcome
in the following manner. The body of the cartridge consists of a tube of paper,
paste-board, linen, calico, silk or other suitable material waterproofed by any known
method. It is constructed of any diameter and length on a mandrel, being pasted
or cemented in the manner usually employed in the manufacture of rocket or other
firework cases. The ends are stamped out from discs of cardboard. The material
of which I prefer to construct these ends is pasteboard of the quality known as
"leather board but other cardboard or such like material may be employed
provided it be sufficiently tough or tenacious to admit of an indentation being
formed in it without fracture in the stamping out operation. By inverting these
ends the indentation becomes a projecting nipple or protuberance, plain ends
(without projections) are also required in making up these cartridges, one nipple
end and one plain end being used in each primer or detonator cartridge and two
plain ends for each plain or ordinary cartridge. These ends are made of a diameter
sufficiently large to fit tightly into the tubular body of the cartridge case and are
further secured in position by any suitable waterproof cement. When it is desired
to prepare these cartridges for firing, a hole is bored through the top of the nipple
and sufficiently deep into the cartridge to admit the detonator with fuse attached,
the walls of the nipple are then securely tied or wired to the fuse and the joint
waterproofed if deemed necessary. Another form of end which provides for the
attachment of the detonator without piercing the case at the moment of firing is
constructed as follows:-In lieu of the indentation described above a hole and
countersink are stamped in the leather board end into which-in an inward
direction-a flanged cap or close-ended tube of brass, copper, lead, or other suitable
metal or alloy of metals is securely fixed, such cap being of a diameter sufficient to
admit the detonator which kept in position by a plug of paper, waterproof cement
or other simple means. Flanged caps of shorter length may also be employed
fixed to point in an outward direction and taking the place of the projection in the
leather board ends already described.
If it be desired to produce a more flexible cartridge, I may employ an inner and
an outer case and proceed as follows:-The body of the cartridge is constructed
as already described of paper, linen, calico, silk or other suitable material, but of
very thin substance or texture consistent with the size of the cartridge case and the
weight to be contained therein. In consequence of the rigid pasteboard ends the
tubes forming the body of the cartridge are made of such extra length as to admit
of the ends being formed by folding in the excess length.
The inner case is made
of such a diameter as to pass easily into the outer case in telescopic fashion.
The inner case having been filled with the explosive or other material is inserted
open end inwards into the outer case, the open end of the inner case coming in
close contact with the closed end of the outer case. The excess length of the outer

page_text: case is then folded over upon the closed end of the inner case in manner already
described and the finished package dipped in any suitable waterproofing preparation
such as paraffin. The detonator and fuse may be attached to these cartridges in
the following manner :-While the closed end of the outer case is still damp with
the cement used in forming it, a slight indentation is impressed in the centre of it
by a suitable tool. Into this indentation a flanged neck or collar is placed and
secured in position by a cemented washer or disc of the material of which the body
of the cartridge is constructed. The necks or collars may also be made of similar
material or of indiarubber, gutta percha, celluloid or substitutes therefor, brass,
copper, tin, lead alloys of tin with lead, lead with antimony or of malleable metal.
or alloys of metals. To prepare these cartridges for firing the paper or other
material at the base of the neck or collar is perforated, the detonator with fuse
attached inserted into the cartridge and the metal of the neck compressed round
the fuse to make a watertight joint. The necks or collars may also be employed
in lieu of the short flanged metal caps used in making the more rigid cartridge
cases first described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cartridge or other similar Cases.
1. HENRY WILCOX of Great Garlands, Stanford-le-Hope in the County of
Essex, Manufacturing Chemist, 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 the manufacture-of waterproof cartridge or similar cases from paper pasteboard
or other similar materials considerable difficulty has hitherto been experienced in
hermetically closing the ends and at the same time providing a ready means of so
securely attaching the detonator and fuse that they shall neither be withdrawn
from the cartridge in the operation of tamping or stemming, nor be blown out at
the moment of explosion. In my improved cartridge case these difficulties are
overcome in the following manner. The body of the cartridge consists of a tube
of paper, pasteboard, linen, calico, silk or other suitable material waterproofed by.
any known method. It is constructed of any diameter and length on a mandrel,
being pasted or cemented in the manner usually employed in the manufacture of
rocket or other firework cases. The ends are stamped out from discs of cardboard.
The material of which I prefer to construct these ends is pasteboard of the quality
known as
"leather board" but other cardboard or such like material may be
employed provided it be sufficiently tough or tenacious to admit of an indentation
being formed in it without fracture in the stamping out operation. By inverting
these ends the indentation becomes a projecting nipple or protuberance; plain ends
(without projections) are also required in making up these cartridges, one nipple
end and one plain end being used in each primer or detonator cartridge and two
plain ends for each plain or ordinary cartridge. These ends are made of a diameter
sufficiently large to fit tightly into the tubular body of the cartridge case and are
secured in position by any suitable waterproof cement. When it is desired to
prepare these cartridges for firing, a hole is bored through the top of the nipple and
sufficiently deep into the cartridge to admit the detonator with fuse attached, the
walls of the nipple are then securely tied or wired to the fuse and the joint
waterproofed if deemed necessary.
Another form of end which provides for the attachment of the detonator without
piercing the case at the moment of firing is constructed as follows:-In lieu of the

page_text: indentation described above a hole and countersink are stamped in the leather
board end into which-in. an inward direction-a flanged cap or close-ended tube
of brass, copper, lead, or other suitable metal or alloy of metals is securely fixed,
such cap being of a diameter sufficient to admit the detonator which when inserted
is kept in position by a plug of paper, waterproof cement or other simple means.
Flanged caps of shorter length may also be employed fixed to point in an outward
direction taking the place of the projection in the leather board ends already
described.
If it be desired to produce a inore flexible cartridge I may employ an inner
and an outer case and proceed as follows:-The body of the cartridge is con--
structed as already described of paper, linen, calico, silk or other suitable material,
but of very thin substance or texture consistent with the size of the cartridge case
and the weight to be contained therein. In the absence of the rigid pasteboard
ends the tubes forming the body of the cartridge are made of such extra length
as to admit of the ends being formed by folding in the excess length. The inner
case is made of such a diameter as to pass easily into the outer case in telescopic
fashion. The inner case having been filled with the explosive or other material
is inserted open end inwards into the outer case, the open end of the inner case.
coming in close contact with the closed end of the outer case. The excess length
of the outer case is then folded over upon the closed end of the inner case in
manner already described and the finished package dipped in any suitable water-
proofing preparation such as melted paraffin. The detonator and fuse may be
attached to these cartridges in the following manner :-While the closed end of
the outer case is still damp with the cement used in forming it, a slight indentation
is impressed in the centre of it by a suitable tool. Into this indentation a flanged
neck or collar is placed and secured in position by a cemented washer or disc of
the material of which the body of the cartridge is constructed. The necks or
collars may also be made of similar material or of indiarubber, gutta percha,
celluloid or substitutes therefor, brass, copper, tin, lead alloys of tin with lead,
lead with antimony or of malleable metal or alloys of metals. To prepare these
cartridges for firing the paper or other material at the base of the neck or collar'
is perforated, the detonator with fuse attached inserted into the cartridgo and the
metal of the neck compressed round the fuse to make a watertight joint. The
necks or collars may also be employed in lieu of the short flanged metal caps used
in making the more rigid cartridge cases first described.
In the accompanying drawings: :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a case.
Figure 2 an elevation partly in section showing the detonator in place.
Figure 3 is an outside view of the detonator end piece and
Figure 4 an inside view of the end piece for the other end of the cartridge.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the telescopic cartridge case, with two tubes
one inside the other, and
Figure 6 an elevation of the two cases of Figure 5 separated.
Figures 7 and 8 show another arrangement of end pieces, and
Figure 9 another variation; while
Figures 10, 11, and 12 are details.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A Figure 1 represents the body of the cartridge case into which the detonator
end piece B, Figure 3, with the protuberance B is inserted and fixed by water-
proof cement or the like. The other end piece C Figure 4 is inserted and fixed
in a similar manner. To use this cartridge the protuberance B₁ is cut round
with a knife on the lines a a of Figure 1 and the detonator D inserted. as in
Figure 2 and secured by tying with wire or the like D' as clearly shown in
Figure 2.
The telescopic case shown in Figures 5 and 6 is composed of the outer case A
somewhat similar to Figure 1, but having the detonator end A' folded over and

page_text: entirely closed up; the other end A³ is left open. The inner case E Figure 6 is
also made with one end E' folded over and closed up and the other end E2 open,
the diameter of E being slightly smaller than that of A so that it can be easily
inserted into A; when the two cases are telescoped and closed they present the
appearance shown in Figure 5, the end A2 of the outer case A being folded over on
top of the closed end E of the case E and fastened by water-proof cement or other
suitable means.
In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a variation in the means for securing the
detonator; in this case instead of the protuberance B' being formed in one piece
with the end piece B I employ a flanged tube or neck F Figure 12 which may be
open at both ends or closed at one end and place it outside the closed end A¹
securing it there by a paper or equivalent disc G Figure 11 which is cemented on
to the end A¹ of the case the flange F1 of the tube F being thus secured between
the end A and the disc G. To apply the detonator the end of the case A' which
stops up the tube F or the solid end of the tube F if the latter be closed is cut
through with a knife and the detonator inserted and secured by binding or the like
round the tube F as in the former case, Figure 2. This tube F may be employed
with any of the forms of cases described.
In Figures 7 and 8 a modification is shown in which the detonator end piece B
is recessed in the stamping as at B2 leaving an opening B³ in the centre into
which the tube F Figure 10, closed at its inner end F2 and flanged at its open
end F, is inserted as shown in Figure 8. It may be secured by cementing and a
perforated disc G Figure 11 may be placed over it to secure it in position. The
detonator is simply placed inside the tube F and secured by a plug of paper or
other equivalent means. A hole is made in the end of the cartridge to accommodate
the tube or if the cartridge be made of an explosive in the powdered form it
would fill in the case round the tube F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A cartridge case consisting of a tube such as A with detonator end piece B B¹
and back end piece C substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A cartridge case consisting of a tube such as A detonator end piece B B² B³
detonator tube F and back end piece C substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 4, 7, 8 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A cartridge case consisting of an outer tube such as A neck F disc G and
inner case E substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 11, and 12 of
the accompanying drawings.
4. A cartridge case consisting of two flexible tubes each with one closed end and
one open end substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
5. A cartridge case consisting of an inner tube such as E closed at its back end
and an outer tube such as A in which the tube E is placed the open end A³ being
then folded down upon the closed end of E and sealed up substantially as described
and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a cartridge case the combination with a tube such as A of a flanged neck
such as F and disc G substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 11
and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination with a cartridge case of a detonator tube such as F sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in Figures 8 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
8. A detonator end piece for a cartridge case consisting of a stamped piece of
cardboard or the like such as B B' substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 9. A detonator end piece for a cartridge case consisting of a stamped piece of
cardboard or the like such as B B³ B³ substantially as described and illustrated in.
Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of May 1904
HENRY WILCOX.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant..