Improvements in or relating to Projectiles for Rifled Guns.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
1+
Improvements in or relating to Projectiles for Rifled Guns.
:
We, FREDERIC STUBBS, of Edge-gate, Osborne Road, Sheffield, Engineer, and
LYCURGUS BURROWS, of 6, Clarkehouse Road Sheffield, Engineer, both in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in projectiles for rifled guns, its
object being the provision upon a projectile of means to prevent the passage
of powder gases past it so that loss of muzzle velocity and the occurrence of
erosion in the weapon, which has hitherto resulted from such passage of the gases,
will no longer occur.
Hitherto projectiles for rifled ordnance, for example, have been provided with
a fixed driving band sufficiently ductile to enable the rifling to form projections
upon the band which fits gas-tight therein as the projectile commences its move-
ment away from the breech; but as the projectile moves towards the muzzle,
the "driving" sides of the projections into the riffing are worn away by friction
so as to leave a clearance between the idle side of each projection and the
surface of the rifling; the powder gases consequently escape past the driving-
band projections through each of the numerous clearances thus produced eroding
the barrel and reducing the pressure of the powder gases behind the projectile
to such an extent as to materially lessen the muzzle velocity.
According to the present invention we employ, in addition to the driving band
or other device which imparts rotation to the projectile, a sealing device
supplemental thereto which, whilst it makes a gas-tight joint with the con-
tiguous surfaces of the barrel, exerts no rotative effort upon the projectile and
therefore remains gas-tight throughout the whole of its transit through the bore.
This supplemental device consists of one or more bands retained in any suitable
position on the projectile say in a groove therein, so as to be free to turn upon
it in order that the additional rotation acquired by the projectile by reason of
the wearing away of the driving projections, may occur within the supplemental
band or bands which receive only such rotation as corresponds with the twist
of the rifling.
The sealing bands may be placed in grooves upon the projectile, which may
receive also, if desired, a driving band; or the sealing band may be in a separate
groove.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Projectiles for Kinea Guns.
We, FREDERIC STUBBS, of Edge-gate, Osborne Road, Sheffield, Engineer, and
LYCURGUS BURROWS, of 6, Clarkehouse Road Sheffield, Engineer, both in the
County of York, 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:
This invention relates to improvements in projectiles for rifled guns, its
object being the provision upon a projectile of means to prevent the passage
of powder gases past it so that loss of muzzle velocity and the occurrence of
erosion in the weapon, which has hitherto resulted from such passage of the gases,
will be greatly reduced.
Hitherto projectiles for rifled ordnance, for example, have been provided with
a fixed driving band sufficiently ductile to enable the rifling to form projections
upon the band which fits gas-tight therein as the projectile commences its move-
ment away from the breech; but as the projectile moves towards the muzzle,
the driving sides of the projections into the rifling are worn away by friction
so as to leave a clearance between the idle side of each projection and the
_ surface of the rifling; the powder gases consequently escape past the driving-
band projections through each of the numerous clearances thus produced eroding
the barrel and reducing the pressure of the powder gases behind the projectile
to such an extent as to materially lessen the muzzle velocity.
According to the present invention we employ, in addition to the driving band
or other device which imparts rotation to the projectile, a sealing device or gas-
check supplemental thereto, which, whilst it makes a gas-tight joint with the con-
tiguous surfaces of the barrel, exerts no rotative effort upon the projectile and
therefore remains gas-tight throughout the whole of its transit through the bore.
This supplemental evice consists of one or more bands retained in any suitable
position on the projectile, say in a groove therein, so as to be free to turn upon
it in order that the additional rotation acquired by the projectile by reason of
the wearing away of the driving projections, may occur within the supplemental
band or bands, which receive only such rotation as corresponds with the twist
of the rifling.
The sealing bands may be placed in grooves upon the projectile, which may
receive also, if desired, a driving band; or the sealing band may be in a separate
groove.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section showing a projectile having a
fixed driving band of ordinary construction; the figure representing the pro-
jectile before firing.
Figure 2 is a similar view just after the driving band has entered the
rifling.
Figure 3 is a similar view just as the projectile leaves the muzzle.
Figures 4 and 5 are part transverse sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5
of Figures 2 and 3 respectively, a portion of the gun tube being also shown.
Figure 6 is an elevation partly in section showing a projectile having a
rotatable gas-check according to this invention the view being taken before
firing, and
Figures 7 and 8 are similar views but are taken after firing, the position of
the gas-check being different in each case.

page_text: Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The following description as far as it relates to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is
by way of explanation only, the various details forming no part of the present
invention.
A is a projectile having near its base a driving band B of suitable material-
copper, for instance-fastened say by pressing the band into a recess in the
projectile, by means of a hydraulic or other press. Beadings A¹ are formed upon
the projectile and these are not continuous but are cut across, say by a chisel
so that the band B is prevented from rotating. Cannelures B¹ (Figure 1) are
formed upon the driving band, and when the projectile is fired, the material
forming the band is forced to enter the rifling of the bore as at B2, the flow of
the material filling up the cannelures B¹ wholly or partially. As soon as the
projectile has fairly entered the rifled portion of the bore, the projections B³
completely fill the rifling. This is clearly shown in Figure 4 where C represents
a portion of the muzzle.
Figures 3 and 5 show the effect of the friction between the driving band B
and the rifling, during the passage of the projectile through the bore. The
projections B2 are worn away considerably, a space B³ (Figure 5) being left
between one face of each projection and the adjacent edge of the rifled groove.
These spaces permit the escape of the powder gases and are disadvantageous in
all respects.
The projectiles illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 are furnished with the
ordinary driving band B as herein before described with reference to Figures 1
to 5, and in addition are provided according to this invention with another
band D which acts as a gas-check and serves to prevent the passage of gas
through the spaces caused by the wearing of the driving band. The gas-check 1)
is preferably furnished with one or more cannelures D and may be pressed into
its place around the projectile. When the projectile is fired the material forming
this gas-check is formed by the action of the rifling into projections D similar to
the projections B2 on the driving band. The essential difference between the
two bands B and D) is that the former is fixed relatively to the projectile A
and consequently acts as a driving band and wears, while the gas-check 1) merely
follows the rifling and will turn relatively to the projectile rather than wear.
ensure this it will be noticed that no cross cut beads or similar devices are formed
on the projectile at the spot where it receives the band D).
To
Figure 6 shows the driving band B and the gas-check 1) both placed in one
groove in the projectile the groove being slightly deeper where it accommodates
the gas-check.
In the constructions illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 the bands are in separate
grooves the gas-check D being in the one case in front of the driving band B,
and in the other, behind it.
Although it is preferred to employ an automatic gas-check in the form of a
rotatable band as hereinbefore described, yet, obviously, other forms may be
used without departing from the spirit of this invention, for instance, a disc
of copper or other material may be attached to the rear of the projectile being
free to rotate thereon during the discharge, such disc acting in a similar way
to that described with reference to the band D.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. A projectile for rifled guns which carries a gas-check rotatable for the
purpose described relatively to the projectile during its discharge through the
bore.
2. In a projectile for rifled guns an annular rotatable gas-check such as D
which encircles the projectile and is free to rotate thereon substantially as
and for the purpose described.

page_text: 3. In a projectile for rifled guns a driving band, B and an annular rotatable
gas-check such as D both in the same groove encircling. the projectile.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890
1.
}
FREDERIC STUBBS,
LYCURGUS BURROWS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.
FREDERIC STUBBS,
LYCURGUS BURROWS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.