IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES
Year: 1860

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LETTERS PATENT to William Sear, of Wolverton, in the County of
Buckingham, Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES."
Sealed the 2nd April 1861, and dated the 17th October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Sear at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th October 1860.
I, WILLIAM SEAR, of Wolverton, in the County of Buckingham, Miller, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARTRIDGES," to as be follows:—
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction of cartridges for breech-
loading fire-arms, whereby greater projectile force is obtained from a given
charge of powder, with economy in consumption, as the powder being ignited
at the front is not liable to be blown out of the barrel, or wasted before it is
ignited.
According to this Invention it is proposed to adapt to the ordinary or other
cartridge tube or case a metal end piece or plug, which is secured to the
cartridge by an internal nut. This plug may be turned in a lathe, so as to
fit accurately the chamber of the gun. It is provided with the usual ignition-
or priming powder and exploding pin, and has an ignition tube formed upon
its front face, which tube projects some distance inside the cartridge, so that
the firing of the powder will take place at or near the front end of the charge..

page_text: On the firing of the charge the metal plug and nut will be left behind in the
breech, and are removed for the reception of a fresh cartridge. These metal
plugs may be used again after being fitted to fresh cartridge cases, and will
last as long as the gun itself.
For the manufacture of small shot cartridges it is proposed to enclose or
surround the shot by a loose band or belt of fabric, which is to be inserted for
that purpose into the cartridge. This band or belt serves to prevent an
undue spreading or scattering of the shot on leaving the muzzle of the gun.
This mode of introducing small shot is, of course, equally applicable to
cartridges for breech and for muzzle-loading fire-arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Sear in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SEAR, of Wolverton, in the County of Buckingham. Miller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, 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 me, the
said William Sear, Her special license that I, the said William Sear,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Sear, my executors, administrators, or 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARTRIDGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Sear, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par
ticularly 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 William Sear, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction of cartridges for breech-
loading fire-arms, whereby greater projectile force is obtained from a given
charge of powder, with economy in consumption, as the powder being ignited
at the front is not liable to be blown out of the barrel or wasted before it is
ignited.
According to this Invention it is proposed to adapt to the ordinary or other
cartridge, tube or case a metal end piece or plug, which is secured to the
cartridge by an internal nut. This plug may be turned in a lathe, so as to fit
accurately the chamber of the gun. It is provided with the usual ignition or
priming powder and exploding pin, and has an ignition tube formed upon its
front face, which tube projects some distance under the cartridge, so that the
firing of the powder will take place at or near the front end of the charge.
On the firing of the charge the metal plug and nut will be left behind in the
breech, and are removed for the reception of a fresh cartridge. These metal
plugs are intended to be used again and again after being fitted to fresh
cartridge cases, and will last as long as the gun itself.
In the manufacture of small shot cartridges, it is proposed to enclose or
surround the shot by metallic caps, or a loose band or belt of any suitable
fabric, which is to be inserted for that purpose into the cartridge before
introducing the shot. By this means the undue spreading or scattering of the
shot on leaving the muzzle of the gun is prevented. This mode of introducing
small shot is, of course, equally applicable to cartridges for breech and for
muzzle-loading fire-arms.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now.
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same. letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout. all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of my
improved cartridge; Figure 2 is a detail section of the securing nut and
ignition tube, which I prefer to make in one piece; and Figure 3 is an
elevation of the metal end piece or plug detached.
A is the body of an ordinary cartridge; B is a metal plug, of a diameter
which will accurately fit the bore of the barrel or charge chamber at the
breech of the gun. On the front face of this plug is formed, or is screwed
thereon (as shewn in the Drawings) an ignition tube C, which extends some
distance into the charge in the cartridge. The interior of this tube is in com-

page_text: munication with the passage made in a radiating direction in the plug, and
into which is introduced the fulminating powder or priming to be exploded by
the rod or short length of wire D in the well-known manner. In securing
this plug to the rear end of the cartridge tube, the edge of the tube is first
turned in all round, so as to form a species of internal flange. This flange is
held firmly against the face of the metal plug B by the nut E, which is
screwed on to the projecting portion F of the plug, provided with a screw
thread for that purpose, as shewn in the Drawings. It is obvious that these
metal plugs may be made with ignition tubes, the ends of which are flush
only with the inner face of the nut, but I prefer to use extended ignition tubes
penetrating to some distance into the charge of powder in the cartridge, as
shewn in the Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim' as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of metal plug or end piece,
and its combination with a cartridge tube or case, substantially as herein-
before described.
Second, the application and use to and in the manufacture of cartridges of
a metal plug secured to the cartridge case by an internal -nut, and serving as
an effective packing to the breech of the gun, for the prevention of the escape
of the explosive gases, as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of metallic caps, or a band or belt of any
suitable material for enclosing small shot in cartridges, and thereby preventing
them from spreading or scattering unduly when discharged, as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the general construction and combination of the parts of cartridges
for breech-loading fire-arms, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sear, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM SEAR.
L.S.)