Improvements relating to Apparatus for Adapting Fire-arms for Use with Miniature Ammunition.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application 24th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug.. 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Apparatus for Adapting Fire-arms for Use
with Miniature Ammunition.
We, JOHN FRANCIS LATHAM, and JOHN TOLHURST MUSGRAVE, Directors
of The Practice Cartridge Syndicate, Limited, 27 Pall Mall, in the County of
London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for enabling miniature ammunition to be used
in ordinary magazine-rifles, machine-guns and other fire-arms.
In the Specifications of former Letters Patent, No. 14916 of 1887, and No. 7927
of 1889, there are described various forms of apparatus for this purpose, in which
the miniature cartridge is secured to or in a dummy cartridge or holder in such a
manner that the whole corresponds in form and dimensions with the ordinary or
service cartridge and can be similarly fed from the magazine into the chamber of
the gun and extracted and ejected therefrom. The said apparatus as hitherto
constructed is only useful with central-fire miniature ammunition, being provided.
for this purpose, with a sliding pin extending through the centre thereof and
adapted to communicate to the percussion cap or central priming device of the
miniature cartridge the impact of the firing-pin or striker of the fire-arin.
Now according to our said invention we provide for the use, in dummy cartridges
or holders of this kind or class, of rim-fire cartridges which, being of lower cost,
may be very advantageously employed for practice purposes in place of central-fire
cartridges.
In carrying our said invention into practice, we provide an outer case or shell
preferably similar to that of an ordinary or service cartridge; this shell is open at
both its front and rear ends and receives an internal plug at its rear end carrying a
communicating-pin or striker, the above mentioned arrangements being somewhat
similar to those described in the said former Specification, No. 7927 of 1889.
Instead, however, of providing the said communicating-pin or striker with a central
firing-piece or point at its forward end, the striker is disposed with its base
concentric with the base of the shell, and with its point eccentric thereto and in
such a position as to strike the rim of the miniature cartridge. The internal plug
is slotted or drilled to receive and retain the striker in position. In cases where
the communicating-pin extends axially through or nearly through the plug, we
form integrally with the said communicating-pin or suitably secure thereto, a bent
firing-piece extending therefrom through a slot in the said plug so as to be flush
with the outer surface of the said plug; this bent firing-piece is made of suitable
form to effect the firing or discharge of a rim-fire miniature cartridge by its impact
against the rim thereof.
We find it advantageous to make the said plug with a readily removable or
detachable piece to permit the introduction of the communicating-pin into the same,
the slot for the bent striking piece being formed in this removable or detachable
piece.
For holding the plug in position in the outer case, we employ a split ring adapted
to rest in a circumferential groove in the said plug substantially as described in the
said former Specification, No. 7927, but we arrange the said ring at the rear end
of the plug in order to allow space for the above mentioned slot at the forward
end to receive the striking or firing piece above mentioned.

page_text: In some instances, we make the said plug solid with the exception of a slot or
groove in which the communicating pin or striker is arranged, the rear end of the
said pin or striker being turned inwards to the centre of the rear end of the dummy
cartridge or holder, suitable means, such as the turning inwards of the walls of the
groove or slot, being provided for retaining the said communicating-pin in the plug
and the elastic split ring passing around the plug outside the said pin.
In some instances we bore the hole for the communicating-pin through the plug
from the centre of its rear end to one edge or near one edge of its forward end, so
that the communicating pin will be inclined to the axis of the plug.
If it is desired to strike the rim of the cartridge in two places, we make the
forward end of the communicating-pin with a forked striking piece.
To provide an efficient support for the flange or head of the miniature cartridges
and prevent jamming of the same in the contracted portion or neck of the outer
shell or case, when struck by the firing-piece or striker, we sometimes provide a
small ring or collar of steel or other suitable material adapted to slide over the
shell or case of the miniature cartridge and rest against the flange or head thereof;
this ring or collar is placed on the miniature cartridge before it is inserted into the
outer shell of the dummy cartridge or holder, and rests against the neck or
contracted portion thereof. In this manner, by interposing a ring or collar cf a
hard material we are enabled to efficiently support the miniature cartridge whilst
it is being acted upon by the firing-piece or striker. If desired the said ring or
collar may be permanently secured in the neck of the outer shell of the dummy
cartridge or holder by soldering, or in any other suitable manner.
Dated the 24th day of November 1894.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to Apparatus for Adapting Fire arms for Use
with Miniature Ammunition.
We, JOHN FRANCIS LATHAM, and JOHN TOLHURST MUSGRAVE, Directors of
The Practice Cartridge Syndicate Limited, 27 Pall Mall, in the County of
London, 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 :--
Our invention relates to apparatus for enabling miniature ammunition to be used
in ordinary magazine-rifles, machine-guns and other fire-arms.
In the Specifications of former Letters Patent, No. 14916 of 1887, and No. 7927
of 1889, there are described various forms of apparatus for this purpose, in which
the miniature cartridge is secured to or in a dummy cartridge or holder in such a
manner that the whole corresponds in form and dimensions with the ordinary or
service cartridge and cau be simularly fed from the magazine into the chamber of
the gun and extracted and ejected therefrom. The said apparatus as hither to
constructed is only useful with central-fire miniature ammunition, being provided
for this purpose with a sliding pin extending through the centre thereof and
adapted to communicate to the percussion cap or central priming device of the
miniature cartridge the impact of the firing-pin or striker of the fire-arm.
Now according to our said invention we provide for the use, in dummy cartridges
or holders of this kind or class, of rim-fire cartridges which, being of lower cost, may
be very advantageously employed for practice purposes in place of central-fire
cartridges.

page_text: In carrying our said invention into practice we provide an outer case or shell
preferably similar to that of an ordinary or service cartridge; this shell is open at
both its front and rear ends and receives an internal plug at its rear end carrying
a communicating-pin or striker, the above mentioned arrangements being somewhat
similar to those described in the said former Specification. No. 7927 of 1889.
Instead, however, of providing the said communicating pin or striker with a central
firing-piece or point at its forward end, the striker is disposed with its base
concentric with the base of the shell, its point being eccentric thereto and in such
a position as to strike the rim of the miniature cartridge. The internal plug is
slotted or drilled to receive and retain the striker in position.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section, and
Figure 2 a rear end elevation of our improved device or apparatus.
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal central section, aud
Figures 4 and 5 front and rear end elevations respectively showing the internal
plug and striker.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal central section, and
Figure 7 a front end elevation showing a modified arrangement of the plug and
striker.
Figure 8 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section of the outer shell of a
duminy cartridge illustrating a further improvement.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a is the outer shell or holder; 6 is the internal plug; c is the communicating-pin
or striker.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 5 the communicating-pin c extends
axially through or nearly through the plug band is provided with a bent firing-
piece d formed integrally there with or suitably secured thereto. The said firing
piece extends through a slot e in the plug b and is so formed and arrange as to
be flush with the outer surface of the said plug; this bent firing-piece made of
suitable form to effect the firing or discharge of a rim-fire miniature cartridge by
its impact against the rim thereof.
The plug is made with a readily removable or detachable piece b' to permit
the introduction of the communicating-pin to the same, the slot e for the bent
striking piece d being formed in this removable or detachable piece b¹.
The plug is held in position in the outer case a by means of a split ring f
adapted to rest in a circumferential groove in the said plug b substantially as
described in the said former Specification, No. 7927, but we arrange the said ring
at the rear end of the plug in order to allow space for the above mentioned slot
at the forward end to receive the bent striking or firing-piece above mentioned.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 6 and 7 the plug b is made solid with the
exception of a slot or groove 6 in which the communicating-pin or striker c is
arranged, the rear end of the said pin or striker being turned or bent inwards to
the centre of the rear end of the dummy cartridge or holder so that it is concentric
with the base thereof, suitable means, such as the turning inwards of the walls of
the groove or slot, being provided for retaining the said communicating-pin in
the plug, and the elastic split ring f passing around the plug outside the said pin.
If it is desired to strike the rim of the cartridge in two places, we make the
forward end of the communicating-pin with a forked striking piece.
To provide an efficient support for the flange or head of the miniature cartridges
and prevent jamming of the same in the contracted portion or neck of the outer
shell or case, when struck by the firing-piece or striker, we sometimes provide a
small ring or collar g, Figure 8, of steel or other suitable material adapted to slide
over the shell or case of the miniature cartridge and rest against the flange or
head thereof; this ring or collar 9 is placed on the miniature cartridge before it
is inserted into the outer shell of the dummy cartridge or holder and rests against
the neck or contracted portion thereof. In this manner, by interposing a ring or

page_text: collar of a hard material we are enabled to efficiently support the miniature
cartridge whilst it is being acted upon by the firing-piece or striker. If desired
the said ring or collar may be permanently secured in the neck of the outer shell
of the dummy cartridge or holder by soldering, or in any other suitable manner.
If desired we corrugate the shell or holder at the part around the internal
shoulder for the purpose of strengthening the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is -
First. A device of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, adapted for use
with rim-fire cartridges.
Second. A device for the purpose above specified, comprising a communicating
pin or striker having its base concentric with the base of the shell or holder and its
point at or near the periphery of the plug at the forward end thereof, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Third. In a device of the kind or class herein before referred to, the use of a
ring or annular piece of steel or other suitable metal to bear against the contracted
part or neck of the shell or holder and form a support therein for the head or
flange of the miniature cartridge, as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Fourth. The improved device constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 5 or with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing
and for the purpose specified.
Dated the 22nd day of August 1895.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.