A NEW OR IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE AND SMALL ARMS, AND A SABOT OR PLUG TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, WHICH SABOT OR PLUG MAY ALSO BE USED WITH OTHER PROJECTILES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE AND SMALL ARMS, AND A SABOT OR PLUG
TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, WHICH SABOT OR PLUG MAY ALSO BE USED WITH
OTHER PROJECTILES."-(A communication from W. Antrobus Holwell,
residing in Quebec.)
Sealed the 12th December 1854, and dated the 24th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 24th Juno 1854.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE AND SHALL ARMS, AND A SABOT
OR PLUG TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, WHICH SABOT OR PLUG MAY ALSO BE USED
WITH OTHER PROJECTILES," (communicated to me by W. Antrobus Holwell,
residing in Quebec,) to be as follows:-
The form of this projectile is that of an elongated egg, the large end a
(Figure 1) being foremost during the time of flight, the smaller end b being
gradually tapered or curved inwards, in order to prevent or to lessen as much
as possible the formation of a vacuum behind the missile as it flies. c is an
axial opening throughout the whole length of the projectile; within this opening
is firmly secured a small double spiral vane d, of sheet copper, or other suitable

page_text: material, the pitch of which may either be uniform or variable. e is a sabôt or
bottom of wood, soft metal, leather, papier maché, or other suitable material,
the external form of which is cylindrical, and of such diameter as to pass
freely into the bore f of the piece for which it is intended. The rear end of
this sabôt may be either flat (as in the Figure) or concave or convex; it may
also be strengthened or supported, if necessary, by a disc of thin metal or
other substance, shaped so as to fit its external surface. The front of the sabôt
is hollowed out to receive but not to fit the small end of the projectile, such
hollow being deeper and of a somewhat flatter curve than the exterior surface
of the projectile, so that when the latter is placed in the sabôt it rests only
upon the upper edge or rim of the cup or hollow formed therein. This edge or
rim may be either formed of the same piece of wood or other material as the
sabót; or the latter, being of wood or any other suitable material, the former
may consist of a ring of soft metal (as of lead, &c.), of buff or other leather,
of felt, or of some other yielding substance; or it may be an. open ring of
métal, wire, &c., the ends of which overlap each other without being united.
The operation of this contrivance is as follows:-At the moment of discharge
the expansive force of the powder first presses upon the sabôt e, which is forced
forwards until its wedge-shaped sides are so jammed in between the exterior
surface of the projectile and the bore of the piece, that they cannot move
further without carrying with them the projectile; by this means all "windage"
is as effectually prevented as by any of the present methods of "slugging" or
plugging of the "Delvigne," "Minić," or other projectile. As the projectile
issues from the piece, the resistance of the air passing through the axial aperture
c first blows off the sabôt, and then acting upon the small vane, imparts to the
projectile a rotary or "spinning" motion, which will increase in rapidity as the
projectile continues its flight, thus effecting what is believed to be a decided
advantage over the "spin" given to the ball by means of the grooves in a rifle,
which spin is greatest as the ball leaves the barrel and decreases (from the
resistance of the air) as it proceeds on its course, a condition which is con-
sidered to be just the reverse of what is desirable. The exact form or curve
which it may be advisable to give to either end of the projectile, so as to
ensure the least amount of resistance to its passage through the air, will pro-
bably have to be determined by repeated experiments; it is believed, however,
that it will not be found to differ very materially from the form given in the
Figure, the larger end being invariably the foremost, whilst the rear end or
tail is elongated, so as to avoid as much as possible that tendency to the form-
ation of a vacuum behind the projectile, which is conceived to be (literally)
a "drawback" or disadvantage to the common spherical ball, and in a far

page_text: greater degree to the "Delvigne" or "Minić" ball. If the spin given (in the
manner described) to this new projectile should be considered a matter of
secondary importance, the interior aperture and its vane might be dispensed
with altogether; in all other respects the contrivance would remain the same;
or, on the other hand, should the "spin" be considered the chief advantage,
(as it is the only one in the common Brunswick pattern, and all other muzzle-
loading rifles where an expanding bullet is not used,) then, the central aperture
and vane being retained, the "sabot" need only be of sufficient size to cover
the rear end of such opening, in order to prevent the passage of any of the
powder or of the force of the explosion through such opening.
The form of projectile herein described is believed to be equally applicable
in all its peculiarities either to small arms of every description with smooth
bores (including sporting guns, pistols, &c.), or to pieces of ordnance of any
shape or calibre.
The peculiar form of sabôt herein described (and which it is proposed to
call the "slugging (or plugging) sabot) would, it is conceived, be also found of
very great advantage if used with the common round or elongated shot or shell,
or with the musket or other small-arnı ball now in use, or, in fact, with any
other description of projectile, excepting those wherein the same slugging
is effected by means of the expansion of the bullet itself. For round shot or
shells, or for spherical bullets of any size or description, the form would be
somewhat like those given in Figure 2.
The same contrivance (i. c. the "slugging sabot") may also be found appli-
cable to the projection of small shot for fowling pieces, &c., in which case the
"sabot" might either be introduced alone above the charge of powder, and the
charge of shot then put in above it, and secured with a wad in the usual
manner, or, preferably, the shot might be made up into cartridges, containing
the proper charge of shot, and having the sabôt attached at one end, as shewn
in Figure 8; or the cartridges might be made to contain first the powder (a),
then the sabot (6), and finally the shot (c), as shewn at Figure 4.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Arent send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 terin therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE AND SMALL ARMS, AND A SABOT
OR PLUG TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH, WHICH SABOT OR PLUG MAY ALSO BE USED
WITH OTHER PROJECTILES," (communicated to me by W. Antrobus Holwell,
residing in Quebec), upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention consists, first, in a new or improved projectile for ordnance
and small arms; and, second, in a sabôt or plug to be employed therewith, and
with other projectiles. The form of this projectile is that of an egg, more or less
elongated, as seen in Figures 1 and 15, the large end a being foremost during
the time of flight; the smaller end b being gradually tapered or curved inwards,
in order to prevent or to lessen as much as possible the formation of a vacuum
behind the missile as it flies. c is an axial opening throughout the whole
length of the projectile; within this opening is firmly secured a small double
spiral vane d, of sheet copper, or other suitable material, the pitch of which
may either be uniform or variable. c is a sabot or bottom of wood, soft metal,
leather, papier maché, or other suitable material, the external form of which is
cylindrical, and of such diameter as to pass freely into the bore f of the piece
for which it is intended. The rear end of this sabot may be either flat (as in
Figures 1 and 2) or concave or convex; it may also be strengthened or sup-

page_text: ported, if necessary, by a disc of thin metal or other substance, shaped so as to
fit its external surface. The front of the sabôt is hollowed out to receive but
not to fit the small end of the projectile, such hollow being deeper and of a
somewhat rounder curve than the exterior surface of the projectile, so that
when the latter is placed in the sabôt it rests only upon the upper edge or rim
of the cup or hollow formed therein. This edge or rim may be either formed of
the same piece of wood or other material as the sabót; or the latter, being of
wood or any other suitable material, the former may consist of a ring of soft
metal (as of lead, &c.), of buff or other leather, of felt, or of some other
yielding substance; or it may be an open ring of metal, wire, &c., the ends of
which overlap each other without being united.
The operation of this contrivance is as follows:-At the moment of discharge
the expansive force of the powder first presses upon the sabót e, which is forced
forwards until its wedge-shaped sides are so jammed in between the exterior
surface of the projectile and the bore of the piece, that they cannot move
further without carrying with them the projectile; by this means all "windage"
is as effectually prevented as by any of the present methods of "slugging" or
plugging of the "Delvigne," "Minié," or other projectile. As the projectile
issues from the piece, the resistance of the air passing through the axial aper-
ture c first blows off the sabot, and then acting upon the small vane, imparts to
the projectile a rotary or spinning motion, which will increase in rapidity
as the projectile continues its flight, thus effecting what is believed to be a
decided advantage over the "spin "given to the ball by means of the grooves
in a rifle, which spin is greatest as the ball leaves the barrel, and decreases
(from the resistance of the air) as it proceeds on its course, a condition which
is considered to be just the reverse of what is desirable.
The exact form or curve which it may be advisable to give to either end of
the projectile, so as to ensure the least amount of resistance to its passage
through the air, will probably have to be determined by repeated experiments;
it is believed, however, that it will not be found to differ very materially from
the form given in the Figure, the larger end being invariably the foremost,
whilst the rear end or tail is elongated, so as to avoid as much as possible the
tendency to the formation of a vacuum behind the projectile, which is con-
ceived to be (literally) a "drawback "or disadvantage to the common spherical
ball, and in a far greater degree to the "Delvigne" or "Minié" ball. If the
spin given (in the manner described) to this new projectile should be considered
a matter of secondary importance, the interior aperture and its vane might be
dispensed with altogether; in all other respects the contrivance would remain
the same; or, on the other hand, should the "spin" be considered the chief

page_text: advantage, (as it is the only one in the common Brunswick pattern, and all
other muzzle-loading rifles where an expanding bullet is not used,) then, the
central aperture and vane being retained, the "sabot "need only be of suffi-
cient size to cover the rear end 6 of such opening, in order to prevent the
passage of any of the powder or of the force of the explosion through such
opening..
The form of projectile herein described is believed to be equally applicable
in all its peculiarities either to small arms of every description with smooth
bores (including sporting guns, pistols, &c.), or to pieces of ordnance of any
shape or calibre.
The peculiar form of sabôt herein described (and which it is proposed to call
the "slugging (or plugging) sabót") would, it is conceived, be also found of
very great advantage if used with the common round or elongated shot or
shell, or with the musket.or other small-arm ball now in use, or, in fact, with
any other description of projectile, excepting those wherein the same "slugging"
is effected by means of the expansion of the bullet itself. For round shot or
shells, or for spherical bullets of any size or description, the form would be like
those given at Figures. 2, 2, and 2b.
The same contrivance (i. e. the slugging sabôt) may also be found appli-
cable to the projection of small shot for fowling pieces, &c., in which case the
sabôt might either be introduced alone above the charge of powder, and the
charge of shot then put in above it, and secured with a wad in the usual
manner, or, preferably, the shot might be made up into cartridges, containing
the proper charge of shot, and having the sabot attached at one end, as shown
in Figure 3; or the cartridges might be made to contain first the powder a,
then the sabôt b, and finally the shot c, as shewn in Figure 4.
When the sabôt is employed with small, shot, it is found advisable to place
a small tin or other cup in front of and within the cup of the sabót, as shewn
by the dotted lines d, d, in Figures 3 and 4. The dotted line e, in Figure 3,
shews how the rear end of the sabôt may be rounded off to prevent cutting at
the edge. The form in this case is the same as in Figure 2. The sabôt may
also be used in making up ball cartridge for service. A good form of such
cartridge would be, first the powder, then the ball, and lastly the sabôt, with
its rear or rounded end outward. In loading, the man would first bite off the
end next the powder, then' pour the powder into the piece, and then, reversing
the remainder of the cartridge, introduce the sabót with the ball in front, and
ram home.
Provision should be made for preventing the ball from being jammed into
the sabôt before it is home. It might be found advantageous to grease the

page_text: outside of the sabôt, or to cover it with some unctuous or antifriction composi-
tion, so as to lessen the resistance arising from the friction of its sides against
the bore of the piece.
The sabôt may be used with any form of projectile, round, elongated, or of
any other shape (such as the "Mars" bullet), provided the rear of it is pro-
perly formed to effect the expansion of the sabôt.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,―
First, a projectile of an egg form, more or less elongated, having an axial
opening throughout its length, in which is fitted a double spiral vane, for the
purpose of giving a spin or rotation round its axis to the projectile on its being
discharged from a piece of ordnance or a small arm; and I also claim a solid
projectile of the like egg form.
And, second, a sabôt or plug of the forms shewn in Figures 1, 1, 2, 23,
and 2 of the Drawings annexed, and herein-before described, and the em-
ployment of the same in the formation of cartridges, in the manner herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
R A BROOMAN (rel