IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE FIRED THEREFROM
Year: 1854

page_text: by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Law at the Office of
.the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th November,
1854..
I, HENRY LAW, of No. 15, Essex Street, Strand, in the County of Middle-
sex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE FIRED THEREFROM," to be
as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in the so enclosing and confining the gun-
powder in a chamber, either formed within or attached to the body of the
shot or other projectiles, as to insure the whole of the powder being exploded,
the enclosing case or chamber being of sufficient strength to confine the
powder and to detain the projectile within the gun until the elastic force
of the confined vapour, resulting from the explosion of the powder, shall
have reached any limit desired, when, by the yielding or separating of the
case, the fore part or projectile will become detached, and be projected along
the gun
with a velocity due to the increased expansive force imparted to
the gunpowder vapour, by its having been confined in the manner described.
This part of my Invention is shown in Figures 1 to 6; of which, Figure 1
is a longitudinal section of a portion of the breech end of a cannon, showing
the improved shot also in section; Figure 2 is a transverse section, taken

page_text: through the gun and shot on the line A, A, in Figure 1, and looking towards
the mouth of the gun. a, a, represent the body of the gun; b, the fore part
of the shot, to which the hollow cylindrical case c is securely attached, so that
the two together form a-chamber within the body of the shot, as shown in
Figure 5, a hole being left in the center of the back of the case through
which the charge of powder is introduced. Into this hole a plug d is screwed,
formed in the manner shown on an enlarged scale in Figures 3 and 4, having
through the center of it a small. cylindrical hole to serve as a vent through
which to fire the contents of the chamber, for which purpose-it is made to
terminate at its outer extremity in a nipple e, adapted to receive an ordinary
percussion cap. Upon the outer end of the plug da cover f is screwed,
having a small plunger or hammer 9, passing through and accurately fitting a
cylindrical hole bored through the axis of the cover, and having its fore part
ath formed with a hollow recess,-and-its-hind--part projecting beyond the
cover. To the back of the cylindrical case ca plate i is attached, which is so
shaped as to fit accurately, the breech end of the bore of the gun, and having
a circular, opening in its center to admit the plug d and cover f, just described,
between the case c and back plate i; a washer or circular ring k,. of leather
or other suitable elastic material, is introduced, being of such a diameter as
entirely, to fill up the whole bore of the gun. Through the solid end of the
gun, upon- the-line of its axis, a small cylindrical hole is bored, to which a
hammer rod or plunger is accurately fitted; this rod terminates in an
enlarged head m,. a recessed chamber, n being formed at the end of the gun,
so as to prevent the head m from projecting into the gun when the rod i is
drawn back into the position shown in Figure 1, and in which position the
outer extremity of the rod projects beyond the end of the gun. The chamber c
having been charged with powder,. the plug d,introduced, a percussion cap
placed on the nipple e, and the cover f screwed on, the shot is then introduced
into the gun, in the position shown in Figure 1, ready for firing, which is
effected by striking a blow upon the projecting end of the rod 1, by which it
will be driven against the smaller plunger 9, which in its turn is driven forcibly
against the percussion cap upon the nipple e, and the cap exploding, the charge
of powder is inflamed. The powder, however, being confined in the chamber c,
no action results until the expansive force of the vapour is sufficient to rend
or tear asunder the sides of the cylinder, which being weakened by a circular
notch at ô, o, in order to determine the line of fracture, at length gives way,
and the fore part of the shot is projected from the gun, while the back part is
left within it. Upon the separation of the two parts of the shot, the expan-
sive force of the vapour, acting upon the thin sides of the chamber c, will

page_text: spread them against the sides of the gun, and thus prevent the loss which
ordinarily occurs from the winding of the shot. This expansive force will also
react upon the back of the shot, and, by forcibly compressing the leather or
other washer, will cause it to spread against the sides of the gun with con-
siderable force. Upon this back a handle or staple p is formed, which, as soon
as the gun has been discharged, enables it to be readily withdrawn, with the
aid of a long rod terminating in a properly formed hook, and the leather
washer pressing tightly against the sides of the gun, the mere act of thus
withdrawing the back will free the interior of the gun of every impurity, and
leave it clean and ready for being immediately recharged. It is essential that
the thin enclosing sides of the case c should be of copper, wrought iron, or
some other metal possessing a certain amount of malleability; and in the
Figures 1 and 5 the shot is shown as having the cylindrical case formed of
some such metal, while the fore part of the shot is supposed to be of cast
iron, securely connected with it; but the whole shot 'may, if thought proper,
be formed entirely of malleable metal, as shown in Figure 6. It is not essential
that the fore part of the shot, intended to act as the projectile, should actually
be attached to or form part of the chamber or case c, because such case may
be made distinct, and the shot be placed merely in contact with or in front of
the case, which arrangement might be found advantageous in the projection
of shells. In the plug & a small cushion of vulcanised indian-rubber is intro-
duced round the nipple e, to prevent the plunger g from falling accidentally
upon the percussion cap and exploding it.
The second part of my Invention is shown in Figures 7 to 18, and consists
in connecting or attaching to the shot or other projectile a back plate or disc,
equal in its diameter to that of the bore of the gun, by means of a tie-rod,
bar, wire, or chain, so that when placed in the gun, such shot and its back,
together with the sides of the gun, shall form a hollow cylindrical chamber,
within which the gunpowder will be confined; in a similar manner and with
the same objects as in the first plan herein-before described. Figure 7 is a
longitudinal section through the breech end of a gun, showing the shot also
in section; Figure 8 is a transverse section, taken through the "gun and shot
on the line B, B, in Figure 7, looking towards the mouth of the gun; Figure 9
is a side view of the shot alone; and Figure 13 is a longitudinal section of a
portion of the gun, supposed to be taken the moment after the discharge, and
showing the shot after being separated from the back! a, a, represents the
body of the gun; b, the fore part of the shot; c, the connecting tie; and d;
the back plate; against both the shot and the back; a washer e, of leather or
other suitable elastic material, is introduced, a thin plate of iron f being inter-

page_text: posed between the leather and the powder. The cartridge containing the
powder is inserted between the shot and the back, in the manner shown in
Figure 7. Upon firing the powder, the first effect of the explosion is to
separate the two iron plates f, f; thereby forcibly compressing the leather
washers e, e, and causing them to spread against the sides of the gun, so as
effectually to prevent any escape of the confined vapour until its force shall
become sufficient to tear asunder the connecting tie c, in the manner shown in
Figure 13. The connecting tie c is reduced in its diameter at g, so as to
insure its breaking at that point, and on the portion left attached to the back
a projecting ring his formed, by means of which, with the aid of a properly
formed pair of tongs, the back is withdrawn after the explosion of the charge,
thereby cleaning out the gun, in the manner herein-before described. In
Figure 10 a modified form of the connecting tie is shown, so as to leave a
loop or handle, by means of which the back may be withdrawn; Figure 11
is a section of the same, taken on the line C, C; and Figure 12 is a section,
taken on the line D, D.
In the third place, I claim as my Invention the so constructing, shot, that a
portion thereof shall be detached by the explosion of the powder and left in
the the portion thus left being so formed as to clean out the gun upon
its being subsequently withdrawn, in a manner similar to that herein-before
described.
gun,
In the fourth place, my Invention consists in the so forming the vent tubes
of guns as to prevent any escape of gunpowder vapour upon the discharge of
the gun, and the mode in which I effect this is shown in Figures 14 to 19.
Figure 16 is a section, taken through the upper part of the vent tube. a, a, is
a portion of the body of the gun, into which the vent tube 6 is screwed in the
ordinary manner; it is made, however, to stand up or project above the general
surface of the gun, as shown in the side view, Figure 17, its sides being slightly
conical or tapering, and having two projecting pins or studs c, c; upon its
upper extremity is a nipple d, for the reception of the percussion cap for dis-
charging the gun. e is a cover or cap, the lower part of which is turned
slightly conical on its inside, accurately to fit the projecting top of the vent
tube b; upon its opposite sides two curved slots are formed to receive the
studs c, c, so as to admit of the cover e being fixed with ease and rapidity on
to the top of the vent tube b, (as shown in Figures 14 and 16,) and being
firmly and securely held thereon by the studs c, c, so as effectually and
hermetically to close the vent. Through the center of the top of the cover e a
cylindrical hole is bored, into which a plunger or hammer f is accurately fitted,
which hammer is capable of being depressed by a blow or other external force,

page_text: but at other times is retained in the position shown in Figures 14 and 16, by
the spiral spring 9. Upon striking a blow on the top of the plunger f, it is
suddenly depressed upon the percussion cap on the nipple d, by the consequent
explosion of which the gun is discharged; but all escape of vapour throught
the vent is prevented by the cap or cover e. In the Drawing, Figure 18 is an
underneath view of the cover; Figure 19 is a section, taken through the vent
tube and cover on the line E, E, in Figure 16; and Figure 15 is a view of
the top of the vent with the cover removed. Instead of the mode of attach-
ment above described, the cover e may be made to screw on to the top of the
vent tube b.