IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND
IN AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME."-A communication from abroad by
Oliver Fisher Winchester, of the City and County of New Haven,
United States of America.
Sealed the 15th October 1869, and dated the 17th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th April 1869.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED FIRE-ARME AND ORDNANCE,
AND IN AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME," a communication to me from abroad
by Oliver Fisher Winchester, of the City and County of New Haven,
United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the
bore of fire-arms and ordnance and cartridges for the same, and the

page_text: improvements consist in the construction of gun barrels with a com-
pound bore consisting of three sections, one of which at the breech end
shall be a perfectly smooth bore, another section at the muzzle end shall
be a rifled bore (the calibre of this section shall be just the depth of the
rifling smaller than the smooth-bore section); the third and middle section
consists of a tapering bore, which at each end coincides with the bore
with which it is co.inected. The rifling is continued through the middle
section to the same depth as the muzzle section, and should be a gaining
twist.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 is a section of the barrel bored out preparatory to rifling;
Fig. 2, the same rifled; Fig. 3, the barrel complete in three sections, the
first a smooth bore at the breech, the last a fully rifled bore, the inter-
mediate section a gradual transition from the smooth bore to the rifled
bore; Fig. 4, a side view of an improved ball for fire-arms; Fig. 5, a side
view illustrating the usual manner of forming the packing rings; Figs. 6,
7, and side views illustrating the improvements, the rings in Figs. 5, 6,
7, and 8 being distorted to more clearly illustrate the Invention; and
Figs. 9 and 10 longitudinal central sections (enlarged) of the cartridge for
use in rifled fire-arms.
For convenience I illustrate in the Drawing the construction of a rifle
barrel shortened. Those skilled in fire-arms and ordnance will readily see
the adaptation of the same construction to other arms or ordnance.
First, I construct a barrel in the usual manner preparatory to rifling,
as seen in Fig. 1; I then by the aid of an ordinary rifling apparatus
cut the grooves with a gaining twist starting from the breech with a
twist nearly straight, say one turn in seventy-two inches, terminating
at the muzzle with a turn in from twelve to twenty-four inches, as seen
in Fig. 2, cutting the grooves to any desirable depth; I then ream out
at the breech of the barrel at from two to six inches beyond the cartridge
chamber, say to the point a, the depth of the grooves, as seen in Fig. 3,
cutting away the lands entirely, and to that length making a smooth
bore. From that point a to about one half the length of the barrel, say
to the point 6, I ream the lands so that from the point a to the point b
the lands starting at nothing attain their full depth at the point b. By
this arrangement it will be readily seen that the obstacles to the passage
of the ball along the grooves of the barrel are considerably diminished,

page_text: and the gun is practically a smooth bore at the breech end, where the
excessive strain in rifled guns is experienced. When the gun is fired
and the ball started with a slight pressure it passes on until it enters
the middle section, where the projecting ring or rings begin gradually
to take the grooves and the ball to commence its rotation as it
approaches the muzzle, and begins to fit the bore tighter and impinges
closer upon the surface of the bore it takes stronger hold on the grooves
and gets into full rotation when it leaves the muzzle of the gun, while
during its passage through the last section the reduced bore causes it to
nip or fit the barrel closely but without friction, and brings the ball
central to the bore, thus ensuring accuracy. It is evident that a ball
passing rapidly through the bore of a gun in contact with its surface
must meet with resistance from the friction of the two surfaces, and
that this friction results in heating both the projectile and the gun, and
these effects will be in proportion to the extent of the two surfaces in
contact, and also that as a result of this action the softest metal will
leave a portion of itself on the harder one, and this also in proportion
to the extent of the surfaces in contact, producing what is called
"leading," when lead balls are used. I therefore make all lead balls
for rifled breech-loading small arms with a diameter, so that they will
drop into and fit the rifled bore easily, and with a ring formed as seen in
Fig. 4, to secure its rotation on its axis and form a gas check, also
serving as a shoulder to receive the end of the copper shell, as seen in
Fig. 9.
In the construction of projectiles for heavy ordnance, the form of the
rings should be one of the three represented in Figs. 6, 7, or 8. By this
arrangement (instead of having the friction of the two bands of one and a
half to two inches wide as is at present the case) the surfaces in contact
are represented by barely two lines; this is more important in view of the
greater ease with which the ball is started. In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8
representing the projectiles, the rings are very much distorted to clearly
define the Invention.
In addition to these improvements in the construction of the barrel
and bore of the gun and the form of the projectile, another element may
be used in combination with them to aid in more perfectly attaining the
desired result, viz., the use of an accelerating charge of powder, that is,
a charge of powder so adjusted as to give off its gases or burn slowly

page_text: at first, but increasing in its rapidity of consumption and production of
gases as the ball passes toward the muzzle.
I will now proceed to describe the cartridge constructed with an
accelerating charge of powder, and as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In
Fig. 9 the cartridge shell A is formed in the usual or any approved
manner, enclosing within itself or having attached thereto the fulminate
for igniting the powder within the shell. Within the said shell I place
the powder so as to form an accelerating charge, or so as to produce an
accelerating result. This may be accomplished in several ways, first,
by mixing several grades, that is, quick and slow powder, within the
shell, a portion of which will ignite instantly; the other portions burning
more slowly do not exert their force until the quicker portion is burned,
it being so graduated that the last or slow portions will be consumed
the instant before the ball leaves the muzzle; or secondly, by using
several grades, the quickest placed next the head of the cartridge, the
slowest next the ball, and the intermediate grades between the two, or
by compressing the best and quickest powder, reducing its bulk from
one-fifth to one-tenth, which method I prefer and have illustrated in
Fig. 9, because I get the largest quantity of the strongest powder into
the smallest space, a great advantage in repeating or magazine arms as
a proportionately larger number can be placed in the magazine.
have here represented a cake of powder B placed within the shell so.
as to leave a space between the caked or pressed powder, which space
I fill with the quickest possible powder. This cake of powder pressed
from the outer end is more dense at the outer end than at the base,
consequently will burn more rapidly at the base than at the outer end,
therefore the quickest or loose powder will give the first start of the ball,
instantly followed by the gradual burning of the caked or pressed
powder, until all is consumed before the ball leaves the barrel; or, if
preferred, the powder may be pressed into the shell so as to ignite first
at the rear and burning gradually as last described for the pressed
powder; or, as illustrated in Fig. 10, I press a cylinder of powder to
fill the shell, and through the centre place the quick powder which will
ignite first, and then the slow or compressed powder will burn from the
inside outward. Probably as good results may be attained by this last
arrangement as by any other, and it has the advantage of being quite
as simple in construction.
I

page_text: A cartridge thus constructed, while peculiarly adapted for use in the im-
proved bore which I have first described, gives much better results in the
common fire-arm than the common cartridge, and to a certain extent some
of the difficulties before-named as attending the use of common fire-arms
and cartridges will be overcome.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 term 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND
IN AMMUNITION FOR THE SAME," a communication to me from abroad by
Oliver Fisher Winchester, of the City and County of New Haven,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Edward Thomas Hughes. do herehv

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is
to say):-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the bore
of fire-arms and ordnance and cartridges for the same.
It is well known that in the use of breech-loading rifled fire-arms of
any calibre there is much greater bursting strain and a greater recoil
exerted upon them than upon smooth-bore guns of the same calibre
and using the same weight of powder and projectile. The object of
these improvements is to remove or reduce these objections. The
difficulties in this class of fire-arms are due to the method of con-
struction now and heretofore in universal use, by which method great
obstacles are presented to the starting of the ball, so much so as in
extreme cases to require the entire combustion of the whole charge of
powder before it can be accomplished. If the full explosive force of a
charge of powder is thus developed within a space occupied by itself, and
that space is one-twentieth part of the length of the barrel, it is evident
that this bursting power or strain on the gun will be twenty times as great
as it will be at the instant the ball leaves the muzzle of the gun, and
those explosive gases diffused through the entire length of the bore. Or
in other words if the force thus exercised upon the ball to start it is
represented by one thousand pounds per inch this as exerted upon the
projectile will be reduced to fifty pounds per inch the instant it leaves
the muzzle of the gun, and this propelling power of fifty pounds per inch
is all that can under any circumstances be exerted upon the ball at that
instant.
There are four obstacles combined which present themselves at once to
oppose the easy starting of the projectile, first, its inertia or resistance
offered by its own weight to being driven forward in a straight line;
second, the resistance offered by the same cause to being at once forced by
the rifling of the gun into a rotary motion on its own axis; third, the
resistance offered by the metal of the projectile to being drawn down or
made smaller in order to conform to the size and shape of the bore of the
gun and so fill the grooves as to insure its rotation upon its axis;
fourth, the friction of the surface of the ball upon the surface of the bore
of the gun.
The problem to be solved or the object to be attained in this con-
nection is to so construct a gun by the removal or reduction of these

page_text: difficulties that the projectile will start from the breech of the gun with
the same power that will be exerted upon it when it leaves the muzzle,
and so adjust and adapt the means within our control that the pressure
acting upon it shall be uniform, or nearly so, during its entire passage
from the breech to the muzzle of the gun. This object is attained in a
great measure by these improvements, and the recoil will be at the same
time reduced as well as the fouling and heating of the barrel, and the
advantages of accuracy and power due to rifled guns as compared with
smooth bores will be not only retained but increased.
The improvements consist in the construction of gun barrels with
a compound bore consisting of three sections, one of which at the
breech end shall be a perfectly smooth bore, another section at the
muzzle end shall be a rifled bore (the calibre of this section shall be
just the depth of the rifling smaller than the smooth bore section); the
third and middle section consists of a tapering bore which at each end
coincides with the bore with which it is connected. The rifling is
continued through the middle section to the same depth as the muzzle
section and should be a gaining twist.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I will proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a section of the barrel bored out preparatory
to rifling; Fig. 2, the same rifled; Fig. 3, the barrel complete in three
sections, the first a smooth bore at the breech, the last a fully rifled bore,
the intermediate section a gradual transition from the smooth bore to
the rifled bore; Fig. 4, a side view of an improved ball for fire-arms;
Fig. 5, a side view illustrating the usual manner of forming the packing
rings; Figs. 6, 7, and 8, side views illustrating the improvements, the
rings in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 being distorted to more clearly illustrate the
Invention; and Figs. 9 and 10, longitudinal central sections (enlarged)
of the cartridge for use in rifled fire-arms.
For convenience I illustrate in the Drawing the construction of a
shortened rifle barrel, but those skilled in fire-arms and ordnance will
readily see the adaptation of the same construction to other arms or
ordnance.
First I construct a barrel in the usual manner preparatory to rifling,
as seen in Fig. 1; I then by the aid of an ordinary rifling apparatus
cut the grooves with a gaining twist. starting from the breech, with a

page_text: twist nearly straight, say one
turn in 72 inches, terminating at
the muzzle with a turn in from 12 to 24 inches, as seen in Fig. 2,
cutting the grooves to any desirable depth; I then ream out at the
breech of the barrel at from two to six inches beyond the cartridge
chamber, say to the point a, the depth of the grooves, as seen in Fig. 3,
cutting away the lands entirely, and to that length making a smooth
bore. From that point a to about one half the length of the barrel, say
to the point 6, I ream the lands so that from the point a to the point 6
the lands starting at nothing attain their full depth at the point b. By
this arrangement it will be readily seen that the second and third
obstacles to the easy starting of the ball are entirely removed and the
gun is practically a smooth bore at the breech end, where the excessive
strain in rifled guns is experienced. When the gun is fired and the ball
started with a slight pressure it passes on until it enters the middle section
where the projecting ring or rings begin gradually to take the grooves
and the ball to commence its rotation as it approaches the muzzle, and
begins to fit the bore tighter and impinges closer upon the surface of
the bore it takes stronger hold on the grooves and gets into full rotation
when it leaves the muzzle of the gun, while during its passage through
the last section the reduced bore causes it to nip or fit the barrel closely
but without friction, and brings the ball central to the bore, thus ensuring
accuracy.
The first obstacle, the inertia of the ball, being governed by a law
of nature cannot be removed. The fourth obstacle, friction, only now
remains to be considered; this is entirely independent of the gun, and
is regulated by the form and construction of the projectile. It is
evident that a ball passing rapidly through the bore of a gun in con-
tact with its surface must meet with resistance from the friction of the
two surfaces, and that this friction results in heating both the pro-
jectile and the gun, and that these effects will be in proportion to the
extent of the two surfaces in contact, and also that as a result of this
action the softest metal will leave a portion of itself on the harder one,
and this also in proportion to the extent of the surfaces in contact,
producing what is called "leading" when lead balls are used.
It has been the universal practice in making bullets for rifled breech-
loading small arms to make them larger than the bore of the gun in
their entire cylindrical portion, and even in projectiles for heavy
ordnance the outer surface has been coated over entirely with lead so

page_text: as to make them larger than the bore, in both cases for the purpose of
ensuring the metal taking the grooves and giving rotation to the
projectile.
In the construction of projectiles for heavy ordnance a later and better
plan has been adopted, by making the diameter less than the bore, and
securing rotation and forming a gas check by rings of soft metal, one
near each end of the projectile, these rings having an uniform projection
from the surface, as seen in Fig. 5. This forms a larger surface than is
required for the purpose, I therefore claim that better results can be
attained by making all lead balls for rifled breech-loading small arms
with a diameter that will drop into and fit the rifled bore easily and with
a ring formed as seen in Fig. 4 to secure its rotation on its axis and form
a gas check also serving as a shoulder to receive the end of the copper
shell as seen in Fig. 9. In the construction of projectiles for heavy
ordnance the form of the rings should be one of three represented in
Figs. 6, 7, or 8. By this arrangement (instead of having the friction of
the two bands of one and one-half to two inches wide) the surfaces in con-
tact are represented by barely two lines. This is more important in view
of the greater ease with which the ball is started.
In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, representing the projectiles, the rings are very
much distorted to clearly define the Invention.
In addition to these improvements in the construction of the barrel
and bore of the gun and the form of the projectile, another element may
be used in combination with them to aid in more perfectly attaining the
desired result, viz., the use of an accelerating charge of powder, that is, a
charge of powder so adjusted as to give off its gases or burn slowly at first,
but increasing in its rapidity of consumption and production of gases as the
ball passes toward the muzzle.
I will now proceed to describe the cartridge constructed with an
accelerating charge of powder and as shewn in Figs. 9 and 10. In
Fig. 9 the cartridge shell A is formed in the usual or any approved
manner, enclosing within itself or having attached thereto the fulminate
for igniting the powder within the shell. Within the said shell I place
the powder so as to form an accelerating charge or so as to produce an
accelerating result. This may be accomplished in several ways, first, by
mixing several grades, that is, quick and slow powder within the shell, a
portion of which will ignite instantly; the other portions burning more
slowly do not exert their force until the quicker portion is burned, it

page_text: being so graduated that the last or slow portions will be consumed the
instant before the ball leaves the muzzle; or secondly, by using several
grades, the quickest placed next the head of the cartridge, the slowest
next the ball, and the intermediate grades between the two or by com-
pressing the best and quickest powder, reducing its bulk from one-fifth to
one-tenth, which method I prefer and have illustrated in Fig. 9, because I
get the largest quantity of the strongest powder into the smallest space, a
great advantage in repeating or magazine arms, as a proportionately larger
number can be placed in the magazine.
I have here represented a cake of powder B placed within the shell so
as to leave a space between the caked or pressed powder, which space I
fill with the quickest possible powder.
This cake of powder pressed
from the outer end is more dense at the outer end than at the base, con-
sequently will burn more rapidly at the base than at the outer end,
therefore the quickest or loose powder will give the first start of the ball
instantly, followed by the gradual burning of the caked or pressed
powder until all is consumed before the ball leaves the barrel; or, if
preferred the powder may be pressed into the shell so as to ignite first at
the rear and burning gradually, as last described for the pressed powder;
or, as illustrated in Fig. 10, I press a cylinder of powder to fill the
shell, and through the centre place the quick powder, which will ignite
first, and then the slow or compressed powder will burn from the inside
outward.
Probably as good results may be attained by this last arrangement as by
any other, and it has the advantage of being quite as simple in construction.
A cartridge thus constructed, while peculiarly adapted for use in the im-
proved bore which I have first described, gives much better results in the
common fire-arms than the common cartridge, and to a certain extent some
of the difficulties before named as attending the use of common fire-arms
and cartridges will be overcome.
Having fully described this Invention, what I claim as new and useful
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The compound structure of the bore of the arm in three sections,
the first or breech end smooth, the last rifled and of less diameter than the
first, and the second or intermediate tapering so as to give a gradual
transition from the first to the last, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
Second Constructing the packing rings of proiectiles.
во that the

page_text: resistance offered to entering the grooves of the gun will be prevented
as the projectile passes along the bore, substantially in the manner
described.
Third. A cartridge in which are combined the shell, fulminate, powder,
and ball, the powder prepared or arranged so as to produce an accelerating
action upon the ball, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord 1869.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.B.)