IMPROVEMENTS IN RIPLED ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE THEREWITH
Year: 1862

page_text: In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to JOHN BOUCHER, of
No. 3, Surrey Villas, Camberwell New Road, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIPLED
ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE
THEREWITH," bearing date the 29th day of March, 1862, No. 872.
MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be entered and filed by
the said John Boucher as such Patentee as aforesaid pursuant to the
Statute in that case made and provided.
WHEREAS since filing the Specification of my Invention in pursuance of
a condition in the said Letters Patent contained I have discovered that owing
to a misapprehension and error of the draughtsman the Drawing annexed to
the said Specification does not correctly illustrate my said Invention, and I am
therefore desirous of cancelling the Figure marked Fig. 1 in such Drawing
and of substituting therefor the Figure marked Fig. 1 in the Drawing here-
unto annexed (and I do hereby cancel such Figure and make such substi
tution), and in order to avoid ambiguity and uncertainty in my said Specifica-
tion I am desirous of inserting (and I do hereby insert) after the description
of the said Figure in such Specification and before the sentence beginning

page_text: perfectly understood I annex a copy of the Specification and of the Drawing
as they will appear when such alteration has been made as aforesaid, that is to
say
"
*
"My Invention relates to the, arrangement, and construction of rifled
"ordnance and fire-arms, and to the adaptation of projectiles thereto, so that
greater initial velocity of the projectile and consequently a lower trajectory
than heretofore may be obtained by reducing the rubbing surfaces of the
projectile or the barrel or both and by increasing the effects of the charge
"of powder by preventing the gases generated by the explosion of the powder
"from escaping between the projectile and the barrel near the breech before
"the bullet is fully expanded into the rifling."
"The former object is attained by making the grooves shallow and concave,
"their edges merging gradually into the original cylinder of the bore
so that
"there are no sharp angles whatever at the sides of the grooves, and the
latter object is attained principally by making the grooves shallower at the
"breech than they are at the muzzle, so that there is no windage' as the
projectile expands gradually into the rifling as it proceeds towards the
"muzzle.
"
66
"The improvement in projectiles consists principally in forming them poly-
gonal or many sided, not so as to fit into the grooves, but having a greater
"number of sides than the number of 'lands' and grooves in the barrel

page_text: 66
(whether straight or inclined in the direction of the rifling), the number of
"such sides being so proportioned to the number of 'lands' and grooves
"that the projectile cannot be placed incorrectly in the barrel when, loading
"even in the dark, and thus a full-sized projectile will be kept fairly in its
place without undergoing too much friction in loading, its axis being thus
kept perfectly coincident with that of the barrel at the same time that the
inconveniences of a mechanically fitting projectile are entirely obviated..
"Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for improvements in
"rifled ordnance and fire-arms, and in the projectiles to be used therewith, I
"will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same
"is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order
"that the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet
"of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and
"letters of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof, that is to say:-
66
"
66
66
"6
"One example or modification for a fire-arm (that of reducing the rub-
66 bing surface of the barrel) is shown at Figure 1. In this instance the
" barrel A, A, is first bored a correct cylinder from end to end so that the bore
" may be made in the first instance mathematically true. The circumference
of the bore is then divided into six parts, and a rounded but shallow cutter
nearly as broad as one of the parts is used to form the grooves or channels
a, a, a, in the sides of the bore. In forming the grooves or channels great
"care is taken not to touch the divisions b, b, b, between the grooves in the
"surface of the original bore, these being left to keep the axis of the pro-
jectile B, B, (which in this case is cylindrical) coincident with the axis of
"the bore, but to make the grooves to merge gradually into the original
cylinder near the divisions, the basis of my improved form of rifling being
a polygonal figure formed tangentially round the circle of the original bore
66 as shown by the dotted lines, the corners being rounded off so as to leave no
"sharp angles. If the grooves or channels are properly formed there will be
"no sharp edges between the grooves and the lands or bearings left of the
original bore. And if a steel guage plug the size of the original bore be
placed in the barrel and held up to the light, the sides of the plug should
only be seen to touch at the six points or bearings left of the original bore
"as represented at Figure 1.
66
66
"
66
"
"
'Another example or modification (that of reducing the rubbing surface of
"the projectile) is represented at Figure 2. In this instance the barrel C, C,
"is first bored a correct cylinder as already described. The circumference

page_text: "of the bore is then divided into six parts; each of the six parts is again sub-
"divided into three parts, two of which parts form the breadth of each
groove c, c, c, and the other part is left to form each land d, d, d, the lands
being thus half the breadth of the grooves. In forming the grooves a
"shallow rounded cutter is used, so that the grooves may be made to merge
"or rise gradually up to the edge of the lands.
"
66
66
"
"The cylindrical part of the projectile D, D, is then formed so as to repre-
"sent a polygon of eighteen sides, having narrow "lands" of the original
cylinder between each face, and when placed in the barrel both will appear
as represented by Figure 2. On reference to the Drawing it will be seen
"that the projectile D, D, cannot be placed incorrectly in the barrel C, C, when
loading even in the dark, as one bearing of the same or parts of two bearings
(being always equivalent in space to one bearing) will be made to rest upon
"each 'land' or bearing of the barrel. In a barrel with five grooves and five
"lands' the polygonal bearings on the projectile will be fifteen or twenty.
"In a barrel with seven grooves and seven 'lands' the bearings on the
"projectile will be twenty-one or twenty-eight, and so on in proportion, so that
a full-sized projectile will be kept fairly in its place without undergoing too
"much friction in loading.
"
"Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent side views and sections of bullets for large
"and small bores of fire-arms, the cavities being of a trumpet-mouth shape.
"The same shaped bullets, but with smooth cylindrical exteriors, are intended
"to be used with the first-mentioned example or modification. The cavities
"of a trumpet-mouth shape are less liable to be disfigured by the explosion of
"the charge than those having sharp edges.
"As an example or modification in rifling small arms the grooves or channels
"of the barrel are made about 005 inch deep in the centre of the groove at
"the breech, and about 008 inch deep at the muzzle, that is they are made
"
to progress gradually from 005 inch deep at the breech to 008 inch at the
"muzzle. By this means, namely, that of making the grooves shallower at
"the breech than at the muzzle, the gases generated by the ignition of the
powder are prevented from making their escape between the projectile and
"the barrel before the former is fully expanded, thus turning the powder to
"the greatest advantage by causing it to expend all its force on the base of
"the projectile, the expansion of a bullet being gradual as it moves from
"the breech of the barrel.
"The grooves or channels are made 3, 4, 5, 6, and upwards in number
"according as the bore of the barrel is made smaller or larger in size. The

page_text: 66
"
"larger the bore the greater number therefore the grooves will be made, so as
"to give a sufficient gripe to the projectile without making them so deep as
"to require great expansion in the bullet or as would allow the gases to escape
past the same. The characteristic shallowness of the grooves of the breech
compared with the greater depth at the muzzle being preserved in all cases.
"As long projectiles require a greater degree of twist in the grooves than
"short ones, in order to make them continue to spin with a sufficient amount
"of rotatory motion to the end of a long range, the spiral or twist of the
66 grooves
will vary from one turn in eighteen inches to one turn in six feet
"or upwards according to the length and thickness of the projectile intended
"to be used.
"Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in Rifled Ordnance and Fire-arms and in the Projectiles to
"be used therewith,' together with the manner in which the same is to be per-
"formed I would remark in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself
"to any precise size of land' or groove in rifling, as variations may be
"made in the number of grooves and in the depth and breadth thereof,
"according to the size or diameter of the bore of the barrel, but what I
"claim as my Invention is the rifling of small arms with grooves made
"shallower at the breech than at the muzzle, and also the smoothness of the
"bore or rifling without sharp corners or angles, the basis of such rifling being
"a polygonal figure with the angles or corners rounded off, by which means
"the strength of the powder is economized as the escape of the powder gas
"near the breech is prevented before the bullet is fully expanded.
"I also claim as my Invention the polygonal or many sided projectiles not
"made to fit into the grooves, but made with many sides either straight or
"inclined in the direction or angle of the rifling in order to reduce the friction
"in loading and firing either in ordnance or fire-arms as herein shown and
"described. By thus diminishing the friction between the projectile and the
"barrel, and by preventing the escape of the powder gases, thus increasing
"the power of the charge, great initial velocity and consequently a low tra-
jectory is obtained. The barrel is also easily kept clean on account of the
"smoothness of the bore, any lodgment of the residuum of the burnt powder
"is also prevented from taking place near the bottom of the barrel, in con-
sequence of the shallowness of the grooves at the breech as shallow grooves
are sooner filled up by the expansion of the bullet before it has moved far,
"and the barrel is thus cleaned out more effectually by every shot forcing the
foulness occasioned by the previous shot out before it."
66

page_text: And I, the said John Boucher, do hereby declare that the above written
Memorandum of Alteration is not nor is any part thereof intended to extend
the exclusive right granted by the said Letters Patent, and that these Presents
shall not extend the said exclusive right in any way whatever.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Boucher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
BRISTOW HUNT,
Sol. & Patent Agent,
JOHN BOUCHER. (L.S.)
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn..
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-mentioned John Boucher
'to file in the Great Seal Patent Office with the Specification to which the same
relates the above-written Memorandum of Alteration.
Lincoln's Inn, 8th October 1863.
ROUNDELL PALMER, A.G.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Boucher, of No. 3, Surrey Villas, Camberwell
New Road, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND
PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 25th September 1862, and dated the 29th March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Boucher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
March 1862.
I, JOHN BOUCHER, of No. 3, Surrey Villas, Camberwell New Road, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLED ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE
PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of rifled ordnance
and fire-arms, and to the adaptation of projectiles thereto, so that a greater
initial velocity of the projectile, and consequently a lower trajectory than here-
tofore may be obtained by reducing the rubbing surfaces of the projectile, or
the barrel, or both, and by increasing the effects of the charge of powder by
preventing the gases generated by the explosion from escaping between the
projectile and the barrel near the breech, before the projectile is fully expanded
into the rifling.

page_text: The former object is attained by making the grooves extremely shallow
and concave, their edges merging gradually into the original cylinder of the
bore, so that there are no sharp angles whatever at the sides of the grooves,
and the latter object is obtained principally by making the grooves shallower
at the breech than they are at the muzzle, so that there is no
windage,"
and the projectile expands gradually into the rifling, as it proceeds towards the
muzzle.
The improvement in projectiles consists principally in forming them poly-
gonal, or many sided, not so as to fit into the grooves, but having a greater
number of sides than the number of "lands" and grooves in the barrel,
(whether straight or inclined in the direction of the rifling) the number
of such sides being so proportioned to the number of "lands" and grooves
that the projectile cannot be placed incorrectly in the barrel when loading
even in the dark, and thus a full-sized projectile will be kept fairly in its place
without undergoing too much friction in loading, its axis being thus kept
perfectly coincident with that of the barrel, at the same time that the incon-
veniences of a nechanically fitting projectile are entirely obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Boucher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joun
BOUCHER, of No. 3, Surrey Villas, Camberwell New Road, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Boucher, Her special licence that I, the said John Boucher,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Boucher, 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 ORDNANCE
AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," upon the con-
dition, amongst others, that I, the said John Boucher, my executors or

page_text: 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 John Boucher; do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be partieularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say:
My Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of rifled ordnance
and fire-arms, and to the adaptation of projectiles thereto, so that greater initial
velocity of the projectile, and consequently a lower trajectory than heretofore,
may be obtained, by reducing the rubbing surfaces of the projectile,. or the
barrel, or both, and by increasing the effects of the charge of powder by
preventing the gases generated by the explosion of the powder from escaping
between the projectile and the barrel near the breech before the bullet is
fully expanded into the rifling.
:
The former object is attained by making the grooves extremely shallow
and concave, their edges merging gradually into the original cylinder of the
bore, so that there are no sharp angles whatever at the sides of the grooves
and the latter object is attained principally by making the grooves shallower
at the breech than they are at the muzzle so that there is no "windage," as
the projectile expands gradually into the rifling as it proceeds towards the
muzzle.
The improvement in projectiles consists principally in forming them. poly-
gonal or. niany sided, not so as to fit into the grooves, but having a greater
number of sides than the number of "lands," and grooves in the barrel
(whether straight or inclined in the direction of the rifling), the number
of such sides being so proportioned to the number of "lands" and grooves
that the projectile cannot be placed incorrectly in the barrel when loading
even in the dark, and thus a full-sized projectile will be kept fairly in
its place without undergoing too much friction in loading, its. axis being
thus kept perfectly coincident with that of the barrel, at the same time
that the inconveniences of a mechanically fitting projectile are entirely
obviated.
:
:
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Rifled Ordnance and Fire-arms, and in the Projectiles to be used therewith;

page_text: I will now proceed to describe more in detail the. manner in which the same
is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that
the same may be distinctly understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof, that is to say:-
One example or modification for a fire-arm (that of reducing the rubbing
surface of the barrel) is shown at Figure 1. In this instance the barrel A, A,
is first bored a correct cylinder from end to end, so that the bore may be made
in the first instance mathematically true. The circumference of the bore is
then divided into six parts, and a rounded but shallow cutter nearly as broad
'as one of the parts, is used to form the grooves or channels a, a, a, in the sides
of the bore. In forming the grooves or channels, great care is taken not to
touch the divisions b, b, b, between the grooves in the surface of the original
bore, these being left to keep the axis of the projectile B, B, (which in this
case is cylindrical) coincident with the axis of the bore, but to make the
grooves to merge gradually.into the original cylinder near the divisions. If
the grooves or channels are properly formed, there will be no sharp edges
between the grooves and the lands or bearings left of the original bore. And
if a steel guage plug the size of the original bore be placed in the barrel and
held up to the light, the sides of the plug should only be seen to touch at the
six points or bearings left of the original bore as represented at Figure 1.
Another example or modification (that of reducing the rubbing surface of
the projectile) is represented at Figure 2. In this instance the barrel C, C,
is first bored a correct cylinder, as already described. The circumference of the
bore is then divided into six parts; each of the six parts is again sub-divided
into three parts, two of which parts form the breadth of each groove c, c, c,
and the other part is left to form each "land" d, d, d, the "lands" being thus
half the breadth of the grooves. In forming the grooves a shallow rounded
cutter is used, so that the grooves may be made to merge or rise gradually up
to the edge of the "lands."
The cylindrical part of the projectile D, D, is then formed so as to represent.
a polygon of eighteen sides, having narrow "lands" of the original cylinder
between each face, and when placed in the barrel both will appear as
represented by Figure 2. On reference to the Drawing it will be seen that
the projectile D, D, cannot be placed incorrectly in the barrel C, C, when
loading, even in the dark, as one bearing of the same, or parts of two bearings,
(being always equivalent in space to one bearing) will be made to rest upon
each "land" or bearing of the barrel. In a barrel with five grooves and five

page_text: "lands," the polygonal bearings on the projectile will be fifteen or twenty. In
a barrel with seven' grooves and seven "lands," the. bearings on the projectile
will be twenty-one or twenty-eight, and so on in proportion, so that a full-
sized projectile will be kept fairly in its place without undergoing too much
friction in loading.
.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent side views and sections of bullets for large
and small bores of fire-arms; the cavities being of a trumpet-mouthed shape.
The same shaped bullets, but with smooth cylindrical exteriors, are intended
to be used with the first-mentioned example or modification.. The cavities of
a trumpet-mouth shape are less liable to be disfigured by the explosion of the
charge than those having sharp edges.
As an example or modification in rifling small arms, the grooves or channels
of the barrel are made about 005 inch deep in the centre of the groove at the
breech, and about 008 inch deep at the muzzle, that is, they are made to
progress gradually from 005 inch deep at the breech to 008 inch at the muzzle.
By this means, namely, that of making the grooves shallower at the breech
than at the muzzle, the gases generated by the ignition of the powder, are
prevented from making their escape between the projectile and the barrel,.
before the former is fully expanded, thus turning the powder to the greatest
advantage by causing it to expend all its force on the base of the projectile.
The expansion of a bullet being gradual as it moves from the breech of the
barrel. The grooves or channels are made 3, 4, 5, 6, and upwards in number,
according as the bore of the barrel is made smaller or larger in size. The
larger the bore the greater number therefore the grooves will be made, so as
to give a sufficient gripe to the projectile without making them so deep as to
require great expansion in the bullet, or as would allow the gases to escape
past the same. The characteristic shallowness of the grooves at the breech
compared with the greater depth at the muzzle being preserved in all cases.
As long projectiles require a greater degree of twist in the grooves than
short ones, in order to make them continue to spin with a sufficient amount of
rotatory motion to the end of a long range, the spiral or twist of the grooves
will vary from one turn in eighteen inches to one turn in six feet or upwards,
according to the length and thickness of the projectile intended to be used.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in Rifled Ordnance and Fire-arms, and in the Projectiles to
be used therewith," together with the manner in which the same is to be
performed, I would remark in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict
myself to any precise size of "land" or groove in rifling, as variations may be
made in the number of grooves, and in the depth and breadth thereof, according

page_text: to the size or diameter of the bore of the barrel; but what I claim as my
Invention is the rifling of small arms with grooves made shallower at the
breech than at the muzzle, combined with the smoothness of the bore or
'rifling without sharp corners or angles, by which means the strength of the
powder is economised, as the escape of the powder gas near the breech is
prevented before the bullet is fully expanded.
I also claim as my Invention the polygonal or many-sided projectile not
made to fit into the grooves, but made with many sides, either straight or
inclined in the direction or angle of the rifling, in order to reduce the friction
in loading and firing, either in ordnance or fire-arms, as herein shown and
described. By thus diminishing the friction between the projectile and the
barrel, and by preventing the escape of the powder gases, thus increasing the
power of the charge, great initial velocity, and consequently a low trajectory, is
'obtained. The barrel is also easily kept clean on account of the smoothness
of the bore; any lodgment of the residuum of the burnt powder is also
prevented from taking place near the bottom of the barrel in consequence of
the shallowness of the grooves at the breech, as shallow grooves are sooner
filled up by the expansion of the bullet before it has moved far, and the barrel
is thus cleaned out more effectually by every shot forcing the foulness
'occasioned by the previous shot cut before it.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Boucher, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN BOUCHER. (L.S.)