AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CANNON SHOT, BY WHICH. A SUPERIOR SHOT IS PRODUCED IN...THE SOLIDITY AND
Year: 1822

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I. .
BENJAMIN BOOTHBY, of the Iron Works, Chesterfield, in the County of
Derby, Tronfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present. most Excellent Majesty King George the
Fourth did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of His United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the third year of His reign,
give, and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Boothby, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns,. His said Majesty's especial licence, full power, sole-privilege
and authority, that I, the said Benjamin Boothby, my exors, adñors, or
assigns, by myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputies,
servants or agents, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Boothby, my
exors, admiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
my Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CANNON
SHOT, BY WHICH. A SUPERIOR SHOT IS PRODUCED IN...THE SOLIDITY AND

page_text: SMOOTHNESS OF ITS EXTERNAL SURFACE," within that part of His Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; to have, hold,
exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advantages
unto me, the said Benjamin Boothby, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, for
and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the
date of the said Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing, and fully
to be complete and ended, according to the Statute in such case made
and provided; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that
if I, the said Benjamin Boothby, should not particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, then that the said Letters
Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted,
should utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the
said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and
at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso contained
in the said Letters Patent, I, the said Benjamin Boothby, do hereby
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, as follows (that is to say):
Let a ball or sphere, in two halves or equal parts, of any sort of metal
or hard wood, be turned with perfect truth to the size of the cannon shot
required; place the same in a box, such as is generally used by iron-
founders, and ram up the box with sand, in the same manner as in all
other cases for dry sand castings. When the process of ramming up
the box is complete, remove the two half spheres, and black the mould
thus formed with fine pulverized charcoal mixed with water, then place
the box in a stove, and when the sand mould is perfectly dry it is ready
to receive the melted iron.
The advantages of this mode of manufacturing cannon shot over the
common mode of using metal moulds are the following:- The rarified
air escapes with facility through the sand, whilst from the metal mould

page_text: it is frequently prevented by pouring the melted iron too rapidly into
the mould; the air thus obstructed in its escape occupies a space in the-
shot and makes it unsound, consequently imperfect, and frequently
useless. Every maker of cannon shot is aware that but few balls are
free from small holes or cells. round the bottom of the runner or gate,
as it is commonly called, but by this improved mode the defect just
noticed is completely obviated. A second advantage is, the preservation
of perfect evenness where the runner or gate is cut off; by the old
mode there is always an indentation made on the surface of the shot,
and that so deep as frequently to render it useless. By the improved
method, the runner being flat and thin, is removed without inconvenience, 1
and the shot is not only free from holes, but the exterior surface is
preserved perfectly even. A third advantage is, the perfection of the
spherical form of the improved shot. By the use of the iron moulds
the expansion of the metal, after being frequently heated, often produces
an elongation or oval form of the shot, by which it is rendered unfit for
use; by moulding in sand, if due care be taken in ramming up the box
and in thoroughly drying the sand, the shot will always be of the same
uniform roundness.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Boothby, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of November, in
the third year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the
Fourth, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and in the
year of our Lord Christ One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-two
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within
named Benjamin Boothby (being first
duly stamped) in the presence of us,
THO WSPENCER,
Tuo WuCOCKSON
B. (L.s.) BOOTHBY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-first day of::
Noveniber, in the year of our Lord 1822, the aforesaid Benjamin
Boothby came before our said Lord the King, in, His Chancery, aud
acknowledged the Specificationi aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the..
Specification aforesaid, was stampt. according to the tenor of the Statute..
made for that purpose.
! Inrolled the Twenty-fifth-day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.