Improvements in Projectiles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Projectiles.
We, MYRON CLARK LISLE, Machinist, of 58, Turner Street, Grand Rapids, in-
the County of Kent, and State of Michigan, and FRANK ARTHUR SIMONDS,
Manufacturer, of 256, West Broadway, in said city, all in the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in projectiles for small arms using
high explosives and its object is to provide the same with a jacket sufficiently
firm to engage the lands of the gun and be guided thereby that will not be
detached from the projectile or interfere with its accuracy: that will properly
lubricate and clean the gun and avoid cutting and heating the same; that will
prevent undue expansion of the soft metal body upon impact with the target
or under the sudden impulse of the exploding charge; and to provide the same
with certain new and useful features hereinafter more fully described and parti-
cularly pointed out in the claims.
It is well known that a leaden or soft metal projectile, while having certain
advantages over those of hard metal, have considerably less penetrative power
than the latter on account of spreading and lateral distortion when it strikes a
hard object. We have discovered that by winding a strong cord closely around
the body of a soft metal projectile and securing its ends thereto so that it can
not become loosened a jacket will be formed which will not only prevent foul-
ing of the gun and serve as a vehicle for a lubricant, but will also effectively
prevent lateral expansion of the projectile, thereby imparting to the soft metal
projectile, characteristics not heretofore deemed possible, and making it equal
in penetration to a projectile formed of hard metal.
Heretofore such projectiles have been provided with hard metal jackets. These
while effectually retaining their hold on the lands of the gun and also prevent-
ing expansion of the soft metal body, are so firm that it requires great pressure
to force them into the bore of the gun, and there being metal contact and no
lubricant present, great friction with consequent heat and abrasion results, and
the velocity materially lowered.
Also projectiles having a hard metal body, have been provided with a soft
metal jacket or packing or wound with cord. These are not suitable for small
arms as the soft metal would not hold in the lands, but would be forced down
and pass out on the inner bore and the cord would be liable to be detached and
destroy the accuracy of the projectile.
We have accordingly devised a practical and effective means of attaching the
ends of a cord wound spirally around a projectile by which means it will not
become detached and also a means of adding to the strength and effectiveness
of said cord by means of a wire core therein.
Our invention consists in a soft metal projectile having its main body tightly
encircled by a cord wound spirally, closely and inexpansibly around said main

page_text: body and with its ends effectively secured thereto so as to prevent both expansion
of the soft metal body and fouling of the gun by providing a porous fibrous
material to contact the bore of the gun and carry a lubricant.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the projectile before applying the jacket.
Fig. 2, the same after applying the jacket.
gun
Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the axis of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4a projectile as it appears after passing through the barrel.
Fig. 5 an enlarged detail showing the construction of the wire cored jacket.
Fig. 6 a transverse section of the same after having passed through the gun
barrel; and
Fig. 7, a transverse section of a gun barrel, on the scale of Figs. 1 to 4.
Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.
The body of the projectile is preferably made of lead or other soft metal and
is first formed as in Fig. 1, having a cylindrical body a, a conical end b, deep
grooves c and d formed at the respective ends of the cylindrical body a, and
flanges e and f, formed at opposite sides of and adjacent to said grooves. The
body is also provided with a shallow groove g extending spirally between the
grooves c and d. Surrounding the cylindrical portion a, is a jacket formed of a
stout cord of linen, cotton or other suitable fibrous and porous material, the
ends of which are placed in the respective grooves c and d and the intermediate
portion thereof wound firmly around the body a, in the groove g. The ends of
the cord are firmly secured by swaging the flanges e and f down upon the same
as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be observed that the flanges are of such
size that before they are swaged down, their edges project beyond the plane of
the body a. This permits the flange to be properly placed to hold the jacket
without disturbing the other metal of the projectile and without slacking the
jacket, whereby the latter is so tightly wound and held as to effectually prevent
expansion of the projectile. Said cord may be waxed or greased to lubricate
the gun, the lubricant being retained in the pores of the cord and in the
between the turns of the same.
e.grooves
This jacket also prevents the lead from coming in contact with the gun barrel
and adhering to the same and also fits closely in the grooves of the barrel and
at each discharge it cleans the same so that the gun may be fired indefinitely
without becoming fouled by lead or residue from the charges.
This jacket is also retained by the projectile in its flight and when it strikes
the target, the penetration is greatly enhanced as the projectile does not materially
change in shape or flatten out, the jacket holding it from expanding laterally.
The sudden pressure of high explosives operates like striking the projectile
a sudden blow and tends to expand it unduly, making it too tight in the bore
of the gun. This is also prevented by the described jacket, the result being a
much higher initial velocity with increased range and penetration and flatter
trajectory.
In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a core of suitable wire ; of strong
and yielding material preferably copper or soft steel, is used to supply greater
strength of the cord and this wire is covered spirally with continuous layers of
cotton, linen or other suitable fibre to prevent the metal of the wire from con-
tacting the gun, and to carry the lubricant. This covering for the wire need
not be very strong and firm and will thus be capable of holding more lubricant
than a strong hard twisted cord and will also be more yielding at the side in
contact with the gun. Also being laid spirally around the wire and the coils
of wire being close together and firmly against the body, the covering cannot
unwind and trail behind the projectile in its flight, and no portion of this cover-
ing can be detached even if severed at the outer side of the turns. The wire
being wound transversely around the projectile and the covering wound around
the wire, the fibres of the latter, where exposed, run substantially longitudinally

page_text: of the projectile which position tends to prevent breaking of the fibres of the
covering in passing through the gun barrel.
A projectile having a soft metal body and a metal jacket formed of wire, each
turn respectively a separate section, is more easily indented by the lands of the
barrel and more easily forced through the said barrel than if the jacket was
solid metal, and at the same time, the wire is of sufficient-stability to form down
opposite the lands without breaking and to hold to the same and give the pro-
jectile the necessary rotary motion.
By the described construction, we are enabled to apply the jackets by machinery
and thus greatly reduce the cost, and produce a cheap and effective projectile
which lubricates and cleans the gun and does not heat or cut the barrel, also
having increased range and penetration, a rapid rotary motion, and is particu-
larly adapted for use in high pressure small arms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is ;-
-
1. A projectile consisting of a cylindrical body having annular grooves near
its ends and radial flanges adjacent to said grooves and a spirally wound cord
tightly embracing said body and preventing lateral expansion or distortion
thereof, the ends of said cord being inserted in said grooves and held by the
swaging of said flanges down upon the same, as specified.
2. The combination with a projectile having a soft metal body, of a jacket
therefor consisting of a cord wound spirally, closely and tightly about the main
part of the projectile body so as to tightly embrace the whole of said main part
and be inexpansible and immovable thereon, and having its ends securely attached
to said body, substantially as described, whereby said jacket prevents lateral
expansion or distortion of the soft metal body, as specified.
3. In combination with a projectile composed of soft metal, a wire wound
round the body of the same and secured thereto, and a covering of suitable fibre
on said wire, substantially as described.
4. In combination with a projectile, a wire wound round the same and secured
thereto, a covering of cotton or other suitable thread wound around said wire
and securely held thereby, substantially as described.
5. In combination with a projectile having a soft metal body, a thread wound
wire around said body and having its ends secured thereto, and a lubricant
applied to the thread covering of said wire, substantially as described.
6. In combination with a projectile having a spirally grooved soft metal body,
a wire laid in said grooves and having its ends secured to said body, a series of
threads wound around said wire and extending lengthwise of said projectile,
and a lubricant applied to said threads, substantially as described.
Dated the 11th day of April 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.