Improvements in Projectiles for Small-arms.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept, 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Projectiles for Small-arms.
I, EDWARD PALLISER of the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall in the County of
Middlesex, Retired Officer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
--
When projectiles for small arms, consisting of heavy metal such as lead encased in
a shell of strong metal such as steel, are fired by explosives such as cordite, exerting
great pressure on the base of the projectile, the soft internal metal is apt to become
upset longitudinally, swelling the casing and causing great friction on the bore of the
weapon and wear of its rifling. My invention relates to the construction of a projectile
in such a manner as to provide against the upsetting of the soft metal, while at the
same time it causes comparatively small friction on the bore and little wear of the
rifling. For this purpose, I employ for the external casing of the projectile a shell
of soft wrought iron which does not damage the rifling and this casing I fill with
lead or heavy alloy either forced in as a plug, or cast or soldered in.
I close the breech of the casing by a disc held in by an inwardly turned lip at the
base of the casing. I form two three or more circular grooves at several parts of
the length of the casing and I make the metal of the casing between these grooves a
little tapered so that the diameter is slightly larger in front of each groove than it is
behind, and the surface of bearing against the bore is thus reduced to the narrow edges
where the diameter of the casing is greater than elsewhere.
1 fill the grooves with paraffin wax, with which I also fill the recess over the disc in
the base.
This serves as lubricant and the depressions in the casing which form the grooves
form collars inside which projecting into the soft metal within prevent its longitudinal
upsetting and the consequent swelling of projectile in diameter.
Dated this 31st day of December 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Projectiles for Small-arms.
I, EDWARD PALLISER of the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall in the County of
Middlesex, Retired Officer, 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 :-
When projectiles for small arms, consisting of heavy metal such as lead encased in
a shell of strong metal such as steel, are fired by explosives such as cordite exerting
great pressure on the base of the projectile, the soft internal metal is apt to become
upset longitudinally, swelling the casing and causing great friction on the bore of the
weapon and wear of its rifling.
My invention relates to the construction of a projectile in such a manner as to provide
against the upsetting of the soft metal, while at the same time it causes comparatively
small friction on the bore and little wear of the rifling. For this purpose, 1 employ
for the external casing of the projectile a shell of soft wrought iron which does not
damage the rifling; and this casing I fill with lead or heavy alloy either forced in
as a plug or cast in. I may close the breech of the casing by a disc held in by an
inwardly turned lip at the base of the casing but such disc may be dispensed with. I
form two three or more circular grooves at several parts of the length of the casing

page_text: and I make the metal of the casing between these grooves a little tapered so that the
diameter is slightly larger at the front edge of each groove than it is at the rear edge.
The surface of bearing against the bore is thus reduced to the narrow edges where the
diameter of the casing is greater than elsewhere.
The grooves and the hollow in the base may be filled with paraffin wax to act as
lubricant.
The depressions in the casing which form the grooves form collars or ribs inside
which projecting into the soft metal within prevent its longitudinal upsetting and the
consequent swelling of the projectile in diameter.
The accompanying drawing shews a vertical section on a magnified scale of a projecile
for a rifle according to my invention.
B is the shell of soft wrought iron filled with a core of lead or heavy alloy A which
may be held in at the base by an inwardly turned lip C, or also by a disc d indicated by
dotted lines.
E are grooves indented by pressure in the casing so as to bulge inwards and thus
form internal ribs holding the core A securely against displacement.
The metal between the grooves is somewhat tapered, the diameter at the front
edge e of each of the grooves being slightly greater than at the rear edge. This
tapering may be effected by the pressure of the tool that forms the grooves. Thus, in
the rear part of the projectile the front edges e of the grooves alone bear against the
bore of the gun in firing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I hereby declare that I
make no general claim to projectiles for small arms consisting of a core of lead or
other heavy metal or alloy encased in a shell of harder metal, nor do I claim generally
forming grooves or cannelures in such projectiles but what I claim is :-
A projectile for small arms consisting of a core of lead or heavy alloy enclosed in a
shell of soft iron indented with several grooves forming internal ribs, the metal between
the grooves being tapered in such manner that the external diameter at the front edge
of each groove is somewhat greater than at the rear edge, substantially as described
with reference to the annexed drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1890.
ADEL & IDINAI,
Agents for the Applicant.