IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE CASES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE CASES
FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from abroad by
Nathaniel Gilbert Whitmore, of Mansfield, State of Massachusetts,
and Alfred Augustus Reed, junior, of Providence, State of Rhode
Island, United States of America.
Sealed the 19th August 1870, and dated the 8th June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th June 1870.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGE CASES
FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is to construct a cartridge case for breech-
loading fire-arms (mainly designed for the use of shot) which shall
provide in a simple and convenient manner for the repriming of the

page_text: cartridge case for repeated use by facilitating the removal of an exploded
cap, and allowing of the ready insertion of a fresh cap or pellet.
The Invention comprises a cartridge case, the tube or body of which
is made either of metal or paper, or both combined, or other suitable
materials with a chamber or cavity formed in the base end thereof, into
which is fitted and secured in any suitable manner an independent base
piece preferably formed in sections riveted or soldered together to
make of the whole a disc or base, that is not only provided with firing
apertures through it in communication with an aperture or apertures in
the sunken base end of the case, or in a head fitted thereon, but has also
opposite transverse cavities or passages in it extending partially through
it from its periphery, and accessible from the exterior of the case on
opposite sides thereof. One of these passages is of an enlarged size to
allow of the entry and removal of the cap, while the other is of smaller
size and serves to admit of the insertion of a needle or wire to facilitate
the extraction of an exploded cap. The independent base or base piece
thus formed and fitted within an extension of the body of the case in
rear of the end thereof, constitutes a cap holder accessible from the
exterior of the peripherical" portion of the case or its extension for in-
sertion and removal of the caps. After a cap has been inserted within
the holder or base piece through the larger of the side openings in the
case into the larger cavity or passage in the base piece a pasteboard or
other wad is introduced through the same opening and is pressed down
into the cavity or passage to hold the cap in its required position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special

page_text: licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 CARTRIDGE CASES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Nathaniel Gilbert Whit-
more, of Mansfield, State of Massachusetts, and Alfred Augustus Reed,
junior, of Providence, State of Rhode Island, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
-
The object of the Invention is to construct a cartridge case for breech-
loading fire-arms (mainly designed for the use of shot) which shall
provide in a simple and convenient manner for the repriming of
the cartridge case for repeated use by facilitating the removal of an
exploded cap and allowing of the ready insertion of a fresh cap or
pellet.
The Invention comprises a cartridge case, the tube or body of which
is made either of metal, or paper, or both combined, or other suitable
materials, with a chamber or cavity formed in the base end thereof, into
which is fitted and secured in any suitable manner an independent base.
piece preferably formed in sections rivetted or soldered together to make
of the whole a disc or base that is not only provided with firing apertures,
through it in communication with an aperture or apertures in the.
sunken base end of the case (or in a head fitted thereon), but has also.

page_text: opposite transverse cavities or passages in it extending partially through
it from its periphery and accessible from the exterior of the case on
opposite sides thereof. One of these passages is of an enlarged size to
allow of the entry and removal of the cap, while the other is of smaller
size and serves to admit of the insertion of a needle or wire to facilitate
the extraction of an exploded cap. The independent base or base piece
thus formed and fitted within an extension of the body of the case in
rear of the end thereof constitutes a cap holder accessible from the
exterior of the peripherical portion of the case or its extension for
insertion and removal of the caps. After a cap has been inserted
within the holder or base piece through the larger of the side openings in
the case into the larger cavity or passage in the base piece a pasteboard
or other wad is introduced through the same opening and is pressed
down into the cavity or passage to hold the cap. in its required position.
Having thus specified the object and nature of the Invention, its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying
Drawing. Fig. 1 represents an exterior longitudinal view of a cartridge
constructed according to the Invention, with its case made wholly of
metal; Fig. 2 a base end view of the same; Fig. 3 a central longitu-
dinal section (on the line x, x, of Fig. 1), showing the cartridge charged
and loaded with small shot; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the
line y, y, of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of the case,
with its base piece or cap holder and charge removed; Fig. 6 is an outer
face view of said base piece or cap holder detached; and Fig. 7 a
section of the same through the line z, z, of Fig. 6; and Figures 8, 9,
and 10 are face views of separate plates or pieces of which the holder
cap
is composed; Fig. 11 is an exterior longitudinal view of a cartridge,
the case of which is made mainly of paper; and Fig. 12 is a central
longitudinal section of the same, taken as indicated by the line w, w,
of Fig. 11. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in the above Figures.
"
Referring in the first instance to the several Figures from 1 to 10
inclusive, A represents the case of the cartridge, formed of metal and
»
spun or otherwise made to comprise a base end a with a chamber b
in the rear of it, formed as it were by an extension of the cylindrical
body. Into this chamber a cavity b is fitted, and secured in a per-
manent manner by creasing the case or otherwise, an independent base
piece B constituting a priming holder or cap holder.

page_text: This base piece is made in plate like sections or pieces c, d, and e,
rivetted or soldered together, the first or outer piece c being in the form
of a ring, the second or intermediate piece d has an open space or
passage fin it extending from or around its centre to the periphery of
said piece, and of a size sufficient to receive within it the priming in the
shape of a cap or pellet, and the third or inner piece e is in the shape of
a disc; and when the base piece is in position within the case it lies
against the base end a. An aperture or apertures 9 are drilled through
this disc e and end a of the case to communicate the fire from the
cap or priming in the passage f of the cap holder to the charge in the
body of the case. The cap C, which may be in the form of a thin
metal case is exposed to the action of the hammer or exploding device
through the ring c, and the central portion of the passage f of the
intermediate piece d.
When the three pieces c, d, and e are rivetted, soldered, or otherwise
secured together to form an entirety the ring c and disc e form sides to
the passage or cavity f.
An opening is made through the case corresponding with the outer
end of the cavity f to provide for the insertion and removal of the cap
and an oppositely arranged smaller aperture 8 is drilled through the case
and piece d, establishing communication with the cavity fat its inner
end, so as to provide for the insertion of a needle or wire to push out
the exploded cap (in case of its sticking) from the cavity through the
opening h.
through the
After a cap has been inserted within the cavity
opening ha pasteboard or other wad D is to be introduced through the
latter opening and pressed down within the cavity f to hold the cap in its
proper position within the holder B. Cartridge cases thus constructed
afford every convenience for repriming for repeated use.
In Figures 11 and 12 of the Drawing a cartridge case of essentially
the same construction is shewn, but the body or main portion of the
case A is intended to be made of paper provided with a metal end cap
at its base to receive the cap holder B within it, a base end piece for
the cap holder to abut against here being dispensed with, and said cap
holder and paper being united by creasing the metal end cap, or in any
other suitable manner.
Fig. 13 represents a longitudinal section and Fig. 14, a basc end
view of another modification of the cartridge, and Figures 15 and 16

page_text: are detached parts thereof. In these Figures the base or rear end of
the case A is formed of a head having a central opening and interior
perforated plate or disc separated from the head or formed with a
transverse recess (either partially or wholly across it) to receive within
(or between it and the annular head through a slot in the periphery
of the case a slide or removable base B, see Fig. 15, which is recessed
on its inside face at m to hold the priming or pellet C, and which
may be removed by a needle or wire inserted through an aperture 8 in
the case after the priming or pellet has been exploded to allow of
the insertion of fresh priming.
This removeable priming or cap holding device may either be of a
length to extend across the case, as represented in Fig. 15, or it may
be shortened so as to extend only partially across, like that shewn at
Fig. 16.
Figures 17 and 18 represent longitudinal sections at right angles to
each other of a pin cartridge case embracing the same facilities for
recapping as have been described with respect to central-fire cartridges,
and Fig. 19, is a base or rear end view of the same. In these Figures
the case A is fitted with a base piece B formed with its priming or cap
holding cavity f arranged to lie in direction of the length of the case
and in communication with a similarly arranged slot through the case
for insertion of the pellet and removal of it when exploded by a needle
or wire introduced through the hole s. F is the firing pin arranged to
penetrate the case and base piece in a transverse direction, and g
apertures for communicating the fire to the charge.
Figures 20, 21, and 22 represent in longitudinal and transverse
sectional views a modification of the pin cartridge case, but in this
modification the base piece B is made removeable from the base end of
the case by inserting a stick or plunger within the case from its mouth
end. This base piece is formed with a transverse rib or tongue on its
front arranged to pass through the slotted base end of the case, so as
to leave a chamber in its rear for the insertion of the base piece.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Cartridge
Cases for Breech-loading Fire-arms," and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondents, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent
as aforesaid,―

page_text: Firstly. Constructing cartridge cases having an end or base provided
with a priming or cap holding cavity (extending partially through it
from its periphery) and accessible from the peripherical exterior of the
case, in combination with firing apertures through the faces of said
base, and in communication with the charge in the shell or case,
substantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. The combination of the radial cap-clearing aperture 8, with
the priming or cap holding cavity f in the base B, both accessible from
the peripherical exterior of the case, and in communication with each
other and with the firing apertures through the faces of said base, as
shewn and described.
Thirdly. Constructing the base B of a ring c, an intermediate piece d,
and a perforated disc e, substantially as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The construction and extension of the case A, to form a
rear chamber b, provided with a lateral opening h, and an oppositely
arranged aperture 8 for communication with the interior of a base B
arranged to fit within the rear chamber b, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.