IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW PROJECTILES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Deakin, of Great Barr, in the County of
Stafford, and John Bagnall Johnson, of Tettenhall, also in the County
of Stafford, Roll Turner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Sealed the 26th October 1866, and dated the 30th April 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Deakin and
John Bagnall Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 30th April 1866.
We, WILLIAM DEAKIN, of Great Barr, in the County of Stafford, and JOHN
BAGNALL JOHNSON, of Tettenhall, also in the County of Stafford, Roll Turner,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW PROJECTILES," to be as follows, (that is to
say):
Our improvements consist, firstly, in the manufacture, and, secondly, in the
form they assume for certain purposes when finished.
1 In the manufacture we adopt the principle and appliances mentioned in
Patents granted to James Thompson, No. 1024, dated 23rd April 1863;
No. 189, dated the 19th January 1864 (of which Patents we are the sole
registered proprietors), likewise a Patent granted to us on the 15th May 1865,
No. 1841, the operations of which we will sufficiently recite to make

page_text: intelligible this application; as, for instance, we take a heated bloom or block
of iron or steel, and after (if necessary) tilting, swaging, or rolling to reduce
it to a desired size, we further operate on it as a whole, or divide it into parts
as required; or we may operate on a mass, producing the partially formed
projectile, and dividing it off from the same as worked, and continue the
operations until the whole is used up; but we purpose placing the mass or
part on a suitable bed, and subjecting it to the operation of a large or small
punch actuated by the appliances referred to and set forth in the former
Patents berein-before named, in the developement of which we have found it
under certain circumstances advantageous to drill a hole for the purpose of
giving a lead and direction to the punch or drift; observing that this
operation of punching displaces the metal and drives it radially from the
centre into the parts surrounding it, and to simplify our description we will
suppose that these operations have been directed to the forming of hollow
projectiles of great magnitude. We next submit the partially formed pro-
jectile to the further operations of tilting, swaging, or rolling, preferring the
former as preparatory operations for increasing the internal capacity of the
hollow chamber, as well as reducing the external circumference nearer the
finished size required, using a mandril for internal support during these
operations, notwithstanding grooved rolls may be used conveniently for this
purpose.
As it may be desirable that the front end of the projectile, exteriorly and
interiorly, be of a conical, oval, or spherical form in the lengthway section,
the same may be effected by placing the mass on a suitable base or bed
having a projection concentrically formed of the dimensions and shape we
desire the interior of the projectile to assume, and in like manner by means
of a stamp hammer (the face of which being hollowed out to a corresponding
shape, so as to form the matrix for giving shape to the front end of the pro-
jectile, and the same being put to work with the projectile in a heated
condition) the work will be reduced to the desired shape; or these operations
may be as effectually performed by reversing the position of the partially
formed projectile, with the consequent reversion of the appliances; or. the
form to be imparted to the projectile may be partly sunk in the bed and partly
in the stamp hammer. The main body of the projectile thus formed may be
finished by any convenient means, which forms no part of our Invention, and
in like manner the mode adopted for stopping up the end of the projectile,
for securing within it any combustibles or missiles that may be placed in the
chamber, may be varied and effected in a variety of ways."
Secondly, our Invention consists in imparting, when required, to such pro-

page_text: jectiles a series of grooves or equivalent means for imparting to the projectile
after leaving the ordnance from which it has been projected a refluent motion
as would be imparted to such projectiles if fired from a rifled chamber:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Deakin and John Bagnall Johnson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
DEAKIN, of Great Barr, in the County of Stafford, Ironmaster, and JOHN
BAGNALL JOHNSON, of Tettenhall, also in the County of Stafford, Roll
Turner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IÏer Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto us;
the said William Deakin aud John Bagnall Johnson, Her special licence that
we, the said William Deakin and John Bagnal Johnson, our executors; admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Deakin and
John Bagnall Johnson, our 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW PROJECTILES,"
upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Deakin and John Bagnall Johnson,
by an instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said William Deakin and John Bagnall
Johnson do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Our improvements relate, firstly, to the manufacture, and, secondly, to the
form they assume for certain purposes when finished.
In the manufacture we adopt the processes, means, and appliances, or their

page_text: equivalents mentioned in Patents granted to James Thompson, No. 1024,
.dated 23rd April 1863; No. 139, dated the 19th January 1864 (of which
Patents, with others obtained by the said James Thompson, we are by
purchase and assignment the sole registered proprietors), likewise a Patent
granted to us on the 15th of May 1865, No. 1841, the operations of which
.various Patents we will sufficiently recite to make intelligible this application.
We take a heated bloom or block of iron or steel, and after (if necessary)
tilting, swaging, or rolling to reduce it to a desired size, we further operate
on it as a whole, or divide it into parts as required; or we may operate on a
mass producing the partially-formed projectile, and dividing it off from the
same as worked, and continue the operations until the whole is used up; but
we purpose placing the mass, or part when divided from the mass, on a
suitable bed, and subjecting it to the operation of a large or small punch
actuated by the appliances referred to, and set forth in the former Patents
herein.before named, or such like equivalent means; in the development of
which we have found it, under certain circumstances, advantageous to drill a
hole in the mass or divided part to be afterwards punched for the purpose of
giving a perfectly concentric lead and direction to the punch or drift;
observing that this operation of punching displaces the metal and drives it
radially from the centre into the surrounding mass, and to simplify our
description we will suppose that these operations have been directed to the
forming of hollow projectiles of great magnitude; we next submit the
partially formed projectile to the further operations of tilting, swaging, or
rolling, preferring the former as a preparatory operation for increasing the
internal capacity of the hollow chamber, as well as reducing the external cir-
cumference nearer to the finished size required, using a mandril for internal
support during these latter operations; notwithstanding grooved rolls may be
used conveniently for this purpose in connection with the mandril for support.
As it may be desirable that the front end of the projectile, exteriorly and
interiorly, be of a curved, oval, or spherical form in the lengthway section,
the same may be effected by placing the mass on a suitable base or bed
having a projection concentrically formed of the dimensions and shape we
desire the interior capacity of the projectile to assume; and in like manner
by means of a stamp or other hammer actuated in any desirable way (the
face of which being hollowed out to a corresponing shape so as to form the
matrix for imparting shape to the front end of the intended projectile) and
the same being put to work with the partially formed projectile in a heated
condition, the same will be reduced to the desired shape; or these operations
may be as effectually performed by reversing the position of the partially

page_text: formed projectile, with the consequent reversion of the appliances; or they
may be stamped in dies with the mass, and mandril inserted in a horizontal
position, the form to be imparted to the intended projectile in all cases being
partly sunk in the bed and partly in the face of the stamp hammer, without
reference to the manner in which the same may be actuated; the superfluous
metal being forced out between the meeting of the dies forming a fin, to be
afterwards removed in external finishing. The main body of a projectile thus
formed may be shaped or externally formed and finished by any convenient'
means, which forms no part of our Invention; and in like manner the mode
adopted for stopping up the rear end of the projectile for securing within it
any combustibles and missiles that may be placed in the chamber, may be
varied and effected in a variety of ways, as also the contrivance or means for
ignition.
Secondly, our Invention consists in imparting, when required, to such pro-
jectiles a series of oblique grooves or other equivalent means for imparting to
the projectile on leaving the ordnance from which it has been projected a
refluent motion as would be imparted to such projectiles if fired from a rifled
chamber. But as our Invention will be more clearly and definitely under-
stood by the aid of the Drawings and sections hereunto annexed, we will
now describe the same, reference being made to the figures and letters

page_text: marked B, and shown as resting on the projection C in the bottom die or
bed D, forced into the position shown by the operation of the top die E, which
may be formed with its concentric concaved hollow recess on the face of a
suitable stamp hammer, or in a die, as here shown, to be attached to a stamp
hammer for imparting a blow or succession of blows to force the metal into
the said cavities formed in both top and bottom dies, as here represented,
the superfluous metal being driven out between their faces, as represented at
a, a, to be removed in the process of finishing. In some cases there may be
a difficulty in removing the projectile so operated on from the lower die D,
and in order that this may be readily obviated we purpose forming a hole
through the bottom die, as represented in dotted lines, and inserting in the
same the projection C, as forming part of the stand or base, also represented
in dotted lines marked F, F, in contradistinction to forming part of the bottom
die marked D, as before referred to; so that when this operation of shaping is
completed the stand or bed marked F, F, with the projecting stud C has
only to be withdrawn and the top die E elevated from the work, when the
projectile thus operated on may be removed from the bed or bottom die D.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent in vertical section and bottom view a projectile with
the fin removed and ready for receiving the explosive charge, and means for
securing the same, which, as before stated, forms no part of our Invention.
In these views we have also represented the manner in which we purpose
imparting a refluent motion to the projectile when fired from a smooth-bored
gun, constituting the second part of our Invention, and this may be produced
by oblique spiral grooves, as indicated in dotted lines at c, c, Figure 5, or by
drilling a series of holes in an oblique direction, as represented in part
elevation in dotted lines at Figure 4, marked b, and in plan partly shown in
dotted lines at Figure 5, which being filled with fulminating or other
explosive compound, and iguited or exploded by the discharge of the gun, will
give the projectile a refluent motion, caused by the spiral or oblique direction
in which the small grooves or holes are formed in the same, which motion
will be continued in the projectile during its flight.
We have not thought it necessary to diversify or exhibit the various
external forms which may be given to such kind of projectiles to suit the
bores or rifling of the ordnance employed to project them, as our mode admits
of any desirable shape being imparted to them; nor have we represented an
orifice or drilled hole through the apex of the projectile to its inner chamber
to effect its explosion on striking the target or object at or against which
it may be projected, as these contrivances may be varied, and, as before stated,
forms no part of our Invention; which having now fully described, we wish

page_text: it understood that what we claim and wish to protect as new and of our
Invention is the manufacture of seamless wrought shells, as herein described
and set forth,
In witness whereof, we, the said William Deakin and John Bagnall
Johnson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth
day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and civte si
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
WILLIAM DEAKIN.
(L.S.)
JOHN BAGNALL JOHNSON. (L.S.)
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham,