IMPROVE- MENTS IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROJECTILES."-A communication from abroad by Eugène
Pertuiset, Auguste Mundel,and Jean Etienne Armide de Fléron, all of
Paris, in the Empire of France.
Scaled the 17th March 1868, and dated the 9th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th October 1867.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," a communication to me from abroad by
Eugène Pertuiset, Auguste Mundel, and Jean Etieune Armide de Fléron, all
of Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of shellsand other self-exploding
projectiles, and consists essentially in so constructing such projectiles that the
necessity for caps or priming is obviated, and consequently greater simplicity
and economy of construction are obtained.
In applying these improvements to the construction of fuses for shells a
brass or copper tube or tubular chamber is screwed into the shell, the inner
end of such tube being closed only by a perforated disc whilst its outer end is
Price 8d.1

page_text: closed by a screwed plug; this tube is filled with any detonating powder
which will be exploded by the heat generated by the shock of concussion of
the projectile against a hard or a soft substance or surface. The powder
which has been found to answer best in carrying out this Invention is com-
posed of two parts by weight of clorate of potass, one part of sulphur, one-
eighth part of sporting powder, and one-fiftieth part of animal charcoal, which
ingredients should be intimately mixed together and then introduced into the
fuse or into the hollow or body of the projectile, in which latter case no special
fuse will be required. In order to prevent the escape of the detonating
powder through the perforations in the disc inside the inner end of the tube a
piece of very thin paper or fabric should be cemented over the holes. It is
preferred, moreover, in order to prevent absolute contact between the closing
plug and the detonating powder to apply a layer of wax or other similar
plastic material over the surface of the powder before screwing in the plug.
If a slow powder is required the proportion of sporting powder herein-before
given may be increased slightly, but if a quick burning powder is preferred then
the said proportion should be reduced. Shells, heavy shot, and cam rifle and
smooth bore bullets may be readily made self-exploding by simply filling them
with the powder above referred to and closing the chamber again either by a
screwed plug, or in the case of small shots such as bullets, by simply pressing,
squeezing, or folding down the front tapered end of the bullet on to the
powder after it has been introduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters l'ateut, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the 31st year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: 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 PROJECTILES," a communication to me from abroad by
Eugene Pertuiset, Auguste Mundel, and Jean Etienne de Fléron, all of
Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under hand and seal, 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 1, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of shells and other self-
exploding projectiles, and consists essentially in so constructing such pro-
jectiles that the necessity for caps or priming is obviated, and consequently
greater simplicity and economy of construction are obtained.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in section and plan the tube of a percussion
fuse which is screwed into the projectile in the ordinary manner. It consists
of a brass or copper tube or tubular chamber C screwed into the shell, the
inner end of such tube being closed only by a perforated copper or other
disc a, shown in detail at Figure 3, resting upon the internal edge or flanged,
whilst its outer end is closed by a screwed plug or cover E, provided with a
slit or transverse notch b. This tube is filled with any detonating powder which
will explode by the heat generated by the shock of concussion of the projectile
against a hard or a soft substance or surface. The powder which has been
found to answer best in carrying out this Invention is composed of two parts
by weight of chlorate of potass, one part of sulphur, one-eighth part of sporting
powder, and one-fiftieth part of animal charcoal, which ingredients should be
intimately mixed together and then introduced into the fuse tube or into the

page_text: hollow or body of the projectile, in which latter case no special fuse will be
required. In order to prevent the escape of the detonating powder through
the perforations in the disc a inside the inner end of the tube C, a piece of
very thin paper or fabric should be cemented over the holes. It is preferred,
moreover, in order to prevent absolute contact between the closing plug E
and the detonating powder to apply a layer of wax or other similar material
over the surface of the powder before screwing in the plug ; but although I
prefer to employ such a layer it is by no means absolutely necessary.
The
proportions of the ingredients employed in making the detonating powder
above set forth may be varied according to the nature of the powder required;
thus if a slow powder is required, the proportion of sporting po wder herein-
before given may be increased slightly, but if a quick burning powder is
preferred then the said proportion should be reduced. Shells, heavy shot,
and even rifle and smooth bore bullets may be readily made self-exploding by
simply filling them with the powder above referred to and closing the
chamber again either by a screwed plug, or in the case of small shots, such
as bullets, by simply pressing, squeezing, or folding down the front tapered
end of the bullet on to the pow der after it has been introduced.
Figures 4, 4º, and 5 represent in elevation, plan, and section a bullet of
some hard metal or alloy, such as lead and antimony, the body g having
screwed therein a steel or other plug h, which is removed after inserting the
bullet. If lead be the metal employed the extremity of the bullet is reduced,
as shown in Figures 6 and 7 in elevation and section, and the upper part is
closed by imparting a conical form thereto, as shown also in Figure 8. This
Invention is indeed applicable to all forms and descriptions of bullets.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate in section and plan a hollow projectile made
without a fuse, the plug closing it hermetically. The fulminating or
detonating powder may be used either in a pulverised or in a granulated
state, and in preparing or mixing the same care must be taken to first
prepare two separate mixtures, the one consisting of the chlorate of potass
and the animal charcoal and the other consisting of the sulphur and the
sporting powder. By this system the two mixtures will be found to be
covered after a little working with a species of protective varnish, whereupon
the two mixtures should be combined together and the whole well mixed or
stirred but without actual rubbing or abrasion as that would endanger the
explosion of the composition.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the saine is or may be used or carried
into effect, I woult observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and

page_text: original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction of exploding projectiles wherein the fulminating
powder which is contained within a suitable fuse tube screwed into the
projectile or is enclosed in the hollow or body of the projectile itself is
exploded without the aid of a cap by the heat generated by the concussion of
the projectile.
Second. The peculiar construction of projectiles and fuses intended to be
exploded without the use of caps, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnsou, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)