Improvements in and relating to Projectiles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Projectiles.
I, PHILIP GRAY RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at No. 1443 Massachusetts Avenue, in the City of Washington, District of
Columbia and United States of America, Patent Agent, 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 :-
Figure 1 shows a view in side elevation of one form of my improved
projectile;
Figure 2, a view of the same in rear elevation ;
Figure 3, a view of a transverse section on line a, a, of Figure 1;
Figure 4 a perspective view of the form of projectile shown in Figure 1 ;
Figure 5, a view in side elevation of another form of my projectile ;
Figure 6 a view of the same in rear clevation;
Figure 7, a transverse section of the same on line y, y, of Figure 5;
Figure 8 a similar section of the same on line,, of Figure 5;
Figure 9, a view in side elevation, of another form of my projectile, provided
with curved surfaces for the gases to act upon;
Figure 10, a perspective view of the same;
Figure 11, a similar view of still another form of projectile, made in accordance
with my invention ;
Figure 12, a transverse section of the same on line ¹, ¹, of Figure 11;
Figure 13, a perspective view of still another form of my projectile :
Figure 14, a view of the same in rear elevation ;
Figure 15, a perspective view of still another modification of any projectile, and
Figure 16, a view of the same in rear elevation.
My invention consists in the projectile and the parts thereof constructed and
arranged as hereinafter specified.
The special purpose of my invention has been to make it possible to use elongated
projectiles in smooth bore, or unrifled guns without danger of tumbling and
consequent inaccuracy and irregularity in flight and shortness of range.
Where conical or elongated projectiles, as heretofore made, have been fired from
a smooth bore gun, or one without rifling, it has been found that they tumbled as
soon as they left the guiding bore of the gun.
Without rotation on their axes, such as would be given them by the grooves or
rifling of a rifled gun, they would not keep point on in their travel through
the air.
When it has been attempted to secure this desired rotation by providing the
projectile with spiral or inclined wings to be engaged by the air, just as are the
feathers of an arrow, the attempt has failed, where an explosive is used as the source
of propelling power, because, on account of the blast of gases travelling forward
beyond the muzzle of the gun with the projectile, the air does not begin to act
upon the vanes or wings, until the projectile has gone some distance and had
opportunity to tumble.-
In order to make certain that this tumbling shall not occur, it is necessary to
give the projectile its steadying rotation before it reaches and leaves the gun
muzzle.
Such rotation I secure by the action of the propelling gases themselves upon
portions of my projectile, while the latter is in and is travelling through the guiding
bore of the gun, and without the intervention or aid of inclined grooves or rifling
in the gun.

page_text: For this purpose I provide the projectile with inclined faces situated well forward
towards its front end, and adapted to be reached and engaged by the gases passing
forward along or around the sides of its rear portion or body, but so turned that the
air through which the projectile may pass in its flight cannot engage them, so as to
materially hinder or check the latter's rotation on its axis.
In the drawings my projectile is shown as having the forward enlarged
portion, A, and the rear reduced portion, B, forming the body or main part of the
projectile.
The rear part, a, of the head or front portion, A, is made of such diameter, as
to substantially fit the bore of the gun in which the projectile is to be used.
From such part, a, the head is tapered, so as to form a point of the usual well-
known construction.
While I have shown the point as of the Ogival form, do not limit myself to
such shape.
The portion, B, of the projectile extending rearward from the head, A, is
preferably but not necessarily cylindrical in general shape, the diameter of the
cylinder being a little less than that of the part, a, of the projectile head, so that,
while the projectile is in the bore of the gun, there will be an annular space around
the portion, B, between its sides and the walls of the gun bore.
This space enables portions of the propelling gases in the gun to travel forward
around and along the projectile sides to the enlarged head, A.
In the periphery of the latter I make forwardly extending passages, a', a', of any
.desired number, opening at their rear ends into the space around the reduced portion
or body, B, of the projectile.
In the form of projectile shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, there are four of these
grooves or passages, each extending from its rear end part way around the head, A,
at an angle to a plane through the projectile's axis.
The forward side of each passage is made abrupt while its rear side is rounded
or beveled off as shown, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.
With the portion, a, made, as indicated, of a diameter to fit the gun bore closely,
the parts of the passages, a¹, a', which run along such portion, will, obviously, be
closed on their outer sides by the walls of the bore, while the projectile is in the
gun barrel.
In order that the passages may then be open at their forward ends to permit the
flow of gases through them, I continue said passages through or somewhat beyond
the part, a, of the projectile head.
As shown, they run down along a part of the tapering point, so that there will
always be clear openings at their forward ends, even while the projectile is in the
barrel of the gun.
Of whatever shape the passages or the projectile head may be, the front passage
ends should be so constructed and situated, as to allow unimpeded flow of gases
through them, without obstruction by the walls of the gun bore which enclose the
projectile.
When the passages, running at an angle around the projectile head, as shown and
described, are made with beveled rear sides, the air through which the projectile
may pass cannot obtain such hold upon them, as to check any rotation which may
have been given to the projectile, before leaving the gun, by the action of portions
of the propelling gases along and through said passages.
With the part, a, made short, and the passages set at a greater angle than as
shown in Figure 1, the rear sides of the latter could be made abrupt like their
forward sides, without offering any material extent of inclined surface to be
engaged by the air in a way to retard the projectile's rotation or flight.
The rear side of the passages would, so far as the flow of air past and over the
projectile point is concerned, be substantially concealed and protected by the
forward passage sides.
At the extreme forward ends of the passages the forward sides could be carried
down the projectile point a short distance beyond the rear sides, so as to effectually

page_text: prevent the air engaging the latter there, during the travel and rotation of the
projectile.
The same object could be gained, if the forward ends of rear sides of the passages
were beveled or rounded off.
Both the described extending of the forward side of each inclined passage down
upon the taper or conical point beyond the rear side, and the beveling off of the
forward end of the latter side, not only secures the desired protection of such end
from the action of the air, as the projectile travels forward and rotates, but they
also leave a portion of the abrupt gas engaging side of each passage unbalanced or
unopposed by any corresponding portion of the rear side of the passage for the
gases to get a hold upon, while the projectile is within the gun bore.
This excess of the abrupt gas engaging surfaces on the forward sides of the
passages, a, a, exists in all the forms of projectile shown in the drawings, the
extending of the inclined passages down upon the taper or conical point beyond
the cylindrical bore fitting part, a, and the beveling off of the rear passage sides,
being well adapted to secure such excess. The advantage of such an arrangement
and construction will be understood from the description of the operation of my
invention to be given hereinafter.
In order to steady and guide the reduced rear part or body of the projectile,
while the latter is in and travelling along the barrel of a gun, I provide it with a
number of projections or lugs, b, b, which are adapted to engage the walls of the
gun bore, and between which are spaces, 6, 6', to allow the forward passage of the
propelling gases from behind the projectile to the annular space from which
the passages, a', a¹, open.
In the projectile shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, these guiding lags or
projections, b, are provided with inclined forwardly turned abrupt faces, 63, 63,
running in a direction opposite to that of the passages, a', a', so that the air through
which the projectile may pass will by engaging them, tend to rotate the projectile
in the same direction, as do the gases, when engaging and flowing through the
inclined passages.
The guide lugs, as so arranged, form, then, vanes or feathers, tending to cause
rotation or continuation of the rotation by the action of the air.
The sides of the lugs opposite to the inclined faces, 1, 2, are preferably beveled
or rounded off, as shown, so as not to present any abrupt surfaces to retard the
rotation of the projectile, and they are made to extend longitudinally along the
projectile body, in order that the gases passing forward along them may not tend to
rotate the projectile in the wrong direction.
In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, the projectile is shown as provided with two of the
inclined passages instead of four, and with two guiding and steadying portions at
its rear end.
In this form of projectile the gas engaged passages, a', a', are preferably made
larger than those shown in Figure 1, and their forward ends, being continued at a
considerable angle down upon the tapering part of the projectile head in front of
the bore fitting, a, have their rear sides well beveled off or cut away so as to leave a
most free and unimpeded outlet for the gases.
The bore engaging steadying and guiding lugs or pieces, b, are shown as cach
extending around a considerable portion of the projectile body with the abrupt air
engaging inclined face, 62, running at a sharp angle, and the longitudinally extending
side rounded off on an eccentric curve, so as to cause the least possible resistance to
the projectile's rotation.
=
The abrupt forward sides of the passages and the air engaging faces, ², are
shown as inclined in opposite directions at an angle of about 45° to a plane through
the projectile axis, but I desire it to be understood, that this angle of inclination
can be varied, and the passages and air engaging surfaces may be at angles differing
in degree, without departure from my invention.
While 1 have shown in the two forms of projectiles hereinbefore described the
portions of the passages, a¹, a¹, passing along part, a, of the projectile head with

page_text: their forward and rear sides substantially parallel and running in a substantially
straight line, I do not limit myself to such construction. The passages can be
varied in shape and in their course around the head, as desired.
They can be curved instead of straight and the curvature can be of any desired
kind.
As shown in Figures 9 and 10, starting from their rear ends, where they open into
the annular space behind head, A, they extend forward and to one side with an
increasing curvature, so that their forward ends stand at an abrupt angle to an axial
plane.
The rear portions of the passages may be made substantially longitudinal with
reference to the projectile body.
With the passages curved as described, the forward side of each of them will
present an inclined surface to be engaged by the gases, but one whose inclination to
a plane through the projectile's axis, increases towards its forward end, so that the
gases, as they travel forward meet and act upon successively more and more
abruptly inclined portions of the passage side.
This form of passage is very efficient in securing the desired rapid rotation of the
projectile, while in the gun.
Instead of forming the lugs or guiding and steadying projections, b, b, on the rear
portion of the body, B, with inclined surfaces to be engaged by the air, as in the
forms of projectile shown in Figures 1 to 10 inclusive, I contemplate making them
as shown in Figures 11, 13, 14, 15, and 16, with their opposite sides running
longitudinally, or substantially parallel with planes through the projectile's axis.
The front ends and the sides which are forward with reference to the rotation to
be given the projectile are, preferably, rounded, as shown, so as to catch the air as
little as possible in such way as to tend to retard the projectile's travel and
turning.
In the form of device appearing in Figure 11, both sides of the lugs are rounded,
but such arrangement is not necessary.
The gas engaging passages are shown as being four in number, and having their
rear sides beveled or cut away more than those of the passages in the projectiles
illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.
The lugs in the form of projectile shown in Figures 13 and 14 are of still another
form, being ratchet-shaped in cross section.
While in the various forms of my invention already described, the body, B, is
shown as substantially cylindrical to its rear end, I contemplate making it instead,
where desired, with its rear portion tapered or rounded, (see Figures 15 and 16,) to
allow free forward passage of the gases between the lugs, with as little as possible
of the tendency on the part of the gas pressure, to force the rear end of the
projectile to one side or the other.
With a conical surface, or one tapering down to a point presented to the action
of the gases, the latter will be divided and caused to flow equally through the
passages between the lugs, so that there will be equal pressure on opposite sides of
body, B.
It has been found, however, by actual practice, that the form of rear end of such
body, as shown in Figures 15 and 16 and just described, is not at all necessary in
order to make certain of the desired rotation of the projectile by the gases.
While in some of the figures I have shown the opposite sides of the passages, a¹, a',
as substantially parallel, I do not limit myself to such construction.
If desired, the passages may be made increasing in width towards their forward
ends without departure from my invention.
The object of such an arrangement, which is to secure the freest possible
clearance for the gases at the forward ends of the passages, can be attained also by
making the latter deeper, carrying them further down on the reduced point of
part, A, or increasing the bevel or inclination of the rear sides of the passages.
Instead of making the inclined passages in the shape of open grooves in the
periphery of part, a, of the projectile, I contemplate, where desired, giving them

page_text: the form of spiral or inclined closed sided or tubular gas conduits extending from..
the annular space around the reduced part, B, through part, a, to points where
their forward ends will be unclosed and unobstructed while the projectile is in the
bore of the gun.
While I have shown and described the projectile as provided with gas engaging.
inclines or inclined passages only at its forward end, I contemplate also making the
projecting portions or lugs, b, b, with abrupt rearwardly facing inclined surfaces, as
indicated by dotted lines in Figures 11 and 13.
I prefer, however, to make the projectiles without these latter inclines, in order
that the power acting to produce rotation may be applied only at a point well
forward on the projectile, as I have found that where the inclined gas engaging
faces are situated at or near the projectile's rear end, the pressure of the gases is.
apt to produce a jamming or forcing of such end to one side or the other against
the walls of the gun bore, which will interfere with, if it does not prevent, the
desired rotation.
In my projectile with its body to the rear of its head reduced in size, so as to
leave an annular space around it, the gases admitted freely to such space will tend
to prevent this jamming referred to above, but I find that the best results in
securing free and rapid rotation of the projectile, before it leaves the gun, can be
obtained with the inclined passages or surfaces situated well forward and in front
of the reduced portion of the body, as described hereinbefore and shown in the
several figures of the drawing.
The manner in which the several features of my improved projectile serve to.
ensure the desired result under the action of the propelling gases in a gun, is,
briefly, as follows:-
With the portion, a, fitting the gun bore and the projections or lugs, b, b,
engaging the latter, the projectile will rest with its axis normally in line with that
of the bore.
When the propelling explosive is fired, the gases therefrom act, as usual, to
propel the projectile forward, and also flow between the projections or lugs, b, b,
into the amular space around the projectile's body between the latter and the walls
of the bore.
Here, entirely surrounding and pressing equally upon all sides of the body, the
gases will act to centre the latter in the bore and prevent its rear end from being
forced to one side or the other, so as to jam it or the projections thereon against the
bore walls in such manner that the easy rotation of the projectile on its axis would
be interfered with or prevented.
From the annular space surrounding the body, B, the gases will be distributed
to and flow forward through the open-ended inclined passages in the enlarged bore
fitting part, a, of the projectile.
Passing along the inclined surfaces at the sides of said passages and issuing at
the forward ends of the latter which stand at an angle to axial planes through the
projectile, as shown in the drawings, the gases will by unbalanced pressures exerted
upon the abrupt forward sides of said passages act with great power to rotate the .
projectile rapidly upon its axis.
With the abrupt gas engaging inclined surface at the forward side of each
passage exceeding in extent the portion of the rear side upon which the gases can
get a good hold, while the projectile is in the gun bore, and the latter side beveled
or rounded off, as shown and described, the amount of unbalanced pressure acting
upon the several abrupt inclined surfaces to turn the projectile on its axis will,
obviously, be great and capable of exerting a very considerable projectile rotating
power.
The result is that the projectile, while in and guided by the bore of the gun, and
before it reaches and leaves the muzzle of the latter, will be given rotation
amply sufficient to ensure its steadiness of flight, and freedom from danger of
tumbling.
This necessary steadying rotation, it will be seen, is secured by the action of a

page_text: portion of the propelling gases on the projectile, and without the aid of any inclined
grooves or rifling on the gun barrel itself."
The gun used with my projectile can, then, be a smooth bore one, and will not
he subjected to the dangerous torsional and longitudinal strain necessarily existing,
where the usual rifling is depended upon to secure the required rotation.
The power necessary to start a heavy projectile from a state of rest into rapid
rotation within the very short space of time during which said projectile is passing
through the bore of a gun, must obviously be very great.
Where, then, as in the ordinary rifled guns, the rifling on the interior of the
barrel is relied upon to secure the starting and bringing of the projectile's revolu-
tion up to the speed required to ensure steadiness of flight, there is, necessarily, a
very dangerous amount of torsional and longitudinal strain upon the gun, the result
of which is, often, the bursting of the piece, and, in the case of built up guns,
the rupture of the inner tube, at least, by the combined twisting and longitudinal
pull upon the same.
This source of danger to the gun is removed entirely where my projectiles are
used, for the desired rotation of the latter is secured by the action of the same
gases which are used to propel them.
All that the gun has to do then, is to guide the projectile, and stand the simple
radial strain from the pressure of the confined gases, a strain which can be most
easily and simply provided for.
The inner tube of a made up gun for using my projectiles, need not, therefore, be
made so thick and heavy, as it must be, where the gun is a rifled one, like those
now made and used with elongated or conical projectiles.
The inclined faces, 62, 6, which I do not regard as necessary, but which can be
used if desired, will, after the projectile gets beyond the powder blast or current
of gases flowing forward beyond the muzzle of the gun, engage the air through
which the projectile passes and tend to assist in keeping up the rotation given
the latter by the gases, in the manner described, while it was in the gun bore."
My invention is applicable to shells or hollow projectiles, as well as to solid
armour piercing ones.
When it is applied to shells having an interior explosive carrying cavity, as
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5, I contemplate employing the usual screw
plug, with time or contact fuse, to close the rear end of the cavity, or making the
rear portion of the projectile carrying the radial projections or lugs separate from
the projectile body and adapted to be screwed upon, or into the end of the latter so
as to form a cavity closing cap or plug.
This idea of making the lug carrying part separate from the rest can, of
course, be made use of also in the manufacture of solid shot in accordance with
my invention.
My improved projectiles can be cast of any desired metal with the inclined
grooves or passages formed, as set forth hereinbefore, and shown in the drawing, or
they can be cast or turned without such grooves or passages, which can be after-
wards cut, or milled out in any desired way.
As they do not have to be adapted to take the grooves of any rifling, the usual
brass or soft metal gas rings, which have to be applied to the steel or other hard
metal projectiles now in use for rifled guns, can be dispensed with and the pro-
jectiles can be made entirely of hard metal, if desired.
If then a softer bearing surface to engage the walls of the gun bore is required,
for any reason, the periphery of the projectiles can be given a thin coating or
plating of soft metal by any of the well known methods of applying a softer to a
harder metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An elongated projectile for use in smooth bore guns, having its forward

page_text: portion provided with inclined passages through which the gases from the rear of
the projectile can pass, while the latter is in the bore of a gun, having rearwardly
facing abrupt sides extending down upon the taper part or point of the projectile,
substantially as and for the purpose shown.
2. An elongated projectile, for use in smooth bore guns, having its forward
portion provided with inclined passages through which the gases from the rear of
the projectile can pass, when the latter is in the bore of a gun, having abrupt
rearwardly facing forward sides, and the forward portions of their rear sides cut
away to allow flow of the gases over them, while the projectile is in the gun bore,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A projectile having its forward portion provided with inclined passages
through which the gases from the rear of the projectile can pass, while the latter
is in the enclosing bore of the gun, such passages having their forward and
rear sides, respectively, abrupt and beveled off, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
4. A projectile formed so as to leave an annular channel or space around its body
forward of the rear bore engaging end of the latter, into and from which gases
from the rear of the projectile can flow, when the latter is in the bore of a gun,
and having inclined surfaces to be engaged by the gases, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
5. A projectile having its forward part adapted to fit the bore of a gun, its body
reduced in size to leave an annular space around it forward of the rear bore
engaging end of the body, into which the gases from the rear of the projectile can
flow, when the latter is in the gun bore, and inclined passages leading from
such space through the bore fitting forward part, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
.
6. A projectile having at or near its forward end the portion adapted to fit the
bore of the gun in which the projectile is to be used, its body to the rear of such
portion formed so as to leave an annular space around between it and the walls of
the bore connected with the space at the rear of the projectile by suitable
passages through the bore engaging rear portion of the body, and inclined
passages in the periphery of the forward bore fitting part extending through
from the rear to the front end of such part, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
7. A projectile having the forward part adapted to fit the bore of the gun in
which the projectile is to be used, its body to the rear of such part formed so as to
leave an annular space around between it and the walls of the gun bore in com-
munication with the space at the rear of the projectile, and passages in the
periphery of the projectile extending from the rear end of the forward bore fitting
portion to and beyond the front end of the same, each having an abrupt rearwardly
turned face running forward at an angle to a plane through the axis of the pro-
jectile, substantially as and for the purpose shown.
8. A projectile having the forward cylindrical portion to fit the bore of the gun
in which it is to be used, a suitable tapering point, the body having an annular
channel in its periphery and one or more passages communicating with said chaunel
from the rear end of the projectile, and inclined passages extending forward from
the channel beyond the cylindrical bore fitting part, so that their forward ends
will be open and unobstructed, when the projectile is enclosed in the bore of a gun,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. A projectile having the forward bore fitting part provided with a suitable
point, the body to the rear of such part reduced in size and at or near its rear end
provided with bore engaging lugs or projections, between which the gases from the
rear of the projectile can, when the latter is in a gun bore, pass to the annular space
around the reduced part of the body, and inclined passages in the periphery of the
projectile extending from the rear end to and beyond the front end of the forward
bore fitting part, substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. A projectile having the forward bore fitting part provided with a suitable

page_text: point, the hody reduced in size, so as to form an annular channel around the same,
and provided at or near its rear end with the radial projections having inclined
forwardly turned abrupt faces, and inclined passages in the forward bore fitting
part communicating at their rear ends with the channel around the projectile body,
and at their forward ends opening at points in front of said part, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 24th day of November 1891
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.