IMPROVEMENTS IN BULLETS, SHELLS, AND OTHER PROJECTILES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to the Honourable William Edward Fitzmaurice, of
Hamilton Lodge, Kensington Gore, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BULLETS, SHELLS, AND OTHER PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 24th April 1855, and dated the 13th November 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Fitz-
maurice at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th November 1854.
I, the Honourable WILLIAM EDWARD FITZMAURICE, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BULLETS, SHELLS, AND OTHER
PROJECTILES" to be as follows:-
I construct bullets or shot for either ordnance or small arms, which receive a
rotatory or spiral motion from the action of the air upon the external form of
the same without requiring any grooving of the barrel to give them the spiral
motion. The bullet or shot may be flat or circular, or conical or tapering, or
hollow at the back end; it is made cylindrical at the sides, and runs taper to
the point, having two or more faces from the shoulder to the point set at an
angle to the direct line of flight, whereby the pressure of the atmosphere upon

page_text: these external inclined or winding faces causes the rotatory or spiral motion as
the bullet or shot passes through the air. In other words, it is screw-headed
and tapering to the point. I construct shells of a similar form with the fuse
in front, but with the apertures for the expulsion of the fuse fire running back.
I construct rockets in a similar manner, the head being made with winding or
screw faces, like the bullets, shot, and shells.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Fitzmaurice in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, the
Honourable WILLIAM EDWARD FITZMAURICE, of Hamilton Lodge, Kensington
Gore, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Fitzmaurice, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Fitzmaurice, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Fitzmaurice, 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 BULLETS, SHELLS, AND OTHER PROJECTILES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Fitzmaurice, by
an instrument in writing under my 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 I, the said William Edward Fitzmaurice, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accom-

page_text: panying Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
I construct bullets or shot for either ordnance or small arms, which receive
a rotatory or spirál motion from the action of the air upon the external form
of the same without requiring any grooving of the barrel to give them the
spiral motion. The bullet or shot may be flat or circular, or conical or
tapering, or hollow at the back end; it is made cylindrical at the sides, and
runs taper to the point, having two or more faces from the shoulder to the
point set at an angle to the direct line of flight, whereby the pressure of the
atmosphere upon these external inclined or winding faces causes the rotatory
or spiral motion as the bullet or shot passes through the air. In other words,
it is screw-headed and tapering to the point. I construct shells of a similar
form with the fuse in front, but with the apertures for the expulsion of the fuse
fire running back. I construct rockets in a similar manner, the head being
made with winding or screw faces, like the bullets, shot, and shells.
Figure 1 is a side view of one of my improved shot with three faces, two of
which are shewn in the Figure; Figure 5 is a front view of a similar shot.
The body of the shot A, A, is cylindrical; the back is hemispherical; but it
may be made flat, or conical, or hollow. The front of the shot has three faces,
which taper to a point, and are slightly twisted in a spiral direction, so that the
shot is screw-headed. These faces are either flat or convex throughout, or
they are convex at the shoulder, where they meet the cylindrical body of the
shot, and flat as they approach the point. The dotted lines in Figure 5
represent a series of transverse sections of the shot, showing the gradual
twist or inclination of the faces. The twist or inclination of all the faces must
be the same, and it may be in either direction, so as to form a right-handed or
a left-handed screw. When the shot is discharged from a gun, the action of the
atmosphere on these spiral faces on the front of the shot causes it to revolve
upon its axis, like a rifle bullet. The shot is thus caused to maintain its proper
direction with the point forwards. These shot can consequently be thrown
with greater precision and to a greater distance than the ordinary spherical
shot, and their form also enables them to penetrate to a greater distance into
any object which is struck by them. By making the body of the shot smooth
and cylindrical, I avoid the windage or loss of the force of the powder, which
would ensue if the body were grooved; and I find that the spiral or inclined
faces on the pointed front of the shot are quite sufficient to communicate the
required rotation, and do not present the injurious resistance to the air which
is occasioned by projecting vanes, attached to or cast upon the shot. The

page_text: cylindrical part of the shot may be lapped round with hemp, leather, felt,
worsted, or other elastic substance to make it fit closely in the gun, which
effectually prevents windage.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a shell constructed according to my
Invention. The external form is the same as that of the shot shewn in
Figures 1 and 5. A, A, is the solid head of the shell; B is the cavity which
contains the charge or powder. The point or cap C is made of a separate
piece of metal, and the fuse D is screwed into it. G, G, G, are three
apertures, inclined backwards a little, and communicating with the fuse
composition E, which communicates the fire through the passage F to the
charge in B; or any of the other known methods of discharging shells may
be employed in lieu of the fuse represented in the Drawing. K is an aperture
which may be left for supporting the core in casting the shell, and which
is afterwards plugged up. This aperture is more particularly required in
casting hollow shot, in which case the fuse hole F is omitted, and the whole
of the front part of the shot is made solid. In casting shells, the core
may be supported through the fuse hole F, and the aperture K is not then
required.
Figure 3 is a side view, partly in section, and Figure 4 is a front view, of a
bullet for a musket or carbine, which is hollow or concave at the base, but is
similar on the exterior to the shot and shells herein-before described.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a hollow shot, having an open cavity at
the base from A to A. In all other respects it is similar to that shewn in
Figures 1 and 5.
The form of the base or back of the projectile admits of variation, as already
mentioned. The number of the spiral faces on the front of the shot or shells
may also be varied.
I construct rockets in a similar manner, the body being cylindrical, and
the head being made with spiral or screw faces, like the bullets, shot, and
shells. The shot and shells and the rocket heads may be made of cast iron,
and the bullets may be made of lead, and their forms are such that they
deliver from the moulds without difficulty. I do not, however, confine myself
to the use of the aforesaid materials, as others may be employed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
generally the constructing projectiles so as to receive a rotary motion from the
action of the atmosphere; but what I claim is,-
The constructing bullets, shells, and other projectiles with a cylindrical body

page_text: and a pointed or tapering front end, formed with convex or partially convex or
flat faces, inclined in a spiral direction at a slight angle to the axis of the
projectile, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Fitzmaurice, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
CHARLES COWPER,
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
W. E. FITZMAURICE. (L.S.)