IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES WITH SPECIAL WADS, APPLICABLE TO ALL CLASSES OF FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Browne at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
May 1873. A communication from abroad by Pierre Dousset, of
Paris, in the French Republic.
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent
Agents, of 85, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES
WITH SPECIAL WADS, APPLICABLE TO ALL CLASSES OF FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE,”
a communication from abroad by Pierre Dousset, of Paris, in the French
Republic, to be as follows:-
First. To the manufacture of a new cartridge with a special wad which
advantageously replaces the cartridges used in the chassepot, and other
breach-loading fire-arms, muzzle loaders, pistols, and revolvers.
Second. To the manufacture of a new cartridge suitable for all kinds
of ordnance. By the use of these improved cartridges the range of the

page_text: projectiles will be considerably increased. The improved cartridge is
made with an outside cylindrical wrapper or case of paper or other sub-
stance commonly used for that purpose. This case which is closed at
one end contains first, the powder, second, a cylindrical wad made of
paper or other suitable substance having conical cavities on each of its
faces. The first conical cavity contains the percussion cap or fulminate
and a certain portion of gunpowder. The second conical cavity con-
stitutes a chamber in which rests the bottom of the projectile keeping it
at the same time in its place. The wad can be made with only one
cavity in which is placed the fulminate or percussion cap, the other side
being flat so that the projectile or projectiles rest on a plane surface.
The needle enters through the bottom of the cartridge, passes through
the powder, and striking the fulminate placed in the cavity in front of
the powder ignites it, and thus explodes the powder, the powder being
ignited burns in front of the space which contains it and not at the back
as is usually the case, so that the combustion takes place backwards
instead of forwards. The effect of this is that all the powder is gradually
burnt and none of the explosive gases are lost, their whole strength acts
on the projectile, the force of the explosion expands the conical cavity of
the wad and thus forms a tight joint in the bore of the rifle or gun, pre-
venting all escape of gas in front of the projectile, the projectile being
carried out of the gun or rifle without loss of the gases and with great
regularity, the shooting is very much improved. The wads may be made
of paper, card board, felt stuff, caoutchouc, gutta percha, brass, or other
suitable substance.
The accompanying Drawing shows two cartridges of the improved
construction. In these Figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge which contains a wad
with two conical cavities.
Figure 2 is also a longitudinal section of a cartridge which contains a
wad with only one conical cavity; a is the cartridge case formed as a
cylinder; b, base of the cartridge; c, powder; d, wad with two cavities e
and, as at Figure 1; or one cavity e, as at Figure 2; in the cavity
marked e is placed part of the powder, and also the percussion cap or
fulminate g which occupies the bottom of the said cavity. At Figure 1
h is the projectile, the base of which rests and is partially held in the

page_text: cavity of the wad. At Figure 2 i is the charge of shot resting on the
wad d. A needle is intended to enter through the base 6 which passes
through the charge c, strikes and explodes the fulminate g at the bottom
of the cavity e of the wad d, thereby causing the powder to burn back-
wards and towards the base b.