Improvements in Packing Cases for Ammunition.
Year: 1894

page_text: .Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Packing Cases for Ammunition.
I, JOHN THOMAS COFFIN, of 32 Victoria Street, Westminster, Clerk, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to packing cases for ammunition and is chiefly intended to
provide an improved box or case for receiving complete loaded ammunition, or
parts of loaded ammunition, such as loaded and capped cartridge cases, or loaded
and fuzed shells and the like.
The chief feature of my invention is the provision at each end of the box of
suitable devices for absorbing shocks in combination with means for protecting the
cap or fuze. By this means I am enabled to transport made up or loaded
ammunition without risk of explosion due to shocks.
According to my invention I provide in the packing case at each end thereof a
suitable soft material such as felt wadding, corrugated paper, fibre, or the like or
combinations of these materials arranged in sheets, or in strips, or discs or other-
wise, and between said soft compressible materials and the ends of the cartridges I
provide a sheet of wood or the like furnished with grooves so arranged that the
caps of the cartridges when the latter are inserted in the case are opposite said
grooves or channels and are thereby secure from pressure or blows such as might
explode the cartridge. prefer to pack the cartridges in straw, corrugated paper
or other wrapping to prevent abrasion, indentation or scratching of the cases by
rubbing or knocking of one against the other, and I also prefer to pack them so
that each one points in the opposite direction to its immediate neighbours. The
grooves in the end piece or fitting before mentioned serve also to receive the points
of the alternate cartridges. I sometimes dispense with the grooved end packing
pieces or fittings above described and use instead thereof a series of strips of felt
wadding or the like which strips are preferably secured in place by glue or
otherwise so as not to shift their position. The channels between said strips serve
the same purpose as the grooves above described.
My improved packing case can be easily used for case shot and other forms of
ammunition. The case or box may be made of any suitable material but it is
preferably made of deal lined with tin and nailed with zinc or copper nails.
In a modification of my invention the ammunition is packed point downward in
the box and the necks of the cartridges are separated by perforated wooden or
other division strips which strips may be furnished with tin rims soldered or other-
wise secured to the case to keep the same in position. In this construction of box
the cartridges are sometimes arranged to lie horizontally. The larger sizes of
ammunition may be separated by wooden fittings instead of by paper straw or other
envelopes as above described.
Dated this 17th day of August 18041
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45.Southampton Buildings, Loudon, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JOHN THOMAS COFFIN. of 32 Victoria Street, Westminster, Clerk, 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 :-
This invention relates to packing boxes or cases for ammunition and is chiefly
intended to provide an improved box or case for receiving complete loaded
ammunition, or parts of loaded ammunition such as loaded and capped cartridge
cases, or loaded and fuzed shells and the like.
The chief feature of my said invention is the provision at each end of the box of
suitable devices for absorbing shocks in combination with means for protecting the
cap or fuze, whereby it is possible to transport made-up or loaded ammunition
without fear of causing explosion of the same by the shocks to which the cases are
liable to be subjected.
According to my invention 1 provide in each end of the packing case a layer
or layers of a suitable soft or easily compressible material such as felt, wadding,
corrugated paper, fibre, or the like or combinations of these materials arranged in
sheets, or in strips, or discs or otherwise, and between said soft compressible
materials and the ends of the loaded ammunition, cartridges for example, I provide
a sheet of wood or the like formed with grooves or channels so arranged that when
the cartridges are inserted in the case the caps thereof are opposite said grooves
and are thereby relieved from pressure and protected from blows such as might
cause explosion. I prefer to pack the cartridges in straw, corrugated paper or
other wrapping to prevent abrasion, indentation or scratching of their cases by the
rubbing or knocking of one against the other, and I also prefer to pack them so
that each one points in the opposite direction to its immediate neighbours. The
grooves in the end packing pieces or fittings before mentioned serve also to receive
the points or ends of the shells, shot or bullets of the alternate cartridges.
I sometimes dispense with the grooved end packing pieces or fittings above
described and use instead a series of strips of felt wadding or the like which strips
are preferably secured in place by glue or otherwise. The channels between said
strips serve the same purpose as the grooves above described.
My improved packing case or box is also adapted for receiving case shot and
other forms of ammunition as will be hereinafter described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan with the lid removed of one form of my improved packing case
and showing the upper row of cartridges packed horizontally therein.
Figure 2 is a section of the same on the line a, a Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are plans of portions of packing cases illustrating a modifica-
tion of my invention, Figure 3 showing the box packed with complete rounds of
loaded case shot, Figure 4 a case packed with cartridges loaded and plugged and
cap primed, and Figure 5 a case packed with shrapnel shell loaded but without
fuze.
Figures 6 and 7 are plans of packing cases similar to Figure 1 but filled
respectively with loaded common shell and loaded steel shell with primed fuze.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 are vertical sections of portions of packing cases, showing
cartridges packed therein.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.
A is the box or packing case made of any suitable material but preferably of

page_text: deal lined with sheet tin and nailed with zinc or copper nails. Referring now to
Figures 1 and 2, B, B are wooden sheets or boards having a number of parallel
grooves b, b formed therein. The said grooves extend from the top to the bottom
of the boards or fittings and are so spaced that alternate grooves receive the
points of the bullets of alternate cartridges C while the intermediate_grooves
are opposite the caps of the intermediate cartridges as clearly shown in Figure 1,
the cartridges being so placed in the box that they point alternately in opposite
directions. Between the boards or fittings B and the ends of the box A are placed
a number of strips of felt D, or layers of corrugated paper E or other soft packing
material adapted to take up the shocks received by the box in transport. The
packing material may if desired be permanently secured to the wooden sheets or
boards or to the box linings to prevent the displacement thereof. Each cartridge
is shown provided with the ordinary safety clip F to protect the cap, but this clip
may be dispensed with. The cartridges are preferably packed in the usual straw
envelopes or other covering before being placed in the box.
Figure 3 shows a modification where the grooved boards B of Figure 1 are
dispensed with. The spaces between the felt strips D serve the same purpose as
the grooves in the boards B of Figure 1 viz. to receive the points of the case shot
or bullets and to protect the caps from pressure. Figures 4 and 5 show a similar
construction of box and fittings as those used for receiving cartridges loaded and
plugged and cap primed, and loaded shrapnel shell without fuze and plugged.
Figures 6 and 7 show the same construction of box and fittings as those shown
in Figure 1.
In Figure 6 I have shown the box packed with loaded common shell
and primed fuze, and in Figure 7 with loaded steel shell and primed fuze.
In the box shown in Figure 8 the cartridges are packed to stand on their ends.
The wood fittings B, B are prepared with alternately large and small circular
recesses b, b arranged to receive the bases of the cartridges and the points of the
bullets. Further recesses are formed in the centre of the large recesses b to
ensure that no pressure shall be brought to bear on the caps of the cartridges or on
the centre of the safety clips while in the box.
Corrugated paper or other packing material E is introduced between the fittings B
and the top and bottom walls of the box.
In Figure 9 I have shown a modification wherein all the cartridges are packed
point downwards in the box. G is a wood fitting fixed to the sides of the box or
resting on a rim soldered to the lining of the box at some distance from the bottom.
One mode of securing the fitting G in place is by means of sheet tin rims fixed
around the fitting and secured by soldering to the sides of the box. The fitting
may rest on the rim and be soldered at either end or all round to the tin lining of
the box. The said fitting is perforated at suitable intervals to allow the cartridge
bullets to pass through it. The end fittings B, B are recessed to receive the ends
of the bullets and bases of the cartridges.
Figure 10 shows a more expensive box having three fixed perforated fittings G,
through which the cartridges pass, besides the end fittings B, B supported by the
soft packing material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A packing case or box furnished with grooved fittings at the ends, and with
felt, corrugated paper or other soft material between said grooved fittings and the
walls of the box, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
2. The modified form of box wherein I dispense with the grooved fittings and
use suitably spaced felt or like strips substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
3. The combination, with a box such as that described in Claim 1, of fixed or
movable perforated wood fittings through which the ammunition is passed,
substantially as described.

page_text: 4. An ammunition box or packing case constructed substantially as described
with reference to any one of the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of May 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.