Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th July, 1888
I, MANASSAH GLEDHILL, Director of Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co., Limited, of
Openshaw, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In armour-piercing and other projectiles as ordinarily constructed, the penetrating
end or head, whether ogival, hemi-spherical or flat, has heretofore been-made solid
with, or securely attached to the body of the projectile. The solid projectiles or shot,
which are used solely for their penetrative or concussive effect, are, as their name implies,
solid throughout their entire mass, while the explosive projectiles or shells, though
necessarily chambered to receive the bursting charge, are so constructed that until
their explosion or impact they are closed at both ends.
It is well known that such projectiles cannot be fired with any practical effect
through a body of water, therefore, in a naval engagement, the hull of a ship' below
the water-line is inaccessible to the enemy's shot or shell except as it may be exposed
by the rolling or pitching of the vessel. Moreover, unless the angle of the axis of the
projectile with the surface of the side, deck or other part of a ship, at the moment of
its impact therewith, is great, it will not penetrate but will glance off from such
surface.
By my invention, however, I am enabled to provide projectiles which will be free
from these disadvantages, that is to say, I can construct shot or shell which, while in
all ordinary respects fully as effective as other projectiles, will have the special.
advantages of efficiency when fired through water and of diminished liability to oblique
divergence from any surface which they strike.
According to my said invention, instead of making projectiles as heretofore, viz. :-
in the form of a solid cylinder with a conical, round or flat head, or a hollow or
chambered cylinder solidly closed at both ends, I make a hollow or tubular projectile
open at both ends, so that, when fired, either through air or water, the only surface
area which it presents to the resisting medium is that of the annular transverse section
of the metal of the projectile.

page_text: The said projectile is in fact a hollow cylinder or tube of steel or other suitable
metal its penetrating end or head has an annular surface of impact; this surface
may be at right angles to that of the cylindrical body, but I prefer that the end surface
should be bevelled either internally or externally, or both internally and externally to
give it a rather sharp edge, so that, in striking an armour-plate or other object in a
direction normal, or nearly so, to the surface thereof, the action of the projectile will
be somewhat like that of a hollow punch, and, except when the angle of the axis of
the projectile with such surface is very acute, the glancing of the shot from the said
surface will be almost impossible.
I usually provide the rear end of my tubular projectile with a plug, disc or block
which covers or closes the aperture and forms a surface on which the pressure of the
gas generated by the explosion of the powder will be exerted. The said disc or cover
is so applied to the base of the projectile as to drop therefrom by the action of
gravity when the projectile leaves the gun, or to be displaced as soon as the said disc
encounters the resistance of the air or water, which, having a clear passage through
the projectile, at once acts to separate the temporary base from the body of the.
projectile.
In some instances, however, the base or rear end of my projectile is left uncovered
when the said projectile is put into the gun to be fired.
As these projectiles can be fired with great effect through a body of water, they
afford the means, in attacking an iron-clad vessel, for aiming with equal, or nearly
equal advantage below or above the water-line. In most, if not in all cases, simple
penetration below the water-line will ensure the sinking of the ship; it follows,
therefore, that projectiles constructed according to my invention and without any
explosivo charge can be used to a considerable extent in place of armour-piercing
shells or explosive projectiles:
I wish it understood, however, that my invention is applicable for the construction
of explosive projectiles. In this case, I place within the cylinder or tube forming the
body of the shell, an inner tube or case containing the explosive charge and fuse, and
provide the same with a temporary base as above described. Or I can otherwise
construct the body of the shell to carry the explosive charge.
My improved projectiles may be made for guns or fire-arms of large or small calibre,
that is to say, for cannon or ordnance and also for machine-guns, military rifles and
other fire-arms.
By reason of the tubular formation of my projectiles, they can be manufactured at
a very low cost, and can be very efficiently hardened or tempered. Moreover the
velocity of the said projectiles after they leave the muzzle of the gun, will be greatly
increased as compared with that of solid projectiles, by reason of the diminished
surface area which they present to the resisting medium.
My projectiles are, in some instances, made with their inner surfaces corrugated or
otherwise so formed as to increase the surface area to be acted upon by the gases.
generated by the explosion in the barrel of a gun.
Dated this and
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Fire-arms.
I, MANASSAH GLEDHILL, Director of Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co., Limited, of
Openshaw, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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 :-
Armour-piercing and other projectiles as ordinarily heretofore constructed, have a
penetrating end or head, ogival, hemispherical or flat, made solid with, or securely
attached to the body of the projectile. Solid projectiles or shot, which are used solely
for their penetrative or concussive effect, are, as their name implies, solid throughout
their entire mass, and explosive projectiles or shells, though necessarily chambered to
receive the bursting charge, have been so constructed that, until their explosion or
impact, they are closed at both ends.
Such projectiles cannot be fired with any practical or useful effect through a body
of water, therefore in a naval engagement, the hull of a ship below the water-line is
inaccessible to the enemy's shot or shell, except as it may be exposed by the rolling
or pitching of the vessel. Moreover unless the axis of the projectile, at the moment
of its impact with the surface of the side, deck or other part of a ship, is normal or
nearly normal thereto, it will be liable to glance from, instead of penetrating such
surface.
By my invention, however, I am enabled to provide projectiles which will be free
from these disadvantages, that is to say, I can construct shot or shell, which, while in
all ordinary respects fully as effective as other projectiles, will have the special
advantages of efficiency when fired through water and of diminished liability to
glance from any surface which they strike.
According to my said invention, instead of making projectiles as heretofore,
viz. in the form of a cylinder with an ogival, conical, round or flat head, either
solid throughout or hollow or chambered and closed at both ends, 1 make a projectile
which is hollow or tubular and is open at both ends, that is to say, it is an open tube
so formed that, in its flight, the only surface area which it presents directly or
normally, or approximately so, to the resisting medium, is an annulus or ring equal
to the transverse section of the metal forming the tube, or to the end surface of
the tube.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of one form of my improved projectile.
Figure 2 is a front or inner end view of a plug or cover for insertion in the base of
the uroientile no harainafter described

page_text: Figure 3 is a longitudinal central section of another form of my improved
projectile.
The projectile a is formed of steel or other suitable metal. Its forward or
penetrating end a¹ has an annular edge or surface of impact, which may be formed
at right angles, or more or less oblique to the longitudinal axis of the projectile.
I prefer, however, that the said end should be bevelled or curved either internally as
shown in Figure 3, or externally, or both internally and externally as shown in
Figure 1. This bevelled or curved formation gives it such an edge that, in striking
an armour-plate or other object in a direction normal, or nearly so to the surface
thereof, the action of the projectile will be somewhat like that of a hollow punch,
and, except when its axis at the moment of impact makes a very acute angle with
such surface, it will not glance therefrom. The penetrating edge being annular is
equally effective all around the same. If properly formed and tempered, the
penetrative effect of this projectile will be very great; it will in some instances take
out of the plate which it strikes a core or mass of metal equal in diameter to its
bore.
I usually provide the rear end of my tubular projectile with a plug, dise or block b
which covers or closes the aperture and increases the surface on which the pressure
generated by the explosion of the powder in the gun will be exerted. The said plug
or cover is provided with a shallow screw-thread of rapid pitch and fitted into the end
of the projectile which is correspondingly screw-threaded; or the said plug or cover
is otherwise so applied to the end of the projectile that it will either drop therefrom
by the action of gravity when the projectile leaves the gun, or will be displaced by the
resistance of the air or water, which, having a clear passage through the projectile,
quickly separates the temporary cover from the same.
In some instances, however, the projectile is left open or uncovered at its rear end
when put into the gun to be fired.
As these projectiles can be fired with great effect through a body of water, they
afford the means, in attacking an iron-clad vessel, for aiming with equal, or nearly
equal advantage below and above the water-line. In most, if not in all cases, simple-
penetration below the water-line will ensure the sinking of the ship; it follows
therefore that projectiles constructed according to my invention and without any
explosive charge can be used to a considerable extent in place of armour-piercing
shells or explosive projectiles as heretofore constructed.
I wish it understood, however, that my invention is also applicable for the construc-
tion of explosive projectiles. For this purpose I place within the open cylinder or
tube an inner tube or case containing the explosive charge and fuse, and I provide
the same with a temporary base as above described. Or I can otherwise provide the
tube with means for carrying the explosive charge.
My improved projectiles may be made for guns or fire-arms of large or small
calibre, that is to say, for cannon or ordnance and also for machine guns, military
rifles or the like.
My improved projectiles can be very expeditiously and cheaply manufactured, as
their tubular formation affords great advantages in respect of forging and hardening
or tempering them. Moreover I obtain the further advantage that, in using the said
projectiles, their velocity after leaving the gun will, by reason of the small transverse
surface area which they present to the resisting medium, be greater for a given quality
and charge of powder than that of ordinary projectiles.
My projectiles are made internally either cylindrical or taper. In some instances
their inner surface is corrugated or otherwise so formed as to increase the surface area
to be acted upon by the gases generated by the explosion in the gun.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I do not limit myself to any particular manner of constructing my improved
projectiles otherwise than as specified, that is to say, I forge, 'cast or otherwise
manufacture the tubes of steel or other suitable metal of any required length, diameter

page_text: and thickness, and I turn or otherwise finish their ends and other portions and provide
them with bands or rings of copper or other metal in any required or approved
manner, and in adapting my invention to the construction of explosive shells I provide
the same with the bursting charge, the fuse and other necessary appliances in any
efficient and convenient manner that will not interfere with the existence of a clear
central opening or space throughout the entire length of the tube, and I claim :-
--
First. A projectile consisting of an open tube with one end bevelled or otherwise
properly formed for penetrative effect, and with or without a plug or cover at its
other end, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second. A tubular projectile such as I have hereinabove described, provided with
an explosive or bursting charge.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.