IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR SMALL ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Simon, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES
FOR SMALL ARMS AND ORDNANCE" A communication from abroad by
Frederick Vetterli, of No. 7, Rue de l'Arcade, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1881.
GE
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR SMALL ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
A communication from abroad by Frederick Vetterli, of No. 7, Rue de l'Arcado,
Paris, France.
According to the present Invention projectiles for small arms and ordnance are
provided with a coating of nickel, by which means they are protected from oxida-
tion, and consequently from deterioration of their correct form and weight; also on
account of the great smoothness imparted to its surface the projectilo receives a
higher initial velocity on firing, as the nickel coating prevents the lead or copper
from coming in contact with the bore of the gun, and thus the farther advantage
arises that the leading of the barrel which so detrimentally affects the precision of
firing is prevented; furthermore, by the diminution of the friction the heating of
the barrel takes place much less rapidly, causing less vibration and consequently
also increased accuracy of fire. The nickel coating also obviates the uso of a paper
covering to the projectile, and the disadvantages arising therefrom. Lastly, the
enlargement of the bore is prevented, the nickel coating being very thin and
consequently readily taking the grooves of the rifling.
Although specially applicable to projectiles for small arms, this Invention may
also be applied with great advantage to projectiles for ordnance having a coating
of lead, copper, or other oxidisable metal, as also to the fuzes of explosive
projectiles.
According to another improvement the projectiles for small arms, more par-
ticularly those coated with nickel, as above described, and intended for repeating
rifles, are provided with a slightly projecting ring or collar at that point of their

page_text: length at which the cartridge case terminates, the diameter of such ring being
slightly in excess of the bore of the rifle. By this construction, as the end of the
casing abuts against the said collar, the shocks to which the cartridges inside the
magazine of the rifle are subjected by the recoil on firing are prevented from
causing the projectile to be forced backwards into the casing, as is frequently
the case, whereby the exact configuration of the cartridge is prejudicially affected.
Beyond the said collar the projectile is formed with a cylindrical part, terminating
in a head of ogival form. The cylindrical part in the rear of the collar has, firstly,
a circular groove immediately behind the collar into which the edge of the casing
is turned; and, secondly, a groove near the base into which the casing is also bent.
In firing with such projectiles the collar, being slightly larger than the bore of
the barrel, is made to take the rifling accurately when driven forward, and thus
prevents any passage of the gases past the projectile into the barrel, as frequently
occurs with projectiles of ordinary form, whereby the barrel is fouled before the
projectile enters, producing inaccuracy of fire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Simon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd March
1882.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR SMALL ARMS AND ORDNANCE."
A communication from abroad by Frederick Vetterli, of No. 7, Rue de l'Arcade,
Paris, France.
According to the present Invention projectiles for small arms and ordnance are
provided with a coating of nickel, by which means they are protected from oxida-
tion, and consequently from deterioration of their correct form and weight; also on
account of the great smoothness imparted to its surface the projectile recoives a
higher initial velocity on firing, as the nickel coating prevents the lead or copper
from coming in contact with the bore of the gun, and thus the farther advantage
arises that the leading of the barrel, which so detrimentally affects the precision of
firing, is prevented; furthermore by the diminution of the friction the heating of
the barrel takes place much less rapidly, causing less vibration and consequently
also increased accuracy of fire. The nickel coating also obviates the use of a paper
covering to the projectile, and the disadvantages arising therefrom. Lastly, the
enlargement of the bore is prevented, the nickel coating being very thin and con-
sequently readily taking the grooves of the rifling.
Although specially applicable to projectiles for small arms, this Invention may
also be applied with great advantage to projectiles for ordnance, having a coating
of lead, copper, or other oxidisable metal, as also to the fuzes of explosive
projectiles.
According to another improvement the projectiles for small arms, more par-
ticularly those coated with nickel, as above described, and intended for repeating
rifles, are provided with a slightly projecting ring or collar at that point of their
length at which the cartridge case terininates, shewn at X on the accompanying
Drawing, the diameter of such ring being slightly in excess of the bore of the riflc.
By this construction, as the end of the casing abuts against the said collar, the
shocks to which the cartridges inside the magazine of the rifle are subjected by the
recoil on firing are prevented from causing the projectile to be forced backwards
into the casing, as is frequently the case, whereby the exact configuration of the
cartridge is prejudicially affected. Beyond the said collar the projectile may
be formed with a cylindrical part, terminating in a head of ogival form. The
cylindrical part in the rear of the collar may also have a circular groove
immediately behind the collar, into which the edge of the casing is turned, and &
second groove near the base into which the casing is also bent, or it may be without
grooves, as shewn on the Drawing.
In firing with such projectiles the collar, being slightly larger than the bore of
the barrel, is made to take the rifling accurately when driven forward, and thus
prevents any passage of the gases past the projectiles of ordinary form, whereby
the barrel is fouled before the projectile enters, producing inaccuracy of fire.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
First. Providing projectiles for small arms and ordnance with a coating of nickel,
herein described.

page_text: Second. Constructing projectiles for rifled small arms with a projecting collar,
as shewn at X on the accompanying Drawing, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of March in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.