Im- PROVEMENTS IN CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES, WADS, AND CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 116, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, E.C., Patent Agent, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES, WADS, AND
CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by
John Webster Cochran, of New York.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th May 1859.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet. Street, in the City of
London, E.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES.
WADS, AND CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH," (communicated to me from
abroad by John Webster Cochran, of New York,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forming what the Inventor terms an expansive
and self-adjusting chamber at the breech or bottom of the bore of a cannon
and other large and small arms; in covering the projectile or ball with some
elastic material, such as vulcanized gutta percha or indian-rubber, or soft wire
[Price 8d.]

page_text: cloth woven whole so as to fit the projectile. This gutta percha coat or patch
will prevent leading of the barrel in breech-loading arms.
projectile with gutta percha or other like gum, it is dipped in the gum
dissolved, and vulcanized on the projectile.
The Invention also consists in the employment of a wad or ring, attached to
the rear end of the projectile next to the powder, made of some elastic sub-
stance, such as vulcanized gutta percha, for the purpose of imparting the rifle
twisting action to the ball by the powder forcing it into the rifling. This
will be of great importance for cannon where iron shot is used, also for small
rifles where lead balls are used, as with the gutta percha coat or patch it will
prevent the lead ball from coming in contact with the barrel.
The Invention further consists in forming or making cartridges of wire
cloth woven into proper shape, or perforated metal plate dipped in dissolved
gutta percha or other suitable gum, subsequently vulcanized or not, or other-
wise covered with a waterproof skin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 160, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E.C.,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 CANNON AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND
IN PROJECTILES, WADS, AND CARTRIDGES TO BE USED THEREWITH," (a com-
munication from abroad by John Webster Cochran, of New York,) upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibal Brooman,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, 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, that is to say:-
In the Provisional Specification of this Invention it was stated that the
Invention consisted first in forming an expansive and self-adjusting chamber
at the breech or bottom of the bore of a cannon and other large and small
arms. The Inventor has since discovered that this part of his Invention was
not novel, and I therefore omit from this Complete Specification all claim to
that supposed improvement.
The Invention now consists in covering the projectile or ball with some
elastic material, such as vulcanized gutta percha or iudia-rubber, or soft wire
cloth woven whole so as to fit the projectile. This gutta percha coat or patc!
To cover the
will prevent leading of the barrel in breech-loading arms.
projectile with gutta percha or other like gum, it is dipped in the gum
dissolved, and vulcanized on the projectile.
The Invention also consists in the employment of a wad or ring attached to
the rear end of the projectile next to the powder, made of some elastic sub-
stance, such as vulcanized gutta percha, for the purpose of imparting the rifle
twisting action to the ball by the powder forcing it into the rifling. This will
be of great importance for cannon where iron shot is used, also for small rifles
where lead balls are used, as with the gutta percha coat or patch it will
prevent the lead ball from coming in contact with the barrel.
The Invention further consists in forming or making cartridges of wire
cloth woven into proper shape, or perforated metal plate dipped in dissolved
gutta percha or other suitable gum, subsequently vulcanized or not, or other-
wise covered with a waterproof skin.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that I claim,-
First, the covering of projectiles with an elastic material or soft wire cloth,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth.

page_text: Second, the employment of an elastic wad or ring attached to the rear end
of the projectile, as herein-before described.
And, third, the forming of cartridges of wire cloth or perforated metal plate,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)