Improvements in and relating to Projectiles for Fire-arms.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Projectiles for Fire-arms.
I, HUGH WILLIAM GABBETT-FAIRFAX, of 47, Portland Street, Leamington, in
the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, 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 projectiles for fire-arms and has special reference to
projectiles in which a recess or longitudinal cavity is formed in the nose thereof
for the purpose of increasing their "stopping power."
According to my invention I further increase the stopping power by forming
the nickel casing enclosing the recessed lead portion of the projectile, with
longitudinal slits or openings contiguous to the nose so that on impact the nickel
casing will open out or expand radially and permit the projectile to spread much
more readily than when the said casing is made plain as heretofore.
In the manufacture of my improved projectile, I prefer to take a short length of
metal tubing preferably nickel and form its end that is to be contiguous to the
nose of the projectile, with tongues which when said tube is applied to the lead
portion of the projectile and subjected to pressure are caused to conform to the
shape of the said nose.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example several forms of the
improved projectile.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 2 an end view of the short length of nickel tube from which the casing
of the projectile is formed.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of the said tube after it has been notched.
Figure 5 is an elevation.
Figure 6 a longitudinal section, and
Figure 7 a front end view of the projectile after the said nickel casing has been
applied thereto and the notched end bent inwardly around the nose.
Figure 8 is an elevation.
Figure 9 a vertical section, and
Figure 10 an end view of a modified form of the said projectile.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 are similar views of another modified form of the projectile.
Figures 14, 15 and 16 are similar views of a further modified form of the
projectile.
Figure 17 is a longitudinal section of the notched tube employed in the last
preceding form of projectile.
Figure 18 is a longitudinal section of a still further modified form of the
projectile.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.
A is the nickel tube or casing and B the lead portion or body of the projectile.
B¹ is the recess or cavity in the nose of the said lead portion. a a are the
:

page_text: tongues with which one end of the tube is formed, such tongues being, in the
example illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, obtained by cutting, in the tube, V-shaped
notches aa having curved extremities at a² (Figure 3). When the casing so
formed is applied to the body of the projectile and the notched end bent inwardly
to conform to the shape of the projectile, it will exhibit when finished four slits a
extending longitudinally downward from the nose thereof.
In the example illustrated by Figures 8, 9 and 10 the slits are shorter than
in the preceding case and the adjacent edges thereof lie wider apart.
In Figures 11 to 16 the aforesaid slits a are elongated and the portion of the
casing contiguous to the nose of the projectile is made pointed instead of truncated
as in the previous examples.
In order to firmly attach the casing to the lead body I form one or more
circumferential grooves around the projectile and if desired, in order to more
firmly secure the casing, I may flange the edge thereof in proximity to the base of
the projectile as shown at a*.
r
In some cases the aforesaid slits may be so formed that the ends of the tongues
can be caused to fold over the mouth of the cavity in the lead portion of the
projectile as represented in Figure 18.
Instead of making the aforesaid slits longitudinal they may be made spiral with
respect to the axis of the projectile.
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 projectile consisting-of-a-lead-body having a cavity or recess in its nose
and a nickel or other casing formed with longitudinal slits for the purpose
specified.
2. In the manufacture of the aforesaid projectile, the formation of the casing
from a nickel or other tube and the notching thereof at its end which is to
form the nose of the projectile, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A projectile constructed substantially as described with reference to any
of the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose
specified.
Dated thio 28th dovr of the 19te
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.