Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1887.
Complete Left, 4th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 22nd July, 1887.
I, JAMES P. LEE, of Ilion, New York, United States of America, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to cartridges for fire-arms, and comprises the improvements
hereinafter set forth.
It is well known that, in the use of magazine rifles with cartridges as heretofore
constructed having projecting heads or flanges, the feeding of a cartridge from the
magazine into the barrel, by the breech-boit in its forward movement, is sometimes
prevented by reason of the head of the said cartridge being behind the head of the
cartridge next below it, so that considerable inconvenience, delay and, in some
instances, danger arise from the necessity of disengaging the head of the said cartridge
before the rifle can be loaded and fired.
To obviate this defect cartridges have, in some instances, been made without heads
or flanges, a groove being formed in the cartridge-shell to permit the engagement of
the extractor with the same. In cartridges made without heads, however, it is
necessary to provide means for preventing the cartridge from being thrust too far
into the chamber of the gun, and for preventing forward movement of the cartridge-
shell in the said chamber when the gun is fired. The means hitherto provided for
these purposes have not proved satisfactory.
Now in making a cartridge according to my present invention, I provide the same
with a head and a groove, and I make the said head with a bevel or chamfer at the
rear side thereof for the purpose hereinafter specified.
I prefer to make my improved cartridge as follows, that is to say:—
I make the head or flange of such diameter that it projects a very short distance,
say one hundredth of an inch, beyond the body of the cartridge. This head or flange
is sufficient to prevent the cartridge from being driven too far into the chamber
of the gun, and to prevent forward movement of the cartridge-shell in the said

page_text: chamber when the gun is fired, without further provision being made for these
purposes.
•
To ensure the proper engagement of the extractor with the cartridge, 1 form a
circumferential groove in the said cartridge, close to the said head or flange. This
groove should be about two hundredths of an inch in depth.
The rear edge of the said head or flange is bevelled or cut away in such a manner
that it will offer no obstruction to the passage over the same of the head or flange of
another cartridge. Therefore, should the head of the uppermost cartridge in a magazine
be behind the head of the cartridge next below it, when the said uppermost cartridge
is pushed forward by the breech-bolt, its head will slide up the inclined surface of the
head of the cartridge beneath it, and there will be no difficulty in loading the gun.
My improved cartridges afford the further advantage that, when several of thein aro
placed in a magazine one above another, their axes will be more nearly parallel to
each other and they will consequently occupy less space in the magazine than the
flanged cartridges heretofore usually employed.
The body or main portion of my improved cartridge may be formed or constructed
in any well known or suitable manner.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Sonthampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JAMES P. LEE of Ilion, New York, United States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to cartridges for fire-arms, and comprises the improvements
hereinafter set forth.
It is well known that, in the use of magazine guns with cartridges as heretofore
constructed having projecting heads or flanges, the feeding of a cartridge from the
magazine into the barrel, by the breech-bolt in its forward movement, is sometimes
prevented by reason of the head of the said cartridge being behind the head of the
cartridge next succeeding it in the magazine; and considerable inconvenience, delay
and, in some instances, danger are occasioned by the consequent necessity of
disengaging the heads of the said cartridges before the gun can be loaded and fired.
To obviate this defect, cartridges have, in some instances, been made without heads
or flanges, a circumferential groove being formed in the cartridge-shell to permit the
engagement of the extractor therewith. In cartridges made without heads, however,
it is necessary to provide means for preventing the thrusting of the cartridge too far
into the chamber of the gun, and for preventing forward movement of the cartridge-
shell in the said chamber when the gun is fired. The means hitherto provided for
these purposes have not proved satisfactory.
Now in making a cartridge according to my present invention, I provide the
same with a head and a groove, and I usually make the said head with a bevel or
chamfer at the rear edge thereof for the purpose hereinafter specified.
I prefer to make my improved cartridge as follows, that is to say, I make the
head or flange of the said cartridge of such diameter that it projects a very short
distance, (say one hundredth of an inch for an ordinary rifle cartridge) beyond the
body of the cartridge. This head or flange is sufficient to prevent the driving of
the cartridge too far into the chamber of the gun, and to prevent forward movement
of the cartridge-shell in the said chamber when the gun is fired, without further
provision being made for these purposes.
To ensure the proper engagenient of the extractor with the cartridge, I form a
circumferential groove in the said cartridge close to the said head or Hange. This
groove is preferably about two hundredths of an inch in depth, for an ordinary
rifle cartridge.
The rear edge of the said head or flange is bevelled or cut away in such a manner
that it will offer no obstruction to the passage over the same of the head or flange
of another cartridge.
In the accompanying drawing:
―:
Figure 1 is a side view of one of my improved cartridges.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the same, drawn to an
enlarged scale.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are longitudinal central sections illustrating a peculiar method
or manner of making my improved cartridges.
a is the cartridge-shell and 6 is the projectile.
c is the head or flange which,
as will be seen, is very slightly larger in diameter than the body of the cartridge

page_text: at its rear end. c is the bevelled or chamfered edge of the said head or flange,
and d is the circumferential groove in the cartridge-shell.
My cartridges are very advantageous for use in magazine rifles in which the
breech-bolt is arranged to thrust a cartridge from the magazine into the barrel in
its forward movement; because should the head of a cartridge which is about to
be thrust into the barrel be behind the bead of the next succeeding cartridge in
the magazine, the former, when pushed forward by the breech-bolt, will slide up the
inclined or bevelled surface of the latter, and there will be no difficulty in loading
the gun.
My improved cartridges afford the further advantage that, when several of them
are placed in a magazine, one above another, their axes will be more nearly parallel
to each other and they will consequently occupy less space in the magazine than the
flanged cartridges heretofore usually employed. They are also advantageous in
occupying less space when packed for transport.
:
I sometimes manufacture the shells or cases of my improved cartridges as herein-
after described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, that is to say I take a blank
of the form shown at a' in Figure 3, produced from sheet metal, for example, by
drawing in the usual manner, and then up-set the closed end thereof as shewn in
Figure 4. Then, by impact or pressure applied to the said closed end, while the
blank is suitably supported, I cause the metal to bend or buckle inwards until a
circumferential groove d of the required depth is formed in the said blank as shown
in Figure 5. Or I form the said groove by means of rollers.
It is obvious, however, that my cartridges may be manufactured in any other
suitable manner.
The body or main portion of my improved cartridge may be formed or constructed
in any well-known or suitable manner.
The extent of projection of the head or flange beyond the body of the cartridge
will depend upon the size of the cartridge, the essential point being that the head
must project sufficiently to prevent the thrusting of the cartridge too far into the
chamber.
My improved cartridge can be more advantageously manufactured than the ordinary
flanged cartridges, as very little working of the metal is required in the formation of
the head or flange.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that I do not
elaim broadly or irrespectively of my improvements as herein set forth, a cartridge which
has a circumferential groove formed therein to permit the engagement of the extractor
therewith, but I claim:
First A cartridge formed with a head or flange which is larger in diameter than
the body thereof, and with a circumferential groove, for the purpose above specified.
Second A cartridge formed with a head or flange which is larger in diameter than
the body thereof and the rear edge of which is bevelled or chamfered, and with a
circumferential groove, for the purposes above specified.
Third In the manufacture of a cartridge shell from a hollow or tubular blank
closed at one end, the method of forming the groove as well as the head or flange by
upsetting the closed end of the said blank, and bending or rolling the same,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd
CT 1007