IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sidebottom, of Harewood, near Mottram, in
the County of Chester, Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN PROJECTILES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sidebottom at the
Offico of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
March 1862.
I, JOHN SIDEBOTTOM, of Harewood, near Mottram, in the County of
Chester, Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN
PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
My improvement in fire-arms and ordnance consists in an improved mode
of constructing the breaks, by which the recoil of the barrel is regulated or
controlled, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me
on the Twenty-fourth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one,
No. 1858..
According to my present improvement I make the break in the form of a
wedge, and I apply it in the bearing by which the barrel of the fire-arm or
piece of ordnance is supported.
My improvements in projectiles are applicable to smooth-bored and rifled

page_text: fire-arms and ordnance, and they consist in making the rear end of the pro-
jectile slightly conical; the front end of the projectile is rather less in diameter
than the bore of the barrel, so that it may easily be introduced either from
the muzzle or at the breech. On the conical end of the projectile an annular
ring of iron or other metal or material is placed; this ring is either solid or
provided with one or more diagonal grooves, slots, or perforations. When the
powder explodes the annular ring is forced up the conical end of the pro-
jectile, and in so doing its outer circumference is expanded until it accurately
fits the bore of the barrel and the rifle grooves (when the barrel is rifled),
thereby preventing windage, and imparting the full force of the powder to the
projectile. In some cases the exterior of the annular ring may be made to
fit the rifle grooves of the barrel.
Another part of my Invention consists in constructing projectiles of a series
of discs of cast iron or other metal, which discs are held together by a central
bolt; these projectiles answer the purpose of grape shot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sidebottom in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SIDEBOTTOM, of Harewood, near Mottram, in the County of Chester, Cotton
Spinner and Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Sidebottom, Her special license that I, the said John Sidebottom, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Sidebottom, 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
FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Sidebottom, 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,

page_text: 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 John Sidebottom, do hereby declare tho
naturo of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed;
to be particularly described and ascertained. in and by the following state-
ment (that is to say):-
My improvements in fire-arms and ordnance consist in an improved mode
of constructing the breaks, by which the recoil of the barrel is regulated or
controlled, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent, granted to me
on the 24th day of July 1861, No. 1853.
According to my present improvement I make the break in the form of a
wedge, and I apply it in the bearing by which the barrel of the fire-arm or
piece of ordnance is supported.
My improvements in projectiles are applicable to smooth-bored and rifled
fire-arms and ordnance, and they consist in making the rear end of the pro-
jectile conical; the front end of the projectile is rather less, in diameter than
the bore of the barrel, so that it may easily be introduced either from the
muzzle or at the breech. On the conical end of the projectile an annular
ring of iron or other metal or material is placed; this ring is either solid or
provided with one or more diagonal grooves, slots, or perforations. When the
powder explodes the annular ring is forced up the conical end of the pro-
jectile, and in so doing its outer circumference is expanded until it accurately
fits the bore of the barrel and the rifle grooves (when the barrel is rifled),
thereby preventing windage, and imparting the full force of the powder to the
projectile. In some cases the exterior of the annular ring may be made to
fit the rifle grooves of the barrel.
Another part of my Invention consists in constructing projectiles of a series
of discs of cast iron or other metal, which discs are held together by a central
bolt; these projectiles answer the purpose of grape shot..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a cannon constructed in the manner described in
the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 24th day of July
1861, No. 1853; to which my present improvement is applied.. A is the
barrel of the cannon supported in the bearings B, which are fixed to the bar C;
in the front bearing a wedge D is inserted, which wedge, when the recoil
takes place acts as a break to regulate or control the recoil; Fig. 2 repre-.
sents one of my improved projectiles; Fig. 3 is an end view of the same;

page_text: Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is another longitudinal
section, shewing the projectile after it has been discharged. On referring to
the foregoing Figures it will be seen that the front end of the projectile
marked a is partly oval or egg-shaped, and partly cylindrical. I wish it,
however, to be understood that it may. be flat-ended, or of any other suitable
shape; the rear end 6 of the projectile is conical, a shoulder c being left
between the front and rear ends; I prefer to make the projectile of wrought
or cast iron, and the whole or part of the rear end is sometimes made with a
rough surface, somewhat like a file, or rasp, or otherwise. The annular ring d,
which is made, by preference of wrought iron or steel, fits on the conical
end 6; this ring may either be solid or cut through in a diagonal direction, or
it may be provided with slots or perforations; it may also fit easily on the
end b, or it may be forced a certain distance on to the end 6 by hydraulic or
other pressure, and this latter mode I recommend. The outside diameter of
the ring d should correspond or nearly so with the cylindrical portion of the
front end of the projectile, which is rather less in diameter than the bore of
the barrel, in order that the projectile may be easily introduced into the barrel.
either from the muzzle or the breech. When the projectile is put in the
barrel the annular ring d fits on the rear end 6 in the position shewn in
Figs. 2 and 4, but as soon as the powder forming the charge explodes, the
ring d is forced up the end of the projectile until it approaches the shoulder c,
as shewn in Fig. 5, and in so doing its outer diameter is increased until it
accurately fits the bore of the barrel, thereby preventing windage and impart-
ing the full force of the powder to the projectile. It is evident that if the
barrel is provided with rifled grooves, the circumference of the ring d in
expanding will be forced into the grooves; and I would also observe that
projections or flat surfaces must or may be made on the circumference of the
ring d to coincide or fit the grooves of the barrel. The object of the rough
surface on the conical part of the projectile is to increase the adhesion of the
annular ring d when forced forward by the explosion of the powder; and it
may sometimes be necessary to employ a key or gib, as shewn at g, in Figs. 2,
4, and 5, to prevent the turning of the projectile within the ring; this key or
gib fits in a key-way in the conical end b. In some cases I dispense with the
shoulder c on the projectile, and continue the conical portion thereof until it
comes into the oval part, as indicated by the dotted lines e, e, in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 represents a section of my improved projectile, which is intended to
answer the purpose of grape shot. In this view the exterior of the projectile
and ring d are similar to those shewn in the preceding Figures, but the body
of the projectile is formed of a series of cast-iron discs united by the bolt f.

page_text: When the projectile explodes, the fragments of the discs are scattered about
in the same manner as the contents of the canisters of grape shot.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First, the wedge D, shewn in Fig. 1, when used as a break for regulating
and controlling the recoil of fire-arms and ordnance.
Secondly, the annular ring d made of iron or steel or other suitable
material, fitting on the conical part of a projectile in the manner and for tho
purposes described.
And, thirdly, the improved projectile, shewn in Fig. 5, as a substitute for
the usual grape shot.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sidebottom, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
J. SIDEBOTTOM. (LS.)