IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR RENDERING THE CASES OF FIRED CARTRIDGES AVAILABLE FOR REPEATED USE, AND FOR CHARGING AND CAPPING THE SAME." SP
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Morris, of Kent Cottage, Leo Road, Blackheath,
in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR RENDERING THE CASES OF FIRED CARTRIDGES AVAILABLE
FOR REPEATED USE, AND FOR CHARGING AND CAPPING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Morris at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1880.
RICHARD MORRIS, of Kent Cottage, Lec Road, Blackheath, in the County of
Kent. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR RENDERING THE CASES OF
FIRED CARTRIDGES AVAILABLE FOR REPEATED USE, AND FOR CHARGING AND
CAPPING THE SAME."
My Invention relates to means and apparatus for rendering the cases of fired
cartridges available for repeated use by adjusting to size and shape, uncapping,
charging, recapping, and otherwise preparing the cartridges, so that they may be
employed as fresh ammunition, the means and apparatus which I am about to
describe being such as can be used by an army in the field without having recourse
to arsenals or other special establishments. For adjusting to size and shape I
employ a die, which consists of a cylindrical piece of metal bored out to the size
and shape of the cartridge case. It is fitted with a cup shaped cover for its lower
end, and through its upper end is inserted a mandril made to fit the interior of the
cartridge case. The case to be operated on is placed in the die, having the mandril
inside of it; the base of the case is inserted in the cover, and the die is struck
down with a few blows from the flat face of a mallet or hammer of copper or other
comparatively soft metal. The hammer then being inverted, its smaller end, which
has a rounded nose, is struck against the head of the mandril which is hollowed,
and the cartridge case is thereby ejected from the die adjusted to size and shape.
By the same operation the case may be uncapped, for which purpose the end of the
mandril is fitted with a small punch suited to the size of the percussion cap, and a
hole is made through the cover, so that when the mandril is struck its punch ejects
the percussion cap. The punch is made with a conical head, which is held in the
end of the mandril by a screwed socket so that it can be readily removed, and

page_text: punches of various sizes suited to different percussion caps may thus be
applied to the same mandril. In order to effect uncapping at the same time
that the cartridge case is being adjusted to size and shape, a shoulder may be
formed in the die above the head of the mandril, so that as the die is struck down
this shoulder causes the mandril also to be forced down and the percussion cap to be 5
ejected. As the use of a punch for uncapping is apt to deform the seat of the
percussion cap, 1 effect uncapping by hydraulic pressure in the following manner :-
I nearly fill the cartridge case with water, and inserting in its mouth a plunger
fitted with a cup leather, I strike this plunger with a hammer and thus pressure is
communicated through the water, causing the cap to be ejected. This operation 1
may be applied to a number of cartridge cases by the following arrangement:-I
provide two slabs, which for the sake of lightness may be of wood. They are
hinged together at one edge, the upper slab is bored through with holes for the
reception of a number of cartridge cases, and through the lower slab are
The upper slab
corresponding smaller holes for free passage of the ejected caps.
being folded upwards on its hinges; a cartridge case is inserted into each of its
holes, and the slab is then folded down so that the bases of the cartridge cases rest on
the lower slab. The cases are then nearly filled with water, and the leather cupped
plunger is driven into them successively, causing the ejection of the caps. The slab
is then again folded upwards, and the uncapped cases are reinoved. Instead of
subjecting the cartridge case itself to the hydraulic pressure, a tube may be inserted
in it and pressed against its base, and water in this tube may be subjected to the
pressure of a plunger. For obtaining rapidity of operation in the use of a tube in
this manner attach the tube to a rocking shaft mounted over a fixed base.
Having inclined the tube forwards I pass the cartridge caso over the tube, then turn
the tube back till the cartridge case rests on the base; by means of a screw, nut, or
strong spring, I force the tube down till its lower mouth presses the cartridge case
firmly on the base. I then by means of a plunger produce the hydraulic pressure
in the tube, which has the effect of ejecting the percussion cap through a hole in the
base of the apparatus. This apparatus without water may be employed for capping
an uncharged cartridge case. For this purpose the cap is placed in the recess of
the base of the cartridge case, and the case being then forced down by the tube
For the purpose of capping
inside of it, the cap is firmly pressed into the recess.
charged cartridge cases I employ an apparatus of the following description :-A tube
bored out to suit the cartridge has mounted on a boss at its end a lever pivotted so
as to slide across and close the breech of the tube, the stroke of the lever being
limited each way by stops. Through the lever is a hole of sufficient size to receive
a percussion cap, and this hole is fitted with a plunger attached to a spring lever
pivotted on the main lever, so as to move in a plane at right angles to that in which
the main lever moves. The main lever being moved to one side against one of its
stops, a charged cartridge case is inserted in the tube, and a percussion cap is
inserted in the hole in the lever. The lever is then moved against its other stop,
in which position it covers the base of the cartridge, and its hole containing the
While it is in this
cap corresponds with the cap recess in the cartridge case.
position the second lever is pressed forwards, and the cap is thus thrust into
the base of the cartridge. On moving back the main lever a cam on it advances a
sliding extractor fitted on the tube, and this extractor acting on the flange of the
cartridge extrudes it from the tube. Should the cartridge accidentally be fired by
the insertion of the cap, the tube in which it is held directs the fire away from the
operator. For varnishing the base of the charged and capped cartridge I provide a
tube containing a roll of paper, cloth, or other porous material, which is supplied
with varnish at one end, and presents its other end open. The base of the cartridge
being pressed against this roll and turned round receives a coating of varnish.
the same time its edge is varnished by a semicircular brush having radial bristles
fixed at the mouth of the tube. The cases of cartridges which have been fired are
often employed afterwards for blank ammunition. In charging them for this
purpose I enclose the powder in a roll of paper, which is made with a small flap at
At

page_text: oue corner, so that when the paper is rolled into the form of a tube, this flap being
folded across the end of the tube constitutes a bottom to it sufficient to prevent
the powder from passing to the percussion cap of the cartridge case, but not enough
to prevent the flame of the cap from passing through and firing the powder. The
blank charge is sometimes held in the cartridge case by coning in the mouth of
the case after it has been charged. For effecting this I insert the cartridge in a die
with its mouth projecting, and I strike or press its mouth into a grooved conical
cup, which has the effect of coning in the edge of the cartridge mouth, forming an
internal lip or shoulder, which prevents the paper case containing the charge from
falling out. Instead of this coning in the mouth of the cartridge case, the charge
may be retained by inserting a ring formed by a narrow slip of paper rolled into
tubular form and served with gum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
December 1880.
RICHARD MORRIS, of Kent Cottage, Lee Road, Blackheath, in the County of
Kent. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR RENDERING THE CASES OF
FIRED CARTRIDGES AVAILABLE FOR REPEATED USE, AND FOR CHARGING AND
CAPPING THE SAME."
When a cartridge has been fired, the empty case withdrawn from the fire arm is
somewhat expanded or otherwise forced out of its proper shape, and it has on it
the case of the fired percussion cap. My Invention relates to a simple and portable
set of apparatus which can be used by troops in the field for rendering the cases of
fired cartridges available for repeated use, this apparatus being arranged so that
the cartridgo case is by its use restored to its proper size and shape, has its used
cap removed from it, and can be charged afresh and provided with a new cap so as
to be ready to be fired again. The portion of the apparatus which is first employed
has the function of restoring the cartridge case to its proper size and shapo. For
this purpose I provide a die, as shewn in vertical section at Fig. 1 of the
accompanying Drawings, consisting of three parts, an external cylindrical shell A
bored out internally to the size and shape of the cartridge case, a bottom cover B
fitting the end of A, and an internal mandril C fitting the mouth of the cartridge
case. The mandril C has on its head a collar working in a recess of the die so that
it cannot be taken out without removing the head of the dio, and this collar is
hollowed on the top for a purpose which will presently be explained. The cartridge
case to be operated on is introduced into the die and its base is inserted into the
hollow of the cover B, which rests on a table or other support. The top of the
shell A is then struck with the flat face of a copper or other soft metal hammer, such
as is shewn to a small scale at Fig. 2, until it meets the cover B, the cartridge case
being thus restored to its true size and shape; this being done, the hollow head of
the mandril C is struck with the rounded nose D of the hammer, driving the
cartridgo case out of the die. The hollowing of the head of the mandril has the
effect of centralising the blow of the hammer, which, if it struck at a point not
central, or nearly so, might tend to bend the mandril. The cartridge case may be
uncapped in the same apparatus by fitting to the end of the mandril C a small
punch E, as shewn in Fig. 3. When the mandril is struck this punch will force
the cap through a hole b in the cover B. Punches of various sizes may be fitted,
as shewn in Fig. 3, to the mandril, each being made with a coned butt secured by
a coned socket e screwed on the end of the mandril.
The cartridge case having been thus re-sized and uncapped, it may also be
re-capped in the same apparatus; for this purpose the apparatus is turned upside
down, as shewn at Fig. 14, and the punch removed from mandril, if such has been
used; an anvil and cap are placed in the cap chamber, and the cover B being fitted
on, the cap is then driven home in the chamber by means of a capping stud B¹
which is fixed in the cover B, and provided with a head to prevent the cap from
being driven in too far. The cover B is then taken off and the prepared cartridge
is removed in order to be re-filled. The shell A may be provided with bushes of
different sizes to suit various descriptions of cartridges.
As the action of a punch, such as E in the above described apparatus, is apt to
enlarge and deform the hole in the base of the cartridge case through which it
passos, I prefer, before applying the die as above described, to remove the cap by
other means, which I will now explain, referring to Fig. 4. I provide a plunger F,
which may be a short rod of hard wood or metal, and which is fitted at its end
with a leather cup f. Having nearly filled the cartridge case with water I insert

page_text: the end of the plunger F and strike the plunger with in hammer. The blow is
communicated through the water as a considerable pressure, which acting on the
cap forces it out of the base of the cartridge case without enlarging or deforming
the hole or holes at the seat of the cap. Each cartridge case may be thus uncapped
separately or a number may be dealt with at the same time by the use of apparatus
such as is shewn in transverse section at Fig. 5, and in part longitudinal section at
Fig. 6. G is a bar of somewhat less depth than a cartridge case. It has bored in
it a number of holes, each of the size to receive a cartridge case, and it has round
its upper edge a fillet g somewhat higher than the ends of the cartridge cases
which project above its general surface. A bottom cover g' is hinged to the bar G.
In place of hinging the cover at the side it may be hinged at one end, as shewn at
Fig. 6o, the other end being secured by a catch g². This cover being turned back
on its hinges a cartridge case is introduced into each of the holes of G and is
pushed in till its top edge projects a little above G. The cover g' is then folded
against G and the whole is placed on a level table. Water is then poured upon the
top of G, the fillet g preventing it from overflowing, until all the cartridge cases are
filled, whereupon the superfluous water is poured off by slightly inclining the
apparatus. The plunger F, Fig. 4, is then struck into the mouth of each of the
cartridge cases, causing their caps to be driven out through the holes of g', and all
the caps having thus been removed the cover g' is folded back and the cartridge
cases are pushed or drawn out. By uncapping in this manner by hydraulic pressure
the washing out of the cartridge case is at the same time effected. In employing
hydraulic pressure for uncapping cartridge cases of large diameter I prefer to insert
the case in a dio bored to fit it, having a mouth bored to a smaller diameter, as
shewn at Fig. 6b. When the case and die are filled with water I strike into it a
plunger F fitting the smaller mouth, acting thus on a comparatively small area
instead of the total area of the cartridge itself. In cases where the cartridge case
is of such material as might be damaged by the use of water another liquid, such as
oil, may be employed, or water may be used in a tube inserted into the cartridge
case as a temporary lining, this tube having a cup leather at its lower and to
make a tight joint.
This apparatus may also be employed for re-sizing the cartridge cases' in the first
instance. For this purpose the hole or die in the block G being made of the exact
size required, the cartridge case after being partly inserted, as shewn in Fig. 5, is
forced in by means of the cover g', for which purpose this is provided with a
projecting lug, to which is pivotted the one end of a screwed rod + the upper
end of which is provided with a thumb nut and which is brought between horns k³,
so that by screwing up the nut the cover g' will be drawn up, as shewn by dotted
lines, and the cartridge case forced home in the die. The apparatus may also be
used for recapping in the same way as described with reference to Fig. 1°, that is
to say,
the block G is inverted, a cap and anvil are dropped into the cap chamber
of the cartridge caso, and the cap is driven home by incans of a capping stud B¹.
In some cases it may be preferred to recharge the cartridge cases before re-capping
them, in which case, in order to effect the recapping with safety, I employ apparatus
of which Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, Fig 8 an end view, and Fig. 9 a plan.
A die H of proper size to receive the cartridge is formed at the end of a tubo h,
made of some length, so that if the cartridge should be accidentally ignited in the
act of capping the discharge will take place at the mouth of the tube /, sufficiently
far from and directed away from the operator. On the end of the die is pivotted
at ka lever K, which can be moved to and fro between two stops k¹ and k³. In
this lever there is a hole which receives the cap, and this hole is fitted with a
plunger linked to a spring lever L that is pivotted to K. The lever K being
brought against the stop k, a charged cartridge is inserted in the die H and a cap
is inserted in the hole. The lover K is then moved up to the stop, and when
it is in this position the cap in is exactly central with the base of the cartridge
in H. The lever L is then pressed, and its plunger advancing pushes the cap into
the seat at the bottom of the cartridge. The lever L and its plunger & being then

page_text: withdrawn by its spring the lever K is moved back against tho stop '. During
this movement the charged and capped cartridge is expelled from the die H by
means of an extractor, in a manner similar to that in which the fired cartridge is
expelled from the breech of a gun. The extractor employed in this apparatus
is a slido M, the front edge of which bears against the lip or flange at the base of
the cartridge. A lever N mounted on the upper part of the die and jointed to the
slide M by a pin m working in a slotted hole in N is pressed back by a spring n³,
so that the extractor slide M is kept back, as shewn in Fig. 7. On the lever K is
pivotted at o a hanging catch O, which is free to move on its pivot in one direction
but not in the other, as shewn in Fig. 7. This catch O' is so adjusted that when
the lever K is moved back against the stop k it catches the end n² of the lever N,
thus causing the extractor slide M to be moved rapidly forward for expelling the
cartridge. When, after inserting another cartridge into the die, the lever K is moved
again towards the stop the catch O moves aside, as shown in dotted lines in
Fig 7, to escape the tail of the lever N, and after passing it resumes its position
ready to work the extractor again.
Although I have shewn the dies and other parts of the apparatus of a form suited
for a particular size and shape of cartridge, obviously they may be varied in form
and proportions to suit different cartridges, the operations which they perform
remaining the same.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,—
First. The construction of apparatus for rendering cartridge cases available for
repeated use, herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 1, and 3 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. The method of uncapping cartridge cases by filling the cartridge caso
with liquid and then forcing either into the mouth thereof or into the opening
of a chamber enclosing the same a plunger, so that the cap is forced out of the
cartridge case by the liquid pressure thus produced, substantially as herein
described.
Third. The construction of apparatus for rendering cartridge cases available for
repeated use, herein described with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6, 6ª and 6b of the
accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The construction of apparatus for recapping charged cartridges, arranged
and operating as herein described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, ], the said Richard Morris, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.