THE PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTILE AND EXPLOSIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN INSTRUMENTS OF WAR; FOR AN ELECTRIC GAS GUN AND ELECTRIC GAS SHELL; FOR A METHOD OF USING THE RECOIL OF. WEAPONS; FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE PRESSURE OF ELASTIC FLUIDS; FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTILE FORCE; FOR A METHOD OF RAPIDLY LOADING WEAPONS AT THE BREECH; AND OF A MOTIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN AN ELECTRIC GAS ENGINE OR OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Mossom Meekins, LL.D., of the Inner
Temple, Barrister-at-Law, and of 44, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "THE PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTILE AND
EXPLOSIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN INSTRUMENTS OF WAR; FOR AN ELECTRIC GAS
GUN AND ELECTRIC GAS SHELL; FOR A METHOD OF USING THE RECOIL OF.
WEAPONS; FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE PRESSURE OF ELASTIC
FLUIDS; FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTILE FORCE; FOR A METHOD OF
RAPIDLY LOADING WEAPONS AT THE BREECH; AND OF A MOTIVE FORCE TO BE
USED IN AN ELECTRIC GAS ENGINE OR OTHER ENGINES."
Sealed the 1st August 1862, and dated the 4th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Mossom Meekins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1862.
I, THOMAS MOSSOM MEEKINS, LL.D., of the Inner Temple, Esquire,
Barrister-at-Law, and of 44, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "THE PRODUCTION OF A
PROJECTILE AND EXPLOSIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN INSTRUMENTS OF WAR; FOR AN
ELECTRIC GAS GUN AND ELECTRIC GAS SHELL; FOR A METHOD OF USING THE RECOIL
OF WEAPONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE PRESSURE OF ELASTIC FLUIDS;
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTILE FORCE; FOR A METHOD OF RAPIDLY LOADING

page_text: WEAPONS AT THE BREECH; AND OF A MOTIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN AN ELECTRIC GAS
ENGINE OR OTHER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention consists in the evolution of oxygen and hydrogen
gases in a very strong vessel called a gas evolver, either in a mixed or separate
state by the decomposition of water by the separate or simultaneous application
of voltaic electricity, or common electricity, or magneto-electricity, or thermo-
electricity, or by other means, at an exceedingly high pressure or tension,
which high pressure may be attained by allowing the decomposition of water
to go on until the gases have attained any pressure compatible with the strength
of the gas evolver and using them at such high pressure or tension after the
manner of air in an air gun for the propulsion of projectiles from an electric
gas gun, or from weapons similar to cannons or other guns, and for increasing
the force and velocity of such projectiles by exploding the gases by an electric
spark, or by other means when the projectiles have nearly reached the muzzle
and are just on the point of leaving the weapons. And in using the recoil of
weapons for the purpose of increasing the condensation or pressure of these
gases or other elastic fluids in the gas evolver: or- other vessel, or for the
purpose of forcing water or other fluid into. the gas evolver or other vessel,
when weapons of this sort are in action by means of an injecting pump and
apparatus similar to that used in working a Bramah press.
The form of the electric gas gun is similar to that of a breech-loading gun
or cannon. Attached to the breech is a.reservoir or gas. evolver in which water
is decomposed and converted into the gases at such a bigh pressure as may be
necessary to accomplish the propulsion of shot or shell with the force desired.
There is a communication between the gas evolver. and the barrel. or chase of
the gun, which can be opened or closed at pleasure, by the person in charge of
the weapon, but which if not closed before will close of its own accord, when the
quantity of the gases which form the full charge of the weapon has passed from
the gas evolver into. the barrel. This is accomplished by a small piston or
spigot acting in a small hole through the barrel of. the weapon, so placed that
when the shot has passed over the point where it is situated, the. gases, press
upon this piston or spigot, which is kept down by a spring, and is raised by the
pressure of the gases, and acts by suitable mechanical contrivance upon the
apparatus for closing the communication, or by making the shot when it passes
over a certain point in the bore complete and break an electric circuit, which
acts by suitable machinery upon the apparatus for closing the communications.
This communication is most effective when it is of the same area or of a
slightly larger area, than of the same shape and in the axis of the bore of the
weapon.

page_text: An apparatus for closing this communication is so constructed that when it
is completely closed, and not till then, several simultaneous and successive
sparks developed by ordinary electrical agency are passed through the gases in
the barrel effecting their explosion, or the gases may be exploded as gun-
powder by the percussion of ordinary detonating powder.
At the breech is an aperture through which the shot is introduced into the
barrel with great rapidity, the aperture has its edges bevelled outwards to
insure the fitting of the piece that fills it up when the shot is introduced; there
are several of these pieces accurately fitting this aperture, connected with each
other by suitable links and forming an endless chain. When the weapon is in
the act of being discharged, there is a strong band nearly half the circumference
of the outside of the breech, which is so fastened by adequate mechanical
contrivances, that on the recoil of the gun after the discharge, this band is
loosened by the action of the recoil, and the piece occupying the aperture falls
out and another piece bearing a shot is brought by the action of the recoil of
the weapon up an incline under the aperture, which by the return action of
the weapon down the incline is with the shot upon it forced into the barrel,
and the band again fastened by the same return action; the shot is delivered
from a hopper or reservoir of shot upon one of the pieces by means of and
during the upward action of the recoil, or is placed upon the piece by hand
instead of the band, or in conjunction with it a strong bar may be used
attached by a a sort of hinge to the weapon near the muzzle, and so arranged
that when the weapon is in being discharged the end of the bar presses against
the piece occupying the aperture, so as to resist the force of the gases, and
when the weapon recoils the pressure of the bar against the piece ceases and
suffers it to fall out, and the next shot introduced in the manner before described,
whereupon the bar is made by suitable mechanical contrivances to resume its
pressure against the piece by the return action of the recoil. And in forcing
these gases at a very high pressure into shells similar to shells used in offensive
operations in war, so constructed, that on striking any object an electric or
detonating spark may be elicited resulting in the detonation of the gases and the
bursting of the shell, or in using these gases in combination or mixture with
other gaseous liquid or solid substances, which would contribute to augment
the violence of the bursting of the shell. And in using these gases after the
manner of steam in a steam engine, by introducing them into a cylinder or
cylinders in a mixed or separate state; if the latter the cylinder being divided
during the whole or part of its stroke into separate compartments proportioned
to the respective volumes of the separate gases. The gases after impressing
upon the piston the force due to the pressure under which they were

page_text: evolved, and the force due to their properties of expanding to be used for
augmenting the power of the engine by being mixed and detonated in the
cylender; or by their combustion for heating the gases, either before or while
expanding in the cylender in order to increase their tension; or by burning the
gases for the production of heat to be applied for the developement of thermo-
electricity to be employed in aid of that used for decomposing water in the gas
evolver; or for the developement of voltaic electricity by the combination of
the gases to be employed in aid of that used in decomposing water in the gas
evolver.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas de Meschin (formerly Thomas Mossom Meekins),
in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 4th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DE MESCHIN (formerly Thomas Mossom-Meekins), LL.D., of the Inner
Temple, Barrister-at-Law, and of 44, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, 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 Thomas de Meschin, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas de
Meschin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas de Meschin, 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 "THE PRODUCTION
OF A PROJECTILE AND EXPLOSIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN INSTRUMENTS OF WAR; FOR
AN ELECTRIC GAS GUN AND AN ELECTRIC GAS SHELL; FOR A METHOD OF USING THE
RECOIL OF WEAPONS; FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE PRESSURE OF ELASTIC
FLUIDS; FOR PRODUCTION OF A PROJECTIVE FORCE; FOR A METHOD OF RAPIDLY
LOADING WEAPONS AT THE BREECH; AND OF A MOTIVE FORCE TO BE USED IN AN
ELECTRIC GAS ENGINE OR OTHER ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas de Meschin, 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

page_text: 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 Thomas de Meschin, do hereby declare
the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
The object of my Invention consists in the evolution of oxygen and hydrogen
gases in a very strong iron vessel called a gas generator, either in a mixed
or separate state by the decomposition of water by the separate or simul-
taneous application of voltalic electricity, or common electricity, or magneto-
electricity, or thermo-electricity at an exceedingly high pressure or tension,
which high pressure may be obtained by allowing the decomposition of tho
water to continue until the gases have attained to any pressure compatable
with the strength of the gas generator, and using them at such high pressure
after the manner of air in an air gun for the propulsion of projectiles from an
electric gas gun, or from weapons similar to cannons or other guns. And
for increasing the force and velocity of such projectiles by exploding the
gases by electricity in the manner herein-after set forth, when the projectiles
have nearly reached the muzzle, and are just about leaving the weapons.
And in using the recoil of weapons for the purpose of increasing the conden-
sation or pressure of these gases or other elastic fluids in the gas generator or
other vessel, or for the purpose of forcing water or other fluids into the gas
generator or other vessel when wepons of this sort are in action by means of
an injecting pump and apparatus similar to that used in Bramah presses, and
working by suitable mechanical contrivances in the plane of the recoil.
The form of the electric gas gun is similar to a gun or cannon; attached
to the breach is a gas generator or reservoir, in which water is decomposed
and converted into the gases at such a high pressure as may be necessary to
accomplish the propulsion of shot or shell with the force desired. There is
a communication through an aperture in the gas generator between the gas
generator and the barrel or chase of the weapon, which can be opened or
closed at pleasure by the person in charge of the weapon, but which, if not
closed before, will close of its own accord when the quantity of the gases which
form the full charge of the weapon has passed from the gas generator into the
barrel. This is accomplished either by a small piston or spigot acting in a
small hole through the barrell of the weapon, so placed that when the shot has
passed over the point where it is situated, the gasses press upon this piston,
which being kept down by a spring, is raised by the pressure of the
and acts by suitable mechanical contrivances upon the apparatus for closing
gasses,

page_text: the aperture in the gas generator; or by making the shot when it passes over
a certain point in the bore, complete and break an, electric circuit, which
acts by suitable mechanical contrivances upon the apparatus for closing this
aperture. The communication is most effective when this aperture is of the
same or of a slightly larger area, than of the same shape and in the axis of
the bore of the weapon.
The apparatus for closing the aperture in the gas generator may be thus
formed The edges of the aperture are bevelled outwards or towards the
barrel; into this aperture is made accurately to fit a strong piece of iron,
attached to which is an iron rod termed the closing bar, passing by suitable
mechanical contrivances through the breach end of the gas generator, and by
which those in charge of the weapon may cause this piece of iron called the
stopper to close or open the aperture. The closing bar is attached to the
stopper by suitable mechanical contrivances, by which on being opened it falls
down, and lets the gases from the gas generator pass over it and drive the
shot forward; or it may be made to remain in front of the aperture and
allow the gases to pass around it; or the aperture may be closed and opened
by a very strong piece of iron working on a pivot or axes transversely to the
bore, and pierced with a hole of the same area as a section of the bore, and so
-formed that when the weapon is in being discharged, the barrel and this hole
form a single tube terminating at the breech end with the aperture into the
gas generator, which aperture is closed by the last-mentioned piece of iron
being made to turn on its pivot or axis by the means above indicated until its
solid. part entirely covers the aperture. In guns loaded from the muzzle, the
shot is prevented from coming beyond a certain point towards the aperture by
an obstruction placed in the barrel for that purpose, or by the area of the
ball being contracted at the breach. For loading weapons at the breach,
there is an aperture in the under side of the barrel through which the shot is
introduced, with great rapidity; this aperture has its edges bevelled outwards
to insure the fitting of the piece that fills it up when the shot is introduced.
There are several of these pieces accurately fitting this aperture connected
with each other by, suitable links, and forming an endless chain. When the
weapon is in being discharged there is a strong band half the circumference
of the outside of the breech, keeping the piece firmly fixed in the aperture.
The band is so fastened by adequate mechanical contrivances, that on the
recoil of the weapon after the discharge the band is loosened by the action of
the recoil, and allows the piece occupying the aperture to fall out, whereupon
another piece with the shot upon it is brought by the action of the recoil of
the weapon up an incline under the aperture, which, by the return action of

page_text: the weapon down the incline is, with the shot upon it, forced into the barrel,
and the band again fastened by the same return action. The shot may
be delivered. from hopper or reservoir of shot upon the pieces by means of the
upward action of the recoil, or it may be placed by the hand upon a piece
under the aperture. Instead of the band, or in conjunction with it, a strong
bar may be used attached by a sort of binge near the muzzle, and so arranged
by suitable mechanical contrivance, that when the weapon is in being dis-
charged, the end of the bar presses against the piece occupying the aperture
so as to resist the force of the gasses, and when the weapon recoils, the pressure
of the bar against the piece. ceases, and suffers it fall out, and the next shot
is introduced in the manner before described, whereupon the bar by suitable
mechanical contrivances is made to resume its pressure against the piece by
means of the return action of the recoil.
The electric gas gun may also be made breach-loading thus:-A solid
cylinder of iron revolves transversely to the bore on an axis, and is perforated
by three or more holes of the same area as and parallel to the bore, and in
such a way that when the weapon is in being discharged; any one of these
holes and the barrel form a single tube terminating at the breech with the
aperture into the gas generator. When the gases are about being exploded,
as before mentioned, this cylinder is made partly to revolve by suitable
mechanical contrivances, by means of the agency above indicated, so as to
interpose its own solid part between the barrel of the weapon and the aperture
of the gas generator, and thereby servés to close this latter. After thus revolving,
the hole can be charged with shot, which is retained therein by suitable
mechanical contrivances until the hole is again brought in its turn after the
other holes in directum with the bore, when the shot it contains is propelled
forward by the gases.
The apparatus for closing the aperture is so constructed by suitable
mechanical contrivances, that where it is completely closed, and not till then,
an electric current is established which passes through a strip of platina in
contact with the gases in the barrel, and thereby affecting their explosion ;
their explosion may also be effected by several simultaneous and successive
sparks developed by ordinary agency, or the gases in the barrel may be
exploded in the same way as gunpowder by the percussion of ordinary desto--
nating power.
And in forcing these gases at very high pressure into shells similar to
shells used in offensive operations in war, so constructed that on striking
my objects, an electric or detonating spark may be elicited resulting in the
explosion of the gases and the bursting of the shell; or in using these gases

page_text: in combination or mixture with other gaseous liquid or solid substances which
would contribute to augment the violence of the bursting of the shell.
And in using these gases at high pressures after the manner of steam in a
steam engine, by introducing them into a cylinder or cylinders in a mixed or
separate state, if the latter, the cylinder being divided during the whole or
part of its stroke into separate compartments proportioned to the respective
volumes of the separate gases. The gases, after impressing upon the piston
the force due to the pressure under which they were evolved, and the force
due to the properties of expanding to be used for augmenting the power of the
engine by being mixed and detonated in the cylinder.
I claim as my Invention the use of the gases resulting from the decom-
position of water at very high pressures by electricity and their explosion as a
projectile force, and the electric gas engine, and the electric gas shell, a
method of using the recoil of weapons for the purpose of increasing the elastic
force of fluids employed in such weapons, and thereby augmenting their
projectile power; a method of loading weapons at the breech in the manner
as above indicated; and for a method of using these gases as a motive force,
in the manner above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas De Meschin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.