Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, 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 generally to cartridges for small arms or rapid fire guns
and more particularly to the powder charges for such cartridges, it being
understood, however, that the charges are not necessarily limited to such
cartridges.
The improvements contemplate the use of a powder charge of an impervious
nature-impervious to the gases of combustion-as distinguished from powder
charges which are granular in structure but in a compressed or cake form; such
impervious powder, being, for instance, of an impervious colloid of pyroxylin made
by means of a volatile solvent of the pyroxylin, with or without an admixture of
nitro-glycerin, providing an amorphous mass which, while in a plastic condition, is
capable of being shaped, molded or pressed to any desired form.
In carrying out the first part of my invention, this impervious powder charge is
formed preferably in long cylindrical or prismatic rods having a plurality of longi-
tudinal perforations extending from end to end of the rod and which rod of the
required diameter may be cut into the proper lengths adapted to the cartridge shell
or case with which the charge is to be used; or the rods may be made in the first
The exterior of the powder
instance of the proper length for the shell or case.
charge is encased, covered or coated with an envelope preferably of some
combustible material less readily consumed than the powder charge, but which will
ultimately be entirely consumed with the latter part of the charge, and after the
hall has started, so that no unburned material will remain in the spent shell or in
the gun barrel to cause the fouling of it. The powder charge with or without the
encasing envelope is such as to form an interior space or chamber between its
exterior and the surrounding wall of the cartridge shell or case so that the gases of
combustion of the powder charge may be free to accumulate to some extent before
the initial movement of the ball through the gun barrel takes place. The opposite
ends of the powder charge may be concaved or cup-shaped, the one end to conform
better to the base of the cartridge shell and the pocket for receiving the igniting
cap, and between this end of the charge and the igniting cap there. is preferably
interposed a wafer composed of a suitable fulminating compound and composed of
an agglutinated mass of a fulminate and an explosive base, which wafer extending
over the ends of the several perforations through the charge will ensure the
communication of the flame of the igniting cap to the charge throughout the
perforations.
'
.3
The opposite end of the perforated powder charge is grooved or channeled
transversely to permit the gases of combustion from the several perforations to

page_text: "
pass into the chamber surrounding the charge, while the concave at this end of the
charge so provides a space for the accifmulation of the gases from the several
perforations at the rear of the ball or projectile. Any proper wad is interposed
between the rear of the ball and the front end of the powder charge.
A detailed description of the first part of my invention will now be given,
reference being had to the accompanying illustration, containing a practical
embodiment of the invention, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view; Fig. 2 an end view, enlarged, of the
front of the powder charge; and Fig. 3 a cross section on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views showing respectively the powder charge,
without and with an envelope.
The improvement is illustrated with a cartridge shell or case A of a well known
form, having a body portion a which, near its forward end, contracts to a neck b,
that is arranged to receive the ball or projectile B; while the rear 'end of the
shell has a closed head e providing a seat for a suitable fulminate cap d as is
common.
**
The powder charge 'C is 'preferably prepared in the form of a cylindrical or
prismatic rod of a diameter that will permit the rod to be readily loaded into the
shell through the open end of the neck band of a length suited to extend from the
head of the shell to its' contracted or neck portion b, such neck affording a support
for the charge to hold it in a central position with respect to the larger diameter
or body portion a of the shell and thus form the surrounding annular chamber e.
The charge C is also formed with a number of longitudinal perforations i extending
from end to end of the rod or mass and opening outwardly at its opposite ends.
The perforations are preferably so disposed through the rod as to leave equal
masses of the explosive material surrounding each perforation so that the flame of
combustion communicated to the explosive along each of the perforations will
gradually consume the mass and by the time the perforations have become so much
enlarged as to meet, practically the entire mass will have been consumed; and in
this manner the area of explosive along each perforation exposed to the flame of
combustion has gradually increased so that an accelerating propulsive action upon
the projectile is ensured.
The rear end and preferably also the front end of the charge is concaved or
cup-shaped as shown in Fig. 1, the rear end being thus adapted to better fit over
the inwardly projecting seat portion of the head c for receiving the fulminate cap
as' before described, which formation serves with the neck b as a means for holding
the charge C in a fixed central position within the shell. The forward concaved
end of the charge is provided with transverse channels m which serve to connect
the front end of the several perforations with the chamber e surrounding the charge
and thus permit a free escape of the gases of combustion from the perforations in
the concaved front end into said chamber.
Between the rear end of the charge C and the head c of the shell there is
preferably interposed a disk or wafer n of a fulminating compound such as that
before referred to, which disk or wafer overlies the rear ends of the perforations
through the mass and is adapted to ensure the communication of the igniting flame
of the fulminate cap d to the surface of the explosive at each of the perforations
"and thus provide for the simultaneous combustion of the charge along each perfora-
tion. The front end of the charge C has a wad o inserted between it and the
projectile B.
In order to prevent the flame of the initial combustion of the charge or of the
fulminate d or of the wafer n from communicating to the exterior of the cylindrical
charge C, such exterior is in the preferred form encased, coated or protected by an
envelope r of some combustible material which will ultimately be wholly consumed
by the heat of the gases of combustion accumulated in the chamber e, but which
will be less readily burned than the explosive forming the charge itself. This
combustible envelope may be celluloid or other suitable material or substance,
which may be applied to the exterior of the charge in any proper manner according

page_text: to the nature of the coating. The envelope r, also, will be such as its combustion
will take place after the ball or projectile B has started in its movement along the
gun barrel and thus will have aided in preventing the too rapid disintegration of
the charge C and its entire collapse under the pressure of the gases of combustion
before the ball has fairly started in its movement.
The surrounding annular chamber e in which the gases of combustion readily
accumulate affords means by which the accumulated gases on the exterior of the
charge may counteract the disrupting effect of the gases within the perforations and
thus the charge is prevented from breaking down and falling to pieces too rapidly and
thereby tend to vary the accelerating action of the otherwise gradually increasing
formation of the propulsive gases.
It will be observed that an important feature of this invention is the provision of
a powder charge in the form of a single solid and impervious piece, which is non-
friable and tough and may be transported and handled without liability of breaking
or injury as is the case with a granular cake, which may be introduced into the
sbell without involving in the loading operation any measuring of the amount of
the explosive, the predetermined size of the said solid piece being the measure of
the strength of the charge. Neither is any ramming or solidification of the
explosive charge rendered necessary as a part of the loading operation.
Loaded cartridges may also, when provided with my improved explosive charge
be readily dismantled, the said charges being capable of being individually removed
from their shells and handled without inconvenience or waste.
It may, however, be desirable for certain purposes to prevent or retard during
the first period of the explosion the combustion of the rear surface or portion of
the explosive, and for this purpose I may provide means for closing the rear ends
of the majority of the longitudinal perforations so that the flame of the fulminate is
not communicated directly to said majority of the perforations but passes to the
front end of the explosive through one or more of the perforations, for instance,
through a central perforation which may be of somewhat greater diameter than
the others, left open for the purpose, and thence back through the remaining
perforations.
In order, however, to somewhat limit the initial pressure of the gases so that there
may be a continuous increase of such pressure up to the time when the projectile
leaves the muzzle, as distinguished from a high initial pressure subsequently
relieved by the movement of the ball, I further retard the ignition of the interior
walls of a majority of the longitudinal perforations by temporarily occluding their
front ends, as by a wafer or disk of explosive substance which must be consumed
before the flame from the said central perforation can pass back through all of the
other perforations and ignite all of the interior walls of the charge as aforesaid.
Many fire arms being adapted for shells the diameter of the body of which is
greater than that of the neck through which the explosive is introduced, my
improved solid charge when so introduced into the shells for such arms will form an
annular chamber between itself and the cartridge shell. In order, therefore, to
obviate the chance of disruption of the powder charge by unresisted internal
pressure, provide means for the passage into said annular chamber of a portion of
the gases first generated, thereby balancing by their external pressure that from
the interior of the charge. Such means may consist of transverse grooves in the
front end of the charge.
1
The flame thus admitted with the gases to the exterior of the charge would, if
the latter were left unprotected, immediately ignite such an extensive surface as to
generate too great an initial gas pressure, which might not be kept up and increased
as desired to give the greatest muzzle velocity and prevent the damping and
extinguishment of the powder charge. I, therefore, provide for the latter an
envelope of thin metal, such as brass, which accomplishes the above mentioned
purpose and also affords an efficient protection for the charge when not combined
with the shell, and in such latter form the charge may be made an article of

page_text: commerce and military supply, and may be used in cannon without an external
cartridge shell.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cartridge embodying the second part
of my invention.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the powder charge and enclosing envelope.
Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on line VIII-VIII, Fig. 6.
Referring to Figs. 6, and 8 of the drawings, the improvement is illustrated with
a cartridge shell or case A of a well known form, having a body portion a which,
near its forward end, contracts to a neck that is arranged to receive a ball or
projectile B and wad o; while the rear end of the shell has a closed head c providing
à seat for a suitable fulminate cap d as is common..
The powder charge C is preferably prepared in the form of a cylindrical or
prismatic rod of a diameter that will permit the rod to be readily loaded into the
shell through the open end of the neck band of a length suited to extend from the
head c of the shell to its contracted or neck portion b, such neck affording a support
for the charge to hold it in a central position with respect to the larger diameter or
body portion a of the shell and thus form the surrounding annular chamber e.
The charge C is also formed with a number of longitudinal perforations i extending
longitudinally of the mass. The perforations are preferably so disposed throughout
the rod as to leave equal masses of the explosive material surrounding each
perforation so that the flame of combustion communicated to the explosive along
each of the perforations will gradually consume the mass and by the time the
perforations have become so much enlarged as to meet, practically the entire mass
will have been consumed; and in this manner the area of explosive along each
perforation exposed to the flame of combustion has gradually increased so that au
accelerating propulsive action upon the projectile is ensured.
In order to close the rear ends of the perforations I provide a piece C¹ consisting
preferably of the same material as the body of the charge, but which is not
perforated to correspond with all of the longitudinal perforations of said main body.
This supplemental piece, which is preferably attached to the main body of the
charge as by a cement or by the use of a solvent of the explosive material is,
however, found with one or more perforations registering with one or more of the
perforations of the charge. I prefer to employ for this purpose a single longitudinal
opening of larger diameter than that of the majority of the perforations of the
charge, which corresponds with a central longitudinal perforation c² in said main
body. The supplemental piece C' thus constitutes practically an integral portion
of the powder charge, and has, by preference, its rear end somewhat dished or
concaved to fit upon and be held from lateral movement by the usual. inward
projection on the base of the cartridge shell. Such concaved portion is indicated
at and serves also as a seat or recess for the igniting disk or compound d¹.
The powder charge is further provided at its forward end with a wafer or disk C
of explosive substance and which occludes the majority of the perforations of the
charge having, however, a central opening to correspond with the perforation c².
The wafer may be cemented in place, as described in connection with the piece C¹.
In the front face of said wafer, or in the rear face of the wad, or in any other
suitable manner, transverse grooves or openings fare formed communicating with
the annular space e and adapted to give the initially generated gases access to the
last mentioned space, thereby counterbalancing the outward pressure and disrupting
tendency of the gases generated within the perforation c². This wafer is adapted
to be readily consumed by the flame, and, as its combustion takes place, said flame
will be admitted to the front ends of the longitudinal perforations of the powder
charge.
At is shown an envelope of metal, such as brass, fitting around the charge C
and protecting its exterior from ignition. While such envelope might perhaps be
made sufficiently strong to resist the disrupting effect of the interiorly generated
gases, and hold the charge together, I prefer to employ a thin sheet of metal,

page_text: relying upon the counterbalancing effect of the exteriorly conducted gases as above
mentioned. To aid in carrying the igniting flash through the perforations of the
charge, and in starting the combustion of their interior walls, I may fill such
perforations or certain of them with granular powder as indicated at p.
According to the third part of my invention the cartridge shell is made slightly
tapering exteriorly from the head or base to the forward end of what may be
termed its main portion, and from such point forward the shell is preferably made
with an extension of about one-half the thickness which it has at the end forward
of said main portion, so that when the base of the projectile is forced into the thin
front end of the shell the latter will be expanded to the same exterior diameter as
the forward end of said main portion.
Interiorly the shell is cylindrical, its walls being somewhat thicker at the rear
than at the front end, and in it the powder charge in the form of a rod or solid
body as aforesaid, of uniform cross-section, fits neatly, occupying practically all of
the interior space.
The shell is thus enabled to act as an efficient restraining
means to prevent disruption of the explosive rod or solid under the pressure of the
interiorly generated gases. An important advantage of this improvement is that
from the small transverse dimension of the powder chamber much higher pressures.
may be had in the gun without danger of straining such chamber or the mechanism
of the gun. The gun will not have to be made so heavy at the base to stand the
strains, neither will the breech mechanism require to be so heavy. A further
important advantage is that the cartridges made in this way being of practically
uniform diameter, or straight, can be much better packed in magazines than those
having a neck and projectile of much less diameter than their main portion, and a
larger number of them can be carried by a man. The recoil from a gun charged
with my improved cartridge will not be nearly so much as that caused by the usual.
form of cartridge.
While I prefer to make my improved explosive charge in a single piece, such
form is not necessary, and for some purposes it may be desired, especially for large
or long cartridges, to make the charge in separate pieces or sections which may be
united together to form a charge of any required strength or may be loaded
successively into the shell in the required manner.
It will be understood that certain important advantages of my invention reside in
the powder charge independent of any particular form of shell.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cartridge embodying the third part of
my invention.
Fig. 10 is a similar view of the shell before the insertion of the explosive charge
and ball.
Fig. 11 is a similar view of the forward portion of the shell showing its ultimate
form.
Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view on line 12-12 Fig. 9.
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the described explosive charge in the form of a
rod or solid independent of the shell.
Fig. 14 is a sectional view showing such rod as composed of a plurality of
sections.
In the drawings some of the proportions are slightly exaggerated for greater
distinctness of illustration.
Referring to Figs. 9 to 14 of the drawings, A indicates a cartridge shell of
suitable material such as brass or copper, having a body or main portion a, which
exteriorly is somewhat tapering to facilitate insertion into and removal from the
gun, but which is interiorly of uniform diameter so that it may be entirely occupied
by the explosive, which is shown at C in the form of a rod or solid consisting of an
impervious colloid of pyroxylin formed with a plurality of longitudinal perforations i.
At its forward end the shell is formed with an extension a of less external
5 diameter than that of the forward end of the main body, but of uniform internal
diameter with. said body. The thickness of the wall of this extension is
consequently less than that of the said forward end of the body a, as, best seen in
.

page_text: Fig. 2. The base of the shell has the usual or any preferred form of priming and.
igniting devices, such as a fulminate cap d, and wafer n, made of the compound
hereinbefore referred to..
In the manufacture of the shell the explosive rod or solid C is inserted into the
shell, either in a single piece or in sections (Fig. 14), and will fit therein so as to
be held by the walls of the shell from disruption by the gases generated within the
perforations i.
The ball or projectile, shown at B, is then inserted. Such projectile is of a
diameter at its. base greater than the interior diameter of the extension a', and.
equal, together with twice the thickness of the wall of the extension, to the
exterior diameter of the forward end of the main body a. The forcible insertion
of the projectile will, therefore, cause the extension al of the shell to stretch
somewhat bringing it ultimately to the form illustrated in Fig. 11, with the
exterior dimension of the extension uniform with that of the forward end of the
body a
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A cartridge shell having a contained perforated explosive charge providing a
chamber within the shell surrounding said charge and with which the perforation
or perforations communicate, as set forth..
2. A cartridge shell having a contained longitudinally perforated explosive
charge protected on its exterior by an envelope and providing a chamber within
the shell surrounding said charge and with which the perforations communicate, as
set forth.
3. An explosive mass in cylindrical rod form and perforated longitudinally
having a concaved front end forming a chamber with which the perforation or
perforations communicate, as set forth.
4. A cartridge shell having a contracted neck and a fulminate cap pocket, and
a contained explosive charge in rod form adapted to said contracted neck and
having a concaved rear end to overlie or fit over the pocket whereby the charge is
supported in fixed position within the shell, as set forth.
5. An explosive mass in rod form and perforated longitudinally having a concaved
front end and transverse channels at said end, as set forth.
6. A cartridge shell having a contained explosive charge perforated longitudinally,
an igniting means and an igniting disk interposed between said means and the
perforated end of the charge, as set forth.
7. A cartridge comprising a shell, a projectile, and an explosive charge in said
shell consisting of a solid longitudinally perforated piece of less diameter than
the interior diameter of the shell, as set forth.
8. A cartridge shell and charge when made and combined as herein described
and illustrated in Figs. 1 2 and 3 of the drawings.
9. A charge for cartridges consisting of an explosive in the form of a rod or
solid having a plurality of longitudinal perforations, and a supplemental piece of
explosive material at the end of said solid and closing certain of said perforations,
substantially as set forth.
10. A charge for cartridges consisting of an explosive having a plurality of
longitudinal perforations, a supplemental piece of explosive material closing the
rear ends of certain of said perforations, and a wafer or disk of explosive material
at the forward end of the charge for retarding the access of flame to the perfora
tions, substantially as set forth.
11. A charge for cartridges consisting of an explosive having a plurality of
longitudinal perforations, a supplemental piece of explosive material closing the
rear ends of certain of said perforations, and a wafer or disk of explosive material
at the forward end of the charge for retarding the access of the flame to the
perforations, and a metallic envelope for the charge, substantially as set forth,
:

page_text: 12. A cartridge comprising a shell, having the interior of its main body of
uniform diameter, and an explosive in the form of a rod or solid of less diameter
than the internal diameter of the shell, leaving an annular space and having a
metallic envelope, substantially as set forth.
13. A cartridge comprising a shell, an explosive consisting of an impervious
colloid of pyroxylin in the form of a rod or solid of less diameter than said shell
and having a plurality of longitudinal perforations, a supplemental piece of explosive
material closing the rear ends of certain of said perforations, a wafer or disk of
explosive material closing the forward ends of certain of the perforations, and a
metallic envelope around the charge, substantially as set forth.
14. A cartridge comprising a shell, an explosive consisting of an impervious
colloid of pyroxylin in the form of a rod or solid of less diameter than said shell
and having a plurality of longitudinal perforations, a supplemental piece of explosive
material closing the rear ends of certain of said perforations, a wafer or disk of
explosive material closing the forward ends of certain of the perforations, a
metallic envelope around the charge, and granular powder in the perforations,
substantially as set forth.
15. A charge for cartridges consisting of an explosive in the form of a rod or
solid having a plurality of longitudinal perforations, and a wafer or disk of explosive
material at the forward end of the charge for retarding the access of the flame to
the perforations, substantially as set forth.
16. A cartridge shell and charge made and combined as herein described and
illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.
17. A cartridge shell having a contained explosive charge of cylindrical rod
form of the diameter of the shell and adapted to be inserted in the shell in such
rod form, said rod having an inner concaved end with a disk of fulminate seated
at said concaved end, as set forth.
18. The herein described cartridge consisting of a shell tapering exteriorly,
having the interior of its main body of uniform diameter and having a forward
portion or extension of slightly greater interior diameter than said main portion
and adapted to hold a projectile.
19. The herein described cartridge consisting of a shell tapering exteriorly,
having the interior of its main body of uniform diameter and having a forward
portion or extension of slightly greater interior diameter than said main portion, a
projectile held in said extension, and a powder charge in the form of a rod or solid
fitting the interior of the main body of the shell, substantially as set forth.
20. The herein described cartridge consisting of a shell tapering exteriorly,
having the interior of its main body of uniform diameter and having a forward
portion or extension of slightly greater interior diameter than said main portion
and of an exterior diameter uniform with that of the forward end of said main
body, a projectile held in said extension, and a powder charge in the form of a
rod or solid fitting the interior of the main body of the shell, substantially as set.
forth.
21. A cartridge shell and charge made and combined as herein described and.
illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings.
Dated this 8th day of June 1895.
W. H. BECK,
115 Cannon Street, London, Applicant.