CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES TO BE EMPLOYED IN ORDNANCE AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mackay, of Aighburth, near Liverpool; in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES TO BE EMPLOYED IN ORDNANCE AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
THE SAME."
Sealed the 22nd November 1864, and dated the 27th September 1864.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said James Mackay at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 27th September 1864, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MACKAY, of Aighburth, near Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROJECTILES TO BE EMPLOYED IN ORDNANCE AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
SAME," and have petitioned Her. Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and
have made solemn Declaration that I am the first and true Inventor thereof..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Mackay, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully describes
1

page_text: and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawings (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention relates to a novel description and form of elongated projectiles
to be employed in ordnance, and is designed for the purpose of diminishing
the unsteady movement usual in the flight of elongated projectiles, and also
for the purpose of insuring the projectile striking the object on end, that is, as
near as possible in a line with its longitudinal axis.
The improvements-consist in-so-forming or shaping the elongated projectile
that a certain length thereof (say, for example, one-third) shall be of less
diameter than the remaining two-thirds, which occupies the bore of the gun,
the exterior surface of the lesser and larger diameters both being in lines
parallel to the axis of the projectile, and the junction between the two varying
diameters is formed by a bevil or inclined shoulder, and both the ends or
terminations of the projectiles are semicircular, the radii of the semicircles
being half of either diameter, and the centres thereof being upon the line of
axis. In order to balance the projectiles, if desired, from the centre of its
length, a small portion of the front semicircules may be removed..
Fig. 1 represents a side view of one of the projectiles, shewing the larger
diameter A, which bears upon the bore of the gun and its semicircular end,
and the lesser diameter B and its semicircular end; which diameter is conse-
quently somewhat less than the bore. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the
projectile, the front end C, or that nearest the muzzle of the gun, being partly
removed in order to balance it if desired. I would also remark that hollow
66
shells" may also be thus formed or shaped on their exterior surface.
a,
In manufacturing the said projectiles, when made of wrought metal or
steel, the bar of metal is first to be cut off to about the weight and -length
required, it is then to be hammered or "swaged" when heated (by any heavy
hammer) in a horizontal position, the hammer head and anvil being cach
formed like half the projectile as a "swage," or the bar may be "swaged" in
lengths for a number of projectiles, and afterwards cut to about the length and
weight required; after this it is to be reheated and placed in a vertical die
box in the form of vertical half of the projectile, ard having an opening at
the bottom, through which the surplus metal is pressed when the hammer or
bydraulic pressure is exerted on the upper half of the die box. By this means
the metal is densified in proportion to the pressure employed; and when the
pressure has been sufficiently great no further "hardening" is necessary for
steel projectiles. When the projectile is thus far advanced it is cooled as
rapidly as possible, and may then be centred in a lathe, and the whole exterior

page_text: or the part bearing on the bore of the gun may polished, in which state it
may be heated again and "tempered," or not, as may be requisite.
When forming these projectiles in cast metal the may be cast in metallic
moulds as usual, the moulds being internally shaped like the exterior of the
projectile herein described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mackay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witnessed by
JOHN L. DAVIES,
Office for Patents,
4, St. Ann's Sqre,
Manchester.
JAMES MACKAY. (L.S.)