Miniature Ammunition or Practice Cartridge.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Miniature Ammunition or Practice Cartridge.
I, MATTHEW MULLINEUX, of 17 Maple Street, Cheetham, Manchester, Insurance
Inspector do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to miniature ammunition or practice cartridges for use in
service rifles, and its objects are to provide a means of obtaining safe rifle practice
at short ranges and to reduce the cost of ammunition.
My invention consists of a dummy or breech-piece, a miniature cartridge, and a
loose rim.
The dummy or breech-piece is externally of the same size and shape as the
regulation cartridge but having no base or rim. It is bored through, longitudinally,
to the same size as the barrel of the rifle, and if preferred it may be similarly
grooved. This is placed in the chamber of the rifle, and being made to fit closely,
and having no rim thereon, it remains stationary, and is not affected by the extractor
of the rifle. The bore of the rifle is thus continued through the chamber, and a
shorter cartridge than usual may be used.
The cartridge is an ordinary cylindrical rim cartridge; but as the rim is usually
too small to catch the extractor, I provide the following means for extracting the
empty cartridge cases.
I take a disc of flat metal, the thickness and size of the rim of the regulation
cartridge. I cut out the centre to receive the cartridge, and recess it to take the
rim. This ring of metal is placed on the cartridge from the fore-end which is
then placed in the chamber and fired; after which the extractor throws out the
empty case and loose rim together, the latter piece being again used on the next
cartridge.
In some rifles where the extractor is actuated by a spring, I leave nearly the whole
of the rim on the dummy, cutting away sufficient to allow the extractor to reach the
rim of the miniature cartridge.
In order to withdraw the dummy from the chamber, I provide holes in a suitable
part for the insertion of a wire or other tool for the purpose.
I may, if preferred, make the rim of the miniature cartridge sufficiently large
to need no loose rim.
Dated this 11th day of May 1896.
MATTHEW MULLINEUX.
Miniature Ammunition or Practice Cartridge.
I, MATTHEW MULLINEUX, of 17 Maple Street, Cheetham, Manchester, Insurance
Inspector, 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 to means for adapting miniature or practice cartridges to fire
arms chambered for a larger cartridge and consists of a breech piece or adaptor for

page_text: the empty cartridge together with the loose ring are pushed out by the extractor
leaving the adaptor in place to receive another cartridge.
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
1. A breech piece or adaptor for adapting miniature or practice cartridges to small
bore fire arms chambered for a larger cartridge, consisting of a metal casing fitting the
breech chamber of the fire arm and having a central bore corresponding to the bore of
the fire arm.
2. A breech piece or adaptor for adapting miniature or practice cartridges to small
bore fire arms chambered for a larger cartridge fitting in and retained in the breech
and bored to correspond with the bore of the fire arm.
3. The means for adapting miniature or practice cartridges to small bore fire arms
chambered for a larger cartridge consisting of an adaptor fitting in and retained in the
breech and bored of the size of the bore of the fire arm and of a loose or false rim
fitting the end of the small bore cartridge.
4. The improvements in adaptors substantially as described with reference to the
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.