IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederic Vasserot, of 45, Essex Street, Strand,
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS
AND ORDNANCE, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH."-A com-
munication from Peter Rector Smith, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris, iu
the Empire of France, now residing in the United States of America.
Sealed the 11th February 1:59, and dated the 20th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1858.,
I, OHARLES FREDERIC VASSEROT, of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE. AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED
THEREWITH," (a communication from Peter Rector Smith, of 2, Rue Ste.
Appoline, Paris, in the Empire of France, now residing in the United States
of America), to be as follows:-
And consists, firstly, in a new mode of constructing the barrels of fire-arms,
which makes them last longer, and prevents their bursting.
Secondly, in the use of certain pieces, which added to the projectiles, give
to the fire-arms with smooth barrel the same range and exactness as the
rifled ones.
One mode of constructing the barrels consists in making the inside part of
iron or steel, and mounting upon it a long conical cylinder made of several
metals, 'and covering nearly the whole length of the barrel. This cylinder is
again surrounded by two thicknesses of rings superposed and screwed
together.

page_text: Another mode of construction consists in casting the outside part of the
harrels with the trunnions of cast iron, bronze, or other suitable metal. The
inside being bored, receives a steel cylinder prepared to fit exactly the inside
of the first part so as to fix the parts. together, the outside is heated to a
proper temperature, and the steel cylinder being made a little larger than the
bore in the casting is then forced into it, and when cold the two pieces are
perfectly united together.
Instead of rifling the inside of the barrels, I propose to make use of certain
directing pieces having several inclined branches; the projectiles being grooved
so as to receive the inclined branches of the directing pieces, will be forced
helically, as with the rifled barrels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Frederic Vasserot in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th May 1859.
TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERIC VASSEROT, of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said Charles Frederic Vasserot, Her special licence that I, the said
Charles Frederic Vasserot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as 1, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, 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." IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," a communication from Peter
Rector Smith, of 2, Rue Ste Appoline, Paris, in the Empire of France, now
residing in the United States of America,.. upon, the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, my executors or adminis-
trators, 'by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
mands 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

page_text: the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
mouths next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, thai I, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
The method of constructing cannon for which I demand a Patent of
Invention offers entire security against bursting when under the strongest
service charges. This method consists in, First, a base of cast iron, steel,
or wrought iron; second, a case of metal composition cast around the base;
third, two or more layers of bands or hoops of wrought iron enclosing the
above united metals.
.:
I form a body for the gun containing the calibre and breech, as now formed
of cast iron, steel, or wrought iron, enclosed in a composition of metals.con-
sisting of 90 parts of copper, 9 parts tin, and 1 part lead, cast round the base,
extending to near the breech and muzzle, forming the body a little more than
half the thickness of the diameter of the bore. The two metals are of nearly
equal thickness where they surround the bore. Upon this body I place rings
or hoops of wrought iron in one, two, or more layers; all the hoops are so
formed that they have a male and female screw, and screw oue into the other,
so as to form a perfect cylinder. In addition to this, the first hoop at the
breech is formed with a screw, cut on the body or base, the first of each layer
or hoops in the same way as well as the muzzle; these hoops are made a
little, say one thousandth part of their diameter less upon their inside than
the parts they euclose. They are then expanded by heat, and being turned
on to their places, suffered to cool, when they shrink and compress the body
of the and afterwards each successive layer compresses in like manner
all that it encloses. This compression must be made such that when the gun
is subjected to the greatest force the body of the gun and the several layers
of rings will be distented up to the fracturing point at the same time, and
thus all receive a portion of the strain up to its bearing capacity. Every
portion of the-guu before being put together is sufficiently, small to be
perfectly manageable in preparing it, so as not to be injured in casting or
forging either by overheating or by undue proportionate cooling of the cast
metal, or by any important loss from oxydation or bastaltic crystallization.
Thus, each can be prepared and fitted without the slightest deterioration of
material, each part being of a size to subject it to a strict inspection of its
quality, fitness, and proportion. The base receives the metal composition,
which is of greater tenacity, and softness than cast iron or any other species of
gun;

page_text: iron, and which is held firmly in its position by the iron base within and the
wrought-iron hoops without, and from this position, and from its tenacity and
'softness, resists the concussion and force given to it through the walls of the
iron base, and does not communicate fracturing force to the exterior to the
same extent as harder metals. The tissue or threads of the wrought iron
bands pass transversely round and round the body of the gun, stretched by
the cooling of the bands to a near approach to their greatest power of
resistance, concentrating their force upon the body of the gun, thereby
guarding against the reasonable possibility of fracture. In cast-iron or
wrought-iron guns, increased strength is not always in proportion to increased
'thickness of inetul beyond a certain limited extent, as in great thickness of
inetal the calibre can be forced to give beyond its bearing capacity without
the outside participating in the strain. Fissures commencing in the calibre
have a tendency to split through the walls of the gun upon successive firing,
nearly in a direct line. I claim to overcome this difficulty by the formation of
agun of successive cylindrical layers, so combined that their force concentrates
upon the calibre, each contributing to its utmost capacity to the strength of
the calibre, rendering the splitting through the walls of the gun au impɔssi-
bility; at the same time rendering it possible to increase the strength in
proportion to the increased thickness of the walls of all sorts and sizes of
cannons.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings shows a longitudinal section of a gun,
constructed according to my new system. Fig. 2 is a front view of the ring,
seen in section at Fig. 3, and externally at Fig. 4. a, the rings or hoops of
wrought iron; b, the metal composition; c, the basis, made of iron or steel;
d, the calibre; e, the trunnions; a', b', the points of junction of the metal
composition and iron base near the breech and muzzle; c', c, where the first ring
or hoop is screwed upon the body of the gun at the breech, overlapping the
junction of the iron and metal composition; d', the manner in which the
second ring is screwed to the first (e', e) and also the manner in which all the
bands of the inner layer are screwed one into the other e'. The screwing of the
first ring of the outer layer overlapping the junction of the rings of the inner
layer, the second ring of the outer layer overlapping also the junction of the
second and third band of the inner layer, and the manner in which all the
bands of the outer layer are.screwed one into the other; the same letters
at the muzzle representing the same system in that part. c², the screwing
on of the last-ring; completing the formation of the muzzle; g, the screwing
of a hoop to the inner layer to hold the trunnions firm.
We know that in order to give to certain fire-arms, such as rifles and pistols

page_text: more strength and regularity,helical grooves are contrived through the length
of the gun; a similar application has been also thought of to ordinary guns or
cannons, but quickly given up on account of the objections and difficulties it
presented in the practice. My improvements have for chief intent to dispense
with those helical grooves on all sorts of arms; by using my system, the same
results can be obtained with arms; cylindrical and smooth internally as if the
same were grooved. Moreover, with my new mode of construction, the guns
or cannons can last indefinitely without any increase of weight with the same
regularity of aim, and besides, all collisions and internal strokes of the
projectile against the interior surface of the arm shall be avoided.
The annexed Drawing represents my improvements applied to a caunon
which after a due examination will be found perfectly applicable to guns,
pistols, etc. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section; the external part is cast with
the trunnions, and can be of cast iron or bronze. When the internal
surface or bore is well smoothed, the steel cylinder i is inserted, which has
been itself perfectly prepared to be adjusted into the interior part or bore /;
the cylinder i may be internally finished before or after being fitted into the
external part h. In order to join perfectly the two parts of metal hand i,care
must be taken to keep the external diameter of the bore made in the piece/;
the latter is afterwards heated so as to expand and have the piece i inserted
into it; by cooling,h fastens, compresses i very strongly, and forms a tight
joint of the two pieces.
The touchhole is bored as shown; after being tapped, a bolt j is inserted,
into which two holes are bored, one J in straight line, and the other k
obliquely,so as to meet the former and communicate the fire from the nipple / to
the charge inserted in the cannon in the usual way. The piece/penetrates into
the internal part of the arin, and thus facilitates the firing of the powder. I shall
further observe that the rounded end of this piece j, projecting into the
interior of the arm prevents the escape of the gas through the touch hole;
besides to prevent a quick deterioration of the said projecting end,it must be
previously hardened by tempering. This arrangement of the touchhole will
permit the use of a direct motion in operating the haminer, which can no
longer be lifted by the escape of the gas on the firing of the charge, which is
a. capital point for the instantaneity of the discharge.
As a substitute for the helical grooves, I have contrived a directing piece
or guide o, Fig. 5, 6, 7, 8, consisting of a'bottom set with a certain number
of branches o¹, which are inclined as shown at Figs. 5, 7, and 9. "The pro-
jectiles are provided with grooves, also inclined with relation to their axis,-
and so disposed as to admit the said .branches o' of the pieces o without

page_text: touching the bottom of the said piece o, when both get into the bottom of the
arm, so that at the moment the powder being transformed into gas drives
away the two pieces they are made to adhere completely by the pressure, and
the branches o' alone rub against the internal surface of the arm; now, as the
branches are inclined with relation to the axis, the two pieces o and the
projectile they contain are forced to describe a helical motion, which the
projectile preserves during its run. I shall further observe that the said guide
is.formed of a solid part-o and of the branches o'; that this bottom o can be
given a convex or concave form, from which it results that at the moment the
firing takes place, the effort exerted by the gas upon the bottom, causes it to
extend, a circumference to 'correspond with the internal surface of the
arm, a circumstance which forces the gas to yield its maximum of effective
action. The projectiles can be of any form or shape, as in Figs. 5 and 8,
where they are cylindrical, conical, and in Fig. 9 where they assume the
spherical form.
This new mode of forcing the projectile to describe a helical line without
any groove contrived on the internal surface of the arm, which remains
perfectly smooth and cylindrical, can be applied to all sorts of arms, such as
guns, pistols, and even to common soldiers' hand guns, for which a suitable
guide can be cut out and mechanically stamped according to the desirable
shape to be given to the projectile.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be put into effect, I wish it to be well understood that the chief
features of my improvements consist in the following new applications, and
therefore I claim :-
First, a base of a gun of cast iron, steel, or wrought iron, containing the
calibre and breech, with raised shoulders at each end, which may be bored
and the calibre thoroughly finished, if desired, and the outside turned, and its
strength thoroughly tested by powder, or otherwise, before proceeding further
in the construction of the gun, so as to give full opportunity for detecting
any defect in casting or welding.
Second, the placing of a metal composition round a base of iron or steel,
held firmly in its position by the wrought iron hoops.
:
Third, the screwing of wrought-iron rings one into.the other, and adjusting
them upon the body of the gun, so that the combination gives greater
security in the construction of cannon tlian heretofore known.
Fourth, I claim that this new principle may be adapted in the construction
of any size or form of gun.
Fifth, the use of an internal oylinder, which may be of a harder metal than
3

page_text: the cannon, but preferably of steel, which permits using again old cast iron
or bronze arms left off and worn out by long use; for it suffices to smooth
the bore and insert a steel, iron, or other metal or composition sufficiently
resisting cylinder.
Sixth, the use of a touchhole with two holes, the one bored in a direct line
& the other obliquely, which contrivance allows to communicate the fire by
direct transmission with a cock or hammer,as in percussion guns, without any
danger of the hammer being lifted up by the gas, which will preferably escape
through the direct hole, the nipple being placed upon the oblique hole.
Seventh, the use of directing pieces or guides, of a softer metal than the
gun itself, such as copper, bronze, &, the said guides being provided with
inclined branches, designed to rub against the internal surface of the arm,
which they cannot injure, and to involve or embrace the projectile. This
application ensures to the arm an unlimited wearing, as it were. Moreover,
as the said directing rubbing branches are inclined with relation to the axis
and to the generating lines of the gun, it ensues that the projectile will be
forced to describe a helical motion, which ensures a great regularity and
precision to the aim.
Eighth, the application to projectiles of corresponding grooves, to adinit
the branches of the directing pieces.
Ninth, the use of a special ramuner, intended to drive in the directing
pieces and projectiles in the best suitable way.
Tenth, the joining of the two parts composing a cannon by the dilatation
of the external part, previously heated, which by cooling fastens tightly the
two metal parts.
Lastly, I wish it to be understood that the constitutive elements of my
Invention can be applied singly or in combination with one another, as
will best fulfil the conditions in which they are to be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Fréderic Vasserot, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
CH³ ERÉD° VASSEROT. (L.s.)