AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSIDIARION OR CARTRIDGES BAD IDE ADMO FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Montagu Hayes, of Southsea, in the County of
Hampshire, Captain R.N., for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
CONSIDIARION OR CARTRIDGES BAD IDE ADMO
"
Sealed the 3rd March 1857, and dated the 4th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Montagu Hayes,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th September 1856.
I, JOHN MONTAGU HAYES, of Southsea, in the County of Hampshire,
Capt R.N., do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARTRIDGES FOR FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows-
The construction of cartridges for fire-arms in such manner that the explosion
of the percussion cap used will fire the powder contained in the charge through
the case or covering of the cartridge, so as to obviate the necessity of breaking
the cartridge when in the act of loading. This I effect by the application, as a
covering to the charge, of the skin or membrane of the gut of animals or birds,
which has the property of allowing a sharp fire like that from a percussion cap
to pierce through it, but will resist an ordinary spark, and is moreover imper-
vious to water. I strengthen the cartridge by laying over the skin an outer
covering of net or open cording.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Montagu Hayes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MONTAGU HAYES, of Southsea, in the County of Hampshire, Captain R.N.,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Montagu Hayes, Her special licence that I, the said John Montagu
Hayes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such other persons as I,
the said John Montagu Ilayes, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARTRIDGES FOR FIRE-ARMS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Montagu Hayes, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 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 John Montagu Hayes, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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):-
My Invention consists in the application of a peculiar substance in the con-
struction of seamless cartridges or cases for containing the gunpowder, gun
cotton, or other combustible matter used as the charge for fire-arms, having
for its object the two-fold important advantages of rendering the cartridges
impervious to damp, and dispensing with the necessity which exists in the
common cartridges of breaking or tearing away a portion of the case previous
to inserting the charge. The substance I use is the skin or membrane which
covers the gut of most animals, birds, and even reptiles, for almost any animal
membrane answers the purpose; that which I use in preference being the skin
of a pig's gut. I draw the said skin upon a block the size of the cartridge

page_text: required while in a damp state, which subsequently dries to the proper form;
the case can then be filled with the combustible matter, and the bullet secured
to it. The cartridge is strengthened by a sort of network of thread, or by
simply winding the thread about it, a few turns only being necessary. A
cartridge thus constructed may be inserted into the fire-arm without being
broken, since the animal skin allows the sharp flash from the explosion of the
percussion cap to pierce it and ignite the charge. The cartridge thus remains
waterproof, even after loading. It is peculiarly adapted for gun cotton, for
although a percussion cap never fails to explode the charge, an ordinary spark
will not affect it.
I claim the peculiar construction of these seamless cartridges, as well as the
use and application of animal skin or membrane, for either wholly or partially
covering the combustible matter used as the charge for fire-arms; also the
general construction of waterproof seamless cartridges, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Montagu Hayes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
RICH. A. MOLL.
GEORGE LEE.
JN MONTAGU HAYES. (L.S.)