Improvements in Sporting Cartridges.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1887
Complete Left, 4th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
Improvements in Sporting Cartridges.
Wo MICHAEL TWEEDIE of Wisborough, Billingshurst in the County of Sussex,
Major General Royal Artillery, and FRANCIS LAUDER MUIRHEAD of No. 3 El Court,
Temple E.C. in tho City of London, Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cartridges used for.
sporting purposes.
According to our invention the case is made of solid-drawn metal and is loaded.
with gunpowder compressed so as to leave a channel through the centre of the charge
from the cap-chamber to the base of the shot. An ordinary greasy wad is inserted
between the powder charge and the shot charge, and the wad which covers the shot
is made to protrude slightly beyond the limit of a metallic case of the cartridge which
is made to grip the wad. The cartridge is provided with a covering of waterproof
or other suitable paper extending over the last-mentioned wad and the edge of the
paper is secured by a disc of paper slightly smaller than the size of the wad.
Dated this 7th day of July 1887
A. F. SPOONER,
Agent for the Applicants..

page_text: Improvements in Sporting Cartridges.
We MICHAEL TWEEDIE, of Wisborough, Billingshurst, in the County of Sussex,
Major General Royal Artillery, and FRANCIS LAUDER MUIRHEAD, of No. 3 Elm
Court, Temple, E.C. in the City of London, Barrister-at-Law, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cartridges used for
sporting purposes.
The accompanying drawing shows a longitudinal section of a cartridge made
according to our invention. The case, A, is made of solid-drawn metal and is loaded
with granulated gunpowder, B, compressed so as to leave a channel, C, through the
centre of the charge from the cap chamber to the base of the shot. The powder is
compressed after being inserted into the case so that its density is greater near the
channel and less towards the outer circumference. A thick felt wad, D, is inserted
over the powder. The shot, E, are then inserted and retained in position by either a
waterproof covering, F, or by a wad, which is gripped by means of the end of the
case being turned over as shown at, G. The side of the case is completely covered
with a waterproof or other suitable paper, H, the edge of the paper at the top of the
case being secured by a disc of waterproof material, I, slightly smaller than the end
of the cartridge.
The advantages derived from the use of a cartridge manufactured as above described
are numerous. The case being constructed of metal prevents any possibility of the
escape of gas, and, being very thin, it more nearly coincides with the bore of the
barrel from which it is fired thus causing the shot to be less disturbed in their passage
through the barrel. The case, having the end turned over as described, presents no
sharp edges; it is also more elastic than an ordinary case composed of paper material
and can therefore be more easily extracted.
The hereinbefore described method of forming and compressing the charge causes
in the first instance after firing a low rate of ignition, afterwards increasing in rapidity
as combustion proceeds from the dense centre to the outer and less dense circum-
ference. This gives a high velocity and power of killing at greater range with only
a low pressure in the gun. Gunpowder so burnt gives very little smoke, it being
completely consumed in the barrel and no grains are blown out to burn outside
the gun.
We generally prefer to cover the shot with a waterpoof covering of sufficient
thickness to retain the shot within the cartridge case which will immediately break
up on the discharge of the cartridge. This overcomes the disadvantage arising from
the wad as used in existing cartridges, which, being carried for a time in front of the
charge, causes the side and rear shot to splay out and in consequence give a bad
pattern.

page_text: The case, being covered with a waterproof material, renders the cartridge damp
proof and admits of its being kept an indefinite time without deterioration and likewise
prevents any jingling or denting during carriage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
A cartridge consisting of a solid-drawn metallic case, protected by a covering of
waterproof material, charged with compressed powder, having the shot held in position
by a waterproof disc or paper closing, and having the edge of the case turned over,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.