Improvements in Armour-piercing Shells and Projectiles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Armour-piercing Shells and Projectiles.
I, JOSEPH ELTON BOTT of Eyam in the County of Derby, Metallurgist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
My invention has for its object the construction of an armour piercing shell or
projectile, capable of containing a larger charge of explosive, in proportion to its
diameter than is at present attainable, at the same time retaining an intensely hard
head or point.
In order to carry out my invention I first construct of soft steel (or other suitable
metal) either cast or forged, the body of the shell comprising an exploding chamber
and base, I then corrugate or otherwise roughen the upper end on which the head or
point is intended to be cast.
After having so prepared the body of the shell or projectile, I heat the same and
place it in a mould, from which it projects a suitable distance, I next place the top
part of a moulding box in position over same, and by the aid of a loose pattern, form
the shape of the head or point in sand or other refractory material, when (after the
removal of the pattern) I fill the said mould with an alloy of steel high in tungsten or
titanium or both; in such proportions as will form a self hardening point or head
or I may use a steel rich in manganese or chromium or a combination of both.
In order to protect the interior of the chamber from the molten metal, fill the
same with refractory material, which is afterwards extracted when the point or head
of the projectile has cooled and the completed shell or projectile removed from the
mould.
By this method of construction, I produce an exceedingly hard and tough point or
head to an armour piercing shell or projectile, in combination with a light body or
case for containing the explosive thus increasing the destructive power of such shell
or projectile without lessening its armour piercing properties.
I also in order to ensure the intimate union, combination or welding of the hard
cast head with the comparatively softer body of the shell, preferably first plate such
body with nickel or other slowly oxidizable metal and afterwards cast the head
thereon.
2000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Armour-piercing Shells and Projectiles.
I, JOSEPH ELTON BOTT, of Eyam, in the County of Derby, Metallurgist, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the figures and
letters marked thereon :-
My invention has for its object the construction of an armour piercing shell or
projectile capable of containing a larger charge of explosive in proportion to its
diameter than is at present attainable, at the same time retaining an intensely hard
head or point.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a ongitudinal section of an explosive shell or projectile con.
structed according to my invention, and

page_text: Figure 2 represents a section of a moulding box with the body of a shell in the
lower part thereof and the mould prepared for receiving the molten metal to form the
hard point of the shell.
In carrying my invention into effect, I first construct, of soft steel or other suitable
metal, either cast or forged, the body of the shell, comprising an explosive chamber a,
which is open at the upper or front end a¹, and base b; I also corrugate or roughen
the upper or front end a¹, on to which the head or point c is intended to be cast.
After having so prepared the body of the shell or projectile I next heat the same to
a welding heat and place it in a mould which has been previously prepared as herein-
after described; I then fill the mould with an alloy of steel high in tungsten or
titanium, or both, in such proportions as will form a self hardening point or head, or
I may use a steel rich in manganese or chromium or a combination of both.
In preparing the mould I form the lower part e thereof to receive the body a of
the shell or projectile from which the contracted, corrugated and open front end
projects a suitable distance and I form the mould for the head or point c in the top
part of the moulding box, within which, by the aid of a loose pattern, I form the
shape of the head or point c in sand or other refractory material, then after placing
the heated body a of the shell or projectile in position in the portion e of the mould, I
place the top part f, of the latter in position, and cast the head or point c on to the
body a of the shell or projectile, as before stated.
In order to protect the interior of the explosive chamber from access thereto of the
molten metal poured into the mould, I fill said chamber where required to be so
protected with refractory material 9 which is afterwards extracted when the point or
head c of the shell or projectile has cooled, and the completed shell or projectile has
been removed from the mould.
The rear of the shell is fitted with a screw base b to enable the shell to be filled with
the explosive as is well understood.
By this method of construction, I produce an exceedingly hard and tough point or
head to an armour piercing shell or projectile, in combination with a light body or
case for containing the explosive thus increasing the destructive power of such shell
or projectile without lessening its armour piercing properties.
I also, in order to ensure the intimate union or welding together of the hard cast
head or point with the comparatively softer body of the shell or projectile, preferably,
before heating such body to a welding heat, first clean or pickle the same and then
coat or plate it, by electricity or other means, with nickel, aluminium or other slowly
oxidizable metal, which, when the said body is heated to a welding heat, will protect
the same against oxidization and, when the head or point is cast thereon, secure the
intimate union or welding of the hard cast head or point with the comparatively softer
body of the shell or projectile.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. An armour piercing shell or projectile having a body comprising an explosive
chamber (preferably larger in proportion to its diameter than usual) and a base formed
of soft steel or other suitable metal or alloy, either cast or forged, and its upper or
forward end corrugated or roughened, on to which a head or point of self-hardening
steel or alloy is cast, substantially as herein described.
2. The manufacture of armour piercing shells or projectiles with an explosive.
chamber (preferably larger in proportion to their diameter than usual) by, 1st, con-
structing a body comprising an explosive chamber and base of soft steel or other
suitable metal or alloy, either cast or forged, 2nd, roughening or corrugating the upper
or forward end of such body, 3rd, heating such body to a welding heat, and 4th,
casting on to such body, a head or point of steel alloyed with tungsten, titanium,
manganese, or chromium, or a combination of any two or more of such metals.
3. The manufacture of armour piercing shells or projectiles with an explosive
chamber (preferably larger than usual in proportion to their diameter), by 1st, con-

page_text: structing a body comprising an explosive chamber and base of soft steel or other
suitable metal or alloy either cast or forged, 2nd roughening or corrugating the upper
or forward end of such body, 3rd coating the upper or forward end of said body with
nickel, aluminium, or other slowly oxidizable metal, 4th heating the said body to a
welding heat, and 5th placing the same in a suitably prepared mould and casting
thereon a head or point of self hardening steel substantially as herein described.
Dated this 4th day of September 1800
JOSEPH ELTON BOTT.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.