AN IMPROVEMENT IN PRIMERS FOR FIRE-ARM CARTRIDGES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
.
.66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PRIMERS FOR FIRE-ARM
CARTRIDGES."-A communication.
Sealed the 27th January 1857, and dated the 5th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th August 1856.
I, ALFRED. VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN. IMPROVEMENT IN PRIMERS FOR FIRE-ARM
CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in placing the fulminating powder, which is to fire
the charge of powder contained in the cartridge, between a metal disc or shell
and a piece of cork or other suitable elastic substance, the cork and fulminating
powder being enclosed by a brass or copper cap, having an orifice on its face,
so that a portion of the cork may be exposed to the action of a pin which
penetrates the cork, and ignites the fulminating powder by concussive force,
the metal.shell serving as the resisting medium for the pin to strike against.
This improvement is more particularly designed for loaded balls, in the rear

page_text: of which a cavity is made to receive the charge. The charge of powder is
retained in this cavity by the primer, which forms a plug in the end of the
bullet. The cork secures the fulminating powder in proper position, and by
its elasticity protects it from casual blows the primer may receive on its
exterior surface. It also serves as a means for withdrawing the primer from
the piece after it has been discharged.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, 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 Alfred,
Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, 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
PRIMERS FOR FIRE-ARM CARTRIDGES," being a communication from abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
consists in placing the fulminating powder of cartridges against a steel or iron
disc or shell and between the said disc and a cork or other suitable elastic'
material, the cork and fulminating powder being enclosed by a brass or copper
cap, having an orifice on its face, so that a portion of the cork may be exposed
to the action of a pin, which penetrates the cork, and ignites the fulminating"
powder by concussive force, the disc or shell serving as the resisting medium
for the pin to strike against.
In the annexed Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a
hollow conical ball or bullet loaded or charged, and the primer inserted in it;
Fig. 2 is a detached side view of the primer; Fig. 3 is a section of the iron or
steel disc; Fig. 4 is a detached view of the cork; Fig. 5 is a back view of
the iron or steel disc; Fig. 6 is a section of cap; Fig. 7 is a face view of the
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
same.
Figures.
This improvement is more particularly designed for loaded balls. In
Fig. 1, A represents a hollow conical ball or picket bullet; a is the cavity
within the ball which receives the charge; B represents the primer, which is
composed of four different materials, (viz.) a steel or iron disc or shell b;
cork or other suitable elastic material c; a copper or brass cap d; and the
fulminating powder e, which is placed between the disc or shell 6 and the cork c.
The steel or iron disc or shell b is made in the form of a cross, the ends
thereof being bent at right angles with its face, and it is inserted in the cap
d, which has a rim to fit over the bent ends. The cork c is fitted in the
cap d, and the fulminating powder e is placed between the disc b and cork c,
as clearly shown in Fig 1, the powder fitting in an indentation or cavity in the
disc b. The face of the cap d has a circular aperture f, made through its
centre, which aperture exposes a part of the cork. The cork and cap are of a
cylindrical form; the cork secures the fulminating powder in proper position,
and by its elasticity protects it from the effect of casual blows which the
primer may receive on its exterior surface. It also serves as a means for
withdrawing the primer from the piece after it has been discharged. The
primer, when fitted in the ball, closes its rear end water-tight, and rests firmly
on the charge within the cavity a.
Operation. The ball being placed in the piece or arm, a blunt projecting
piece is pressed through the aperture f and through the cork, until it bears
against the fulminating powder e, and disc or shell b; a blow from a hammer
will then ignite the fulminating powder e, and the fire will be forced through
the openings g (see Fig. 5), and will explode the powder in the ball.

page_text: ...Having now. set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improvement in
Primers for Fire-arm Cartridges," as.communicated to me by my foreign cor-.
respondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish,
it to be understood that, under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I
claim the primer constructed of the brass or copper cap d, cork c, or its
equivalent. steel or iron disc or shell b, and fulminating powder e, arranged as
shewn and.described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
sset my hand and seal, the Fifth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)