IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR RIFLED FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR RIFLED FIRE-ARMS
AND ORDNANCE."-A communication from abroad by Samuel Hatt
Haycock, of Ottawa, Canada, Civil Engineer.
Sealed the 7th March 1873, and dated the 11th January 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 11th January 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build-
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROJECTILES FOR RIFLED FIRE-ARMS AND ORDNANCE," and have petitioned
Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and.

page_text: assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Samuel Hatt Haycock, of Ottawa, Canada, Civil Engineer.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming a part of
this Specification :-
The said Invention consists in an elongated projectile so formed as to
have a cylindrical portion of uniform diameter of sufficient length only
to carry the projectile steady through the bore of the arm or ordnance,
and whose equilibrium or centre of gravity shall be at or near the
forward part of such cylindrical portion. The object of the said Inven-
tion is to reduce the resistance in the bore to a modicum and to cause
the trajection of the projectile to be less.
It consists also in providing the said projectile with a plug whose rear
projecting end is conical, its forward end cylindrical, and its expansion
frustum portion intermediate or between such rear and front ends, the
said cylindrical portion being forced forward in a corresponding bore in
the projectile when the frustum is enlarged to retain the plug in
position during the flight of the projectile.
It also consists in forming in, the body of the projectile forward of the
fustum recess a cylindrical bore whose depth shall be greater than the
length of the cylindrical portion of the plug, thus furnishing a space or
chamber into which the cylindrical portion of the plug is received
when the rear end of the projectile is enlarged by the closing of the
fustum.
,
The Drawing represents a side view of a projectile embodying this
Invention, shewing the body or metal portion in section and the plug
inserted therein in elevation.
A is the body of an elongated projectile, in the rear end of which is
inserted a close fitting plug of wood or other material to expand the
projectile by the frustum portion of the plug herein-after described.
The plug is formed of a cone portion B projecting beyond the end of the
projectile, a frustum portion C fitting on the rear end, and cylindrical
portion D inserted in a corresponding bore, and which portion D retains

page_text: the plug in position during the flight of the projectile after the rustum
portion has been driven for the enlargement of the heel portion of the
projectile, as herein-after described.
The cone portion B of the plug prevents suction of the air at the heel
of the projectile during its flight. The frustum portion of the plug is
driven inward at the discharge of the projectile and expands the heel
portion of the projectile to such an extent as to fill the grooves of rifled
fire-arms or ordnance, thereby preventing the escape of gas and causing
the full force of the explosive material to be exerted on the projectile
for its propulsion.
E is a space or chamber formed in the body of the projectile in front
of the cylindrical portion of the plug to allow the frustum portion of the
plug to close in, while expanding the projectile. F is a groove formed
in the circumference of the projectile to fasten the capsule or shell of the
cartridge. The cylindrical portion G of the body of the projectile is of
uniform diameter and of extent merely sufficient to keep the projectile
steady in the bore; the forward end is parabolical.
By this formation the assistance by friction is reduced to a modicum
and the effective power of the projectile in its propulsion is increased.
By forming the plug with the frustum portion more or less acute the
centre of gravity can be thrown more or less forward, thus regulating
the equilibrium of the projectile so that it will be at the forward part of
the said cylindrical portion G, that is to say, at or near the point where
the parabolical head commences; thus the projectile in its flight will
travel through the air in a more direct line than if the centre of gravity
was more or less toward the rear or front.
H is a shoulder on the rear of the projectile against which the explo-
sive gas will be exerted for discharging the same. The cone portion B
of the plug should project sufficiently to fill the vacuum space at the heel
of the projectile caused by the displacement of the atmosphere during
its flight. Were this vacuum not filled atmospheric suction at the
rear would ensue, and to supply such vacuum space a necessarily great
disturbance of the atmosphere would take place, causing a gyration of
currents which would influence the course of the projectile.
By means of the projecting cone the flight of the projectile will not
be entrammelled by atmospheric currents of its own creation, and its
speed and penetrating power will be thereby increased.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
.
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A parabolical front ended elongated projectile formed with a
rear cylindrical portion G sufficient in length to carry the projectile
steady through the bore of rifled guns or ordnance, the equilibrium or
centre of gravity of said projectile being at or near the forward part of
such portion G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. Providing the rear end of such projectile with a close fitting
plug formed of the conical rear projecting portion B, central frustum
portion C, and inner cylindrical end D, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. The cylindrical bore formed in the body A of the projectile and
in combination with the cylindrical portion D of the plug forming a
space or chamber E, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have bercunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.s.)