Improvements in Miniature Ammunition.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miniature Ammunition.
HARRY ANDREWS of 25 New Road Woolwich in the County of Kent Engineer
and JAMES O'KELLY, M.P. of International Club, Trafalgar Square London do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention is designed to provide apparatus enabling fire arms for using
Miniature Ammunition as described in Specification 7927 A.D. 1889, with miniature
cartridges of improved construction.
The novel feature of our invention is in the formation of the cartridge case; in
providing for the expansion of part of the body after firing; and in the construction
of the projectile.
Our miniature cartridges unlike other cartridges are loaded into an ordinary
service cartridge case, or tube of somewhat similar construction (which will herein-
after be called the chamber tube) and in order to more perfectly adapt the same
thereto, the rim or flange is suitably coned or curved into the body to fit the bend
or curvature of neck of chamber tube whereby an effective seating is formed and
the impact of the blow communicated in firing firmly resisted. To provide for a
greater charge of powder in our miniature cartridge; instead of our cartridge case
terminating with a rim or flange to fit the neck of the chamber tube, its length and
diameter from that point is extended towards the rear thereof and terminates
without a rim or flange, but a suitable necking is formed to abut against the neck
of the chamber tube.
The forward end of our miniature cartridge when inserted into the chamber tube
projects beyond the neck thereof and expands after firing, that ordinarily it is
difficult to extract without the use of one or more slits as described and illustrated
in Specification 7927 A.D. 1889. We therefore allow for this expansion by making
the rear part of the body of the miniature cartridge case sufficiently large in
diameter as to at least ensure the forward end not expanding beyond that diameter.
We consequently facilitate the extraction of the spent shell through the neck of
the chamber tube after firing by means of this specific provision.
We sometimes use a compound bullet consisting of a lead core suitably covered
with a metal casing formed with a shoulder on the body for abutting against the
end or mouth of cartridge case. But by preference we only partially cover or
jacket a lead core (which fits the cartridge case) with a skin of metal and thereby
form a shoulder by terminating the partial metal covering at a suitable distance
from the base of the core of lead so as to leave sufficient standing out for seating
the bullet into the cartridge case.
Dated this 20th 1a. of M- 1900
HARRY ANDREWS.
JAMES O'KELLY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miniature Ammunition.
We, HARRY ANDREWS, of 25 New Road, Woolwich, in the County of Kent,
and JAMES O'KELLY, M.P., of the International Club, Trafalgar Square,
London, 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 miniature or practice cartridges for use with apparatus of

page_text: the kind or class described in the Specification of former Letters Patent dated
13th May A.D. 1889, No. 7927.
One object of our present invention is to provide for the more efficient support of
the miniature cartridge in the outer tube or shell, and thereby increase its resistance
to movement under the impact of the firing-pin or striker.
It has been found in practice that, when cartridges having rims or flanges of the
ordinary shape are used, the impact of the firing-pin or striker, by driving the
square or slightly rounded edge of the rim or flange of each cartridge against the
inclined or curved internal shoulder of the outer tube or shell which fits into
the chamber of the gun, gradually forms an indentation in the said shoulder
corresponding in shape with the said square or rounded edge of the rim or flange.
This indentation in a short time becomes deep enough to permit a slight forward
movement of the cartridge relatively to the said outer or chamber tube, and, after
repeated use of the apparatus, this forward movement becomes sufficient to prevent
the detonation of the cap or primer by the firing-pin or striker.
To obviate this defect, we make the rim or flange of our improved miniature or
practice cartridge of such form that the shoulder of the outer or chamber tube will
serve as an efficient seating therefor, that is to say, we make our improved cartridge
with a rim or flange the forward side of which is bevelled, coned or curved in such
a manner that, when the miniature cartridge is properly inserted in the outer or
chamber tube, the entire surface, or approximately the entire surface of the bevelled,
conical or curved side of the rim or flange of the said cartridge will bear against
the internal shoulder of the said tube, which will effectively support it against the
impact of the firing-pin or striker.
Another object of our said invention is to provide for facilitating the withdrawal
of the empty shells of the miniature cartridges from the outer or chamber tube. In
the use of miniature cartridges as heretofore constructed, difficulty is frequently
experienced in the extraction of the empty shells from the said tube, by reason of
the bulging or expansion, in the firing of the gun, of that portion of the cartridge-
shell which projects beyond the forward end of the said tube. This expansion
usually increases the diameter of the projecting portion of the cartridge-shell
beyond that of the bore of the neck of the tube. To permit the extraction of the
cartridge-shells from the outer tube when thus expanded, the forward end of the
said tube has heretofore been provided with one or more longitudinal slits, so that
it can be slightly expanded and will contract after the cartridge-shell is withdrawn.
Now, according to our present improvements, we provide in the following manner
for permitting the extraction of the cartridge-shells from the outer tube with facility
notwithstanding their expansion, that is to say, we make the said projecting portion
of the cartridge-shell of less diameter than the portion thereof which is surrounded
and supported by the said tube. For this purpose, we sometimes make the body
of the cartridge-shell thicker than is absolutely necessary to ensure the requisite
strength thereof, and we reduce the diameter and thickness of the forward portion
of the said shell so that, notwithstanding the expansion thereof when the cartridge
is fired, the diameter of the said projecting portion of the cartridge-shell will not
be increased in diameter to such an extent as to prevent or impede the withdrawal
of the said shell from the outer or chamber tube. In other instances, we make the
tubular portion or body of the shell of the usual thickness, but smaller in diameter
at the forward part than at the rear part thereof. We are thus enabled to make
the outer or chamber tube without the aforesaid slit or slits.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a miniature cartridge constructed in accordance
with our said invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal central section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing
the shell of the said cartridge and a portion of the outer or chamber tube in which
it is held.
On referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the cartridge-shell a is made
with a rim or flange the forward side 6' of which is suitably bevelled so that

page_text: it will bed itself accurately against the internal shoulder c¹ of the outer or
chamber tube c, and will therefore have an efficient seating which will prevent
forward movement of the cartridge-shell under the impact of the firing-pin or
striker.
It will also be seen that the forward portion of the shell a from d to e is
reduced in diameter so that it can be expanded slightly without diminishing its
facility of extraction from the outer or chamber tube c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we wish it under-
stood that we are aware that cartridges have been made with cases or shells
which are necked or reduced in diameter at the forward end so that the bullet will
be firmly held therein, whilst the body of the case or shell will be of sufficient
diameter to contain a large charge of powder; we, therefore, do not claim
generally or irrespectively of our improvements herein set forth a cartridge-shell
having the forward portion of the body of smaller diameter than the rear portion
thereof, but we claim :-
First. A miniature cartridge having a rim or flange the forward side of which
is bevelled, coned or curved so that it will have an efficient bearing against the
internal shoulder of a tube or shell for holding the said cartridge, as, and for the
purpose, above specified.
Second. A miniature cartridge for the purpose above specified, having that part
of the shell thereof which projects beyond the outer or chamber tube, so reduced
in diameter that, notwithstanding the expansion thereof when the cartridge is fired,
the said shell can be readily withdrawn from the tube, as above specified.
Third. The improved miniature cartridge constructed as above described and
as shown in the accompanying drawing, for the purposes above specified.
Dated this 10th dox of Waho 1801
HARRY ANDREWS.
JAMES O'KELLY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.