IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Thompson, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE
AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Edward Heaton, of New Haven, in the State of
Sealed the 24th June 1862, and dated the 9th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th January 1862.
I, BENJAMIN THOMPSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Edward Heaton, of New
Haven, in the State of Connecticut, in the United States of America,
Gentleman, to be as follows:-
Referring to the annexed Drawings, Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section of
a six-pounder gun formed upon my principle; Fig. 2, a top view of the
same; Fig. 3, a side view; Fig. 4, a cross section; Fig. 5, the breech
detached; Fig. 6, the form of the solid projectile; and Fig. 7; the form of.
shell I propose to use with these guns.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the breech end shewing more clearly the
charging chamber, and the projectile; (a, Fig. 1,) is the barrel in which are
fixed in dovetailed grooves longitudinal dovetailed ribs or guide ways R.,
running the entire length of the barrel in lines parallel with its longitudinal.

page_text: axis; these ribs will be best made of hardened cast steel. The breech (6) is
made moveable by means of the screw, solely for the purpose of assisting the
manufacture of the interior of the barrel, but it also serves another useful
purpose, namely, that of permitting the thorough cleansing of the barrel
should it be found requisite in hard service. The peculiar forms of the breech
end of the barrel internally, and that of the charging chamber (C), are to
admit of the close fitting and seating of the projectile (d), which is of an egg
shape or oval, having oval or rounded in section grooves (e), sunk at equi-
distant points in its waist or cross sectional circumference, which grooves run
in the direction of the length of the projectile, and in which grooves the ribs
upon the inside of the barrel, rounded or oval, also in section at the top are
made to fit with tolerable accuracy; the charge and projectile are inserted at
the muzzle; the grooves (e) having been previously well greased, the shot is
easily forced down the barrel upon the guide ways or ribs (R) until it is firmly
seated in the curved breech-end of the barrel upon the exploding charge in
the chamber (C), as represented in Fig. 8. The hole (f) through. the breech
knob, and the rings (9) upon the breech, are useful. only in screwing or
unscrewing the breech, and the hollow rib. (h), which may be .brazed on to
the outside of the gun, serves merely to assist the maker in accurately sighting
the piece. Should it be found that the ball fits its seating in the breech-end
of the barrel so closely as to imperil the safety of the gun, vents may be
made through the grooves in the projectile. (Fig. 7) shews the form in which
I propose to make my shells for these guns. These shells are divided below
the shorter axis of the oval, the two parts screwing together. Explosion may
be ensured either by means of a cap upon the head or top end, or by a fusee
through the lower end.
The preceding description will suffice to shew the applicability of my
Invention to small arms as well as ordnance. Projectiles of the form I have
shewn, and either with or without the grooves, may also be advantageously
employed with smooth bored arms or ordnance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
THOMPSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Thompson, Her special license that I, the said Ben-
jamin Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Thompson, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ORDNANCE AND FIRE-ARMS, AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH,"
a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Benjamin Thompson, 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 Benjamin Thompson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of ord-
nance and the barrels of fire-arms, by forming such ordnance or barrels with
ribs or guide ways down the length of the inside of the tube in a line parallel
with its longitudinal axis, by making the breech end of such ordnance or
barrels to contain a charging or exploding chamber of peculiar form to suit
the projectile to be herein-after described, and also in the form of projectile
which is specially adapted for use with the description of ordnance or barrels
aforesaid.
Figure 1 represents upon a reduced scale a longitudinal section of a six-
pounder field piece constructed upon this principle; Figure 2, shews a top
view of the same; Figure 3 a side view; Figure 4, a cross section; Figure-5,
shews the breech end detached; Figure 6, the form of ball or solid projectile;
Figure 7, the form of shell or hollow projectile designed for use with these
guns; Figure 8 represents upon an enlarged scale a portion of the breech

page_text: and muzzle, shewing more clearly in detail the form of the exploding chamber
and the projectile; Figure.9, a cross section of the. gun also upon an enlarged
scale.
(A) Figure 1, represents the interior of the barrel (R), the ribs or guide-
ways which direct the ball in its flight. These ribs may either be fixed in
grooves of a dovetail section cut in the metal of the barrel, or the spaces
between the ribs may be cut away from the barrel, leaving the ribs solid in
the barrel. These ribs will in either case answer best if formed of hardened cast
steel; (B) is the breech end of the gun, capable of being removed by means of
the screw.
It may be screwed or unscrewed by employing a small lever rod
inserted through the hole (F), left in the breech knob for that purpose, and by
the rings or lugs (G) upon the side of the breech. The breech end being
removeable, not only assists materially in the manufacture and boring out of the
interior of the barrel, and the formation of the exploding chamber, thus enabling
the maker to give the inside a true and perfect finish, but it also admits of
the thorough cleansing and cooling of the gun from time to time if found
requisite after repeated discharges. The breech end of the barrel internally
is contracted in an easy curve as it joins the charge or exploding chamber (C)
to admit of the close fitting and sealing of the projectile (D), which is of an
oval or egg shape, with grooves (E) rounded in section, sunk in it at equi-
distant points in the waist or cross section, and running parallel with the
longer axis of the projectile. The ribs or guideways (R) are similarly rounded
in section at the top edge, so that the convexity of the ribs may accord-with
tolerable accuracy with the concavity of the grooves. The upper and lower of
these ribs or ways guide the projectile, while the side ways sustain its weight,
and maintain its equilibrium. The grooves before charging are to be well
greased, and the charge and projectile are then inserted at the muzzle, the
ball or shell being easily rammed down the barrel upon the ribs or guide
ways until the charge is driven home in the chamber (C), and the projectile
is firmly seated in the curved breech-end of the barrel, and upon or imbedded
in the charge in the chamber (C), as represented in Figure 8. If it be found
that the ball fits its seating in the breech end so closely as to imperil the
safety of the gun, vent holes may be formed through the rear of the projectile
into the grooves. The hollow rib (H,) Figure 2, which may be brazed on to
the outside of the gun, is for the purpose of assisting the maker to accurately
sight the piece.
From the preceding description of the Invention as regards the manufacture
of a light field piece, the principle as applicable also to fire-arms will be
easily comprehended. In making barrels of best quality, I prefer making them

page_text: of steel, and cutting away the metal between the ribs or guide ways, leaving
such ribs or guide ways solid. The ball if of lead, may be molded with the
grooves in it, or it may be rammed down the barrel, the ribs or guide ways
forcing themselves into the ball. The form of shell proposed to be used with
this description of ordnance is represented in Figure 7, by which it will be
seen that the case is made in two parts, connected together by a screw upon
the smaller end of the oval, the larger portion being tapped to receive the
screw. This shell may be exploded either by a detonating cap or charge upon
the larger end or head, or by a fuse inserted in the smaller end of the case.
I would remark that in guns made upon this principle, the exploding
chamber being contracted at the mouth, and very closely finished to receive
the smaller end of the projectile, which is also, when of iron, turned very
smoothly to fit the chamber accurately, and close it air-tight, complete explo-
sion of the charge can be ensured, the escape of gases prevented, and the entire
force of the explosion is exerted upon the projectile, which being of this
peculiar form heaviest at the head, and governed at its passage through the
barrel by the ribs or guide ways, travels with little windage, and less friction;
creating in its flight no counter currents or eddies, it can be made to balance
itself perfectly.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim, the peculiar form of the charging or
exploding chamber, the ribs or guide ways in the barrel, and the projectiles
to be employed therewith, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
BENJAMIN THOMPSON. (L.S.)