IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND PROJECTILES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bessemer, of Queen Street Place, New Cannon
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORDNANCE AND PROJECTILES,"
Sealed the 23rd July 1861, and dated the 26th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bessemer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, ou the
26th January 1861.
I, HENRY BESSEMER, of Queen Street Place, New Cannon Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ORDNANCE AND PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, totheconstruction of breech-loadingordnance,
and is especially designed for guns of large calibre, or for such as are intended
to throw projectiles of great weight, although the same principle of construc-
tion may be employed in guns of the smallest calibre.
Guns constructed according to this Invention consist mainly of two massive
pieces,oneof which is a truncated cone having the bore formed through it from
end to end, the second piece consists of a massive loop or strap; at the open
end of this strap trunnions are formed on the outside which are fitted to the
gun carriage in the same way as the trunnions formed on an ordinary gun.
The end farthest from the trunnions is curved on the outside, and is nearly
flat on the inside, thus leaving a large mass of metal at the end of the strap for
the double purpose of preventing it frombending bythe pressurebroughtupon
Price &

page_text: it, and also by its vis inertiæ to oppose the tendency to be blown a way by the
force of the explosion. This strap, the hinder part of which forms the breech,
is not moved when loading the gun, but it can be moved on its trunnion S
upward or downward by a screw or otherwise, so as to regulate from time to
time the elevation of the gun. The first-named piece, which may be called
the gun, is fitted in between the limbs of the strap or breech piece, and has
short light trunnions at or near its centre of gravity, so that the breech end of
it may be readily moved upward or downward when desired, and thus give
access to the bore at the time of loading or sponging, at which time the lower
side of the bore will be in line with a hollow formed on the upper side of the
breech piece, in which hollow the projectile may rest at the time of charging
the gun. The breech end of the gun is made convex, the axis of the sphere of
which it forms a small part, being the centre of the bore at a point which
would be intersected by a line drawn through the centre of its trunnions. The
inside of the end of the breech piece has also a corresponding concave seating,
against which the convex end of the gun rests,so that the opening andshutting
of the bore of the gun is effected simply by the rise and fall of the nearly
balanced breech end of it. This motion may be effected in any convenient
manner by a crank or screw, or by an inclined plane, but I prefer to effect the
required motion by means of an axis passing across the lower part of the strap
beneath the gun, and having a lever handle projecting from it at one end, and
on its middle part a cam or cranked piece which will lift up the gun when the
handle is raised and allow it to return again (on the lowering of the handle)
by its own gravity. If the breech end of it is made to preponderate, a cam on
the same axis will move forward a stud or bolt, which locks the gun in its
required position, and another cam draws back the needle rod used to
discharge the cartridge when that mode of discharging is preferred; on each
side of the gun(near to the breech end) there are flat projecting pieces, having
one or more shoulders, which fit into corresponding grooves made on the
inside of the strap or breech piece. These grooves may be made concentric
with the trunnion of the gun or slightly excentric thereto, so us to wedge the
convex end of the guufirmly into or against the concave inner end of the breech
piece,and thus counteract anytendency they may have to separate at the time
of firing the gun. The
escape of gases
is prevented by the cartridge or
canister having a soft metal cup on its end, so made as to easily expand like
an "hydraulic leather," and thus secure the joint. This may be further
perfected by the use of a disc or cylindrical piece of iron or steel fitting the
bore and forming the after part of the cartridge, or it may be put in behind
the cartridge and detached from it. In this mode of constructing ordnance it

page_text: will be observed that on the explosion of the charge taking place the force so
generated will be borne in one direction by the projectile, and in the other by
the massive strap which is connected by trunnions to the gun carriage, and
thus by the vis inertia of the strap or breech piece the gun will be relieved of
the greater part of the lateral strain which would otherwise have been thrown
upon the chase and its trunnions. Although other metals may be employed I
prefer to make the gun and the breech piece of cast steel or cast malleable
iron,each forged in one piece without welding, but the gun may be made less
massive andhaverings of malleable iron or steel shrunk or forced thereon. The
trunnions before referred to may be made on the gun or they may be formed
on a hoop lined with leather or other substance less rigid than inetal, so as
not to interfere with the free expansion of the gun at the time of firing. The
trunnions of the gun are flattened on two opposite sides so as to allow them to
enter recesses formed in projecting bosses on the inside of the strap, or the
trunnions maybe fitted into slidingblocks so as not to resist the endwaymotion
of the gun.
Ordnance so constructed may be employed for throwing spherical shot
or shells having a flat zone formed on them to fit accurately the bore of the
gun; also for throwing spherical and cono-cylindrical projectiles from a plain
bore, or the gun so constructed may be rifled in any known or suitable
manner.
The second modification of my said Invention, especially applicable to a
lighter description of gun, and differs from the former in having the breech-
piece moveable for gaining access to the bore, while the chase of the gun is
supported on trunnions in the usual manner. The breech-piece is in this case
much shorter and less massive, moving horizontally on studs,and thus closing
or unclosing the breech end of the gun; the strap or breech-piece is formed
with dovetailed or other circular rings or portions of rings falling and fitting
accurately into corresponding recesses formed on the upper and under flat
surfaces of the breech end of the gun; this breech end is either made into
part of a cylinder or sphere, the inside of the strap being made to fit accurately
to it. The breech-piece may be moved to and fro by means of a handle which
is fastened to it,the breech-piece being secured in its place by a spring catch.
The material and mode of making the gun, either as a solid forging, or as a
tube with rings, may be the same as before described in reference to the first-
named modification.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the construction of ordnance adapted to
the discharge of elongated projectilesof a conicalorsugar-loaf form,terminating
in a long shaft either inade hollow or solid. For this purpose the bore of the

page_text: gun is made of two different diameters, the muzzle end fitting accurately the
largestdiameteroftheconicalheadof the projectile, whilethe breech end ismade
to fit the shaft or elongated part of the projectile; the charge of powder is
contained in a cartridge or canister having a tubular passage through its
centre so as to enable the shaft of the projectile to pass through it and enter
the small part of the bore. The force of the explosion will be received by the
head of the projectile, which will be accurately guided by the after part
fitting closely the small bore in the breech. I prefer to make such guns of
much less length than is usual in ordinary guns of the same calibre, and when
extreme range is required the shaft of the projectile may be held in the breech
by a screw or cotter so as to prevent its motion until the pressure on the head
shall cause the end of the shaft to give way at a point previously determined
on by making a groove around it, so as to leave only the desired section of
metal to withstand the pressure before it is allowed to move under the force
thus accumulated.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in fitting a hollow cone or other shaped
cap of thin metal to the front end of projectiles that are made with a flattened
or with cutting angles, so that such projectiles may pass more freely through
the air.
Fifthly, my Invention consists in casting projectiles in molten steel or
malleable iron in moulds of iron, clay, or sand, after which they are to be
stamped in dies or rolled between suitable grooved rolls in a heated state so
as to solidify and condense the cast metal and render them more smooth and
perfect in form; the axes of the rolls may be placed at an angle to each other,
or the grooves may have an extra depth on opposite sides to facilitate a change
in the position of the axis of the projectile; during such rolling process the
projectiles are to be retained in their position between the main rolls by small
guide rolls or guide bars.
Lastly, my Invention relates to a mode or modes of making hoops or rings of
cast steel or of cast malleable iron, to be employed in hooping or strengthening
ordnance. For this purpose I employ ingots of very tough cast steel or cast
malleable iron, which I hammer and roll into flat plates or slabs preferably of
such a size as to admit of several discs being cut or punched out of them;
these discs have also a hole punched out of them, so that a hoop or ring is
formed without weld or joint; the hoops thus formed may be nearly of the
intended size, or they may be made much smaller in diameter and more
massive than they are finally required to be, in which case they may be
extended to the proper diameter and section by hammering or rolling.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Bessemer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BESSEMER, of Queen Street Place, New Cannon Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Bessemer, Herspecial licence that I, the said Henry Bessemer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Bessemer, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORDNANCE AND PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Henry Bessemer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 mouths next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Bessemer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularlydescribed and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to the construction of breech-loading ordnance
and is especially designed for guns of large calibre, or for such as are intended
to throw projectiles of great weight, although the same principle of construction
may be employed in guns of the smallest calibre.
In order to shew more clearly the mode of construction I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings marked A on which a gun made according to
the first part of my Invention is represented.
Figure 1 being a side elevation; Figure 2 a plan of the gun detached
from the carriage; Figure 3 a cross section of the barrel on the line A, B.
of Figure 4, which is a longitudinal elevation of the barrel; Figure 5 is a

page_text: longitudinal vertical section through the gun and its carriage, and Figures
6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are details on a larger scale of some of the parts thereof.
Gunsconstructed according to this Invention consist mainly of two massive
pieces, one of which is a truncated cone, marked a, having the bore formed
through it from end to end, the second piece consists of a massive loop or
strap b.
At the open end of this strap the trunnions c are formed on the
outside which are fitted to the gun carriage d in the same way as the
trunnions formed on an ordinary gun,the end of the strap 6' which is farthest
from the trunnions is curved on the outside and is nearly flat on the inside
thus leaving a large mass of metal 6' at the end of the strap, for the double
purpose of preventing it from bending by the pressure brought upon it,
and also by its vis inertia to oppose the tendency to be blown away by the
force of the explosion, the strap, the hinder part of which forms the breech,
is not moved when loading the gun, but it can be moved on its trunnions
upward or downward by the screw e, or otherwise, so as to regulate from
to time the elevation of the gun, the first named piece a, which may be
called the gun, is fitted in between the limbs of the strap or breech picce
b, and has short light trunnions at or near its centre of gravity, so that
the breech end of it may be readily moved upward or downward when
desired, and thus give access to the bore at the time of loading or sponging,
at which time the lower side of the bore will be in line with a hollow
formed on the upper side of the breech piece at in which hollow the
projectile may rest at the time of charging the gun. The breech end of
the gun is made convex, the axis of the sphere, of which it forms a small
part, being the centre of the bore at a point which would be intersected by
a line drawn through the centre of its trunnions; the inside of the end of
the breech piece has also a corresponding concave seating against which
the convex end of the gun rests, so that the opening and shutting of the
bore of the gun is effected simply by the rise and fall of the nearly balanced
breech end of it, this motion may be effected in any convenient manner by
a crank or screw, or by an inclined plane, but I prefer to effect the required
motion by means of an axis 9 passing across the lower part of the strap
beneath the gun, and having a lever handle/projecting from it at one end, and
on its middle part a cam or cranked piece i which will lift up the gun when
the handle is raised and allow it to return again (on the lowering of the
handle ) by its own gravity, if the breech end of it is made to preponderate,
a cam on the same axis not shewn in the Drawings may be made to move
forward a stud or bolt which would lock the gun in its required position,
and another cam may also be made to draw back the needle rod used to

page_text: discharge the cartridge when that mode of discharging is preferred. On
each side of the gun (near to the breech end) there are flat projecting pieces
a', having one or more shoulders which fit into or against corresponding
grooves or shoulders made on the inside of the strap or breech piece b, these
grooves or shoulders may be made concentric with the trunnion of the gun,
or slightly excentric thereto, so as to wedge the convex end of the gun
firmly into or against the concave inner end of the breech piece, and thus
counteract any tendency they may have to separate at the time of firing
the gun. The евсаре of gases is prevented by the cartridge or canister
having a soft metal cup ou its end, so made as to easily expand like an
"hydraulic leather" and thus secure the joint, this may be further perfected
by the use of a disc or cylindrical piece of iron or steel, fitting the bore and
forming the after part of the cartridge, or it may be put in behind the
cartridge and detached from it, the form of the metal cup is shewn in elevation
at Figure 6, and in section at Figure 7; it may be made of copper or of tin,
or of any soft alloy of metal capable of readily expanding sufficiently to form
a tight joint, it may be put in after the cartridge, or it may form the end
of the cartridge or receptacle containing the powder, to further prevent the
escape of gases; and to lessen the force exerted on the extreme end of the
open barrel a piece of steel or iron may be inserted after the charge as
shewn in section at Figure 8, which represents a portion of the barrel a and
breech piece b', the piece of steel or iron j has an opening / made in it, to
facilitate its removal after the gun has been fired.
In this mode of constructing ordnance it will be observed that on the
explosition of the charge taking place the force so generated will be borne
in one direction by the projectile, and in the other by the massive strap which
is connected by trunnions to the gun carriage, and thus by the vis inertia of
the strap or breech piece the gun will be relieved of the greater part of the
longitudinal strain which would otherwise have been thrown upon the chase
and its trunnions.
Althoughother materials maybe employed, I prefer to make the gun and the
breech-piece of caststeel, or cast inalleable iron, each forged in onepiece without
welding, but the gun may be made less massive, and have rings of malleable
irou or steel shrunk or forced thereon. The trunnions f, before reforred to,
may be made on the gun, or they may be formed on a hoop lined with leather
or other substance less rigid than metal, so as not to interfere with the free
expansion of the gun at the time of firing, the trunnions f of the gun are
flattened on two opposite sides, as shewn in Figures 4 and 9, so as to allow
thom to enter recesses 63, formed in projecting bosses 63 on the inside of the

page_text: strap, as shown in Figure 9, or the trunnions may be fitted into sliding blocks
m, Figure 10, so as not to resist the endway motion of the gun.
This mode of constructing the trunnion is represented at Figure 10, which
is an elevation of a portion of the inside of the strap b,the boss n has a channel
formed in it, in which a block of steel m is fitted, this block has a holep in the
centre of it to receive the small trunnion or axis on which the barrel of the gun
moves, the sliding block will admit of enough lateral motion to insure the
breech end being closed by the excentric action of the projecting shoulders
before described.
Ordnance so constructed may be employed for throwing spherical shot or
shells having a flat zone formed on them to fit accurately the bore of the gun,
also for throwing sphericaland cono-cylindrical projectiles from a plain bore, or
the gun so constructed may be rifled in any known or suitable manner.
The second modification of my said Invention is specially applicable to a
lighter description of gun, and differs from the former in having the breech-
piece moveable for gaining access so the bore, while the chase of the gun is
supported on trunnions in the usual manner.
In order that this modification of my said Invention may be fully understood
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings marked B, in which the parts
constituting my said Invention are shewn, the gun carriage being omitted
as my improvements have no relation thereto.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2a plan with the breech end open,
its position when closed being shewn by dots; Figure 3 is a cross section
on the line A, B, of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical
section.
The breech piece a is in this case much shorter and less massive than that
described in reference to the first modification of my Invention, it moves hori-
zontally on studs b, and thus closing or unclosing the breechend of the gun c
the strap or breech-piece a is formed with dovetailed or other circular rings
or portions of rings as shewn at c", falling and fitting accurately into corre-
sponding recesses formed on the upper and under flat surfaces of the breech
end of the gun; this breech end is either made into part of a cylinder or
sphere, inside of the strap being made to fit accurate.y to it. The breech-piece
may be moved to and fro by means of the handlef, which is fastened to it,
the breech piece being secured in its place by a spring catch, or by any other
suitable contrivance. The material and mode of making the gun, either as a
solid forging, or as a tube with rings, may be the same as before described in
reference to the first named modification, the breech joint may be kept tight by
a metal cap, or with the cap and cylindrical piece combined in the manuer

page_text: before described in reference to the first modification of my said Invention.
It will be understood that the breech-piece is only guided by the stud or pin
on which it turns, and that it is the curved channels and curved ribs which fit
into each other that prevent its being blown off by the force of the explosion,guns
so constructed may be rifled or used with a smooth bore as may be desired.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the construction of ordnance adapted to
thedischarge of elongated projectiles of a conical or sugarloafform terminating
in a long shaft, either made hollow or solid. For this purpose the bore of the
gun is made of two different diameters, the muzzle end fitting accurately the
largest diameter of the conical head of the projectile, while the breech end is
made to fit the shaft or elongated part of the projectile; the charge of powder
is contained in a cartridge or canister having a tubular passage through its
centre, so as to enable the shaft of the projectile to pass through it and enter
the small part of the bore. The force of the explosion will be receivedby the
head of the projectile, which will be accurately guided bythe after part fitting
closely the small bore in the breech. I prefer to make such guns of much less
length than is usual in ordinaryguns of the same calibre. And when extreme
range is required the shaft of the projectile may be held in the breech by a
screw or cotter, so as to prevent its motion until the pressure on the head
shall cause the end of the shaft to give way, at a point previously determined
on, by making a groove around it, so as to leave only the desired section of
metal to withstand the pressure before it is allowed to move under the force
thus accumulated.
Ou Sheet B of the annexed Drawings I have shewn at Figure 5 a side
elevation of a gun constructed according to this third part of mysaid Invention;
Figure & being a longitudinal section of the same, the elongated projectile A
being shewn in elevation inside the guu. The projectile I prefer to make in
cast steel, the largest part of it fitting accurately the borc of the while
the fore part tapers off in fine lines capable of displacing the air more slowly
in proportion to its velocity than ordinary projectiles; the shaft A* of the
projectile or bolt will also add to its momentum without adding much to
the resistance whicht he atmosphere opposes to its flight.
gun,
Fourthly, my Invention consists in fitting a hollow cone or other shaped
cap of thin metal to the front end of projectiles that are made with a flat end,
or with cutting angles, so that such projectiles may pass more freely through
the air.
Fifthly, my Invention consists in casting projectiles in molten steel or
malleable iron in moulds of iron, clay, or sand, after which they are to be

page_text: stamped in dies or rolled between suitable grooved rolls in a heated state, so
as to solidify and condense the cast metal,and render them more smooth and
perfect in form; the axes of the rolls may be placed at an angle to each other
or the grooves may have an extra depth on opposite sides to facilitate a change
in the position of the axis of the projectile during such rolling process, the
projectiles are to be retained in their position between the main rolls by small
guide rolls or guide bars.
At Figure 7, Sheet B, of the annexed Drawings I have shewn a pair of
rolls suitable for rolling cast spherical shot or projectiles. The rolls are to be
fitted in a frame and driven by gearing,after the manner usually employed in
rolling mills, excepting that the rollsmusteach beturned in opposite directions,
the axes resting in brasses, and the relative position of the rolls being main-
tained by set screws tightening them down upon each other in a manner well
understood; on each side of the roll frame a bar or small antifriction roller
may be fitted to prevent the projectile from falling from between the rolls; it
will also be found preferable to provide a tightening screw to act on the end
of the axis of one or both of the rolls, so as to contract the space between the
flanges, and thus secure the perfect shaping of the projectile.
Lastly, my Invention relates to a mode or modes of making hoops or rings
of cast steel or of cast malleable iron, to be employed in hooping or
strengthening ordnance. For this purpose I employ ingots of very tough
cast steel or cast malleable iron, which I hammer and roll into flat plates or
slabs, preferably of such a size as to admit of several discs being cut or punched
out of them, these discs have also a hole punched out of them, so that a hoop
or ring is formed withoutweld or joint; the hoops thus formed may be nearly
of the intended size, or they maybe made much smaller in diameter and more
massive than they are finally required to be, in which case they may be
extended to the proper diameter and section by hammering or rolling.
Having described my Invention and the mode by which the several parts
thereof may be put into operation, I desire it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein given of my said Invention, so long
as the peculiar character thereof is retained; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly, the construction of breech-loading orduance as herein firstly
described and represented on Sheet A of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly, I claim the construction of breech-loading ordnance as herein
secondly described and represented on Sheet B of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Thirdly.I claim the construction of muzzle-loading ordnance and elongated

page_text: projectilesadapted thereto, usherein described and represented on Sheet B of
the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fourthly, I claim the founding of projectiles in cast steel and in molten
malleable iron, and perfecting or shaping such cast projectiles in dies or
between rolls, as herein described.
Lastly, I claim making rings or hoops without a weld or joint (for
strengthening ordnance), in the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bessemer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY BESSEMER. (L.s.)