Improvements in Projectiles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 15th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Projectiles.
I, DANIEL BAIRD WESSON, of No. 132 High Street, in the City of Springfield,
County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to projectiles for small arms, pistols, etc., the object being
to provide improved projectiles for the above-mentioned uses in respect to means
for lubricating. the same whereby the movement of the projectiles through the
barrels of fire-arms is attended with the least frictional resistance and injury to
the interior of said barrels by the movement of projectiles therethrough so lubricated
is wholly prevented.
In the drawing forming part of this Specification,
Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations, partly in section, and transverse sections
on lines ar, of cartridges having therein projectiles constructed according to my'
invention, and
Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views of projectiles only, embodying my
improvements.
'
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, in perspective, and Figure 4 a perspective'
view of a cap fitting into the part shown in Figure 3, all as fully described below.
This invention pertains to projectiles made from lead or similar soft metal
having therein a reservoir in its rear portion to receive a lubricant and one or more
ducts leading from said reservoir to the outer surface of the projectile and opening
near the front of that part of the same which has a bearing on the walls of the gun
whereby pressure in the rear of the projectile expels the lubricant during the
passage of the projectile along the gun barrel.
The essential object of the improvement within described is, to provide means
for suitably strengthening a projectile, made as above described, to receive. in its
interior a lubricating material.
I
The desirability of so strengthening said projectiles is rendered obvious by the
use in small arms, which is becoming frequent, of explosive materials of high power
in place of the ordinary gun powder heretofore employed for firing said arms.
The said explosive materials referred to consist of various kinds of so called
smokeless powder which are understood to be composed mainly of substances like,
or similar to, gun cotton and nitro-glycerine which explode in cartridges with great
force, and in so doing act against a soft metal surface like that of a lead bullet to
cause more or less of a deformity therein which injures the accuracy of its flight,
and the improvements herein described prevent any such injury to the said
lubricant-cariying projectile from the extraordinary forcible action of said
explosives.
In the drawing, 2 indicates a cartridge shell, and 3 the bullet or projectile;
4 indicates a cup of cylindrical or similar form, made from copper, brass, or similar
strong and hard ductile metal, and having a flange, 5, on one end and one or more
openings, 6, through its opposite or inner end.
.
A cap, 7, is illustrated in Figure 4 made of the same, or similar metal, to that
of which said cup, 4, is made, and is adapted to be placed within the lower or rear
end of said cup, 4, in the position shown in Figure 2.
For the purpose of strengthening the said bullet or projectile, 3, as and for the
purpose aforesaid, I provide a sheet metal lining for its lubricant chamber, or
reservoir, which consists of the said cup, 4, which covers the walls thereof and with
or without a flange, 5, on its rear end.
.

page_text: The said cup is adapted to such form of lubricant chamber as it may be desirable
to employ, there being shown in Figures 1, 5, and 6, three different forms of such
chamber, the chamber having the greatest diameter being more particularly
adapted to projectiles of large calibre, and those having a smaller diameter
to projectiles of greater length, or smaller calibre, or both, as may seem most
desirable.
-
The said chamber-lining cup, 4, is adapted to fit the lubricant chamber in the
projectile, substantially as shown in the drawing, the flange, 5, thereof, having a
bearing against the rear end of the projectile, as shown, whereby said lining cup
is more surely prevented from any endwise movement in the projectile which may
be caused by the force of the firing charge there against, whereby said lining may
be driven more or less into the bullet.
Through the inner end of said lining cup, 4, one or more perforations, 6, are made
which communicate with one or more lubricant ducts, o, which communicate with
the surface of the projectile, as shown. The said ducts, o, may be arranged to
communicate directly with the interior of the said lining cup, 4, or there may be
made, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a duct leading from the inner end of said
lining cup, indicated in said figures by c, with which the said ducts, o,.
communicate.
The projectile having been constructed, as described, with said lubricant-
chamber lining, it is prepared for firing by placing in said lubricant chamber, e,
any suitable lubricating material, a, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and,
preferably, when the projectile is charged with said lubricant the latter is made to
fill the lubricant ducts, o, which communicate with the surface of the projectile in.
order that the force of a firing charge against the projectile shall result in an
immediate discharge of the lubricant against the walls of the barrel of the fire-.
arm in which the projectile is used.
The lubricant-charged projectile may be used without the cap, 7, as illustrated in
Figure 1, or with said cap as illustrated in Figure 2; it is preferable, however,
that projectiles which are so charged with a lubricant and stored to be fired at
some future time, should contain said cap 7, which serves to retain the lubricant in
serviceable condition in the projectile, but projectiles intended for immediate use
may be fired without said cap thereby allowing the force of the charge to act
directly against the lubricant itself to throw it from said chamber through the
ducts, o, against the surface of the barrel whereby thorough lubrication of the
surface of the same is effected. Said cap, under the force of the firing charge,
moves like a piston against the lubricant to force it out of the projectile, as
aforesaid.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in which said projectile is shown in a cartridge-
shell, 8 indicates the above referred to explosive or gunpowder with which the
cartridge is charged.
The above described metal-lined projectile, which lining consists of a metal
harder and stronger than that of which the projectile is made, is preferably
constructed by casting the projectile with a chamber within it of suitable form to
receive the lining cup which is to be used therewith, or the bullet 'may be cast
onto the lining cup, or the lining cup may be placed on a bullet-swaging, plunger,
thus fixing the lining when the bullet is formed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I'
claim, is :-
1. A soft metal projectile having a chamber therein, said chamber having a
lining of a hard, strong metal, and having a duct leading from the chamber to the
exterior of the projectile.
2. A projectile having therein a chamber for a lubricant, a metal lining
constituting a covering for the walls of said chamber having a flange around its
open end bearing against the rear end' of the projectile, and a duct leading from
'

page_text: said chamber to the outer surface of the projectile and opening near that part of
the projectile which has a bearing on the walls of the gun, substantially as set
forth.
3. A soft metal projectile having a chamber therein, a lining of harder metal
covering the walls of the said chamber, a duct leading from the chamber to the
exterior of the projectile, and a movable cap covering the base of said chamber,
substantially as described.
4. A soft metal projectile having therein a chamber, a hard metal lining to said
chamber, a passage leading from said chamber to the exterior of the projectile, a
body of lubricant inclosed within the chamber, and a covering for the base of said
chamber, all substantially as described.
Dated this 13th der of June 1902
DANIEL BAIRD WESSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.