IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY of 14 Fitz William Square in
the City and County of Dublin, Ireland, Captain Third Battalion Highland Light
Infantry do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE" to be as follows:-
My improvements have reference to the projectiles for ordnance wherein I employ
a sabot or cylinder with rear ignition and gas check which itself expands and at
the same time I produce a projectile having great penetrating power.
According to my Invention I provide cylindro conoidal projectiles for ordnance,
with a cylindrical base or sabot of soft metal which doubles up on the rear part of
the projectile and which is also so grooved and arranged as to form a gas check on
the actual rear base. The cylindrical base or sabot is towards its forward end
made corrugated preferably on the inside and is of copper or other soft metal or
composition of same. There is a space between the base of the cylinder or sabot
and the base of the projectile which contains a wad of felt or other soft material
and through this wad there is a hollow plug provided with a cap which prevents
the force of the explosion driving the fuse which latter is inside the plug into the
powder chamber after the plug has been screwed into the body of the projectile and
the fuse cocked. There are holes in the rear of the cylinder to receive screw or
wedged in studs to secure the cylinder or sabot to the projectile. The stud hole
slots in the sabot are made so as to act as a grip when the shot is fired and the
sabot forced up the rear of the projectile the object being to save the copper
corrugations in front when the shot is standing on its base in store or in loading
the gun. The rear of the cylinder or sabot is provided with a gas check grooved
out of the same, this gas check is saucer shaped at the base of the cylinder
or sabot The plug is made of a graduated cone shape, the base thereof nearest
the base of the shot being larger than the screw cap end.
The conical point or end of the projectile is made with cutting edges or projec-
tions and these coincide with the direction of the spin of the projectile. These
points or ends act as piercers and cutters and with this object are made in the
form of an ellipse and are placed eccentrically round the point of the projectile;
the penetrating power into armour being of a punching nature, I thus utilize the.
spin and momentum of a rifled projectile to as it were drill a hole at the same time
preserving the wedge or punch like action of the cylindro conoidal projectile.

page_text: When the projectile is fired the cylinder or sabot with its corrugations is forced
forward against the front shoulder of the projectile when the corrugated sides of
the cylinder or sabot become doubled up and are forced into and follow the rifling
or grooves of the barrel of the gun. If necessary I can add rings of soft metal in
front of the cylinder or sabot.
The fuse is of the ordinary wooden description with an upright slot cut in it.
A long percussion cap actuated by means of a lever, is projected a certain distance
through a side hole in the plug of the projectile and this cap is fired by means of
the sabot when the charge in the gun is exploded. This ignites the fuse but the
force of the explosion cannot ignite the shell charge as this is properly protected
by the sabot and the plug cap.
-
I further cover the point of my projectile with a cap made of tin or of other
suitable material or metal into which a lubricant is introduced. This cap preserves
the smooth surface of the point of the projectile in its passage through the air and
the lubricant facilitates penetration which is a necessity when drilling action has
to be undertaken.
.
1
T...
1004

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY of 14, Fitz William Square, in
the City and County of Dublin, Ireland Captain, Third Battalion, Highland Light
Infantry, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROJECTILES FOR ORDNANCE," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described, and ascertained in, and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to produce a projectile of great penetrating power
in which a sabot or cylinder is fitted, and arranged to double up, and expand to fit
the rifling of the gun, while at the same time effecting the ignition of the fuse by
which the charge within the shell is exploded.
In the accompanying Drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, figure 1
is an elevation of the form of projectile I propose to employ. Figure 2 is a section
through the body of the projectile. Figure 3 is a section of the sabot or gas check
cylinder. Figure 4 is a section of part of the projectile showing the sabot fitted
thereon. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are detached views showing the mode of attachment
of the cap of the fuse plug, and Figures 8, 9 and 10 are views of the fuse itself.
According to my invention I form a cylindro-conoidal projectile for ordnance
with a cylindrical base or sabot A of soft metal which doubles up on the rear
part B of the projectile, and which is also so grooved at a and formed with
projecting lugs a¹ as to form a gas check on the actual rear base. The cylindrical
base or sabot A is towards its forward end made corrugated preferably on the
inside as at a and is of copper or other soft metal or composition of same:
sabot is further provided with stay rings G. G if necessary to prevent the base of
the sabot being doubled away from the fuse plug. An inverted cap or hollow
plug F. F. can likewise be used to keep out the flash, this can be made of copper,
lead, or other suitable material.
The
There is a space between the base of the cylinder or sabot A, and the base of the
projectile B which contains a wad C of felt, lead, or other soft material, and through
this wad, and the sabot, there is a hollow plug D provided with a cap D¹ and a
leaden washer D³ which prevents the force of the explosion driving the cone-shaped
fuse, which latter is inside the plug, into the powder chamber B₁ after the plug D
has been screwed into the body of the projectile. There are holes in the cylinder
to receive screw, or wedged in studs E to secure the cylinder or sabot A to the
projectile B, and slots are cut in the sabot to allow it to travel forward when the
gun is fired. These slots are smaller towards the rear end so as to hold the sabot
until the superior, and irresistible force of the powder drives it up the rear end of
the shot. The stud hole slots in the cylinder or sabot may be made so as to act
as a grip when the shot is fired, and the sabot forced up the rear of the projectile;
the object being to grip the shot more firmly, and make it turn with the sabot
which takes the rifling and to save the copper corrugation in front when the shot
is standing on its base in store, or in loading the gun. The gas check ring or
lugs a are forced up by the explosion of the charge in the gun; from the position
shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines.

page_text: The conical point or end of the projectile B is made with cutting edges or
projections band these are not coincident with the direction of the spin of the
projectile. The direction of spin is shown by an arrow, namely from left to right.
These points or ends b act as piercers, and cutters, and with this object are made
in the form of an ellipse, and are placed elliptically round the point of the
projectile, the penetrating power into armour of the cylindro-conoidal shot being
of a punching, and wedging nature, I thus utilise the spin and momentum of a
rifled projectile so as it were to drill a hole at the same time preserving the wedge
or punch like action of the cylindro-conoidal projectile. I also to a certain extent
help to maintain that spin as the longer faces of the piercers act as inclines
coincident with the spin of the projectile on its entry into the iron plate of the
target, the shorter faces being the cutting ones.
When the projectile is fired the cylinder or sabot A with its corrugations, is
forced forward against the front shoulder B of the projectile when the corrugated
sides of the cylinder or sabot become doubled up, and are forced into, and 'follow
check or
the rifling or grooves of the barrel of the gun together with the rear gas
lugs. "If necessary I can add rings of soft metal in front of the cylinder or sabot,
and do not confine myself to one corrugation only in the sabot, should more be
desirable. The fuse is of the ordinary wooden description, but made to fit the
shaped interior of the hollow plug D. This ensures the pellet of fulminate being
opposite the hammer d. Instead of the above, a long percussion cap can also be
projected a certain distance through a side hole d in the fuse plug by means of a
lever in the fuse; and this cap is fired by means of the sabot A when the charge
in the gun is exploded by the sabot striking against the projected cap. The fuse
is provided with a pellet of fulminate communicating with the slower burning
composition. The pellet is fired by the hammer d¹ striking it when the sabot is
driven forward over it. The hammer is at other times held up by a pin until the
sabot forces it into the fuse plug. This ignites the fuse by the force of the
explosion driving the sabot over the hammer, and cannot ignite the shell charge
as this is properly protected by the sabot, and the plug cap. Also by the fuse
itself which is a cone, and provided with a ring of india rubber, lead or of other
suitable material at the end. The plug cap is formed within an interrupted or
French screw D₁ by means of which it is locked in position in the plug D, by
means of a key.
•
This fuse is of the ordinary wooden time description, and graduated in the usual
manner. I in Figure 10 (a section) is the chamber containing the slow burning
composition, i is the pellet of fulminate, and ignition is transmitted from i to I by
means of communication hole. The tube (Figure 8) contains the quick burning
composition which ignites the charge in the shell. The fuse is pierced or cut in
the direction of the dotted arrow. This fuse might be made concussive by means
of an anvil (secured by a spring or wire) and a pellet of detonating composition at
the base of the fuse.
I further cover the point of my projectile with a cap made of tin or of other
suitable material or metal into which a lubricant is introduced between the shot,
and the cap. This cap preserves the smooth surface of the point of the projectile
in its passage through the air as in the case of the ordinary cylindro-conoidal shot,
and the lubricant facilitates penetration, which is a necessity when drilling action
has to be undertaken, and frictional heat reduced as much as possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same to be performed, I declare, that what,
I claim is
4 14
1. The combination of parts forming the improved projectile herein described,
and illustrated.
LL

page_text: 3. In a projectile, the sabot of soft metal formed, and fitted in the manner
described.
4. The combination with an explosive projectile of the sabot, and the fuse plug
as, and for the purpose set forth.