IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AMMUNITION AND OTHER OBJECTS TO TROOPS UNDER ACTION, AND IN CARS OR VEHICLES EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES; ALSO A MODE OF PACKING SUCH AMMUNITION
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Martin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
November 1868.
I, THOMAS MARTIN, of the Royal Barracks, in the City and County
of Dublin, Ireland, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Second Battallion,
Fourth, The Kings Own Royal Regiment, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR SUPPLYING
AMMUNITION AND OTHER OBJECTS TO TROOPS UNDER ACTION, AND IN CARS OR
VEHICLES EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES; ALSO A MODE OF PACKING SUCH AMMUNITION," to be as follows:-
The rapidity with which ammunition is expended by troops supplied
with breech-loading fire-arms when under action renders it essentially
necessary that, a further supply should be ready at hand when the
soldier has expended his store of cartridges. For this purpose I cause
a light hand car or truck to accompany the troops into action,
which shall contain any amount of ball ammunition, say 1,000 rounds,
that can be conveniently transported therein. By this means not only
will greater confidence be imparted to the men through the knowledge

page_text: that they are backed by a reserve of ammunition, but also the rapid
and useless firing off of ammunition by the men in order to get rid of
the weight they have to carry will be prevented, as they will know
that such weight of ammunition will be supplied again so soon as their
stock is exhausted.
Such cars or trucks are by preference constructed in the following
manner: They are formed with a water-tight body provided with a lid
or cover, also closing in a water-tight manner, so that the car may be
drawn through water without injury to its contents. The handle by
which the car is drawn consists by preference of a pioneer's spade
of which the blade fits against the bottom of the car, while the handle
is secured to the same by means of a clasp. At the back of the body
a loop handle is provided by which it can be lifted or pushed. A small
water-tight compartment is attached to the front of the body to hold
gun spikes, hammer and nails, bandages, pins, lint, and other indis-
pensable objects for succouring the wounded. One or more saws are
fitted at the sides of the body, and pioneers' tools on the lid thereof,
whereby the body will be rendered to a certain extent bullet proof.
The car runs upon two wheels, which are by preference made of such
a diameter as to be exactly six feet in circumference; and on the axle
which is fixed to and revolves with the wheels is a worm in gear with
which is a worm wheel on the body of the car imparting motion to any
suitable known counting or registering mechanism, whereby the distance
travelled by the troops which the car accompanies may be accurately
read off; the dial of register is by preference made to revolve
independently of the indicator, so as to be set to zero at any time.
Such ammunition hand cars may also serve as magazines to outposts,
picquets, and trenches; during action the ammunition of the killed
and wounded may be collected in them for future supply, and after
action they may serve to remove the wounded. In time of peace these
cars could be used for the removal of ball ammunition to and from
magazines, or for the issue or collection of blank ammunition. They
would also prove of great service in judging distance practice, recon-
noitering, route marching, laying out lines for trenches and bases for
surveys. Instead of ammunition, some. of these cars, may be used to
carry intrenching tools, or be fitted with surgical instruments and a
few useful medicines.
⚫ I have proved by experiments and tests that the present mode of
nacking ball cartridges for rifles is faulty and excessively dangerous to

page_text: I have overcome the evil by simply packing the cartridges in
pairs, end to end, with the cap ends placed against each other, thus
rendering them not liable (as they are at present) to explode on being
hit by an enemy's bullet. The bullets of the cartridges being outwards,
the caps cannot be touched. Packages of ammunition should be
made up of 8 or more placed longitudinally in couples.