IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Rock Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS."
Sealed the 1st August 1865, and dated the 11th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rock Cooper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1865.
I, JOSEPH ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES POR BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements in breech-loading fire-arms and
cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms herein-after described, the object of
which improvements is to effect the withdrawal of the case of the exploded
cartridge after discharge with ease and certainty. In order to effect this
object I make the end of the plug or closer by which the breech end of the
barrel is closed during discharge of such a figure that the metal' portion of the

page_text: case of the cartridge in contact with the said plug or closer shall by the
expansion produced by the discharge engage with the said plug or closer so as
to be withdrawn on the withdrawal of the plug for reloading. I make the
end of the plug or closer with a central undercut projection on its face, which
enters a central depression in the cartridge; or, I make a central undercut
depression in the face of the plug or closer into which a central projection on
the end of the cartridge enters. In either case the explosion of the cartridge
causes it to expand, and its end is thereby made to engage with the plug or
closer. When the undercut projection is on the face of the plug, the side of
the depression in the end of the cartridge in which the said central projection
enters is forced by the explosion into the undercut of the said projection, and on
withdrawing the plug the cartridge case is drawn with it. The cartridge case
is detached from the plug or closer by lifting its free end when it is disengaged
from the undercut in the plug. In order to facilitate the detachment of the
cartridge case the undercut in the projection on the plug may be confined to
the upper side of the said projection. When an undercut depression is made
in the face of the plug, the end of the cartridge is forced into it by the
explosion, and the plug and cartridge are temporarily connected together.
. The essence of my Invention consists in so forming the end of the plug or
closer and the cartridge respectively, that on the explosion of the cartridge
its case is made to connect itself temporarily with the plug or closer, so that
on the withdrawal of the said plug or closer the case of the exploded cartridge
is withdrawn from the breech end of the barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Rock Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 6th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROCK COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 8
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Rock Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Rock Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others 3
as I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: 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 BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-
LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Rock Cooper, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Joseph Rock Cooper, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the improvements in breech-loading fire-arms and
cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms herein-after described, the object of
which improvements is to effect the withdrawal of the case of the exploded
cartridge after discharge with ease and certainty. In order to effect this
object I make the end of the plug or closer by which the breech end of the
barrel is closed during dischargo of such a figure that the metal portion of the
case of the cartridge in contact with the said plug or closer shall by the
expansion produced by the discharge engage with the said plug or closer so as
to be withdrawn on the withdrawal of the plug for reloading. I make the
end of the plug or closer with a central undercut projection on its face which
enters a central depression in the cartridge; or, I make a central undercut
depression in the face of the plug or closer, into which a central projection on
the end of the cartridge enters. In either case the explosion of the cartridge
causes it to expand, and its end is thereby made to engage with the plug or
closer. When the undercut projection is on the face of the plug, the side of
the depression in the end of the cartridge in which the said central projection
enters is forced by the explosion into the undercut of the said projection, and
on withdrawing the plug the cartridge case is drawn with it. The cartridge
case is detached from the plug or closer by lifting its free end when it is
disengaged from the undercut in the plug. In order to facilitate the detach-
ment of the cartridge case the undercut in the projection on the plug may be
confined to the upper side of the said projection. When an undercut
depression is made in the face of the plug the end of the cartridge is forced

page_text: together.
The essence of my Invention consists in so forming the end of the plug or
closer, and the cartridge respectively, that on the explosion of the cartridge its
case is made to connect itself temporarily with the plug or closer, so that on
the withdrawal of the said plug or closer the case of the exploded cartridge is
withdrawn from the breech end of the barrel.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation the front end of a sliding plug or closer for
breech-loading fire-arms constructed according to my Invention. Figure 2 is
an elevation of a central-fire metallic cartridge constructed according to my
Invention, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the said cartridge.
Figure 4 represents the positions which the ends of the plug or closer and
cartridge take after the former has been pushed home and the gun made
ready for discharge. Figure 5 is a transverse section of the extreme end of
the plug, and Figure 6 represents the metallic case of the cartridge engaged
with the end of the plug after the gun has been discharged. I make on the
front end or face of the plug or closer a a central projection b, the upper side
of which projection b is undercut, the said undercut part being marked c.
The said undercut part c occupies about one-third the circumference of the
central projection b, as will be understood by an examination of the section,
Figure 5, which represents a section of the projection b, and undercut part c.
In the end of the cartridge da central depression e is made, in which
depression the central projection 6 on the end of the plug or closer can fit, as
illustrated in Figures 4 and 6. The said central depression e in the cartridge
is made by the turning inwards of the metal of the case.
In the space
between the turned in metal and side of the cartridge case a ring or
washer f of india-rubber is placed for preventing the escape of gas on the
explosion of the cartridge. In front of the said depression are a metal
disc g, carrying the percussion cap h (shown separately in Figure 7), by which
the discharge of the cartridge is effected, and a disc of india-rubber i, Figure 8,
represents the case of the cartridge separately, Figure 9 the metal disc g,
and Figure 9 the india-rubber washer i. Instead of making the central
depression in the end of the cartridge by bending the metal inwards as before
described, the said depression may be made by bending the metal at the end
of the case at right angles to the other part, and placing against the turned
down end a metal ring k, provided with a flange, as illustrated in Figure 10.

page_text: The said ring is shown separately in Figure 11. Between the metal ring k
and case of the cartridge is a ring of india-rubber 7, which is kept in its place
by the metal disc g and washer i. By making the end of the cartridge in the
ways described, the said end is capable of expanding by the explosion of the
cartridge. Figure 4 represents the engagement of the central projection on
the face of the plug or closer with the central depression in the end of the
cartridge before the discharge of the cartridge; and Figure 6 represents the
same after the discharge of the cartridge. By the explosion of the cartridge
the upper part of its end is expanded and made to fill up the undercut part c
in the end of the plug or closer a, as illustrated in Figure 6, where the
expanded end is represented forced into the undercut part of the plug. The
exploded cartridge case is thus connected to the plug or closer, and on with-
drawing the plug from the breech end of the barrel for reloading the cartridge
case is withdrawn with it. After the withdrawal of the plug the cartridge
case is detached by lifting its free end, when the expanded part of the case is
disengaged from the undercut in the plug.
Figure 12 represents the end of a sliding plug or closer in section, and a
central-fire breech-loading cartridge in elevation, constructed according to
my Invention, the said plug or closer being provided with a central de-
pression m, in which central depression the end of the cartridge m² fits.
In the upper side of the central depression m in the plug is the undercut n,
the shape of which undercut is best seen in the transverse section of the plug,
Figure 13.
Figure 14 represents in longitudinal section the cartridge represented in
Figure 12, and illustrates the manner in which the end of the cartridge is
made by the turning inwards of the metal of the case so as to make it capable
of expanding on the explosion of the cartridge.
Figure 15 represents the metal case, and Figure 16 the projectilé separately.
The end of the cartridge is provided with a flexible wad p made of felt or
india-rubber for preventing the escape of gas on discharge. In the axis of the
P, the percussion cap q and parts connected with it for discharging the
cartridge are placed.
wad
to
Figure 17 represents the flexible wad separately; and Figures 18 and 19ª
are the parts for discharging the cartridge. When the gun is ready for
discharge the end of the plug or closer is made embrace the end of the
cartridge in the manner represented in Figure 12. On the discharge of the
cartridge the upper side of the end of the cartridge is expanded and is forced
into the undercut n in the end of the plug, and the exploded cartridge case
thus temporarily connected to the said plug. The exploded case on the

page_text: withdrawal of the plug is removed by lifting its free end as herein-before
described.
Figure 19 represents in side elevation, Figure 20 in end elevation, and
Figure 21 in plan, the expanded cartridge case after its removal from the
plug. The expanded part of the end which is forced into the undercut in the
plug, and by which it is connected to the said plug is marked r in the said
Figures 19, 20, and 21. Instead of making the cartridge case of the same
diameter throughout, and of a size proper to fit in the depression in the end
of the plug or closer, the cartridge case may have the same or nearly the
same diameter as the plug or closer, and have its end contracted to the size
of the depression in the plug or closer.
Figure 22 represents a cartridge of the last described construction, where
the contracted end which enters the depression in the plug or closer is
marked s. Although I have only described and represented the undercut of
the projection or depression in the end of the plug or closer as being con-
fined to the upper part thereof, yet the said undercut may be at the side or
bottom or may extend all round the projection or depression in the end of
the plug, but I prefer to make it in the manner described and represented,
.which I believe to be the most convenient form of carrying my Invention
into effect.
'
My Invention is applicable to all such plugs or closers of breech-loading
fire-arms as have a sliding motion in the breech ends, or a sliding and rising
and falling motion in the said breech ends, and to cartridges of various
constructions, whether the said fire-arms be fitted to discharge cartridges
containing their own means of ignition or ordinary cartridges.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein-described and illustrated in the
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention the improvements in breech-loading
fire-arms, and in cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; that is to say, forming the end
of the plugs or closers_by_which the breech ends of breech-loading fire-arms
are closed with an undercut projection or undercut depression, and forming the
metallic end of the cartridge case so that it will fit upon the undercut
projection on the end of the plug or closer, or within the undercut depression
in the end of the plug or closer, the end of the cartridge engaging with the
plug being expanded into the undercut in the end of the plug on the discharge
of the cartridge, so as temporarily to connect the cartridge case with the plug

page_text: and cause it to be withdrawn on the withdrawal of the plug, whether the said
plugs or closers have a sliding motion, or both a sliding and a rising and falling
motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Rock Cooper, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOSEPH ROCK COOPER. (L.S.)