Improvements in Compound Projectiles for Small Arms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Projectiles for Small Arms.
I, MICHAEL TWEEDIE, M. General retd., of Wisborough House, Billingshurst,
Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates more particularly to the method of constructing compound
projectiles for small arms described in the Specification to C. D. Abel's (Lorenz's)
Patent No. 9577 of 1844, wherein a hard metal casing was securely united to a soft
metal core by soldering the two parts together.
According to my present invention, instead of constructing the hard metal shell
with a closed head and an open base, through which the soft metal core was intro-
duced, as described in the said Specification, I construct the shell with a closed
base and with a small opening in the head through which the soft metal for the core is
introduced. By this means certain inconveniences are avoided which arise when
the projectiles of present construction are used with charges of smokeless or other
powder giving high initial velocities.
In addition, the improved construction also has the advantage of causing the
front end of the projectile to flatten out or spread more or less when hitting a hard
resisting substance such as a bone of an animal or human being, and thus effectually
disabling the object struck, instead of passing right through and making a
comparatively small wound.
For manufacturing the projectile in the above described manner I prefer to
proceed as follows. I construct a cylindrical hard metal case, closed at the rear
end by a flat base while the front end is open. Such open end having by preference
been slightly tapered, I then introduce the soft metal core, which is united to the
case by soldering in either of the ways described in Specification No. 9577
of 1884.
I then subject the projectile to pressure in a mould of such a form as to impart
to the head the requisite approximately ogival form, thereby reducing the opening
at that end to a comparatively small hole. To facilitate such formation of the
head I prefer in the first instance to form a central longitudinal perforation
extending down some distance from the front end of the core, which will facilitate
the contraction of the latter when subjected to pressure as described.
Although as before stated, my said invention is more particularly applicable to
compound projectiles having the core soldered to the case,, yet it may also be
applied to other constructions of compound projectiles, in which the soft metal core
is secured in the case by necking or grooving.
Dated this 18th day of December 1891.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compound Projectiles for Small Arms.
I, MICHAEL TWEEDIE, M. General reid., of Wisborough House, Billingshurst,
Sussex, 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:―
My invention relates to compound projectiles consisting of a hard metal case

page_text: Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings shew projectiles constructed according
to my invention.
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section of the case,
Fig. 2 shews a section of the case when filled with the core,
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section of the compound projectile when completed and
Fig. 4 shews an elevation of the same;
Figs. 5 and 6 shew respectively a vertical section and elevation of a modified
form.
According to my present invention, instead of constructing the hard metal shell
with a closed head and an open base through which the soft metal core was intro-
duced as has heretofore been done, I construct the shell with a closed base and with
an opening in the head through which the soft metal for the core is introduced. By
this means certain inconveniences are avoided which arise when the projectile of
present construction is used with charges of smokeless or other powder giving high
initial velocities. In addition, the improved construction has also the advantage of
causing the front end of the projectile to flatten out or spread more or less when
hitting resisting objects such as an animal or human being, and thus effectually
disabling the object struck instead of passing right through and making a compara-
tively small wound as is the case with the compound projectiles of present
construction. This effect will be obtained to an increased extent if the soft
core is made to project more or less beyond the hard metal case, as will be presently
described.
For manufacturing the projectile in the above described manner I proceed
as follows. construct a cylindrical hard metal case A closed at the rear end by
a flat base A¹ while the front end is open. Such open end having by preference
been slightly tapered, I then introduce the soft metal core as shewn at B
Fig. 2 the core being by preference united to the case by soldering in either of the
ways described in the Specification to Abel's British Patent No. 9577 of 1884.
I then subject the projectile to pressure in a mould of such a form as to impart
to the head the requisite approximately ogival form as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4,
thereby reducing the opening at that end to a comparatively small hole C. To
facilitate such formation of the head I may in the first instance form a central
longitudinal perforation B1 extending down some distance from the front end
of the core as shewn at Fig. 2 which may facilitate the compression of the latter
when subjected to pressure as described.
The
In some cases instead of more or less entirely enclosing the soft metal core by the
case at the front end as described, I remove a portion of the front end of the case
after the core has been filled in, or I make the case shorter than the core in the
first instance, and I then subject them to pressure so as to give to the projecting
end of the core the necessary ogival configuration as shewn at Figs. 5 and 6, while
at the same time contracting the end of the case to a certain extent.
soft head thus formed on the projectile, will, on impact with the object fired at,
expand considerably and will consequently form a much larger hole on penetrating
an iron plate, while at the same time it will prevent the tendency of the projectile
to glance off plates, to which the head covered with the hard metal case is
subjected.
As before stated I prefer to unite the core B to the case A by soldering, but it
may also be simply secured by the closing in of the head as described, or it may be
held in addition by one or more circular grooves or neckings formed in the case as
indicated in dotted lines at A² Fig. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A compound projectile consisting of the combination of a hard metal case closed
at the base and open at the front and a soft metal core introduced into the front

page_text: end of the case, the front end of the combined case and core being subsequently
moulded to the required configuration by pressure substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of April 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.