Improvements in Conical Detonating Sporting Shells.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Conical Detonating Sporting Shells.
GEORGE HENRY JOHNSTON Woodpark, Massbrook, Lahardane, Co. Mayo
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of his invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONICAL DETONATING SPORTING SHELLS to be as follows:-
The shell consists of four spiral shaped segments each having corresponding
points, and indents on their joining facets-the base of shell is that the apex is
nearly half a sphere the segments are held together by rings or bands of brass or
other material one being placed around, and against a shoulder left at the base of
the half sphere the other is placed around and against a shoulder which forms
a portion of the bottom or base part of shell-the above mentioned shoulders
project above the general surface of the circumference forming narrow circumscribing
"raised" rings.
Indents are made in the metal of the upper part of the shell next to the top
ring nearest the apex and serve the double purpose of keeping the ring or band in
its proper position and preventing the shell moving round, when the base of the
shell is being bevelled over the bottom edge of the bottom or base ring, holding
said ring firmly in its place-the inside of the shell thus formed by the four spiral
segments and two rings or bands before mentioned is cored out to receive a copper
bottle with long neck-the top of said bottle has a part of the top portion of neck
reduced to receive a detonating cap the said cap rests upon one end of a needle
the other end of which is in contact with the bottom of the inside of bottle the
upper end of needle is guided in the narrow neck of the bottle by two rectangular
spars or projections formed on the circumference of the said needle.
Having set forth the manner of construction in the proceeding description the
object is as follows.
The spiral character of the segments in connextion with the points and indents
in their facets, are for the purpose of holding together the four parts of shell
during the passage through the bore of rifle and for some space of time after impact
more tirnly than has hitherto been obtainable in sporting shells of this class and
to afford the resistance when in impact necessary to the pressure required upon the
apex to cause detonation-the projecting rings of the metal above the general
surface of the shell are for the purpose of imparting to the said shell when

page_text: discharged a rotatory movement caused by the "rifling" of the gun the projecting
rings being driven into the rifle grooves by the force of the drift due to the force
exerted by the charge behind the shell the apex of the shell by impact with a
sufficiently rigid body is blunted or driven into itself whereby pressure is exerted
on the top of cap and being resisted by the point of the needle causes detonation
and consequent firing of the charge of powder contained in the bottle.
I claim for a detonating conical shell constructed as heretofore set forth with its
spiral segments points and indents rings and bands the copper bottle needle with
its guide and detonating cap enclosed--and for the manner of the construction in
the segments of the shell in consequence of the shoulder being its weakest part
each seguent is broken into two parts on impact causing explosion.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conical Detonating Sporting Shells.
I, GEORGE HENRY JOHNSTON of Woodpark, Massbrook, Labardane, in the
County of Mayo, Ireland, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONICAL DETONATING SPORTING SHELLS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement reference being had to the accom-
panying drawing forming a part of this specification.
My invention relates to detonating sporting shells and consists in constructing
the said shells of two, three or more spiral-shaped segments held together by.
corresponding points and indents in their joining facets and by external rings or
bands of brass or other material. The inside of the shell is cored out to receive a
bottle-shaped receptacle of copper or other suitable material, for containing the
explosive charge. The top of the neck of the said receptacle carries a percussion
cap, the said cap resting upon the point of a needle carried inside the bottle. The
lower end of the said needle is in contact with the bottom of the bottle and when
the apex of the shell is blunted or driven in by impact with a sufficiently rigid body
the cap is forced down upon the needle causing detonation and the consequent
explosion of the shell.
Figure 1 is a view of one of my improved shells composed of four segments.
Figure 2 is a view of the same with one segment and the bands or rings
removed.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the same.
Figure 4 is a view of the needle and detonator.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.
My improved shell is composed of longitudinal spiral-shaped segments a, of lead
or its alloys, such as admixture with tin or zinc, the said segments being curved
spirally from the base to the apex of the shell and forming, when united, the
complete shell. The shell shown in the drawing is in four segments but my
improved shell may be formed of two, three, four or more segments. The
segments a are provided with corresponding pins or points b and holes or indents c
on their joining sides or facets, the points or pins on one segment taking into the
indents in the next segment when the segments are united to form the shell. The
base of the shell is flat and the head or apex may be conoidal or nearly hemi-
spherical or of such a form as will admit of its being driven in sufficiently to
detonate the percussion cap hereinafter mentioned. The segments a of which the
shell is composed are held together by bands or rings d d¹ of brass or other suitable
material. The ring d is placed around the shell at the base of the apex and fits
against a shoulder e formed on the segments a. The other ring d' is fitted around
the bottom or base portion of the shell and against the shoulder e¹. The said
shoulders e el form narrow circumscribing raised rings on the shell. The base of
the shell is bevelled over the bottom edge of the ring das shown in figure 1
holding the said ring firmly in its place.

page_text: Indents or notches e² are made in the metal of the upper part of the shell next
to the ring d and serve the double purpose of keeping the said ring or band in tho
proper position and prevent the shell moving round when the base of the shell is
bevelled over the ring d¹.
The inside of the shell thus formed by the two, three or more segments is cored
out to receive a long-necked bottle for similar receptacle of copper or other suitable
material, for containing the explosive charge. The body of the bottle is contained
within the shell between the shoulders e c¹ as shown in figure 3 and the dimensions
of the bottle are such that to receive the said bottle the shell is so cored out and
Thus on explosion'
reduced that its weakest point is between the said shoulders.
each segment is broken into two parts. The upper extremity of the neck of the
said bottle is reduced to receive the detonating cap g. The said cap rests upon
the upper extremity of the needle h the lower end of which is in contact with the
bottom of the bottle f. The upper end of the needle is maintained in position in
the neck of the bottle by spurs or projections h¹ formed on the circumference of the
said needle.
The spiral form of the segments in connection with the pins or points and indents
in their facets are for the purpose of holding together the several parts or segments
of the shell during the passage through the bore of the rifle and for some space of
time after impact, more firmly, than has hitherto been obtainable in sporting shells
of this class and to afford the resistance when in impact, necessary to ensure the
required pressure upon the apex to cause detonation. The projecting rings or
shoulders e e¹ of the inetal above the general surface of the shell are for the purpose
of imparting to the said shell when discharged a rotatory movement caused by the
rifling of the gun, the projecting rings or shoulders e e¹ being driven into the rifle
grooves by the force of the drift due to the force exerted by the charge behind the
shell. The apex of the shell by impact with a sufficiently rigid body is blunted or
driven into itself whereby pressure is exerted on the top of the cap g and the cap
being resisted by the point of the needle causes detonation and consequent firing of
the charge of powder contained in the bottle f.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First In a detonating conical shell, the combination of the shell composed of
two, three, or inore, spiral-shaped segments a having points b, and indents c, and
united by binds or rings d d¹, with the bottle f, needle h, and cap g. enclosed within
said shell, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. A detonating conical shell composed of two, three or more spiral-shaped
segments substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 13th day of November A.D. 1885.