Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1886
Complete Left, 20th Oct., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 7th Jan., 1887
I, PAUL GIFFARD, of 1 Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, France, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the construction of compressed air cartridges, that is to
say, cartridges in the use of which the purely mechanical and gradual action of
compressed air takes the place of the chemical and explosive actions of gunpowder.
The air in the cartridges is at a pressure of say from 500 to 1000 atmospheres and
when released acts upon and propels the projectile. The invention also comprises a
special construction of gun for use in discharging or firing these compressed air
cartridges.
The manner in which the cartridges are constructed is as follows, but the descrip-
tion must be taken merely as that of one of the various forms which may be adopted.
There is a steel cylinder for containing the charge of compressed air; the front end
of this cylinder is solid, while its rear end is screw threaded internally to receive
a metal ring or bushing. The inner end of this bushing is recessed to hold an
obturating washer. In the cylinder is a metallic valve the face of which has a
rounded rih or flange, the said obturating washer forming its seat; the valve is
formed behind its face with a cylindrical rod on which are flanges or bars to guide
the valve in the cylinder. A spring keeps the valve on its seat.
The front end of
the cylinder has a recess to receive the rear end of the projectile and in the side
of the cylinder are a number of holes leading to the back of this recess. The
cartridges are charged by means of any suitable compressing machine through the
bushing before described and the air is retained in the cylinder by the valve. But
when the cartridge is in the gun and the valve is forced inwards by a striking pin
as hereinafter described, the compressed air issues through the bushing, travels along
an annular space between the exterior of the cartridge and the walls of the charge
chamber of the gun and passes through the side holes above described to the rear of
the projectile which it propels through the barrel.
The guns for use in discharging the compressed air cartridges have a chamber of
somewhat larger diameter than the cartridge cylinder so as to allow for the annular
space above referred to. At the rear of this chamber is an obturator of semi-hardened

page_text: caoutchouc against which the breech closer or block presses, the said closer or block
having an annular projection or rib which bears against the face of the obturator and
ensures a hermetic joint. Through the breech closer or block the striking pin passes;
this bears at its front end against the valve of the cartridge and when released by a
trigger or in any other ordinary manner it forces in the valve and allows the charge
of compressed air to escape.
The projectile may be of cylindro-conical or other desired form or it may consist of
a charge of shot enclosed in a suitable case.
The invention applies to both large and small arms.
MAWDIDN
169, Fleet Street, London.
Agent.

page_text: Compressed Air Cartridges and Improved Guns to be Used therewith.
I, PAUL GIFFARD, of 1 Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, France, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention consists in the construction of compressed air cartridges, that is to
say cartridges in the use of which the purely mechanical and gradual action of
compressed air takes the place of the chemical and explosive actions of gunpowder.
The air in the cartridges is at a pressure of, say, from 500 to 1000 atmospheres
and when released acts upon and propels the projectile. The invention also comprises
a special construction of gun for use in discharging or firing these compressed air
cartridges.
The manner in which the cartridges can be constructed is illustrated in longitudinal
section in the annexed drawing, but the construction shown is merely one of the
various forms which may be adopted. In the figure, A is a steel cylinder for con-
taining the charge of compressed air; the front end of this cylinder is solid, while
its rear end is screw-threaded internally to receive a metal ring or bushing B. The
inner end of this bushing is formed with an annular recess in which is
imbedded an obturating washer O. In the cylinder A is a metallic valve S, the face
of which is concave and has a rounded rib, or flange, the obturating washer O
forming its scat; the valve is formed behind its face with a cylindrical rod, and with
flanges or bars to guide the valve in the cylinder. A spring R keeps the valve on
its seat. The front end of the cylinder has a recess to receive the rear end of the
projectile H, and in the side of the cylinder are a number of holes T, T leading to
the back of this recess. The cartridges are charged by means of any suitable
compressing machine, through the bushing B, and the air is retained in the cylinder
by the valve, the air pressure forcing the rounded rib, or flange, of the valve face
into the washer O to an amount limited by the depth of said rib whereby the washer
is dilated and a strictly hermetic closing effected. When the cartridge is in the
gun, and the valve S is forced inwards by a striking pin Las hereinafter described,
the compressed air issues through the bushing B, travels along an annular space,
between the exterior of the cartridge and the walls C of the charge chamber of the
gun, and passes through the side holes T, T, as indicated by the arrows, to the rear
of the projectile which it propels through the barrel F.
The guns for use in discharging the compressed air cartridges have a chamber of
somewhat larger diameter than the cartridge cylinder so as to allow for the annular
space above referred to. At the rear of this chamber is an obturator D of semi-
hardened caoutchouc, against which the breech closer or block E presses, the said
closer or block having an annular projection or rib, as shown, which bears against
the face of the obturator and ensures a hermetic joint. Through the breech closer or
block E the striking pin L passes; this bears at its front end against the valve S
and when released by a trigger, or in any other ordinary manner, it forces in the
valve and allows the charge of compressed air to escape.
The projectile may be of cylindro conical or other desired form or it may consist of
a charge of shot enclosed in a suitable case.

page_text: The invention applies to both large and small arms.
The washers or obturators O and D may be made of semi-hardened caoutchouc,
celluloid, horn, or other elastic non-metallic body.
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 :-
1. A cartridge constructed to receive and retain air at high pressure and having a
provision whereby, when the cartridge is in the gun, the compressed air can he
released and discharged, so as to act upon and propel the projectile or shot, substan-
tially as set forth.
2. In a compressed air cartridge, an embedded obturating washer, constituting the
seat of a valve, which is kept closed by the pressure of the air within the cartridge,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a compressed air cartridge, the combination with an obturating washer of a
concave valve kept closed by the air pressure and having a rounded rib or flange to
bear on said washer, substantially as set forth.
4. Compressed air cartridges, constructed as hereinbefore described.
5. In a gun, to be used with compressed air cartridges, an obturator, such as D,
and an annular projection or rib on the breech closer or block, to press or bear against
the said obturator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. Constructing guns for compressed air cartridges, substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in the annexed drawing.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London.
Agent.