IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS AND PROJECTILES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Macintosh, of North Bank, Regent's Park;
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING GUNS AND PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 14th June 1867, and dated the 18th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macintosh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
December 1866.
I, JOHN MACINTOSH, of North Bank, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING GUNS AND PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to improvements upon an Invention
for which Letters Patent were granted to me dated 25th May 1860,
No. 1290, and consists in boring up the rear end of a breech-loading gun
sufficiently to admit of the easy insertion of two hollow cylindrical' projectiles
with wads.
The second part of my Invention consists in the employment of tubes made
from paper or other fibrous material which may be rendered explosive; to
which tubes I secure discs or wads containing fulminates, and which are

page_text: ignited in the ordinary method by a hammer or striker; the discs or wads
are of the same external diameter as the projectile, and the tubes the size of its
internal diameter; one of which such tubes is put into the projectile, and filled
with powder or other explosive matter. The powder or other explosive
matter for the propulsion of a given projectile being contained in the interior
of that immediately behind it, there being always two of these projectiles
within the breech at the time of firing the weapon. When the foremost
bullet has been discharged, the one remaining, furnished with a wad at the
rear end, is pushed forward by the next charged projectile, when the gun
may be again fired, and so on, thus dispensing with the ordinary cartridge,
and with the necessity for an extractor.
Another part of my Invention is an improvement in that part of a former
Patent granted to me, No. 14,041, A.D. 1852, which relates to consecutive
firing, and consists of employing a thread or yarn impregnated with fuse com-
position, or it may be a thread or yarn of gun cotton which passes through
each of the discs and powder contained in the interior of the hollow cylindrical
projectiles so as to ensure continuity of firing and regulating the discharge of
proiectiles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Macintosh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MACINTOSH, of North Bank, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Macintosh, Her special licence that I, the said John Macintosh,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Macintosh, my executors, administrators, and 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
GUNS AND PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: John Macintosh, 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 John Macintosh, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The first part of this Invention relates to improvements upon an Invention
for which Letters Patent were granted to me, dated 25th May 1860,
No. 1290, and consists in boring up the rear end of a breech-loading gun
sufficiently to admit of the easy insertion of two hollow cylindrical projectiles
with wads.
The second part of my Invention consists in the employment of tubes made
from paper or other fibrous material which may be rendered explosive, to
which I secure dises or wads containing fulminates which may be exploded
in the ordinary method by a hammer or striker. The discs or wads are of
the same external diameter as the projectile, and the tubes the size of its
internal diameter; one of such tubes is put into the projectile and filled with
powder or other explosive matter. The powder or other explosive matter for
the propulsion of a given projectile being contained in the interior of that
immediately behind it, thero being always two of these projectiles within the
breech at the time of firing the weapon when the foremost bullet has been
discharged, the one remaining furnished with a wad at the rear end is pushed
forward by the next charged projectile when the gun may be again fired and
so on, thus dispensing with the ordinary cartridge and the necessity for the
use of an extractor.
Another part of my Invention is an improvement in that part of a former
Patent granted to me, No. 14,041, A.D. 1852, which relates to consecutive
firing, and consists of employing a thread or yarn impregnated with fuse
composition, or it may be a thread or yarn of gun cotton which passes thro'
each of the discs and powder contained in the interior of the hollow cylindrical
projectiles so as to ensure continuity of firing and regulating the discharge of
projectiles.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the same. The gun is charged at the breech by firstly inserting
an empty projectile with a wad or disc and then a charged projectile also

page_text: furnished with a wad or disc and with central ignition, which charged
projectile pushes the empty one sufficiently forward to admit of the breech
being closed, so that when the charged projectile is fired the empty projectile
with its wad or disc is driven out, and the discharged projectile remains
behind, which being pushed forward by the insertion of the next charged
projectile can be again fired as before and so on. The projectiles may be
grooved or surrounded with fibrous material for the supply of lubrication or
dipped in a lubricating material. The advantages to be obtained by my
projectiles are a greater range, with less weight of metal, a lower trajectory,
and a diminished atmospheric resistance, with a larger area for the powder
gas to act on which secures a steady pressure and greatly decreases the strain
When it is desired to use my projectiles for large guns they
may be made of malleable iron or other hard metal with or without projections
on the exterior to suit the rifling. The disc or wad may be made of metal
which from the rush of air through the interior of the projectile falls out on
its leaving the gun.
gun.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the details herein-before described, so long as the peculiar character
of my Invention be retained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macintosh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JOHN MACINTOSH. (L.S.)