IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Arthur Biddell, of Ipswich, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 31st July 1860, and dated the 4th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Arthur Biddell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1860.
I, GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," to be as follows :-
The object of this Invention is to give rotary motion to a projectile when
fired or forced from a smooth-bored barrel of a cannon, pistol, musket, or other
fire-arm. The requisite rotation of the projectile being obtained whilst it is
in and passing through the barrel. The method by which this rotary motion
is given to the projectile, consists in forming spiral or twisted grooves or
passages at the periphery of an ordinary elongated projectile, in order that
when the projectile is about to be used it is so placed in the barrel as to allow
one end of each groove or passage to come into direct or easy communication
with the gaseous or aeriform matter used to propel the projectile, the other
end of each groove or passage being in direct communication with the outer
atmosphere, so that certain portions of the gaseous products or aeriform
matters used to propel the projectile in escaping or passing through, or along

page_text: the grooves or passages, give to the projectile a rotary motion about its longer
axis, at the very instant the main force is exerted to expel the projectile
through and from the barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Arthur Biddell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Arthur Biddell, Her special licence that I, the said George
Arthur Biddell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Arthur Biddell, 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 "IMPROVEMENES IN PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Arthur Biddell, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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 George Arthur Biddell, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to give rotary motion to a projectile when
fired or forced from a smooth-bored barrel of a cannon, pistol, musket, or other
fire-arm. The requisite rotation of the projectile being obtained whilst it is in
and passing through the barrel. The method by which this rotary motion is
given to the projectile consists in forming spiral or twisted grooves or passages

page_text: at the periphery of an ordinary elongated projectile. When the projectile is
about to be used it is so placed in the barrel as to allow one end of each grcove
or passage to come into direct or easy communication with the gaseous or
aeriform matter used to propel the projectile, the other end of each groove or
passage being in direct communication with the outer atmosphere, so that
certain portions of the gaseous products or aeriform matters used to propel the
projectile in escaping or passing through or along the grooves or passages give
to the projectile a rotary motion about its longer axis at the very instant the
main force is exerted to expel the projectile through and from the barrel.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 show these projectiles having spiral grooves
formed thereon, each groove commencing at the base and winding spirally
around the same. The two projectiles or elongated balls shown at Figures 1,
2, 3, and 4 have each three grooves, whilst the one at Figures 5 and 6 has
only two grooves, but the number, form, and depth of grooves used in a
projectile may be varied.
The peculiarity of the Invention consisting in so arranging the grooves that
part of the gases or aeriform matter employed to propel the projectiles may, by
rushing through the grooves, cause the projectiles to rotate whilst in the barrel,
which it should be understood is to be smooth and unrifled. The projectiles
or elongated balls should be made of such size in respect to the barrels in
which they are to be used that they will pass down the barrels freely, only
requiring a slight pressure of the ramrods, and they are to be introduced
without any such wad between them and the gunpowder as would prevent the
gases entering the grooves, it being necessary that the gases should have ready
access to the spiral grooves around the projectiles. The Drawing, at Figures 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, show the forms and inclinations of the grooves preferred to
be used; they may, however be varied to some extent, but I have found after
numerous experiments that it is important that the angle the spiral grooves
make with the axis of the projectile should not be less than 30°. Figures 7,1
8, 9, and 10 show two projectiles of like forms, but suitable for smooth
cylindrical barrels of larger size; Figures 11, 12, 18, and 14 show two other
forms of projectiles suitable for still larger guns. In these it will be seen that
the spiral grooves or passages do not come to the surface, but in the one
(Figures 11 and 12, the projectile is formed by casting the metal to form the
projectile ou to spirally formed tubes (four being shown in the Drawing, but

page_text: the number may be varied), whilst in Figures 13 and 14 the spiral grooves or
passages are covered over with an outer case, as shown in each construction,
the inclination (of the spiral grooves, or passages to the axis of the projectile
exceeds 30°.
I would here remark, that projectiles have before been formed with spiral
grooves around them exteriorly, and in some cases with internal spiral
passages, but such projectiles have been fitted with a wad, or otherwise
arranged in such manner that they may be thrown from a fire-arm, gun, or
piece, or ordnance, without being caused to rotate whilst within the barrel, the
projectiles in such previous cases having been arranged in such manner that in
their passage through the air after they have left the barrel they may by the
passage of the external air through the spiral grooves or passages, and the
resistance it offers, be caused to rotate. I do not, therefore, claim generally
to make projectiles with spiral grooves or passages, but only the arranging
such spiral grooves or passages in such manner as to admit of a part of the
gases generated by the explosion of the propelling charge passing through the
same as the projectile travels along the barrel, and so as to cause the projectile
to rotate whilst in the barrel, as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Arthur Biddell have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL. (L.S.)