Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1887
Complete Left, 2nd Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
I THOMAS RICHARD BAYLISS of Belmont Northfield in the County of Worcester
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
My invention is especially applicable to cartridges or ammunition for quick firing
guns but my said invention may also be applied to cartridges or ammunition for other
guns firing heavy charges and to other explosive charges such for example as explosive
charges used in blasting and mining.
Heretofore the primers used with the cartridges or ammunition of quick firing guns
have been tightly placed in the bases of the cartridges by mechanical means and form
permanent or fixed parts of the cartridges.
The said ordinary primer is usually fixed in its place before the cartridge case is
charged with powder and projectile and consequently is always a source of danger
through the risk of accidental explosion. The object of my invention is to avoid the
risk of accidental explosion referred to and consists in making the primers of
cartridges or ammunition or other explosive charges movable or detachable from the
cartridges ammunition or charges and capable of being securely fixed in their places
in the bodies of the cartridges ammunition or charges when the latter are required to
be fired.
By the use of my improved primers the cartridge cases or ammunition can be
loaded with powder and projectiles and completed with the exception of the primers
and when it is required to prime the cartridges and fix them to be fired the primers
are fixed in their places by the pressure of the thumb no mechanical appliances being
required. By these means the cartridges or ammunition or other explosive charges
can be safely stored and completed for firing with great facility.
My new or improved movable primers consist of a metallic tubular case having a
cavity in its base to hold the percussion cap and also a rim for taking into the recess
in the base of the chamber herein after described. The body of the primer case may
form if required a receptacle for holding a small charge of powder. In front of this
receptacle is a wad. The metallic case thus constructed has somewhat the appearance

page_text: of a small blank cartridge with the exception that the open end of the tubular body
does not terminate where the wad described is placed but the said body extends some
distance beyond the said wad. The portion described of the case beyond the part
where the wad is situated is slit longitudinally by one or more slits or incisions so as
to make the said end elastic or capable of expanding and contracting and the open
slit end of the primer is expanded or opened out so as to give it somewhat of a
trumpet shape. In the base of the cartridge case or ammunition a suitable tubular
chamber is made for receiving the improved primer described. At the required
distance in the said chamber an annular recess is made for the open slit trumpet
shaped mouth of the primer when the said primer is pressed home to spring into so as
to hold it securely in its place. The open base or end of the chamber for receiving
the primer has an annular sunken seat on which the rim of the primer seats itself so
that the head of the primer is flush with the base or end of the said chamber. In
order to put and fix the primer in its place it is only necessary to introduce its split
end into the open end of the chamber of the cartridge and press the primer by means
of the thumb into the said chamber. The split end is thereby compressed and on the
trumpet shaped end reaching the annular recess in the chamber the said split end
expands or opens out and springs into the said recess and thereby fixes the primor
securely in its place and the cartridge or ammunition or explosive charge is ready to
be fired in the ordinary way.
The primer may be modified in the following ways. The split end of the primer
may be made parallel or taper the expanded or trumpet shaped part being omitted.
In this case the elasticity alone of the split end of the primer suffices to retain it in
the chamber described at the base of the cartridge and the annular recess in the said
chamber is omitted. Or an annular projection may be made at the split end of the
primer and a corresponding annular groove in the chamber for the said projection to
spring or take into."
The tubular portion of the primer may be used to hold a small igniting charge of
fine powder or the said small charge need not be used.
Instead of making the base of the primer with a recess to receive a percussion cap
the said base may be furnished with a nipple on which the percussion cap is placed.
Dated this Fourteenth day of May 1887.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: and other Explosive Charges.
I THOMAS RICHARD BAYLISS of "Belmont," Northfield in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 is especially applicable to cartridges or ammunition for quick firing
guns but my said invention may also be applied to cartridges or ammunition for other
guns firing heavy charges and to other explosive charges, such for example as explosive
charges used in blasting and mining.
Generally the primers used with the cartridges or ammunition of quick firing guns
have been tightly placed in the bases of the cartridges by mechanical means and form
permanent or fixed parts of the cartridges.
The said ordinary primer is usually fixed in its place before the cartridge case is
charged with powder and projectile and consequently is always a source of danger
through the risk of accidental explosion. The object of my invention is to avoid the
risk of accidental explosion referred to and consists in making the primers of cartridges
or ammunition or other explosive charges movable or detachable from the cartridges,
ammunition or charges and capable of being securely fixed in their places in the
bodies of the cartridges, ammunition or charges when the latter are required to be
fired.
By the use of my improved primers the cartridge cases or ammunition can be loaded
with powder and projectiles and completed with the exception of the primers and when
it is required to prime the cartridges and fit them to be fired the primers are fixed in
their places by the pressure of the thumb, no mechanical appliances being required.
By these means the cartridges or ammunition or other explosive charges can be safely
stored and completed for firing with great facility.
My new or improved movable primers consist of a metallic tubular case having a
cavity in its base to hold the percussion cap and also a rim for taking into the recess
in the base of the chamber herein after described.
The body of the primer case may form if required a receptacle for holding a small
charge of powder. In front of this receptacle is a wad. The metallic case thus
constructed has somewhat the appearance of a small blank cartridge with the exception
that the open end of the tubular body does not terminate where the wad described is
placed but the said body extends some distance beyond the said wad. The portion
described of the primer case beyond the part where the wad is situated is slit
longitudinally by one or more slits or incisions so as to make that portion elastic or
capable of expanding and contracting. In the elastic part of the primer case is an
annular bead or projection for springing into a correspondingly shaped groove or
ocess in a tubular-chamber in the base of the cartridge and thereby holding the said

page_text: primer securely in its place. The open end or base of the chamber for receiving the
primer has an annular sunken seat on which the rim of the primer seats itself so that
the head of the primer is flush with the end or base of the said chamber.
In order to put and fix the primer in its place it is only necessary to introduce its
split part into the open end of the tubular chamber in the cartridge case and press the
primer by means of the thumb into the said chamber.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in vertical section the base of a
metallic cartridge case to which a movable primer constructed according to my
invention is fixed; Figure 2 represents a plan of a part of the cartridge case;
Figure 3 represents in vertical section the movable primer detached and Figure 4
represents a modification of the same; Figure 5 represents in elevation, section and
plan detached the tubular chamber at the base of the cartridge case in which tubular
chamber the movable primer is placed and fixed.
Figures 6, 78, 9, 10, 11 and 12 represent modifications of the primer as hereinafter
particularly explained.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
The primer Figures 1, 2 and 3, consists of the metallic tubular case or holder
marked a, a having a recess or cavity in its base to hold the percussion cap c
containing the fulminate and the anvil e the said anvil e being made in one piece
with the primer case a a³. Or the anvil e may be made separate from and dropped
into the recess in the primer case a, a as illustrated in Figure 4. The body of
the primer contains a small charge of fine priming powder in front of which is
a jute or cardboard disc g in addition to which a felt or other wad h may be used.
The disc 9 and wad are secured in their place in the primer case by the internal
crimping represented; but the said crimping may be omitted. The base of the
primer case a a³ has a rim a³ which engages with or seats itself upon a shoulder or
annular seat at the base of the tubular chamber i fixed in the cartridge case k
(see Figure 1). The tubular chamber i may either be made solid with the cartridge
case or be made separately and fitted tightly in the base of the cartridge case as
represented in the drawing and its open bottom may be closed by the wad; or the
bottom of the chamber i may be left open. The part a² of the primer case a, a²
situated beyond the wad his slit longitudinally at a with one two or more slits so as
to make that part of the primer case elastic. In the slit or elastic part a³ of the
primer case is an annular bead or projection a'. It will be seen by an examination
of Figure 1 that the open base of the chamber i in the cartridge case has an annular
sunken seat at on which the rim as of the primer a, a² seats itself so as to bring the
head of the primer flush with the base or end of the said chamber. Near the inner
end of the chamber i is an annular groove or recess m for the bead or projection a³
on the slit or elastic part a² of the primer case to spring into.
The primer case having been charged with the fine priming powder fand percussion
cap c it is ready to be fixed to the cartridge when required. To effect this the
slit or elastic part a² of the primer case is introduced into the chamber in the
cartridge casek and the primer is pressed down by the thumb. As the split or
elastic part a² of the primer case is introduced into the chamber i the said part a²
is compressed and contracted and on the bead or annular projection a reaching the
annular groove or recess m in the chamber the elastic part of the primer case
expands or opens out and its bead or projection a springs into the groove or recess m
as represented in Figure 1. The primer is thus fixed securely in its place in the
cartridge and the cartridge is ready to be fired in the ordinary way.
The small charge of priming powder represented in the primer case may be
omitted.
In order to facilitate the removal of the primer from the cartridge or cartridge
case when necessary or desirable as for example in case of a missfire and for
recharging I make in the base of the cartridge case k and chamber i two
depressions 63, 63 opposite each other and inclined downwards as indicated in dotted
lines in Figure 1. To remove the primer from the cartridge or cartridge case it is

page_text: and
only necessary to insert the ends of a pair of forceps into the depressions 62,
under the rim a³ of the primer case a, a. By then closing the forceps with a gentle
pressure and lifting them, the primer may be withdrawn from the chamber i in the
base of the cartridge case.
a' is
In the modified primer represented in Figure 6 the base of the primer case a,
expanded and the anvil e is made in one piece with the tubular percussion cap
holder e the end of the said cap holder e being turned inwards upon the percussion
cap c to hold it in its place. The combined anvil and cap holder e, e carrying the
percussion cap c is fitted into the recess b at the expanded base of the primer
case a, a. The split part of the primer case a Figure 6 has a conical bead or
projection a for springing into a correspondingly shaped groove or depression in the
chamber in the cartridge case when the primer case is pressed home in the said
chamber as herein before described.
Figure 7 represents in section another modification in which the annular bead or
projection at the elastic or split part of the primer case and the correspondingly shaped
groove or depression near the bottom of the primer chamber are dispensed with.
Figure 8 represents an elevation of the primer detached from the primer chamber of
the cartridge case.
In this modification the elastic part a' of the primer case a, which part a has one
or a number of longitudinal slits in it, is contracted and is without a bead or
projection the said contracted elastic part a² of the primer case when in its normal
state being cylindrical, that is, having parallel sides and the lower or inner part of
the primer chamber is also contracted and is without an annular groove or
depression, the part of the primer chamber i being of a taper figure. When the
primer a a² is pushed home in the primer chamber the plain elastic or split part a'
of the primer tube a as it enters the inelastic taper part of the primer chamber i is
closed or contracted and is made to take the same taper figure as the said part of
the primer chamber the elasticity of the plain split part of the primer tube causing
it to fix itself very firmly in the primer chamber.
2
This primer is removed from the chamber by a pair of forceps being made to
engage with the undercut annular groover in the base of the primer case an inclined
annular grooves being formed in the base of the primer chamber i for the passage of
the forceps into the said undercut groove r in the primer case.
This modification may be used either with a single percussion cap in combination
with an anvil made in one piece with the primer case as represented in the Drawing
or with a combined anvil and percussion cap holder of the kind represented in
Figure 6. The primer case a a² and the primer chamber i may be made without
the contraction or shoulder represented in Figures 7 and 8. This modification is
represented in section in Figure 9 and the primer case separately in elevation in
Figure 10. The action of this modification for fixing the primer in the primer
chamber is the same as that described with respect to the arrangement Figures 7 and 8.
When the charged cartridge cases with their primer chambers i but without their
primers are put into store it is desirable to exclude atmospheric air from the charged
cartridge cases as well as to prevent dirt and dust passing into the primer chambers
of the said cases. For these purposes I make the chambers i practically air tight
and dirt and dust proof by closing their mouths with corks or plugs which when
the primers are required to be fitted in their chambers can be readily removed by
acting upon rings at the top of them or by other equivalent means.
In Figure 11 the combined anvil and percussion cap holder e, e is held firmly in
the tubular base 6 of the primer case a, a' by the elastic or gripping action of the
said base 6 which is split for that purpose as represented the flanges p of the said
elastic base 6 of the primer case resting on the seat at the base of the chamber i
in the cartridge case.
In Figure 12 the base of the primer tube is furnished with the nipple q and the
open end of the percussion cap c containing the fulminate is made elastic by
longitudinal slits in the said end so that when the percussion cap is pressed upon the
nipple of the primer the elastic end of the said cap springs upon the contraction qa

page_text: near the bottom of the nipple and the said cap is firmly held upon the said nipple.
The percussion cap in this modification has a rim c³ for fitting on the seat or shoulder /
in the chamber i carried by the cartridge case k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "New or improved movable primers for cartridges or ammunition
and other explosive charges."
First. Primers consisting of a tubular case having at its base an anvil and percussion
cap or an anvil percussion cap and cap holder and made elastic at its inner or front
part and having a bead or annular projection at the elastic part, the body of the
primer case containing preferably a small charge of priming powder and the use or
combination with the said primer of a tubular chamber in the base of the cartridge
or ammunition or explosive charge for receiving and fixing the said primer
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
of the accompanying Drawings. Also the modifications described and represented in
Figures 78. 9 and 10 of the accompanying Drawings in which the primer case is
fixed in the primer chamber by the plain cylindrical split or elastic part of the primer
case being forced into the plain taper inelastic part of the primer chamber.
Secondly. Fixing the percussion cap holder anvil and percussion cap in the base of
the primer case by the elastic base of the said primer case gripping the percussion cap
holder as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 11 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Thirdly. Fixing the percussion cap on a nipple secured in the base of the primer
case by the elastic end or mouth of the said percussion cap gripping the contracted
lower part of the nipple as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 12 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Dated this First day of February 1888