IMPROVE- MENTS IN PROJECTILES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fitzmaurice Palmer, of Old Derrig, Queen's County,
in the Kingdom of Ireland, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 31st May 1867, and dated the 5th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fitzmaurice Palmer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th-December 1866.
I, FITZMAURICE PALMER, of Old Derrig, Queen's County, in the Kingdom
of Ireland, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved mode of constructing hollow pro-
jectiles, such as shells or projectiles, to answer the purpose of canister or
grape shot.
In carrying out my Invention in constructing elongated projectiles I so-
distribute the weight that the fore end or forward half of the projectile shall
contain about two-thirds of the entire weight; this fore end is made in one.
solid piece of case-hardened iron or steel, while the body or cylindrical part of
the projectile is composed of a series of compound rings of cast iron or steel
constructed in the manner hereafter explained. The bottom or rear end of.
the projectile is formed of a solid plate, and the whole (that is, the solid fore
end, the compound rings, and the bottom plate) are all secured and held

page_text: together by means of a strong wrought-iron bolt which passes from end to end
of the projectile and through the internal cylindrical space which forms the
charge chamber.
The main object of the Invention is so to construct the several parts of the
projectile that when the charge is exploded the shell or projectile will be rent
into a large number of pieces, each of which is capable of killing or disabling
any one who may be struck by any piece. Attempts have heretofore been
made to effect this object by constructing the projectile in segments or in
rings placed one within the other, so that when the charge explodes the rings
or segments may be burst asunder into a great number of pieces; it has been
found, however, that this effect is not produced, as unless the rings or seg-
ments are constructed in a peculiar manner the explosion of the charge will
only burst the rings or segments asunder into two or at most three pieces.
By my peculiar plan of constructing projectiles I can however with certainty
divide the projectile into any desired number of fragments, or nearly so; to
this end I construct the cylindrical part of a series of compound rings.com-
posed of two or more rings of peculiar form arranged concentrically one within
the other. I find from experiment that for projectiles of moderate weight
and size a satisfactory result can be obtained with rings composed of only
two parts, which I will call the outer and inner ring. The outer ring is made
to fit the bore of the gun or howitzer, and is cylindrical with a smooth
external surface, but internally it is formed with wedge-shaped projecting
pieces; the inner ring, on the contrary, is formed with a smooth inner face,
so that when a number of these compound rings are placed one on the other,
as when in their place in the projectile, a cylindrical space for the charge is
left within them.
.
The external face of the inner ring is formed with a series of projecting
dome or convex-shaped pièces, which when the ring is in place will be inserted
between the inner wedge-shaped pieces of the outer ring by this peculiar
formation of the inner ring the dome or convex-shaped projecting pieces will
be forced (when the inner ring is burst by the explosion of the charge) into
the interstices between the wedge-shaped pieces of the outer ring, and will
burst them asunder into as many pieces as there are wedges. For very large
shells or projectiles I sometimes use three rings, one inside the other, in which
case the second ring is provided internally with wedge-shaped projections like
the first ring, and the ionermost or third ring is made with external dome
shaped projections which are inserted between the wedge-shaped projections
of the second ring, and consequently when an explosion takes place these
Home-shaped projections will be burst asunder by the charge,. and will be

page_text: forced: forward into the interstices of the second ring, which will be rent
asunder in its turn and the pieces will be driven forward against the first
ring, which will in like manner be burst into a large number of fragments...
In order to prevent the rings from shifting one on the 'other when the
several parts of the projectile are secured together in the manner already
explained I make all the outer rings of the series with a circular projecting
feather on one side and a corresponding circular groove on the other, so that
when the projecting feathers lie in the grooves none of the rings can be shifted
laterally. In order to render the projectile perfectly tight and waterproof,
and prevent wet from obtaining access to the charge of powder in the internal
space, each of the rings as it is put in place is in succession payed over with
some suitable waterproof solution, such as varnish or a solution of india-rubber
or gutta percha. When the several parts are screwed up firmly together any
excess of the waterproof solution will be squeezed from between the rings into
the interstices between the wedges and dome-shaped pieces, and thus form a
perfectly, water-tight joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by, the said Fitzmaurice Palmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th June 1867..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FITZMAURICE
PALMER, of Old Derrig, Queen's County, in the Kingdom of Ireland, Gen-
tleman, send greeting..
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
-Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and' grant unto me; the said
Fitzmaurice Palmer, Her special licence that I, the said Fitzmaurice Palmer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Fitz-
maurice Palmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timė
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
PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Fitz
maurice Palmer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument: in
writing under my, or their, or one their hands and seals, should particularly

page_text: 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 Fitzmaurice Palmer, 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; reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to an improved mode of constructing hollow projectiles,
such as shells or projectiles, to answer the purpose of canister or grape shot.
In applying my Invention to the construction of elongated projectiles I so
distribute the weight that the fore end or forward half of the projectile shall
contain about two-thirds of the entire weight; this fore end is made of one
solid piece of case-hardened iron or steel, while the body or cylindrical part
of the projectile is composed of a series of compound rings of cast iron or
steel constructed in the manner hereafter explained. The bottom or rear
end of the projectile is formed of a solid plate, from the centre of which projects
a strong wrought-iron screw bolt; this bolt serves to connect the solid fore
end, the compound rings, and the bottom plate together, and hold them securely.
Thus far I have described in general terms the construction of projectile for
which I obtained Letters Patent, bearing date November Fifteenth, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, No. 3084; but I now propose to
introduce an important modification which will ensure the breaking up of
the rings into small segments and the scattering of these fragments on the
bursting of the shell.
Under my above-named Patent I attempted to effect this object by con-
structing the projectile of notched rings placed one within the other, relying on
the explosion of the charge in the centre of the shell to break the inner rings,
and by forcing them outwards to split the outer or circumscribing rings in the
line of their indentations. It was found, however, that this effect was not
produced, the explosion of the charge only bursting the outer rings and
breaking them into sometimes as few as two or three pieces. By the
application however of my present Invention I can with certainty divide the
projectile into any desired number of fragments or nearly so.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn in plan and perspective views
the parts which form my improved projectile. The shell retains the general
characteristics of that described in the Specification of my above-mentioned
Patent of One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, but I so modify the

page_text: form of the internal rings as to ensure the severance of the outer rings into
small fragments.
Figures 1 shew the base plate A fitted with a central screw bolt B, and
the head or fore end C detached, and also the outer and inner rings D'and E
piled up and properly fitted together; Fig. 2 shows the several parts
constituting the compound shell put together, but with three of the compound
rings removed and shewn in perspective with an outer and an inner ring detached,
and two outer and. inner rings fitted together; and Figures 3 shew the like
parts drawn in geometrical plan. The outer rings D are cast with spur
teeth projections on their inner periphery, and the inner rings E are cast with
radial wedge-shaped teeth on their outer periphery, but the inclined sides of
these teeth are made slightly convex, so that they will not fill the spaces
between the spur teeth of the encompassing rings, but. will when forced
outwards by the explosive force of the powder contained in the shell severally
act as wedges, and by their lateral pressure split up the outer rings into
sectional fragments. The outer rings it will be understood are made to fit
the bore of the gun or howitzer from which the shell is to be discharged, or
projections may be formed thereon to enter rifled grooves in the gun. A hole
is made through the conical head of the shell and tapped at both ends at its
outer end to receive a cap F which is to be replaced by a fuse or percussion
cap when the shell is to be fired, and its inner end to screw on to the screw
bolt B. A groove is cut down the side of the screw bolt to form a channel
for conducting down the fire of the fuse or cap to the powder contained in
the centre of the shell, and a screwed hole is made in the base of the shell to
admit the charge of powder which when filled in is retained in place by a
screw plug.
When making large shells or projectiles I propose to use three concentric
rings, as shewn in plan at Fig. 4, and in this case I provide the second ring
internally with wedge-shaped or spur teeth projections like the first ring in
addition to the external wedge-shaped projections with convex sides; the
innermost or third ring G is made indifferently either with spur teeth
projections, as shewn, which are inserted between the wedge-shaped projections
of the second ring, or the side of the teeth may be convex. When an explosion
takes place the inner rings G will burst asunder by the charge, and their
teeth will be forced forward into the interstices of the second ring, which will
be rent asunder in their turn, and the pieces will be driven forward against
the first ring, which will in like manner be broken up in the lines of the
indents and scatter in every direction. Fig. 5 shews the manner of constructing
round hollow shot on the principle above described.

page_text: .
In order to prevent the rings from shifting one on the other when the
several parts of the projectile are secured together in the manner already
explained the outer rings are cast on one face with a circular rebate, and on the
opposite face with a corresponding flange or lip; they will thus be enabled to
interlock, and when screwed down no laterial shifting can occur. In order
to render the projectile perfectly tight and water and fire proof, and prevent
,wet or fire from obtaining access to the charge of powder in the internal space,
the abutting faces of the rings as they are put in place are payed over with
'some suitable cement, and when the several parts are screwed firmly together
any excess of the cement will be squeezed from between the rings into the
interstices between the interlocking projections and thus form perfectly. water
and fire proof joints.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Projectiles," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim forming shells or exploding projectiles with internal rings or their
equivalent, constructed and operating as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Fitzmaurice Palmer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
FITZMAURICE PALMER.. (L.s.)