Improvements relating to Bullets or Projectiles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Bullets or Projectiles.
I, MICHAEL TWEEDIE, of 67, Redcliffe Gardens, in the County of London, Major
General Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to bullets or projectiles chiefly designed for use in small
arms such as small bore rifles and the like, and comprises the improvements herein-
after set forth.
In order to strengthen the leaden or other soft metal bullet sufficiently to stand
the strain of firing, it has been usual to enclose it, or a portion of it, in a shell,
case, or tube of brass or other metal of a harder nature than that composing the
said bullet. In some cases greased patches of ordinary paper, linen or the like
have been used for the purpose of lubrication.
It has been found in practice, however, that the first named of these expedients,
that is the provision of a harder metallic shell, or case, whilst affording the
requisite strength to enable the bullet to resist the tendency to deformation due to
the strain caused by firing in a small bore rifle, is liable to injure the bore of the
rifle by what is known as metal fouling etc., whilst the second expedient, namely
the use of a greased patch of ordinary paper, linen or the like, fails to impart the
desired strength to the bullet, and furthermore is objectionable by reason of the
grease coming in contact with the explosive used.
The object of my said invention is to obviate the above objections, and to provide
a shell, case, or cover for the bullet or projectile, which, whilst affording the
requisite strength, will not produce the above mentioned objections.
According to my said invention I enclose the bullet or projectile, or a suitable
portion thereof; in a shell, case, or cover, of vegetable parchment or other non-
metallic material possessing sufficient strength. The said shell or case may
advantageously be formed of vegetable parchment or of paper subsequently con-
verted to vegetable parchment, and so as to fit tightly over the base of the bullet
or projectile and extend over that portion of the latter which comes in contact with
the rifling of the barrel, or to or about the shoulder of the said bullet or projectile.
This shell or case may be secured upon the bullet or projectile by means of cement
or by roughing, grooving, or indenting the said bullet or projectile, and pressing
the shell or case into the said grooves or indentations, or, in some cases, I may
employ a combination of both methods.
In some cases I construct the above mentioned shell or case of a cylindrical form
which, when secured upon the bullet or projectile in the above described or other
suitable manner, will leave the head and base thereof uncovered. That portion of
the bullet or projectile, moreover, intended to receive the shell or case may be
slightly reduced in diameter or countersunk.
After the bullet or projectile is secured in the cartridge case I grease or lubricate
the shell, or case thereof with vaseline or other suitable material, in such a manner
that none of the said lubricant can come in contact with the explosive in the said
de

page_text: It will be readily understood that I may employ my improved shell or case for
all bullets or projectiles made to expand on impact or otherwise; and likewise
upon a compound bullet or projectile wherein the soft lead or other core is wholly
or in part covered or surrounded by a skin of harder metal, upon which latter I
then secure my improved shell or case in the above described or other suitable 5
manner.
Improvements relating to Bullets or Projectiles.
I, MICHAEL TWEEDIE, of 67, Redcliffe Gardens, in the County of London, Major
General Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to bullets or projectiles chiefly designed for use in small
arms such as small bore rifles and the like, and comprises the improvements herein-
after set forth.
In order to strengthen the leaden or other soft metal bullet sufficiently to stand
the strain of firing, it has been usual to enclose it, or a portion of it, in a shell,
case, or tube of brass or other metal of a harder nature than that composing the
said bullet. In some cases greased patches of ordinary paper linen or the like
have been used for the purpose of lubrication.
It has been found in practice, however, that the first named of these expedients,
that is the provision of a harder metallic shell or case, whilst affording the
requisite strength to enable the bullet to resist the tendency of deformation due to
the strain caused by firing in a small bore rifle, is liable to injure the bore of the
rifle by what is known as metal fouling, etc., whilst the second expedient, namely
the use of a greased patch of ordinary paper, linen or the like, fails to impart the
desired strength to the bullet, and furthermore is objectionable by reason of the
grease coming in contact with the explosive used.
The object of my said invention is to obviate the above objections, and to provide
a shell, case, or cover for the bullet or projectile which, whilst affording the
requisite strength, will not produce the above mentioned objections.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is an end view, and
Figure 2 shows partly in central longitudinal section and the remainder in
elevation a bullet provided with my improved strengthening shell, case, cover
or tube.
Figure 3 is a side view, and
Figures 4 and 5 are end views showing my improved strengthening shell, case,
cover or tube removed from the projectile or bullet.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the bullet or projectile, a suitable portion of which is enclosed in a shell,
case, or cover b, of vegetable parchment, pegamoid, or, other non-metallic material
possessing sufficient strength. The said shell or case 6 may advantageously be
formed of vegetable parchment or of paper subsequently converted to vegetable
parchment, and so as to fit tightly over the base of the bullet or projectile a and
extend over that portion of the latter which comes in contact with the rifling of
the barrel, or to or about the shoulder of the said bullet or projectile a, as shown.

page_text: The shell or case b may be secured upon the bullet or projectile by means of cement
or by roughing, grooving, or indenting the said bullet or projectile a and pressing
the shell or case into the said grooves or indentations, or I may employ a combina-
tion of both these methods.
b
To admit of the acid or other liquid used in the treatment of the shell or case
(when the latter is formed from pulp) draining out, or to facilitate the said draining
operation I may provide a hole or aperture 1 in the rear wall thereof.
In some cases I construct the above mentioned shell or case of a cylindrical form
which, when secured upon the bullet or projectile a in the above described or other
suitable manner, will leave the head or base or both parts of the said bullet a un-
covered or I may leave the same partly uncovered and complete the encasing by
a disc or end of the same material securely cemented on to the bullet. That portion
of the bullet or projectile a intended to receive the shell or case b may be slightly
reduced in diameter or countersunk as shown in Figure 2 or the bullet may be of
equal diameter from its shoulder to its base. In some instances I find it advan-
tageous to construct the shell, case, or cover 6 from a rectangular piece of material
by winding the said strip round the bullet or projectile a and securing it in place
thereon by means of cement or the like, either leaving the base of the bullet or
projectile a wholly uncovered, or turning the end of the said strip in over the base
of the said bullet or projectile a and securing a disc over it.
After the bullet or projectile a is secured in the cartridge case I grease or
lubricate the shell or case b with vaseline or other suitable material, in such a
manner that none of the said lubricant can come in contact with the explosive in
the said cartridge.
It will be readily understood that I may employ my improved shell or case for
all bullets or projectiles made to expand on impact or otherwise; and likewise
upon a compound bullet or projectile wherein the soft lead or other core is wholly
or in part covered or surrounded by a skin of harder metal, upon which latter I
then secure my improved shell or case in the above described or other suitable
manner.
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 bullet or projectile provided with a non-metallic strengthening shell, case,
or cover substantially as set forth.
2. A shell, case, or cover constructed of non-metallic material and adapted to be
secured to, and to form a strengthening for, a bullet or projectile substantially as
set forth.
3. The combination, with a bullet or projectile, of a non-metallic strengthening
shell, case or cover substantially as set forth.
4. A bullet or projectile adapted more especially for small bore rifles having
an outer strengthening shell, case or cover formed of vegetable parchment,
pegamoid or like non-metallic substance securely fixed thereto substantially as
set forth.
5. The improved bullet or projectile constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of July 1898
A. F. SPOONER.
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant."