IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ORDNANCE TO SUIT THEM FOR DRILL AND PRACTICE WITH MINIATURE PROJECTILES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Morris of Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the
County of Kent for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR
ORDNANCE TO SUIT THEM FOR DRILL AND PRACTICE WITH MINIATURE
PROJECTILES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Morris at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1883.
RICHARD MORRIS of Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the County of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ORDNANCE TO SUIT THEM FOR DRILL AND
PRACTICE WITH MINIATURE PROJECTILES
"
My invention relates to means of fitting small barrels into guns of larger calibre
and operating with them so that small projectiles can be fired over moderate
ranges, and yet the drill and practice with the guns can be the same as when they are
used for projectiles of full size. When the gun is of the muzzle loading kind, I fit
within the breech of the gun a block, which may be one of the ordinary projectiles,
having a central screwed hole into which is screwed the small barrel (which may
be an ordinary rifle barrel), and a lateral hole corresponding with the touch hole.
And on the small barrel, nearer to its muzzle, I fit a coned sleeve which is within
& cylindrical block divided into three or more segments. By screwing a nut on the
small barrel I force inwards the cone and so expand the segments causing them to
hold securely against the bore of the large gun. A cylindrical imitation cartridge
and a cylindrical shot, of size suited to the calibre of the gun, and made with holes
through them so that they can pass freely over the small barrel, can then be used
in the ordinary way for gun drill, being hooked out after the discharge from the
small barrel.
When the gun is a breech loader, I dispense with the block at the breech, and
fix the small barrel in the large bore by the cone arrangment above described, with
its breech end extending close up to the breech block of the gun. The imitation

page_text: projectile and cartridge are in this case inserted at the breech when it is opened,
and hooked out after the discharge from the small barrel.
When the gun is of the mitrailleuse kind, in which there are mechanical arrang-
ments for feeding cartridges, I fit into each of the charge chambers of the barrels
a block into which I screw the small barrel tube, steadying it at the muzzle by a
cone and nut. I provide cartridge cases which externally are of the ordinary size
and form to suit the feeding apparatus, but have centrally within them the
miniature cartridges projecting forwards from their bases. Each cartridge case, fed
in the ordinary way, when it is in the chamber of the barrel, fits freely over the
projecting end of the small barrel, the breech of which is entered by the small
internal cartridge.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Morris in the Patent Office on the 10th April 1884.
RICHARD MORRIS of Oleopatra Grove Blackheath in the County of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ORDNANCE TO SUIT THEM FOR DRILL AND
PRACTICE WITH MINIATURE PROJECTILES
"
My invention relates to means of fitting small barrels into guns of larger calibre
and operating with them so that small projectiles can be fired over moderate
ranges, and yet the drill and practice with the guns can be the same as when they
are used for projectiles of full size. When the gun is of the muzzle loading kind,
I fit within the breech of the gun a block, which may be one of the ordinary
projectiles, having a central screwed hole into which is screwed the small barrel
(which may be an ordinary rifle barrel), and a lateral hole corresponding with the
the touch hole. And on the small barrel, nearer to its muzzle, I fit a coned sleeve
which is within a cylindrical block divided into three or more segments. By
screwing a nut on the small barrel, I force inwards the cone and so expand the
segments causing them to hold securely against the bore of the large gun. A cylin-
drical imitation cartridge and a cylindrical shot, of size suited to the calibre of the
gun, and made with holes through them so that they can pass freely over the small
barrel, can then be used in the ordinary way for gun drill, being hooked out after
the discharge from the small barrel.
When the gun is a breech loader, I dispense with the block at the breech, and
fix the small barrel in the large bore by the cone arrangement above described, with
its breech end extending close up to the breech block of the gun. The imitation
projectile and cartridge are in this case inserted at the breech when it is opened,
and hooked out after the discharge from the small barrel.
→
When the gun is of the mitrailleuse kind, in which there are mechanical arrange-
ments for feeding cartridges, I fit into each of the charge chambers of the barrels,
a block into which I screw the small barrel tube, steadying it at the muzzle by a
cone and nut. I provide cartridge cases which externally are of the ordinary size
and form to suit the feeding apparatus, but have centrally within them the
miniature cartridges projecting forwards from their bases. Each cartridge case,
fed in the ordinary way, when it is in the chamber of the barrel, fits freely over
the projecting end of the small barrel, the breech of which is entered by the small
internal cartridge.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a part longitudinal section shewing the
bore A of a muzzle loading gun with a small-bore tube B fixed in it. Fig. 2 is a
transverse section. The tube B is screwed into a block L placed in the breech
with the touch hole T continued obliquely into it. The body of the tube B is
centred and steadied by means of segments S which are spread out by a cone U set
up by a nut V screwed on the tube. Instead of using segments S, a split tube may
be employed. When the tube B is applied to a breech loading gun, the block L is
unnecessary, the tube B being so placed in the bore that its breech end butts
against the breech block, in which position it is held by the cone arrangement.
Fig. 3 is a part longitudinal section and Fig. 4 an end view shewing a small
bore tube applied to one of the barrels of a machine gun or mitrailleuse, such as
that known as the Nordenfelt gun.
A is the ordinary barrel, and B is the small tube which is fitted into it being
centred near the breech end by a boss C fitting on the tube as a collar, and at the
muzzle by another collar D. A divided clamp E is firmly tightened on the muzzle
of the barrel A by means of bolts F, and a bracket G projecting forwards and
downwards from the clamp is engaged between two nuts H and K which are

page_text: screwed on the tube B. Into the charge chamber of the barrel A is introduced a
block L of the same shape and size as the cartridges usually employed, but it is
bored up its middle to admit the projecting end of the tube B, and it has inserted
in its breech the miniature cartridge M, which is made of such form that its front
enters the tube B while its rear fits the hole in the block L. A number of blocks L
being prepared, each containing a cartridge M, these are loaded and extracted in
the usual way, the small charge in the miniature cartridge M being fired instead
of the large charge which would be contained in a cartridge of the full size of the
block L
It will be seen that the blocks L being of the same size and shape as the ordinary
cartridges, the action of the feeding and extracting mechanism is not varied by the
use of the small cartridge M, and the firing of this cartridge which occupies the
centre of L is effected by the striker in the same way as the firing of the full sized
cartridge is usually effected.
Although I have shewn my invention applied to a Nordenfelt barrel, it is obvious
that similar arrangements might be used in other machine guns, blocks such as L
being used instead of the ordinary cartridges, these blocks being of suitable size
and form, bored in front to admit the small barrel tube and at the breech to receive
the small cartridge projecting inwards into the bore so as to be inserted into the
breech end of the small barrel.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, I claim :-
First. The herein described method of fitting ordnance with small bore tubes so
as to suit them for drill and practice with miniature ammunition.
Second. For adapting the barrel of a machine gun or mitrailleuse to be used
with miniature ammunition, the combination there with of a small bore tube and its
collars and clamp, substantially as herein described.
Third. In a machine gun or mitrailleuse fitted with small bore tubes, the use of
blocks L having the shape of the ordinary cartridge, and bored to pass over the
tube, in combination with miniature cartridges M, substantially as herein
described.
In Witness whereof I the said Richard Morris have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Tenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty-four.