IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CAR- TRIDGES THEREFOR
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Kellogg, of New Haven, in the County of New
Haven, and State of Connecticut, United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CAR-
TRIDGES THEREFOR."
Sealed the 30th December 1862, and dated the 10th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Kellogg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
July 1862.
I, HENRY KELLOGG, of New Haven, in the County of New Haven, and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND
CARTRIDGES THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates in the first place to, a mode of forcing a metallic
cartridge into the loading chamber and withdrawing the metal casing after
the piece has been discharged. And my Invention relates in the second place
to the construction of the cartridge so as to admit of the requisite com-
munication of the powder leading from the nipple with that in the cartridge.
The breech is opened and closed as required by means of a slide, which is
worked by means of a lever with connecting links. There are two lovers
(or one only may be used) having their fulcrum in the slide. These levers

page_text: are moved on their fulcrum by being brought in contact with stationary pins
fixed in the stock as the slide is moved up and down. The slide is lowered in
order that the cartridge may be inserted, and the hinder end of the cartridge
is then supported by an inclined plane on the top of the slide, and the
cartridge is forced into the loading chamber by means of the levers (or lever
acted upon by the stationary pins (or pin) on the rising of the slide. The
levers have each a lip at the upper part by means of which they are made to
press against the end of the cartridge to drive it home and to catch hold of a
rim formed on the cartridge case and withdraw it after the discharge. The
cartridge has a projection at the back which is cut off by means of a cutter
on the top of the slide as the latter is raised ready for the discharge, thereby
opening the communication between the powder leading from the nipple and
that in the cartridge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Kellogg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
KELLOGG, of New Haven, in the County of New Haven, and State of
Connecticut, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Kellogg, Her special licence, that I, the said Henry Kellogg,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Kellogg, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS AND CARTRIDGES THEREFOR," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Kellogg, my executors
or administrators, 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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Kellogg, 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 state-
ment, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention relates to a device for crowding home a
metallic cartridge, and for withdrawing the metal casing after the ammunition
is discharged.
The second part relates to the construction of the cartridge with a pro-
jection or thin portion in the rear thereof, which may be cut off by the slide or
easily punched to allow the fire from the cone to communicate with the powder
in the cartridge.
1
In the Drawings, Figure 1 is the side elevation in part section of the arm,
showing my improvement in the device by which the cartridge is driven home
and withdrawn; Figure 2 is a like view, showing the parts in a different
position, the slide in this case being partially drawn down, and represented
in a position in which the cartridge case is grasped to withdraw it from the
arm; Figure 3 is also a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, showing the
position of the parts when the cartridge case is nearly withdrawn from
the barrel; Figure 4 shews the position of the parts at the moment when the
cartridge is driven home to its position; Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section
showing the bridle piece by which the cartridge is driven home, and the case
withdrawn; Figure 6 is a plan of a portion of the arm. In all the Figures thus
far described only the portions of the arm which are necessary to illustrato
the Invention are shown; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the cartridge,
representing it with a portion of the rear end struck up or partially punched
outward to be cut off by the slide to allow the fire from the cone to commu-
nicate with the powder in the cartridge; Figure 8 is a side elevation of it;
Figure 9 is a vertical section of a like cartridge, with the exception that, in this
case, the metal to be removed to allow the fire to communicate with the cone
is punched inward instead of outward; Figure 10 is a side elevation of it.
The Invention here described and represented is designed as an improve-
ment upon an arm known as "Sharp's rifle," or an arm similar thereto, and
in the cartridges to be used therewith.
A is the stock of the arm; B is the barrel; and F is the cap, tube, or cone
upon which the cap is placed; C is a slide used for opening and closing the
breech. This slide is represented in full, or, in other words, with no part of

page_text: it removed in each of the Figures from 1 to 6 inclusive. The side only. of
the casing and other parts is cut away in the first four Figures to give a
clearer view of this slide and of the bridle piece which draws back the car-
tridge. D is a lever for operating the slide C by means of the connection E,
shown by dotted lines; G, G, are levers, or, in other words, constitute a bridle
piece to withdraw the casing of the cartridge after the charge is fired. They
are attached to the slide C by axes or fulcrums a, and the upper ends I of the
said levers are turned inwards, as shown in Figure 6, and lips's are made on
the inner ends thereof of such as to readily pass between the rim d of the
cartridge case and the barrel for the purpose of removing the cartridge case
from the barrel; c, c, are stationary pins in the side of the stock A for
öperating the levers G to force the cartridge P to its place for discharge, and
to withdraw the case after its discharge, or they may be made to do so before
the discharge, if required. A small cutter e is attached to the slide C for the
purpose of cutting off the projection 2 of the cartridge to make an opening
through which the fire from the cone F can penetrate the cartridge, and ignite.
the powder contained therein. N is an inclined plane forming the upper
surface of the slide C, and is made of such an inclination that in the down-
ward movement of the slide C and the outward movement of the cartridge
case the rim d of the cartridge case shall rest or ride upon it for support. in
its passage outward from the barrel B of the arm.
The cartridge represented in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 is made of a copper
case formed in most respects like those usually in use for making copper-cased
cartridges, and is provided at the rear end with a struck-up portion 2, or a
sunk portion 3, as the construction of the arm with which they are: to be used
may require; or they may be constructed with a small portion of the end plate
reduced in thickness in the centre so much as to be readily pierced by an
instrument for that purpose when the charge is fired, though not so thin, but
that it will be supported by the surrounding metal sufficiently to retain the
powder. A sabot 5 is placed in the case 1 immediately forward of the
powder, and this sabot has a hole in the centre-through which the breech of the
ball projects, the said breech of the ball being made conical for that purpose,
and to give efficiency to the sabot 5. The sabot 5 is filled or saturated with
grease of some kind to lubricate the barrel of the gun as the charge passes
out. The construction of the sabot and the ball 4 is such that the pressure
of the powder unavoidably drives the sabot forward upon the tapered breech
of the ball and into the grooves of the barrel, most effectually preventing
windage, and also giving an additional hold upon the grooves, besides cleaning
them out at each discharge. If made by machinery, and cut-truly, these

page_text: sabots also have a tendency to keep the rear of the ball in the centre, and
give practically, a longer bearing of the ball upon the barrel, thereby securing
greater accuracy to the flight of the projectile...
No fulminate is used in the manufacture of these cartridges, and this is in
some respects a very great advantage, especially in the army service, where in
the hurry and casualties of handling cartridges with fulminate in them, they,
are liable to be accidentally exploded. With my cartridge no such casualty:
can occur, and the cartridges are yet perfectly waterproof, and capable of per->
fectly withstanding the weather. The insertion of these cartridges into their
proper position in the gun, and the discharge therefrom of the case after the
ammunition has been fired is accomplished by the manipulation and operation
of the parts of the gun as follows:-After the discharge of the ammunition
has taken place, the breech is opened by lowering the lever D from the
position shown in Figure 1, to that shown in Figure 3. While this slide C is
being lowered, the lips s of the projection I of the levers G pass down in
front of the rim d of the cartridge, the lever being held up to position so as
to keep the said lips forward in such a manner as to cause them to pass. for-
ward of the rim of the cartridge, as above stated. When these lips have
passed down forward of the rim of the cartridge, to about the centre, the
projection.o of the lever G strikes upon the pin C, tilting said lever backward
at the upper end so as to draw the cartridge case from which, the charge has
been fired, as shown in Figure 3. This may then be removed with facility and
another cartridge inserted, the rim being placed forward of the lips s. The
slide C being then raised by means of the lever D, the portion P of the
lever G strikes against the pin c, and forces the lever forward so as to crowd
the cartridge into place, and as the slide C is raised to its highest position, the.
more advanced. face of the lever G. strikes the pin c so as to advance the
lips &, and cause them to pass forward of the rim of the cartridge case as
the slide is again drawn downwards, in the manner already described.
Having. thus described my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is.to be performed, I claim,-.
First, the combination of the lever or levers G with the moveable slide or
breech of breech-loading fire-arms, operating in the manner and for the pur-
pose, substantially. as described; and I. also claim the combination of the
inclined plane N. with the levers G, in the manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as set forth, and also the combination of the pin or pins c with the
lever or levers G, and in the manner and for, the purpose substantially as
specified.
Second, the construction of the metallic case cartridge in the manner

page_text: described, that is to say, by making a projection in the breech of-the-car-
tridge at the centre, or striking a portion inward, or reducing the thickness.
of the cartridge case at that point below what it is in the surrounding parts
by which it is made capable of being easily cut or pierced to allow fire' to
communicate from the fulminate to the powder, as set forth; and I also claim.
the combination with a bullet tapered at the breech of the perforated sabot
saturated with grease, or containing grease, substantially as for the purpose:
above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Kellogg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
HENRY KELLOGG. (L.S.)