IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF PROJECTILES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Thomas Greenwood, of- Leeds, in the County of
York, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 18th January 1861, and dated the 18th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Greenwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th August 1860.
I, THOMAS GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE.
CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct projectiles, whether solid or
hollow, but chiefly for ordnance, in a manner that will effectually prevent
windage when they are fired, and avoid the necessitating such accurate work-
manship in the projectile as is now employed to secure accurate and efficient
firing from the Armstrong and other improved guns. To this end I
propose
to construct, shells or projectiles by casting them in iron of an elongated form
with a conical or other shaped forward end, and to pack the cylindrical portion
of the shell with rings of felt, canvas, or other suitable fabric, which may be
lubricated as thought desirable. Round the forward part of the shell I form
in the casting an annular recess, to receive a ring of packing, which is forced

page_text: over the fore end of the shell into the recess. The bind end of the shell
.I also rebate, in order that it may receive a packing formed after the manner
of the leather packing of an hydraulic press, the object being that it shall
expand under the pressure of the gases generated by the ignition of the charge
in the rear of the projectile. This packing, which is a ring of felt or other
suitable material doubled upon itself, I propose to secure to the shell or other
projectile by a metal band, which will bind the inner portion of the packing to
the shell, but leave an annular flap free. To ensure the confined gases
generated in the rear of the shell acting so as to expand the packing, and stop
all windage, I propose to form the binding ring with corrugations or projections
on its outer face, so that the loose annular flap will be prevented from lying
close to the shell, and free admission will therefore be provided for the gases to
enter behind and force it into close contact with the inner surface of the gun,
whether the gun used be a smooth or rifled bore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Greenwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Greenwood, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Greenwood, my
executors,.administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Greenwood, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONTRUCTION OF PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Greenwood, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Greenwood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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):-
The object of this Invention is to effect an economy in the construction of
projectiles, whether solid or hollow, but chiefly for ordnance, by avoiding the
necessity for such accurate workmanship in the manufacture of projectiles, as
is now required and employed to secure accurate and efficient firing from the
Armstrong and other guns of the public service. To this end' I propose to
construct shells or projectiles by casting them in iron, of an elongated form,
with a conical or other shaped forward end, and to rely upon packing rings of
felt, canvas, or other suitable fabric, applied in a peculiar manner, for securing
such a fit as will effectually prevent windage when the discharge takes place.
Round the forward part of the shell I form in the casting a recess to receive
a ring of packing, which is forced over the forward end of the shell into the
recess, and the hind end of the shell I alsó rebate, in order that it may receive
a packing formed after the manner of the leather packing of an hydraulic
press, the object being that it shall expand under the pressure of the gases
generated by the ignition of the charge in the rear of the projectile.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a shell cast to
receive my improved packing; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the shell
constructed according to my Invention; and Fig. 3 is a view of the rear end
thereof. The recess a, near the front-end of the projectile which is to receive
the packing ring of felt or other suitable material b, is made slightly conical,
and is ribbed or fluted in the direction of its axis to prevent the ring from
turning. The rebated portion c at the rear of the projectile I cast with cross
grooves, which will form small pyramidal projections; these projections are for
the purpose of retaining the packing ring d in position, and preventing its
being torn away from the shot or shell when the same is discharged from the
gun. This packing ring d, when made from sheets of fibrous material is
stamped out of a breadth about double that of the band or ring of friction
surface which the projectile is required to receive at its rear end, and the ring
thus produced is doubled back upon itself, thereby producing a double
thickness of the packing material. This ring I secure to the shell or other
projectile by a metallic band e, slightly tapered in cross section to facilitate its
application; this band e I so apply that it shall bind the inner portion of the
packing d to the shell, but leave an annular flap d* free to expand and press
against the inner periphery of the gun while the projectile is being propelled
'

page_text: forward by the expansive force of the ignited powder. To insure the confined
gases generated in the rear of the shot or shell acting so as to expand the
flap d, and stop all windage, I form on the outer face of the metallic band é
channels in the direction, of the axis, of the projectile (as shewn at Fig. 3),
which channels will afford, free admission to the gases behind the annular
flap d*, whereby it will be forced into close contact with the inner surface of
the gun, whether the gun used be a smooth or rifled bore, and the full force
of the powder will be caused to act upon the shot or shell precisely as if it had
undergone the costly process, of being turned to a gauge in a lathe to ensure
its fitting truly, a given sized bore of cannon. The packing rings may be
made of felt or other close textured fabric, or of papier mâchè, and any,
suitable lubricating material may be applied thereto. To force the metallic,
band e into its place, hydraulic or other pressure may be employed.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of 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 fitting projectiles with expanding packing in the
manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, 'the said Thomas Greenwood, have hereunto set my
hand' and seal, the Twelvth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOHN WAINWRIGHT.
THOMAS GREENWOOD. (L.s.)