IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE,ARMS AND ORDNANCE, AND IN PROJECTILES THEREFOR
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Herbert George Phillip Meade
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1867.
I, The Honble. HERBERT GEORGE PHILLIP MEADE, Lieutenant in the Royal
Navy, of Belgrave Square, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE,ARMS AND
ORDNANCE, AND IN PROJECTILES THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in fire-arms and ordnance,
and in projectiles therefor.
I construct a gun of a cylindrical form, both internally, and externally; it is
closed at the breech end, and has a capacity. little, if, at all, exceeding that
required to receive the largest charge the gun is required to carry.. The
projectile is also cylindrical internally and adapted to fit over, the gun; it is
closed at the fore end, which is made of a suitable form for flight and also.for
penetration; it may contain a bursting charge, and be fitted with a fuse, if
desired. The gun at its breech end is fixed in a trunnion piece formed to
bring the trunnions so far forward that the weight of the breech end of the
gun may preponderate even when it has received the charge and the projectile.
An elevating screw or other elevating gear is fitted at the breech end of the
gun. The trunnions are carried on a carriage so arranged as to admit of
the gun being trained. The muzzle of the gun and the interior of the pro-
jectile are mutually so shaped that the strain resulting from the explosion of
the charge may not operate against the sides of the projectile until the pro-

page_text: jectile has acquired a considerable forward velocity; this may be effected by
coning the muzzle of the gun on the exterior and forming the projectile to fit
closely to the mouth of the bore. The fore end of the bore may also be coned
interiorally so as to increase the area at the base of the projectile on which
the pressure resulting from the explosion of the charge is able to act to start
the projectile into motion. When a reduced charge is used with the gun a
wad or filling piece of suitable material may be introduced into the bore
temporarily to reduce its capacity. It is not essential that the gun should be
cylindrical, it may be polygonal or of other form exteriorly. The form of the
bore may also be varied.
.
In mortars or pieces to throw heavy shells I make the bore of the piece of
smaller capacity than is required to contain the charge; a portion of the
charge is then contained within the cavity of the projectile.
In order that the charge may be effectually consumed before the projectile
leaves the gun I may employ more than one vent. Sometimes in addition to
the breech vent I form,a vent passing both through the side of the projectile
and through the gun, and I also form a vent passing through the head of the
projectile in advance of the muzzle of the gun. In some cases I employ
well-known arrangements within the cartridge, and fire it from end to end.
To give a rotary motion to the projectile lands or grooves may be formed
within it, there being also corresponding lands or grooves formed on the
exterior of the gun; or in rear of the projectile inclined bars or tails may be
fixed, such bars or tails passing between studs or projections fixed on the gun;
or a plate or rod bent to a screw-like form may be fixed in the interior of the
projectile and passed through a guide within the gun; or wings may be
fixed on the exterior of the projectile to cause it to rotate as it flies through
the air; or a spiral case containing fuse composition may be arranged around
the projectile, which in burning causes the projectile to rotate on the gun,
and then when it comes to an end fires the charge contained in the bore.
The gun may be made in pieces, fitted together with screws, both for con-
venience of manufacture and facility of transport. I sometimes make such
guns of small size, and mount them upon stocks to be fired from the shoulder
or from a rest. I generally employ shells with such guns.