improvements relating to Cartridges.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
improvements relating to Cartridges..
I, Dr. EDUARD THEODOR GOTTHILF THORN, of 36 Grosse Reichenstrasse,
Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to cartridges and has for its object to provide for a uniform
distribution of the nitrocellulose in the charge chamber of the cartridge case and
to obviate the formation of acid gases in the combustion of the nitrocellulose.
It is well known that, by reason of the small quantity required, nitrocellulose
prepared in the form of grains or lamina for use in cartridges occupies much less
room in the chamber of the cartridge case than gun-powder. As the energy of
such a charge is about four times greater than that of the gun-powder, too great a
pressure will be exerted upon the walls of the cartridge case and the gun barrel,
which pressure is not at all in proper proportion to the initial velocity of the
cartridge. This defect is to be remedied by my said invention, according to which
the charge is arranged in the cartridge case in such a manner that the quantity of
nitrocellulose necessary for the firing will be uniformly distributed in the whole
chamber.
In order to realize this object I use the nitrocellulose not in the form of grains
or small pieces, but in the form of strips. These strips are of the same height as
the chamber of the cartridge case and are rolled up and inserted into the latter.
After the insertion the strip of nitrocellulose unwinds a little so that it finally
assumes a spiral shape. In this manner the nitrocellulose is equally distributed in
the whole charge chamber, adapted for gun-powder. The several portions of the
spiral strip do not touch, or touch each other only on one side, whereas if the
nitro-cellulose has a granular shape there will be contact on almost all sides.
Instead of rolling up the strips of nitro-cellulose spirally it may also be folded
or creased so as to present either a stellar or a zig-zag form in the cartridge case..
In the latter instance the folds in the middle are of greater width than at the ends.
To obviate the occurrence of acid gases in the explosion it is expedient to
impregnate the strips of nitrocellulose with a suitable bydrocarbon compound of
the aromatic and fatty acid, series, by which the nitro group is reduced with
development of ammonia.
Da li fil 1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Cartridges.
I, Dr. EDUARD THEODOR GOTTHILF THORN, of 36 Grosse Reichenstrasse,
Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to cartridges and has for its object to provide for a uniform
distribution of the nitrocellulose in the charge chamber of the cartridge case or
shell and to obviate the formation of acid gases in the combustion of the
nitrocellulose.

page_text: It is well known, that by reason of the small quantity required nitrocellulose
prepared in the form of grains or lamina for use in cartridges occupies much less
room in the chamber of the cartridge case than ordinary gun-powder. As the
energy of such a charge is about four times greater than that of the gun-powder,
too great a pressure will be exerted upon the walls of the cartridge shell and the
gun barrel, which pressure is not at all in proper proportion to the initial velocity
of the cartridge. This defect is to be remedied, when the charge is arranged in
the cartridge shell in such a manner that the quantity of nitrocellulose necessary
for the firing will be uniformly distributed in the whole chamber.
In order to realise this object I use the nitrocellulose not in the form of grains
or small pieces but in the form of strips as illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
in which:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an improved cartridge.
Figure 2 is an horizontal cross section of the cartridge.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar cross sections showing modified arrangements of the
nitrocellulose-strips.
The strips of nitrocellulose a are of the same height as the chamber of the
cartridge-shell b and are rolled up and inserted into the latter. After the
insertion the strip of nitrocellulose unwinds a little so that it finally assumes a
spiral shape (Figures 1 and 2). In this manner the nitrocellulose is equally
distributed in the whole charge chamber adapted for ordinary gun-powder. The
several portions of the spiral strip do not touch or only touch each other on one
side, whereas if the nitrocellulose has a granular shape there will be contact on
almost all sides.
Instead of rolling up the strips of nitrocellulose spirally, it may also be folded or
creased so as to present either a stellar form a' (Figure 3) or a zig-zag form a
(Figure 4) in the cartridge shell b. In the latter instance the folds in the middle
are of greater width than at the ends.
To obviate the occurrence of acid gases in the explosion it is expedient to
impregnate the strips of nitrocellulose with a sufficient quantity of such hydro-
carbon compound of the aromatic and fatty acid series which possess a high content
of hydrogen, so that in the explosion cyanide of ammonium, carbonate of ammonia
or ammonia, are developed from the reduced nitro-group and the carbon compounds-
present.
I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to form out of the explosive
compounds of the celluloidal kind and those explosives which consist chiefly of
nitrocellulose converted into collodion, propelling charges for fire arms, consisting of
rolled up sheets or plates, or tubes, or hollow caps, but such charges require to be
reticulated or pierced with holes for the purpose of increasing the surface of
explosive combustion, and in order to admit of an interior combustion of the charge.
Moreover, such charges require to have a small primer of ordinary gun-powder or
other suitable explosive in order to make sure that the charge is ignited and that no
hang-fire" ensues.
my said inven-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Explosives of nitrocellulose for cartridge charges consisting of strips of
nitrocellulose having the height of the charge chamber of the cartridge and being
impregnated with suitable hydro-carbon compounds of the aromatic and fatty acid
series in order to reduce the nitro-group with development of ammonia and to
obviate the occurrence of acid gases in the explosion, substantially as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.