IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORDNANCE AND FIRE- ARMS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Richards at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th August
1863.
I, GEORGE RICHARDS, of 2, Caroline Street, Bedford Square, in the-
County of Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORDNANCE AND FIRE-
ARMS, AND IN THE PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct ordnance and fire-arms in such
manner that the area of their bore shall be greater than that of the pro-
jectile (with the exception in some cases of the shoulders, studs, or bosses.
fixed thereon for the purpose of filling the space between the projectile and
the bore of the gun), the object of which improvements is that a greater
initial velocity will be given to such projectiles than that hitherto attained by the
adoption of shots whose area filled the bore of the piece, for it is obvious that
by such construction a greater relative charge of powder can be brought to
bear upon a projectile than is now possible by the systems in use, thereby.
affecting a corresponding increase of initial velocity, a desideratum which
it is all important to accomplish.
I propose to construct ordnance with a square bore, and to apply thereto
a projectile having an octagonal section. The bore of the gun would
receive a twist, turn, or curve in order to effect a rifle motion, or it may
be used without the curve if used as a smooth bore gun. The square of.
the bore may be modified by substituting curves. for the angles or corners

page_text: in order to obviate the risk of initial fracture; the bore may also have
grooves cut therein, or it may have projections for the purpose of effecting
the rifling, in which cases the projectiles would have projections or studs
thereon to enter the grooves, or they would have grooves cut in their sur-
face to receive the rifled projections of the gun; or in some cases studs
may be used on the projectiles only; or in some cases the octagonal shot
may have its four bearing surfaces increased in width by the application of
studs or projections running the entire length of the projectile, these studs
or the projections being situated at one edge or angle of each bearing surface.
The same principle being also applicable to increasing the bearing surfaces
of cylindrical projectiles. These grooves and projections may consist of
angular, circular, square, or curvilinear outlines. In the case of the octagonal
projectile, I purpose to employ a wad or sabot of the form of the bore in order
to fit the same, whereby the whole force of the charge will be given to the
projectile of a proportionately less weight than one which should completely
fill the bore. The wad should be made of a material of sufficient strength
to bear the impact of the discharge, and may be of a yielding or elastic nature,
Thus propose to place between two discs or plates of metal (fitting the
bore of the gun) a layer or layers of felt, gutta percha, india-rubber, or such
like materials in order that the force of the explosion may cause the soft
materials to expand and press upon the bore, and so prevent windage, the iron
or metal discs serving for strength to act on the projectile; thus a metal wad,
or a compound of metal and wood, or hide, or other suitable substance might
be adopted, care being taken that they fitted the bore.
I also propose to employ a cylindrical projectile to the square bore, in which
case the projectile would have four bearing surfaces in the gun, which would be
sufficient to give an accurate line of fire. Four studs or projections would be
formed on the periphery of the projectile in order to complete the piston-like
properties of the shot by filling up the angular spaces in the bore, and they
would also serve to give the required rotary motion to the shot by following
the turn or twist of the rifle bore. These studs might be made flat on the
surface next the powder, but wedge-like or tapering in front to diminish the
resistance of the air; these studs may also be applied to the octagonal pro-
jectile to effect the same results; in both instances the wad or sabot could be
dispensed with (if thought desirable).
Projectiles constructed on this piston-like principle might be so fitted as
to allow of being packed around their increased or major periphery or sur-
face, thereby making them air-tight, and also preventing injurious friction
upon the bore of the gun; much friction, however, could not be produced

page_text: from the contact of these flat and smooth surfaces.
The cylindrical pro-
jections may also be merely furnished with studs or projections, or grooves:
or projections may be made in their surfaces to suit the corresponding grooves,
or projections in the gun, and in these cases it would be necessary to apply the
wad to fill the entire diameter or area of the gun.
Another form of shot applicable to the square bore consists of a cylindrical
projectile made so small as not to touch any portion of the square, contact being
established and position maintained by means of four rails or raised rifle pro..
jections running the entire length of the same, and entering corresponding
grooves in the gun; or the reverse, by rails or raised rifling in the gun and
grooves in the projectile. Any form or section of groove and projection may.
be adopted. Or a square shot may be used; it is to be applied diagonally to;
the
square of the bore, its position to be maintained by means of projections,
at each angle entering grooves in the gun, or the reverse as in the former cases..
Or rifled projections may be formed on both the square bore of the gun and on.
the projectile in order to facilitate the rotating motion of the projectile by
decreasing the elevation of its raised rifling.
Most of these examples may be applied to guns having circular bores.
Other forms of projections from cylindrical shot as applied to square bored guns
may be used, for instance, four pointed tongues may extend from the periphery
of the shot to the angles of the square, thereby accomplishing the desired,
result, viz., rotary motion.
Other sections of projectiles on the above principles may obviously be
similarly applied. Where the gun has raised rifling to receive a cylindrical,
octagonal, and other shot, I propose to apply to the shot studs or projections in .
double rows or otherwise, in order that they may bite each side of the raised
rifling, and compel the shot to take the rotary motion. I propose to apply in
some cases a stud to the sabot or wad in such way that it shall enter a recess
in the rear of the projectile, and cause it to take the rotary motion of the sabot.
This method would be important where smooth-surfaced cylindrical or other
section of projectile were employed. Or a stud may be applied to the rear of
the shot, entering a recess in the sabot, or in each case several studs and recess
may be applied. I propose to make the striking face of projectiles, whether
flat or curvilinear, with file or serrated surfaces to increase their cutting or
penetrating properties.
In some cases I propose to apply to the square or nearly square bore a shot
or shell of a corresponding area or section, and of a cubical or oblong form, in
order that the largest possible amount of bursting charge may be employed for
the shell.

page_text: The exterior surface of the projectile must of course be formed to suit the
twist or curvature of the bore when rifled, in order to take the rotary motion,
or the projectile may be formed to be used in a gun of smooth or straight bore.
I propose in some cases, when employing the cylindrical or polygonal projectiles
with projecting rifling in the round bored gun, to form on the projectile a
boss or collar to occupy or fill up the entire diameter or area of the gun
between each of the projections or rails, by which means I might dispenso
with the wad or sabot, since the charge would act against the entire surface
or area of the projectile, there being little or no possibility of windage. I also
propose to employ a square or nearly square bored gun to a cylindrical shot,
whose diameter is larger than the side of the square. To permit of its inser-
tion into the gun, I propose to cut four segments of sufficient extent, one on
each face of the square, to receive the enlarged periphery of the shot. Now if
the square bore receives a twist or curve, and the shot is formed accordingly, I
should obtain a rotary motion from a smooth-surfaced cylindrical projectile.
If required to be used in a straight or smooth bore, the projectile would be
made accordingly. The projectiles should be furnished with studs or projections
in order to cause them to take the twist or turn of the bore. The cross
section of the bore would present the appearance of a compound between
the square and round bore, and would embrace the qualities of both the
rifled and smooth bores, and be also particularly adapted to the firing of
spherical shot, obtaining thereby increased or superior initial velocity.