An Electric Primer for Firing Guns.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Primer for Firing Guns.
I, RICHARD MORRIS of Bennett Park, Blackheath in the County of Kent,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a construction of electric fuse or primer for firing guns,
this fuse being adaptable for being fired either in the gun charge or in the tubular
spindle of the obturator. I first, by punch drawing, form a short shell like that of
a miniature cartridge with solid bottom, I coat this externally with insulating
material which may be varnish, and I push it into a tube which is internally coated
in like manner, so that the shell and the tube are thus insulated from one another,
but I connect their front edges by a bend of platinum wire or strip soldered to both,
which are then enclosed within a longer tube, the front part of which receives a
charge of explosive.
When this fuse is placed in the gun charge, an insulating conducting rod leads
through the obturator to the breech of the small shell and the outer tube of the
fuse is in contact with the metal of the obturator so that an electrical current
transmitted along the insulated rod and returning along the metal of the gun beats
the platinum within the fuse thereby firing the charge. When the fuse is intended
to be placed in the breech of the obturator spindle, I attach one of the conducting
wires to the base of the small shell of the fuse and the other to the outer tube; and,
in order that the fuses may serve for use in either way, I provide in the base of the
shell and in the end of the outer tube small tapped holes in which conducting wires
can be screwed when required.
Dated this 1st day of August 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Primer for Firing Guns.
I, RICHARD MORRIS, of Bennett Park, Blackheath in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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 a construction of electric primer for firing guns, this
primer being adaptable for being fired either in the gun charge or in the tubular
spindle of the obturator, as I shall describe referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are longitudinal sections shewing the separate parts of which
the primer consists ;
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section shewing them put together.
Fig. 5 is an end view; and Fig. 6 is a part longitudinal section shewing the
primer in the charge.
I first, by punch drawing, form a short shell A like that of a miniature cartridge
with solid bottom, I coat this externally with insulating material, which may be
varnish, and I push it into a tube B which is internally coated in like manner, so
that the shell and the tube are thus insulated from one another, but I connect their
front edges by a bend C of platinum wire or strip soldered to both, which are
then enclosed within a longer tube D the front part of which E receives a charge
of explosive.

page_text: When this primer is placed in the gun charge L an insulating conducting rod G
leads through the obturator F to the breech of the small shell A, and the end of
the outer tube D of the primer is in contact with the metal of the obturator F, so
that an electrical current transmitted along the insulated rod G and returning
along the metal of the gun heats the platinum C within the primer thereby firing
the charge. When the primer is intended to be placed in the breech of the
obturator spindle, I attach one of the conducting wires H to the base of the small
shell A of the primer and the other wire K to the outer tube D; and, in order
that the primer may serve for use in either way, I provide in the base of the
shell A. and in the end of the outer tube D small tapped holes and in which
conducting wires such as H and I can be screwed when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An electric primer for firing guns consisting of a small shell A inserted in but
generally insulated from a tube B to which it is connected by a platinum wire or
strip C, the whole enclosed in a flanged tube D, which is connected to the one
conductor, the shell A being connected to the other, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of April 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.