IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES AND IN WADS THEREFOR "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Morris of Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the
County of Kent for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES AND
IN WADS THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Morris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1883.
RICHARD MORRIS of Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the County of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES AND IN WADS THEREFOR"
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 25th April 1881
N° 1773, I described the use of miniature cartridges for rifle drill or practice, and
in order to suit such miniature cartridges for being operated on by the ordinary
extractor of the fire arm in which they are employed, I described one form,
illustrated by Fig 2° of the drawings annexed to the said Specification, in which
the cartridge though small in its body has a flange sufficiently large to be engaged
by the extractor. My present invention relates to the manufacture of the cases for
such miniature cartridges with large flanges, and to the preparation of wads for use
in such cartridges, wads so prepared being also applicable with advantage in
cartridges of ordinary size. In constructing the cases of the miniature cartridges,
I adopt the usual method of punching and drawing them in the solid from discs of
brass or other suitable metal, forming at the same time the cap chamber in the
base. After this chamber is formed, I forcibly insert the base of the cartridge case
in a round hole formed in a circular washer of iron or other metal, so that the base
of the cartridge case projects a little beyond the surface of the washer; I then by
a punch set the projecting part of the base over the edge of the hole of the washer
so that it forms a burr or rivet, and the washer, being thus held by this burr or
rivet firmly on the cartridge case, forms the flange of sufficient size to be engaged
by the extractor. The wads which I employ are so prepared that when the charge
is fired they serve to clean and lubricate the bore of the fire arm and to prevent
fouling and corrosion.

page_text: For this purpose, I place next the powder in the cartridge case a dry wad of
woollen felt, and on it I place a second wad of similar material prepared in the
following manner. I immerse it and keep it at boiling temperature for about an
hour in a mixture of about 16 parts by weight of beeswax, 6 parts of purified
sperm oil or pure tallow freed from acid and salt, and 1 part paraffin. I then dip
the wad in a mixture of 6 parts of paraffin to 1 part sperm at boiling temperature,
I prefer to make the cartridge case with its mouth a little larger than its body, to
insert over the powder the wads which are made to fit the mouth, then to insert
the bullet and to close the cartridge shell on the base of the bullet in the
usual way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1883.
RICHARD MORRIS of Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the County of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES AND IN WADS THEREFOR
"
.
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 25 April 1881
N° 1773, I described the use of miniature cartridges for rifle drill or practice, and
in order to suit such miniature cartridges for being operated on by the ordinary
extractor of the fire arm in which they are employed, I described one form
illustrated by Fig 2° of the drawings annexed to the said Specification, in which
the cartridge, though small in its body, has a flange sufficiently large to be engaged
by the extractor. My present invention relates to the manufacture of the cases for
such miniature cartridges with large flanges, and to the preparation of wads for
use in such cartridges, wads so prepared being also applicable with advantage in
cartridges of ordinary size. In constructing the cases of the miniature cartridges I
adopt the usual method of punching and drawing them in the solid from
discs of brass or other suitable metal, forming at the same time the cap chamber
in the base.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a section drawn to a scale of about
three times the real size of the miniature cartridge case so drawn, the base being
slightly tapered with a slight annular ridge of metal projecting beyond it. After
the chamber is formed, L forcibly insert the base of the cartridge case in a round
hole formed in a circular washer of iron or other metal shewn in Fig 2 so that the
ridge at the base of the cartridge case. projects a little beyond the surface of the
washer; I then by a punch set the projecting ridge of the base over the edge of
the hole of the washer, so that it forms a burr or rivet, and the washer being then
held by this burr or rivet firmly on the cartridge case, forms the flange of sufficient
size to be engaged by the extractor as shewn in Fig. 3. Instead of slightly
tapering the base of the cartridge shell as shewn, it may be slightly tapered in the
opposite direction so as to be a little larger than the body of the shell, the broad

page_text: washer being in that case pushed on from the muzzle of the case.
The wads which
I employ are so prepared that when the charge is fired they serve to clean and
lubricate the bore of the fire arm and to prevent fouling and corrosion. For this
purpose, I place next the powder in the cartridge case a dry wad of woollen felt
and on it I place a second wad of similar material prepared in the following
manner. I immerse it and keep it at boiling temperature for about an hour in á
mixture of about 16 parts by weight of bees-wax, 6 parts of purified sperm oil or
pure tallow freed from acid and salt, and 1 part paraffin. I then dip the wad in a
mixture of about 6 parts of paraffin to 1 part sperm at boiling temperature. I
prefer to make the cartridge case with its mouth a little larger than its body, to
insert over the powder the wads which are made to fit the mouth, then to insert
the bullet and to close the cartridge shell on its base in the usual way. Wads
prepared as above described can be applied to cartridges of ordinary size.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim :-
First. The herein described construction of miniature cartridge cases with large
flanges suited for the usual extractor.
Second. The herein described method of preparing wads for cartridges.
In Witness whereof I the said Richard Morris have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty Fourth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
RICHARD MORRIS.