Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 19th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES ALGER, of Hudson, in the County of
Columbia and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman.]
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows
Heretofore projectiles have been provided with grooves encircling the projectiles or
arranged spirally upon the cylindrical body thereof. Such grooves, however, have
always been made sufficiently deep to allow the passage of the gases of explosion, or
have been made deep for other purposes. The consequence of such construction,
however, is that the displaced metal not only materially reduces the weight of the
projectile, but the abutting surfaces formed by the recesses are acted upon by the
atmosphere to retard the projectile. These are serious defects. To overcome these
difficulties and provide means for lubrication and for keeping the barrel clean, I propose
to form in any convenient way, but preferably by knurling shallow depressed lines,
there being either two series of such lines set slightly spiral and running in opposite
directions, or in lieu of this, a single series of independent lines, or a series of slight
cavities or depressions, the two crossed series first mentioned being preferred. It is
also preferred that the outer surface of the projectile shall have a sheathing of copper,
as described in another application for Letters Patent of even date berewith, but the
invention is not limited to sheathed projectiles.
6:
The encased projectiles, however, have the advantage that the edges of the lines have
greater effect in scraping the residuum out of the barrel and thereby gives greater
accuracy in shooting.
The invention comprises, essentially, a projectile which, while having a series of
slight depressions or shallow depressed lines adapted to receive a lubricant and to keep
the bore of the rifle clean, is without deep grooves designed and adapted to receive

page_text: expansive gases while in the arm, and which will after leaving it, present positive
abutting projections against which the air will act, not only retarding the flight of the
projectile, but also tending to change its direction.
In this projectile the surface of the body is scarified or roughened by shallow
depressions or depressed lines easily distinguishable from the deep grooves which form
ribs on the surface of the projectile which have the faults above mentioned.
This projectile has a plain cylindrical surface, which, although comparatively smooth
in general outline, has a roughened surface that serves to hold a lubricant and to
present a cleaning surface to the inner face of the barrel.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: In this projectile the surface of the body is scarified or roughened by shallow
depressions or depressed lines easily distinguishable from the deep grooves which form
ribs on the surface of the projectile which have the faults above mentioned.
This projectile has a plain cylindrical surface which, although comparatively smooth
in general outline, has a roughened surface that serves to hold a lubricant and to
present a cleaning surface to the inner face of the barrel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A bullet having a cylindrical body provided with a scarified or rough surface
formed over the same by numerous shallow depressions or depressed lines of insufficient
depth to form abutting surfaces as set forth.
2. A solid bullet having a cylindrical body with its surface roughened by two series
of shallow and closely-adjacent depressed lines arranged in opposite spirals, and
constructed to hold a lubricant without presenting air-abutting surfaces as set forth.
3. A projectile having a lead body and a hard-metal coating extending from its
point rearward, and provided with a series of shallow depressions or indentations of
insufficient depth to form abutting surfaces, substantially as described.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.