Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES STUART BAILEY, of 57 Upper Thames Street, London E.C. a member
of the firm of F. Joyce & Co manufacturers of ammunition 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 what are known as central fire cartridges and has for
object to make them more certain of ignition when struck by the plunger of a gun
on firing.
In central fire cartridges as usually made there is a percussion cap placed in
contact with an anvil which is pointed usually like a cone or like a wedge, so that
to ensure ignition the gun-plunger should strike fairly in the centre of the cap. In
practice however it is found that owing to the gun or cartridge being out of truth
the plunger does not always strike in the centre of the cap and does not inpinge
upon that portion of the cap situate immediately opposite the front of the anvil
and it results that misfires sometimes occur.
Now according to my invention the anvil employed is such as to present a larger
igniting surface than is presented by ordinary anvils so that if the cap be struck
anywhere upon its crown it may not fail to impinge upon a part of the cap
immediately opposite a pointed or ridged surface of the anvil
The anvil is placed in the cap with its pointed-ridged surface presented towards
the fulminate. The periphery of the anvil is grooved or serrated to allow of the
flash from the ignited cap passing around it and thence thro' the flash hole of the
cap chamber to the powder charge in the usual manner.
It is advantageous to use a cap somewhat larger than such as are commonly
employed, and to make the anvil the full size of the interior of thé cap.
Referring to the annexed sheet of illustrative drawings Fig. 1 represents in
section a central fire cartridge embodying my invention.
As is usual this cartridge comprises the following metal and paper parts viz., a
paper tube A, a base cup B a paper packing C, and a flanged cap chamber D.,
containing the cap E. G is my improved anvil within the cap. The cartridge
shewn is of the kind commercially known as the "Bailey" cartridge, being pro-
vided with an outer base cup B¹ according to the specification of a former patent
granted to me N° 496 A.D. 1882.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the anvil in section Fig. 3 shews it in plan,
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of metal of suitable form from which to cut the anvils.
In practice I find that metal one tenth of an inch in thickness with sharp edged
ridges about one twentieth of an inch wide and one fortieth of an inch deep is

page_text: suitable for the formation of the anvils which may be made therefrom by means of
a punch and die in the usual manner.
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. In a cartridge the use of a ridged or serrated anvil presenting a number of
sharp edges ridges or points towards the head of the cap substantially as described
for the purpose specified.
2. Cartridge anvils as hereinabove described with reference to the drawings
annexed.