IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Jules Manceaux, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Manufacturer, and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard, of the same
Place, Gunsmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES."
Sealed the 12th July 1859, and dated the 13th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.left by the said François Jules Manceaux
and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th January 1859. -
• We, FRANÇOIS JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Manufacturer, and EUGENE NAPOLÉON VIEILLARD, of the same Place, Gun-
smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improvement in the breeches of
breech-loading fire-arms, which adapts the said fire-arms to the ordinary
cartridge, that is, a cartridge made by simply enclosing the charge, and the
projectile is an envelope of paper of a cylindrical form, pasted up at the side
and ends. The back end of this sort of cartridge will, of course, be closed
by a knot of paper, made up of a series of folds all pasted together. This
knot of paper when the charge explodes is liable to be left behind in the
barrel of the gun, and will be so left behind if the gases into which the charge
is transformed are unable to get between it and that part of the gun on

page_text: which the exploding charge reacts. To ensure the expulsion of this lump
of paper is to remove the main objection to the use of the common cartridge
in breech-loading fire-arms. This we effect by constructing the gun in the
following manner :-The part of the breech-loading gun which forms the
immediate support for the reaction of the exploding charge is a solid cone,
terminated at its apex in a stem of considerably less diameter than the base
of the cone.
This cone and stem are together placed in a cylindrical piece
hollowed out in the form of a matrix to receive it. The stem of the inner
piece extends completely through the outer piece, and a screw thread is
wrought on its end, and a nut put on to prevent the separation of the two
pieces. This nut, though it prevents the solid cone from moving forward out
of the conical cavity in which it is fitted, does not hinder the said cone from
being pressed further in when the combination has to support the reaction of
the explosion. And as the solid cone is at its base of nearly the same
diameter as the interior of the chamber in which the pair is placed, and as
the conical cavity is a little less in diameter of base, and its angle is rather
more acute, therefore the solid cone, when acted on by the force of explosion,
is forced into the cavity, and expands the edge of the outer piece, which has
a firm posterior support, and presses this edge against the side or interior
surface of the chamber. The means by which the expulsion of the fragments
of paper of the cartridge is ensured is this:-On the front or base of the
solid cone above described, and in its centre, is wrought a projection of the
form of a truncated cone, with its small end foremost, and with a diameter
less than that of the chamber; and when the gun is charged, the back end
of the cartridge comes against the front of this projection, and is thus kept
off from the more posterior part of the reacting surface. The gases therefore
generated in the explosion have access to the back of the fragments of the
paper of the cartridge, and will expel the whole from the piece. This part
of our Invention is a further carrying out of that previously patented by us,
the 10th November 1856.
1
Secondly, our Invention consists in an improvement, in cartridges them-
selves, designed to render still more certain the expulsion of the fragments
of the cartridge, and also to clear the gun of any residuum left therein after
a previous discharge. In the cartridge, between the projectile and the charge,
we place a circular disc or wad of cardboard, steeped in fat, of a diameter
rather greater than that of the gun, taken to the bottom of its rifle grooves.
This piece of card is pierced by two small holes to admit a piece of fine brass
wire, which is passed through both, and the two parts of which are then
twisted round each other, and made to extend through the charge to the

page_text: hinder part of the cartridge, where they pass through, and are turned down
on the folded paper which closes the end of the cartridge. This piece of
card serves three purposes; it prevents the heat generated by the explosion
from distorting the form of the projectile, and thereby injuring the accuracy
of the fire, it is pressed into the grooves, and so removes any residuum
from previous firing, and by means of the wire it removes the paper of the
cartridge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANÇOIS
JULES MANCEAUX, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, and
EUGENE NAPOLÉON VIEILLARD, of the same Place, Gunsmith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give. and grant unto us, the
said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard, Her special
licence that we, the said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene Napoléon
Vieillard, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might niake, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
FIRE-ARMS, AND IN CARTRIDGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene Napoléon Vieillard, or one
of. us, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our;.
or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said François Jules Manceaux and
Eugene Napoléon Vieillard, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invens

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
: "
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improvement of the breeches of
breech-loading fire-arms, which adapts the said fire-arms to the ordinary
cartridge, that is, a cartridge made' by simply enclosing the charge and the
projectile in an envelope of paper of a cylindrical form pasted up at the side
and ends. The back end of this sort of cartridge is closed by a knot of
paper made up of a series of folds all pasted together. This knot of paper,
when the charge explodes, is liable to be left behind in the barrel of the gun,
and will be so left behind if the gases into which the charge is transformed
are unable to get between it and that part of the gun on which the exploding
charge reacts. To ensure the expulsion of this lump of paper is to remove
the main objection to the use of the common cartridge in breech-loading
fire-arms. This we effect by constructing the gun in the following manner :-
The part of the breech-loading gun which forms the immediate support for
the reaction of the exploding charge is a solid cone, terminated at its apex
in a stem of considerably less diameter than the base of the cone.
This cone
and stem are together placed in a cylindrical piece, hollowed out in the form
of a matrix to receive it. The stem of the inner piece extends completely
through the outer piece, and a screw thread is wrought on its end, and a nut
put on to prevent the separation of the two pieces. This nut, though it
prevents the solid cone from moving forward out of the conical cavity in
which it is fitted, does not hinder the said cone from being pressed farther
in when the combination has to support the reaction of the explosion. And
as the solid cone is at its base of nearly the same diameter as the interior of
the chamber in which the pair is placed, and as the conical cavity is a little
less in diameter of base, and its angle is rather more acute, therefore the solid
cone, when acted on by the force of explosion, is forced into the cavity, and
expands the edge of the outer piece, which has a firm posterior support, and
presses this edge against the side or interior surface of the chamber, thereby
rendering the breech gas-tight. The means by which the expulsion of the
fragments of paper of the cartridge is ensured are these:-On. the front or
base of the solid cone above described, and in its centre, is wrought a pro-
jection of the form of a truncated cone, with its small end foremost, and
with a diameter less than that of the chamber; and when the gun is charged,
the back end of the cartridge comes against the front of this projection, and
is thus kept off from the more posterior part of the reacting surface. The
gases therefore generated in the explosion have access to the back of the

page_text: fragments of the paper of the cartridge, and will expel the whole from the
piece. This part of our Invention is a further carrying out of that previously
patented by us, the Tenth November, One thousand. eight hundred and fifty-six.
Secondly, our Invention consists in an improvement in cartridges them-
selves, designed to render still more certain the expulsion of the fragments
of the cartridge, and also to clear the gun of any residuum left therein after
a previous discharge. In the cartridge, between the projectile and the charge
or powder, we place a circular disc or wad of cardboard steeped in fat, of a
diameter rather greater than that of the gun taken at the bottom of its
rifle grooves. This piece of card is pierced by two small holes, to admit a
piece of fine brass wire, which is passed through both, and the two parts of
which are then twisted round each other, and made to extend through the
charge to the hinder part of the cartridge, where they pass through, and are
turned down on the folded paper which closes the end of the cartridge. This
piece of card serves three purposes; it prevents the heat generated by the
explosion from distorting the form of the projectile, and thereby injuring the
accuracy of the fire; it is pressed into the grooves, and so removes any
residuum from previous firing, and by means of the wire it removes the paper
of the cartridge.
Figure 1 is a view, shewing so much of a gun barrel in section as is
necessary to explain our Invention. A is the double-conical breech-closing
apparatus, shewn in section at Figure 2, and in detail at Figures 3, 4, and 5;
B is the cartridge, and C the gas expansion chamber, formed at the rear of
the cartridge for the purpose of causing the expulsion of every portion of the
paper or other envelope in which the charge is cased, on the discharge of
the gun. a is the solid cone; b, its stem, which terminates in a screw thread c;
and d, the truncated conical piece carried out forward from the solid cone a;
e is the matrix or mould into which the solid cone and stem fit. The matrix
terminates in front in a hollow cone f, into which the solid cone a is driven
on every discharge of the gun, and expanding the edges of the hollow cone
against the interior of the barrel; the breech is thereby rendered perfectly gas-
tight; g is the nut for preventing the solid cone a and stem from becoming
detached from the matrix piece e. Figure 3 is an external elevation of the
hollow and solid cones; Figure 4 is a side view of the solid cone a, with
truncated cone d, and stem b; Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the hollow
cone and matrix piece; Figure 6 shows the wad h and wire i prepared for the
manufacture of our cartridges; Figure 7 is a section of one of our cartridges
prepared to be filled with powder; and Figure 8 is a section of the cartridge
complete.

page_text: And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First, the employment in breech-loading fire-arms of two plugs, one of
which is hollowed out conically, and the other of which is solid, and has a
conical exterior entering partly into the hollowed-out portion of the former,
the two plugs being connected by a threaded stem and a nut or other equi-
valent means in such manner that while the explosive force of the powder is
free to drive the inner plug further into the outer plug, and thus close the
breech effectually, the inner plug is not at liberty to leave the outer plug
when the said force is removed, essentially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly, the employment of a projection formed upon the face of the inner
plug in order to provide for the admission of the explosive gases behind the
cartridge, whereby the expulsion of the whole of the said cartridge is effected,
essentially as herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Thirdly, the construction of cartridges, essentially as herein-before described
and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said François Jules Manceaux and Eugene
Napoléon Vieillard, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Ninth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
MANCEAUX. (L.S.)
.
VIEILLARD. (L.S.)
MANCEAUX. (L.S.)
VIEILLARD. (L.S.)