IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING WADS IN CARTRIDGES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING WADS IN CARTRIDGES Communi-
cated to him from abroad by Otto Ferdinand Seibold, of the city and state of
New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January 1883.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex,
SECURING WADS IN CARTRIDGES," a communication to me from abroad by Otto
Ferdinand Seibold, of the City and State of New York, United States of America
This invention, consists in the combination with a cartridge shell and with the
charge contained therein of a convex disk the outside diameter of which is exactly
equal to the inside diameter of the shell, so that when the shell has been charged
and the convex disk placed therein, the charge will be firmly retained simply by
depressing the central portion of the disk; it consists further in the combination
with a cartridge shell and with the wad contained therein of a convex star-shaped
disk, the outside diameter of which is exactly the same as the inside diameter of
the shell, so that when the cartridge has been charged and the star-shaped disk has
been placed on the wad, the charge of the cartridge will be firmly retained in
position simply by depressing the central portion of the metallic disk and upon the
discharge of the gun the wad and the star-shaped disk are driven out without
danger of injuring the barrel of the gun or of disturbing the correctness of the aim.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th July 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex " IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECURING WADS IN CARTRIDGES," a communication to me from abroad by Otto
Ferdinand Seibold, of the City and State of New York, United States of America
This invention consists in the combination with a cartridge shell and with the
charge contained therein of a convex disk the outside diameter of which is exactly
equal to the inside diameter of the shell, so that when the shell has been charged
and the convex disk placed therein, the charge will be firmly retained simply by
depressing the central portion of the disk; it consists further in the combination
with a cartridge shell and with the wad contained therein of a convex star shaped
disc, the outside diameter of which is exactly the same as the inside diameter of
the shell, so that when the cartridge has been charged and the star-shaped disk has
been placed on the wad, the charge of the cartridge will be firmly retained in
position simply by depressing the central portion of the metallic disc and upon the
discharge of the gun the wad and the star-shaped disk are driven out without
danger of injuring the barrel of the gun or of disturbing the correctness of the aim.
In the accompanying drawing, Figure I represents a sectional perspective view of
the cartridge showing the convex star shaped disk, before its central portion is
depressed. Figure II is a sectional side view of the same after the central portion
of the star-shaped disk has been depressed and the cartridge is ready for use.
Figure III is a transverse section in the plane xx showing the form of the star
shaped disk when used in combination with a cartridge having a paper shell.
Figure IV. is a similar section showing the form of the star shaped disk when used
in combination with a cartridge having a metallic shell. Similar letters indicate
corresponding parts. In this drawing the letter A designates the star-shaped disc,
which may be made of tinned sheet iron, sheet brass, or other material suitable for
the purpose. In the example shown in the drawing this disc is provided with six
points, but I do not wish to confine myself to this number of points. It is essential
however, that the points shall be at uniform distances apart throughout the entire
circumference of the disk and that they shall be of such a length, that each point
can be readily bent in either direction without using any undue force. After the
discs have been cut out, they are exposed to the action of suitable discs for the
purpose of rendering them hollow or convex, as shown in Fig I, and after they
have been brought into this shape their outside diameter is exactly equal to the
inside diameter of the cartridge shell into which the same have to be introduced.
After a cartridge has been charged in the usual manner, one of the starshaped discs
is placed upon the wad a, the convex side of the disc being turned upward
(see Fig I) and then by a suitable tool the central portion of the disc is depressed,
so that it lays flat upon the surface of the wad as shown in Fig II. By this
operation the diameter of the star shaped disc is slightly increased and the points
of said discs are brought to bear against the inner circumference of the shell with
sufficient force to retain the wad a, and the charge of the cartridge firmly in
position. When my star shaped disks are intended to be used with paper shells,
I make their points sharp (see Fig 3) so that when the central portions of the discs
are depressed as above stated, their points will be forced into the body of the shell,
but if my discs are intended to be used with metallic shells, their points are flat
edged as shown in Fig 4, and when the central portions of the discs are depressed,
these flat edges impinge against the inner circumference of the shells with sufficient
force to retain the charge in position. It will be seen from this description that

page_text: when the star shaped disk is secured in the shell as above described, all its points
are brought to bear against the inner circumference of the shell with a uniform
pressure so that the wad is retained at all points and the danger that the said
wad will tip up at one place or another is avoided. At the same time, if the gun
s discharged, the disc is released uniformly all round, for as soon as the central
portion of the disc is forced upward by the explosion of the charge the points are
drawn in and the danger of injuring the barrel or disturbing the correctness of the
im is avoided. In some cases the wad itself may be made of pasteboard or other
suitable material in the shape of a convex disc, and if the same is placed upon the
charge and its central portion is depressed the charge is firmly retained in position
without using the star-shaped metallic disk. This convex wad may be used with
dvantage in metallic shells or in paper shells of great strength.