IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1867

page_text: Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS."-A communication from
abroad by John Webster Cochran; of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS." -A communication from
abroad by John Webster Cochran; of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1867.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," a communication,
to be as follows::
These improvements relate to means for
in the proper position to be ignited by a
the cartridge shell or case, and also to the
base and preventing the escape of gas.
holding, the priming or fulminate
blow received on the base of
means for strengthening the said
The said improvements consist chiefly in the employment of a metal cup
of peculiar formation, which is placed in the rear of the cartridge shell; also in
the novel construction of the base of the said shell, and in the combination_
of the same with the metallic cup. The base of this cup is placed in contact
with the interior of the base of the cartridge shell, its sides or circular portion

page_text: being made to fit closely to the interior surface of the cylindrical portion of
the said shell. The base of the cup is formed with a recess to receive the
priming or fulminate, and communicates through a small hole or perforation
with the charge in the body of the shell. The base of the said shell is formed
with a projection which fits the recess or chamber in the base of the cup,
and which is forced into contact with the priming to ignite the same when
the exterior of the cartridge case is struck by the firing pin or other striking
device of a fire-arm. The shell of the cartridge may be formed in the usual
manner of copper, brass, or other suitable metal, and may be of any desired
length and diameter. The metal cup may also be formed of copper, brass, or
other metal, and the said shell and cup when formed of brass or other alloy
may be coated with tin or other pure metal, to prevent corrosion and injury
to the priming and charge from the contact of the same with some of the
ingredients usually found in metallic alloys. The base of the 'cup is made
convex or corrugated to increase its strength. The circular portion of the said cup,
which fits closely all round against the interior surface of the cylindrical part
of the shell, is made slightly taper, its diameter being largest at the open or
forward end; this form causes the cup to bind tightly. against the surface of
the shell, preventing its being displaced by the firing blow. The projection
on the base of the shell which fits the recess in the rear of the metal cup may
be formed upon the said base, a corresponding depression being formed on
the exterior of the latter to make the thickness of its metal equal in
all parts, or a pin of iron or other metal may be placed in the said recess to
act on the priming. A small portion of sand or emery may be put in the
priming or fulminate to cause a frictional action when the exterior of the shell
'is struck by the firing pin or other striking device.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22ud February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the sai
William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said William Rober
Lake, ny executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
5 time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, 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
CARTRIDGES FOR BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst
0 others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands 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 I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings forming
a part of this Specification:-
These improvements relate to means for bolding the priming or fulminate
in the proper position to be ignited by a blow received on the base of the
cartridge shell, or case, and also to the means for strengthening the said base
and preventing the access of gas to the rim.
The said improvements consist chiefly in the employment of a metal cup of
peculiar formation, which is placed in the rear of the cartridge shell; also in
the novel construction of the base of the said shell, and in the combination of
the same with 'the metallic cup. The base of this cup is placed in contact
with the interior of the base of the cartridge shell, its sides or circular portion
being made to fit closely to the interior surface of the cylindrical portion of
the said shell. The base of the cup is formed with a recess to receive the
priming or fulminate, and this recess communicates through a small hole or
perforation with the charge in the body of the shell. The base of the said
hell is formed with a projection which fits the recess or chamber in the base
of the cup, and which is forced into contact with the priming to ignite the
ame when the exterior of the cartridge case is struck by the firing pin or
ther striking device of a fire-arm. The shell of the cartridge may be formed
the usual manner of copper, brass, or other suitable metal, and
uy desired length and diameter. The metal cup may also be formed of
may
be of

page_text: copper, brass, or other metal, and the said shell and cup when formed, of brass
or other alloy may be coated with tin or other pure metal, to prevent corrosion.
and injury to the priming and charge from the contact of the same, with some
of the ingredients found in brass and other metallic alloys. The base of the,
cup is made concave or corrugated, to increase its strength and to cause it to
expand when driven into the shell. The circular. portion of the said cup, which
fits closely all round against the interior surface of the cylindrical part of the
shell, is made slightly taper, its diameter being largest at the open or forward
end; this form causes the cup to bind tightly. against the surface of the shell,
and prevents its being displaced when the base of the shell is struck by the.
firing pin. The projection on the base, of the shell which fits the recess in
the rear of the metal cup may be formed upon the said base, a. corresponding
depression being formed on the exterior of the latter to make the. thickness.
of its metal equal in all parts, or a pin or disc of iron or other metal may
be placed in the said recess to act on the priming: A small portion of sand
or emery may be put in the priming or fulminate to cause a frictional action
when the exterior of the shell is struck by the firing pin or other striking
ires
ongitu
improved cartridges; Figures 3; 4, and 5 are similar sections illustrating.
various modifications of such cartridges; Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 are sections
of portions of the said cartridges drawn to an enlarged scale to more clearly
illustrate their construction. Like letters indicate the same parts in each of
the Figures.
The case or shell a may be of any desired length and diameter; the metal
cup or anvil may also be of any desired length, but is preferably made
somewhat in such proportion to the, shell as shown. In Figure 6, which is a
section of the rear end of the cartridge illustrated in Figure 2, c is the recess
containing the fulminate; d and e. is a projection formed on the interior of
the base a¹ of the shell. The said base is preferably. formed with the exterior
depression or cavity f corresponding in position with the projection e; the
base b¹ of the cup 6 is made concave or corrugated, so that when forced down
into contact with the base a¹ of the shell the cup expands its circular portion 6³,
being caused to fit closely against the interior of the cylindrical portion of the
case a, securing it firmly and immovably in contact with the base.a!. When
the fulminate in the recess c is exploded, the fire passes through the
perforation to the powder in the body of the shell.

page_text: The cartridge illustrated in Figure 3 and in the enlarged view Figure 7
is substantially the same as that above described, slight modifications only
being made in the form of the projection e and recess c, which in this case is
provided with a flange e¹ turned down over the fulminate. Figures 4 and 8
illustrate a cartridge in which a loose disc g is employed as a substitute for the
projection e, the base a¹ of the shell and the metal cup 6 with the recess c
being the same as in Figures 2 and 6. In Figures 5 and 9 I have shown a
small sphere or ball h instead of this metal disc, the said sphere being formed
of metal, glass, or other suitable material, and covered with the fulminate
mixed with gum.
Having thus fully described the said improvements as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently and
advantageously carried into practice, I claim,―
First. The metal cup 6 formed with a corrugated base 6 and recess c, and
fitted into the rear end of the shell or case a, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of the said metal cup with a cartridge case or shell
whose base is formed with a projection e, substantially as and for the purses
set forth.
Third. The disc g or other loose piece fitted in or over the recess c of the
metallic cup 6 for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
iny hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOS. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.