IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGES SUITABLE FOR BREECH-LOADING FOWLING PIECES AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Crocker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th June 1868.
I, WILLIAM HENRY CROCKER, of the City of Boston, in the United
States of America, but at present residing at 44, Castle Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGES
SUITABLE FOR BREECH-LOADING FOWLING PIECES AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS," to be as
follows (that is to say) :-
These improved cartridges are chiefly intended to be used with breech-
loading fowling pieces and other like fire-arms known as "Daw's
central-fire gun" in which the barrel, or barrels when more than one is
used, is jointed to the stock in such a manner that upon the outer
end of the barrel or barrels being deflected the rear end or ends thereof
is or are elevated from the seat in front of the fixed breech on the stock,

page_text: thus exposing the hinder end of the barrel or barrels for the insertion of
the cartridge or cartridges as the case may be.
Now heretofore the "cartridge case" containing the powder, shot,
and percussion cap for the ignition of the same have mostly consisted
of a cylinder of paper closed at the rear by a brass cover or lid, the
interior of which is fitted with a paper wad, and through the side of
*which is inserted a wire pin at right angles to the cylinder, the lower or
inner end of which wire is used to hold in position and ignite when
desired a small percussion cap placed in a recess formed in the wad for
exploding the charge, which heretofore has been done by causing the
hammer of the gun to strike the outer end of the wire which projects
beyond the barrel of the gun, a slot or groove being formed at the rear
end of the tube to receive the same.
To obviate the many objections and dangers incidental to cartridges
constructed or made as herein-before described, and to enable the gun
for discharging the same to be more simple, efficacious, and safe, the
improved cartridge constituting the essence of this Invention consists
⚫ of a metal tube of the required length and diameter connected with the
gun with which it is to be used, and which it is preferred shall be of
drawn metal, by preference of steel, into which is "cast," taped, brazed,
or soldered a breech piece or bottom through the centre of which is
formed a small hole, and which aperture is encircled at a little distance
therefrom by an annular groove, thus forming a nipple or saddle in
the centre of the back of the cartridge case to. receive an ordinary
percussion cap.
"It is proposed to construct the barrel of the fire-arms to be used with
these cartridges with the rear of the barrel slightly enlarged to com-
pensate for the thickness of the cartridge case, which when made of steel
or other highly tenacious metal will be comparatively little, and in
*consequence of which the gun barrel may be considerably lighter with
safety than heretofore, as a considerable portion of the explosive power
will be first exerted within the cartridge case itself, which enlargement
of the bore of the barrel of the piece is not claimed as part of this
Invention.
From the foregoing it will be obvious to all practical persons that the
improved cartridge herein-before described is not applicable for use to
the generality of the ordinary fowling pieces or guns, but the gun lock

page_text: or locks of the guns wherewith the same is to be used will require to be
constructed so that the force exerted to ignite the explosive percussion
cap shall act direct thereon, which may be done by the ordinary needle
gun by simply placing a hammer head in the end of the needle rod or
any other convenient way.