IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harcourt Brown, of the Abbey Mills, Romsey,
in the County of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 1st April 1859, and dated the 5th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harcourt Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th October 1858.
I, JOHN HARCOURT BROWN, of the Abbey Mills, Romsey, in the County of
Hants, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of pro-
jectiles. In the manufacture of projectiles the forward ends of which are conical
or tapering, a conical or tapering internal passage is formed in each projectile,
in which passage is made one, two, or more spiral internal projecting threads.
These balls or projectiles have no surrounding grooves to receive the lubri-
cating matters, but in place thereof two thin discs, by preference of metal, are
used to each projectile, one against the base or hinder end of a projectile, and
the other a short distance away therefrom. Between these discs the lubricating
matters are placed, and over these, and also over the end of the projectile, a
cap of properly prepared paper or of properly prepared animal skin is used.
It is not essential that the conical or tapering end of a ball or projectile should

page_text: be removed in making the hollow passage; on the contrary, two, three, or more
holes may be made beyond the pointed end, such holes inclining to the central
axis of the ball or projectile, and constituting a continuation of the spiral
grooves on the interior conical hollow of the projectile.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Harcourt Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARCOURT BROWN, of the Abbey Mills, Romsey, in the County of Hants, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Harcourt Brown, Her special licence that I, the said John Harcourt
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Harcourt Brown, my 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 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF PROJECTILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Harcourt Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 I, the said John Harcourt Brown, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:--
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of pro-
jectiles. In the manufacture of projectiles the forward ends of which are
conical or tapering, a conical or tapering internal passage is formed in each
projectile, in which passage is made one, two, or more spiral internal-

page_text: projecting threads. These balls or projectiles have no surrounding grooves to
receive the lubricating matters, but in place thereof two thin discs, by
preference of metal, are used to each projectile, one against the base or hinder
end of a projectile, and the other a short distance away therefrom. Between
these discs the lubricating matters are placed, and over these, and also over
the end of the projectile, a cap of properly prepared paper or of properly
prepared animal skin is used. It is not essential that the conical or tapering
end of a ball or projectile should be removed in making the hollow passage;"
on the contrary, two, three, or more holes may be made beyond the pointed
end, such holes inclining to the central axis of the ball or projectile, and con-
stituting a continuation of the spiral grooves on the interior conical hollow of
the projectile.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
:
Figure 1 shows an external view of a projectile suitable for muskets and
other fire-arms having barrels with a smooth bore; Figure 2 is a longitudinal-
section; Figure 3 is an end view, and Figure 4 a transverse section thereof.
near the pointed end of the projectile; there are three openings into the hollow
interior, and the webs which connect the central pointed end with the exterior
of the projectile arranged in a spiral or screw-like form around the central
axis; a is the pointed end of the projectile; b, b, are interior spiral or inclined
projections, by the action of the air on which as it passes through, the projectile
is caused to rotate; c, c, are two discs of metal at its hinder end, between
which grease or lubricating material is applied, and over which is a covering
or cap of paper, or of skin or suitable material which will protect the
lubricating material between the discs, but on the great pressure coming on
them, which is consequent on the explosion of the powder in discharging the
projectile from the barrel of a musket or fire-arm, the two discs will be
pressed together, and the lubricating material will be expressed from between
them. I would remark that I am aware that hollow projectiles have before
been proposed with internal spiral projections, with a view to such projectiles
obtaining a rotatory motion when projected through the air by reason of the
air passing through the hollow interior of such projectiles, and acting on the
interior inclined or spiral projections, but heretofore such hollow projectiles
have not been made with pointed ends; by my present Invention hollow
projectiles may be made with their forward ends pointed, by reason of the
openings into the interior being behind the pointed end. I would state that

page_text: although in the projectile shown by the Drawing, there are three openings near
the pointed end, this may be varied, and a greater or less number of openings
used. Such projectiles may be each made with a groove around near the
hinder part. to receive grease or lubricating material as heretofore, but it is
preferred in place thereof to use two discs or surfaces at the back end of
the projectile, so that the lubricating material may be placed between these
discs or surfaces, as is shown in the Drawing or otherwise, so that the
lubricating material may, when the explosion takes place, be driven out from
between the discs or surfaces; and I would state, this part of my Invention
may be used with solid projectiles as well as with hollow ones, and when solid
projectiles are used the arrangement may be varied by placing the lubricating
material between the end of the projectile and a disc or surface behind it, the
whole being enclosed in a paper cap, as before shown and described. If
preferred, such projectiles may be made with spiral grooves on their exterior
surfaces, in addition to the spiral projections on the interior surfaces, in order
to suit them for rifle barrels, but in such case the exterior and interior spirals
should agree. The central axis of the projectile may also be continued from
the pointed end towards the hinder end of each projectile, to an extent
greater or less than that shewn in the Drawings.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is the
improvements herein described in the manufacture of projectiles.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harcourt Brown, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
J. H. BROWN. (L.S.)