Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
abroad by George W. Morse of Philadelphia in the United States of America,
Inventor) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in reloading expansive cartridges for
breech loading fire arms and is intended to obviate certain defects, which have
been developed in practice.
Owing to practical difficulties in the manufacture, there is more or less variation
in the thickness of the heads and flanges of cartridges of a given calibre. A
corresponding variation in the size of the cartridge chambers of different guns
intended to be of the same dimensions, and in the space between the face of the
breech block and the end of the barrel, results from similar causes.
Because of these facts there always exists measurable differences between the
size of the cartridge and the size of the gun chamber, and like measurable
distances between the front end of the breech blocks and the rear end of the
cartridges when they are in their most forward position in the gun. This is
necessary in order that the maximum size of the cartridge may be sure to enter
the minimum size of the gun chamber for which it was intended. The space
between the head of the cartridge at the moment of explosion and the face of the
breech block often exceeds two hundredths of an inch.
When the gun is fired the cartridge is usually driven by the gun hammer to its
most forward position in the gun, and the after part of the cartridge case is driven
back against the breech piece by the explosion while its walls are held firmly
against the sides of the gun chamber. This stretches and lengthens the shells or
breaks them off. A solid head reinforced cartridge may be reloaded and fired a
limited number of times, but even such a cartridge will finally become weak, and
will break as shown in Figure 1 just where the reinforce begins, and the regular
thickness of the body of the cartridge ends, leaving the body of the shell in the
chamber and thus disabling the gun.

page_text: In case there is no reinforce, the cartridge will part just where the head, and
body join, and with full charges will often burst at the first fire.
The present invention is designed to remedy this defect and it consists, first, in
the combination with the body of a cartridge case, of a bead or base movable under
pressure with relation to said body and a distinct sensitive packing or gasket for
the joint between the body and the head: second, in the combination of a
cartridge case having a yielding folded head, a reinforcing ring or cup and a
sensitive packing or gasket for the joints between the case and cup: third, in the
combination with a flanged tubular body of a separate cupped head or base
movable within the case and sensitive packing for the joint between the front end
of the head and body of the case: fourth, in the combination with a flanged
tubular case of a separate head or base provided with priming pocket movable
within the body, and sensitive packing for the joint between the head and body :
fifth, in a tubular, funnel or cup shaped gasket of soft vulcanized rubber or other
like material for packing and preventing the leakage of gas at the joints of
cartridges all as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification :-
Figure 1 is a section of an ordinary reinforced or "solid head" cartridge in its
chamber and the same as broken after repeated firings.
Figure 2 is a section showing a form of the invention wherein sensitive packing
is combined with a flanged tubular body and a cup like flanged plug or head
movable within said body these parts being in their positions before and after
firing.
Figure 3 is a similar section of a well known cartridge having folded head and
internal reinforcing cup.
Figure 4 is a section showing in combination said folded head body, internal
reinforcing cup and sensitive packing involving this invention.
Figure 5 is a perspective of a funnel or cup shaped gasket or packing for
cartridge cases having joints between their parts.
Figure 6 represents in section another form of this invention consisting of a
folded head cartridge made of thin metal, a cup for reinforcing the body and cap
pocket and packing for the joint.
Figure 7 represents in section a cartridge case reinforced by a strong cup having
the cap pocket therein and having the joint sealed by sensitive packing.
A, is the tubular or body part of a cartridge case of suitable material and
dimensions for holding and retaining the charge. B, is an independent head or
base fitted in the rear end of the case A, and movable with relation thereto. This
head or base is cup shaped, is flanged and preferably provided with a cap pocket
as shown in Figure 2.
C, is a tubular, funnel or cup shaped gasket of soft vulcanized rubber or other
like easily yielding, sensitive or plastic material for sealing the joints of cartridges,
having heads movable in the body or having folded heads and internal reinforcing
cups or rings.
In Figure 3 is shown a well known cartridge having folded head and internal
reinforcing cup.
By the application to or combination with such cartridge of the sensitive
gasket for packing the joints, this cartridge may be reloaded and refired many
times, the base being sufficiently flexible to yield outward to the force of the
explosion and to be brought back to the proper position by a loading or other tool
without destroying the shell.
In Figure 6 is shown a folded head cartridge made of this metal having a cup so
formed as to reinforce the body at the fold and the cap pocket; and at Figure 7 a
strong reinforcing cup in which the cap pocket is formed. It is observed that the
cap pockets shown in Figures 3 and 4 may be reinforced by inserting a shallow
ring or cup from the outside.
When the cartridge is fired the force of the explosion expands the body of the
shell away from the front end of the movable base, leaves it free to move back

page_text: against the face of the breech block, while the sensitive packing covering the joints
prevents the escape of gas until sufficient force has accumulated to expand the
movable base.
In the manufacture of the cartridge shown in Figure 2 the head is forced into
the rear end of the case sufficiently tight to be firmly held in position and exclude
moisture, but not so as to distend the rear end of the case beyond its proper
dimensions, which must always be less than the chamber of the gun in which it is
to be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A cartridge case consisting of the combination of a tubular body, a head or
bottom movable with relation to said body, and a tubular, funnel or cup shaped
gasket of soft vulcanized rubber, or other like easily yielding or plastic material
for packing the joint between the parts substantially as described.
2. In a cartridge the combination of a body having a yielding folded head, a
reinforcing ring or cup, and a gasket of soft rubber or like sensitive plastic
packing material overlapping the joints between the cup and outer case sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a cartridge the combination of a flanged tubular case, a head or base
provided with a priming pocket, and an easily yielding gasket of soft rubber or
like plastic packing material overlapping the joints between the head and base
substantially as described.
4. In a cartridge the combination of a body or case having a yielding folded
head, means for reinforcing the case at the fold of the flange, as well as the cap
pocket, and an overlapping soft rubber or like easily yielding plastic packing for
Bealing the joints substantially as described.
5. In combination with a cartridge substantially as described, a tubular, funnel
or cup shaped gasket of soft vulcanized rubber or other like plastic packing
material for overlapping the joint and preventing the leakage of gas at the joints
of cartridges as herein set forth.
6. In a cartridge the combination of a flanged tubular body, a separate head or
base movable within the case and a gasket of sensitive material overlapping the
joint substantially as described.
7. A tubular, funnel or cup shaped gasket of soft vulcanized rubber or other like
plastic material for preventing the leakage of gas at the joints of cartridges as
herein set forth.