Appliance for Closing the Holes of the Cap Chambers in Cartridges for Ordnance.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1889-Accepted; 12th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Appliance for Closing the Holes of the Cap Chambers in Cartridges
for Ordnance.
I, WILHELM LORENZ, of 44 Westendstrasse of Karlsruhe, in the Grand Duchy
of Baden, German Empire, Engineer and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to the use of capsules for closing the central hole of the cap
chamber of cartridges for ordnance, in order both to prevent the gunpowder from
falling out, as also to prevent the charge of the cartridge from being subjected to
moisture, dust, and other external influences, when the cartridges are being stored
or transported without the percussion cap being inserted.
The said capsules have one end open, which is presented to the percussion cap,
while their other end is closed, so as to close the said opening of the cap chamber.
They can be inserted either from the interior of the cap chamber or from that of
the cartridge case. The hole in the cap chamber can be formed by punching, boring,
&c. and may be either cylindrical or tapering, the capsule being made correspondingly
cylindrical or tapering so as to fit accurately against the sides of the hole, and
thus form a perfect closure, this being further insured by greasing or varnishing the
outer surface of the capsule, if required.
The capsule may also be provided with a projecting rim at its closed end, which
fits against the inner or outer end surface of the cap chamber round the hole, and
thus affords a still more effectual closing of the latter. If the capsule having such a
rim is inserted from within the cap chamber, a part of the igniting device may
be made to press the rim tightly against the surface of the cap chamber so as to hold
the capsule securely.
For allowing the flash from the percussion cap to pass freely into the charge of
the cartridge, the capsule may have a small hole formed in its bottom, closed by a
plug of suitable material that can be readily driven out, or by means of grease or
varnish, or a covering of paper or other material can be pasted over it. Also, the
thickness of the capsule bottom can be so proportioned as to be perforated or torn
open by the flash from the percussion cap. Lastly, the capsule may be made to
fit the hole with so little friction or jamming that the former will be entirely
projected into the cartridge charge by the flash of the cap, and be eventually projected
from the gun.
..
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing shew by way of example two
arrangements of capsules constructed according to my above described invention.
Fig. 1 shews on the right hand side a cylindrical capsule B and on the left hand
side a tapering capsule C inserted from the cap chamber into the hole A of the
cap chamber of a cartridge F, the hole being made correspondingly, either cylindrical
or tapering.
On the right hand a rim is produced by forming a bead 61 which bears against, the
inner surface of the chamber. bottom so as to prevent the capsule from being forced
in beyond that point, and to form a closure of the hole, such rim being pressed upon
by the bottom of the screwed capsule D containing the percussion cap. On the left
hand, the edge of the conical capsule is simply bent inwards, the depth to which the
capsule is introduced being governed by the taper of the capsule and its hole. The
screwed capsule D is in this case also made to press upon the rim of the capsule C.
The latter may contain a charge of explosive material E having a central conical
passage e, a hole e¹ being formed in the bottom of the capsule which is closed either
by a plug e or by a cap e³ pasted on, or by both means.
In the arrangement at Fig. 2, the capsule B¹ is introduced from the interior of the
cartridge case F into the hole a¹ of the cap chamber A¹.

page_text: The capsule is provided with a rim 62 which fits over and closes the joint between
the hole and the capsule. The latter is in this case also shewn with a charge of
explosive material E having a conical recess e. The bottom 63 of the capsule is
closed, so that it has to be perforated or forn open by the flash of the percussion cap,
or the capsule may be projected entirely into the cartridge. The capsule B¹ might
also be made shorter, terminating for instance at the line c c.
Dated this 28th day of November 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Appliance for Closing the Holes of the Cap Chambers in Cartridges
for Ordnance.
I, WILHELM LORENZ, of 44 Westendstrasse of Karlsruhe, in the Grand Duchy of
Baden, German Empire, Engineer and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the use of capsules for closing the central hole of the cap
chamber of cartridges for ordnance, in order both to prevent the gunpowder from
falling out, as also to prevent the charge of the cartridge from being subjected
to moisture, dust and other external influences, when the cartridges are being stored
or transported without the percussion cap being inserted.
The said capsules have one end open, which is presented to the percussion
cap, while their other end is closed, so as to close the said opening of the cap
chamber. They can be inserted either from the interior of the cap chamber or
from that of the cartridge case. The hole in the cap chamber can be formed by
punching boring &c. and may be either cylindrical or tapering, the capsule being
made correspondingly cylindrical or tapering so as to fit accurately against the sides
of the hole, and thus form a perfect closure, this being further insured by greasing
or varnishing the outer surface of the capsule if required.
The capsule may also be provided with a projecting rim at its closed end, which
fits against the inner or outer end surface of the cap chamber round the hole, and
thus affords a still more effectual closing of the latter. If the capsule having such
a rim is inserted from within the cap chamber, a part of the igniting device may be
made to press the rim tightly against the surface of the cap chamber so as to hold
the capsule securely.
For allowing the flash from the percussion cap to pass freely into the charge
of the cartridge, the capsule may have a small hole formed in its bottom closed
by a plug of suitable material that can be readily driven out, or by means of grease
or varnish, or a covering of paper or other material can be pasted over it.
Also, the thickness of the capsule bottom can be so proportioned as to be per-
forated or torn open by the flash from the percussion cap.
Lastly, the capsule may be made to fit the hole with so little friction or
jamming that the former will be entirely projected into the cartridge charge by
the flash of the cap, and be eventually projected from the gun.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing accompanying my Provisional Specification shew
by way of example two arrangements of capsules constructed according to my above
described invention. Fig. 1 shews on the right hand side a cylindrical capsule B
and on the left hand side a tapering capsule C inserted from the cap chamber into
the hole A of the cap chamber of a cartridge F, the hole being made correspondingly,
either cylindrical or tapering.
On the right hand a rim is produced by forming a bead b¹ which bears against the
inner surface of the chamber bottom so as to prevent the capsule from being forced
in beyond that point, and to form a closure of the hole, such rim being pressed upon
by the bottom of the screwed capsule D containing the percussion cap. On the left
hand, the edge of the conical capsule is simply bent inwards, the depth to which the

page_text: capsule is introduced being governed by the taper of the capsule and its hole. The
screwed capsule D is in this case also made to press upon the rim of the capsule C.
The latter may contain a charge of explosive material E having a central conical
passage e, a hole e¹ being formed in the bottom of the capsule which is closed either
by a plug e or by a cap e pasted on, or by both means.
In the arrangement at Fig. 2 the capsule B¹ is introduced from the interior of the
cartridge case into the hole a¹ of the cap chamber A¹.
The capsule is provided with a rim 6 which fits over and closes the joint between
the hole and the capsule. The latter is in this case also shewn with a charge of
explosive material El having a conical recess e*. The bottom 63 of the capsule is
closed, so that it has to be perforated or torn open by the flash of the percussion
cap, or the capsule may be projected entirely into the cartridge. The capsule B¹
might also be made shorter terminating for instance at the line c c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The use in combination with the cap chamber of a cartridge for ordnance, of
capsules such as B or B¹ inserted in the hole of the cap chamber A or A¹ for the
purpose of protecting the charge of the cartridge when the percussion cap is removed
substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.