Cartridges or Charges Containing, or Formed of, the same.
Year: 1885

page_text: Cartridges or Charges Containing, or Formed of, the same.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57° Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for 'IMPROVE-
"
MENTS RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNPOWDER AND TO CARTRIDGES OR
CHARGES CONTAINING, OR FORMED OF, THE SAME to be as follows:-
33
My invention relates to the manufacture of gunpowder and its arrangement in
cartridges or charges in such a manner that the rapidity of the explosion may be
regulated or determined, and either the whole charge may be made to explode
slowly, or one portion thereof may be made to explode slowly, and another portion
thereof to explode quickly.
When the elements or ingredients of gunpowder are intimately combined and
the sulphur, nitre and charcoal are in a finely divided condition, the explosion of
the powder is very sudden, and with some of the large and long guns now in use
it is found that the initial stress on the gun due to the explosion is very great, and
that, by the time the projectile has moved forward a short distance in the barrel,
the pressure thereon is considerably diminished.
When, however, the individual pieces or particles of either of the said elements
or ingredients are large relatively to those of the other ingredients, the explosion of
the gunpowder will be much slower and the initial stress on the gun much less,
but the continuance of the pressure will be much longer than with the ordinary
gunpowder.
The object of my invention is to utilize this property of the said elements or
ingredients. For this purpose I prefer to manufacture the gun-powder in such a
manner that the source of oxygen exists therein in a granular condition, the sizes
of the grains being larger or smaller in proportion to the desired rapidity of the
explosion. But I can effect the object of my invention by making the particles of
the sulphur, or the charcoal, or both, large as compared with the particles of the
other ingredient or ingredients.
In some instances I reduce the sulphur and charcoal to a finely divided condition
and combine them in the most intimate manner by any of the usual methods;
I then mix this compound with nitre in a granular state, without working the
materials sufficiently to effect this granular condition.

page_text: I either arrange this powder uniformly throughout the entire cartridge or charge
and thus reduce the rapidity of the explosion as compared with the ordinary gun-
powder; or I employ different qualities of my improved gunpowder and so arrange
them in the cartridge or charge that the part thereof which first explodes is com-
posed of slow burning powder, and the parts which successively explode are of
gunpowder which burns more rapidly, the portion which last explodes being of
very quick burning powder.
I make the powder in fine or coarse grains, prisms, or blocks, or in large cakes
of a diameter equal to that of the bore of the gun, or in other convenient form.
The cakes or pieces are made of various qualities of the powder so that one cake
or piece will burn more rapidly than another, or each cake or piece is itself composed
of various qualities of the powder so arranged that the part which is to be burnt
first is of the slowest burning powder, and that which is to be burnt last is of the
quickest burning powder.
In some instances, I make one large cylinder of gunpowder which nearly, or
completely, fills the powder-chamber of the gun and which, on being ignited in the
centre of its forward end, will burn back through the centre and outward, the said
cylinder having a hole through its centre. I make the centre of this cylinder
of slow burning powder, and the rear and exterior portions of quick burning
powder. In other cases I make grains or blocks of gunpowder, the exterior portions
of which grains or blocks are composed of slow burning powder and the interior
portions of quick burning powder.
It is obvious, however, that the gunpowder may be arranged in the cartridge or
charge in various ways for the purpose of my invention.
Dated this 14th day of January 1885

page_text: Cartridges or Charges Containing, or Formed of, the same.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57° Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF GUN-POWDER AND TO CARTRIDGES OR
CHARGES CONTAINING, OR FORMED OF, THE SAME" 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 manufacture of gunpowder and its arrangement in
layers or sections of different qualities or grades in cartridges or charges as herein-
after described.
When the elements or ingredients of gunpowder are intimately combined, and
the sulphur, nitre and charcoal are in a finely divided condition, the explosion of
the powder is very sudden, and, when such powder is employed with some of the
large and long guns now in use, the initial stress on the gun and projectile due to
the explosion, is very great; but, by the time the projectile has moved forward a
short distance, the pressure in the gun is considerably diminished.
When, however, the individual pieces or particles of either of the elements or
ingredients of the powder are large relatively to those of the other ingredients, the
explosion will be much slower, so that the initial stress on the gun will be less, but
the pressure tending to drive the projectile forward will continue for a longer time
and will be much more effective than when ordinary gunpowder is employed.
My invention is based upon this fact, and is chiefly designed to provide for
making cartridges or charges the explosion of which will be progressive.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I prefer to manufacture the gun-
powder in such a manner that the source of oxygen therein shall be in a granular
condition, the sizes of the grains being larger or smaller according to the desired
rapidity of the explosion. But I sometimes make the particles of the sulphur, or
of the charcoal, or of both the sulphur and the charcoal, large relatively to the
particles of the other ingredient or ingredients of the powder.
When the nitre or saltpetre is employed in a granular condition, the grains
thereof should be about from one thousandth (1000) to one two-hundredth (0)
part of an inch in diameter, and the particles of sulphur and charcoal should be
about one hundred-thousandth (100,200) part of an inch in diameter.
In some instances, I reduce the sulphur and charcoal to a finely divided condition
and combine them intimately by any of the usual methods; I then mix this com-
pound with nitre or saltpetre in a granular condition, taking care not to treat the
inaterials in such a manner as to affect this granular condition.
I make my powder in fine or coarse grains, prisms, or blocks, or in large cakes of
a diameter equal to that of the bore of the gun, or in any other convenient form.
I make the said cakes, blocks, or other pieces of different qualities or grades of the
powder, so that one cake or piece will burn more rapidly than another; or I make

page_text: cakes, blocks, or other pieces each of which is composed of various qualities of the
powder arranged therein according to the rapidity with which they will burn, that
is to say, the part which is to be burnt first is of the slowest burning powder and
that which is to be burnt last is of the quickest burning powder.
In forming cartridges or charges of the said cakes or pieces, if it is merely
desired to reduce or diminish the rapidity of the explosion as compared with that
of a charge of ordinary gunpowder, the cakes or pieces employed may be all of the
same quality or grade. But, in some cases, I employ cakes, layers or sections
differing from each other in respect of the qualities or grades of gunpowder of
which they are composed, and arrange the said layers or sections in the cartridge
or charge according to the rapidity with which they will burn, that is to say, so
that the part of the cartridge or charge which is to be first ignited is of slow
burning powder, and the parts which are to be successively ignited are of powder
which will burn more rapidly, the portion which is to be last ignited being of very
quick burning powder. When a cartridge or charge is formed in this manner the
explosion thereof will be progressive, therefore the pressure in the gun tending to
drive the projectile forward will, as above stated, continue during a longer time and
will act more efficiently than when ordinary gunpowder is employed.
the initial pressure can, if desired, be very low.
In the accompanying drawing
Moreover
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge with the projectile therein.
Figure 2 is a plan, and
Figure 3 a transverse section of a block of gunpowder made according to my
said invention.
Figure 4 is a section of another block of the said gunpowder.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of another cartridge with tlic projectile
therein.
In Figure 1, a is the cartridge-case, b the projectile, and c the gas-check. d is a
cylinder of gunpowder, which is of such size that it will nearly or completely fill
the powder-chamber of the gun. This cylinder is made with a central hole d¹, and
the powder is arranged as follows, that is to say, the part 1 of the said cylinder is
of slow burning powder; the part 2 of powder which will burn more rapidly, the
part 3 of powder which will burn still more rapidly, and the part 4 of very quick
burning powder. For instance I make the grains of nitre in the part marked 1,
say one two-hundredth (1) part of an inch in diameter, those in the part marked 2
one five-hundredth (0) part of an inch in diameter, those in the part marked 3
one thousandth (1000) of an inch in diameter, and those in the part marked
the size ordinarily used in gunpowder, or slightly larger. Therefore, when the said
cylinder is ignited at the centre of its forward end, it will burn back through the
centre and outward, and the explosion will be progressive.
of
I sometimes make grains or blocks of gunpowder, which grains or blocks have
their exterior portions composed of slow burning powder and their interior portions
of quick burning powder. In Figures 2 and 3, I have shewn a prismatic block,
and in Figure 4 a spherical block of this description, the different qualities or
grades of the powder being indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, as in Figure 1. The
prismatic block shewn in Figures 2 and 3 is made by forming in a press two
annular trough-shaped pieces of slow burning powder, filling the said two pieces
with quick burning powder and then uniting them under pressure.
A charge of my improved gunpowder is conveniently made up of several parts
or sections consisting of cartridge-bags containing powder of different qualities or
grades. For example, assuming five bags to be employed, the grains or particles
of nitre in the powder contained in the first bag might be one two-hundredth
(2) part of an inch in diameter, those in the second bag one five-hundredth (500)
of an inch in diameter, those in the third bag one seven-hundred-and-fiftieth (70)
of an inch in diameter, those in the fourth bag one thousandth (1000) of an inch in
diameter, and those in the fifth bag of the size ordinarily used in gunpowder, or
slightly larger.

page_text: It is obvious, however, that the gunpowder may be arranged in the cartridge or
charge in any other suitable manner for the purpose above specified.
In the cartridge shewn in Figure 5, I employ a cylinder e formed of gunpowder
of different grades or qualities so arranged that the capability of the powder to
burn rapidly increases gradually from one end of the cylinder to the other end
thereof. This cylinder is to be ignited at its forward end which is of slow burning
powder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improved gunpowder in which the pieces or particles of one or more
of the ingredients are larger than those of the other ingredient or ingredients for
the purpose specified.
Second. The above described method or process of manufacturing gunpowder,
consisting in reducing the sulphur and charcoal to a finely divided condition and
intimately combining the same, and then mixing therewith the nitre or saltpetre in
a granular condition, substantially as set forth.
Third. In, or for, a cartridge or charge, a cylindrical or other block or piece made
of different qualities or grades of my improved gunpowder arranged according to
the rapidity with which they will burn, that is to say, according to the relative
sizes of the grains or particles of their ingredients, as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Fourth. The above described manner of making up a cartridge or charge, con-
sisting in using different grades or qualities of my improved gunpowder, in the
form of blocks, parts or sections, arranged in successive order according to the
relative qualities of the said different parts or sections, so that firstly the slow
burning powder and lastly the quick burning powder will be ignited, substantially
as set forth.
Fifth. The cylinder d having a central hole d¹ and formed of various qualities or
grades of my improved gunpowder arranged according to the rapidity with which
they will burn, as indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4, substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.