Improvements in Blank-cartridges.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1859-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Blank-cartridges.
A communication from EDWARD PACHTMANN, Royal Saxonian Court Purveyor, of
Dresden, in the Empire of Germany.
1 ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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:-
The object of this invention is to manufacture blank cartridges for the use of
riflemen at manoeuvres, reviews, and the like. These cartridges possess the property
of dispersing or being dissipated in small particles the moment they leave the muzzle
of the gun and are in consequence harmless and cannot cause injury.
Up to the present time blank cartridges have been supplied with a wad made of
wood or some similar material which is projected by the expansive action of the
powder to some distance after quitting the muzzle and bas thereby been the cause of
accidents. The construction of the ordinary blank cartridge where wood or the like
is used as a stopper or wad defies all detection of "accidents" of a criminal character
when pieces of lead or bullets have been placed in the charge nor can it be ascertained
if these cartridges contain the proper quantity of powder making therefore any kind
of control impossible.
The improved blank cartridge differs considerably from the present system in use
by completely dispersing as soon as the shot is fired off and moreover leaves no
perceptible residue behind in the gun, its other advantage consists in being
transparent; the importance of these two properties will be at once recognised by the
military authorities and manufacturers of ammunition.
After many experiments and trials celluloid has been found to be the most
appropriate material for the manufacture of the new blank cartridge, but other similar
transparent material may be used.
The celluloid can be formed in the required hollow forins having the conical shape
of the ordinary bullets or projectiles and can be inserted in the gun in the same way,
the transparency of the material allowing the charged cartridge to be examined, and
also dispersing into atons when the charge is fired off.
The tablets of celluloid as supplied by the chemical manufacturers are cut to the
required size and are by the action of heat and by means of stamps and matrices
formed into the hollow shape similar to conical bullet cartridges.
Any eventual cracks or flaws can be closed with a sticking material combined with
spirit of camphor, ether and the like.
By means of mechanical appliances these celluloid blank cartridges can be manu-
factured in quantity and at a low price.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion 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. The manufacture of blank cartridges of a transparent material such as celluloid
and which disperse immediately they leave the muzzle of the gun substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2. The manufacture of blank cartridges in the shape of cartridges with conical
bullets of a transparent material such as celluloid and which disperse immediately after
they leave the muzzle of the gun substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 28th day of October 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.