US1114228A - Aluminium cartridge-case. - Google Patents

Description

B. GASTENHOLZ,

ALUMINIUM CARTRIDGE GASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.11, 1913.

1,1 14,228. Patented 0013.20, 1914.

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BERNARD CASTENHOLZ, 0F COLOGNE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 WIESBADE-NEB. STANIOL- & METALLKAPSEL-FABRIK A. FLACH, 0F WIESBADEN, GERMANY.

ALUmmIiIM CARTRIDGE-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 11, 1913. Serial No. 741,526.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNARD (\sTENiioLa, a subject of the German Emperor, and resident of (ologne-on-thc-Rhine, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aluminium artridge-Cases, of which the following is a speclfication.

The object of this invention is to provide improved aluminium cartridge cases.

Hitherto numerous attempts have been made to make cartridge cases of aluminium, as these afford considerable advantages and should meet requirements, which however has not hitherto been attained in practice. The reasons for aluminium not having been used hitherto are owing to the nature of aluminium, which is soft, has but little ductility, and but little strength, and has a tendency to be torn under comparatively small pressure. If cartridge cases made only of aluminium be used. there is danger that they will become useless after being once used and that they will adhere to the barrel of the fire-arm and cause considerable trouble in the further use of the weapon. For these reasons it has hitherto been impracticable to employ these cartridge cases which are otherwise so desirable on account of their small weight and their property of being unaffected by atmospheric influences.

The present invention has for its object to provide aluminium cartridge cases which are free from all objections, and far su erior to ordinary cartridge cases, and whic 1 can be economically manufactured.

This invention is based on the recognition of the fact that a cartridge case has, when the fire-arm is discharged. to resist the first shock of the explosion near the bottom of the case and if the cartridge case be entirely of aluminium it will fail in this respect. An aluminium cartridge case is constructed according to this invention by providin the part which has to withstand the first s ock of the explosion with an external mantle of a material stronger than aluminium and inside, at the same part, an elastic ring which acts as a brake to the first shock of the explosion.

I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawing how this invention can be performed.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a view of the body of the improved cartridge case as initially formed; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the exterior reinforcing means for the bottom of the case; Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate the several steps in the formation of the interior elastic ring for the case; Fig. (3 is a view of a plug that forms the interior of the bottom of the completed case; Fig. 7 illustrates the manner of assembling the several elements; and Fig. 8 1s a view of the finished article.

The cartridge case consists of an alu minium caseawhich has a convex bottom 1). Over this convex bottom is placed an outer mantle c (Fig. 2) of a material stronger than aluminium,such, for instance, as brass. A sheet of steel, or other suitable metal, (l is shaped into an elastic ring (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) which is driven into the case until it reaches to near the bottom thereof. A solid plug 6 (Fig. 6) of paper material, or the like, is then forced into the case by means of a compressing ram so that the convex bottom I) of the case a and also the convex bottom of the aforesaid mantle c are pressed flat. the surplus material spread out by this operation forming a projection f all around the bottom of the case, as illustrated in Fig. 8. In this way the part of the cartridge case which receives the first shock of the explosion is rendered so elastic and is so strengthened that the further pressure developed by the ignited charge exerts no injurious action on the aluminium part of the case and an aluminium cartridge case is obtained which is entirely free from objection and may, if desired, be used over again and which causes no obstruction in the barrel of the fire-arm with which it is used.

Such an aluminium cartridge case is of great value especially in tropical countries, where cartridge cases made of pasteboard are so affected by climatic influences that,

after being kept a short timeythey become useless and are the cause of great trouble to the user. They are easily spoiled by rain and moisture as they swell up and cannot be introduced into the barrel of the firearm. Brass cartridges are not satisfactory because they are too heavy and costly and present diificultics in the necessary flanging. Aluminium cartridge cases made according to this invention overcome all these objections and difficulties.

The hereinbcfore described mode of construction and strengthening of the improved aluminium cartridge cases are susceptible of considerable modifications, the essential thing being that the cartridge case shall be provided, at the part most l1able to in ury, with an external resisting mantle and an internal elastic 'rin which, by taking up the first shock of 5'18 explosion, acts as a brake and finds its necessary support at the outer mantle.

If desired, the part of the aluminium surface up to which the powder is charged in the cartridge case may be protected from contact with the powder by a lining of paper, thin cardboard, or the like.

I claim:

1. Aluminium cartridge cases having the part which has to withstand the first shock of the explosion provided outwardly with a mantle of material stronger than aluminium and having, inside at thesame part thereof, an elastic ring which acts as 9.

brake to the first shock of the explosion; substantiall as hereinbefore explained.

2. A cartridgewicase comprising 8.118111- minium body, an elastic ring fitted within the body at the ottom thereof, and an auger shell surrou ding the bottom of the 3. A cartridge case comprising an aluminium body, a split metal ring fitted within the body at the bottom thereof, and an exterior metal mantle surrounding thebottom of the aluminium body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD CASTENHOLZ.

Witnessesr FRANZ HAssLAcHnR, HERMANN SCHROEDEGE.

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