USRE7647E - Improvement in metallic cartridges - Google Patents

Description

Reissued May 1, 1877.

llllllllllllllllll '7 E. ALLEN, d ecd. S. GLOVER 86 B. L. BUDD, Assignees 0f SARAH E. ALLEN, EXT'X.

METALLIC CARTRIDGES.

flowat D D.

ther flange, 0, similar to what is used in the barrel.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

SAMUEL GLOVER AND BERN L. BUDD, OF FAIRFIELD, GONN., ASSIGNEES OF SARAH E. ALLEN, EXEGUTRIX OF .ETHAN ALLEN, DECEASED.

II VIPROVEMENT IN METALLIC CARTRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,688, dated May 16, 1865; reissue No. 7,647, dated May 1, 1877; application filed April 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ETHAN ALLEN, of the city and county 0 Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, di invent certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Cartridge- Shells; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved metallic shell.- Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the shell; and Fig. 3

represents a side view of the cap used to exmay be used, or the surface roughened in any proper and suitable manner.

B is the base of the shell, made of steel orany other proper metal. It has an outer flange, a, to receive and extend a short distance up the side of the case part A, as fully indicated in the drawings, thus thickening and strengthening the lower portion ot'said case part where the greatest strain comes in firing.

The parts A and B are made to fit closely, and, after being placed in position, are brazed or otherwise securely united together.

The baseB is provided with an inner flange or short powder-tube, I1, into which the cap 0 is placed, as indicated in the drawings. The space between the flange or short tube 1; and outer flange a, is of concave form, as indicated The base B is provided with a furcommon metallic-shell cartridge, and which fits into a groove or recess at the rear of the The rear of the base B is concaved or grooved out, so that when the cap 0 is inserted its flange will rest against a shoulder or ledge I on the base B, said shoulder forming an anvil, and the rear of the cap and the rear of the base being flush, all as clearly indicated in the drawings.

To load the shell, the cap is inserted in the rear of the base. The proper charge of powder is then put into the case A, and covered with a wad then the shot or ball inserted, and a wad on top of that, the last-named wad occnpyinga position so as to be in contact with the grooved or roughened surface of the case A. The loaded shell is thenplacedin the rear of the barrel in the ordinary manner. The charge is fired by exploding the cap (3,

vwhich is effected by forcing a rod or piston against the rear of the cap, thereby exploding'tlie fnlminating-powdercontained in the flange f of the cap U, as indicated in Fig. 3. As the flange ot' the cap rests firmly against the groove or shoulder in the rear of the base B, it is always sure to be exploded by the blow of the hammer against the rod or piston. After the charge has been fired the shell is withdrawn, and the cap removed or pushed out, which can be easily efi'ected by the use of a small punch or pin, which is to be inserted intothe cap from the front of the case A. The shell is again to be loaded and fired, and the operation repeated, the shell remaining comparatively uninjured. j

As heretofore used, the 'charge contained in metallic cartridge-shells has been liable to start forward by any sudden jarring occasioned by the discharge of one barrel of the loaded gun, or otherwise; but allsuch danger and liability is obviated by the grooved or roughened surface a of the shell, since the least force tending to start the charge for ward will cause the wad to bind in the case, it being held by the grooved or roughenedsurface e, the projecting portions left by the grooves or roughening being just sufiticient to bite intothe edge of the wad, but in no wise ofl'ering an obstacle to the shot.

the firing or burning of the powder, it is attained in this shell in a most perfect manner, since the fire is first communicated to the pow der near the shot or ball, and burns back.

Still another advantage resulting from the Then, again, as respects .loose, been inserted, upon some firm substance, the

ing all escape of gas.

peculiar constrnction'of this improved tridge-shell'consists in starting the ballby the ignition of 'a' small quantity of powder "that is contained in the cap, and the encircling pow .der-tube thus lessening the danger of explosions. M 1 p v In case caps are used which are a littleby placi'ng the shell, after the cap has cap can be tightened 'byzmeans of a convex plunger inserted into-the month of the cap, whereby the edges of the'cap are forced out against, and, if necessary, apt-little over, the flange b. Theexplosion'of'the-powder in the cap (3 causes the case of the cap to expand against the flange or tube b, thereby prevent- -Having thus described the improved tallic cartridgeshell, we-claiin as'the 'i'n'ven tion of the said ETHAN ALLEN, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent- 1. A cartridge-shell the baseofi which is pro- "vided with an opening to 'receivea cap, and

with a-powder-tnbe" extending inwardly from the'anvil toward -the center of the explosive charge, whereby the fire is first communicated .to the powder in the tube, and is then radiated from the center of the charge, substantially as 4 described. v I

2. A cartridge-shell having a grooved or roughened inner surface, adapted to bite into the edges of and hold the wad against chance displacement, substantially as described.

' 3. In a cartridge-shell, the base B, grooved to form an anvil for the cap,and having powder-tube b prolonged toward the interior of the explosive charge, substantially as described. 4. Acartrid-ge-shell composed of the cylindrical case A and they baseB, provided with three flanges, a, b, and c, substantially as de-

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