USRE598E - Improvement in cartridges - Google Patents

Description

G; S MI TH. CARTRIDGE.

No. 598. Rois sued Sept. 14, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT SMITH, or BUTTERMILK FALLS, NEW YORK.

TMPRO'VEMENT IN CARTRIDG-EQ.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,702, dated June 30, 1857; reissue N0. 598,

dated September 14, 1858.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBE T SMITH, of Buttermilk Falls, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Cartridges for Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a ball-cartridge constructed according to .my invention. Fig. 2 is'a longitudinal section of the breech and portion of the barrel of a gun, with the cartridge in itsplace in readiness to be fired. Fig. 3 is a. section showing a modification ot' the case of the cartridge. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the application of the invention to shotcartridges. 1

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to the class of cartridge-cases which are used for the purpose of. preventing the escape of gas from the joints of breech-loading fire-arms; and consists in making the cartridge-case, or the cylindrical portion of it, of some impermeable and elastic substance, such as india-rubber cloth, vulcanized iudia-rubber, or gutta-percha, so that it may expand laterally by the force of the explosion of 'the charge against a joint between the barrel and the breech, may close the same hermetically, and-(unlike metal) may contract itself, after the explosion, by its own contractile property, so as to be easily disengaged from the chamber of the breech-loading gun.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The cartridge-case represented in Fig. 1 is made by rolling up a piece of india-rubber cloth, of a moderately elastic character, into the form of a cylinder, A, so as to wind several thicknesses thereof upon a woodenor metal cylinder of a diameter equal to that of the general bore of the piece for 'which the cartridge is intended, and to the largest part of the ball, previously spreading on such parts of the cloth as are to be brought in quently its internal diameter should be the V same as the general bore of the barrel, so that the ball may fit tightly within it without the necessity of tying to the ball or of closing the frontend over the ball. The chamber to receive this cartridge is to be cylindrical, and so much larger than the general bore of the barrel as is required by the thickness of cyv lindrical portion. A of the case,so that the case, may fit very easily within the chamber.

In Fig. 2 the cartridge is shown in out line in the chamber of a gun-barrel, B. The cartridge is int anded to be retained in the barrel during and after the discharge by a sho ulder,f, where the enlarged chamber meets the smaller portion of the bore of the barrel, for the purpose of packing the joint in which the chamber opens when the explosion takes place, such joint being near the middle of the chamber, as shown at b I) in Fig.2 or at any other part thereof, and the packing of .the joint being effected by the lateral expansion of the case under the influence of the tension of the gases, liberated by the explosion of the powder. This case, unlike a soft metal, contracts again by its own elasticity after the explosion, and therefore, when the breech is opened, the operator can take it in hisfingers and withdraw it from the chamber.

1 When a cartridge is to be constructed on the same principle for shot the case A, of india-rubber cloth, vulcanized india-rubber, or gu'tta-percha, is made in the same way; but

the shotmay be contained in a separate and thinner case, 11, of paper, which is fitted into the mouth of the case A, and protrudes therefrom to enter the smaller part of the bore,

with which its exterior corresponds in size.

The case shown in Fig. 3, instead of being formed by mi ling up -a pieceof cloth to form a cylinder, and fittingin a breech-piece, as in "the cartridges shown in Figs. 1 and 4, is

molded or cast all in one piece from vulcanized india-rubber.

Fig. 1 exhibitsthe best mode of applying the lubricating material. 0n the top or in front of the charge of powder I placed a Wad or disk of leather, 0, fitting closely within the case, and outsideof this wad or disk I place a quantity of tallow or other lubricating material, as indicated at g, and upon this [place the ball 0, thereby inclosing the lubricating material within the case.

When the explosion takes place, the lubricating material is blown out ofthe case in a melting state after the ball, and spreads all over the inner surface of the barrel, leaving the same lubricated for the next ball, each cartridge thus carrying the lubricating material for the ball of the next one. The lubriatin g material may be placed within the case in front of the ball, and then will be driven through the barrel ahead of the ball. 7

I do not claim, generally, the packing of the joint between the barrel and the breech by the explosion of a cartridge-case of soft meta], nor the construction of a cartridge-case so as to be retained in the chamber after the discharge; but I What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Making the cartridge-case, or at least the cylindrical portion thereof, of some impermeable and elastic substance, such as india-rubher or gutta-percha, substantially as above described, so that it may be expanded laterally by the force of the explosion of the charge, and will contract itself after the explosion by its own inherent property.

Witnesses: GILBERT SMITH.

.Onns. P. SMITH,

JOHN N. THoMPsoN.

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