US31815A - Improvement in the mode of loading fire-arms - Google Patents

Description

c. A. McEVOY.

Cartridge.

Patented Mar. 26, 1861.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. A. MGEVOY, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,815, dated March 26, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, U. A'.MOEVOY, of Richmond, in the county of 'Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Im' provement in Muzzle'Loading Cartridge and Guns 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section of a gun with the charge in two positions. Fig. 2 represents the charge-receiver before its being rolled up ready for receiving the charge. Fig. 3 represents the charge-receiver rolled up ready for the reception of the charge. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged bottom view of the charge-receiver when rolled up. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cartridge-protector. Fig. 6 represents alongitudinal section of the muzzle end of the gun and Fig. 7 an end view 7 of the same.

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

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the combination of a cartridge with a'tubular cartridgeprotector open at both ends, so that in loading the gun the charge can be pushed through and detached from the said cartridge-protector, as hereinafter described.

It consists, secondly, in a charge-receiver provided with a series of incisions on top and bottom, and rolled up so as to form a top rim and a closed bottom, in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described.

It consists, thirdly, in the combination of the cartridge and tubular protector described with a circular recess in the muzzle end of the gun, for the purpose hereinafter described.

The object of this invention is to produce a cartridge which can be cheaply manufactured, will facilitate the process of charging the gun, and will be perfectly protected from injury by the weather or other causes.

This cartridge is intended for muzzle-loading guns, and is constructed in the following manner: A rectangular piece of thin sheet metal, parchment, or other suitable material, B, Fig. 2, is provided at top and bottom with a series of parallel incisions, as represented in Fig. 2, at O and D. The bottom incisions are made somewhat slanting, so that when the piece is rolled up after the said bottom part D has been turned up at right angles to the body of the piece, the single strips of the'part D will fold over each other as seen at D, Figs. 3 and 4, and all meet in the center. The upper edge 0 of the piece B is turned down in the shape of a rim on the outside of the tube, formed by rolling up the piece B, as seen in Fig. 3.

The piece B, thus rolled up, constitutes the charge-receiver, closed at the bottom at D, and provided with a top rim, 0, as described.

This charge-receiver is inserted in a metallic tube, A, open at top and bottom, and somewhat longer than the charge-receiver. This tube A serves as a cartridge-protector. In the manufacture of the cartridges the chargerecciver B is inserted into tube A until the rim 0 abuts against the upper edge of the said tube A. A cylindrical rod of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the charge-receiver when so inserted is introduced into the charge-receiver, and another similar rod into the open bottom end of the tube A, and the two rods are pressed together, so as to compress the strips forming the bottom D of the charge-receiver into a compact mass. The upper rod is then removed, and the powder and ball I inserted into the charge-receiver, so as to complete the cartridge, when the lower rod is also removed.

A cartridge thus constructed is perfectly compact, and, by means of the outside tube A, well protected against injury by pressure, moisture, and other causes.

The gun for which this cartridge is intended is in all respects like any muzzle-loading gun, only that the muzzle end of *the bore E is provided with a circular recess, F, of a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the cartridgeprotector, while the diameter of the bore E is equal to the inner diameter of the chargereceiver B. The length of the recess F in the direction of the length of the bore is sufficient to hold the cartridge and protecting-tube in position, and prevent it from falling out when the lower end of the protectin g-tube A has been inserted into said recess.

When the cartridge and protecting-tube have been thus inserted in the end of the gun, so that the tube A forms, as it were, a continuation of the barrel of the gun, the flaring end H of the ramrod G is placed against the outer end of the ball I, and is pushed down. This action of the ramrod pushes the charge through the bottom I) of the charge-receiver (which yields to the pressure and opens) into the barrel A, and bringsit home to the breech.

The cartridge-protector and charge-receiver are then removed, and may again be used for the manufacture of a new cartridge, and in this manner the expense of making these cartridges will be brought down to a very low figure.

The charging of the gun will be much facilitated by the use of this cartridge and protector, and a gun provided with these cartridges can be loaded faster than any other muzzleloading gun.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

cess, F, in the muzzle end of the gun, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

'0. A. MoEVOY.

Witnesses:

ROBT. W. FENwIoK, G. F. G. DIETERIOH.

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