SHOT-LOADED CARTRIDGE

CARTOUCHE A PLOMBS

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This invention relates to a shot-loaded cartridge that can be fired from a
conventional rifle without any modification to the rifle itself. The outer
configuration of the cartridge case is unaltered, retaining its taper from
its base to its shoulder and having a cylindrical neck portion. The bore
of the case is cylindrical from its base to its open end to receive a
cylindrical plastic capsule on top of the powder charge. This capsule
contains the shot and is provided with a pop-off end seal. On firing, the
side walls of the capsule peel back, the end seal pops off and the shot is
released. The plastic capsule does not damage the rifling of the rifle
barrel.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A shot-loaded cartridge comprising a tapered case, an inner powder
charge, an inner capsule chamber, an open-ended shot capsule insertable
in the capsule chamber, means to seal the open end of the capsule and
means to seal off the powder charge from the capsule chamber and
wherein the case is tapered externally from its base to a shoulder
portion and is cylindrical in a neck portion.
2. The article of claim 1 wherein the bore of the case is cylindrical
from its base to an open end.

Description

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This invention relates to a shot-loaded cartridge that can be fired from
a conventional rifle without any modification to the rifle itself.
The outer configuration of the cartridge case is unaltered, still retaining
its taper from its base to its shoulder. The bore of the cartridge case,
however, is cylindrical from its base to its open end. The cartridge case
is loaded by first putting in the powder charge and sealing it. A cylindrical
plastic capsule containing the shot is inserted next and has its open end
sealed by a pop-off seal.
The cartridge is now ready for firing. The plastic capsule peels back and
the end seal pops off as the capsule leaves the muzzle of the rifle. The
shot is propelled out in a spray pattern. The degree of divergence of the
shot pellets is controlled by the proportion of powder weight to lead weight.
The cartridge is suitable for rifles with a .30 caliber bore or greater. By
carrying both types of cartridges, the shot-loaded cartridge and the conven-
tional solid projectile cartridge, the hunter is equipped for small game or
large game with a single weapon.
Several firing tests have revealed this distribution of pellets at a distance
of 25 feet. 60 to 70 pellets out of a total of 130 pellets were found
uniformly distributed in a 1 ft. diameter circle, the remainder being confined
to the concentric area between the 1 ft. diameter circle and a 2 ft. diameter
circle. The degree of penetration at the distance of 25 feet was through a
quarter inch of plywood.
Number 9 shot is the maximum usable for a .30 caliber rifle, w;th number 7
shot being used ~or larger calibers.
The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein,
- Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the construction of the
cartridge, and Figure 2 shows the spray pattern of the shot
after firing.
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As shown in Figure 1, cartridge case 1 is tapered externally from its base 2
to its shoulder portion 3 and is cylindrical in its neck portion 4. The
bore 5 of the cartridge case is cylindrical from the base to the open end as
defined by the neck portion.
Inside the bore is a powder chamber 6 and a powder chamber seal 7. The shot
loaded capsule is shown at 8. End seal 9 closes off the open end of the
capsule. Shot pellets 10 are thus enclosed in the capsule.
The spray pattern of the shot is shown in Figure 2. The side walls of the
capsule peel back, the end seal pops off and the shot is released. Since
only the plastic capsule travels up the barrel of the rifle there is no
damage to the rifling of the barrel.
It should be noted that the open end of the neck of the cartridge case is
lightly crimped over the end seal of the capsule. This crimping disappears
after firing permitting reload and reuse of the cartridge cases several
times.
It is thus seen that the versatility of an ordinary rifle is extended
through the use of the shot-loaded cartridge as disclosed herein.