Henri-Gustave Delvigne
Encyclopedia
Henri-Gustave Delvigne was a French
soldier and inventor. He became a captain in the French infantry service, from which he resigned on the outbreak of the 1830 July Revolution
. Delvigne revolutionized rifle technology and rendered it proper as a weapon.
In 1826 Delvigne invented a new method which greatly simplified the use of rifled guns, and created a rifle known by his name. In this rifle the chamber was smaller than the bore
, with which it was connected by a spherical
surface equal in radius
to the ball
used. The powder
was poured from the muzzle
into the chamber, upon which the ball rested when dropped into the bore. When forced against the chamber rim by ramming (with three strokes of a heavy ram), the bullet would become deformed and flatten, so as to expand in diameter against the inside of the bore, allowing the bullet to press against the rifling grooves
. When fired, the bullet would accompany the rifling and spin.
According to the artillery historian John Gibbon:
In all these cases the radial deformation of the ball against the rifling grooves would permit a more efficient spinning of the ball. As a drawback, the very deformation rendered the bullet aerodynamically less efficient.
From 1830, Delvigne started to develop cylindro-conical bullets. The stability of the bullet would be further improved by the introduction of the Tamisier
ball groovings. However the introduction of ball groovings hampered the expansion of the bullet against the rifling grooves.
Delvigne's invention was further improved by the French officer Thouvenin, who induced the deformation of the bullet by placing a stem inside and at the center of the powder chamber. When hit by the ram, the bullet would expand radially against the rifling grooves and at the same time wrap around the stem, giving it a more efficient and aerodynamic shape.
These inventions mark important steps in the improvement of the rifle, and are precursors to the Minié ball
, the development of which Delvigne also contributed to.
Delvigne also devised some life-saving apparatus
, particularly life rockets
. His publications include Exposé d'un nouveau système d'armement pour l'infanterie (1836).
The Chamelot-Delvigne
was a revolver pistol he developed with the Belgian gunsmith J. Chamelot, and which was adopted by the French Army
in 1873.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
soldier and inventor. He became a captain in the French infantry service, from which he resigned on the outbreak of the 1830 July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
. Delvigne revolutionized rifle technology and rendered it proper as a weapon.
Chambered magazines
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
, with which it was connected by a spherical
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space, such as the shape of a round ball. Like a circle in two dimensions, a perfect sphere is completely symmetrical around its center, with all points on the surface lying the same distance r from the center point...
surface equal in radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
to the ball
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
used. The powder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
was poured from the muzzle
Muzzle (firearm)
The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the projectile will exit.Precise machining of the muzzle is crucial to accuracy, because it is the last point of contact between the barrel and the projectile...
into the chamber, upon which the ball rested when dropped into the bore. When forced against the chamber rim by ramming (with three strokes of a heavy ram), the bullet would become deformed and flatten, so as to expand in diameter against the inside of the bore, allowing the bullet to press against the rifling grooves
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
. When fired, the bullet would accompany the rifling and spin.
Wooden sabots
In an evolution to this first method, Delvigne introduced a wooden sabot at the bottom of the bullet, which would limit the improper deformation of the lead bullet, but still allowing for its radial expansion to fit the rifling grooves.According to the artillery historian John Gibbon:
In all these cases the radial deformation of the ball against the rifling grooves would permit a more efficient spinning of the ball. As a drawback, the very deformation rendered the bullet aerodynamically less efficient.
Cylindro-conical bullets
Tamisier
François Tamisier was French artillery captain of the 19th century. He invented various methods to improve the rifled gun, particularly ball grooves .-Ball grooves:...
ball groovings. However the introduction of ball groovings hampered the expansion of the bullet against the rifling grooves.
Delvigne's invention was further improved by the French officer Thouvenin, who induced the deformation of the bullet by placing a stem inside and at the center of the powder chamber. When hit by the ram, the bullet would expand radially against the rifling grooves and at the same time wrap around the stem, giving it a more efficient and aerodynamic shape.
These inventions mark important steps in the improvement of the rifle, and are precursors to the Minié ball
Minié ball
The Minié ball is a type of muzzle-loading spin-stabilising rifle bullet named after its co-developer, Claude-Étienne Minié, inventor of the Minié rifle...
, the development of which Delvigne also contributed to.
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
, particularly life rockets
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
. His publications include Exposé d'un nouveau système d'armement pour l'infanterie (1836).
The Chamelot-Delvigne
MAS 1873 revolver
The service revolver model 1873 Chamelot-Delvigne was the first double action revolver used by the French army. It was produced by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne from 1873 to 1887 in about 337,000 copies. Although soon replaced by the Modele 1892 revolver, it was nevertheless widely used...
was a revolver pistol he developed with the Belgian gunsmith J. Chamelot, and which was adopted by the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
in 1873.