Note:
This post has been modified to correct my error in saying the 4-tiny-holes mystery ball is not in the Biemeck book.
We are all here in pursuit of the Actual Facts. That is my only intention in posting the following.
I've struggled to come up with a descriptive name for the 4-tiny-holes mystery balls. All I've been able to come up with is "4-Tiny-Equatorial-Holes" balls, because the holes are all on the ball's Equator line (and spaced at equal distances from each other, at the compass points, North, East, South, and West).
As I said in my previous post, the most important evidence about them is, none which have been super-precisely measured are a correct diameter to be an artillery projectile.
Steve, somebody gave you false information. I was shocked to read that our esteemed colleague Colonel Biemeck had included these "4-equatorial-holes" mystery-balls in his book as being a cannonball... and that Mr. Melton had found a US Patent for them. So I searched through Biemeck's book. [Modification: Here I've removed my incorrect statement that the 4-hole balls are NOT in his book.] Also, the Patent found by Mr. Melton is definitely not for the 4-hole balls.
See page 499 in the Biemeck book. The ball shown there is merely a drawing from the (POSTWAR) "Experimental Williams Repeating Shell" US Patent diagram found by Mr. Melton. (Patent #48,005.) Although in the "topview" diagram the structure kinda-sorta resembles the crossed pipes in the 4-hole balls, the cross in the diagram is actually merely four GROOVES which are cast into the walls of the powder-cavity. The grooves are "lines-of-weakness" (somewhat similar to a Polygonal Cavity), intended the break the Williams Patent Repeating Shell into four equal explosive segments. It actually has FIVE fuzeholes, with four holes grouped closely at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock around a central hole.
A clarification, for readers who do not own a copy of Volume 2 of Col. Biemeck's book, "Encyclopedia Of Black Powder Artillery Projectiles Found In North America; 1759-1865", and thus cannot see the Patent diagram:
The pipes inside the 4-Tiny-Equatorial-Holes" balls go through the ball's walls to its exterior... and the similar-looking grooves in the Williams Repeating Shell's cavity do not go through the ball's walls to its exterior. That is obvious if you can see the diagram.
Colonel Biemeck's book says the evidence suggests no Williams Repeating Shells were ever made.
[Modification: Here I've again removed my incorrect statement that the 4-tiny-holes ball is not in Biemeck's book.]
They are NOT the US Patent found by Mr. Melton.
Regards to all,
Pete