US1141042A - Contour-base for projectiles. - Google Patents

Description

C. DAVIS.

CONTOUR BASE FOR PROJECTILES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1913.

1, 14 1,042. Patented May 25, 1915.

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CLEIAND DAVIS, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, ASSIGNOR TO ORDINANCE DEVELOP- MENT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DEL-AWARE.

CONTOUR-BASE FOR PROJECTILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented May 25,1915.

Application filed September 30, 1913. Serial No. 792,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLELAND DAvrs, commander, United States Navy, a citizen of the United States, residing-at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Contour-Bases for Projectiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for decreasing the resistance of the air to the flight of a projectile moving at high velocity. The universal form of projectile consists of a cylindrical body with a tapering ogival, or head, and a flat base; by changing the contour or form of the point of the projectile, its flight through the air has been greatly facilitated, but no practical means have yet been devised to apply the contour to the base of the projectile to reduce the backward pull during its flight through the air. As is well known, this backward pull amounts to a considerable portion of the loss of energy, or velocity, for a given distance. T his is due to the vacuum, or partial vacuum, which is created by the displacement of the molecules of air by the passages of the shell itself, which, on account of the velocity of the shell, have not time to close in on the base and equalize the pressure. In other words, the object is to provide such a form for the base of the projectile as will give a minimum resistance to reduce its retardation in air, in a manner similar to providing gradually tapering lines and curves for the hull of the ship, to minimize the resistance of its passage through the water.

With a projectile, the problem is somewhat complicated, owing to other qualities which it is necessary for the projectile to possess, as, for example, the quality of perforating armor plate, and also the ability to carry a large bursting charge. The shape of the projectile is also important when the capacity of the powder chamber is considered, and a fiat base projectile, such as is now universally used, enables a maximum charge to be used in the powder chamber, with due regard to the weight and shape.

In order to overcome the objections of increasedweight, reduction of capacity of bursting charge and reduction of the size of powder charge, and at the same time give the proper form of base, I provide a hollow attachment tapering with a curve to give a minimum resistance This attachment may be screwed on in the case of fixed ammunition, or slipped on and locked in place in the case of larger calibers, in the manner shown, or in any other convenient way.

The attachment is filled with powder and this forms part of the propelling charge itself, and is provided with an aperture on the rear end, which permits of the equalization of the pressure of the gases inside and outside the hollow contour. As the projectile travels down the bore, powder contained in the hollow contour evolves its gases, and thus plays its part in giving the projectile its normal velocity at the muzzle.

I do not limit myself to the exact form or shape of contour base, as this can only be determined by long experiment. But even a slight elongation of the base will have an appreciable effect in reducing the negative acceleration of the projectile. For larger caliber guns, the contour may be included in the first section of the powder charge, so that the projectile may be first loaded into the gun in the usual way. The first section of the powder charge containing the contour is then loaded and shoved up against the base of the projectile, slipping over the latter and being locked in place.

Reference is bad to the accompanying drawings in which the same parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views.

Figure l'shows a fixed ammunition con structed according to my invention;' Fig. 2 shows a section through part of the bore and powder chamber of the gun, with the projectile and first section of the powder charge in elevation, and showing the invention as applied for use with guns of heavy caliber; and Fig. 3 is a detail showing in section a part of the projectile and the first section of the prrp lliug charg degached therefrom, and including the contour ase.

Referring first to Fig. 1, 1 represents the projectile, 2 the contour base screwed on the projectile, and 3 the cartridge case constructed of the usual or any desired form, and containing the propelling charge l, part of which propelling charge is also contained in the interior of the contour base 2, as shown.

In theform of device shown in Figs. 2 and 3, 5 represents part of the gun body having the bore 6 and powder chamber 7 of 1 the usual or desired form. 8 represents the projectile, which is cut away at its'rear end, as at 0. To fit into the large end of the contour base, the reduced portion of the shell is provided with sockets 9 to hold the tapered blocks 10 and the springs 11, which tapered blocks slip under the wedge faces 13 in the large end of the contour base, and spring out under the action of the springs 11 into the sockets 14 in the contour base 12. While the springs 11 normally tend tohold the locking blocks 10 in engagement, the revolution of the shell will create such centrifugal force as will tendto hold the same in the outer or looking position after the parts are assembled. The contour base 12 is preferably provided with a suitable disk 15, of celluloid, or other combustible material, tending to keep its larger end always open and ready to assemble with the shell; and the body of the contour base is filled with powder 18, and is mounted in any suitable container 16, preferably the usual silk, or flannel bag bound around with tapes 17, but any suitable container may be used. Thus, the contour base and the container with the powder included in both forms While I have shown spring-operated looking blocks connecting the shell and the contour base together, any other suitable means connecting these two members may be adopt ed, desired; and I do not mean to limit iny invention to any particular means for accomplishing this purpose.

It will be obvious that various changes might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the constructions, combina-' tions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

vHaving thus described my invention,.what

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a projectile of standard design and the propellingicharge thereof of a hollow metal contour base secured to the rear end thereof and forming with the outer shell of the projectile a continuous substantially ogival curve, the hollowcontour base having a length of onehalf or more of the length of the projectile to which it is secured, and being provided with an enlarged opening in its rear, said contour base projecting into the propelling charge and containing a portion thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a projectile of standard designand the propelling charge thereof of a hollow metal contour base secured to the rear end thereof and forming with the outer shell of the projectile a continuous substantially ogival curve, the hollow contour base having a length of one-half or more of the length of the projectile to which it is secured, and being provided with an enlarged opening in its rear, said contour base projecting into the propelling charge and containing a portion thereof, with means for detachably connecting said contour base to the rear of the projectile, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a projectile of standard design and the propelling charge thereof of a holder for a section of the propelling charge, a hollow metal contour base mounted in said holder and adapted to slip over the rear end of the projectile, the said contour base when secured to the rear end of the projectile forming with the outer shell of the projectile a continuous substantially ogival curve, the said hollc w contour base being provided with an enlarged opening in its rear end, and the propelling charge being mounted. in said holder and partly in, said hollow contour base, with means for detachably connecting said contour base and with it said holder to the base of the projectile, substantially as described.

, 4. The combination with a projectile of standard design of a holder for a section of the propelling charge, a hollow metal contour base mountedin said holder and adapted to slip over the rear end of the projectile, the said contour base when secured to the rear end of the projectile forming with the outer shell of the projectile a continuous substantially ogival curve, the said hollow contour base being provided with an enlarged opening in its rear end, and'the propelling charge being mounted in said holder and partly in said hollow contour base, with means for detachably connecting said contour base and with it said holder to the base of the projectile, said means comprising spring-impressed tapered blocks engaging in v sockets in the contour base, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CLELAND Davis.-

S. WV. SQHARFF.

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