US1236736A

US1236736A - Explosive device.

Info

Publication number: US1236736A
Application number: US8487316A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas S Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-03-17
Filing date: 1916-03-17
Publication date: 1917-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1934-08-14

Description

T. S MI'.LER.

EXFLOSWE DEUCE.

APPLICATION um) MAR. 1'1. i916.

1,236,736. 7 Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

5' 2 SHEETS SHEET \NVENTOH WITN f2) BY w m 1 r ATTORNEY T. S. MILLER. EXPLOSIVE DEVICE APPLICATION HLED MAR. 11. l9l6..

Patented Aug. 14, 1917 2 SHEET5-SHEET 2.

INVENTOH ATTORNEY WITN 'SSES 'rnomss s. MILLER, or orrnuwa, IOWA.

EXPLOSIVE msvrciz.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Application filed March 17, 1910. Serial m. 84,878.

To all whom itm'ay concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs-S'. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at ()ttumwa, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Dcvices, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide an explosive device consisting of a shell or case having one or several elongated bores packedwith alternatelyarranged charges of shot or slugs and explosives, together with a fuse to extend from the exterior of the shell or case to ignite the explosive charges in versely in the order in which they are packed within the bores to'cause the charges of shot or slugs to be successively discharged from the shell, and which device is so constructed that it may be used in warfareas a projectile 'of .the shrapnel 'typeby being shot or otherwise projected over and beyond a fortification or other barrier after the fuse has been ignitedand which will, after striking behind the fortification or barrier discharge the separate charges of shot or slugs successively baclgwardly or against the rear side of the fortification or b'arrier, or'which may be planted in theearth in an inclined relation withthe fuseignited, when a retreat is to be made, thus arranging the device in such relation that the charges of shot or slugs will be successively discharged from the shell and directed against a person or a. body of persons advancing toward the retreating parties.

A further object is to so construct and form the device that the various explosive charges will be fired in the proper intervals and succession, and that'when a plurality ofbores having the alternately arranged explosivc and shot or slug charges therein is used, the charges'in the fired in the proper succession.

WVith the above and other objects in View,

my invention-consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in cr'mncction with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the irawingss Figure is a v iew in longitudinal section showing one embodiment of my invention, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing aslightly rnodified form of the device.

several bores. will be Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a varied form of the device.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the inner end of a device similar to that disclosed in Fig. 3, modified'in form.

In the form of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shell 1 has a central bore 2 made of reasonably thin, however it is not a primary object of the construction that the device shall burst when the explosive charges are ignited, and this wall is given sufficient strength to withstand the force of the various explosions causing the shot or slugs to be discharged from the shell.

outer end as at 3, and the inner end ofthe adaptation in Fig. 1, is turned down at its extreme end and made of slightly less diameter, this part of lesser diameter being provided with screw-threads as at {1, and a. cap 5 being provided with internal scrcwthreads on the flange or rim 6 thereof to be received over the threads 4. By mounting the cap 5 as above stated, the inner end of the shell is closed and as the threads are made of fine gage, the force sion in the shell, as'will be hereinafter set forth more at length, will cause the cap be displaced from-the shell and will thus leave the inner end of the shell open.

The cap 5 is provided with a central bore 7 which is adapted to receive the fuse 8 which is passed therethrough, this opening 7, being preferably centrally disposed to permit cap 5 to beturned onto the screwthreads 4 and to prevent twisting of the fuse Sduring this operation. This fuse 8 is extended down into the bore 2 of the shell 1 and is preferably brought to bear against the side wall thereof, thus establishing a direct line through which the fire will be carried from the exterior of the shell with the cap in place, to the extreme innermost end of the bore 2 of the shell.

A charge of powder indicated at 9 is placed in the inner end of the box-o2 and suitable wads l0 and a ropcr packing indiratcd at 11, which pac ing might be clay many other material which will establish a tight connection around the fuse 8 and certain of the parts beingof the explosuliicient size that the wall is This shell or casing 1 is preferably made pointed at its will-stop all eomi'nunication to the charge at 9 except through the fuse 8. I A wad 12 isthen placed over the packing layer 11 and a charge of shot or slugs 13 is loaded in the shell upon the wad 12. after which a wad 14 is inserted in the bore to cover the. shot and another charge of powder or explosive mixture as indicated at 15 is placed on this wad '14 after which the wadding and {packing is repeated. \Vhile any number explosive charges and charges of shot or slugs might be; placed in the shell, in the present: instance I have shown three charges of powder indicated at t5, and

'1 ll, and the. shot or slug charges as indicated I at 13, 17. and 18, are placed upon these explosive charges after the bore has been suitably wadded and packed to establish the proper fireproof joint or wall. The

.fnse S is made of sutlieient length to extend well down into the body oi the charge 0 whiehis the first charge to hev placed in the bore 52, and thus it is assured that this charge will be ignited. and asthe fuse ex tends direetlv through the explosive charges at 15 and 16, the spark l'roni tin-fuse will cause the proper ignition and explosion of these charges. It will of course be. understood that the length (it the. fuse 8 above the last layer-of packing and wailding placed in the bore to rover the explosive charge 16 will be governed by the length of time it is desired to have. elapse between the initial ignition ol' the fuse H and the tiring ol' the charge ltl. hlul it found advisable this fuse 8 might. be made'ot a greater length than would l e ret uired to traverse the length of the bore 2 and the ex ess length will then be rolled on the wad If covering the last charge ot shot or slugs. threap .5 covering this tt'tlll'tl ltlltl'tll of the fuse and protecting the same against the llame l'rom the explo-' sion ot' the tiring charge when the device is u ed as a projta-tile to be discharged l'rom a gun. size that when the extreme outer end (it the -l'u b" is pulled theretlirollgh. a tightjoint. is established. and the wads ltl and l! as pla ed ver the powder andthe wad H as placed above the shotaale liotelied at one side to rereive'the l'u the parking at It acting to establish a tight joint around the fuse 'tlllll iil'tillll l the inner wall l' the bore :2.

in making this tlt \lt't' the explosive charge St is inserted and the wad lt) is then placed in the bore '3 with the notched opening titted around the (use 5 whi h l'usc is in a position ol lax-lying again-st one s'ide of .the bore with the l|)l('l" end extendin" P1 through the open inner end of the shell,

and this. wad It) is then tauipetl down against the powder-al'ler which the packing l! which is. as has hereinhei'ore been stated, preferably of clay in a plastic state or of other plastic and tire. resisting material is The opening T is made of such :1.

placed over the Wad 10 and is properly of the fuse 8 is rolled within the shell 1 km top of this wad 19 'and after the end of the fuse has been passial through the open-- h1g7 through the cap 5. this cap is screwed onto the threads 4, thus closing the bore. 2' at its inner end and completing the device.

In use, this device. may be used as a pro jectile to be discharged from a gun. or otherwise thrown over and beyond a fortification, hill or other artificial or natural barrier. and to give the. projectile proper initial movement. the gun may be loaded and fired in the usual way, the hand Qt) being mounted around the inner end of the. shell 1 to cause the projectile to follow the rifling of the gun barrel. .\s the explosive charge of the 'gun is ignited. this tlame will come in contact with the. protruding elul oi the tits: 3 and will ignite the same. or this fuse might be given initial ignition het'oreheing placed in the gun. and then when the fuse has burned through the outer end o'l'v its length and has. passed through the wad 19, the charge of shot or slugs at la. and the wads and packingabove the explosive charge at. 16, the sparks from the burning fuse will ignite the explosive charge at Hi and in consequence this charge will be tired and will cause the wad and packing below thecharge of shot orslugs at. 18 to impel these shot or slugs lau'kwardlv through the rear end of the shell 1. blowing oil the cap 5 by strim'iiug the threads 4, after which the shot or slugs will spread. The fuse S continues to lun-n. through the shot, charge at. H and through the wads and packing above. the explosive charge at '15 and then when the sparks ignite the explosive charge '15. the shot charge at. 17 will he fired back through the. open end of the shell 1, and this same action will continue. until the last charge in the shell.. orthe explosiveeharge first placed therein in the filling operation has been igi'iitett- When this device is to be tired as .a projeetile from a gun. It will he shot beyond the hues III which the shot; or slugs are to take Pia-n and'then as the fuse is burns down into llt) in falling describes a gradual are, this end 3 will penetrate the ground and will hold the shell inclined upwardly and backwardly in the direction from which it came so that the discharge of the shot or slugs will. be in the proper line to strike a person or persons concealed behind th barrier over which the projectile "has been led, also if deemed .desirable, the explosive charge at 9 might be made suflieiently heavy to give a stronger explosion which would burst the shell 1 while at the same time discharging the shot charge at 13, and in this way the shell 1 is niade to serve not only as a container for the shot and explosive charges, but also'will. be thrown in fragments and s linters in every direction when the final bursting occurs. The device might also be used by a retreating army by being planted in the ground from which the retreat is to be made in a position of upward and jorward inclination opposite direction.

and then the inset; can be lighted and when the ,fuse has burned to, ignite the explosive charges in the shell, the shot charges will be discharged therefrom, and thus the suc ceesive charges will he fired at an advancing person or line of persons while the party who has ignited the fuse is retreating 1n the In the form of the device shown in Fi 2, the parts are substantiallyidentical wit the exception of the fact that the inner end oftheshell or case .1 is extended to have slightly greater length beyond the mounting of the lwa djfi and this extended portion as indicated at 21, is made ofuniform thick ness andle'ft sinooth both oni its exterior surface {tl'idjlt the internal here. The fuse 8 is brought-up againsttheinner wall of the bore 2 of the/shell to exteiid'through the operfend a wood plug 22 having a groove folrmeixalong one side thereof is fitted in l e' open 'end of the shell with-the 'eceived in the groove-23 and then thisplHg-QFZ is forced into the open endo'f the shell te -close the same, and gives elasticity jjt'o establish a tight connection around tli'.e" iuse 8.; This forni 013 the device will be loaded and will operate in the samemain nor as hereinbefore set forth.

In the form ofthe'dev ice shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a central bore 24, of relatively small size is provided in the shell or casing 25 and. the bores-26 are formed to extend from the inner end of the shell 25 inwardly tl'ierein point adjacent the pointed end 27, these fi'ores 26 being preferably concentrieall y arranged around thebore 24. As shown in Fig. 3, the bore 24 is preferably cylindrical andxthe bores 26 are tapered to spread from thei' nner ends outwardly.

it is preferable that an e ual number of bores 26 be spaced around t e central. bore 2t and counterbbres are formed through the shell or ca sing to pass diametrically there into through the walls separating the bores 26 from the bore 24, thus establishing spark leads 28 from the central bore 24 to each of the peripherally arranged bores 26. As illustrated in Fig. 3,,it is preferable that these counterhm'es be provided at several points along the length of the shell 25 so that the fire leads 28 will be provided in line with the points where the explosive charges are filled into the several bores. Ashas been stated, these bores forming the fire or spark leads28 are started from the exterior of the shell and the o 'ienings throl'lgh the outer walls are closed'by the screw-flu'eaded plu s 29, or in. any other suitable manner. n loading the shell, the fuse 30 is placed in the central bore 24 to extend down along the side wall thereof and the explosive charges, the wads and packing, and the shot or slug charges are filled into the bores 21 and 26 in the manner described in connection with the form of the device shown in Fig. 1. it of course being understood that the explosive charges are placed in the same relative arrangement in the various bores and are so positioned that the filc or spark leads 28 will establish comnluni'cation from .lhe central bore 24 in those portions in which thcexplosivc charges are. packed to thesame relative portion of each of the bores 26. Plugs 31 and 32 are fitted in the open ends of the horn 24 and the bores 26, it of course being understood that the plug 3'1. is grooved to receive the fuse30, and thus the open ends of these several bores are closed to pernnt the device I to be fitted in a gun and discharged as a probores 26 are ta )e1'ed,the sliot charges pros ected therethrough will be spread to cover a considerable area, also, -if'desired,the ex- .plosive charges in the various bores can be varied to cause the shot charges to be carried to greater or a lesser distances as desired, and in this way the device will be constructed-to still further scatter the shot, as discharged therefrom. As the plugs 29 are set rigidly inthe metal of the casing or shell 25, theseplugs will not ,be readily blown out and the shell will present each of the bores thereof as a continuous and unbroken path for the discharge of each successive charge of shot 'or'slugs, l1OWGVGI',if 'de sired, the extreme inner end' of the bore 24 may be loaded with a charge of a high explosive which will burst the shell and throw the same in fragments. i

In Fi 5, the structure is identical with that disc osed in Figs. 3 and 4, and here the 5 Open ends of the

bores

24 and 26 are internally screw-threaded, the plugs 33 and 34; being screw-threaded to be received in these screw-threaded open ends to close the same.

, The plu 33 recelved in the open end of the bore 24 as a central orifice or passage 35 therethrough and a fuse 36 is received throu h this passage, it being preferable that his fuse 36 be extended down into the bore 24 centrally thereof, and the passage 35 being centrally bored in the plug so that as the plug is turned into the screw-threaded end of the bore 24, this fuse will not be twisted. The screw-threads of both the bores and'thc plugs will necessarily be of reasonably fine pitch and thus as the first charge is fired, these plugs will be blown out and at the same time the shot or slug char es' will. be fired from the device.

W ile I have herein shown and described only s ecific forms of my invention, it will be un erstood that'the caps or plugs closing the ends of-hores might be varied in their form and mounting as well as in the material from which the same are constructed, that various other packing materials than those mentioned might be used, that any number of bores can be formed in the shell or casing, and that various other changes and modifications might be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention', and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction above set forth, but only to such points as may be set forth in theclaims.

40' Iclaim:-

1; An explosive device of the projectile type comprising a shell solid at the head end and having a bore extending thereinto from the rear end, a fuse extending substantially throughout the length of the bore and from the'rear end-of the shell, charges of anexphsivc and of shot alternately arranged in said bore, and means toclose the end of the bore and leave an end of the fuse exposed.

2. An explosive device comprising a casing from the shell.

ing having a pluralit of bores disposed lon 'tudinall '.1n para lel alinement, spark lea s provi ed at spaced apart points throughout the length of said bores to estab lish communication between the several bores, a fuse extended throughout the length of one of said bores, explosive charges mounted in said bores at points corresponding to the location of .the spark leads, and shot charges mounted in alternate arrange ment with said explosive charges.

3. An-explosive device comprising a casing having a central bore, a plurality of bores arranged in concentric positioning around the central bore, spark leads from central bore to the concentrically arranged bores formed at spaced a art points throughout the lengths of the ores, a fuse mounted. in the central bore to extend throughout the length thereof, a plurality of explosive charges mounted in the bores in line with the spark leads, shot charges mounted in alternate arrangement With the explosive charges, and means to close the open ends of the bores and to leave the fuse end projecting from the shell.

4. An explosive device of the projectile type comprising a casing having a solid head with a central bore at the rear end and a plurality of bores grouped concentrically around the central bore, spark leads from the central bore to the concentrically arranged bores formed at spaced points throughout the lengths of said bores, a fuse mounted in the central here to extend throughout the length thereof, alternately arranged shot and explosive charges loaded into the several bores in such. a relation that the explosive charges are in line with the spark leads, means to close the ends of the concentrically arranged bores, and means to close the open'end of the central bore and leave the fuse end project- In testii'nony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS S. MILLER.