US1270072A - Explosive bomb. - Google Patents

Description

H. A. THACKER.

EXPLOSIVE BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-5.1911.

Patented June 18, 1918.

HARVEY A. THACKER, 0F LEAVENWORTH, SAS.

nxrnosrvn no'MB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARVEY A. Tnnoxnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Leavenworth and county of Leavenworth, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Bombs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to explosives, and more particularly to bombs and other devices of this class which are designed for and adapted to be carried by aeroplanes, dirigibles, and the like, and released and dropped at a desired point to detonate or explode upon reaching the ground.

The objects of my improvement are to produce an article of this character possessing to high degree the element of safety, and that cannot ordinarily he accidentally set ofi' or exploded, and which at the same time is adapted to be detonated upon contact, to make provision for pro-determined or time firing independently of the contact detonating mechanism, and to so form and construct the device that it will be simple, inexpensive, and durable in structure, and positive, reliable, and eficient in action and operation.

To accomplish these purposes, 1 construct my improved device with a plurality of parts which are detachably fastened together, and which, when assembled, form a hollow container having a main or principal interior chamber for holding a high explosive, such as gun cotton or the like a highly inflammable material, a gas, liquid or semi-liquid, granulated or solid material possessin certain desired and required properties an qualities, and a smaller supplementary chamber for holding a detonating or exploding charge of black powder or similar material.

The means or mechanism by which I carry out the above and other ob ects 'Wlll be hereinafter set forth in the following description, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which embcdimeuts or adaptations of my invention are illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a central vertical section throu h a bomb or containerconstructedin accor ance with my improvement on line l--1 of Fi 2, and showing the interior construction, t e main and supplementary compartments, and also illustrating the exterior safety mechanism and the gulding mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a bomb or container constructed in accordance with my invention, taken on line 2-2,

invention and illustrating another form or type of safety mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 1.

In referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, in which embodiments or adaptations of my improved bomb or container are shown, like numerals indicate corresponding parts. While my improved explosive bomb is chiefly designed to be carried by and dropped from aeroplanes, it may, with slight alterations in construction, form and size, be utilized as a hand grenade, and for a number of other purposes. The shell of the bomb or container consists of an intermediate cylindrical portion, 1, a concavo-convex top cap, 2, and a lower end piece, 3, of slightly rounded hollow conical form.

These three portions are all detachably secured or otherwise fastened together to form an inclosed' hollow chamber, in which a charge of high explosive, such as gun cotton, a gas, an inflammable material or other desired or required material may be placed. As shown in Fig. l, the opposite ends of the cylindrical portion, 1, are externally screw threaded and both the top cap and lower end piece are provided with corresponding screw threads so that they may be screwed upon said ends in assembling the container. A smaller supplementary container or box, 4, is removably fitted within the cylindrical portion, 1., at approximately the middle thereof, being preferably secured in place by a series of screws, 5. I prefer to form or construct this inner box as shown in Fig. 1, so that it will fit snugly within the cylindrical p o'rt'ion. Within the box, l-place a support. or spider, 6, which has a series of arms that are secured by bolts, 7', to the under surface of the top of the 'box. The middle portion of the support, 6, depends withinthe box and carries an adjustable fir- 111g pin, which is in part screw threaded f and fitted within a screw threaded vertical opening 'in the support. The firing pin is locked .1n its adjusted position by means of a lock nut,i9. .Two tubes, indicated .respec tively by the numerals 10 and 11, depend downward and extend upward from the box,

4;, and, pass through center openings in the top cap, 2, and lower end piece, 3. These tubes are screw threaded at their respective ends, and screwed into openings in the box, .4, top c'ap,.2,ya nd end piece, 3, thereby serving to securely. fasten and lock the three parts of 'Qthe .bombor container together. These. two tubes alsoeach perform another functionthe lower tube, 10, being arranged to. provi e. a vertical passageway n which the stem' or shank, 12, of a' detonating baris slidably fitted, said stein being keyed to the boxA in any suitable manner, preferably. by akey -3l,.to. allow a sliding movement only.

- The upper en'dorhead of this bar is adapted to carry the explodin .cap, 13, and the lower end'is provide with an enlarged head, 14, and the shock transmitting plate, 15,;whicln is. preferably of a concavo-convex form. I preferably extend the lower end of the tube, 10, so that it will projectbeneath that upward .pressure .of theair against their. lowerz;surfaces.,willrotate the propel1erin. a..direction to cause it to descend along.. the.l.screw threaded portion, 17 ,.and thils-zeleas'e {the detonating bar, unlocking safetymechanism and placing said bar inxposittohto be driven upward 'to strike the -.-pin .andexplode the cap when the enla" head, 14:, and the plate, 15, come in contact-zwith the ground or other object. .Thekpropel-ler also serves to rotatetthe'bomb itsel and thus aids. in maintaining. it in perpendicular .position as: it passes downward-through theatinosphere. The upper tub,.- 1-1Z,-:likewise forms a vertical passage :way,-;m'.which a-fuse, 20 can be placed. In

Fig.4, Ihave illustrated theupper endof the fuse as projecting above the bonib with .preciableextent. Eronit that the Iexplosibn takes lace at, or directly above, the'surfaceof producing a highly destructiveefiect;.--..

its end and its lower end extending within the smaller supplementary box or container The-"smaller intermediate box is adapted to be filled with black powder or other lesser explosive possessing sufficient power to explode the shell and byitsconcuss'ion to set ofl the high explosive the main chamber or ignite the inflammable material therein.

A center -piece,..21-,-.is detachably fitted upon the upper end of the'upper tube,.11, and serves as. a supportiif block for the stem, 22, of adirecting ru der, 23. If de sired, a small balloon, 24, may be. attached by a cord, 25, to the uppereye, 26, formed in the bar, 22., substantially shown in Fig. 1.- The center piece, 21, is provided with a top screw threaded socket, 27, in which the lowerend of the bar 22 is screwed, as shown in Fig. 3,.and also a diagonally extending opening,-- 28, through which the fuse, 20, passes. In the modified form, shown in Fig. .4.-,. .I provide a rubber ring or cushion, 29, which is fitted upon the lower projecting end of the detonating bar, 12, and is adapted to .be compressed between a lower boss or enlargement, 15, .on said bar, and the .nut. 16, when the detonating bar is driven upward by contact 'to explode the cap. This rubber ring orcushion, 29, thus formsa safety whichwill ordinarily .prevent any accidental explosion of the bomb. My improved bomb is adapted .to be utilized for a number of purposes, as before stated, and may be made in a variety of shapes or forms. Its. principal advantages are that it can be transported and packed in knockdown formJif desired, and easily assembled by any ordinary workman in a'short period of time. This materially lessens, it it does not altogether prevent any danger of premature explosions and also enables a bomb I to. be. filled with aivariety of different material'sl Owingto the large areaor surface of the contactplate; 1-5, the: bomb is adaptedto be..exploded immediately iipon contact.

and before .it enters. the L fiounglifi) any; ai' 's it* inot .'As illustrate 1 and; heretofore describid, my improved device-consists of: the bomb proper, which is constructed so thatit be "readily taken down-0n assembled, safety e rgroiind, .-thereby{ mechanism located at its lower extremity,

and a and'guidinglmeans. located at and proj ectingfabove itsirpper extremity.

The directing and guiding means serves to--.

maintain the equilibrium ofthe detice."in;.its descent, holding thehomb in: 'erpendic ilar posltlon mits passage throng .the'atmosphere and in readiness to. be idetonated' the.

instant-- its lower extremity" an obsti-nction onthegroun'd.

The concavo-convex plate, 15, presents sufiicient transverse area to drive the detonating bar upward upon contact with the surface of the Water, should the bomb drop upon the same, and explode the device.

It will thus be noted that should one of my improved bombs be released from an overhead aeroplane, to descend on one side of, but in the immediate vicinity of, a ship, it will explode upon contact with the sur face of the water and probably damage and in some cases possibly sink the ship. My improved device, it will thus be seen, is equally adapted for both land or water.

While I havedescribed in the foregoing specification adaptations or embodiments of my invention, it should be understood that the structural parts thereof may be varied, changed, modified or altered or one or more may be omitted or dispensed with without departing from the spirit of my invention as fairly defined in the following claims, or

as may be imparted thereto by invoking the doctrine of equivalents.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, a main container composed of a plurality of separable portions, a smaller supplementary container removably fitted within the main container, a time fuse protruding through the top of the main container, a detonating bar depending beneath the main container, means for locking said detonating bar and a wind operated ropeller adapted to release the detonating ar.

2. A device of the class described compris ing an intermediate cylindrical portion, a concave-convex top cap detachably secured on the upper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portion detachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, an intermediate box fitted within the cylindrical portions, two tubes extending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectively at their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fitting through one of said tubes, 2. detonating bar extending through the other tube, and a wind operated safety device at the lower end of the detonating bar.

3. A device of the class described comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion, a concavo-convex top cap detachably secured on the upper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portion detachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, an intermediate box fitted within the cylindrical portions, two tubes extending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectively at their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fitting through one of said tubes, a detonating bar extending through the other tube,

a safety mechanism on the lower end of the detonating bar, and a balancing and directing mechanism extending above the top cap.

4. A device of the class described comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion, a concavo-convex top cap detachably secured on the upper extremity of the cylindrical portion, a hollow conical end portion detachably fastened on the lower end of the cylindrical portion, an intermediate box fitted withinthe cylindrical portions, two tubes extending in opposite directions from the box and secured respectively at their outer ends to the top cap and end portion, a time fuse fitting through one of said tubes, a detonating bar extending through the other tube,'the lower end of the detonating bar being enlarged and provided with a shock receiving plate,.a safety mechanism on the lower end of the detonating bar above the enlarged end and balancing mechanism arranged above the to crimp.

HAR\ E A. THAOKER. Witnesses:

JOHN T. Baum,

Annx. A. RUssELL.

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