US1297294A - Projectile. - Google Patents

Description

T. A. EDISON.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-24 ISIS.

' Patnted Mar. 11,1919..

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THGMAS A. EDISON, 0F LLEWELLYN PARK, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

PROJECTILE.

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citizen of the United States, and a resident of Y Llewellyn Park, West Orange, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates in general to projectiles, and more especially to projectiles 10 designed for use in guns of large caliber. In practically all types of guns now made which discharge only a single projectile at a time, the bores of the guns are rifled or provided with longitudinally extending twisted grooves, whereby a rapid rotary movement will be imparted to a projectile about its longitudinal axis when discharged from, such a gun. The rotary movement thus imparted to the projectile produces a gyroscopic' action whichovercomes the tendency of the projectile to turn end over end, or hurtle in its trajectory, and consequently insures the striking of the projectile head on and also greatly increases the degree of accuracy obtainable. In the continued use of such guns, however, the rifled bores thereof erode, this resulting in a loss of-accuracy and sooner or later, the hurtling of the projectile in its flight. This erosion of the bores in guns of very large caliber, for example, in a 16 inch gun, is very rapid, due to the great pressure, heat, and friction-produced in the discharge thereof, and consequently it is possible to discharge such a gun only a few times, with any degree of accuracy and safety, before it is necessary to repair or replace the same, and this, to-

. gether with the great cost of repairing or replacing such guns, renders the use thereof impracticable. j

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a projectile of such construction that when. the same is discharged from a smooth bore or unrifled gun, the tendency thereof to hurtle or turn end over end in flight is overcome, and the accuracy obtainable is at least as great as that obtainable'with projectiles discharged from the rifled guns heretofore used. As the erosion of the bore of such a gun is very slight, and a high degree of accuracy may therefore be obtained therewith during a great number of rounds, my invention renders the use of guns of very large caliber much more practicable than heretofore,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No, 73,868.

Other objects and features of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. a

For a clearer understanding of my invention, attention is directed to the accompany-4 ing drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation, partly in section, of a projectile made in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken-on line 22 of Fig. 1. 7

Referring to the drawing, the projectile comprises a cylindrical body portion 1 and a reduced portion at the forward end thereof, preferably in the form of,a pointed head or nose 2. The forward or head end portion of the projectile is preferably heavier than the rear end portion thereof, this preferably being accomplished by providing the projectile at the rear end portion thereof with a cylindrical longitudinally extending recess or cavity 3. Accordingly, the projectile has a tendency to travel head on in its trajectory. If the projectile is to be used as a shell, the recess 3 may be filled with any form of a sleeve shrunk on or otherwise applied and secured to the projectile. The for ward end portion of the projectile is also preferably provided with a cylindrical collar 6, preferably of about one-third the entire length of the projectile, and preferably having an extension 7 projecting a slight distance beyond the body portion 1 and over the reduced portion or nose 2, thereby providing an annular space 8 between the extension 7 and the nose 2. The collar 6 may be formed integrally with the body portion 1, but is preferabl in the form of a cylindrical sleeve .whic is shrunk on or otherwise applied and secured to the body portion 1 of the projectile. The collars 5 and 6 are of the same diameter and are dethe portions 11 preferably gradually decreases rearwardly of the projectile, as

clearly shown in the drawing, until such portions merge in the surface of the body portion 1. The, collar 6 covers the grooves 9 for a greater part of their length, thereby forming inclosed channels or passageways whichcommunicate at their forward ends with the annular space 8.

When the projectile above described is discharged from a gun, air is entrapped in the space 8 and forced through the bent or twisted grooves 9, thereby causing the projectile to rotate about its longitudinal axis with great rapidity. The resulting gyroscopic action will prevent the projectile from turning end over end or hurtling in its flight. Accordingly, a gun with a smooth bore may be employed for discharging a projectile of this type. As the portions of the projectile engaging the bore of thegun are also smooth, the erosion of the bore takes place very slowly and the life of the gun and the number of rounds during which a high degree of accuracy is obtainable are comparatively great.

large caliber, for example, 16 inch and 18 inch guns. The provision of the projectile with an extension or lip, such as shown at 7, I regard as a very important feature of my invention, as this extension or lip serves to entrap air within the annular space 8 during the flight of the projectile, and it is believed that the air thus entrapped, in the case of a projectile traveling at a great velocity, will prevent hurtling of the projectile even though the grooves 9 be omitted or are formed parallel to the axis of the projectile for their entire length. The grooves 9, when formed as shown in the-drawing, serve a purpose slmilar to that of the rifling grooves in the bores of guns as usually made, and may, indeed, be designated as rifling grooves or riflings.

While I have shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is subject to'various changes and modifications without any departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims,

My invention therefore. renders it practicable to employ guns of very- Having now described my invention, what,

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. A projectile comprising a body portion and having one end portion heavier than the other end portion thereof, the heavierend portion of the projectile being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending open ended grooves formed on the exterior of said body portion, said grooves being covered for a part at least of their length and being spaced circumferentially of the projectile, substantially as described.

2. A cylindricalprojectile provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending openended grooves, a portion of each of said grooves being substantially parallel to the axis of the projectile and another portion thereof extending from said first portion atan angle thereto, the latter portions decreasing in depth until they merge in the surface of the body portion of the projectile.

3. A cylindrical projectile having a head end portion which is heavier than its rear end portion, the projectile being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending open-ended grooves,'a portion of each of said grooves being substantially parallel to the axis of the projectile and another portion thereof extending from said first portion at an angle thereto, the portions of the a grooves which are substantially parallel to the axis of the projectile being nearer the head end of'th'e projectile, and the other portions of the grooves extending rearwardly therefrom and decreasing in depth until they merge in the surface of the body portion of the projectile, substantially as described.

4. A projectile comprising a cylindrical body portion, a reduced portion at one end of said body portion, and a collar on said body'portion, said collar extending beyond said body portion over said reduced portion, thereby. providing an annular space between said collar and reduced portion, the projectile being provided beneath said collar with open-ended longitudinally extend- -ing grooves which communicate with said space, substantially as described.

5. A projectile comprlsin body portion and a reduce portion, said body portion having an extension projecting over said reduced portlon and prov1d-' ing an annular space between such extension and reduced portion, the projectile being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending open-ended grooves communicata cylindrical ing with said space, substantially as described.

6. A cylindrical projectile, the head end portion only of which is provided with a collar and with a plurality of longitudinally extending open ended grooves beneath said collar, said grooves being spaced, circumferentially-of the projectile, substantially as described.

7 A cylindrical projectile provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending open ended grooves, a portion of each of said grooves being substantially parallel to the axis of the projectile and another portion thereof extending from said first portion at ans-angle thereto, a part of said angular portions of said grooves being uncovered, andz-ascollar eouering the remainder of said grooves," substantially as described.

8. A, cylindrical projectile having a head end" portion which is heavier than its rears: end portion, the projectile being provided with as plurality of longitudinally extending: open -ended'tgnooves, a portion .of each" of said grooves being substantially parallel to the axis of the pro ectile and another portion thereof extending from said first portion at an angle thereto, the portions of the grooves Which are substantially parallel to the axis of the projectile being nearer the head end of the projectile than the angular portions of the grooves, a part of said angular portions being uncovered, and a collar covering the remainder of said grooves, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 11th day of January, 1916.

THOS; A: EDISON.

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