US1325757A - Projectile - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 23,1919.

2 $HEETS-SHEET I.

PROJECTILE, v

APPLICATION FILED MAR-13,1918.

FIBJ...

- J. B. SEMPLE;

f'I I f 2 J B. SEMPLE.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-13,1918.

1,325,757. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR JOHN B. SEMPLE, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA. 1

PROJECTILE.

Application filed March 13, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. SEMPLE, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizenof the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In my United States Letters Patents No. 1,131,164, No. 1,172,636 and No. 1,172,637, I have shown and described explosive projectiles each including in its assembly a burster charge of a relatively inert high explosive, such as tri-nitrotoluene, a detonator of a relatively sensitive explosive such as fulminate of mercury, and a member movable in a runway by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile from a position of det0nation obstruction to a position permitting detonation transmission. The detonation controlling members, are in some instances centrifugally movable locking bolts, and in other instances they are members carrying a portion of a train of detonation transmission extending from the detonator. to the burster charge. In each instance they are slidably mounted in runways disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the projectiles so that their movements to positions permitting detonation transmission may take place by reason of the rotation of the projectile while it is still in the bore of a gun. This arming of the projectile ordinarily occurs just within the muzzle of a gun, and it is conceivable that, with the projectile thus armed, it might explode within such bore due to a deformation or 0bstruction in the muzzle of the gun or to some other unforeseen and uncontemplated cause.

My present invention relates to projectiles of the character disclosed in and contemplated by my aforementioned patents, and the object thereof is to provide a projectile wherein a detonation controlling member will not come to detonation permitting or transmitting position until after the projectile has passed beyond the muzzle of a gun.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

I have illustrated my invention in its adapt-' abilit to projectiles specifically shown in my a ove-mentioned Patents No. 1,131,164 and No. 1,172,687. It will however be understood that in itsbroader aspects, my invention contemplates, as do such patents, other specific embodiments than those shown Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 23, 1919. Serial No. 222,237.

herein. Figure l is a view in longitudinal section through the base plug and adjacent parts of a projectile of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,131,164; Figs. 2 and 3 enlarged sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines II-II and IIIIII, Fig. 1; Fig. 4. a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV, Fig. 2.; Fig. 5 a detached sectional view showing a modification of construction; Fig. 6 a view similar to F ig. 1 showing my invention as applied to projectiles of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,172,637; Fig. 7 an enlarged sectional view taken on the lines VIIVII, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 a sectional view taken on the line VIIIVIII, Fig. 6.

. lVhile my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to centrifugally operated detonation controlling members, it is illustrated and described herein, and in its preferred embodiment I so dispose such member that, during the acceleration period of the projectile, the inertia of the member will more than counterbalance the centrifugal force tending to move it to armed, that is to say detonation-transmitting or permitting, position, but that upon the cessation of the projectiles acceleration the controlling member will be moved by centrifugal force to armed position.

While it isknown that the acceleration of a projectile continues (however at a rapidly diminishing rate) after the projectile leaves the bore of a gun and for a space of a few feet beyond the muzzle, the main period of acceleration occurs while the projectile is in the gun, and the object of my invention is attained when the projectile is maintained unarmed until it fully clears themuzzle of the gun. 7

Referring first to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 sive; the cavity of the projectile within which the burster charge is contained is indicated at 1, and adjacent thereto is a booster charge B contained in a base plug 2, the booster charge being in effect a part of the burster charge. The detonator, which may be a body of fulminate of mercury D, is contained in a carrier 6 movable in a runway 3 disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the projection from a position of detonation, obstruction to one of deto: nation transmission, the former position being indicated in the drawings. To discharge the detonator, a suitable fuse is contained within acasing 8, and includes in its to 4 inclu- Y structure a firing pin 12 adapted, when the projectile strikes, to hit a priming cap 13 which in turn discharges a body of explosive 1a and causes afiame to flash rearwardly through the indicated passageways to the detonator. general construction of this type of pro jectile reference may be had to my afore mentioned Patent No. 1,131,16e.

In operation, the detonator carrier 6 is held normally in the position indicated in the drawings, the detonator charge D being at such an interval 0r space from the booster charge B that even it the detonator should become accidentally and prematurely discharged the booster charge would not be detonated. To hold the detonator in this position of detonation obstruction until after the projectile leaves the muzzle of a gun a pair of spring-pressed locking bolts 4': are arranged in a runway 5 which is, as seen in Fig. 3, inclined to the longitudinal axis of the projectile. The bolts may pass through the detonator carrierand meet su stantially at the center or axis of the projectile. When the projectile is fired both bolts will, due to their inertia, simultaneously move down the inclined runway and retain the detonator in its normal indicated position, rather than become immediately separated by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile. After the nroj ectile leaves the muzzl of a gun and the main period of acceleration has consequently transpired, the locking bolts, no longer forced rearwardly by reason of their inertia, will become separated by the rotation of the projectile and release the detonator ca *rier so that it will be free to move by centrifugal force to detonation transmission position at the opposite end of the runway 5.

The same end may be attained by inclining the detonator runway 3 in the manner indicated in Fig. 5. With the detonator runway so inclined, the locking bolts l may be in runways either perpendicular or inclined to the longitudinal axis of the projectile.

The angle of inclination of the detonator or looking bolt runways may be varied according to the particular requirements of difierent projectiles, and will'depend upon the relation existing between the rate of acceleration of the projectile and the centrifugal force imparted to the centritugally movable detonation controlling whether it be the bolts a or the detonator carrier 6 of the above explained embodiment of my invention. In practice I have found that in a 7 5 millimeter explosive projectile the desired results may be obtained by inclining the runway about twenty degrees from a line perpendicular to the axis of the projectile.

In. the type of projectiles illustrated in For further explanation of the member,

6, 7 and 8, the detonator 15 and the booster charge 16, which is in effect a part or the burstcr charge contained in the cavity 17 01"- the projectile, are immovable with relation to each other, and are separated from each other by a wall 18 which, except for a path of detonation transmission, is effective to preserve the burster charge 16 from detonation in case of prematur discharge of the detonator 15. The path of detonation, to which reference has been made, extends through the wall 18, in the form of a column 19 of detonation-transmitting material, from the detonator to the burster charge. The continuity of this column is interrupted by a runway 20 inclined or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the projectile, in which column there are arranged a pair of overlapping bolts 21 spring pressed toward each other and the axis of th projectile. The. overlapping ends or the bolts 21 are themselves provided with columns 22 01 detonation transmitting Imaterial, which columns are, in the normal position of the bolts indicated in the drawings, so disposed with relation to each other and to the columns 19 as to interrupt the path of detonation transmission.

When the projectile is fired the bolts 21 will, by reason 0r their inertia and the obliquity of the runway 20, move down the run way and maintain interrupted the path or train of detonation transmission du 'ing the acceleration of the projectile. Upon the cessation of the pr j ectiles acceleration, the bolts will be centrifugally separated to a position wherein the columns 19 and 22 form a continuous path of detonation trans mission from the detonator to the burster charge, that is to say the projectile will become armed so that when it strikes .nd the detonator is discharged, detonation will be transmitted to the burster charge.

To hold th bolts in armed position suitable lockin means may be used if desired. For such purposerthere is shown in Fig. 8 a spring pressed lock 23 lying in a recess in one of the bolts 21. The other bolt is provided with a recess 2 L into which the lock 23 is spring pressed when such lock and recess come to registering position, which position corresponds with the position of alinement of the columns 22 with the columns 19.

From the foregoing description of my invention, its adaptability to the type of projectiles shown in my Patent No. 1,172,636, aswell as to other types of projectiles, will be readily understood without further or specific explanation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an explosive projectile, the combination with a burster charge and a'detonator, of a detonation-controlling member movable in a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile from a position of detonation obstruction to a position permitting detonation transmission between the detonator and burster charge.

2. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis thereof, and including in combination a burster charge, a detonator, and a detonation-controlling member movable in said runway from a position of detonation obstruction to a position permitting detonation transmission between said detonator and burster charge, the obliquity of said runway and the inertia of said member being effective to prevent said member from moving to said last-mentioned position during the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun.

8. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed obliquely to the longitu dinal axis thereof, and including in combination a burster charge, a detonator, and a pair of centrifugal bolts movable in said runway from a position of detonation 0bstruction to a position permitting detonation transmission between said detonator and burster charge, the obliquity of said runway and the inertia of said bolts being eifective to prevent said bolts from moving to said last-mentioned position during the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun. I

4. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, a detonator, a train of detonation transmission extending from said detonator to said burster charge, a section of said train lying in a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile and being movable in said runway by the can trifugal force of the rotating projectile, but only after the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun, the movement of said section being from a normal position of interruption to a position of detonation continuity.

5. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, a detonator, a train of detonation transmission extending'from said detonator to said burster charge, a member carrying part of said train and movable in a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile, by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile, but only after the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun, from a normal position of interruption to a position of deto nation transmission.

6. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, a detonator, a wallseparating said detonator from said burster charge, said wall being provided with a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile, a bolt arranged in said runway, and a detonation path formed in said wall from said detonator to said burster charge and made continuous through said bolt, said bolt being movable in said runway by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile, but only after the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of 'a gun, from a position interrupting the continuity of said path to a position making said path continuous.

7. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, a detonator, a wall separating said detonator from said burster charge, said wall being provided with a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile, a pair of oppositely movable overlapping centrifugal bolts arranged in said runway, and a detonation path formed in said wall from said detonator to said burster charge and made continuous through said bolts when moved oppositely under centrifugal force, the obliquity of said runway and the inertia of said bolts being effective to prevent said bolts from moving centrifugally during the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun.

S. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed oblique to the axis of rotation thereof, and including in combination a burster charge, a detonator, a path of detonation transmission extending from said detonator to said burster charge, and a detonation controlling member, movable in said runway by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile from a position of detonation obstruction to a position of detonation transmission between said detonator and burster charge, said member being immovable to its last-mentioned position during the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PAUL N ORrroHLow, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON.

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