US1374707A

US1374707A - Shell and projectile

Info

Publication number: US1374707A
Application number: US218797A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wright Robert Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1918-02-23
Filing date: 1918-02-23
Publication date: 1921-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1938-04-12

Description

CWI

R. L. WRIGHT. s Hr-:LL AND Paoszcmf. APPLICATIGN FlLEaffE. 23.1918.V

Patented Apr. M1921;

W w fm UNITED STATES UHAI l PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SHELL .AND PROJECTILE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed February 23, 1918. Serial No. 218,797.

To all lwhom 'it may cof/wem.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shells and Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to ammunition for guns, rifles or the like, and has, for an object to provide projectiles of any kind with extended or attenuated points whereby to penetrate an object with greater eiciency or to a greater depth, to decrease resistance to travel through air or water, as well as to obtain other advantages and results which will become apparent as the nature of the invention is more clearly understood.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a shell and bomb of the described character which will not ricochet or rebound when striking the surface of the water but will dive or submerge at the place where the said shell strikes the water.

Another object of the invention is the production of a shell with greater penetrating power than the projectile now in general use.

Another object of the invention is to produce a shell of increased velocity either in air or water because of the peculiar formation and construction of the said projectile.

My improvement is adaptable to both explosive and non-explosive projectiles, and in the latter case the peculiar construction of my improvement facilitates the explosion of .the shell upon contact with any object intended to be struck. l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims. e

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views Figure l is a side elevation of my 1mproved shell in its simplest form.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of an explosive shell embodying my inventlon.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of explosive shell, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of a mod1.ed form of projectile, or shell partly 1n section.

Fig. 5 shows another modification of my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a view of a further modification of my invention.

As shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing, a solid non-explosive projectile l is shown having a slender attenuated nose 2, projecting from the front thereof, the base of the nose being tapered and curved to conform to the front end of the projectile, thereby eliminating any obstruction to engage the medium through which the projectile is passing.

The length of the nose 2 is proportioned to the size and shape of the projectile, but I do not limit myself to any particular length of nose on the projectile.

The main purpose of the peculiar shaped nose on my improved shell is to pierce the surface of water when-the shell strikes and guide the projectile beneath the water.

The nose also divides the medium through which the projectile passes and guides the projectile through said medium, whethervit be air, water or solid material.

In Fig. 2 is shown an explosive shell similar in exterior to Fig. l, but the nose 2a extends through the shell in a guide 2b to`a point adjacent the detonating or explosive cap 5 in the base of the shell. The elongation of the nose 2'r1 is provided with shoulders 6 and 7, the latter to act against a compression spring 8 and the former to limit the outward movement of the nose 2.

A guide pipe 3 surrounds the elongation of the nose to prevent interference by the explosive charge contained in the projectile or shell.

The pipe 3 is perforated to enable the exploded cap to reach the charge.

When the projectile or shell strikes, the nose 211 is forced in, the inner end strikes the cap 5, and the shell is exploded.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2, and in addition has an electric connection, consisting of a battery 10, and conductor 11 and 12, connecting the battery with the rod 2a and the cap 5, respectively. The inner extremity of the rod 2a and the collar 7 are insulated from the tube 3 and spring 8 to insure contact between the rod 2a and the cap 5. If the impact does not set olf the cap, the current passing through the cap or metallic casing which contains the detonating substance when the rod touches the cap insures the explosion of said cap by reason of the heat SMM occasioned by the more or less imperfect contact which must occur between the rod and cap casing, especially where a current of high amperage is employed.

In F ig. 4 the shell 1b is provided with a nose 2c extended to a considerable distance. The shoulder 7, spring 8, tube 3 base plug 4 and cap 5 are similar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The extended nose 2c is provided with a plurality of bombs 13 each of which consists of a casing containing a charge 14, and cap and fuse 14a, and a plunger 15 controlled by a spring 16 to set ofi' the charge. In the bombs intermediate the shell and the bomb on the extremity of the nose 2c a portion of the nose or rod 2c acts as the plunger for setting off the bombs and shell.

In Fig. 5 is shown a shell 1d in a cartridge 1e. The shell is provided with an extended nose 1', and which also reaches through the cartridge to the cap 18. A spring 8a and shoulder 9il keep the nose 1t in a forward position. IVhen the nose is hit by an object, the cap 18 is exploded and fires the charge in the cartridge, thereby ejecting the shell therefrom.

In Fig. 6 is also shown a shell S secured to a cartridge S having an extended nose t with a slidable point P in the forward extremity thereof. When the point P is forced inward by an object which hits or strikes said point, it closes a circuit between the conductor W and W', said conductors connecting a battery B with caps m in the end and sides of the cartridge S', as shown. When the point P is struck the caps m are exploded and the shell is fired from the cartridge.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of the construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

I reserve the right to use any of the well known time devices on the gun shells, bombs, and shell projectiles, cartridges and other explosives.

W'hat I claim is:

1. An ordnance shell or projectile having a projection on its nose carrying an explosive charge.

2. An ordnance shell or projectile having a projection on its nose carrying an explosive charge and means for exploding the charge upon impact.

3. An ordnance shell carrying explosive charges in front of the shell and within the shell and means for exploding the charge in front of the shell to cause the explosion of the charge within the shell.

4. An ordnance Shell, means on the front of the shell for carrying an explosive charge communicating with the charge in the shell to explode it.

5. An ordnance shell, means on the front of the shell carrying an explosive charge communicating with the shell charge, and means for firing by contact the explosive charge in front of the shell.

6. An ordnance shell carrying on its front an explosive charge and a firing device adapted to explode the charge in front of tlilelshell and then explode the charge in the s e l.

7. An ordnance shell or projectile having a series of explosive charges and means for exploding the charges in succession.

8. An ordnance shell or projectile having an extension on its nose carrying a series of explosive charges and means for exploding the series of charges.

9. An ordnance shell, means for carrying explosive charges and means for firing the charges in front of the shell and extending through the charge in the shell to operate the means for exploding that charge.

10. A projectile, a projection adapted to be secured in the nose of the projectile and having cavities adapted to hold explosive charges and means for exploding the charges.

l1. An ordnance shell having a part for holding and exploding a charge in front of the shell and having a part for holding a charge within the shell, and means for communicating between the two parts.

12. An ordnance shell carrying an explosive charge in front of the shell and explosive charge within the shell, means to ignite the explosive charge in front of the shell and means to ignite the explosive charge in the shell.

13. An ordnance shell having an explosive charge within and means to ignite the explosive charge simultaneously with a pluralty of means or separately if one means fai s.

14. An ordnance shell having a cavity for explosives within, a tube carrying separate explosive extending throu h said cavity and secured to the shell an meanu to ignite said explosive within said tube.

15. An ordnance shell having a cavity for explosives within, a tube carrying separate explosive with the forward end of tube secured in the forward part of the shell and the rear end of the tube extending within the cavity, and means to ignite said explosive within said tube. 'j

16. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of cavities within said projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities and means secured in said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge withnu.. nimuuiuuvl ANU j in each of said plurality of cavities within said projection.

17. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a cavity within said projection, an explosive charge within said cavity and means secured within said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge within said cavity within said projection.

18. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially, a plurality of cavities formed within said projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities, means to ignite and explode the most forward explosive charge within said projection' and means to ignite and explode a second explosive charge within said projection with the effects and force of the explosion of the said most forward rst explosive charge.

19. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially, a plurality of cavities formed within said projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities, a contact ring pin and fuse secured within the forward part of said projection n a way to ignite and explode the most forward exp1o sive charge within said projection when the said contact firing pin comes in contact with the ground, object or target and means to ignite and explode a second explosive charge within said projection with the effects and force of the explosion of the said most forward first explosive charge.

20. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of bombs, said bombs having the interior larger in circumference in the center and sloping from the center in a way to form a point at each end, forming a cavity for explosives of such shape within each bomb, an explosive charge within each of said cavities and means secured in said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge within each of said cavities of said plurality of bombs.

21. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extendin axially and formed with a bomb, said bom having the interior larger in circumference in the center and sloping from the center in a way to form a point at each end of said bomb, formin a cavity for explosives of such shape wit in said bomb, an

wmf 'I SMAK explosive charge within said cavity and meansv secured within said projection in a way to ignite said explosive charge within the cavity of said bomb.

22. An ordnance projectile having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a plurality of cavities for explosives within said projection, an explosive charge within each of said cavities, a contact firing pin with means to hold same in position secured in the forward part of said projection and a percussion cap secured in said projection in a way to engage the contact firing pin and explode the cap and ignite the explosives within the projection when the contact firing pin comes in contact with the ground, object or target.

23. An ordnance shell having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a cavity for an explosive charge within said projection, an explosive charge within said cavity and a contact iirin pin and percussion cap secured in the orward part of said projection in a way to explode the percussion cap by percussion when the contact firing pin comes in contact with the ground, object or target.

24. An ordnance shell having a projection secured to the forward end thereof extending axially and formed with a cavity for an explosive charge within said projection, an explosive charge within said cavity and a contact ring pin with a spring to hold same in position, and a percussion cap secured within said projection in a way that the contact firing pin will explode said percussion cap by percussion when the contact irin pin comes in contact with the ground, o ject or target.

25. A removable projection to secure to a projectile, said projection formed with a plurality of cavities for explosives within said projection, an explosive char e within each of said cavities, a Contact ring pin with means to hold same in position and cap secured within each of said plurality of cavities within said projection in a way to explode said plurality of caps and ignite the explosive charges within said plurality of cavities within said projection when the contact ring pin secured in the forward part of said projection comes in contact with the ground, object or target. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1n hand.

y ROBERT LEE WRIGHT.