US2110061A - Automatic firing flare - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1938. o. GENTZEL AIUTOMATIC FIRING FLARE Filed Feb. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 li ll.

March L 1.938. O. GENTZEL AUTOMATIC FIRING FLARE Filed Feb. 11, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 arch 1, 1938. O GENTZEL 2,110,96i I AUTOMAT I C FIRING FLARE Filed Feb. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N A" 47 25 46 1 w #5 Patented Mar. 1, 1938 JUNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC FIRING FLARE Otto Gentzel, Monticello, N. Y., assignor of onethird to Harold Sturgis and one-third to Ruth Silberman, both of Monticello, N. Y.

Application February 11, 1937, Serial No. 125,340 7 Claims. (01. 1o2 24i This invention relates to an aerial flare adapted in the holder l and it also has an outer cylinder to be fired automatically by an impact sufficient I5 and an inner cylinder It, all in concentric to injure a vital part of a plane or other conspaced relation. Casing! is closed across the veyance of the flare, by submersion, by impact bottom by a wall ll. Cork or other buoyant mathrough dropping as well as manually. terial as at I8 is located between the casing l4 Another object is to provide a construction and outer cylinder of shell 15 and inclined openwherein the automatic firing is accomplished in- 4 ings H! are provided in alignment through the dividually or by a combination of chemical, elecholder l0, casing l4, cork l8 and outer shell l5 trolytic, corrosive and mechanical action. so that in case of submersion, water may pass It is particularly aimed to provide a device 01 through the openings or passages I9 to the space 10 this character which will facilitate the work of between the inner and outer shells l6 and I5 searching parties in locating wrecked or missing and which is filled with ammonium chlorid or aircraft. the like in a dry state as at 20. Adjacent the Another aim is to provide such a construction upper end of the flare, the shells I5 and I6 are as avoids dependence on fuses or timing devices spaced apart as by means of an aluminum washer 15 requiring setting or igniting previous to placing or ring 2| soldered or otherwise connected in a the samein water. moistureproof manner to the metallic shells l5 Still another object is to provide a construcand I6.

tion of flare which will operate successfully A Water tight closure, for instance of cork, as though covered with ice. at 22 is connected to the upper end of the me- 20 Various additional objects and advantages will tallic casing M engaging the same, and the shells become apparent from a consideration of the Hi and I 6 in a water tight manner.

description following taken in connection with Screw threaded at 23 to the inner wall of the accompanying drawings illustrating an operative inner shell I6 is a section 24 of a conical metallic 25 embodiment. head completed by an outer section 25, screw 25 In said drawings: threaded thereto as at 26. Within the section Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the 25 is a metallic cone or abutment head 21 and flare mounted in a holder; depending therefrom is a metallic tube 28 having ,"Figure 2 is a View showing the flare alone, an enlargement 29 at its inner end and extending vertically disposed, partlyin elevation and partly and fastened to the inner wall 30 forming the 30 insection; bottom of the inner shell IS. The interior of the Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the flare cone or head section 21 is filled with a quick suspendedby a parachute; acting fulminate or combustible material at 3| Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal diametric which is disposed on fulminate or combustible sectional view through the flare and holder; material 32 Within the Shell u y er 35 a Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the acting. Section 24 has openings 33 therethrough line 5-5 of Figure 4; which are covered by a material destructible by Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the fire, and for instance collodion, celluloid or the line 6-6 of Figure 4, and like at 34, which when destroyed, permits the Figure '7 is an enlarged view showing in detail entrance of air to the material 3| to aid in its 40 the mounting of the cartridge and incendiary combustion. projectile and adjacent parts. Located in the enlargement 29 is a cartridge Referring specifically to the drawings wherein 35, f r insta of t army r fl typ and 0 like reference characters designate like or similar acting therewith and extending into the tube 28 parts, the flare is adapted to be removably disp per is an incendiary proje e Cartridge 45 posed within a cylindrical holder l0, closed at its 35 is adapted to be fired so as to project the lower end II and open at its other end or top. D J'BO 36 outwardly of the tube 23 With great Such holder is adapted to be supported or imp 1' f r against e cone 1' ad 27, mounted in aninclined position as by means of thereby firing the fulminate 3! for flaring pur- ,50 a conventional bracket l2, the holder being poses and also to a apu eject t flare r m mounted on an aeroplane or any other desired the holder I 0. vehicle. A cup 3! is soldered to the Wall 30 and located Removably disposed within the holder I0 is a within the same is the operative end 38 of a firing flare l3. Thisfiare comprises an outer cylindrlpin 39, the latter extending slidably through the 55 cal casing l4 intimately but removably telescoped cup 31 and being adapted to move through an i e w v opening 40 in the wall 30 to engage the cap of the projectile 35 in order to fire it. The firing pin 39 has an abutment on it at 4! engaged by an expansive spring 42 to urge firing movement of the pin but restrained by a screw 43, preferably of zinc, extending through a wall 44 of a hydrogen chamber 35 and screw threaded at 46 into a guide disk 4'! on the firing pin, which slidably engages the interior surface of a depending guide sleeve 48 carried by the cup 31. Hydrogen may be supplied through a valve tube 49, from any suitable source into the chamber 45 or any other suitable gas may be employed in lieu thereof. The materials forming the hydrogen chamber 45 are rendered non-corrosive due to the metal of which they are made for instance or if of corrosive metal, they are lined with copper foil or the like.

A cushioning coil spring 50 is located between the closed end of holder H] and the wall I! of the casing i i.

The wall at the inner extremity of the space 28 is provided with disks or portions thereof of metal foil or soluble material hermetically connected in place, as at 5! and in order to prevent attack thereof by the dry ammonium chlorid 20, glass wool 52 is preferably interposed as shown.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the flare from the holder, a metallic wire 53 may be fastened to eyelets 54 and 55 provided on such parts, the wire being of such strength as to be readily broken or fractured when the projectile 36 is fired and the flare catapults.

It will be realized that the buoyant cork or other material it will cause the apparatus to float in an upright position with the eyelet 54 uppermost and the openings 89 sub-merged so that water will enter such openings or channels i9 and react with the ammonium chlorid or other chemical at 20, seeping through the glass wool at 52 which chemically acts on the metal foil or soluble material 5|, entering the hydrogen chamber 29 and attacking the zinc element 43 whereby it is destroyed and the spring 32 is released so that the firing pin will fire the cartridge 35, projecting projectile 36 against the head 21, causing the flare to catapult from the holder H], breaking the wire 53, firing the material 3! and 32 and destroying the .material 34 so that air enters to assist combustion.

One or more of the devices 5| may be fractured manually to set the flare into operation "as by impact of a hammer against the outer end of a pin 56 soldered to and bridging the casing l4 and outer shell I5.

It is also to be noted that the hydrogen gas 45 will react with the ammonium chlorid at 2.0 so as to disintegrate or destroy the zinc screw 43, to fire the flare.

In instances where the flare is used 'to light a certain area as for landings or other purposes, the flare is not carried in a housing or holder such as it) but is suspended from a conventional parachute as at 53 in Figure 3, the same being fastened to an eyelet 59 of a draw element or rodzBD of non-corrosive metal, which slidably but in an air-tight manner passes through openings in the ring 2! and closure 22 and which is fastened to one of the disks 5|, the weight of the flare and action of the parachute being suficient to .diS- rupt or displace such element 51 to enable admixture or chemical reaction of the hydrogenin tank 45 and the ammonium chlorid at 20, to disrupt the screw 43 and thereby permit firing. It will be noted that the parachute suspends the flare at a slight angle to the vertical.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:--

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a flare, a holder in which the flare is disposed, an incendiary projectile carried by the flare, means to fire the projectile, flare material ignitible through the firing of the projectile, and springs means between the holder and flare to lessen the recoil incident to firing.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a flare, a holder in which the flare is disposed, an incendiary projectile carried by the flare, means to fire the projectile, flare material ignitible through the firing of the projectile, spring means between the holder and flare to lessen the recoil incident to firing, and means connecting the flare and holder against accidental displacement adapted to be fractured incidental to firing.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a flare, a holder in which the flare is disposed, an incendiary projectile carried by the flare, means to fire the projectile-flare material "ignitib le through the firing 0f the projectile, said flare having a buoyant body and means operable by water entering saidbodylto eflect the 'flring of the projectile.

4. A flare of the class described having a casing, a shell in the casing, a tube in the shell, said casing having combustible material :therein, a projectile, and means operable chemically through the admixture of water or gas therewith to effect the firing of .the projectile .to ignite the combustible material. E35

5. A flare of the class described having a-casing, a shell in the casing, a tuberin theshell, said casing having combustible material therein, a projectile, means operable chemically through the admixture of water or gas therewith-to effect the 'flring of the projectile to ignite the combustible material, said shell having .meansdestructible by firing to admit .air to assist combustion.

6. A flare of the class described having a casing, a shell in the casing, a tube in the shell, said casing having combustible ,material therein, a projectile, means operable chemically ithrough the admixture of water or :gas therewith Ito effect the firing of the projectile to ignitethe combustible material, means about the first shell providing a chamber to contain ammonium chlorid, means extending below the shells "to contain "-hydrogen, partition means between ime ammonium chlorid and hydrogen comprising a metallic foil capable of attack by ammonium chlorid, 'glass wool between the ammonium chlorid and said foil.

'7. A flare of the-class describedhaving a casing, a shell in the casing, a tubein the shell, said casing having "combustible material therein, .a. projectile, means operablechemically throug'hthe admixture of water or gas therewith to effect the firing of the projectile to ignite the combustible material, means about the first-shell-providing a chamber to contain ammonium chlorid, means extending-below the shells .to contain :hydrogen, artition .means between the ammonium chlorid and vxhydrogen comprising-a :metallic foil capable of attack by ammonium chlorid, glass wool -between the ammonium chlorid and said ifoll,;and a draw element connected to the foil and adapted :for connection to a-parachute.

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