US2304060A

US2304060A - Projectile

Info

Publication number: US2304060A
Application number: US350835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard H Baylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-08-03
Filing date: 1940-08-03
Publication date: 1942-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1959-12-08

Description

s B. H. BAYLOR PROJECTILE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 2,3EMWM WEMJTE Mrd ti ylor, Ricomil, Va.

My invention relates to improvements in projec'tiles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a projectile which is a combination shrapnelshell for anti-aircraft artillery, field artillery, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shrapnel-shell having two bursts on the same trajectory, allowing a considerable distance be-. tween the bursts, rendering it easier to strike the target. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a shrapnel-shell of the above-mentioned character which will impart an increased velocity to the shrapnel and a wider angle of scatter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section through a shrapnel-shell embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line oi Figure l, a

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line of Figure l,

Figure t is a similar view taken on line of Figure l, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the rear end of the projectile case, parts broken away.

in the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral it designates the case of the projectile, having a closed rear end it provided with a chamber it for receiving a charge of black powder it, which is employed to project the shrapnel from within the case. The case iii may be formed of steel.

Disposed at the forward end of the steel case is a steel head M, secured thereto by pins Hi, which will break upon the exploding of the powder charge it to permit of the head it being blown from the case it. The head it carries a fuse It, which may be a time and percussion fuse. This iuse has a cylindrical tubular part ll engaging within a screw-threaded opening it, formed in 5 the head Mi.

Arranged within the steel case iii is an inner tube or barrel ill, of smaller diameter than the case it and arranged in spaced concentric relation therewith, providing an annular passage or chamber Ell. This annular chamber receives the l W l 194% Serial No. 350,835

explosive charge 2! which bursts the case and barrel l9 after the shrapnel has been projected therefrom. This charge is preferably nitro-cellulose powder. At its rear end, the barrel i9 is screwed into a recess 22 of the case 110, as shown. The bore of the recess 22 has a diameter smaller than the bore of the case it, forming a shoulder 22 while the chamber l2 has a bore smaller than the recess 22, forming a shoulder 22 The barrel it is screwed down to firmly engage the shoulder 22 whereby the rear end of the chamber 2B is closed and has no communication with the interior of the barrel l9. At theforward end-oi iii all

the barrel i9 is a bronze bushing 23, which has screw-threaded engagement within the case Hi. This annular bronze bushing covers the forward end of the annular chamber Eli and terminates flush with the inner wall of the barrel l9 and has studs or prongs 23' which project inwardly beyond the inner face of the barrel it. These studs or prongs preferably taper so that they will not interfere with the proper discharge of the shrapnel. There is a shim ill of paper or the like, clamped between the free end of the barrel it and the bushing 23. Arranged centrally within the barrel i9 is an ignition tube M, holding a burning composition and the rear end of this tube is anchored in an opening 25 formed in a steel dia phragm or disk 25, arranged at the rear end of the barrel ill and covering the chamber 2. The tune (it leads into the chamber it. The tube ll-l at its forward end also leads to the interior of the cylindrical tubular part ll of the fuse, passing through an opening ll, formed in the end wall it. This tube M is removably mounted in the opening ii. The time and percussion fuse ignites [the burning material in the tube 2%, in accordance with the usual practice. 7

The barrel is filled with shrapnel in the form of shot or slugs El.

The barrel i9 is provided near its forward end with vents 2d leading into the forward end or the annular chamber to which is filled iorwardly or" the explosive charge at with a slow burning composition as, at the rear of which is a primer 2% of black powder.

The shell case ill is provided with a soft copper rotating band 30, rigidly secured thereto, the ma.-

0 terial of which is forced into the grooves of the rifled barrel, to produce a gas-tight fit when the projectile is fired. This band is shown as equipped with three gradual depressions Ill, extending longitudinally of the case l6 from the rear 55 to the forward edge of the band. ii]. The deprestion it is about ,6 of an inch in depth, the same being somewhat exaggerated in the drawing,

In Figure 5, I have shown the case it as equipped with a soft copper rotating band, corresponding to the band it, and having inclined or slanting grooves it, arranged beneath the same. These grooves are formed in the case ill, and are preferably V of an inch deep, and these grooves extend beyond the forward and rear edges of the band.

The depressions ti and grooves Ml permit of the entering of a small amount of air into the barrel of the gun in the rear of the projectile.

The operation of the projectile i as follows:

The projectile is introduced into the barrel of the gun and shot from the same by the explosive charge in the barrel. The fuse It, time or percussion, when exploding, ignites the burning material in the tube 2t which in turn ignites the black powder charge Iii. When this charge explodes, the head it is blown from the case Ill, and the diaphragm or disk 26 is projected forwardly within the case It and stops when it engages the bronze bushing 23. The explosion of the powder charge it projects the shrapnel 21 from within the case and their angle or spread increases when the disk or diaphragm 26 engages the studs or prongs 23' of the bronze bushing 23 and is suddenly stopped thereby. After the shrapnel 21 has been projected from the case It, the slow burning composition 29 ignites the black powder primer 29', in turn causing the nitro-oellulose powder 2| to explode, thereby bursting the case NJ and barrel It.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of th subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A projectile comprising a case, an explosive charge in the rear end of the case, a diaphragm covering the explosive charge, a bushing arranged within and secured to the case adjacent to its forward end to stop the forward movement of the diaphragm, a fuse element, a head carrying the fuse element and secured to the forward end of the case by readily breakable means, a tube leading at its forward end into the fuse element and at its rear end to the explosive charge within the case, a second explosive charge to explode the case after the explosion of the first explosive charge, and shrapnel filling the case between the diaphragm and head.

- 2. A projectile comprising a case having its rear end closed, an explosive charge held within the rear end, a barrel arranged within the case and attached at its rear end to the case, said barrel having a smaller diameter than th interior diameter of the case to provide a chamber surtion within the forward end of the said chamber adjacent to the vents, a primer adjacent to the slow burning composition, a bushing arranged within and secured to the case adjacent to its forward end and extending inwardly into the barrel, a head having a breakable connection with the forward end of the case, a fuse element carried by the head, a tube extending through the barrel and having its forward end leading into the fuse element and its rear end in communication with the first named explosive charge, and shrapnel filling the barreL 3. A projectile comprising a case having a bore and its rear end closed and provided at the rear end with a chamber having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the bore of the case for affording a shoulder, a barrel arranged within the case and having an exterior diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of said bore, said barrel having its rear end in screw-threaded engagement with the case adjacent to the shoulder, the barrel forming a chamber with the case which chamber is closed at its rear end adjacent to the shoulder, said barrel having vents adjacent to its forward end, an explosive charge within the rear chamber, a second explosive charge within the second chamber between the barrel and case, a slow burning composition within the second chamber adjacent to the vents, a diaphragm within the barrel adjacent to the shoulder, a head having a breakable connection with the forward end of the barrel, a fuse element mounted upon the head, a tube leading into the fuse element and to the first named charge, and shrapnel held within the barrel.

4. A projectile comprising a case, an explosive charge within the case, a diaphragm covering the explosive charge and having an opening formed therein, means carried by the forward portion of the case to stop the movement of the diaphragm with relation to the case when engaging said means, shrapnel arranged within the case in advance of the diaphragm, a time and percussion fuse carried by the case, a tube having both ends open and arranged within the case and having its forward end in communication with the fuse and its rear end passing through the opening in the diaphragm and in communication with th explosive charge, a second explosive charge to burst the case after the explosion of the first charge, and a slow burning composition within the case and arranged to be ignited by the bursting of the first charge to subsequently explode the second charge.

5. A projectile comprising a case, shrapnel Within the case, a diaphragm within the case at the rear of the shrapnel, means carried by the forward portion of the case to stop the movement of the diaphragm with relation to the case when, engaging said means, an explosive charge withi the case behind the diaphragm, a second explog sive charge within the case to burst the case, an means carried by the case and timed in operation to first explode the first named charge and subsequently explode the second named charge.

BERNARD H. BAYLOR.