US2383720A - Incendiary bomb - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1 945. s. B. HAMILTON INCENDIARY BOMB Filed Dec. 25, 1942 Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED STATES PA'ElJT` OFFICE IN CENDIARY BOMB Samuel B. Hamilton, Knoxville, Tenn.

Application December 23, 1942, Serial No. 469,949

6 Claims.

This -invention relates to an improvement in incendiary bombs, particularly of the type adapted to be transported by aircraft and dropped therefrom for destruction -of objects on the ground. It is especially suitable for destroying by re aircraft carriers, hangars, grounded airplanes, manufacturing plants, forests, yand other objects which are readily combustible and would be ignited by such abomb.

This bomb is of the type which contains a combustible material, such as a hydrocarbon, that is adapted to be ignited for its destruction effect. Bombs have been suggested heretofore which utilize such hydrocarbons for this purpose, but no adequate or satisfactory provision was made for obtaining quick and effective ignition of the combustible material within the bomb when it reaches its objective.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of the bomb to obtain elTectiVe and instantaneous ignition of the combustible material therein when the bomb exploes upon impact with its objective, and to Aspread out over a large area the combustible material for effective action thereof without its being readily extinguished particularly by water. Provision is made for preheating the combustible material in the bomb before explosion of the latter so as to increase its combustibility thereby obtaining more eiective action a be lled with a combustible liquid, with means4 provided for applying a combustible fluid aroundY the exterior of said chamber before impact of the bomb, which latter fluid is 'ignited to obtain a preheating of the main body of fluid in the bomb. The mechanism provided for thus supplying and igniting the preheating material is simple but Very effective to insure positive action, and yet will add little in cost rto the bomb.

A preferred embodiment of'the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 `is a vertical sectional view through the bomb, partly in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tail assembly for the bomb;

Fig. 7 `is a perspective view of the firing wire; Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section through the l flint assembly;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the igniting device, from the rear;

Fig. 10 is a similar view thereof from the front; and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation thereof.

The bomb shown has a shell portion designated generally by the numeral I which encloses a chamber A. The shell I is preferably constructed of thin sheet metal, inasmuch .as it is not required to sustain a substantial pressure. Thel lower end of the shell I is connected with a nose portion 2 which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the shell I. The nose portion 2 has a percussion cap 3 in the lower end thereof, from which percussion cap 3 an explosion chamber B extends upwardly into the chamber A. The nose portion 2 encloses a chamber C which is separated from the chamber A by a division plate 4.

'The upper end of the shell I has a lling opening therein normally close-d by a plug 5. This upper end also carries the tail assemblydesignated generally by the numeral, which is adapted to hold the bomb in a vertical position during its descent and aiding in the direction of the bomb at the target. The tail assembly shown has a series of four ns I (Fig, '2), which fins are arranged at angles of to each other, and separated by box sides 8 which are secured substantiallyk in square relation with an opening therethrough, as will be evident from' Fig. 2.

Surrounding the upper portion of the nose 2'is a burner ring 9 constructed in the form of an annular tube, as will be evident from Figs. 3 and 5. This burner ring has orifices I@ in the upper side thereof in position toi-direct jets of liquid 4against the surrounding sides of the shell I. A valveassembly II is provided in the burner ring 9 at voneside thereof, which valve assemblyis shown as having a rotatable valve body I 2 adapted to control communication from a'pipe I3 which serves as a feeder line, into the 'burner ring 9, as is evident from Fig. v5. The valve Il line.

has an operating handle I4 for operating the same., and upon rotation of the valve through 90, the flovvof the uid to the burner ring may be controlled. 'I'he feeder line I3 extends downward to a point near the bottom of the chamber C, as will be evident from Fig. 1. The upper side of the valve assembly Il 'has a jet orifice I5 adapted to receive fluid from a bored portion I 6 of the valve body I2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The valve assembly Il is adapted to be operated by a firing wire I'I, one end of which is connected with the handle I4 while the other end..

Mounted on the nose portion 2 of the bomb inV close proximity to the valve assembly I I, is an igniting device designated generally by the numeral I9 in Fig. 11. This igniting device is of knownconstruction, and is secured in position for ignitng the combustible fluid discharged from the yburner ring 9 when the bomb is launched.. The igniting device is shown generally in Figs. 8 to 11, and comprises a wick in position to receive combustible fluid from the jet I5 (Fig. 3i. A flint device A2|, has a spring-pressed int 22, bearing against a wheel 23 in position for igniting the wick 20 upon rotation of the wheel. wheel 23 is adapted to be rotated by a coiled spring 24 controlled by a ratchet wheel 25 andl adapted to be Wound by a thumbpiece 28. The ra'tchet wheel 26 is controlled by a dog 26 mounted for vertical sliding movement in the igniting device I9, by means of a link 21 connected with the firing wire I'I, as shown in Fig. '7. The guidingmovement of the dog 25 in the igniting device causes it to remain inv its elevated position when lifted by the link 21.

vOne side of the nose portion 2 is provided with av filling opening therethrough adapted to be closed by a plug device designated generally by the` numeral 29. This plug device may be constructed as an air pump, as shown, for forcing air into the chamber C. or as a valve to control the admission of air and fluid thereto. This plug device 29 may be removed from the opening to permit a combustible liquid to be supplied to the chamber C to a desired height therein.

Normally the chamber C is not filled, but has a substantial quantity of combustile liquid therein to a point below the filling opening. Then the plug device 29 is reinserted and air under pressure is applied to the chamber C, the pressure being sufcient to discharge the combustible liquid from the chamber when the valve unit II is opened, requiring about five pounds pressure for ordinary sizes.

The chamber A should also be filled with a combustible liquid or other medium, preferably gaso- If desired, this chamber A may be filled with a solution of gasoline and rosin to insure quick ignition and long burning.

The explosion chamber B should be loaded with an explosive of such character as to blow open the bomb shell when the explosive is ignited. This chamber B is filled to the junction of the chamber C through the opening for the percussion cap 3, after which this cap is reinserted. Then upon winding the spring 24, the bomb is ready for use.

When the bomb is discharged for aircraft, provision should be made either for automatic or manual actuation ofthe firing wire Il when the The bomb is launched. This is the only act required to insure operation of the bomb. Upon pulling up the kwire I'I, the valve II is opened causing the combustile liquid, such as gasoline, in the chamber C to be discharged under pressure through the feeder line I3 into the burner ring 9, as indicated by the arrows. in Fig. 5. This liquid will be discharged in jets through the orifices I0. At the same time, the lifting of the wire I'I will draw up the clog 26, thereby releasing the ratchet Wheel 25 and` allowing rotation of the wheel 23 by the spring 24, thus causing ignition of the wick 20 and lighting the fuel discharged from the jets Il] of the burner ring.

It will be obvious that the discharge of fuel from these jets will cause this fuel to spread out over the surrounding surface of the shell I, so that it will be readily ignited by the wick 20. This fuel continues to be discharged and to burn during the falling of the bomb, thereby preheating the combustible liquid in the chamber A to a lhigh temperature before the bomb strikes its objective. The percussion cap 3 will ignite the explosive chargein ithe chamber B, which will thereby burst the chamber A and scatter the heated liquid therefrom, which will become ignited instantly from the burner ring 9. This causes the combustible liquid to be spread over a wide area and to be ignited substantially upon Contact, so as to cause material destruction by fire. The spreading of the combustible material over a large area makes it very diicult for the fire to be extinguished either by water or by sand, thus accomplishing effective damage tothe objective. i

I claim:

1. An incendiary bomb comprisingya shell enclosing a 'chamber therein for a combustible liquid, a nose portion attached to one end of the shell and enclosing a feeder chamber therein for containing fuel, a burner surrounding the firstmentioned chamber and constructed for directing flames substantially against the surrounding wall thereof for preheating the combustible liquid therein, .a valve for controlling discharge of the fuel from the feeder chamber to said burner, means for opening said valve, and means for igniting said burner.

2. An incendiary bomb comprising a.shell enclosing a chamber therein for a combustible liquid, a nose portion attached to one end of the shell and enclosing a feeder chamber therein for containing fuel, a burner surrounding the firstmentioned chamber and constructed for directing ames substantially against the surrounding closing a chamber therein for a combustible liquid, a nose portion attached to one end of the shell and enclosing a feeder chamber therein for containing fuel, a burner surrounding the'rstmentioned chamber and constructed for directing flames substantially against the surrounding wall thereof for preheating the combustible liquid therein, a valve for controlling discharge of the fuel from the feeder chamber to said burner, means for opening said valve, means for supplying fuel under pressure to said feeder chamber,

an igniting device secured to one of said chambers adjacent the burner in position for igniting the same upon opening of the Valve, said igniting device having a int assembly and wick adjacent the burner with means for lighting the wick, control means for said igniting device connected with the valve opening means, and an eX- plosive chamber in the first-mentioned chamber and having a percussion cap connected therewith for discharging the explosive upon impact of said cap.

4. An incendiarybomb comprising a container for a combustible fluid, a burner having a plurality of outlets surrounding said container arranged for directing flame therefrom to the peripheral walls of the container for preheating the combustible fluid therein, a feeder chamber containing fuel for said burner, means for supplying fuel under pressure to said burner, means carried by said bomb for igniting the fuel supplied .to said burner, and means for discharging the combustible iiuid from the container after preheating thereof.

5. An incendiary bomb comprising a container, a division plate in said container dividing said container into compartments, a combustible fluid in one compartment, a fuel in the other compartment, a burner surrounding the fuel compartment, means to supply fuel under pressure from the fuel compartment' to the burner, means carried by the bomb for igniting said burner and preheating the combustible fluid, and means for discharging the combustible iiuid after preheating thereof.

6. An incendiary bomb comprising a container having a tail portion and a, nose portion, a division plate in said container dividing said container into separate compartments one larger than the other with the small compartment leading, a combustible fluid in the larger compartment, a fuel in the smaller compartment, a burner ring having outlets surrounding the fuel compartment, means in said fuel compartment for supplying fuel under pressure to said burner ring, ignition means adjacent said burner ring for igniting the fuel therein and preheating the combustible iiuid in the larger compartment, and guiding means for the tail portion of said bomb including a plurality of vanes arranged substantially at right angles to each other, andbox sides extending` between the vanes and connecting them, together, said 'nose portion of the bomb having means for discharging the combustible material after preheating thereof.

SAMUEL B. HAMILTON.

Images