US2385376A - Marine flare - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1945.

F. L. OGLE MARINE FLARE Filed Oct. 7, 1943 9 L I6 HT H YDRU CA RBON FRANK LAWSON OGLEL Patented Sept. 25, 1945 2,385,316 MARINE FLARE Frank Lawson Ogle, Liverpool, England, assignor to Imperial C m ca In ustries imi ed; acorporation of Great Britain Application October 7, 1943, Serial No. 505,416

' In Great Britain October 7, 1942 7 Claims. o1. 9-83) This invention relates to marine flares.

It is an object of this invention to produce a marine flare which can be manufactured with a high degree of safety, and which will be actuated byplaeing the same in water. i

It is another object of this invention to produce a marine flare which when placed in water will have a delayed action.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a marine flare in which the flare-producing materials are sealed with water soluble plugs which are automatically removed by contact with water.

Other objects of the invention will be evident from the following description.

- The accompanying illustration, which will be hereafter referred to in detail, is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of a flare constructed in accordance with the invention.

According to the present invention, a marine flare comprises a closed metal container adapted to float in water, which container is dividedinto two compartments capable of being put into com- Inunicati-on through a passage or passages. normallyclosedby a solid combustible or easily fusible body, the one compartment containing a light hydrocarbon such as paraffin, benzene or petrol, and the second an alkali metal such as sodium; the said second compartment being adapted to admit Water when the device is thrown into water, andhaving a portion above the water level witha relatively weak wall capable of being disrupted as a result of the reaction of the alkali metal with the water, thereby opening the compartment to the atmosphere. Advantageously the relatively weak wall is a metal closure soldered onby a low-melting solder.

When such a device is thrown into water, water enters the compartment containing the alkali metal, whereby sufiicient heat is generated both to disrupt the relatively weak portion of the compartment and to cause the plug or seal in the passage or passages joining the two compartments to burn or fuse. and thus to admit the hydrocarbon to the sodium-containing compartmerit-and cause it tocatch fire.

If desired the metal container may also contain other compartments containing smoke-producing materials or the materials to produce coloured lights. Such other compartments may also be adapted tocontain large quantities of a cheaper, more difiicultly combustible or heavier oil which will float onwater, and-to release the oilhwhen the flare is thrown into thewater. On throwing the device into water. the oil--wil1-be dispersed on, the water and will be set alight by the fire generated by the sodium and the light hydrocarbon.

To retain such oil in the container before it is thrown into the water and to prevent the prior decomposition of the sodium, the appropriate compartments may be sealed with water-soluble plugs. or. they may each have a perforated wall over which a cap is normally fitted and which can be removed before the device is thrown or projected, into the water. Alternatively the alkali metal-containing compartment may be sealed and the container punctured before it is thrown. into the water at a place which will be below the water level. The use of'a water-soluble plug has the advantage that there is a time lag between throwing the device intowater and the onset of the reaction of the water with the alkali metal. This allows the lifeboat or other vessel from, which the flare isthrown to get clear of the flare before it lights up.

In one form, ofthe invention the metal container hasone central cylindrical compartment with an annular compartment around it, the wall common to the two having perforations orslots sealed by, for example, tin foil or a low-melting solder. The device is weighted so that when thrown into water it will float with oneend of the central compartment below the water and the other above it. The outer compartment has a closeable" opening through which it can be filled with petrol, paraflin or the like. The inner compartment has at the lowerend a perforated bottom whoseperforations aresealed by a watersoluble plug, andat the upper end a plate carrying a removable lid through which the alkali metal can be introduced and inwhich is a small orifice through which gas can escape slowly. Both the sealed perforated bottom and the plate atthe top are rendered air-tight. and watertight by a very light gauge plate soldered on, each of which is in turn protected against mechanical-damage by a lid of heavier gauge. held on byfriction, and providedwith a cutter by whichthe light gauge plate canbe-cutoff when the flare is to be used. Insteadot having a perforated'lid. at. the ends which are protected by air-tightlids to be cut away, singleclosures may beprovided at each end sealed on by low melting solder, and the necessary openings made before use by puncturing.

The outer compartment is filled with paraffin, petrolorthe like, and a massofallcali' metal, e. gt, sodium, is putinto-the inner compartment. The: closures are then put on-the latter compart ment and the device can then be stored indefinitely.

When it is desired to use the flare the outer loose lid over each end of the inner compartment is removed, and the thin gauge seals cut ofi by the cutters. The device is then thrown into the water. Water enters the inner compartment through the perforations below the water level while the gas displaced by it escapes by the small orifice at the top and the water reacts with the sodium. Gas is generated more rapidly than it can escape through the orifice in the upper lid, and this and the heat generated by the reaction causes the lid to be blown off and the sodium to catch fire. The tin foil is thus melted, whereby the petrol or other light hydrocarbon in the outer compartment is admitted to the flaiming sodium and itself takes fire. 7

Referring to the above-mentioned illustration, the central cylindrical compartment I has an annular compartment 2 surrounding it for its whole length except for a short portion at either end allowing caps 3 and I2 to be fitted over the ends of the compartment I. The one end of compartment I closed by cap 3 has a perforated bottom 5 sealed by a plug 6 of water-soluble material and outside this is soldered on a plate I4 of; light gauge material. The other end of compartment I is closed by a sheet of light gauge metal 4, which is soldered on, and has within it a closure I, carrying a lever lid I3. Lid I3 has a small opening 8. A loose cover I2 over the cap 4 is fitted with a small'cutter (not shown) by which the thin metal sheetfi can be opened when the apparatus is used. Cap 3 is similarly provided with a cutter for removing the plate I4. The wall of compartment I has a number of slots 9 (one of which is shown) sealed by tin foil soldered on, through which slots the inner compartment I communicates with the outer compartment 2 when the foil is removed. The latter compartment has ballast I!) fixed to'the same end of the flare as perforated bottom 5 of compartment I to ensure that when thrown into Water the device will float with the bottom 5 in the water and opening 8 above it. The container 2 can be filled with petrol, parafiin, or the like by means of a screw cap I I.

When the apparatus is prepared for use, the water-soluble plug 6 is applied, compartment I is. charged with sodium or other alkali metal through lid I2, and afterwards plates 4 and I are soldered on. Compartment 2 is filled with petrol or its equivalent through screw cap II and cap 3 and cover I2 are put on. Caps 3 and I2 protect the metal sheets 4 and I4 from damage and provide the cutting instrument for removing them when desired. I

To use the flare, caps 3 and I2 are used to cut off the metal sheets 4 and I4 and are then removed, and the device is thrown into water. It automatically floats with the perforated bottom 5 of the compartment I below water, so that after a short interval Water dissolves away plug 6 and enters the compartment l, air being displaced throughtheopening 8. The water will thus .reactwith the sodium and generate hydrogen, so that lid I3 is blown oil, and the remaining sodium catches fire. The tin foil sealing slots 9 is thus melted so that the petrol or its equivalent is admitted to the flaming sodium and itself catches fire. Depending on the relative strengths of the lid I3 and the seals on slots 9 either may be disrupted first, and in some cases it may be prefer- .able for the'seals on slots 9 to be broken first,

partly by the heat, and partly by the pressure generated in compartment I.

I claim:

l. A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, partitioning means between said compartments, said partitioning means composed of a material which will be removed as a result of the reaction of water and alkali metal to form a passageway between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressure generated by said reaction to open said alkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

2. A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, a watersoluble sealing means over said opening, partitioning means between said compartments, said partitioning means composed of a material which will be removed as a result of the reaction of water and alkali metal to form a passageway between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressure generated by said reaction to open said alkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

3; A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a, light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, said alkali metal-containing compartment having a vent to the atmosphere above the surface of the water, partitioning means between said compartments, said partitioning means composed of a material which will be removed as a result of the reaction of water and alkali metal to form a passageway between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressuregenerated by said reaction to open saidalkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere. 4. A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a'given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water'level to permit fiowof water to said compartment when said container is afloat, said alkali metal-containing compartment having a vent to the atmosphere above the surface of the water, a water-soluble sealing means, over the said opening, partitioningmeans between said compartments, said partitioning means composed of a material which will be removed as a result of thereaction of water and alkali metal to form a passageway between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressuregenerated by said reaction to open said alkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

M 5. Amarine,fiarecomprisinga container which will float inwater in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, a soldered metal foil between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressure generated by said reaction to open said alkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

6. A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, said alkali metal-containing compartment having a vent to the atmosphere from said compartment above the surface of the water, a soldered metal foil between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressure generated by said reaction to open said alkali meta1-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

'7. A marine flare comprising a container which will float in water in a given position, said container having a compartment containing a light hydrocarbon and a compartment containing an alkali metal, said alkali metal-containing compartment having an opening therein below the water level to permit flow of water to said compartment when said container is afloat, said alkali metal-containing compartment having a vent to the atmosphere from said compartment above the surface of the water, a water-soluble sealing means over the said opening, a soldered metal foil between said compartments, and means actuated by the pressure generated by said reaction to open said alkali metal-containing compartment to the atmosphere.

FRANK L. OGLE.

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