US289492A - Time-shell - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Moiiel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T J. ARMISTEAD.

TIME SHELL.

No. 289,492. Patented Dec. 4 1883.

V BNfTOR:

ATTORNEY;

WITNESSES L/7 W O (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. J. ARMISJ'EAD.

TIME SHELL. No. 289,492. Patented Dec. 4, 1883.

WITNESSES: F A INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

' Ain such manner as to form a water-tight UNITED STATES i A'I -ENT Fries.

THOMAS J. ARMISTEAD, OF LANCASTER, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO SIMEON A. MIDDLETON AND GHRISTOPHER O. MCCLURE, BOTH OF CRAB ORCHARD,

KENTUCKY;

TI M E-SH EL L.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,492, dated December 4, 1883.

Application filed February 6, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:- I Be it known that I, THOMAS J. ARMIST'EAD,

of Lancaster, in the county of Garrard and State of Kentucky, have invented anew and 5 useful Improvement in Time-Shells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad, to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of shells or projectiles having aclock-work adapted to be set in motion by the act of being discharged from a gun, and means for causing the clockwork to release a firing mechanism at any desired instant, for the purpose of exploding the torpedo.

In the drawings, Figurel is an elevation of the torpedo, partly in section and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a section of the timing and firing mechanisms, taken on line war of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail view.

The shell of the torpedo consists of a cylindrical body, A, whi'ch'is to hold the explosive substance, and a conical part, B, which is adapted to be secured to one end of the part joint. In this conical part are inclosed the mechanisms for timing and firing the-torpedo. The timing mechanism consists of an ordinary clock-work, embracing the coil-spring 0, connected to the rear end of the longitudinal shaft D, and the system of gearing E, deriving motion from the said spring. The shaft F of the gearing E is provided with a loose sleeve, G, carrying a cam, H, which is adapted to be set in any desired position by rotating the sleeve and then screwing up the nut I on the. end of the shaft E, which holds the frictional clutches i i on the shaft and sleeve, respectively, in contact with each other. The cam H is connected with a device, J, for releasing the firing mechanism, which will hereinafter be explained.

To assist in setting the cam in order to secure the release of the firing mechanism in a given number of seconds, adial, K, is arranged inside the shell, and a pointer, L, on the end of the sleeve G is adapted to move over the face of the dial, and an opening, M, is provided in the shell, through which the sleeve may be reached and rotated -to set the cam.

This opening is to be provided with a waterproof cover of any suitable construction.

The timing mechanism, when wound up, will be held byanotched wheel,N, or its equivalent, on the forward end of the longitudinal shaft 1), and a spring-released catch, 0, pivoted in a recess, I, in the outer surface of the conical part B of the shell, which is adapted to be held in engagement with one of the notches'in the wheel N by the contact with its outer end, Q, of the inner surface of the gunchamber-thalt is, when the projectile is inserted into the gu n-chambcr, the end Q of the lever or catch 0 is to be pressed inward toward the body of the projectile, in which position it-will be held by the wall of the chamber until the gun is discharged. As soon as the projectile leaves the 'gun the spring of the catch 0 will cause the wheel N to be released, and the movement of the clock-work or timing mechanism will begin.

The firing mechanism consists of a springactuated dog, R, which is to be so located that it may strike through an opening in the frame S and explode the percussion-cap T, andof a cam, U, and coil-spring Y for operating the dog. The coil-spring Vis wound on a drum, W, and communicates its action through a ratchet, Y, to the shaft Y, which carries a pinion, Z, gearing with a larger pinion, A, on the shaft B. On the shaft B is secured the cam U, which operates the dog R against the action of its spring 0. This cam is so constructed that it has a gradually-increasing eccentricity of outline which shall act upon the rear end, D, of the dog, and thus raise the latter 'to cocked position, from which it will be sprung back when the end D of the dog slips off the point E of the cam, as the latter continues to revolve. The cap T is to be supported immediately in line with the striking end of the dog in a suitable receptacle or opening in the body A, which contains the explosive compound.

In order to hold the firing mechanism until the instant the explosion is to be made, Iprovide a shaft, F, having a pinion, G, which gears with a pinion, H, on the shaft Y, and provide the shaft F with a suitable projection, J, against which a corresponding projection, I00

IO j the projectionP ripheral surface of the cam H. The cam H is circular in form nearly throughout itsperiphery, but is provided with a V-shaped recess extending nearly to its center, so that when is brought to said recess by the rotation of the cam H through the-timing mechanism above described itwillbe allowe to sink into said recess under the action of the coil-springs V of the firing mechanism, and thus cause the shaft L to rotate sufficiently to withdraw its projection K out of contact with the projectiou'J'. When the projection 'J is thus released, thecoil-spring-V begins to unwind and sets the cam U in motion,'which is adapted to rotate with s'uflicient rapidity to operate the hammer or dog within a few sec- When the torpedo is constructed, the coilsprings are to be wound, and these parts need again after the mechanism is inclosed in the shell. It is only 11 to reach the sleeve upon which the cam H is I mounted in order to set the timing mechanism according to the distance the projectile is to be thrown, and this sleeve, as already doscribed, is to be reached through an opening in the conical part of the The extreme (and of the conical part of the torpedo is made removab1e, in order that the'notched wheel and its catch may be inspected to ascertainlf they are inproper engagement each other 'a construction, broadly.

notched wheel, N, at the sum before being' inserted into the gun. The end; or point is toscrew into or over'the main'part,j i

as shown.

. 40 It is understood that all Openings i th 11. 11. y

are to be closed water-proof to exclude water from the machinery, as well as from the ex; 1 plosive compound. v w

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a torpedo with-a time-firing mechanism having a clock-spring and gearing adapted to,

release a spring-operated hammer, which produces the explosion by strikinga cap or'other' firing device, and Itherefore do not claim f vWhatI claimis-- '3 1. The combination, with a shell, of the 10113 gitudinalshafl; D, having the timing clock-1' spring 0 secured thereto other end, and the spring-released catch 0, adapted to engage with said wheel, and having one end projecting along the outside of the shell, 'and'ada to be held in engagement with the wheel by the wall of the gun-chamber, substantially as shown and described. 2. The combination, with the timing mechauism, of the adjustable cam H, having a V-" Y- shaped recess extending nearly to its center.", 65 the device J, arranged in contact with the said cam, the spring and cam operated dog R,ran'd J means, J K4, for connecting the firing mechanism of the "dog with the device J and cam-H," substantially as shown and described. ,1 1 1 T. J. ARMISTEAD; Witnesses: I V

' A. G. LYNE,

801.01: 0. Ramos.

at one end and a

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