US40396A - Improvement in explosive projectiles - Google Patents

Description

T. H. BURROWES Shell.

- No. 40,396. Patented Oct. 2-7, 1863.

FFICE.

THOMAS H. BURROVVES, OF CHIOOPFE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPLOSIVE PROJECTlLES.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BURRowEs, of Chicopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles lor Ordnance; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,..and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a complete projectile constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same without the packing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the line as a; of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in a certain peculiar construction of and mode of loading an explosive projectile for the purpose of scattering inflammable matter before the bursting of the projectile; also, in a certain peculiar construction of the rear portion of an elongated proj ectile for the purpose of retaining a packing of felt-or other material.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is thebody of the projectile, divided transversely byapartition, 6, into two compartments or chambers, to and b, of which the front one, a, is to contain the bursting-charge of gunpowder, and the rear one, b, to contain alternate layers, (1 d and c c, of gunpowder-and an inflammable compound.

B is a fuse-tube screwed into the partition 0, and extending longitudinally and centrally through the chamber 1), for the reception of the fuse. This tube is open at its front end to the chamber a, and has holes it drilled in its sides, to communicate with the several layers (1 d and c0 of gunpowder and inflammable matter in the chamber 1), and is closed at its rear end by what I term the fuseshield 0, consisting of a flanged plug which screws into a thin tube or thimble, f, whichis itself screwed into the base of the projectile, the flange g of the said plug coming to a bearing against the base of the projectile, to prevent it from being driven in by the explosion of the charge of the gun and to prevent the fuse from being driven into the chamber a. tral orifice, j, through which the fire from the charge of the gun ignites the fuse in the tube B. The chamber a is loaded at the front of the projectile, wherelthere is provided a hole The said plug has a small cen-' which is closed by a screw-plug, h, and the chamber 2) is loaded at the rear before the tube f and plug. 0 are inserted. WVhcn the gun is fired, the fuse is ignited through the hole j in the fuse-shield, and the fire, on reaching the first hole or series of holes, i, ignites the first layer, cl, of gunpowder in the chamber 1), which blows out the shield 0. As the fire of the fuse successively reaches the several holes or series of holes t i, and the several charges of inflammable material and gunpowder c c and (Z (Z, the inflammable material is first ignited, and then blown out by the explosion or the gunpowder, and so scattered among the enemy, setting on fire everything with which it comes in contact, and the fire, finally reaching the burstingcharge in the chamber a, causes the projectile to burst like an ordinary shell.

The inflammable composition above spoken of is composed f four (4) parts, by weight. of mealgunpowder, three (3) of sulphur, and five (5) of tar or pitch mixed together.

To provide for holding on the packing E, there are provided on the rear portion of the body A, which is considerab y smaller than the full caliber of the projectile, a number of longitudinal fins, k 7;, of what I call threeway dovetail form, as is illustrated by the several figures ofthe drawings. Fig. 3 shows them to be of dovetail form transversely. Fig. 1 shows them to be of dovetail form in their longitudinal section, taken in a plane radial to the axis of the projectile; and Fig. -2 shows them to be of corresponding form in their longitudinal section, taken in a plane at right angles to Fig. 1. j p

The pack'ng may be of felt, india-rubber, or other soft material, put on either in rings or in a solid mass, and by entering the threeway dovetail cavities formed between the said fins 7.; 7:: it is held securely upon the projectile.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The arrangement within a projectile for ordnance of alternate layers. of gunpowder, and of an inflammable material which is capable of setting fire to bodies on which it falls, substantially as herein specified.

2. The perforated fuse-tube B, applied in combination with the two chambers a and b and the fuse-shield G, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

THOS. H. .BURROXVES.

IVitnesses:

S. ADAMS, N. WHITTIER.

Images