US600581A - Robert a - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

R. A. HAMMOND.

BXPLOSIVB OIL CARRYING SHELL.

No. 600,581. Patented Mar. 15, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. HAMMOND, OE SANDl/VIOH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO GEORGE T. MOLAUGHLIN, OF SAME PLACE.

EXPLOSIVE OIL-CARRYING SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,581, dated March 15, 1898.

Application filed June 19,1897.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ROBERT A. HAMMOND, citizen of the United States, residing at Sandwich, in the county of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Oil-Carrying Shells,of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure l is a longitudinal central vertical section of an oil-carrying shell constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

My invention relates to certain improvements in explosive oil-carrying shells or projectiles which are adapted to be discharged from a gun on the shore into the sea around a stranded vessel, preferably to the windward, for the purpose of breaking down and quieting the waves and thereby facilitating the escape or rescue of the persons on board the vessel; and my invention has for its object to provide a shell of this character constructed in such manner that a series of successive explosions can be produced beneath the surface of the water for the purpose of more readily breaking down the rolling Waves and simultaneously distributing oil thereupon to quiet the water.

To this end my invention consists in an oilcarrying shell embodying certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, A represents the body of an explosive oil-carrying shell, preferably formed of cast iron or steel and provided with a cone-shaped point a, at the front end, said shell being adapted to be discharged from a gun on shore to the windward of a stranded vessel, so that in exploding it will break up the form of the rolling waves and at the same time liberate the oil to quiet the sea. Into the rear end of the body A is screwed a head I), the inner portion of which is of reduced diameter, forming a shoulder 5, onto which is screwed the open rear end of an inner shell or casin g B, which extends up within the body A, leaving a space or chamber (1 at the front end of the same for containing oil, which also Serial No. 641,490. (No model.)

fills the annular space 6 between the outer and inner shells, the latter being preferably made slightly tapering, as shown, to increase the width of the space 6.

The inner shell or casing B is divided by a thick partition f, cast integral therewith, into two separate explosion-chambers g h for containing powder or other suitable explosive compound, and extending centrally through the head I) and partition f and into a recess 10 at the front end of the chamber'h is a fusetube is, open at its rear end and containing a fuse 'm, said tube being provided with lateral openings 1520, through which the fire from the fuse is comm nnicated first to the explosive compound in the chamber 9 and afterward to the explosive compound in the chamber h, two successive explosions being thus produced, which break up the form of the waves and at the same time liberate the oil, and in this manner a vortex is created which prevents the continuance of the rolling waves from thepoint of the explosions to the shore, thus facilitating the launching of a boat, and by discharging a series of these shells at frequent intervals the water is kept in a comparatively smooth state, as desired. The fuse is ignited by the charge in the gun when fired and is so timed that the charge in the rear chamber g will not be ignited until after the shell has sunk to the bottom.

Tojthe rear end of the shell is secured a series of flexible wings D, preferably composed of rubber, which are adapted to be folded around the shell when within the gun, and on leaving the same these wings will spread or'spring out into the position shown in the drawings, serving to steady the flight of the shell and keep it in its proper course.

. The wings D are secured to or made integral with a pair of elastic bands 19 q, fitting tightly around the shell, as shown, and protected and held in place by the flange 25 of the head I) and a rib 26, extending around the outside of the body A.

By thus providing an oil-carryin g shell with a series of separate explosion chambers adapted to contain charges to be ignited in succession after the shell has sunk to thebottom of the sea the form of the rolling waves is more effectually and completely broken up than where a single explosion only is produced, While the oil is partially liberated at the first explosion and completely distributed by the subsequent explosion, thus quieting the sea around a wreck over which the shell may have been thrown and facilitating the escape or rescue of the persons on board the vessel.

It is obvious that the above-described shell may be discharged from a Vessel with equally good results in breaking up the form of the waves and distributing the oil.

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

1. An explosive oil-carrying shell, consisting of an outer casing for containing oil, an inner casing placed within the same and of such diameter as to leave an annular space between the two, a removable head for closing the rear ends of the inner and outer casings, said inner casing having a partition dividing it into two separate explosion-chambers for containing an explosive compound, a fusetube extending through the rear head and rear explosion-chamber into the front explosion-chamber, and having openings communicating with the said rear and front explosion-chambers, and a fuse passing through the fuse-tube and adapted to ignite in succession the charges in the explosion-chambers when the shell is beneath the surface of the water, whereby a series of successive explosions is produced to break up the form of the Waves, and simultaneously distribute the oil to quiet the sea, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the shell having the flange 25 and rib 26, of the flexible wings D, provided with elastic attaching-bands p, q, secured thereto at the top and bottom and adapted to encircle and tightly clasp the body of the shell, substantially as set forth.

lVitness my hand this 16th day of June, A. D. 1897.

ROBERT A. HAMMOND.

In presence of P. E. TESCHEMACHER, B. L. MARDEN.

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