US7572A - Improvement in gun harpoons and lances - Google Patents

Description

R. B RO W N.

Bomb Lance. l

` Patented Aug. 20,1850.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEO EOBEET BROWN, OE NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN HARPOONS AND LANCES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 7,572, dated August x0, 1550.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ROBERT BROWN, of the city and county ot' New London, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun Lances and Harpoons forthe Capture of Whales and OtherAnimals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings ofthe same, which make part ot' this speeiii cation, an d in which- Figure l is a side elevation of one of my lances loaded into a gun-barrel, a portion of the latter bein g removed to exhibit lnore clearly the arrangement of the parts within it. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thelance during its iight after being discharged from the barrel. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one ot' the sides of the lance at right angles to the side seen iu Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, in perspective, ot the buttend of the shank with its shoe or button in place. Fig. 5 is a similar view oi' the end of the shank with the shoe or button removed, and FIO'. 6 is a like view ot' the shoe.

My invention and improvement consist, irst, in attaching a tail of short cords (or their equivalent) to the butts of guirlances in such manner that the cords can be laid by the side ofthe shank, loaded with it into the gun, and fired therefrom. The tail thus arranged will, during the ilight of the lance, be extended behind it, and operate as a drag on its butt-end, keepin g the latter back andthe point forward, thereby rendering its flight in the direction in which it is aimed more certain.

Experiments have shown that the shoe or button at the butt-end of harpoonsand lances prevents the lines attached thereto from trailing during their fiightas nearly in a line with the shank as they would it' left free to assume their position without obstruction from the button, and likewise thatthese buttons greatly retard the ilight ot' the harpoon or lance by the great arca which they oppose to the action of the air.

The object Ot' the second part of my invention is to remedy these defects, audit consists in Inakin g the button separatelrom the shank and so attaching it thereto that it shall fall therefrom very soon after the lance leaves thc muzzle Oli' the gun.

My lance is composed of a Iluted shank, I3,

havinga button or boss, 0,011 its butt-end, th lits the bore of the barrel ot' the gun when it is to be tired, anda double spear head blade at its front extremity. This doul blade is composed of a blade, C, of the or nary construction, with a second blade, l), i cured at right angles thereto, the second bla projecting in advance of the first.

To the butt ot' the shank a series of cor( c c c e, are tied. These cords form a tail, ai drag behind the lance during its iiight, as se in Fi-g. 2. The friction between the tail ai the air operates as a drag on the butt of t lance and keeps it back. rlhe cords should of uniform size and arranged symmetrical round the axis of the shank, so that they m drag behind it with equal force, and thus te to keep the lance duringits iiight in the dire line in which it was projected from the gr -lf the tail should not be symmetrical in i construction, or its axis should not be coin dent with that of the shank of the lance, would operate as a rudder to detlect the lan from the course in which it was aimed ai fired. The section of the shank may b e th ot' a cross, as represented in Fig. 5, or ot at bar with concave sides, or of any oth form the constructor may deem suitable.

The button b is shown in Fig. l alixed the end of the shank and resting on the w: which keeps the charge of powder in place the barrel of the gun. In Fig. (i it is shoi detached from the end of the shank. Tl button b consist-s ot' a disk of metal perforat in the center with a hole large enough to loosely upon the stem or pivote, on the hind extremity of the shank.

During the act of firing the explosive foi of the powder acts upon the button, which driven out ofthe barrel, pushing bet'oreit t lance or harpoon. As soon as it leaves t muzzle the lilies or cords attached to the sha press back againstit and force itoii" the stel but if the lines were not there to push it the resistance ol the air would be su'licienti that purpose.

As the button is, in general, lost, it is best make it OI.- some cheap material, and I prei to nlakc it of' cast-iron; but it may be ma of any other materia-l the consti-neun' choo.` to employ. II'sueh a mmlilication should preferred, a stem might project from the center of the button and enter a corresponding' hole in the end of the shank.

Harpoons and lances thus constructed may be made of any suitable material. It is, however, ot' some importance to employ cheap materials, because ot' the frequency with which these instruments are lost, but especially the lances. For these, therefore, I would recommend cast-iron for the head and shank and spun yarn for the tail.

These lances and harpoons are loaded into and fired out of the gun in the usual manner, and therefore a particular description of these operations is deemed unnecessary.

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

1. Attaching,` a tail of cords, or their equi alent, to giur-lances, substantially in the ma ner and for the purpose herein sct forth.

2. Attaching the button to the shank of gu harpoons or lances in such manner that Whe the lance or harpoon is discharged from tl gun the button will drop oii", being,` theret prevented from retarding the Hight and fro deiiecting the lance o'r harpoon from the lil in which it is projected from the gun, substai tially as described.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto su scribed my name.

. ROBERT BROWN. Witnesses P. H. WATSON, T. C. DoNN.

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