US835714A - Projectile. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED NOV. 13, 1905.

' J. B. SEMPLB.

PROJEGTILE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. a, 1904.

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Specification of Letters Patent.;.r .i

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application ld September 3, 1904. Serial 113:228332.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN BONNER SEM- PLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discoveredV certain new and useful Improve-` ments in Projectiles, of which-improvements the following is a specification.

My invention concerns means for visually' detecting the trajectory of projectiles; and the object of my improvements is a projectile which in flight can readily be observed by day and also by night.

ln general terms my invention consists in providing in a suitably-arranged cavity in the rojectile a quantity of substance which whillJ the projectile flies through the air will by suitable means be gradually expelled into the air and a substance of such properties that when so expelled it will form a visible trail behind the projectile either of cloud or of light.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this s ecification, Figure 1 shows in longitudina section an explosive projectile equipped with a structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification in the manner in which such a projectile may be equipped. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing my invention applied to a blind shell; and Fig. 4 is a view, also in longitudinal section, showing a modification in application to a blind shell.

Parts which are repeated in the several figures bear the same reference-numerals in each case.

Referring to Fig. 1, the body of the projectile is indicated by 1, and 2 represents the burster-cavity, represented as illed with aA burster charge. This burster cavity and char e are immaterial to my invention in its broa er terms. The figure, however, illustrates the adaptability of the invention and shows it ina practical combination. This explosive projectile is equipfped in usual manner with a base-plug 3 an a fuse 4:

l provide a chamber 5, adapted to receive a tracer substance, and l provide means for ejecting or expelling the tracer substance from such containing-chamber while the projectilei's in flight. 'My preferred construction involves the use of a tracer substance in liquid form. Chamber 5 is preferably and conveniently arranged at the rear and in the por-.t 6 leads from a axis of the projectile. It is preferably circular in cross-section and preferably tapered from rear 'to front. As shown in 1, it is in form a frustuin of a cone. "A port 6 leads from chamber 5 tothe exterior oi' the rojectile. Itis of such size as to ernn't t e gradual escape of the fluid in t e manner presently to be described and to that end is of relatively minute diameter. This ort 6 is arranged so as to permit the expulsion of all or a substantial part of the liquid contained in chamber 5 and also to be subject to the pneumatic pressure of firing. To these ends point in or near the edge of the base of the conical chamber and eX- tends rearward, opening behind 4the projectile, as shown in the drawings. Cavity 5 is partially filled with the tracer lluid, and port 6 is closed in such manner that the li uid will not escape in the ordinary usage w ,'ch the rojectile receives before firing; but when ed the ort will be opened for ,the urposes to e described.' I preferably c ose port 6 with a plug of lead 7, which when the' projectile is fired will be driven forward into chamber 5, leaving the port open. Y

The only necessary character of the liquid aside from its properties'asa liquid is that it shall be ada ted to visual detection when expelled. lf or daylight use, the fluid may be a solution of cheap asphaltum in benzene or .water containing common red pigment or chalk in sus ension. For night use I employ a liqui which on ex osure to the atmosphere will ignite an produce light. Such a liquid is zinc ethyl; another is a solution of phosphorus in carbon bisulid. The substances last named in igniting produce both livht ada ted for use either by night or by day.

The operation of this deviceis as follows: A. projectile equipped with it is fired. The great pneumatic pressure of the eX lesion of the firing charge is exerted throu It drives plug 7 forward into chamier 5. An inrush of highly-compressed gas into chamber 5 follows, and so' much of chamber 5 asis not occupied by the tracer lilqiid is occupied by highly-compressed gas. the projectile traverses the gun-barrel it receives its rotary movement, and the effect of this rotary movement in chamber 5 is to carry the li uid port 6.

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centrifugally to the Walls. ofthe cham er, A

leaving the compressed gasfas a centrallyv4o formed by the base-plug greater il'pssure Will expand and drive the l' f' 'g' liquid through port c, and ini consequence ef the relatively minut-e size or port 6 the outrushof the liquid vwill be slow i iliind will continue as the projectile flies. The visible mark of the path'of the projectile.

Figs. l and 2 show explosive proectilel` zo distinct mein er, 'suitably Asecured to the 'rear 'face ofthe projectile. ibas'esplug 1s modiiied and chamber 5 is famed wal-uli it My invention is equally present in each instance. Fig. 1 is, however,

z5 preferable to the Vextent that the tracer dfe vice-cannot encroach upon and reduce theA size ofi the burster-'cavity.

In iras.l s and 4- i haveshown in altem-ai "tivefform my invention ap` lied tol 4a blind 3o shell- 02. e., a shell provide cavity, but lacking a burste'r char e. vSuch afblilnd 'shell is commonly employecIV in target vrv'a'ctiee. instead oformi'nga separateandindependent 3 5 chamber for the tracer substance to employ the burster-cav'ity itsel'r` 'to that end. The

buster-cavity is ordinarily approjdmately its axis coinclucwith the Its vcircular" base is conical in form, and axis of` the projectile.

vconverge "anteriorly to a rounded apex. In suolrcase Icany port' `6 inward through-the rear Wall of the projectile 'and conveniently through vche base-plug 3 inthe manner shown Fig. 8 tofthe burster-cavity 2 at a point in 'f or near The point of opemng into cavity 2 may 'of vcourse be varied to rneet practical Icor'id-iitions The walls 'of the burster-cavity of a shell as converge very grafi-k 5o ordinarily constructed ually, and since in the practice of my invention the osition'ofthe ast remnant -of liquid the c amber is a resultant of varying yl''oroes' port 6 ma be prolonged into the chamber to any esired point` that it may ify Fig'. 4 I have shovv'fnsuch'a prolongation of f port' 6 iniatubeka. In this figure I- have also 4s'hotvn 'port 6 pgssing centrally through the 6o ruse-plilgfi, W' lCh in a' blind slie'll takes the place oflanoperative'fu'se. 'f ini the ron-nation of port c, particularly carried through the baseeplug offencedinar-y 'blind shell, it' may be necessary tol as @au a 'une of am@ 'Iman ce have indicated-in f uid thus dispersed in the air VWill form a y t with an opening adapte mffde'v'lce applied to an n one case it forms a;

In the other case the i with a bars-tee- In such case I nd it convenient 3, and its side Walls the ledge yoil/the"base'oi the cavi-ty.

est the last drags of the liquid. Inf

- said device extending across @come derstood that only -a portion or 'this prolonged hole need be 'of the minute 'diameter essential to successful use of the invention.

t Although I have shown a device embodying my invention applied to explosive projectiles, its application to all projectiles, whether explosive or not, is obvious.

The .in'vention described herein is to be ,distinguished from .projectiles used for dist'ributing 'oil on Water, provided With a li having a Cport for t l uid'an claim asm inventionl. A projectile provided Withja chamber adapted to contain ali uid, and provided d to control the escape oi liquid during the llight ofprojectile, sald chamber being closed except-as regards the discharges 2. A projectile provided Withachamber adapted to contfaln a liquid andA provided With a`n-o eni-ng for the escape of liquid, said chamber eing closed except as regards the escape-opening, means for closing said'opening removable on the discharge of the pro jectile from the gun, substantially as desuch projectiles being uid-containing chamber e inflow of a displacing I scribed.

'-3'. A projectile provided with a chamber adapted' to contain liquid, said chamber being provided with an outlet leading therefrom, said chamber being closed except as regards said outlet and a lug normally closings-aid port and removab sure;v j

4. An explosive projectile `-havinga yburst or cavity and provided with an auxiliary chamber adapted to contain a liquid, said liquid having-a port fir-outlet ada ted to con- ,troll the escape of liquid during t" e ilight of the projectile substantially as described. l.

5. The combination of a projectile 'having a fuse in its rear end, of a tracer 4device connected to 'the' rear end of the projectile and forming' ay gascheck for thejfuse, said tracer device having alliquid-containi-ng chamber and means for maintaining a contmuous disfcharge of the liquid from the projectile during its ilight.

6. The combination with a projectile, of a tracer ldevice comprising a casing secured upon the rear'end of the projectile, said casing having one or more openings in its-periphery for the discharge of tracer material under centrifugal force.

7. In a projectile, the combination orav another port furthe escapeofoil. j

e by external pres- ICO l1 to fuse having a-connection with the base there of, and -a tracer device also 'having :a connection with the base of said, projectile but inde ende'nt' oi the' connection of said vi'use, thev base of said fuse, thereby forming a gas-'check therefor, and ,'fliaving aerece'ss or lchamber 'for tracer material.

8. The combination with -a projectile having a Jruse in its rear end, of a tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectile independently of the fuse and'forming a gascheck for the fuse, said tracer device having a recess or chamber for tracer material.

9. The combination with the projectile having the fuse at its rear end, of a tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectile forming a gas-check and su plemental supportfor the fuse, said tracer device having a recess or chamber for tracer material.

1.0. The combination with a projectile having a use at its rear end7 of 'a tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectile independently of the fuse and forming a gascheck and supplemental support for the fuse,

said tracer device having a recess or chamber for the tracer material.

1 1. The combination with a projectile having at its rear end a fuse rovided With an expanded base or ange at its outer end, of a tracer device connected to the projectile and abutting against said base or flange and forming a gas-check and supplemental support for the fuse.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN BONNER 'sEMPLn Y Y Witnesses:

BAYARD H. CHRISTY, E, E. GAITHER,

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