US1481798A - Projectile - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 29, 1924. 1,481,798

J. H. HAMMOND, JR., ET Al.

PROJECTILE Original Filed June 27 1917 WITNESS:

' msm fro/mfr Patented 29, `19.24.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN nays HAMMOND, Jn., AND HENRYJL. 'I'. BUswELL, or GLOUCESTER, MassacHUsE'r'rs; SAID BUSWELL 4AssIcfNoa '1ro snID HAMMOND.

rRoJEoTILE.

applicati@ med :une 27, 1917, serial No. 177,425. neewea Jury 11, 1922. serial No. 574,284.

To aZZ inkom z't may' conccmi Be it known that we, JOHN HAYS HAM- MOND, Jr., a c itizen of the United States,

Aand a resident of the city of Gloucester,-

county of Essex, and State of Masachusetts, and ENRX L. lF. BUsWELL, a subject f the King of Great Britain, and a resident .of the clty of Gloucester, county of Essex,

' and State of .Massachusetts, have invented certain new and 'useful' Improvements in Projectiles, of .which the following is a specification. v

Some of the objects of this invention are to provide an improved explosive projectile adapted to be discharged from a gun and constructed to emit poisonous or destructive gasesl or vaporsI upon impact with a target; to'provide anf'improved explosive projectile adapted to be discharged` from a gun and containin various devices and materials which wi co-act inredetermined sequence to perform various Emotions after the pro- 'ectile has been thrown from a gun and Yhas it its mark; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.l In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section of a projectile .constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation of a detail of the same; and Fig. 3A a transverse section of the same on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention comprises aA projectilevincludingl an elongated outer casing or shell 10 substantially cylindrical throughout the major portion of its length and provided with a flaty base closed by a base plug 11 threaded therein and having a tapered front end form-ing a head 12.

To adapt the projectile to perform various functions the interior of the shell 10 is divided into four main compartments including a front compartment 13, an inter-1 mediate compartment 14, an auxiliary compartment 15 and a rear compartment 16, by

an inner sectional casing which fits snugly in the shell 10 and which comprises a hollow front portion 17, a hollow intermediate portion 18, and'a rear portion 19. The hollow front portion 17 is provided at its rear end with a at closure 20 threaded therein as at 21 and forming the front compartment 13 and the intermedia-te compartment 14. The hollow inter- 'with a suitable ignition material a' partition between @mediate portion 18 is provided at its rear.

ena with a ilat closure 22 integral therewith and forming a partition between 'the intere j mediate compartment 14 and the auxiliary compartment 15. The Vhollow rear portion v19 is provided intermediate fof its ends with a flat closure 23 forming a partition between the auxiliary compartment 15`and the rear i compartment 16, and is provided at its rear end with a flat closure 24: threaded therein as at 25. The. front end of the hollow intermediate portion 18Iis threaded into the rear end of the hollow front portion as at 26 and the front end of theV hollow rear portion is threaded around the intermediate hollow portion 18 intermediate of its ends as at 2 Y For incendiary purposes both the hollow front portion 17 o the inner casing, and its closure 20A are formed of refractory or. heat resisting materials, `for example, of magnesi'te, magnesia tar or silicate of soda. The

Yclosure 20 may be composed in part of some substance having special heat insulatingv properties, for instance of asbestos, or an .'board, or some other light and easily com'- bustible' material, which isarran ed in the front compartment 13. The main portion of the conductor 35 is filled with an suitable material which will ignite an reactquickly, for instance with a mixture 36 of red oxide of iron and aluminum. The portion of the conductor adjoining the concussion fuses 30, 31 and 32 are preferabl lilled or 1nstance with a mixture 361 of barium peroxide andvaluminum. The space within the front. compartment 13 surrounding the concussion fuses 31 and 32 and the conductor 35 is filled with an exothermic reaction mixture 37, for inst-ance with thermit, comosed of iron oxide and aluminum. Metal shrapnel balls 38 each covered with' a refractory coating 39 may be embedded in the exothermic mixture 37.

For the purpose of generating a poisonousgas or vapor within the projectile im vmediately after the projectile has been discharged from a gun, a plurality of glass tubes 45 are arranged transverselyof the projectile and fixedly secured withinythe intermediate compartment 14, one end of each tact but to break when the projectile is'.

thrown from a gun. The space within the intermediate compartment surrounding the tubes 45 is filled with a solution of potassium ferro cyanide.

To permit of the discharge of the poisonous gases or fluids from the projectile into the sourrounding vatmosphere immediately after the projectile has hit a target, the projectile is provided with a plurality of radially ar ed ports 50 extending through the over apping walls of the hollow intermediate portion 18, the hollow rear portion 19 and the shell 10. These ports 50 are normally kept closed by a piston valve arranged within the projectile and extending coaxially therewith, and comprising a fiat circular head 51 and a cylindrical tubular portion 52 integral with the head 51. The head 51 is arranged to reciprocate longitudinally of theprojectile in the auxiliarycompartment 15, and the cylindrical tubular portion 52 is arranged to reciprocate snugly in an annular cylindrical passage 53 provided therefor between the forward part of the rear hollow portion 19 and the rear part of the intermediate portion 18 of the seetional inner casing. This valve is provided with an external, rearwardly facing annular shoulder 54 which is normally 'pressed against a corresponding annular shoulder. provided therefor on the inner surfaceV ofthe hollow rear portion 19 of the inner casing, by means of a spiralspring 56 compressed between the fixed partition 22 and the head 51 of the valve. The valve is held against rotation with respect to the projectile by a pin or key 58 arranged radially in the intermediate portion 18 of the inner casing and riding in a slot 57. The cylindrical portion 52 of the valve is providedv with a plurality of ports 60 which are arranged to register with: the ports 50 respectively when the Vvalve is in its foremost or operative position with the head 51Jof the valve in contact with the rear end of the hollow intermediate portion 18 of the inner casing. For retaining the valve 52 in its foremost or operative position a plurality O plungels 65 am radially mja: in

apertures provided therefor through the rear hollow portion 19 and are normally pressed into engagement with the cylindrical surface of the-head 51 of the valve when the valve is in its rearlnost position by springs 66 respectively as shown in Fig. l. These plungers 65 are so arranged that when the valve is thrown into lits foremost or operative position the plungers are released bythe valveI and are pressed radially inwardly limited distances by the springs 66 and into the path of the valve, preventing the valve from being moved rearwardly, and thus the valve is retained in an operative position.

For exploding the projectile, the rear compartment 16 is filled with any suitable explosive material 70, for instance with trinitrotoluol which is arranged to be acted upon by a time fuse 71 or other suitable fuse for detonating the explosive material a predetermined tiine after the projectile has hit its target.

In the operation of this improved projectile the discharge ofthe projectile from the gun causes the concussion fuses 30, 31 and 32 to function in a well known manner and to ignite the ignition powder 361 which in turn ignites the mixture in the conductor 35 which burns very rapidly, and since the conductor 35 is made of combustible material, the whole mass of the thermit 0r other substance surrounding the conductor is quickly ignited and reaction occurs nearly simultaneously throughout the mass. lVitliin about live seconds after'the projectile has left the gun t-he front compartment is filled with molten iron and aluminum slag at a.

temperature of about 5000 F. When thermit is used, the reaction which has occurred is one in which oxygen leaves the iron oxide and combines with the aluminum resulting in aluminum oxide and iron. Also,

when the projectile is discharged from a gun the glass tubes 45 are broken by the sudden movement of the projectile, and the sulphuric acid contained in the tubes combines with the solution of potassium ferro cyanide in the intermediate compartment 14 and fills the intermediate compartment with hydrocyanieacid and poisonous fumes or gases under pressure. This reaction is facilitated and expedited 'by the rotary movement of the projectile about its longitudinal axis while in Hight.

When the projectile hits a target the sudden stoppage of the projectile causes the valve 51 to move into its foremost position where it is held by the plungers 65, and the hydrocyanic acid and poisonous gases or fuses are discharged lfrom the projectilel through the ports 50 to kill or render insensible any persons in the vicinity of the projectile.

Finall vand after a predetermined interval of time following the impact of the projectile against its target, the time fuse 71 performs its function and ignites the explosive material 7 0 in the .rear compartment 16 and the projectile is 'exploded and entirely broken up and the molten or the semimolten incendiary materiaal in the front compartment 13 @is widely scattered.

By delaying the explosion of the projectile until after the poisonous fumes or gases have been expelled from the projectile through the ports 50, the disassociation 'of the fumes or gases into Ithe. harmless constituents, hydrogen and nitrogen is avoided.

The glass tubes 45 filled with concen- .trated sulphuric acid are not placed in the projectile until just before it is to beplaced in a gun, the outer shell 10 being provided with a suitable aperture having a removable steel closure 7 5 threaded into .Y the Walls thereof opposite the outer end of each tube 45 to permit.v of .the convenient insertion or removal of the tubes 45 through the outer shell v10. The outer closure 4,51 of each tube and the corresponding steel closure may be provided in their outer'surfaces With slotsv 76 and 77 respectively adapted to receive a screw driver to position these parts. By delaying the placing of the glass tubes 48 inthe projectile until just before the lprojectile is put into operation, the liability of destruction or damage of persons or' 'property due to a premature explosion of the projectile before the glass tubes have been placed in thev shell is minimized.

The fuses 30, 31 and 32 may'be of the percussion. type so that the aluminothermic reaction -does not occur until after the proj ectile strikes the tar et. In this way, when the charge 16 is detnated the mixture 37 will be found at a maximum temperature.

Having thus full described this invention, We claim and esire to protect by Letters Patent ofthe United States:

1. A projectile including a shell, a. plurality of substances contained in said shell and adapted to combine chemically to produce a given substance,' means normally- 'maintalnmg said substances separated but operative as a result of the sudden discharge of said shell from a 'gun tocause said first mentioned substances to combine to produce said given substance, and means operative Vto explode said shell a predetermined time after impact.

2. A projectile including a shell, a plurality of substances contained in said shell and adapted to combine chemically to form a poisonous Huid, means normally maintaining said substances separated but operative as a result of the sudden discharge of saidshell from va gun to causel said substances to combine chemically to form said fluid, and means operative by impact toy release said poisonous fluid gradually from said shell. tents of the first named compartment and 180y 3. projectile including a shell, a. plu-v rality of substances contained in said shell and adapted to combine chemically to form a poisonous gas, means normally maintaining said substances separated but operative as a result of the sudden discharge of said shell from a gun to cause said substances to combine chemically to form said gas, and.

erated by impact to release said gas gradually from said shell. J a

5. A projectile comprising a shell provided With a compartment, a fragile container in said compartment, a salt and an acid in said compartment and normally separated by said container, said container being constructed and arranged to be fractured as a result of the discharge of said projectile from a gun to cause said acid to commingle with said salt,n and means 'operative to explode said shell a predetermined time after impact. 6. A. projectile comprising means providing a plurality ofl compartments, an exothermic reaction mixture in one of said compartments, a plurality of `normally separated substanceslfor generating a poisonous gas arranged in another -of said compart- 'A ments, and time controlled means for exploding said projectile arranged in a third one of said compartments.

7. A projectile comprising means provid- 'i .ing a plurality ofcompartments, an exo-A thermic reaction mixture in one of said compartments, concussion means operative to y ignite said-mixture' as said shell is expelled. from a gun, a pluralityof normallyseparate substances arranged in another of said compartments to operate to combine to form a poisonous gas as a result of thedischarge of said projectile from a gun', means operative to permit the discharge of said gas fromsaid projectile as a result of the impact of said projectile against a target, and means operative to explode said projectile a predetermined time after' said impact.

8. A projectile lcomprising a compartment for containing poisonous matter injurious to living beings,- a second. compartment containing explosive matter injurious to prop-- erty,4 and means responsive to the impact of said projectile for quickly releasing the com means for subsequently exploding the contents of the second compartment'.

i). A projectile comprising poisonous matter injurious to living beings, and explosible matter adapted to .injure property, lmeans responsive tol the impact of the projectile for first releasing the poisonous matter and means to thereafter explode the explosive matter.

10. A projectile comprising a shell having a'plurality of compartments each adapted to impart inj'ury to differently characterized elements'of an enemy front, and meansv iesponsive to the impact of the shell for `quickly releasing the contents of one of said compartments and means for subsequently releasing the contents of the remaining compartments. y

11. A projectile comprising a shell having two compartments each adapted t0 impart injury. to differently characterized elements of an enemy front, and means vresponsire to the impact of the shell for quickly releasing the contents of one of said compartments and a time fuse for dise-harging the contents of the other compartment.

12. A projectile comprising a compartment for containing poisonous matter inj nrious to living beings, a second compart- Yment containing explosive matter injurious to property, and means responsive to the impact of said projectile for quickly releasing t-he contents 'of the first named compartment and means operable at a different time for exploding the contents of the second compartment.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of June, 1917.

JGHN HAYS HAMMOND, Jar.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto', set my hand this 11th day of June, 1917.

HENRY L; F. BUSWELL.

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