AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE" a communication to me from abroad by
Henry A. Shipp of San Francisco in the County of San Francisco, State of
California United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved dynamite shell or projectile which
can be fired out of the usual guns with any kind of powder.
The shell cast of any suitable metal is provided with a removable head preferably
made in the shape of the frustum of a cone and fitting in the top of the cylindrical
part of the shell. It is held in place by screw bolts screwed through the sides of the
shell at the upper end into the head.
The dynamite chargo is surrounded by an elastic envelope of gun cotton or any
other suitable elastic material which in turn is surrounded by a metallic casing or
canister fitting anugly in the body of the shell. The canister has a wad of felt or
other soft material placed between its base and the base of the shell. The top of
the canister is closed by a suitable cover on which a disc of compressed gun cotton
is placed, and on the said disc a packing ring is placed-which is preferably made
of rubber tubing and is compressed between the bottom of the head of the shell
and tho gun cotton disc. A plug is screwed axially into the head of the shell, the
top of the said plug being so shaped that it will be flush with the outer surface of
the head at the point, and in the said plug a primer is screwed which is provided at
its inner end with a detonating cap. This cap extends inwards and nearly into
contact with the cover of the canister and it is provided with apertures for receiving
a key or other instrument for turning the said plug. When the detonating cap
explodes it ignites the gun cotton disc or ring which also explodes, thereby rupturing
the top of the canister and igniting the dynamite charge in the same.
As it is necessary that the entire shell should be ruptured and shattered by tho
explosion, I have provided the heavy head which cannot be thrown out by the
force of the explosion and causes the shell to be ruptured.

page_text: "
The shells can be charged very easily and rapidly, and all that is necessary is to
insert the canister and packing rings, screw the head in place and then screw in the
plug and primer. The projectiles can be stored safely in such condition as to be
ready for use, or the canisters can be stored separately and the shells charged when
required. The elastic envelope surrounding the charge of dynamite breaks the
vibration when the projectile is fired and prevents premature explosion of the
projectile. The wad and the packing ring at the bottom and top of the charge
respectively prevent premature explosion in handling the shell and also assist the
explosion when the shell is fired.
In place of dynamite, nitro-cellulose, nitro-glycerine, giant powder, or any other
powerful explosive compound may be used to charge the canister.

page_text: COMPLETE
"
DIECIFICATION,
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE FOR ORDNANCE (a communication to me from abroad by
Henry A. Shipp of San Francisco in the County of San Francisco and State of
California, United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention relates to a new and improved dynamite shell or projectile which
can be fired out of the usual guns with any kind of powder..
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improved projectile.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the packing ring.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the top piece of gun-cotton.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the primer.
The shell A, cast of any suitable metal, is provided with a removable head B
preferably made in the shape of the frustum of a cone, and fitting in the top of the
cylindrical part of the shell. It is beld in place by screw bolts C screwed through
the sides of the shell at the upper end into the head.
The dynamite charge D is surrounded by an elastic envelope of gun-cotton D¹ or
any other suitable elastic material, which in turn is surrounded by a metallic casing
or canister E fitting snugly in the shell A.
The canister E has a wad G of felt or other soft material placed between its base
and the base of the shell.
The top of the canister is closed by a suitable cover F.
On the top F a disk H of compressed gun-cotton is placed, and on the said
disk H a packing ring J is placed which is preferably made of rubber tubing and is
compressed between the bottom of the head B and the disk H. A plug L is screwed
into the head B, the top of the said plug being so shaped that it will be flush with
the outer surface of the head B at the point, and in the said plug a primer M is
screwed which is provided at its inner end with a detonating cap N. This plug is
provided with apertures for receiving a key or other instrument for turning the
Baid plug.
When the detonating cap N explodes, it ignites the disk or ring H which also
explodes thereby rupturing the top of the canister F and igniting the dynamite
charge in the same.
As it is necessary that the entire shell should be ruptured and shattered by the
explosion, I have provided the heavy head B which cannot be thrown out by the
force of the explosion and causes the shell to be ruptured. The shells can bo

page_text: charged very easily and rapidly, and all that is necessary is to insert the canister
and packing rings, screw the head B in place, and then screw in the plug Land
primer M.
The projectiles can be stored safely in such condition as to be ready for use, or
the canisters can be stored separately and the shells charged when required
The elastic envelope surrounding the charge of dynamite breaks the vibration
when the projectile is fired and prevents premature explosion of the projectile.
The wad Gand the packing ring J prevent premature explosion in handling the
shell and also assist the explosion when the shell is fired.
In place of dynamite, nitro-cellulose, nitro glycerine, giant powder, or any other
powerful explosive compound may be used to charge the canister.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The combination with a shell adapted to receive a canister containing &
charge, of a head fitting in the upper end of the shell, substantially as herein shown
and described.
2nd The combination with a shell adapted to receive a canister containing a
charge, of a head fitting in the end of the shell, and of screw bolts for holding the
head in place substantially as herein shown and described.
3rdly The combination with a shell, of a canister placed in the same and
containing the charge, a head placed in the shell above the canister, and a tubular
elastic packing ring between the head of the canister and the head of the shell,
substantially as herein shown and described.
4thly The combination with a shell, of a canister containing a charge, a wad
between the base of the canister and the base of the shell, a packing ring between
the canister and the head, and, a head in the end of the shell, substantially as herein
shown and described.
5thly The combination, with a shell, of a canister provided with a felt covering
and containing an explosive charge, which canister is adapted to be inserted in the
shell, substantially as herein shown and described.
6thly The combination with a shell, of a canister containing a charge, a head
held in the top of the shell, and a primer held in the said head, substantially as
herein shown and described.
7thly The combination with a shell of a canister containing the charge, a head
held in the top of the shell, a plug screwed into the head, and a primer screwed in
the plug, substantially as herein shown and described.
8thly The combination, with a shell, of a canister containing a charge of dynamite
or other explosive material, which charge is surrounded by an envelope of elastic
material, substantially as herein shown and described.
9thly The combination with the shell A, of the canister E containing the charge,
the disk or ring H, of gun-cotton, resting on the canister, the packing ring J, and
the head B substantially as bercin shown and described.
ז
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ليمي
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1 100K