IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS, LIGHTS, AND PROJECTILES FOR GIVING DISTRESS AND OTHER SIGNALs at Sea or ELSEWHERE.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pain, of Walworth, in the County
Surrey, Pyrotechnist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS,
LIGHTS, AND PROJECTILES FOR GIVING DISTRESS AND OTHER SIGNALs at Sea or
ELSEWHERE.
"
Sealed the 12th April 1873, and dated the 18th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left. by the said James Pain at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th February 1873."
I, JAMES PAIN, of Walworth, in the County Surrey, Pyrotechnist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ROCKETS, LIGHTS, AND PROJECTILES FOR GIVING DISTRESS, AND OTHER SIGNALS AT
SEA OR ELSEWHERE,” to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention has for its object improvements in
rockets for giving positive signals from vessels in distress, the rockets
being provided with self-igniting appliances, such as fulminates or
percussive compounds, so that they can be fired from the deck of a ship

page_text: or elsewhere without the application of a light as heretofore, and also
ascending into the air without the encumbrance of a stick. These
improved signal rockets are charged with combustible and explosive
materials, so that when at their highest altitude they show a number of
red or other suitably colored lights, and explode with a loud report, so
as to be heard at a considerable distance. The rockets are fired or
discharged from a tube fixed in any convenient part of a ship or vessel:
The person firing such rockets has simply to pull a lever handle, which
causes a needle or instrument to puncture the nose of the rocket in order
to destroy a capsule containing fulminate or other explosive compound
by which the rocket is ignited. Or each rocket may be furnished with
a percussion cap, tube, or capsule, so as to be exploded by a hammer
combined with the firing tube or otherwise, as may be found most
convenient.
Each rocket is provided with feathers or wings which serve to guide
them in their flight, in place of employing sticks, as heretofore for this
purpose.
In like manner rockets or lights of various colors for signalling or
other purposes may be provided with self-igniting appliances and
guiding feathers or wings, as previously described in accordance with
my improvements.
Stationary colored lights upon deck or elsewhere provided with self-
igniting appliances, and fired, as previously described, may also be
employed, so as to show a long-continued colored flame after the ascent
of each rocket, clearly indicating a vessel in distress.
My Invention also relates to the employment of maroons or similar
projectiles, which are fired from a mortar or tube placed on the deck of
a vessel or elsewhere, for the purpose of giving distress or other signals.
For this purpose I construct maroons or similar projectiles, so that they
will explode when at a great altitude, and produce a brilliant red or
other colored flame, together with a loud report, so as to be seen and
heard at a considerable distance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Pain in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PAIN, of Walworth, in the County of Surrey, Pyrotechnist, sond
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Pain, Her special license that
I, the said James Pain, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Pain, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS, LIGHTS, AND
PROJECTILES FOR GIVING DISTRESS AND OTHER SIGNALS AT SEA OR ELSEWHERE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Pain, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Pain, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of this Invention has for its object improvements in
rockets for giving positive signals from vessels in distress, the rockots
being provided with self-igniting appliances, such as fulminates or
percussive compounds, so that they can be fired from the deck of a ship
or elsewhere without the application of a light as heretofore, and also
ascending into the air without the encumbrance of a stick, These

page_text: Figure 3 shews a transverse section of the firing tube 6, the feathers
or wings a¹, a³, of the rocket being guided in the grooves ³ formed in
each angle of the tube. Red or other colored signal rockets or lights of
this character are used as signals of distress or for other purposes;
white ones being employed in like manner for pilot signals when
required.
:
Figure 4 shew's a self-igniting light constructed in accordance with
my Invention, suitable either for being held in the hand when fired, or
for being fixed in the deck, mast, or other part of a ship or elsewhere,
by means of the sharp pointed spike c, or otherwise. The nose of the
light provided with self-igniting composition, is protected by means of
covers or caps c¹, c³, the outer cover c¹ being employed to protect the
igniting composition or surface applied to the top outer end of the cap c³.
When the signal light is used, the cover c¹ is removed and thrown aside,
the cover or cap c² is then removed, and the igniting composition thereon
is applied to the chemically prepared nosc or nipple c³, the frictional
contact of the two different chemical preparations thus producing in-
stantaneous ignition in like manner to the well-known patent matches
or lights manufactured by Messrs. Bryant and May. Signal lights of
this character may either be arranged to burn' with a red or other
colored flame, or with a white light for pilot signalling. Signal lights
of this character may either be fixed as previously described, or be lashed
or otherwise fixed to any part of a ship or vessel in distress, the means
of igniting them being always combined therewith in accordance with
my Invention; or such lights may be elevated and moved to or fro by
means of a long, jointed, or other rod, if desired.
My Invention also relates to the employment of maroons or similar
projectiles, which are fired from a mortar or tubo placed on the deck of
a vessel or elsewhere, for the purpose of giving distress or other signals.
For this purpose I construct maroons, or similar projectiles, so that they
will explode when at a great altitude, and produce a brilliant red or other
coloured flame in their ascent, finally exploding with a loud report, so as
to be seen and heard at a considerable distance.
Figure 5 shows a maroon d of my improved construction suitable for
being discharged from a mortar or tube c (as shewn at Figure 6) for the
purpose of giving signals of distress, in accordance with my Invention,
by producing loud explosions, first in the act of being fired from the

page_text: mortar or tube d, and also when they explode at a great altitude, such
maroons being made so as to burn with a red or other colored light in
their ascent before they explode. Each maroon d is provided with a
long self-igniting fuse d* contained in an india-rubber or other flexible
tube, as shown, the end of which is furnished with igniting composition t
and protecting covers or caps d', d, to protect the igniting composition
which is arranged in like manner to that previously described in reference
to Figure 4 of the Drawings.
Figure 7 shows the mortar or tube e fixed in position on board ship,
showing a man in the act of igniting the fuse d* attached to a maroon d 1
contained in the mortar e, and when the fuse is ignited it is allowed to
fall, by which all danger is avoided. These maroon signals are used in
the following manner :-Place the signal in the tube or mortar e with
the fuse d* projecting from the mouth of the mortar as far away as its
length will permit, remove the outer or protecting cap d' from the end 1
of the fuse, and throw it aside; then remove the inner cover or cap d³,
and reverse it, so as to draw the point of the fuse smartly across it, by
which means instant ignition is produced. The fuse burns for a few
seconds, the signal then ascends into the air with a very loud report,
burning with a brilliant light, and upon reaching its highest altitude 2
bursts with a tremendous explosion, discharging at the same time a
large body of colored lights, which continuo burning until they reach
the surface of the sea or earth.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements in rockets,
lights, and projectiles, for giving distress and other signals at sea or elsc- 2
where, and the manner of carrying the same into practice, I would
remark that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before
described, as the same may be greatly varied without departing from the
novel features or character of my Invention, but what I claim is,―
First. The improvements in rockets, lights, and projectiles, by the 3
application thereto of self-igniting appliances, such as fulminates, per-
cussive compounds, or other similar means, whereby they can be lighted
instantaneously for giving distress or other signals at sea or elsewhere,
substantially in the manner herein-before described.
Secondly. I claim the application of feathers or wings a¹, a', to rockets 3
0
114

page_text: as herein-before described and shown with reference to Figure 1 of the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Thirdly. I claim the method of firing signal rockets or other similar
projectiles for giving signals from the deck of a ship or clsewhere,
substantially in the manner herein-before described and shewn with
reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. I claim the improved construction of self-igniting signal
lights and method of using the same at sea or elsewhere, substantially
as hercin-before described and shown with reference to Figure 4 of the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fifthly. I claim the improved construction of maroons d, with self-
igniting fuse d*, and method of discharging the same from a tube or
mortar e, for signalling at sea or elsewhere, whereby a colored or other
light is exhibited and a loud explosion produced, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described with reference to
Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pain, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
20
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings.
JAMES PAIN. (L.S.)