Improvements in and connected with Shells and War Rockets.
Year: 1898

page_text: .
Date of Application, 6th Apr.,
1898.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Shells and War Rockets.
I, JOHN MILNES, of 85, Tithebarn Road, Southport, Commission. Agent, do,
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to.be as follows:-
My invention consists of improved means for arranging, guiding and firing war
rockets, so that they may be more effectively used, and to that end comprises the
shell or casing of an ordinary projectile, made in halves to receive and hold a.
rocket, which lies centrally in said projectile and opposite the open end, through
which it (the rocket) can pass when fired by a fuse or percussion cap.
The half portions of the shell are fastened together by dowelling, and' screws
or bolts with counter-sunk heads and nuts, and the rocket is held in. the upper.
part.
:
The improved projectile is fired from an ordinary mortar or other piece of
ordnance, and when it strikes the object it is directed against, or when the time-
fuse of the rocket is expended, the rocket is projected out of its shell,, and by.
the aid of sticks or like devices for weighting the rocket, such rocket travels in
the right direction.
For firing the rocket I prefer to employ a fixed plate let into grooves in the
shell interior, and a set of hooks and links for connecting said plate to the rocket;.
and by the pull or operation of which, when the projectile strikes an object, the
rocket is simultaneously fired.
I may provide the rocket with two sticks, one on either side, and for economy
of room I may make such sticks of shorter length, with their ends filled with lead:
Dated this 5th day of March 1898:
I, JOHN MILNES, of 85, Tithebarn. Road, Southport, Commission Agent, do:
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement: -
My invention consists of improved means for arranging, guiding and firing war
rockets, so that they may be more effectively used, and to that end'comprises the
shell or casing: of, an ordinary projectile, made in halves to receive and hold' a

page_text: rocket, which lies centrally in said projectile and opposite the open end, through
which it (the rocket) can pass when hired by a fuse, friction tube, or percussion cap.
The half portions of the shell are fastened together by dowelling and screws
or bolts with counter-sunk heads and nuts, and the rocket is held in the upper.
part.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and
will now proceed to describe the same with the aid of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon:-
Fig. 1 is a view of the bottom part and Fig. 2 the top part of a shell made
according to my invention and adapted for holding a rocket.
Figs. 3 to 8 are views of modifications of ordinary shells made in accordance
with my invention.
war
When the shell is to be used for the purpose of firing and guiding war rockets
I make the shell of sufficient length and with an opening at its head for the
escape of the rocket and the front portion of sufficient size to allow a
rocket to fit in easily. In the rear portion I make two chambers to be used for
the escape of gas and in front of these gas chambers, that is on that portion of
the inside of the shell which divides the rear portion into two chambers I attach
a strong hook, or I insert a wooden disc fitting into a recess made in the side of
the shell, and on one side of this board I attach a strong hook. My method of
firing and guiding war rockets is as follows:-Inside the shell place a war
rocket (with or without weighted sticks) fastened to which is a friction tube. I
then attach a short lanyard to the friction tube and the other end of the lanyard
to the hook which is in the shell. I then screw up and fasten the shell, and if
necessary steady and keep the rocket in its place by means of a wad. The shell
is then fired from a breech loading gun or from a pneumatic gun or tube and
when the shell has reached the distance required in descending the weight of the
rocket pulls at the friction tube which ignites the composition and by that means
releases the rocket which is correctly guided to its destination. When the shell
is intended to strike and enter an object I employ a wooden disc, to which disc
I attach (in place of the hook and lanyard) a steel pin, surrounded with a
washer of suitable material, such as india-rubber or felt, the washer being made
of the same thickness as the length of the pin and of the same width as the base
of the rocket, and this method of making the washer is for the purpose of prevent-
ing the rocket and pin coming in contact with each other prior to the shell
striking the object. To the base of the rocket I attach a percussion cap and the
rocket is so placed in the shell that the percussion cap is opposite to the firing
pin insert the wood disc with pin attached into a slot or recess inside the
shell, (or the pin can be attached to that portion of the shell which divides the
two chambers) and to prevent the rocket from falling out of the shell prior to
striking an object, I cover a portion of the rocket with a jacket made of thick
felt, so that the rocket will fit tight in the recess of the shell.
The wood disc can be used with or without holes and if holes are used they are
made to correspond with the gas chambers and of a suitable size to allow if neces-
sary the rocket sticks to pass easily through.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent one method of using the shell for the purpose of being
used with a war rocket (H). (A) is the lower half of the shell with solid base and
open mouth. (B) are the dowels. (C) the upper half of the shell with holes B¹
for the dowels to fit into. (D) are the gas chambers. (E) the portion which
divided the gas chambers. (F) the hook with lanyard. (G) the hole for the
screw-bolt to fit into. (A¹) represents the solid base of the shell, and (A³) the
hollow or open end.-(A³) represents in dotted lines the position of the washer
when a firing gun is used.
The rockets sticks balance the weight of the rocket, and to create a resistance
against the wind in order to prevent the rocket turning, I attach to the rocket
two or more short sticks shewn dotted in Fig. 1, and the base of each stick I

page_text: make extra thick and heavy by the addition of suitable material such as a quantity
of metal affixed to the end of the stick, or I make the end of the stick hollow
and pour metal into the cavity. Each rocket stick should be made of the same
length, and of the same weight, the cavities in each being of the same dimen-
sions, and the metal for each stick of the same weight. I prefer to make the
rocket sticks round and tapering from the point to the base. My improved sticks
can also be used with rockets which are fired by any other method such as, from
a tube, frame or stand.
This method of making a shell in halves and securing such halves together
may be used in the making of ordinary shells as illustrated by the modifications
Figs. 3 to 8.
:
Shells made in accordance with this description are specially adapted for the
purpose of arranging in their interior any mechanical arrangement for firing gun
cotton, or other high explosives, or the shell could remain empty, until it was
required for use, and they can be fired with a pneumatic tube, or gun. These
shells containing gun cotton can be dropped upon the decks of ships, turret
gratings, or dropped upon, or fired into the steering house, or dropped into the
inside of a fort.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent a shell divided into two parts (A), (C), the lower half
with solid base (A¹) and dowels (B) and the upper half (C) with the dowel
holes (B) for the dowels to fit into."
Figs. 5 and 6 represent the shell divided in its centro portion,(A) is the lower
half of the shell with solid base (A2), and solid head (A³) and dowels (B).
The upper half (C) with dowel holes (B) for the dowels to fit into.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent the shell made with tongue joints and a groove. for
the tongues to fit into and counter-sunk holes for the bolts and nuts,-(A) being
the lower half of the shell with a groove (D) extending under the base (A³) and
under the head (A³). (B³) the counter-sunk holes and (C) the upper portion with
tongues (B3) adapted to slide sideways into the groove or slot (D), and be secured
by bolts passing through the holes (B²).
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1: Constructing shells in two portions and with a solid base, and head, or
solid base only, as set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
2: A divided shell with solid base, in combination with a rocket (with, or
without weighted sticks), a hook and lanyard and gas chambers within such shell,
as and for the purposes set forth.
3: Firing a rocket by the aid of a friction tube, within, or about such rocket,
as set forth.
4: In a divided shell securing the parts by dowels, screws, bolts, tongues or
the like as set forth.
5: In means for firing a rocket, a hook, lanyard and friction tube, as set
forth.
6: A shell formed in two portions with space for rocket and with chambers
or space for escaping gases, as set forth.
7: A rocket with two or more sticks and the base of such sticks weighted, as
and for the purposes set forth.
8: In shells, the use of a washer for protecting a firing pin, as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of January 1899.
JOHN MILNES,
Per pro John G. Wilson & Co.,