Year: 1886

page_text: I ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmond Dene House
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Manufacturing Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows: -
When shells with time fuses are fired with light charges there is some difficulty
in making the fuse sufficiently sensitive to act with certainty when the ignition
of the fuse composition depends on the inertia of a striker or part contained within
the fuse.
In my improved fuse the ignition of the fuse composition is caused by an
instrument which is forced forward by the pressure of the powder gases upon it
at the time of firing. In the centre of the base of the projectile I provide a bush
in which is a cylindrical cavity. In the cavity is a piston with a stem passing
forward to the fore part of the projectile by an axial passage around which
shrapnel bullets may be arranged. The stem terminates immediately in rear of
the base of the fuse proper which as is usual is screwed in at the apex of the
projectile. This fuse may be an ordinary time fuse except as respects the ignition.
This is effected by a needle in the axis of the fuse pointed in front and in rear
provided with a head which when the fuse is in place stands immediately in front
of the stem of the piston previously mentioned.
When on firing the piston moves forward the stem strikes the head of the
igniting needle and throws its point against a fulminating priming immediately
in front of it. The priming then fires the fuse composition which burns for a
longer or shorter time before lighting the bursting charge, this being regulated in
the usual way by the setting of the fuse before firing.

page_text: Improvements in Fuses or Firing Mechanism for Projectiles.
I, ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmond Dene House,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Manufacturing Engineer 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 following statement:—
When shells with time fuses are fired with light charges there is some difficulty
in making the fuse sufficiently sensitive to act with certainty when the ignition
of the fuse composition depends on the inertia of a striker or part contained within
the fuse.
In my improved fuse the ignition of the fuse-composition is caused by an
instrument which is forced forward by the pressure of the powder gases upon it
at the time of firing. In the centre of the base of the projectile I provide a bush
in which is a cylindrical cavity. In the cavity is a piston with a stem passing
forward to the fore part of the projectile by an axial passage around which
shrapnel bullets may be arranged. The stem terminates immediately in. rear of
the base of the fuse proper which as is usual is screwed in at the apex of the
projectile. This fuse may be an ordinary time fuse except as respects the ignition ;
this is effected by a needle in the axis of the fuse pointed in front and in rear
provided with a head which when the fuse is in place stands immediately in front
of the stem of the piston previously mentioned.
When on firing the piston moves forward the stem strikes the head of the
igniting needle and throws its point against a fulminating priming immediately
in front of it. The priming then fires the fuse composition which burns for a
longer or shorter time before lighting the bursting charge, this being regulated in
the usual way by the setting of the fuse before firing.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The drawing represents a longitudinal section of a shrapnel shell.
A is a bush in the centre of the base of the projectile and B is a piston contained
in a cylindrical cavity in the bush. B¹ is a cup also inserted in the cylindrical
cavity and abutting upon the piston; it serves to stop the powder gases when the
gun is fired, allowing however the piston to be driven forward by them. C is a
long stem attached to the piston. D is an axial passage through the projectile,
around which the shrapnel bullets E are arranged. F is an ordinary time fuse
screwed into the nose of the projectile. This time fuse is of the ordinary con-
struction except that it is provided with a needle G and a priming H. When the
needle is driven against the priming H the priming explodes and ignites the fuse.
The needle and its guide are so arranged as to avoid all risk of the needle being
driven forward by accidental violence, but so nevertheless that the needle advances

page_text: with certainty on receiving the forward thrust of the piston and stem when these are
projected forward by the pressure of the gases within the gun.
Having now 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
. Firing mechanism for projectiles so arranged that the pressure of the powder gases
in the gun drives forward a stem or instrument passing from the base of the
projectile to the fore part and there mechanically operating on a needle or firing
instrument ignites a time fuse substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of November
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.