Improvements in Dynamite or similar Shells and Fuses therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Dynamite or similar Shells and Fuses therefor.
I, EDMUND LOUIS ZALINSKI, stationed at the City of New York, in the County and
State of New York, one of the United States of America, Captain of Artillery, United
States Army, 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 :-
This invention is an improvement on the shells and fuses formerly patented by the
said Zalinski.
Referring to the Drawings:
1
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of the head of a charged shell.
Figure 2, a cross-section of the casing.
Figure 3, a cross-section of the parts, a.
Figure 4, an inside view of the base of shell.
Figure 5, a longitudinal section of an unloaded shell.
Figure 6, an enlarged section of the rear of shell.
Figures 7 and 8, enlarged details.
The metallic casing, 1, preferably has internal ribs, 2, which may be hollow to
contain electric wires and prevent rotation of the charge. The front end of the shell
carries an electric fuse, e, preferably a dry battery fuse.
The metallic cup, 3, is insulated from the body of the shells, and is connected to one
wire, 5, of a battery while the casing, 1, is connected to the other wire, the circuit
passing through a detonating primer. When the point, 6, strikes a hard substance, as
armor plate, the point will collapse and strike the metal cup, 3, thus closing
circuit and firing the charge.
an
The inner portion of the cup, 3, may be filled with metal, 7, which fuses at a very
low temperature, if it be necessary to weight the front of the projectile. The shock of
impact will melt this metal and dissipate it. When no special weight is needed at the
front this part of the shell will be filled with gun-cotton, as will the space, 7×, at the
rear of the charge around the electric wires.

page_text: .
The main body of the charge consists of short cylinders, a, a, a, each cylinder having
an inner part, 8, of dynamite or other easily exploded material. This is surrounded
by a casing, 9, of asbestos cloth treated with an alkali. The outer body, 10, is nitro-
gelatine or other powerful explodent difficult of ignition, which is covered with a
casing, 11, of asbestos or paper treated with alkali. The asbestos or paper prevents the
transmission of heat and the alkali absorbs any free acid which may exude. The
short cylinders, a, may be put up at the factory, and packed with sheets of cloth
saturated with an alkali.
To get best results with high explosives, it is essential that the charge be fired with
a detonater, and not by the mere force of impact, and that the projectile shall be
detonated from the rear and not from the front. It is also better to have a sensitive
detonator, like fulminate of mercury, act en a sensitive explodent, like dynamite, and
this in turn act on a less sensitive but more powerful agent, like nitro-gelatine.
The rear cover, 12, of the shell is attached by a screw-thread or otherwise to the
casing, 1. This cover, 12, is preferably a casting having hollow bosses, b, b¹, into
which the various fuses and circuit breakers are inserted.
I prefer to have at least two electric fuses and two circuit breakers in each
projectile which is charged with high explosive, and I may have one or more dry
battery fuses and one or more percussion fuses in addition.
In figures, 5 and 6, I illustrate so much of a shell as is necessary to show the
detachable guiding spindle, 14. This spindle screws into a socket, 18, in the cover, 12.
The spindle, 14, has a spiral feather, 16, which causes the projectile to rotate in
its flight through the air, the pitch of the spiral feather being such as to cause the
screw, 17, to tighten in its socket, 18, while the projectile is in the air. If the projectile
falls into water, however, after it has acquired a rotary motion, the spiral wings, 16,
will resist rotation, while the body will continue to rotate, and thus the spindle will be
unscrewed and detached from the body of the projectile.
At, 20, I illustrate a pin which is pressed into the socket, 18, by a spring, 21. When
the pin, 20, is pressed out by the spindle, 14, entering its socket, 18, this pin, 20,
forms a stop or trigger.
A percussion detonator, c, consisting of a nut, 2*, which screws into one of the
bosses, b, carries a rod, 22, having a plunger, 23, thereon, and an anvil, 24, having
seats for a number of fulminate cartridges, 25.
A spring, 26, tends to drive the plunger, 23, forward; but when pin, 20, is pressed
out by spindle, 14, the plunger, 23, is held by said pin, and as the nut, 2*, is screwed
into the boss, 6, the plunger, 23, is held back by pin, 20, and the spring, 26, is
compressed.
When the spindle, 14, is detached the pin or trigger 20, is pressed by its spring, 21,
out of the way of plunger, 23, which permits the latter to fly forward and explode the
cartridges or detonators, 25, thus firing the charge.
The metallic pin, 28, is pressed by spring, 29, in the same manner. This pin, 28, is
insulated from the socket, 18, and also from the spring, 29, and also at its inner end, 32,
but has a collar, 31, which comes into contact with the metal of socket, 18, when
pressed forward by the spring, if the spindle, 14, permits this movement.
An electric battery, 27, is connected by one of its elements to the pin, 28, and by
the other through a primer indicated at, 30, to the walls of the shell which form a
metallic circuit through the socket, 18. When the spindle, 14, is in its socket the
metallic circuit is broken by the pressing back of the pin, 28; but when this spindle
is removed the circuit is closed and the primer at, 30, fired.
I have indicated a position at, 30, for the primer. In fact such primer will be
carried by a circuit breaker and closed as shown in figures 10 and 11.
It will be understood that there may be great variety in the construction and
arrangement of parts. The main idea of this part of my invention is the firing of a
charge by the removal of the guiding spindle from the projectile.
Figure 9, is a diagrammatic view, partly in section showing the general relation of
a circuit closer and breaker to the wire from a battery or batteries, it being understood

page_text: that the location of either the battery or circuit closer may be changed at pleasure.
For convenience they are generally placed in the bosses, b.
Figure 10, is a side elevation of the circuit breaker and closer, and the electric
terminals from the batterics.
Figure 11, is a longitudinal section of same, on line, x, x, figure 12.
Figure 12, is an end view of the circuit closer showing primers and connections.
Figure 13, is an end view of the delay action fuse disk.
Figure 14, is a partial section on line, y, y, figure 12.
Figure 15, is an end view of the part, d, figure 10.
The battery, ex, consists of a metallic casing, 40, which screws into one of the
bosses, b. The casing contains two elements, as usual in electric batteries. One
element is connected to the casing, 40. The other element is insulated from casing, 40,
but is connected by an insulated wire, 41, to a split metallic post, 42, which is carried
by rubber disk, 43, and insulated from all metallic connections except with said wire.
There may be any number of batteries connected to post, 42. I prefer to have about
two sensitized batteries, and at least one dry battery, connected to separate posts, 42.
The rubber disk, 43, is attached to a hollow casing 44, which has a central
passage, 45, and an outer chamber, 46, which latter I prefer to fill with dynamite.
The casing, 44, screws into a seat at the inner end of one of the bosses, b, and is
inserted in the inside of the shell when the shell is loaded.
The circuit closer, f, screws into the outer end of the boss, b, in which the part, d, is
secured. This circuit closer, f, carries a detonator, one, two, or more primers, and
apparatus for holding the electric circuits open or for closing them, as now about to
be described.
The rubber disk, 50, at the inner end of the device, f, has a number of metallic
cups, 51, corresponding in number and position to the split pins, 42. Each one of
these cups, 51, is in metallic connection with some metallic part of the device which
connects to the metal of the shell or casing, 1, when circuits are closed. The wires, 52,
figure 12, show a connection of these cups to each other, through primers, 53.
The disk, 43, preferably has a hole, 43×, in its face, in the bottom of which there is
a cup like the cups 51, and a post, 50x, longer than posts, 42, extends from the face of
disk, 50, and enters this hole, serving as a guide to keep the parts in line, but not
making metallic contact until the part, 50, moves forward, as hereinafter explained.
The primers, 53, are cakes of powder and gun cotton, containing a platinum bridge,
as usual in electric primers.
The rubber disk, 50, is held back so that the pins, 42, do not enter cups, 51, until
the projectile has left the gun. When the disk, 50, moves forward the split posts, 42,
closely fit the cups, 51, making close metallic and electric connection at those
points.
The disk, 55, in rear of disk, 50, contains a delay action primer, 56, arranged in a
curved groove, 57, opposite each primer, 53.
The grooves, 57, communicate by radial passages, 58, with a central space, 59,
which contains a primer, 60, surrounded by a mass of quick powder, and com-
municating with the detonating charge, 61, in a tube, 62, which extends well into the
space, 45, in casing, 44. The charge, 61, is sufficient to detonate the dynamite in
chamber, 46, which acts as a detonator to the entire shell.
The central tube, 63, which contains primer, 60, has a number of perforations
opposite the passages, 58, so that fire can enter said tube, 63, from the passages.
The disk or button, containing the grooves, 57, may be turned on its axis, 63, so as
to bring any part of said grooves opposite the primers, 53, and when thus ignited the
distance which the fire must burn along said grooves determines the time between
ignition and explosion, as is usual in time fuses.
The button, 55, may be held in any adjusted position by turning up the nut, 64,
which screws on the tube, 63, and the nut, 64, may be firmly held by a set
65.
screw,
The entire device, f, is supported on a nut, 70, which screws into the outer part of

page_text: one of the bosses, b. The nut, 70, surrounds and may be a part of cylinder, 71. The
cylinder, 71, has a piston, 72, packed to work gas tight in said cylinder.
The tube, 63, is attached to piston rod, 73, and the piston is attached to this rod.
The end of the piston rod extends through the head, 74, of the cylinder, as shown in
figure 11, there being a tight packing about the piston rod, as shown at, 75.
The outer end of rod, 73, has a small head, 77, with an under cut groove therein.
A number of spring fingers, 78, find a bearing in this groove, and against the head, 74.
The tendency of these fingers is to expand outward.
A strong spring, 80, interposed between the inner cylinder head, 81, and the nut, 64,
on the piston rod, tends to press the piston rod, 73, and its appendages, (the nut, 64,
and primers) forward so as to close circuit by the posts, 42, engaging cups, 51, but
the piston rod, is held back by the spring fingers, 78, entering the grooves under the
little head, 77.
When the projectile is fired, the gas (or compressed air if fired from a pneumatic
gun) will enter the holes 74, and press back the piston, 72, and its rod, further com-
pressing spring, 80, which is already under compression. The fingers, 78, will be released
from the grooves under head, 77, and spring out, as shown in dotted lines. As soon
as the projectile leaves the gun the gas pressure in cylinder, 71, will subside, and the
spring, 80, will press the parts, 50, 55, and, 64, forward, thus completing the electric
connection. This does not fire the primers, however, but places them in condition for
firing whenever the point of the projectile shall be collapsed so as to strike plate, 3,
thus closing one of the circuits; or if this circuit be not closed, then the charge will
be fired whenever the dry batteries to be hereinafter described, shall become
wetted.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the detonator and primer
are carried by the circuit breaker and closer (f) which is only applied to the shell
when about to be fired. That the electric circuits are kept broken while the projectile
is in the gun, and are only in firing position after the projectile leaves the gun.
Consequently danger of premature explosion is avoided.
It will be understood that many modifications of the mechanism may be made.
Many have been made and practically used by this inventor. The leading idea of
this part of the invention is that the primers and detonator shall be held out of the
electric circuit until the projectile leaves the gun, and that the gas pressure in the gun
shall hold the circuits open while the projectile is moving toward the muzzle.
In figure 16, a longitudinal section of a dry or non-sensitive battery is shown;
e¹, indicates the casing, and, e², the cap thereof, which cap projects outside of the
projectile, the screw-thread, es, entering one of the bosses, b.
The electric battery proper is enclosed in the casing. The metallic tube, 85, may
form one of the chemical elements of the battery, and the inclosed strips, 86, the
other element, a suitable chemical in liquid form being interposed when the battery is
to act.
The positive element in one battery cell, 87, is connected to the negative element in
the next cell, 88. There may be any number of these cells in series. All the cells but
the cell, 88, are made sensitive and ready to act by wetting the filling in the casing
containing the chemicals, with water, before placing the battery in the projectile.
The battery elements are insulated, save that the cell, 88, has one of its elements
attached to the metal cover, e², which brings it into metallic connection with the body
of the shell, and the other element of the cell at the other extreme of the series has its
other element connected (by post, 91, and, cup, 92) to the wire, 41, which leads
towards the primer. All the cells of the series are therefore in circuit with the
element, 86, in cell, 88, but that element must be made active before the circuit can
close through it. Thus when the inactive element, (say chloride of silver) in battery
cell, 88, is made active by the admission of water, the entire series of cells becomes
active, and develops an electric current of great power and high tension.
The cap, e², has holes, e, for the entrance of water, and the water can pass through
passage, e, to the element, 86, in cell, 88, when these holes are open.

page_text: A cover, 91, goes over the top of cap, e², and has spring arms, 92, which hook under
the flange, 93, of cap, e². A rubber ring, 94, serves to make a water tight seal
between the cap and the cover. A spring, 95, may also be interposed between the
cover and cap.
When the casing, e¹, is screwed into one of the bosses in the base of the shell, and
connections made as described, any water which may enter the bore of the gun will
be excluded from the battery by the cover, 91. When gas or air pressure is admitted
to the gun the cap, e², is pressed forward, the rubber gasket, 94, is compressed and the
hooked arms, 92, spring out as shown in dotted lines. Then when the gas pressure is
removed, as by the passage of the projectile from the gun, the spring, 95, and the
rubber ring, will throw the cover, 91, from the cap, and the holes, e, will be open for
the entrance of water if the projectile falls into the sea.
The dry battery fuse at the front of the shell is similar to that one just described,
except that instead of a cap, e², at the projecting end, the cover may be a piece of
rubber, parchment or thin metal, 96, tied or otherwise attached to the end, 97, of
the battery casing. (See figure 17.) A blade, 98, on one of the partitions, 99, serves
to puncture this cover when it is pressed back by striking the water, or a frangible
material may be used for a cover which will be broken when the point of the shell
strikes the water.
The partitions, 99, in the front of the battery casing have holes, 100, out of line
with each other, so that water shall not rush in so fast as to break the battery.
A
When fired at a ship, if the ship is struck by the point of the projectile the front of
the projectile will be collapsed upon the plate, 3, making metallic circuit through the
primer, 60, and firing the charge instantly. If the ship is not struck the projectile
falls into the sea, and the dry batteries become active, and ignite the primers, 53.
little delay is desirable to permit the projectile to sink into the water, and this is
obtained by setting the disk, 55, to any desired position. When the projectile explodes
under water it becomes a powerful torpedo, and a large projectile of this kind will
destroy a ship at a considerable distance.
Figure 18, shows the longitudinal section of a shell provided with magneto-electric
fuses, in lieu of the battery fuses just described, or in addition thereto.
Figures 19, 20 and 21, are longitudinal sections of magneto-electric fuses in various
forms, e, figure 20, indicates a fuse for the point of a shell. The casing, 101, contains
a permanent magnet, 102, surrounded by coils, 103, the wires, 104, from which coils
lead to a primer or detonator in the shell. The magnet attaches itself to the
armature, 105, which is secured to the casing, and a rod or spindle, 106, passes through
the casing and rests on the magnet. When the point of the projectile strikes an obstruction
the rod, 106, is forced in, detaching the magnet from the armature. An electric
current is thus developed in the coils and passes through wires, 104, to explode the
detonator.
Figure 21, shows a coil, 107, with a permanent magnet, 108, inside thereof. The
magnet, 108, is held to the casing, e, by a light wire, 109. When the projectile
strikes a target the shock will break the fastening, 109, the magnet, 108, will move
forward and excite a current of electricity in coil, 107, and the current will pass by
wires, 110, to a detonator.
In figure 19, the magnet, 111, is anchored firmly to the casing, e, and holds
armature, 112, a little back from the front of the casing. Coils, 113, have wires, 115,
leading through the detonator, 114, which has the usual platinum bridge on the
circuit of said wires.
The armature, 112, may act as a plunger to ignite a cap at, 117, by a blow, as well
as to excite a current in the coil by its detachment from the magnet when the
projectile strikes.
It will be understood that figures 20 and 21, illustrate fuses for the point of a
projectile and figure 19, a fuse for the base, but it will at once occur to the
skilled mechanic that many modifications may be made without departing from tho
spirit of the invention.

page_text: Figure 22, shows a section of a shell, s, for use in ordinary cannon using gun-
powder, and
Figure 23 to 27 various details of a fuse therefor, the fuse being specially adapted
to the base of the projectile.
Figures 23 and 24, are longitudinal sections of a fuse, the electric battery being
omitted in figure 23. The casing, 120, screws into the base of a shell, the pitch of
screw, 121, being in reverse direction to that of the rifling of the gun. A sharp
edged flange, 122, bears against the base of the shell, forming a gas-check around the
fuse. A cap, 123, screws into casing, 120), holding a ring, 124, between its flange, 125,
and the flange, 126, of the casing proper.
Annular flanges, 127, either integral with or connected to ring, 124, form gas-checks
to prevent the gases of explosion from passing into the interior of the fuse. These
flanges or rings, 127, 128, are thin, and compress under the pressure of powder gas
to form a tight gas check.
The flange, 126, has a groove, 131, which receives a charge of slow-burning powder,
preferably inclosed in an annular trough, 132, of thin metal which has a lining, 133,
of asbestos or similar non-conductor of heat.
(See figure 25, for face view of flange, figure 26, for face view of trough, and
figure 27, for section of trough and lining.)
The ring, 124, has a projecting portion, 134, on its face, which bears on the
trough, 132, or on the slow-burning charge. When the gun is fired the ring, 124,
is pressed forward by the powder charge, and compresses the powder in trough, 132,
with great force, thus preventing its becoming loose or broken, and securing great
uniformity of combustion.
A firing pin, 135, having a passage through it, can be turned to any position over the
annular trough, 132, and there held by tightening the cap, 123. The fire passes
through this pin and ignites the charge in groove, 131, at any determined point.
The charge then burns along the annular passage, 131, and thence through passage, 140,
to the central chamber of the fuse.
An electric battery, 141, is placed in the central chamber of the fuse. This battery
has a flange or projecting lugs, 142, which are clamped between the casing
and cap.
A small
casing,
passage,
forward
er charge is placed in groove, 146. The battery, 141, does not fit
ightly so that when the charge in groove, 131, burns through
it will ignite the powder in groove, 146, and so shoot battery, 141,
it were a projectile. The end, 148, of this battery makes contact with
wire, j
and so closes electric circuit through primer, 150, a detonating or firing
charg 31, is inclosed in tight casing, 152, and this casing is ruptured by the
explo n and so fires the charges, m, in the shell, s.
The important features of this shell fuse are the gas checks or rings, to exclude
powder gas from the slow-burning charge. The compression of the slow-burning
charge by the enormous pressure of the explosion, to prevent its burning more rapidly
by reason of being loosened by the shock of explosion, and the protection of the
slow-burning charge by a non-conducting covering.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The method of packing charges of high explosives with interior sensitive charge
and casing or casings of non-conducting material saturated with an alkali.
2. The method of closing circuit of an electric primer by collapsing the casing
upon an insulated interior part, the metallic parts being connected to a primer
substantially as described.
3. The method of firing a primer by detaching the guiding spindle when passing
through water, thus releasing a detent and causing the primer to act, substantially in
the manner stated.

page_text: 4. The detachable circuit connector and breaker, substantially such as described,
having a detent by which the circuits are kept open until the detent is released by the
gas pressure in the gun.
5. The method of maintaining the electric circuits broken by the gas pressure
in the gun.
6. The method of connecting a series of batteries in an electric fuse, all but one
of the cells being sensitized and this cell serving as a circuit breaker until sensitized
by the entering water when it becomes a circuit closer.
7. The method of protecting the fuse by covering it while in the gun, and causing
the pressure in the gun to release the cover so that it is opened after the projectile
leaves the gun, substantially as described.
8. The magneto-electric fuse consisting of a magnet and coil and armature, wherein
the electric current is generated and the primer fired by the movement of the magnet
or armature when the projectile strikes.
9. The novel features of the gas check and compressed charge in the base burning
fuse, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of Inno 1880