An Improved Explosive Projectile.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Explosive Projectile.
I, ORLANDO MORTON THOWLESS, of No. 240 First Street, Newark, New
Jersey, United States of America, Metallurgist, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE, to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to an improved explosive projectile.
One object of my invention is to provide an explosive projectile of a highly
explosive and destructive character, which can be safely handled either on land or
on sea which does not require any fuse or concussion to explode it, and which is
thoroughly efficient in all of its many applications. A further object of my inven-
tion is to utilize my explosive projectile in connection with nitro-glycerine, dynamite,
or gunpowder, or gun cotton.
The invention broadly consists of a highly explosive projectile, the explosive, part
of which is exploded upon contact of the saine with water or other equivalent
substances, the projectile having various forms according to the purpose for which
it is to be used. It also consists in the combination of the same with other
explosives as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal cross-section of my invention in the form of a
projectile.
Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section on line
-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a modification in which a fragile receptacle containing water is
carried within the projectile.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same on line y-y of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line - of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 represents another modification in which the sodium-containing casing is
surrounded by water and means are provided for fracturing said casing.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section of Fig. 6 on line -x of the same.
Fig. 8 represents another modified form of my invention in projectile form
provided with automatically operating opening means, and containing both nitro
glycerine and sodium.
Fig. 9 is a front end view, thereof.
Fig. 10 represents still another modification in which gunpowder and sodium are
employed..
My explosive projectile in its simpler form is free from many of the objections
inherent in the explosive means now in use, since neither concussion nor ignition
will explode it so that it can be transported, handled, and stored with safety. I use
as the explosive substance metallic sodium or potassium though I prefer to use the
former.
The sodium or potassium which I use is made in accordance with my patented
process, patented in the United States of America April 10th, 1888, Patent
No. 380,775. The said process is described as follows:-
I employ a pot or retort placed in a furnace containing coke or other car-
bonaceous or other reducing material, which is heated. I introduce caustic soda
or other suitable sodium compound from a second retort or receptacle, preferably
while in a heated condition, into this retort, so that it will come in contact with
the carbonaceous or other reducing material therein. The vapors evolved. are
conducted to condensers such as are ordinarily used in the production of sodium or
botassium. The caustic soda or other sodium compound, after being heated in a
chamber exposed to the products of combustion of the furnace for heating the main
etort, passes or is fed gradually into the main retort and, coming into contact with

page_text: the heated reducing material therein, is rapidly decomposed or broken up, so that
sodium vapor is evolved. This vapor passes through a pipe into the condenser.
The introduction of the sodium compound into the main retort should be so
regulated as to permit the required chemical reactions to take place continuously
and effectively.
I enclose or protect the necessary quantity of metallic sodium in a suitable
covering, envelope, cartridge or shell, or other suitable casing, the material, form,
shape, size or weight of the casing varying according to the purpose in view.
If for example the explosive device is to be used as a projectile it is made outwardly
of such form and of the proper material and weight to give velocity thereto and
to cause it to sink partly or wholly in water when striking the latter near a ship,
for example, or when falling into the water on rebounding from the side of a ship
after striking the same. The moment my explosive projectile comes into contact
with water or any aqueous solution or equivalent substance it explodes with
great violence, but neither concussion, nor heat nor fire are able to explode it.
In order to bring the metallic sodium or potassium of the exploding projectile
herein before described in contact with water at the proper time it must be so
constructed that the water or equivalent substance can come into contact with the
sodium. This can be accomplished in numerous ways, but I do not wish to be
understood as limiting myself to any particular means.
In the drawings I have illustrated my explosive device in the form of a
projectile, though as before described it may have other forms and be used for
other purposes.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a projectile of suitable material
made in two parts to be screwed or otherwise secured together as shown. Within
the same I place or form an air chamber L to prevent the sinking of the projectile.
D is a receptacle of lead containing the sodium B, said receptacle having per-
forations a and ribs d. Said receptactle is placed within the projectile, the ribs
touching the inside of the same, and the head or pointed end thereof is screwed
down on the ribs of the receptacle holding it in place. The head of the projectile
is provided with openings J for the admission of water and exit of air the water
as it passes in, when the projectile falls into the water, flows into the cylinder
through the holes in the top and sides of the same thus causing the explosion.
.
In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 I employ in addition to the parts described in Figs. 1 and 2
a receptacle F of glass or other fragile material containing water C. I cushion this
water receptacle by means of rubber packing placed at intervals around the body
as shown and by rubber rings around the neck of the same. The stopper of this
receptacle is a fulminate cap G provided with a fuse g. When this projectile
strikes or is struck on its head the cap explodes and breaks the receptacle, if the
shock of impact has not already done so, thus releasing the water which coming
into contact with the sodium causes the explosion. In this construction the
holes J in the head may be omitted but I prefer to retain them as useful in
case of non-breakage of the water receptacle, for the water passing through the
holes J would pass around the water receptacle C and thus reach the sodium.
In Figs. 6 and 7 the sodium B is enclosed in a fragile or glass receptacle E,
provided with a stopper or cork and cushioned on all sides by rubber rings H and I.
The rubber rings H are provided with perforations or notches H₁ at intervals to
permit
the passage of water around the receptacle, and the rubber rings I may also
be perforated as shown at I¹ to allow entrance of water.
The projectile is formed with an interior projection R near which the fragile,
sodium-containing receptacle is placed in position. When the projectile in use
strikes an object, the inertia of the sodium-containing receptacle causes it to
compress the upper rubber ring I sufficiently to bring the bottom of the said
receptacle into forcible contact with said projection sufficiently so to break said
fragile receptacle and thus allow the surrounding water to come into contact with
the sodium to cause the explosion. I further provide the head of said projectile, as
an aid to ensure explosion, with a small cavity, for containing sodium, closed, after
insertion of the sodium, by a screw plug T, and with passages J, J, for the entrance

page_text: of water thereto. The depth of the said cavity is such that the projection R is
left with a comparatively weak connection with the body of the projectile, so that
when the water having passed through openings J explodes the sodium in the small
cavity the force of the explosion will detach and drive inwardly the said projection
with sufficient force to break the receptacle E and allow the surrounding water to
explode the sodium B, provided the shock of impact has not already broken the
receptacle in manner first described. I may however omit the small cavity and
water passages in the head and use the projectile without these extra features.
In Figs. 8 and 9, L, represents the air chamber, M, a quantity of nitro-glycerine,
Pa diaphragm held in place over the nitro-glycerine by means of the head A
screwed down over the same onto the body of the projectile, and B the mass of
sodium held in place by a piece of wire netting V. The end of the projectile is
provided with an opening in which is hinged or pivoted a door K arranged and
operating somewhat like a damper in a stove pipe. This is kept in a closed
condition by fastening over the door a piece of paper K' or other material easily
fractured when the projectile strikes the water, so that the latter may force open
the door and gain admission to the interior to explode the sodium. If desired, for
additional precaution, holes J may be made in the head of the projectile for
admission of water. The explosion of the sodium will immediately serve to explode
the nitro-glycerine and thus a double effect may be produced. Or if the projectile
should strike a ship the shock of impact would at once cause an explosion of the
nitro-glycerine and thus explode the projectile. Instead of nitro-glycerine I may
use dynamite.
In Fig. 10 N represents gunpowder and O a partition separating the gunpowder
from the sodium the said partition being held in place in the same manner as
partition P in Fig. 8. G is a fulminate cap and g a fuse attached thereto. J are
the openings for the admission of water. When this projectile strikes the water
the latter after gaining access to the sodium explodes it, the shock, heat and fire
from said explosion destroying the diaphragm and exploding the powder. If the
cap when the projectile strikes explodes and ignites the fuse the gunpowder will
cause the explosion of the projectile.
I have shown the projectile provided with an air chamber in all of the illustrated
embodiments of my invention, but this may be omitted in many cases.
Instead of using an automatic opening for the projectile, shown in Fig. 8, where
both sodium and nitro-glycerine are employed, I may use openings J only, for
admission of water. The combination of said two substances would be particularly
useful in naval warfare where dynamite projectiles would be used. In case such a
projectile failed to strike the vessel at which aimed, but struck the water near the
vessel, the effect of the dynamite would not be lost since the latter would be
exploded by the explosion of the sodium on coming into contact with the water.
The modification illustrated in Fig. 10 would have similar advantages.
Before use the water passages Jin all cases are kept closed by corks or any
other suitable means to prevent accidental ingress of water.
1
1
_: 1000
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Explosive Projectile.
I, ORLANDO MORTON THOWLESS, of No. 240 First Street, Newark, New
Jersey, United States of America, Metallurgist, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to an improved explosive projectile.
One object of my invention is to provide an explosive device of a highly

page_text: Explosive and destructive character, which can be safely handled either on land or
on sea which does not require any fuse or concussion to explode it, and which is
thoroughly efficient in all of its many applications. A further object of my
invention is to utilize my explosive projectile in connection with nitro-glycerine,
dynamite, or gunpowder, or gun cotton.
The invention broadly consists of a highly explosive projectile the explosive part
of which is exploded upon contact of the same with water or other equivalent
substances, the explosive projectile having various forms according to the purpose
for which it is to be used. It also consists in the combination of the same with
other explosives as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification-I refer to the
drawings lodged with my Provisional Specification.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal cross-section of my invention in the form of a
projectile.
Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section on line -a of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a modification in which a fragile receptacle containing water is
carried within the projectile.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same on line y-y of Fig. 3.
Fig 5 is a cross-section on line - of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 represents another modification in which the sodium-containing casing is
surrounded by water and means are provided for fracturing said casing.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section of Fig. 6 on line - of the same.
Fig. 8 represents another modified form of my invention in projectile form
provided with automatically operating opening means, and containing both nitro-
glycerine and sodium.
Fig. 9 is a front end view thereof.
Fig. 10 represents still another modification in which gunpowder and sodium are
employed.
My explosive projectile in its simpler form is free from many of the objections
inherent in the explosive means now in use, since neither concussion nor ignition
will explode it so that it can be transported, handled, and stored with safety.
I use as the explosive substance metallic sodium or potassium though I prefer to
use the former.
The sodium or potassium which I use is made in accordance with my patented
process, patented in the United States of America April 10th, 1888, Patent
No. 380,775. The said process is described as follows:-I employ a pot or retort
placed in a furnace containing coke or other carbonaceous or other reducing
material, which is heated. I introduce caustic soda or other suitable sodium
compound from a second retort or receptacle, preferably while in a heated
condition, into this retort, so that it will come in contact with the carbonaceous
or other reducing material therein. The vapors evolved are conducted to con-
densers such as are ordinarily used in the production of sodium or potassium.
The caustic soda or other sodium compound, after being heated in a chamber
exposed to the products of combustion of the furnace for heating the main retort.
passes or is fed gradually into the main retort and, coming into contact with the
heated reducing material therein, is rapidly decomposed or broken up, so that
sodium vapor is evolved. This vapor passes through a pipe into the condenser.
The introduction of the sodium compound into the main retort should be so
regulated as to permit the required chemical reactions to take place continuously
and effectively.
I enclose or protect the necessary quantity of metallic sodium in a suitable
covering, envelope, cartridge or shell, or other suitable casing, the material, form,
shape, size or weight of the casing varying according to the purpose in view.
If for example the explosive device is to be used as a projectile it is made
outwardly of such form and of the proper material and weight to give velocity
thereto and to cause it to sink partly or wholly in water when striking the latter
'near a ship, for example, or when falling into the water on rebounding from the

page_text: side of a ship after striking the same.
The moment my explosive projectile
comes into contact with water or any aqueous solution or equivalent substance it
explodes with great violence, but neither concussion, nor heat nor fire are able
to explode it.
In order to bring the metallic sodium or potassium of the exploding projectile
hereinbefore described in contact with water at the proper time it must be so
constructed that the water or equivalent substance can come into contact with
the sodium. This can be accomplished in numerous ways, but I do not wish to
be understood as limiting myself to any particular means.
In the drawings I have illustrated my explosive device in the form of a projectile,
though as before described it may have other forms and be used. for other purposes.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a projectile of suitable material made in two parts
to be screwed or otherwise secured together as shown. Within the same I place or
form an air chamber I. to prevent the sinking of the projectile. D is a receptacle
of lead containing the sodium B, said receptacle having perforations a and ribs d.
Said receptacle is placed within the projectile, the ribs touching the inside of the
same, and the head or pointed end thereof is screwed down on the ribs of the
receptacle holding it in place. The head of the projectile is provided with
openings J for the admission of water and exit of air the water as it passes in,
when the projectile falls into the water, flows into the cylinder through the holes
in the top and sides of the same thus causing the explosion.
In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 I employ in addition to the parts described in Figs. 1 and 2
a receptacle F of glass or other fragile material containing water C. I cushion
this water receptacle by means of rubber packing placed at intervals around the
body as shown and by rubber rings around the neck of the same.
The stopper
of this receptacle is a fulminate cap G provided with a fuse g.
When this pro-
jectile strikes or is struck on its head the cap explodes and breaks the receptacle, if
the shock of impact has not already done so, thus releasing the water which coming
into contact with the sodium causes the explosion. In this construction the holes
in the head may be omitted but I prefer to retain them as useful in case of non-
breakage of the water receptacle, for the water passing through the holes J would
pass around the water receptacle C and thus reach the sodium.
In Figs. 6 and 7 the sodium B is enclosed in a fragile or glass receptacle E,
provided with a stopper or cork and cushioned on all sides by rubber rings H
and I.
The rubber rings H are provided with perforations or notches H' at intervals to
permit the passage of water around the receptacle, and the rubber rings I may also
be perforated as shown at 1' to allow entrance of water.
The projectile is formed with an interior projection R near which the fragile,
sodium-containing receptacle is placed in position When the projectile in use
strikes an object, the inertia of the sodium-containing receptacle causes it to
compress the upper rubber ring I sufficiently to bring the bottom of the said
receptacle into forcible contact with said projection sufficiently so to break said
fragile receptacle and thus allow the surrounding water to come into contact with
the sodium to cause the explosion. I further provide the head of said projectile,
as an aid to ensure explosion, with a small cavity, for containing sodium, closed,
after insertion of the sodium, by a screw plug T, and with passages J, J, for the
entrance of water thereto. The depth of the said cavity is such that the pro-
jection R is left with a comparatively weak connection with the body of the
projectile, so that when the water having passed through openings J explodes the
sodium in the small cavity the force of the explosion will detach and drive inwardly
the said projection with sufficient force to break the receptacle E and allow the
surrounding water to explode the sodium B, provided the shock of impact has not
already broken the receptacle in manner first described. I may however omit the
small cavity and water passages in the head and use the projectile without these
extra features.
In Figs. 8 and 9, L, represents the air chamber, M a quantity of nitro-glycerine,

page_text: P, a diaphragm held in place over the nitro-glycerine by means of the head A
screwed down over the same onto the body of the projectile, and B the mass of
sodium held in place by a piece of wire netting V. The end of the projectile is
provided with an opening in which is hinged or pivoted a door K arranged and
operating somewhat like a damper in a stove pipe. This is kept in a closed
condition by fastening over the door a piece of paper K¹ or other material easily
fractured when the projectile strikes the water, so that the latter may force open
the door and gain admission to the interior to explode the sodium. If desired, for
additional precaution, holes J may be made in the head of the projectile for
admission of water. The explosion of the sodium will immediately serve to explode
the nitro-glycerine and thus a double effect may be produced. Or if the projectile
should strike a ship the shock of impact would at once cause an explosion of the
nitro-glycerine and thus explode the projectile. Instead of nitro-glycerine I may
use dynamite.
In Fig. 10 N represents gunpowder and O a partition separating the gunpowder
from the sodium the said partition being held in place in the same manner as
partition P in Fig. 8. G is a fulminate cap and g a fuse attached thereto. J are
the openings for the admission of water. When this projectile strikes the water
the latter after gaining access to the sodium explodes it, the shock, heat and fire
from said explosion destroying the diaphragm and exploding the powder. If the
cap when the projectile strikes explodes and ignites the fuse the gunpowder will
cause the explosion of the projectile.
I have shown the projectile provided with an air chamber in all of the illustrated
embodiments of my invention, but this may be omitted in many cases.
Instead of using an automatic opening for the projectile, shown in Figure 8,
where both sodium and nitro-glycerine are employed, I may use openings J only,
for admission of water. The combination of said two substances would be
particularly useful in naval warfare where dynamite projectiles would be used. In
case such a projectile failed to strike the vessel at which aimed, but struck the
water near the vessel, the effect of the dynamite would not be lost since the latter
would be exploded by the explosion of the sodium on coming into contact with the
water.
The modification illustrated in Fig. 10 would have similar advantages.
Before use the water passages J in all cases are kept closed by corks or any
other suitable means to prevent accidental ingress of water.
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. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and a casing enclosing the same,
substantially as described.
2. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and a casing enclosing the same,
said casing embracing means to permit water to have access to the sodium at the
time of use of the projectile, substantially as described.
3. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and an enclosing casing in the
form of a projectile, substantially as described.
4. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and water contained and
separated from each other in an enclosing casing, substantially as described.
5. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and water contained and
separated from each other in an enclosing casing and arranged to come into contact
with each other when the projectile is subjected to the severe shock involved in
use, substantially as described.
6. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and nitro-glycerine or equivalent
contained in an enclosing case, substantially as described.
7. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and nitro-glycerine, or equivalent,
contained in an enclosing casing and embracing means to permit water to have
access to the sodium, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. An explosive projectile consisting of sodium and an enclosing casing said
casing being provided with an air chamber, to prevent sinking in water, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of January 1893
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.