Improvements in Explosive Shells, and in Fuses or Fuse Fittings for Detonating the Explosive.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1898--Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosive Shells, and in Fuses or Fuse Fittings
for Detonating the Explosive.
I, HARRIS PRIULI HURST, of 1,103, East Capitol Street, Washington, D.C., United
States of America, Gentleman, 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 relates to shells, particularly of the high explosive class, and
the fuse and fuse fittings for detonating the high explosive. The object of the
invention is to produce a shell that will be effective for all purposes, even against
hard faced armor and at the same time be capable of carrying a high explosive charge
so arranged as to detonate only on retardation or at the impact or after the impact,
and at the same time to provide a fuse or detonator that will work effectively, but
will be rendered harmless until the shell has left the bore of the gun.
In the shell in use the fuse or detonator, if exploded accidentally or prematurely, in
all instances will fire the shell charge. I propose to isolate the fuse and the bursting
charge by a barrier to be composed of any suitable material, of steel or other metal,
of a saturating substance, as wax, or a fluid, as, for instance, water; and in some
experiments I have succeeded in preventing the ignition of the charge when the
igniter was ignited by placing between the igniter and the charge a waxlike substance,
which upon the explosion of the igniter strained the fire or saturated the bursting
charge to that degree that it was incapable of being fired by the igniter.
I also propose to chill or freeze nitroglycerine or its compounds dynamite. This
substance has been fired when in a chilled or frozen condition, but heretofore no
effort has been made to prevent the excessive heating of the layer of explosive lying
next to the shell walls. I propose to surround the frozen explosive by a substance
that will absorb the heat and thaw out the explosive so that it may be in a condition
to be detonated by the igniter or by the excessive heat imparted to the shell on
impact.
I attain these objects in the following manner, reference being made to the
accompanying drawing, of which letters of reference are used to designate the various
parts.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, showing a shell with
a base and a nose fuse or detonator fitted thereto.
Figure 2 is a broken longitudinal section of an ordinary shell, showing a modification
of the base fuse or detonator and fitting shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail of the detonator packing.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are modifications of the safety fuse-way or channel closures
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a capped and lubricated armor piercing shell,
and 7 and 7B are cross sections on lines 1-1 and 2-2.
Figure 8 is a modification of Figure 1, and
Figure 9 is a sectional view of one of the explosive charges surrounded by snow or
ice and packed in a case for transportation.

page_text: The shell may be filled with any suitable bursting charge of powder or any ligh
explosive, and be of any material, design and construction.
In Figure 1 the shell has a thin central tube, A, having a head, A', and a base, A",
all united and secured by screw threaded joints as shown, or the shell may be in
one piece, Figures 2 and 8. The base, A¹¹, carries a safety chamber, B. In
Figure 1 this chamber is closed by a screw-plug, C, a fuse tube, I), extending from
the center of plug, C, and closed at the rear by a screw-plug, C. From the thick
front wall of the safety chamber, B, extends a fuse-way, D¹, having its forward end
closed by solid walls of reduced thickness. In this form the diameter of the
fuse-way, D', is about the same diameter as the fuse or detonator, E. The fuse or
detonator, E, as shown in Figure 1, is isolated from the fuse-way, D¹, by a heavy
safety door or shutter, F, having its forward end snugly extending into and effectively
closing the fuse-way and stopped from forward motion by the thick rim, a, from the
upper edge of which extends a jointed arm, b, and the rear end of arm, b, is secured
to a ring, c, shown in engagement with the exterior screw threaded fuse tube, D,
the screw threads running in the same direction as the rifling of the gun.
To the lower portion of ring, c, opposite arm, b, is secured a pendulum or weight, d,
which may be as heavy as the door, F, and arın, b. The fuse or detonator, E, is
composed of a cartridge case, e, having a primer, f, placed below the outer surface
of the head of the case, the lower end of the ease being of the least diameter and its
neck, just below the mouth, being bent or curved inward, as shown. This enables
the case to be permanently secured by forcing it into the recessed head of the
carrier-block, G. The carrier-block has a lead center, g, and any suitable cushion or
an untempered coiled copper spring, h, is placed beneath the carrier-block, the spring
being under compression so as to force the head of case, e, into the recess, i, of the
door or shutter, F, and lock all the parts against motion until the shell is fired.
The head of the cartridge case, e, has a groove or channel in which is placed a
packing, j, as a cushion or shock buffer. The case, e, is filled with little blocks
of fulminate of mercury, k, each block having a coating or packing to stiffen up the
mass, as shown in Figure 3, and prevent detonation by shock.
In the shell cavity is placed any desired explosive, for instance, for this particular
detonator, nitroglycerine, H, in a chilled or frozen state.
The operation of this fuse or detonator is as follows: Upon firing the shell, the
shock forces the detonator, E, to retire rearward, compressing the annealed copper
spring h, and remaining in the rear of the fuse tube. The door or shutter, F', now
being free of the cartridge case head, the rotary motion of the shell causes the
weighted ring, c, to travel rearward, the door being pulled free of the fuse-way and
then swung to one side by the rotary motion of the shell, as shown in dotted lines,
Figure 1. Upon impact of the shell, the fuse-way being open, the fuse or detonator
slides forward into the fuse-way and the primer, f, is exploded by the pin or nipple, l,
and the detonator now being in contact with the walls of the fuse-way, which is
blocked up by the fuse carrier and tamped, the walls of the fuse-way are ruptured
and the explosive, having been thawed, detonated in the shell cavity.
The safety chamber, B, in Figures 1 and 2, is made of the best steel or phosphorous
bronze and is large enough and strong enough to withstand the explosion of a
fulminate of mercury detonator, and, when the door is in the position shown in
full lines in Figure 1, the safety chamber, B, will withstand the explosion of a
fulminate of mercury and dry gun cotton detonator.
The rear side of the shell may be reduced in thickness, as shown in dotted lines,
Figure 1, so as to let the shell part with its rear portion, in case of premature 5
explosion, when a very strong detonator is used. Plug, C, may be made thinner and
weaker for this purpose also.
In the head of the shell is shown a safety fuse or detonator having a swinging
shutter, F¹, its center containing a fluid, m (shutter, F, may also contain a fluid, m),
and the rear portion of the fuse tube, J, is enclosed or encased by a jacket having a 5
fluid, m¹, The forward portion of the fuse tube, J, is channeled or rifled in the same
direction of the rifling of the gun, and the carrier-block, 61, has lugs, n, fitting into

page_text: the grooves or rifling, as shown. In the carrier-block is secured a detonator, E¹, of
dry gun cotton, in the front of which is placed a plate, o, having a firing pin, o¹,
thereon. In the rear portion of fuse tube, J, is shown a primer or detonator, E",
which may be of the same construction as of that previously described, or of any other
suitable design.
Upon firing the shell, the shutter, F, is swung clear of the fuse-way by the rotary
motion of the shell, and the carrier-block, G¹, moves rearward until stopped by the
shoulder, p, the dry gun cotton projecting into the detonating chamber, q, which has
thin walls. Upon impact the carrier-block, G', remains stationary, the increased
rifling of the fuse tube and rotary motion of the shell holding it in position, and the
primer or detonator, E", slides forward and, entering into the open end of the
detonator, E', the pin, o', explodes the primer or cap, f, in the head of the case
containing the fulminate of mercury, and the wet gun cotton, H', packed in the shell
cavity and around the explosive chamber, is detonated by the detonator rupturing the
thin wall of the explosive chamber and exerting its full force upon the wet gun
cotton.
The shutter, F¹, swings on pivot, r, and has rolling bearings, s, and the water
carried in the shutter is intended to saturate the wet gun cotton or wet the
fulminate of mercury primer in the case, in the event the dry gun cotton explodes
prematurely, and the fulminate of mercury may be exposed for this purpose.
In Figure 4 I show a double shutter, FH, each held by a spring, t, and a
stud, t, on one of the shutters, and in Figure 5 I show a modification of a double
door or shutter, the doors, F11, meeting in the center and swinging rearward and
outward by the rotary motion imparted to the shell in firing. In Figure 6 I
show a shutter, F, held against motion by a pin on one side and a spring on
the other, the rotary motion, when fired, overcoming the spring and the shutter
clearing the fuse-way, as shown in dotted lines.
In Figure 2 I show a simplified form of the detonator or fuse shown in Figure 1,
the door or shutter being omitted and the fuse tube D enlarged, and the carrier-block G
is held from forward motion by tapering pins, xx¹, engaging with shoulders on the
block. The pins are prevented from movement by the shell walls. The forward
portion of the block, G, being provided with annular ridges or teeth, y, which,
when the block flies forward, upon impact of the shell the pins are sheared off and the
block comes into locking engagement with corresponding teeth, y', in the
fuse-way and the detonator or fuse being exploded by the nipple or pin, l, the fuse-way
is contracted about the detonator and the limited wall space acted upon is ruptured
and the explosive, H, which may be nitroglycerine, gun powder or any other suitable
explosive, is detonated or exploded in precisely the manner first herein described. The
detonator or fuse, E, used in gun powder shells has the case, e, filled with gun powder
and a primer, and the teeth or other means may be used to confine and concentrate
the exploding fuse. It is intended to make the walls of the safety chamber of
sufficient strength to withstand the effects of any premature explosion, the gases being
bottled up, as it were, and not until the fuse or detonator, E, is exploded in the far
end of the fuse-way will the shell detonate or explode, and this will only happen on
impact of the shell, as is apparent.
Some explosives are so sensitive that chilling or freezing the explosive may be
necessary, and with this in view I have placed a liner, z, or corn pith, cork or a fluid;
the fluid being frozen, after filling the shell cavity, it will exert many tons per square
inch pressure upon the walls of the shell and stiffen them so that the walls may be
made very thin, as shown in Figure 1. In this case it may be of advantage to have
a rotating band placed upon the head of the shell so that the gases from the
propelling charge may exert an outside pressure upon the shell body, it already being
under expansion by the frozen charge within.
In Figure 7 I show in the shell cavity a frozen nitroglycerine or dynamite charge,H",
surrounded by a coating or packing of snow, ice or chilled water, ', presenting a
barrier to the introduction of excessive heat to the high explosive charge. In the
rear portion of the shell is a fuse container, L, having a fuse tube or fuse-way, D111,

page_text: held in position by screw threads. The forward portion of this fuse tube extends
into the mass of frozen explosive. At the rear of tube, D¹¹¹, is a removable plug, M,
closing the fuse-way and having a plate, N, seated on roller bearings, O. In front of
this plate is a coiled spring, P, held under compression by the thimble, P¹. Through
this thimble extends the detonator, E¹¹¹. The detonator is contained in a case having
at the rear thereof pins, Q, to prevent forward motion. In the forward portion of the
detonator case is a delayed action fuse, R, and in front of the case is the primer, R¹,
for firing the fuse charge. In front of the detonator is a fluid tank, T, having a
nipple, T, and resting against studs, S, to prevent rearward motion. The fluid
tank, T, may be omitted and in its place the forward portion of the tube may be filled
with water or other fluid and the nipple, T¹, moved up to the forward portion, as
shown by T. The interior of the fuse tube is screw threaded in the reverse direction
of the rifling of the gun, and the thimble, P¹, correspondingly screw threaded.
The thimble has passages, w, closed at the rear by a frangible material, w¹.
When the shell is fired, the rotary motion imparted to the shell by the
rifling of the gun will cause the thimble, P¹, assisted by the coiled spring to
move forward in the fuse tube, the shock of firing rupturing the frangible
partitions, w¹, causing the flow of the fluid in the tube to the empty space or
cavity in the rear of the detonator, and, when the thimble has reached the studs, S,
which may be placed at any desirable point, the forward progress of the detonator is
arrested. On impact of the shell the pins, Q, at the rear of the detonator are
sheared off by the thimble, P¹, and the primer, R¹, brings up against the
nipple, T, in the forward portion of the fuse tube. In the meantime
the heat imparted to the shell walls has thawed out the layer of ice and
turned the same into warm water, and this warm water has thawed out the chilled
or frozen nitroglycerine or dynamite, H", and, when the detonator brings up
against the nipple, T", the explosive is in a condition to be detonated.
In Figure 8 I show an armor piercing shell having a chilled or frozen charge
of nitroglycerine, H11, protected by shaved ice or snow, 211; in this form any
detonator may be used or the charge exploded by excessive heat developed on
impact.
In Figure 9 I show the explosive charge, H, packed in ice or snow, 2111, and
carried in a wooden or tin box, U, having a top or lid, U¹. These charges can be
quickly, safely and easily packed into the respective shell cavities just before use and
during an engagement, as the shaved ice or snow is yielding and readily adjusted.
Attached to the rear of this shell in any suitable manner, or placed thereto, is a
casing, V, containing ice or snow, 21. The sides of the casing may be
made of crushable material or be of sufficient strength to withstand a propelling
charge.
The door, F, may be a tapering plug and carry a gas-check and fit so as to
effectually seal the fuse-way when pressure is applied thereto. The arm, b, may be
a spring. The safety chamber, B, may be of any form, and the front end, D', be
coned, dished, cupped, tapering or of any shape desired, and may contain a fluid or
any other substance to prevent detonation of the explosive charge in the shell
cavity. Tube, D, Figure 1, may be slotted or perforated and carry any kind of a
fuse or detonator. The fuse-way, D¹, when the door, F, is used, may be made
with an open or weakened or perforated forward end, as shown by Fig. 7B.
The object to be attained by the barrier, whether a fluid, metal or other
substance, is the same; that is, to prevent the burning gases, upon the accidental
or premature bursting of the fuse or detonator, from reaching the bursting charge
in the shell. Pressure on the closure would cause the fluid to spread the closure
and thus grip and close the fuse-way more effectually than if the tank or door
was a solid block, and if the tank was ruptured the fluid would strain the burning
gases and take the fire out before the flaine reached the bursting charge.
The armor piercing and other shells in use can easily have the bursting charge
and fuse fitting, as illustrated and described herein, applied thereto without altering

page_text: the general design, and some of the existing detonators can also be made use of
in my system.
I am not aware that any one has heretofore made, shown or described a shell
having a positive effectual block or effectual closure of the fuse-way, and I desire
to protect my invention broadly without regard to the means I employ to accomplish
the desired result.
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. In a shell, a bursting charge, a fuse or detonator, and a barrier interposed
between said bursting charge and said fuse or detonator whereby, upon the
accidental or premature explosion of the detonator, the passage from the fuse to the
bursting charge is effectually blocked, thereby preventing the detonation of
the bursting charge.
2. In a shell, a bursting charge, a fuse-way, a detonator adapted to move therein,
and a barrier effectually closing the fuse-way, whereby, upon the accidental or
premature explosion of the detonator, the fuse-way is blocked, thereby preventing
the passage of the gases from the detonator to the bursting charge.
3. In a shell, a bursting charge therein, a fuse-way, a detonator adapted to move
in the fuse-way, and a barrier positively engaging and closing said fuse-way so as to
confine the gases from the detonator upon the accidental or premature explosion of
said detonator, and means to move said barrier when the shell has been propelled
from the gun.
4. In a shell, a bursting charge, a fuse or detonator, and a barrier or block
interposed between said fuse or detonator and said bursting charge, and means to
move said barrier by the rotary motion of the shell when propelled from the gun.
5. A shell carrying therein a chilled or frozen explosive, and a chilled or frozen
fluid in operative relation therewith.
6. A projectile having a chilled or frozen explosive therein surrounded by a chilled
or frozen fluid.
7. A projectile having a chilled or frozen explosive therein, a chilled or frozen fluid
interposed between said explosive and the walls of the shell cavity, and means to
detonate said explosive.
8. A high explosive shell carrying a detonator and a fluid in operative relation
thereto, and means to move said fluid out of the way of said detonator.
9. A high explosive shell carrying a detonator, means for isolating said detonator
consisting of a fluid barrier, and means to move the location of said fluid.
10. A shell having an explosive charge therein, a detonator carried by said shell
and an interposed fluid between said charge and said detonator.
11. In a shell, the bursting charge therein, a detonator therefor, and means to
saturate said charge on the accidental or premature bursting of said detonator.
12. In a high explosive shell, the bursting charge therefor, a detonator carried by
said shell, and an isolating fluid for said detonator.
13. A projectile having an explosive therein, a detonator carried by said projectile,
and an interposed fluid between said detonator and said explosive, and a delayed
action fuse, all combined as set forth.
14. A high explosive shell having a detonator, a fluid interposed between the
detonator and the explosive charge, and an empty space or cavity adapted to
receive the fluid after firing the shell and before detonation of the high
explosive.
15. A shell having a fuse container, a fuse tube carried thereby having a removable
plug securing in said tube a detonator and a fluid.
16. For use in an explosive shell, a closed fuse tube having its walls reduced or
weakened at or near its front end to enable the detonator gases to rupture the same
and fire the shell charge, with a detonator in its rear end and a block or barrier
secured in said fuse tube between the detonator and the weakened portion of the

page_text: same to prevent the gases from the detonator reaching the weakened portion of the
fuse tube and firing the shell charge in case of an accidental or premature explosion
of the detonator.
17. In a shell, a fuse or detonator carried in a chamber adapted to confine and hold
within said chamber in harmless captivity the products of combustion of fuse or
detonator when exploded prematurely or accidentally, and means to contract the
space about the detonator when the shell is fired to such an extent that a wall of the
safety chamber may be ruptured by the explosion of the detonator when exploded.
18. A shell, in combination with a fuse or detonator mounted in a chamber of
sufficient size and capacity to resist rupture by the premature explosion of the fuse or
detonator, and means to confine the detonator to a limited space in the safety
chamber, when the shell is fired, whereby a wall of the safety chamber may be
ruptured by the force of the explosion of the detonator when exploded.
19. In a shell, a normally non-rupturable safety chamber, a fuse or detonator
constructed to explode in the safety chamber, and means to concentrate the explosion
of the detonator to a limited wall space of the safety chamber whereby a wall may be
ruptured when the detonator is exploded.
20. In a shell, an internally grooved fuse-way, a detonator adapted to move in said
fuse-way, said fuse-way being grooved in reverse direction of the rifling of the
gun.
21. In a shell, a chilled or frozen explosive, and shaved ice or snow in operative
relation thereto.
22. A shell having a packing of snow or ice at the base thereof.
23. As a new article of manufacture, a chilled or frozen explosive charge for shells,
torpedoes or the like encased in a packing of ice or snow.
24. In a fuse, means to isolate the gases upon the accidental or premature bursting
of the fuse, and other means to open communication from the fuse to the bursting
charge in the shell by the rotary motion of the shell when propelled from the gun,
whereby said shell may be exploded:
:
25. In a fuse, the means for firing a shell charge therein, said charge being normally
non-detonating upon the accidental or premature explosion of said fuse, and other
means to open communication between said fuse and said bursting charge by the
rotary motion of the shell when propelled from the gun.
26. A fuse, consisting of a divided detonator, one portion of which is within and the
other part without the shell walls.
27. A fuse having its detonator divided by an interposed barrier movable by the
rotary motion of the shell.
28. A fuse composed of a series of fulminate of mercury blocks, each block suitably
cased or covered.
29. The method of protecting a shell charge, which consists in enclosing a
material to saturate the charge upon the accidental or premature bursting of the fuse
or detonator.
Dited this 22nd day of March 1898
ted this 22nd day of March 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.