Improvements in Illuminating Projectiles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Illuminating Projectiles.
I, WILLIAM HOLLIDAY ROSE, Mechanical Engineer, residing at No. 215, North
Calvert Street, in the City of Baltimore, State of Maryland, in the United States
of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to illuminating projectiles designed to be used to
illuminate objects on or near a body of water. It has been proposed to use pro-
jectiles of this class charged with carbide or calcium or other substance capable
The present invention
of producing illuminating gas when combined with water.
comprises various improvements in such projectiles and particularly improve-
ments in devices for igniting the gas. Shells of this kind are usually totally
immersed for a few moments after being thrown into the water and if the water is
rough they may be frequently immersed while the gas is being generated. The
present improved igniting device quickly ignites the gas when the shell rises and
re-ignites the gas after each subsequent immersion, so long as gas is generated.
The invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying
drawing in which
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a shell constructed in
accordance with this invention, taken on the line a--a of Figure 2;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same;
Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views of the battery which is prefer-
ably employed;
Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the igniting
burner;
Figure 6 is a similar view illustrating a slightly modified form of burner; and
Figure 7 is a section on line b-b of Figure 6.
In the drawing 1 indicates a cylindrical shell having a gas chamber 2, and a
carbide chamber 3 below the gas chamber. The carbide is preferably supported
within the chamber 3 by means of a perforated support 3 and a sediment chamber
or receptacle 3b is formed in the lower end of the shell below said carbide support.
The weight of the carbide and the lower end of the shell causes the shell to Hoat
in a perpendicular position when thrown into the water. The gas and carbide
chambers are separated by a perforated partition 5; and any suitable number of
inlets or apertures for the admission of water are provided in the walls of the
gas chamber. A series of burners S are mounted on a plate 9 supported at the
upper end of the gas chamber with which said burners communicate at their
lower ends. The casing of the shell is preferably extended above the plate 9 in
the form of a flange 10 to protect the burners.
As shown most
The igniting burner 11 is also mounted on this plate 9.
clearly in Figures 5 and 6 this burner, 11, is provided with a threaded shank 13
for engagement with the plate 9. To govern the flow of gas through the burner
a diaphragm 14 having a small opening 15 is provided. The outlet of the burner
is preferably covered with perforated material such as thin wire gauze as at 16.
A cylindrical casing, 17, preferably of insulating material, is arranged around and

page_text: protects the ignition burner, said casing and burner being securely fastened
together by any suitable means. This casing holds and protects the terminals 18
of the electric conductors 19 forming opposite sides of a circuit which is furnished
with current by a battery 20. The battery is supported within a receptacle 21,
shown as connected with the plate 9 at the upper end of the gas chamber. This
receptacle may be partially closed by a retaining ring 22.
Any suitable battery may be employed although the form shown in Figures 3
and 4 is at present preferred. The shell or casing of the battery, which is prefer-
ably formed of hard rubber, is divided into two compartments by a partition
or division wall 23. Within the chamber 24 are arranged the electrodes 25, 26
while the compartment or chamber 27 normally holds the exciting fluid. An
opening 28 is formed in the wall separating said compartments and this is adapted
to be closed by means of a valve 29 having an elastic ring or washer 31. The
stem of the valve 29 is of such length as to extend through the end wall of the
chamber 27 and is externally threaded and engages with a threaded opening in
said end wall. By this means the valve 29 is readily withdrawn from or caused
to close the opening 28 by rotating its stem. An elastic washer or ring 30 is
arranged about the valve stem to positively close the opening at the top of the
chamber 27 and prevent the escape of fluid.
The electrodes may be secured to an inwardly extending lug on the end wall of
chamber 24 and the wires 19 may he connected with said electrodes by screws 32.
To introduce the exciting fluid into the chamber 27 of the battery casing the
bottom or outer end of the electrode chamber is removed and the casing being
inverted and the valve 29 withdrawn from the opening 28 the fluid can be readily
poured through said opening into the chamber 27. When the desired quantity
has been introduced the opening 28 is closed by properly adjusting the valve 29
and the removable end of the electrode chamber is then resecured in position.
The wires 19 may be incased within projecting tubes 33 and if desired the space
between the battery and its enclosing case or receptacle 21 may be filled with
cement or any suitable packing and a disc or sheet of insulating material 34
may be arranged across the bottom of said receptacle to prevent the binding
screws 32 from coming in contact with casing 21.
Openings 36 may be formed in the casing 17 about the ignition burner to
permit any water that may enter the upper part of the burner to escape, or the
interior of this casing, 17, may be grooved to provide drainage openings 36 as
shown in Figure 6. This last named construction is preferable because it does
not necessitate exposing the resistance wire 37 to the cooling effect of draughts
of air. The gauze cover 16 prevents water from rushing into the body of the
burner and the upper end of the casing 17 is preferably extended some distance
above the tip of the ignition burner to protect the resistance wire and prevent
the flame from being blown out. For convenience this upper portion of the
casing may be made in the form of a ring 38 and attached to the lower portion
by suitable fastenings 39. The terminals 18 of the electric circuit within the
casing 17 of the ignition burner are connected by a fine resistance wire 37.
The operation of the invention is as follows: When the shell is to be used the
valve is withdrawn from the opening 28 in the battery casing and the exciting
fluid allowed to escape from the chamber 27 of said case into the electrode
chamber. The electric current produced by the action of such fluid upon the
electrodes heats the resistance wire 37 to a high degree capable of instantly
igniting the gas when it begins to pass through the burner. When the shell
is thrown into water it assumes an upright position and floats with the burners
above the surface of the water. Water entering through the inlets 6 passes
through the perforated partition 5 into the carbide chamber and the gas pro-
duced passes upward through said partition and the gas chamber and out through
the burners 8. The gas passing through the ignition burner 11 is ignited by
contact with the highly heated resistance wire and the flame of this burner ignites
the gas escaping from the other burners 8 and the shell forms a brilliant torch,

page_text: 5
paving
vention and in what manner the same is
claim is:-
30 ww
1. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of a gas
rner in communication with said chamber, an electric battery carried by the
ell, and an igniting device for the burner in circuit with the battery.
2. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of a burner
ommunicating with said chamber, an electric battery carried by the shell, a
ircuit for said battery having its terminals adjacent to the burner, and a
esistance wire connecting said terminals and located in position to ignite the gas
ssuing from the burner.
3. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of a series of
urners projecting from the end of the shell, and a flange having drainage open-
ngs, said flange projecting beyond the end of the shell and surrounding said
burners.
4. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of an igniting
burner, a casing surrounding the burner, a battery having its terminals in the
casing, and an igniting wire within the casing and adjacent to the burner.
a gas chamber, of an igniting
burner in communication with the gas chamber, a casing of nonconducting
5. The combination with a buoyant shell having
material surrounding the burner, a battery having its terminals within and pro-
tected by said casing, and an igniting wire connecting said terminals and located
adjacent to the burner in position to ignite the gas issuing therefrom.
6. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of an igniting
burner, in communication with said gas chamber, a protecting casing surround-
ing the burner and extending above the same, a perforated cover for the burner
to prevent water from entering in quantity, and openings in the casing below the
burner tip to drain the water from the casing.
7. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of a series of
burners arranged on the end of the shell, a flange surrounding and protecting the
burners, an igniting burner also arranged on the end of the shell, a battery,
and a casing surrounding the igniting burner, the terminals of the battery
circuit being carried by said casing and connected to an igniting wire located
adiacent to the burner tip, substantially as described.
8. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas chamber, of a gas
burner in communication with said chamber, an igniting device, and an electric
battery in circuit with the igniting device, said battery having two compart-
ments, one compartment adapted to normally hold the fluid and the other com-
partment adapted to hold the elements, and a valved opening between said