Improvements in Guns for Firing Projectiles Containing High Explosives, and in the Projectiles and Method of and Cartridge for Projecting the same.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Guns for Firing Projectiles Containing High
Explosives, and in the Projectiles and Method of and Cartridge
for Projecting the same.
I, JOHN JAMES EDWARD HENRY PAYNE, of Lipscomb, in the County of Lipscomb,
State of Texas, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS FOR FIRING PROJECTILES CONTAINING HIGH
EXPLOSIVES AND IN THE PROJECTILES AND METHOD OF AND CARTRIDGE FOR
PROJECTING THE SAME, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
65
22
or
The demands of modern warfare have demonstrated the desirability, if not
the absolute necessity, for the provision of a means whereby projectiles or shells
containing what are known as high explosives may be fired, and, as is well known,
such explosives or projectiles containing the same cannot be fired from an ordinary.
gun in the ordinary manner, owing to the danger of their being exploded by the
sudden impetus or impact imparted by the projecting force, hence, in guns
ordnance for firing sucli projectiles it is essential that the projectile be started slowly.
and its speed evenly accelerated sufficiently before it leaves the gun to give the
desired range of flight.
The word "firing as herein used means the act of projecting or forcing the
projectile forward, rather than the initial act of causing the explosion of the
charge.
"
It has been heretofore proposed to give the slow initial start to the projectile with
an accelerating speed, as before indicated, by means of a body of highly compressed
air, either previously compressed into tanks and permitted to enter the gun
through suitable cocks and valves, whereby the pressure may be governed or com-
pressed by the discharge of uniform charge of explosive in a chamber removed from,
but in direct communication with, the gun, whereby the air, between the exploding.
charge and projectile, is compressed, and the sudden shock in starting the projectile
avoided; but both of these methods require a costly, large and awkward plant, the
tanks in the one instance and the chamber in the other being necessary accessories of
the gun, thus practically limiting the use of the same to permanent locations or
to positions where the whole apparatus can be transported, as on ship board.
It has been further proposed to fire such projectiles from a gun of ordinary, or
but slightly modified, form by means of an accelerating charge of powder, or one in
which the initial movement is imparted to the projectile by a charge of slow burning
powder which is immediately followed by a charge of medium quick burning powder,
and that, in turn, by a quick powder or one of greater explosive power etc., thus giving
the increase in the speed of the projectile essential to the safe projection of the charge
of high explosive or to the safety of the gun, but this method, while apparently a
feasible, and practical one, has, in practice, been found to be dangerous and inefficient
and has led to a further development in which the projectile itself constitutes the gun
barrel, the accelerating charge of projecting explosive being contained within a tube
fitting within the bore formed in the projectile. The obvious inaccuracy of the flight
of a projectile fired in this manner, to say nothing of the short range of flight possible
and the weight and inconvenience of handling and transporting projectiles of sufficient
size and weight to give the necessary element of safety, as well as the practical diffi-
culties existingas before mentioned, would prevent the adoption or use of such apparatus
in actual war operation.
Now, it is the object of my invention to overcome the objections pointed out, as well
as many others, and to provide a method and means whereby projectiles of "high
explosive" of any desired or convenient size, may be safely fired from an apparatus

page_text: of such size and weight that it may be easily transported and rapidly manipulated,
and, at the same time, attain the maximum range and accuracy of night; to which
ends it consists in exploding an accelerating charge for firing the projectile behind
the same and permitting it to expand into an air chamber or space simultaneously
with its action on the projectile, whereby the charge may be located in proximity
thereto and an exceedingly low initial velocity secured, rapidly increased by the
discharge of the successive charges of relatively higher power explosive. Secondly,
the invention consists in an air chamber so arranged as to act as a cushion or spring
to break the shock of each succeeding discharge of the different portions of the
firing charge, until the projectile leaves the mouth of the gun, whereby an even
increase in the velocity of the projectile is secured. Thirdly it consists in a gun
having a chamber for the accelerating charge, the bore of which is relatively small,
compared with the bore of the gun, with an air space communicating with the mouth
of said chamber. Fourthly it consists in a gun of this character having safety plugs
in the air chamber adapted to be blown out to relieve the pressure, should the same
be increased so rapidly as to endanger the high power explosive, and, finally, the
invention consists in certain novel details in the manner of loading and in the
construction and combinations and arrangements of parts of the gun to be herein-
after described and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this
specification.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a gun adapted to carry my invention
into practice.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the same with a modified form of air chamber.
Figure 3 is a section of another form of gun.
Figure 4 is a section-of still another form of gun.
Figure 5 a section on lines ar figure 4.
Figure 6 is a section of the preferred form of shell, showing the folding guide
wings.
Figure 7 a section of firing charge.
Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.
Any preferred form of barrel A may be employed in the guns adapted to carry my
invention into practice, although in the preferred form a smooth bore is employed and, as
there is little or no preponderance of pressure in the breech portion during the initial
movement of the shell, the wall of the gun barrel may be of substantially the same
thickness throughout the entire length the whole, of course, being of sufficient strength
to be self-sustaining or else supported rigidly by suitable trusses.
Referring now particularly to figure 1, it will be seen that on two sides of the
barrel A, at the breech, are arranged air chambers B, extending some distance along
the barrel and opening into the breech portion forward of the chamber for the firing
charge, through passages b, to said air chamber, being either cast integral with the
barrel, as shown on one side, or formed separate, as shown on the other, in the latter
instance being united to the barrel at the forward end by bands or screws b¹, and at
the rear end by the bolt 62 which may be bored out and form the communicating
passage between the breech chamber and air chamber, as shown.
Immediately in rear of these openings or passages is the chamber C for containing
the firing charge, which, for convenience, will be herein termed the "breech chamber,"
said chamber being preferably of much less diameter or calibre than the bore of
the gun, whereby the charges of explosive will be burned slowly and regularly in
proper succession. Where the breech chamber is of substantially the same diameter
as the bore of the gun, as shown in figures 1 and 2, the charge is caused to burn
evenly throughout by means of the cylinders D. of heavy paper or similar material,
which divides the charge into annular sections all of which are simultaneously ignited
at the forward end in any suitable manner as by a pin d passing through the breech
piece and extending way through the charge to the front, in the well understood
manner. The charge will be found more efficient if the cylinders D are of varying
Jengths, the outer one being shortest and the inner one longest so that, as the burning

page_text: of the charge progresses, it gradually covers the whole area of the chamber.
simultaneously.
In figure 2 is illustrated a structure in which both the air chambers are located on
one side, and the lower one closed by means of a removable breech pin F, whereby.
suitable cylinders f may be inserted to vary the size of the air chamber in proportion.
to the charge employed or the shock which can be sustained by the high explosive,.
without danger of exploding.
. At the forward end, the air chambers may be provided with safety plugs I fitting.
within the same and held in position by means of cross bolts i passing way through.
the walls of the chamber and having relatively small screw threaded head portions i¹.
to hold them in place, said plugs being adapted to break the pins and blow out should
the pressure become suddenly too great for the safety of the high explosive, the.
force necessary to cause them to blow out being easily regulated by the size of the
break pins.
The portion of the pins remaining after the pins are broken may be easily removed
by unscrewing the same as will be readily understood, and in order to prevent the
escape or passage of air around the plug it is provided with any of the ordinary'
well known gas tight rings such as 22.
In the guns thus far described, the shell of high explosive is inserted through the
breech in the ordinary manner and pushed beyond the breech chamber and lateral
passages and said breech chamber is, of necessity, of the same calibre as the gun but.
as before stated it is. desirable that the breech chamber should be of relatively less,
diameter and, in order to accomplish this, I have designed some forms of guns,
embodiments whereof are illustrated in figures 3 and 4.
Referring to figure 3 it will be seen that the breech chamber is located below the
gun barrel and opens into the air space at the rear, as in the former construction, only
in this instance, it opens at a point at one side of the base of the projectile, and
while this air space so formed may be found sufficient it is obvious that a supple-
mental chamber may be employed.
When the breech chamber is thus arranged it may be of any desired diameter and
the charge may be inserted through a small breech opening in the rear, as shown,
and the detonating cap, or other igniter, operated to ignite the charge at
the rear and thus greatly facilitating the loading and discharging of the
charge. The shell is passed in through a suitable breech opening and, in this, as
well as in the forms previously described, any of the well known forms of breech plugs.
may be employed.
Figure 4 illustrates a form of gun in which the breech chamber is formed in a
laterally movable breech blockKwhich moves in and out of position on rollerskrunning
on suitable tracks, the shell in this instance being placed on a carriage L connected
to the breech block and adapted to move into line with the gun barrel when the block
is moved to the side, thus enabling the shell to be inserted and the breech chamber to
be charged simultaneously.
The shell in this instance is pushed some distance forward of the breech block to
give the necessary air space between the same and the accelerating charge.
In order to secure accuracy of flight of projectiles of sufficient length to carry
the requisite quantity of high explosive, it is necessary to employ guiding wings
which will cause the projectile to rotate on its longitudinal center, the preferred
form of projectile for use in connection with my present gun being as follows:
The base of the projectile (see figure 6) is provided with wings or vanes M which
are pivoted at one end and are adapted to move back into suitable recesses provided -
for their reception and to be moved out after the projectile has left the gun by means
of springs m, such outward movement being arrested by the stop m³.
The manner of loading the breech chamber is susceptible of many. modifications
and inasmuch as it has been heretofore proposed to separate the explosives of different
power entirely, in some instances by means of paper covers, I would state that such -
methods are objectionable in the extreme as they subject the moving projectile to a
series of jars or sudden impulses as each succeeding section is reached. The preferable
:

page_text: manner of loading is illustrated in figure 7, N indicating a section of slow burning
explosive, N a mixture of slow medium burning explosive N the solid body of
medium explosive, N³ a mixture of medium and fast burning and N a solid body of
fast burning explosive. A cartridge loaded in this manner, it will be seen, will
gradually increase in power with hardly a noticeable shock from the time the ignition
takes place until all the explosive is burned.
The form and arrangement of the guns for carrying my invention into practice may
be greatly modified and changed without departing from the spirit of my inven-
tion and therefore I do not wish to be limited in the claims to the precise structure
illustrated.
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 herein described method of firing projectiles, containing high explosive, from
guns, consisting in exploding a charge of explosive behind the same and relieving the
sudden increase of pressure by means of an air chamber or chambers; substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
2. The herein described method of firing projectiles, containing high explosives,
from guns, consisting in exploding an accelerating charge of explosive behind the
same and relieving the sudden successive increases in pressure by means of an air
chamber or chambers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of a closed air chamber in communication with the same, forward of the breech
chamber; substantially as described.
4. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the closed air chamber in communication therewith forward of the breech
chamber, and the safety plugs at the ends of said chamber; substantially as
described.
5. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the closed air chamber in communication therewith formed of the breech chamber,
the safety plugs at the ends of the chamber, and the break pins for holding said plug
in position; substantially as described.
6. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the breech chamber of a substantially uniform smaller calibre than said gun barrel
substantially as described.
7. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of a breech chamber of substantially uniform smaller calibre than said gun and the
primer exploding mechanism at the end of said chamber adjacent the opening into the
gun; substantially as described.
8. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the breech chamber of a substantially uniform smaller calibre than the gun and an
air chamber in communication with the forward end of the breech chamber; substan-
tially as described.
9. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the breech chamber of a substantially uniform smaller calibre than the gun, and a
closed air chamber located at one side of the gun and communicating with the forward
end of said breech chamber substantially as described.
10. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the breech or explosive chamber of relatively smaller calibre located at one side of
the barrel and with its, rear end in communication with the rear end of the barrel
through an air passage; substantially as described.
11. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,
of the breech or explosive chamber located in proximity to and substantially parallel
with the gun barrel and a chamber connecting the rear ends of the barrel and chamber;
substantially as described.
'
12. In a gun for firing high explosive projectiles, the combination with the barrel,

page_text: of the breech or explosive chamber of relatively smaller calibre located in proximity
to, and substantially parallel with, with gun barrel, a chamber connecting the rear
ends of the barrel and chamber and the primer exploding mechanism at the rear end
of the breech chamber; substantially as described.
13. In a gun of the character described the combination with the barrel, of the
closed air chamber in communication therewith, and the removable plug in the air
chamber; substantially as described.
14. In a gun of the character described, the combination with the barrel, of
the closed air chambers in communication therewith, the plug for closing said
chamber and the removable filling pieces for regulating the capacity of the chamber,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
15. The herein described charge for firing high explosive projectiles consisting of
the sections of explosive of successively greater power and the concentric cylinders of
paper or equivalent embedded in said charge; substantially as described.
16. The herein described charge for firing high explosive projectiles consisting of
the charge of explosive and the concentric cylinders of paper or equivalent, of
relatively increasing length; substantially as described.
17. The herein described accelerating charge for firing high explosive projectiles
having the explosives of different rapidity commingled where they meet to produce a
gradual increase in speed, as set forth and described.
18. In the herein described projectile, the combination with the charge chamber of
the base having the slots therein.. the wings pivotted in said slots, the springs for
expanding said wings and the stops for arresting their outward movement; sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of October 1880