An Improved Oil-discharging Projectile.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
An Improved Oil-discharging Projectile.
I, WILLIAM WILSON LEE, of Pomeroy Terrace, Northampton, County of
Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of projectiles containing a reservoir for oil.or
other fluid, and designed to be fired or sent by suitable guns or other contrivances,
either from vessels or from on shore, for quieting heavy seas or breakers.
The object of my invention is to provide a projectile with a reservoir containing
oil or other suitable fluid which may be fired or thrown a suitable distance ahead,
of a vessel, and so constructed that it will float and at the same time permit the oil
to slowly flow from the reservoir into the water and thus smooth the heavy seas or
produce a "slick," as it is called, so that when the vessel arrives at the point"
where the projectile is floating, or in its vicinity, the water will be practically
quiet. By the use of a number of these projectiles at proper intervals it is
obvious that the vessel inay sail in comparatively smooth water as long as may be
desired.
The invention consists broadly of a shell made of suitable material, and a
reservoir adapted to contain oil or other fluid, in combination with valve mechanism,
whereby when the shell is in the water, the oil or other fluid is caused to flow
outwardly from the reservoir and be distributed. It also consists of the novel
features of construction hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in
the claims hereto appended.
Referring to the drawings
.
Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section of the projectile.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the projectile, with conical cap removed.
Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view with steel cap removed, and
Fig. 4 is a portion of a central section of the projectile inverted showing the
valve dropped from its seat.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.
a denotes the shell of the projectile made cylindrical in form and preferably of
wood or some other suitable buoyant material.
b is a cap made preferably of lead provided with inlet holes 6 and securely
fastened to the upper portion of the shel! a.
c is a conical shaped cap made preferably of lead provided with outlet holes o' cl
and securely fastened to the lower portion of the shell.
The holes b b and c c are so constructed with reference to each other that the
combined area of the holes bb, are substantially equal to the combined area of
the holes c' c', in order that the oil inay flow out of the holes c' e' substantially as
rapidly as the water flows through the holes bb¹.
dis a rod made of any suitable material though preferably made of brass, having
a. conical flanged portion.d' near its base. This rod passes through the caps b
and c and is free to move through the same to a limited extent as hereinafter
stated. The conical purtion d' extends nearly to the inner circumference of the
shell and its function is substantially that of a valve having for its seat, the conical

page_text: portion c. dis a pin in the lower portion of the rod d which, when the projectile.
is inverted, rests upon the conical shaped cape and arrests the downward move-
ment of the said rod. e is a conical shaped shell made preferably of brass or other
suitable material soldered to the top of the rod d, forming the point of the
projectile is the base of the projectile and consists of a cap made of steel or
other suitable material loosely or detachably connected with the lower portion of
the shell a and cap c.
The sides of this cap b are reinforced with copper gto prevent injury to the
inside of the barrel of the gun when being fired. The parts above described are
preferably so constructed with relation to each other that when the shell is
immersed in the water in an inverted position as hereinafter stated, the bottom
portion will float at or near the surface of the water.
When the projectile is not in use it is placed upon its base as shown in Fig. 1,
the conical shaped valve d' being seated upon the conical cap c, which prevents the
oil or other fluid from flowing out. When using the projectile, it is fired from any
suitable gun or other means in the desired direction and to the point desired, tho
base or cap receiving the impact of the blow of the explosion. This capf being
loosely connected with the shell drops off into the water in transit. The point of
the shell being made of lead and heavier than its base strikes the water first and
the shell plunges downwardly into the water for a short distance, and then rises
to the surface of the water in an inverted position as shown in Fig. 4; the rod il
by its own weight drops downwardly until 'arrested by the pin.d; this forces the
point or cape downward and unseats the valve d', thus allowing the water to How
into the holes cc' and force the oil slowly around the flanged portion d' and out
through the holes 6' b', and accomplishes the purpose desired.
I do not bereby intend to limit my invention to the precise construction above
set forth and described, for it is obvious that the details of construction may be
varied without departure from the spirit of my invention.
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. A projectile adapted to be sent to a distance, comprising a shell, and a
reservoir adapted to contain oil or other fluid and provided with a normally closed
inlet and an outlet passage, in combination with automatically operated valve-
mechanism for opening said reservoir.
2. A projectile adapted to be sept to a distance, comprising a shell, and a
reservoir adapted to contain oil or other fluid and provided with. a normally closed
inlet in its top portion and a normally closed outlet in its bottom portion, in
combination with valve-mechanism operated by the weight of the valve itself for
opening the said reservoir.
3. A projectile adapted to be sent to a distance, comprising a shell, a reservoir
adapted to contain oil or other fluid and provided with a normally closed inlet and
outlet passage, and a detachable base, in combination with valve-mechanism for
opening said reservoir.
4. A projectile adapted to be sent to a distance, comprising a shell; a reservoir
adapted to contain oil or other fluid and provided with a normally clusel inlet and
outlet passage, in combination with cap b provided with normally closed inlet
hole b, cape provided with a normally closed outlet hole el, rod d provided with
valve d¹ for opening said reservoir when the projectile is inverted:
5. A projectile adapted to be sent to a distance, comprising a shell, a reservoir
adapted to contain oil or other fluid and provided with a normally closed inlet and
outlet passage, in conibination with cap provided with a orinally closed inlet
hole b', cap e provided with a normally closed outlet hole c', rod d provided with
valve d' and conical shell c.
6. A projectile adapted to be sent to a distance, comprising a shell, a reservoir

page_text: adapted to contain oil or other fluid, in combination with cap b provided with inlet.
hole 6, capo provided with outlet hole. c', rod d provided with valve d', and
detachable base.
1000
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.