IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS FOR WAR AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John MacDonald, of Kingston-on-Thames, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS FOR
WAR AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 21st October 1876, and dated the 24th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John MacDonald at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1876.
JOHN MACDONALD, of Kingston-on-Thames, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS FOR WAR AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of my Invention is so to construct rockets that efficient rotation may
at the moment of firing be obtained along the longitudinal axis, also so that greater
initial velocity, range, and precision in flight may be obtained, and so that much
heavier shells may be used than any hitherto employed. The shell may be either
segmental or shrapnel.. The fuse is so arranged that it can be attached at the time
of firing and suited for any required range. The rockets can also be fitted up with
a shot head.
In constructing a shot headed rocket I rivet into the rocket tube a cast-iron
collar, having a hole bored through the centre tapped to receive a screw, the
rocket is then driven, after which a hole is bored through the centre of the com-
position from end to end, and a tail piece similar in construction to that employed
by the late Mr. Hale under his Patent, dated the 25th day of April 1862, No. 1220,
with this exception, that whereas, he employed three holes having 3 half tubes
screwed into them, I employ five similar half tubes or flanges in addition to the
central aperture. The tail piece is after charging firmly rivetted to the base of
the rocket tube with screw rivets. The head is formed of a conical hollow casting
having a hole at the flat end or bottom tapped to receive a screw, and having
holes or passages inclining outwards from the inner chamber to the outer circum-
ference of the casting, and having on such outer circumference one side of each
such hole or passage cut away. Into the tapped hole a short piece of wrought-
iron pipe is screwed, and the part of the pipe which then projects is screwed
into the tapped hole in the head of the rocket firmly fixing both together.
The rocket composition is bored through from end to end, and when the rocket
[Price 6d.]

page_text: is fired the gas generated issues simultaneously from the holes or passages
in the head and tail, producing at both ends simultaneously onward and rotary
motion.
When the rocket is required to carry a segmental 'shell the pipe above referred
to is made of a length to receive around it the shell required, the pipe is screwed
into a plate of cast iron corresponding to the size of the rocket, called the base
plate of the shell, until it projects at least one inch through; a ring of wood corre-
sponding with the size of the powder chamber is then passed over the tube.
There is also placed around the iron tube a wooden tube and outside this another
tube of tin, zinc, or other light metál, space being left between the last-named
tubes to hold the bursting charge and fuse. This thin tube which forms the
exterior of the charge chamber is kept concentric with the tubes within it by the
ring of wood above-named at the bottom and a similar ring of wood at the top.
Over the outside tube rings of cast iron are dropped up to the top of the powder
chamber, and over the whole a plate of cast iron forming the top plate of the shell
is screwed; this plate is cast with a hole through which the fuse is passed to com-
municate with the bursting charge.
A head identical to that above described for the shot rocket is then screwed on
the upper part of the pipe, and a ring of wood is interposed between the shell
and the head of the rocket. The central iron tube runs through the centre and
holds the separate parts firmly, together. Before screwing up the head, the time
fuse is inserted and picked for the distance at which the shell is required to
burst, the fuse is lit at the moment of firing by the fire issuing from the head,
and the shell bursts at any required range. For transport the shell can be detached
if necessary.
When the rocket is required to carry a shrapnel shell the tube is fitted up in
a similar manner to the shot rocket before described, the head, however, is cast
with only sufficient space in the inner chamber to allow the gas to escape. To
the top of this chamber on a flange provided for the purpose a cylindrical case is
firmly rivetted. At the bottom of the cylinder is placed a tin box or cup to
contain the bursting charge, this box or cup should be protected from the heat
of the gas by a wad of felt or some other non-conducting, material. The cylinder
is then filled or nearly filled with bullets, or slugs, the interstices being filled up
with sawdust soaked in tar, resin, pitch, or some other binding material, a wrought
or cast-iron head is then lightly rivetted in. The whole is covered with a conical
cap of oak or some other hard wood. Fire is communicated to the bursting charge
by a time fuse fixed in the base of the shell, so that it may be withdrawn before
firing and the time of explosion regulated. The time fuse is ignited by the fire
from the rocket composition which passes to the fuse by a small passage formed
for the purpose through the head. The gas in this case will escape from the
base of the rocket, and also from the head of the rocket below the base of the
shell.
Both of the above shells can be adapted to fire if so desired with percussion
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by thic
said John MacDonald in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th October
1876.
22817
JOHN MACDONALD, of Kingston-on-Thames, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKETS FOR WAR AND OTHER PURPOSES,"
The object of my Invention is to construct rockets that efficient rotation may at
the moment of firing be obtained along the longitudinal axis, also so that greater
initial velocity, range, and precision in flight may be obtained and so that much-

page_text: heavier shells may be used than any. hitherto employed! The onward and
rotary motion are produced by the simultaneous issue of the gases produced by
the burning of the rocket composition through passages of peculiar form at both
the head and the tail of the rocket. The shell may be either segmental, percussion,
or shrapnel. The fuse is so arranged that it can be attached at the time of firing.
and suited for any required range. The rockets can also be fitted up with a
shot head.
.
In constructing a shot headed rocket I rivet into the rocket tube a cast-iron
collar having a hole bored through the centre tapped to receive a screw, the rocket"
is then driven, after which a hole is bored through the centre of the composition
from end to end, and a tail piece similar in construction to that employed by the
late Mr. Hale under his Patent dated the 25th day of April 1862, No. 1220, with
this exception, that whereas he employed three holes having three half tubes
screwed into them with a central aperture, I employ five similar half tubes or
flanges in addition to the central aperture. The tail piece is after charging firmly
rivetted to the base of the rocket tube with screw rivets. The head is formed of a
conical hollow casting having a hole at the flat end or bottom, tapped to receive a
screw, and having holes or passages inclining outwards from the inner chamber to
the outer circumference of the casting, and having on such outer circumference one
side of each such hole or passage cut away. Into the tapped hole a short piece
of wrought-iron pipe is screwed, and the part of the pipe which then projects is
screwed into the tapped hole in the head of the rocket firmly fixing both
together. The rocket composition is bored through from end to end, and when
the rocket is fired the gas generated issues simultaneously from the holes or
passages in the head and tail, producing at both ends simultaneously onward and
rotary motion.
When the rocket is required to carry a segmental shell the pipe above referred to
is made of a length to receive around it the shell required, the pipe is screwed into
a plate of cast iron corresponding to the size of the rocket, called the base plate of
the shell, until it projects at least one inch through; a ring of wood corresponding
with the size of the powder chamber is then passed, over the tube. There is also
placed around the iron tube a wooden tube, and outside this another tube of tin,
zinc, or other like metal, space being left between the last-named tubes to hold the
bursting charge and fuse. This thin tube which forms the exterior of the charge
chamber is kept concentric with the tubes within it by the ring of wood above-
Over the outside tube
named at the bottom.and a similar ring of wood at the top.
rings of cast iron are dropped up to the top of the powder chamber, and over the
whole a plate of cast iron forming the top plate of the shell is screwed, this plate is
cast with a hole through which the fuse is passed to communicate with the bursting
charge.
A head identical to that above described for the shot rocket is then screwed on
the upper part of the pipe, and a ring of wood is interposed between the shell
and the head of the rocket. The central iron tube runs through the centre and
holds the separate parts firmly together. Before screwing up the head the time
fuso is inserted and pricked for the distance at which the shell is required to
burst, the fuse is lit at the moment of firing by the fire issuing from the head, and
the shell bursts at any required range. For transport the shell can be detached
if necessary.
When the rocket is required to carry a shrapnel shell the tube is fitted up in a
similar manner to the shot rocket before described, the head, however, is cast with
only sufficient space in the inner chamber to allow the gas to escape. To the top of
this chamber on a flange provided for the purpose a cylindrical case is firmly
*rivetted. At the bottom of the cylinder is placed a tin box or cup to contain
the bursting charge, this box or cup should be protected from the heat of the gas
by a wad of felt or some other non-conducting material. The cylinder is then filled
or nearly filled with bullets or slugs, the interstices being filled up with sawdust
soaked in tar, resin, pitch, or some other binding material, a wrought or cast iron

page_text: °
head is then lightly rivetted in. The whole is covered with a conical cap of oak
or some other hard wood, fire is communicated to the bursting charge by a time
fuse fixed in the base of the shell, so that it may be withdrawn before firing and
the time of explosion regulated. The time fuse is ignited by the fire from the rocket
composition, which passes to the fuse by a small passage formed for the purpose
through the head. The gas in this case will escape from the base of the rocket
and also from the head of the rocket below the base of the shell.
Both of the above shells can be adapted to fire if so desired with percussion
fuses.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a shell rocket constructed according to my
Invention Figure 2 is an elevation of a part of the same.
a is the rocket tube of wrought iron. is a cast-iron collar rivetted into its fore
end. c is the rocket composition; it is pressed by hydraulic pressure into the case
and then bored through from end to end, as the Drawing shows. d is the tail
piece; it is rivetted into the tube a after charging. An end view of the tail piece
is shown at Figure 3; it is provided with five apertures, each having a semi-
cylindrical flange or half tube on one side and a central aperture, as shown. e is the
the head; an under side view of it is shown at Figure 4; it has a tapped hole at e¹ into
which the wrought-iron pipe f is screwed. At its other end the pipe f is screwed
into the collar b, and the pipe thus serves to connect the head with the body of the
rocket. When the composition in the body' is ignited the gases in part escape by
the apertures in the tail piece, and in part they pass through the pipe finto the
head and issue by the inclined orifices e², which like the orifices in the tail piece
have each a semi-cylindrical flange or half tube on one side, as shown. is the
base plate of the shell, it is screwed on to the pipe f h is a cylinder of thin metal
forming the charge case, it is placed over the pipe f and kept concentric with it by
the wooden discs i, i. is the wooden tube surrounding the pipe f, and serving to
keep the powder or other explosive with which the shell is charged out of contact
with the pipe. 1, 1, are cast-iron rings fitting over the outside of the cylinder h;
these rings are cast with notches at intervals around the interior to cause them to
break into a number of fragments when the charge explodes. m is the top plate
of the shell, it is of cast iron and is screwed on to the pipe f. n is an ordinary time
fuse inserted through a hole in the plate m. o is a disc of wood interposed between
the plate m and the head of the shell; it is grooved at o¹ to receive a fragment of
quick match to light the time fuse immediately the fire commences to issue from
the head.
Figure 5 is an elevation, and Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a portion of
a shrapnel shell rocket. The pipe fin this case is shorter, it receives over it cast-
iron rings and wooden discs q. The head e is of a different form from that used
in the segment shell rocket, but it is provided with similar apertures for the
escape of the gases generated by the burning of the rocket composition. e¹ is a
flange on the head to which is rivetted the wrought-iron tuber forming a chamber
which receives within it the bursting charge s, enclosed in a suitable case and
penetrated by a time fuse t. This fuse is inserted through a hole formed for it in
the head, and it is ignited when the rocket is fired by flame issuing through a small
vente formed for the purpose. 8¹ is a pad of felt to protect the bursting charge
when the head e becomes highly heated. u, u, are shrapnel balls imbedded in
sawdust and pitch or such like materials. vis a cover plate rivetted into the front
of the tuber to secure its contents. wis a wooden cap to give the fore part of
the projectile a suitable form for flight. This cap in place of being made of wood
may be formed of hollow metal, which may be filled up with wood. Rockets of
similar construction but without shells may be used for carrying lines for saving
life at sea.

page_text: What I claim is the improvements in rockets for war and other purposes, sub-
stantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John MacDonald, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 20th day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JNO. MACDONALD. (L.S.)