Improvements in. Charging Explosive Shells.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
"PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Charging Explosive Shells.
I, JAMES WEIR GRAYDON of 32, The Avenue, Bedford Park, Chiswick, in the
County of Middlesex, late Lieutenant United States Navy do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the preparation of the explosive charges for and the
charging of shells with what are known as high explosives containing, or formed
by, nitro-glycerine and compounds thereof, and it has for its objects to isolate the
explosive material in small quantities and enable it to be handled in large masses
with comparative safety in the operation of filling the shell, to ensure the stability
of the charge by preventing the exudation and concentration of the nitro-glycerine
in dangerous quantity at any point, to prevent, in long shells, excessive cushioning
or massing of the charge towards the base of the shell by the effect of its own
inertia at the moment of discharge from the gun and the consequent development of
heat, and to obtain the most instantaneous and complete combustion of the whole.
mass and the greatest possible volume of gases from the explosion, by so treating.
the envelope or container of the charge as to render it capable of contributing to
the volume of the gases generated, and assisting in the instantaneous propagation
of the combustion throughout the mass of the charge.
4
With a view to accomplish the above mentioned objects, the charge is prepared
in the form of a saucisson or continuous tube of about to an inch diameter.
coiled in superposed layers spirally about the detonating spindle and between
abutments or partitions which divide up the length of the charge and support it at
all parts in position when the shell is subjected to the impact of the propulsive
agent.
The envelope of the rope or tube is made of a strip of canvas which is first
saturated with a mixture of nitric acid and water in the proportion of, say, three
parts of the former to one part of the latter. The water serves to wash the acid
and facilitates the absorption of the acid by the fabric which is thoroughly dried
to drive off the water and leave the fabric thoroughly impregnated with nitric acid.
The strip of fabric thus rendered explosive, or in a condition to rapidly generate
gases by its combustion is then filled with the explosive material of the charge
(which, as above stated, may be any nitro-glycerine compound for example
dynamite of various grades containing 40%, 60%, or 75% of nitro-glycerine) by
placing the strip of fabric in an open split mould of which the two parts are hinged
together, placing the explosive filling material upon the strip, closing, and clamping
the mould, the edges of the fabric being left protruding from the mould and being
then stitched together to form a complete tube, the operation being performed in
convenient lengths and repeated over and over again along the strip until a
saucisson of sufficient length has been formed.
"The tube thus formed and filled is then coiled upon the firing spindle which is a
tube furnished with an Archimedean screw-blade corresponding in diameter to the.
bore of the shell, the tube and blade being perforated to allow of the instantaneous
generation and propagation of the gases throughout the mass of the charge when
fired. The tube or saucisson is coiled between the convolutions of the screw in
superposed layers, the cut ends of each strip being sealed, and the whole space.
between the convolutions of the screw-blade being filled up with the coils of

page_text: explosive, which are supported against displacement under impact by the screw-
blade virtually dividing up the length of the charge into independently-supported
sections, although the explosive, coils are continuous from end to end of the charge.
The firing spindle is a tube occupying the longitudinal axis of the shell perforated
to give passage to the flame and ensure the instantaneous explosion of the whole
mass of the charge, and it may be fired by an electric, time, or percussive contact
fuse.
Dated this 7th day of Movoh 1001
J. W. GRAYDON,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Charging Explosive Shells.
1, JAMES WEIR GRAYDON, of 32, The Avenue, Bedford Park, Chiswick, in the
County of Middlesex, 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 the preparation of the explosive charges for shells and
to the charging of shells with what are known as high explosives containing or
formed by nitro-glycerine and compounds thereof, and it has for its objects to
isolate the explosive material in small quantities and enable it to be handled in
large masses with comparative safety in the operation of filling the shell, to ensure
the stability of the charge by preventing the exudation and concentration of the
nitro-glycerine in dangerous quantity at any point, to prevent, in, long shells,
excessive cushioning or massing of the charge towards the base of the shell by the
effect of its own inertia at the moment of discharge from the gun and the consequent
development of heat, and to obtain the most instantaneous and complete combustion
of the whole mass and the greatest possible volume of gases from the explosion, by
so treating the envelope or container of the charge as to render it capable of con-
tributing to the volume of the gases generated, and assisting in the instantaneous
propagation of the combustion throughout the mass of the charge.
With a view to accomplish the above mentioned objects, the charge is prepared
in the form of saucissons or tubes of about to an inch diameter and of suitable
lengths which for the purpose of being charged into the shell are coiled spirally in
superposed layers about the detonating spindle and between the coils of a screw
blade that divide up the length of the charge and support it at all parts in
position when the base of the shell is subjected to the impact of the propulsive
agent.
The envelope of the saucisson is made of a strip of canvas which is first
saturated with a mixture of nitric acid and water in the proportion of, say, three
parts of the former to one part of the latter. The fabric is then thoroughly dried
by heat to drive off the water and leave the fabric thoroughly impregnated with
nitric acid. The strip of fabric thus rendered explosive, or in a condition to
rapidly generate gases by its combustion, is then formed into a tube and filled with the
explosive material of the charge (which, as above stated, may be any nitro-glycerine
compound, for example dynamite of various grades containing 40%, 60%, or 75%
of nitro-glycerine,) by placing the strip of fabric upon the opened out halves of a
split tubular mould of which the two halves are hinged together, placing the
explosive filling material upon the strip, closing the mould and clamping it, the
edges of the fabric being left protruding from the mould and being then stitched
together by hand sewing to form a complete tube enclosing the charge the
operation being performed in convenient lengths corresponding to the length of

page_text: the mould and repeated over and over again along the strip until a saucisson of
sufficient length according to the diameter about which it is to be coiled, has been
formed.
The saucissons thus formed and filled are then coiled upon the firing spindle
which is, a tube having formed upon it a broad Archimedean screw-blade corre-
sponding in external diameter to the bore of the shell and extending the whole
length of the spindle and of sufficient strength to withstand the effect of the inertia
of the portion of the charge which it is to support, the blade being preferably
perforated to allow of the instantaneous generation and propagation of the gases
throughout the mass of the charge when fired. The saucissons are coiled between
the convolutions of the screw in superposed layers, the cut ends of the several
lengths of the saucisson being sealed, and the whole space between the convolutions
of the screw-blade and the bore of the shell being filled up with the coils of
explosive, which are supported against displacement under impact, by the screw-
blade virtually dividing up the length of the charge into independently-supported
sections, although the explosive coils are continuous from end to end of the charge.
The firing spindle is a tube occupying the longitudinal axis of the shell and is
perforated to give passage to the flame and ensure the instantaneous explosion of
the whole mass of the charge. The firing spindle is fixed in the base of the shell,
the base being secured to the body of the shell by the usual means. The explosion
of the shell may be produced by an electric, time, or percussive contact fuse in the
usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :-
An explosive charge for shells prepared in the form of saucissons whereof the
envelope is a strip of fabric previously impregnated with nitric acid, as described,
wound spirally in superposed layers about the firing spindle and between the
convolutions of a screw-blade formed thereon whereby the charge is supported and
maintained in position in the shell, as specified.
Dated this 29th day of November 1894
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.