IMPROVEMENTS IN SHRAPNELS AND DISTANCE FUSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHRAPNELS AND
DISTANCE FUSES." A communication from abroad by General Hiram Berdan,
of the United States of America.
Sealed the 14th October 1879, and dated the 11th June 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1879.
Edward GriffITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SHRAPNELS AND DISTANCE FUSES." (A communication from
abroad by General Hirain Berdan, of the United States of America.)
The object of this Invention is to produce a fuse to burst shrapnel with perfect
regularity at all desired distances within the range of the cannon, without reference
to the difference of the velocity of the shell during its flight to the variations of
the weather, the charge of powder, the difference of the burning qualities of the
powder, as well as without reference to the time it has been stored in magazine, as
it is well known that the ordinary "time fuse" is defective on all these points for
the reasons :-
First. That the system at present in use is a "time fuse" and not a
fuse."
"distance
Second. That the velocity of the projectile is not the same at any two points.
Third. It is believed to be impossible to make a mixture of fuse powder and
press it with sufficient uniformity to make the fuses burn with the required
regularity.
Fourth. That the fuse powder deteriorates by storage.
The great variations in the distance of the bursting of shrapnel will be readily
understood when one considers the immense velocity of the projectile, about 500
metres per second, also the great difference of velocity at different distances.
The nature of the Invention is a mechanical fuse so constructed as to burst the
shrapnel when the latter has reached the distance to which the fuse is set without
reference to the velocity of the projectile or any cause whatever that could affect
the burning of the ordinary fuse; therefore it may be called a
"distance fuse" in
[Price 6d.]

page_text: contra distinction to the "time fuse," and to so construct the shrapnel as to produce
a perfect system of lubricating the gun.
This fuse is so constructed as to utilize the rotary motion of the projectile
operating on a wheel attached to a weight supported by a spindle in the axis of the
projectile.
The Invention substantially consists,-
First. Of a mechanical fuse so constructed as to utilize the rotary motion of the
projectile by means of a hanging weight.
Second. In the employment of an endless screw cut upon a toothed wheel operated
by another screw.
And, Third. In the construction of the body part of the shell so as to form a
circular recess for lubricating materials, all substantially as and for the purposes
hereinafter set forth.
The body part of shell is made of cast iron, containing powder tube and bullets
set in sulphur in the ordinary way. The conical part of shell is of cast iron, and
is screwed on to diaphragm of bronze connected to body part of shell by, say, three
screws working in slots, allowing a slight movement in firing. There is a lubricating
recess formed between diaphragm and body part of shell, to be filled with wax or
any other lubricating material; this recess is so formed that in firing, the body
part of the shell being forced forward, the lubricating material is pressed out with
great velocity against the rifling of the gun, at the same time serving as a cushion
to deaden the shock. The angles to the opening of the recess are such as to reduce
the size of the opening, and increasing the resistance as the lubricating material
diminishes.
This lubricating material is entirely protected during transport and handling,
and all the material being thrown against the rifling forward of the belt that
is to give the spiral motion, there is no waste as in other systeins. A weight
is attached firmly to spindle, the ends of which latter rest in steps, thereby allowing
the weight to remain in a vertical position; a driving wheel is revolved by means
of driving screw, and having an endless screw cut upon it, and which revolves a
toothed wheel, thus forming two endless screws with one intermediate wheel, thus
enabling the revolutions of the projectile to be reduced from 1,250 to one revolution
of the toothed wheel, which has only 50 teeth. This tooth wheel revolves loose on
spindle, carrying with it index disc, which latter is graduated to any distances
required. A spring washer and nut holds index disc to toothed wheel with required
firmness, but enabling the index to be set without moving wheel.
The firing bolt is forced by a spiral spring through opening in index disc when
arrived at distance to which it had been set, thus bringing rear end of bolt in contact
with fulminate in diaphragm. The firing bolt being suspended and diaphragm
rapidly rotating, the fulminate is ignited.
Many modifications and combinations may be made of this fuse without departing
in the least from the nature of the Invention, such as a combination of a percussion
fuse with the distance fuse to assist in determining the range, or of placing the ends
of the spindle in steps formed in plungers held up to their respective positions by
springs for special calibres.

page_text: by the said Edward Grimtn brewer in the Great Deal Patent Omice on
11th December 1879.
Me
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHRAPNELS AND DISTANCE FUSES." (A communication from
abroad by General Hiram Berdan, of the United States of America.)
The object of this Invention is to produce a fuse to burst shrapnel with perfect
regularity at all desired distances within the range of the cannon without reference
to the difference of the velocity of the shell during its flight, to the variations of
the weather, the charge of powder, the difference of the burning qualities of the
powder, as well as without reference to the time it has been stored in magazine, as
it is well known that the ordinary "time fuse" is defective on all these points for
the reasons:-
I. That the system at present in uso is a
fuse.
"time" fuse" and not a distance
II. That the velocity of the projectile is not the same at any two points.
III. It is believed to be impossible to make a mixture of fuse powder and
press it with sufficient uniformity to make the fuses burn with the required
regularity.
IV. That the fuse powder deteriorates by storage.
The great variations in the distance of the bursting of shrapnel will be readily
understood when one considers the immense velocity of the projectile, about 500
metres per second, also the great difference of velocity at different distances.
The nature of the Invention is a mechanical fuse so constructed as to burst the
shrapnel when the latter has reached the distance to which the fuse is set without
reference to the velocity of the projectile or any cause whatever that could affect
the burning of the ordinary fuse; therefore it may be called a "distance fuse" in
contra distinction to the "time fuse," and to so construct the shrapnel as to produce
a perfect system of lubricating the gun.
This fuse is so constructed as to utilize the rotary motion of the projectile
operating on a wheel attached to a weight supported by a spindle in the axis of the
projectile.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood I will now
proceed to more fully describe the same by the aid of the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section; Figure 2 is a plan; and,
Figure 3 is a section through A, B, of Figure 2 of a shell constructed according
to this Invention.
a, a, is the body part of shell, made of cast iron containing powder tube and
bullets set in sulphur in the ordinary way; b, b, conical part of shell, which is of
cast iron and is screwed on to diaphragm c; c, c, diaphragm of bronze connected to
body part of shell by, say, three screws working in slots, allowing a slight move-
ment in firing; d, d, lubricating recess formed between diaphragm and body part
of shell, to be filled with wax or any other lubricating material. This recess is so
formed that in firing, the body part of the shell being forced forward, the lubricating
material is pressed out with great velocity against the rifling of the gun, at the
same time serving as a cushion to deaden the shock. As will be seen by the angles
to the opening of the recess are such as to reduce the size of the opening, and
increasing the resistance as the lubricating material diminishes. It will be seen
that this lubricating material is entirely protected during transport and handling,
and all the material being thrown against the rifling forward of the belt that is to
give the spiral motion, there is no waste as in other systems. e, weight attached
firmly to spindle, the ends of which latter rest in steps g, g, thereby allowing the

page_text: weight to remain in a vertical position; h, driving screw; i, a driving wheel
revolved by means of the driving screw, and having an endless screw cut upon i,
as shown at Figure 3, and which revolves the toothed wheel k, thus forming two
endless screws with one intermediate wheel, thus enabling the revolutions of the
projectile to be reduced from 1,250 to one revolution of the toothed wheel, which
has only 50 teeth. k, tooth wheel revolving loosely on spindle, carrying with it
index disc l, which latter is graduated to any distances required; m, n, spring washer
and nut holding index disc to toothed wheel k with required firmness, but enabling
the index to be set without moving wheel.
o, firing bolt, forced by spiral spring p through opening in index disc when arrived
at a distance to which it had been set, thus bringing rear end of bolt in contact
with fulminate q in diaphragm. The firing bolt being suspended and diaphragm
rapidly rotating, the fulminate is ignited.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that many modifications and combimations may
be made of this fuse without departing in the least from the nature of the Invention,
such as a combination of a percussive fuse with the distance fuse to assist in deter-
mining the range, or of placing the ends of the spindle in steps formed in plungers
held up to their respective positions by springs for special calibres, but what I claim
as the Invention, and desire to secure by these Letters Patent is,―
First. A mechanical fuse so constructed as to utilize the rotary motion of the
projectile by means of a hanging weight, substantially as and for the purposes
herein shown and set forth.
Second. The employment of an endless screw cut upon a toothed wheel operated
by another screw, substantially as and for purposes herein shown; and
Third. The construction of the body part of the shell, so as to form a circular
recess for lubricating materials, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof; I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
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C BREWER (TO)