Improvements in Explosive Projectiles and Torpedoes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosive Projectiles and Torpedoes.
I, CHARLES POWERS WINSLOW, of Westborough, in the County of Worcester,
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Expressman, 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 especially to a projectile for cannon with means whereby
the nitro-glycerine or other similar explosive may be formed after the projectile
leaves the gun and automatically explode by the impact of the projectile with the
object fired at; or such explosion so timed that it will occur after the projectile has
penetrated such thing.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved projectile ;
Figure 2 a butt-end elevation of the same; and
Figure 3 a sectional view of the base plug illustrating a modification.
Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different
figures of the drawings.
A represents the shell of the projectile which is of the ordinary conical form and
is provided at its butt with the usual soft metal sabot b.
The shell is chambered centrally and longitudinally and the mouth of the chamber
is tapped and screw-threaded at d.
The bottom of the chamber is concave, as shown at f, in Figure 1.
A can D, of tin or similar material is constructed to fit closely into the chamber,
its bottom g, terminating at the beginning of the curve of the bottom of said
chamber.
A close fitting vial or bottle C, of frangible material is disposed in the can and
is provided with a stopple h. Said vial is provided at its ends by a cushion E,
comprising rings of rubber or similar material.
A screw-plug B, is turned into the threaded mouth d, of the chamber until
it engages against the outer cushion ring E, forcing it against the bottom of the
vial which is thus held tightly between said rings. Said plug is provided with a
head J, which is hexagonal in elevation, as shown in Figure 2, and which overlaps
the mouth of the chamber.
The plug B, from its inner end is chambered centrally and longitudinally to
receive a vial of frangible material F, of preferably one-tenth the capacity of the
vial C. A stopple t, closes the mouth of the vial F.
The mouth of the chamber containing the vial F, is interiorly screw-threaded to
receive a thumb-screw or plug 1, of soft metal which closes said chamber from the
main charge chamber when the plug B, is in position.
Centrally from the bottom of the chamber containing the vial F, and in
alignment a small chamber G, is constructed to contain the cap or fulminate. The
mouth of the chamber is interiorly screw-threaded at r, to receive, if its use is
deemed essential, a screw-plug of soft metal.
In a head J, of the plug B, a peripheral groove H, is constructed to contain a
time-fuse which is disposed therein and secured by a piece of soft metal x, plugging
the mouth of said groove. The groove is continued diagonally at y, through the

page_text: head until it registers with a touch-hole or nipple m, opening into the fulminate
chamber G.
The cap I, closing the mouth of the chamber containing the vial F, is flanged
at p, to overlap the edges of said mouth so that pressure from the chamber
containing the large vial will not disconnect or force in said plug 1. A gasket of
rubber 2, is interposed under the flange p, to retard the action of acid in the main
chamber on the soft metal plug I.
In use, the vial C, is filled with a solution containing 60 parts of sulphuric-acid
and 30 parts of nitric-acid. Said vial in its can D, is then disposed in the charge
chamber.
The chamber G, is filled with fulminate of mercury and a time-fuse is disposed in
the groove H, in such manner that its end may be ignited from the explosion of the
powder in the gun.
The vial F, is filled with glycerine and secured in its chamber in the plug B, by
the screw-cap I.
As the
When the shell is fired from the gun the jar of the explosion will fracture the
vials C, F. The force of the jar as the projectile leaves is from its point
rearwardly, so that the plug of soft metal I, flanged at p, as described, is not
displaced from the mouth of its chamber, by the explosion of the gun.
shell meets the object at which it is fired the force of the impact drives the plug I,
forward from the mouth of its chamber into the main projectile chamber, permitting
the contents of the two vials to mingle which results in the immediate formation of
nitro-glycerine.
When the fire of the fuse in the groove H, reaches the nipple m, leading to the
fulminate chamber G, said fulminate is immediately ignited causing the explosion
of the nitro-glycerine previously formed and the fracture of the shell after it has
penetrated its object.
By thus arranging the parts all danger resulting from handling the shells is
obviated the only immediate explosive therein being the small quantity of fulminate
held in the chamber G, which is fully protected from the force of any percussion
that would be sufficient to explode it.
The elements for forming the nitro-glycerine being separated by the metallic
cap 1, and the vial C, being protected by its rubber cushions a jar sufficient to
displace said cap I, is necessary before the contents of the vials mingle. Moreover,
I dress the charge of fulminate with which I fill the chamber G, with a covering
of rubber and asbestos which renders it impervious to such amount of heat as would
be received by the shell from the firing of the gun.
It is designed to turn the cap I, into the plug B, such a short distance that as
little resistance as possible will be offered to its displacement by the impact of the
shell, but to provide against the contingency of its non-displacement at the proper
time I can, if desirable, form two fulminate chambers G G, as shown in Figure 3.
These are connected at different points with the time fuse so that said fuse will
explode one fulminate charge to break the vial F, and drive its contents into the
main chamber for forming the nitro-glycerine, and immediately thereafter the
second fulminate will ignite and cause the explosion of the shell.
I do not confine myself to using glycerine in the vial F, as ordinary tallow or
any other animal fat may be used, if preferred, and the same may be disposed in
the main chamber around the acid vial to be attacked by said acid as soon as said
vial is broken, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the salient
feature of which is to provide the shell with apparatus and materials whereby an
explosive may be automatically formed after the shell has left the gun and ignited
or set-off either by the force of the impact of the shell with the object at which it
is discharged or by a time-fuse after the shell has penetrated said object.
The device described may also be used as a torpedo. This may be done by
tapping into the concave bottom of the main chamber, forming a supplemental
chamber 15 (see dotted lines in Figure 1) for containing an explosive compound

page_text: which may be fired by contact with water. The mouth of the chamber 15 will be
plugged by a cap of soft metal to keep the nitro-glycerine when formed, in the
main chamber away from such explosive.
Two ports or ducts 16 will open from the explosive chamber 15, through the
point of the shell through which the water will enter when the shell is immersed.
This will set-off the explosive and explode the nitro-glycerine in the same manner
as described for the fulminate which in this form is omitted. All the essential
features of a torpedo are thus attained with the added safety of firing the explosive
after leaving the gun.
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 :-
1st. A projectile of the class specified comprising a shell; two frangible vessels
therein for respectively containing an element of an explosive compound and
adapted to be broken by the discharge of the shell, substantially as specified.
2nd. A projectile comprising a shell; two frangible vessels therein for
respectively containing elements of an explosive compound; and a partition
separating said vessels and removable by the impact of the shell, substantially as
described.
3rd. A projectile comprising a shell; a removable butt; a port in said butt for
receiving a time-fuse leading to said chamber and two frangible vessels in said
shell for containing respectively elements of an explosive compound, substantially
as described.
4th. A projectile comprising a shell, a removable butt; a port in said butt for
receiving a time-fuse leading to said chamber and two frangible vessels in said
shell for containing respectively elements of an explosive compound; and a
partition separating said vessels and removable by the impact of the shell, sub-
stantially as described.
5th. In a nitro-glycerine projectile a shell in combination with a frangible vessel
disposed therein and containing an acid; and an animal or vegetable substance
disposed within the shell in position to be acted on by said acid when released from
the vessel, substantially as described.
6th. In a nitro-glycerine projectile, the elements for forming nitro-glycerine
disposed within the shell of the projectile respectively in separate compartments or
receptacles so arranged that said elements will be caused to mix by the impact of
the shell, substantially as described.
7th. In a nitro-glycerine projectile, the combination with the shell, of a frangible
vessel therein; a detachable butt; a frangible vessel disposed in a chamber in said
butt; a partition separating said vessels and removable by the impact of the shell;
a fulminate chamber in the butt opening into its vessel chamber; and a groove in
the butt connecting with the fulminate for receiving a time-fuse, substantially as
described.
8th. In a nitro-glycerine projectile, the elements of the explosive disposed
respectively in separate compartments in the main shell-chamber in position to be
mixed by the impact of the shell; a fulminate chamber opening into the main
chamber; a water fulminate therein and a port in the torpedo wall for admitting
water to said fulminate, substantially as described.
9th. The shell in combination with the frangible vessel C disposed therein; the
screw-butt; the frangible vessel F disposed in a chamber therein opening into the
shell chamber; the detachable plug I, separating said chambers, the fulminate
chamber G, in said butt; and the fuse-groove H, connecting with the nipple of
said chamber, all being arranged substantially as specified.
10th. In a nitro-glycerine projectile, a shell; a frangible vessel disposed therein;
a chambered screw-butt; a frangible vessel in said chamber; a flanged screw-plug
in the mouth of said chamber arranged to be dismounted by the impact of the

page_text: shell; a fulminate chamber opening into the butt chamber; and a fuse-port in said
butt connecting with the nipple of said fulminate chamber, substantially as
-<lescribed.
Dated this 26th day of January 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.