IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THERE- WITH
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THERE-
WITH." A communication from abroad by Hermann Emil Albert Hellhoff, of
Mavence, Germany.
Sealed the 5th July 1878, and dated the 26th January 1878,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January 1878.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND
A communication from abroad by
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London.
IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH."
Hermann Emil Albert Hellhoff, of Mayence, Germany.
In the Specification of a Patent granted to the said communicator the 27th
December 1876, No. 5000, are described means for enabling nitro-glycerine and
analogous explosive compounds to be used in and with hollow projectiles; these
means consist of the ordinance tube for firing the projectile and in the projectile
itself.
The object of this present Invention is to improve and simplify the construction
of the ordnance tube and of the projectile; these improvements are the result of a
great many actual and successful experiments.
According to this present Invention the ordnance tube is made parallel inside,
and the projectile may be made without the springs in front and at the rear, as it
has been found by actual trials that the anticipated shock occasioned by the ignition
of the rocket charges does not take place so as to cause an ignition of the nitro-
glycerine or other nitro-compound contained in the front part of the projectile.
According to the aforesaid former Invention the projectile consisted of two main
parts, viz., the main body or projectile cylinder, and the propelling cylinder, appli-
ances, or chambers containing rocket composition, which are secured to the rear of
the projectile cylinder.
According to the first part of this present Invention propelling cylinders or rockets
are arranged around or in one with the main body, thus shortening the length con-
siderably, but increasing the diameter of the projectile.

page_text: The propelling cylinders or rockets may be insulated as regards heat by means
of hair, felt, or wood jacket; but it has been found that a comparatively thin body
of free air separating them from the charge chamber affords sufficient insulation, the
cylinders may be more or less in number and size, according to the power
required.
The body or charge chamber of the projectile consists by preference of a sheet-
iron cylinder.
The wooden ring or disc carrying the percussion cap or capsule may have a
metallic ring round its circumference, and rests on the charge bag or sack made of
canvas, waxed outside; or instead of the canvas bag a smooth barrel or lining of
wood or other suitable material is placed inside the sheet-iron chamber forming the
inner part or body of the projectile. The said wooden disc is fastened to the sheet-
iron body of the projectile by means of screws with half round heads, which fit well
and easy in the interior of the ordnance tube, thus superseding the application of
the centering spring mentioned in the aforesaid former Patent Specification.
The bottom of the charge chamber is a sheet-iron plate secured to the cylindrical
body, and lined with smooth wood, or hair, felt, or other suitable material. The
charge is put directly into the chamber, or it may be put into a waxed canvas bag
first.
The cylindrical body may be continued behind to a suitable distance for balancing
the projectile by its weight, and, in order to afford suitable means for adjustment,
a ring or rings may be arranged to screw more or less into it, so as to alter the
centre of gravity; or, instead of or in addition to these means, a " queue or rod
may be provided centrally at the back of the charge chamber, as is usual for other
rockets.
"
According to the second part of this Invention the projectile more especially
described in the aforesaid Patent Specification is simplified and improved as
follows:-
The charge cylinder is by preference of sheet iron, as above stated, and is at the
back fastened to an open-worked disc by means of screws with half round heads,
which fit easy and well in the ordnance tube.
The rocket tubes are arranged in any desired number behind the charge chamber.
Each rocket is closed in front and behind by means of a metal disc; the rockets are
held by screws screwed into them and through the said open-worked disc at the
back of the charge cylinder, and the rockets are held together by other screws
passing through an open-worked disc at the rear; this latter disc forms a guide in
the ordnance tube for the projectile at the rear end.
The said two open-worked discs and the rockets held between them must be made
and fitted together perfectly accurate and true.
The means for causing a rotation of the projectile may be similar to those described
in the aforesaid former Patent Specification, but it has been found by actual experi-
ments that a sufficient accuracy of aim may be obtained without such means if the
projectile is properly balanced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th July
1878.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE AND
IN PROJECTILES TO BE USED THEREWITH." (A communication from abroad by
Hermann Emil Albert Hellhoff, of Mayence, Germany.)
In the Specification of a Patent granted to the communicator the 27th December
1876, No. 5000, are described means for enabling nito-glycerine and analogous
explosive compounds to be used in and with hollow projectiles; these means consist
of the ordnance tube for firing the projectile and in the projectile itself.
The object of this present Invention is to improve and simplify the construction
of the ordnance tube and of the projectile; these improvements are the result of a
great many actual and successful experiments.
According to this present Invention the ordnance tube is made parallel inside,
and the projectile may be made without the springs in front and at the rear, as it
has been found by actual trials that the anticipated shock occasioned by the ignition
of the rocket charges does not take place so as to cause an ignition of the nitro-
glycerine or other nitro compound contained in the front part of the projectile.
According to the aforesaid former Invention the projectile consisted of two main
parts, vizt., the main body or projectile cylinder, and the propelling cylinder,
appliances, or chambers containing rocket composition, which are secured to the
rear of the projectile cylinder.
According to the first part of this present Invention propelling cylinders or rockets
are arranged around or in one with the main body, thus shortening the length con-
siderably, but increasing the diameter of the projectile.
the
The propelling cylinders or rockets may be insulated as regards heat by means of
lair, felt, or wood jacket; but it has been found that a comparatively thin body of
free air separating them from the charge chamber affords sufficient insulation;
cylinders may be more or less in number and size, according to the power
required.
The body or charge chamber of the projectile consists by preference of a sheet- .
iron cylinder.
The wooden ring or disc carrying the percussion cap or capsule may have a
metallic ring round its circumference, and rests on the charge bag or sack made of
canvas, waxed outside; or instead of the canvas bag a smooth barrel or lining of
wood or other suitable material is placed inside the sheet-iron chamber forming the.
inner part or body of the projectile. The said wooden disc is fastened to the sheet-
iron body of the projectile by means of screws with half-round heads, which fit well
and easy in the interior of the ordnance tube, thus superseding the application of
the centering springs mentioned in the aforesaid former Patent Specification..
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section through a
projectile constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is an outside elevation in perspective.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are vertical cross sections, showing respectively, twelve, seven,
and five rocket tubes or propelling cylinders combined in one projectile, all according
to the propelling power desired.
Figure 6 is an end view of the rear rotation screw.
B is the charge cylinder of strong sheet iron, and A is the shield in front of same,
also made of sheet iron, and secured by left-hand screw thread to the ring i on the
wood insulating mantle s¹; a is the percussion bolt brazed to the shield A, and
projecting beyond same, say, about two inches; it rests on the percussion mantle b;
B to B are five percussion points passing through the mantle b; two of them are
connected to the safety appliance v, which is a thin spring steel bar serving to hold
the mantle b to the shield A.

page_text: c is a flange inside the charge cylinder; on it rests a wooden ring or disc Z, car-
rying the percussion cap x, and having a groove turned in its circumference, as shown,
for taking the string, whereby the charge bag B¹ is held; this latter is of waxed
linen; p is an india-rubber washer between the flange cand the disc z; t is a
screwed ring for fixing the latter in place. The percussion cap x is hollow, screwed
through the disc 2, and filled with a fulminating composition; it is closed by thick
foil at the outer end, and covered with wool at the inner end; q is a tapered-off
ring projection on the ring i, provided with, say, 12 centering springs y¹-12,
which are skewed about 8 degrees against the axis of the projectile to give rotation;
these are made of thin spring steel; 2 is an outside ring at the back of the pro-
jectile, and formed with a ring projection h of the same diameter as the front ring 9;
these rings q and h touch the inside of the ordnance tube or trough; or, as aforesaid,
the projectile may be made to touch only in a few points by means of screws with
finely polished rounded steel heads applied around the rings i¹ and i²; d¹-d³ are.
five spiral springs placed equidistantly on the sheet-iron bottom, secured to the
charge cylinder B; these springs carry the oak disc f, on which the canvas bag B¹
rests. Between the charge bag B¹ and the cylinder B there is an india-rubber
lining, which is not fastened to the cylinder side; the interior surface of the canvas
bag is waxed.
The cylinder B is covered with hair felt o, and this again by a wooden mantle,
in two halves 8, 8', in which the rocket tubes C are recessed, half in each, as shown
in Figures 3, 4, and 5; the whole is held together by the rings, ²; the latter
tapers off behind, and is fitted, say, with twelve springs u, over which is passed a
tightening ring m; these springs have also a rotation direction of, say, eight degrees
against the axis of the projectile; they are broader behind, and are compressed so
far as to yield a resistance of about thirty to forty-five pounds each; they are thin
above and lancet-shaped; this part forms an angle, one edge y taking its bearing in
the ordnance tube or trough and the steering edge or rib u; these springs in the
first instance retard the shock or velocity acquired by firing, and during the progress
through the outer and wider end of the ordnance tube they serve to guide the
projectile centrally. The ring m is, when the projectile is placed in the tube,
pushed over the springs, and remains behind in the tube when fired, as it is pushed
off by a flange in the tube.
r, r, are screw blades fastened to the ring 22, and having an angle of about eight
degrees against the axis of the projectile, and the gas escaping behind for giving it
the required rotation; u is the ignition fuse consisting of a rocket tube placed in a
copper tube, and let into the heat insulating wood bottom u. The fuse has a branch
to each rocket tube, as shown, so as to ignite them all simultaneously.
The bottom of the charge chamber is a sheet-iron plate secured to the cylindrical
body B, and lined with smooth wood or hair, felt, or other suitable material. The
charge is put directly into the chamber, or it may, as here shown, be put into a
waxed canvas bag first. The cylindrical body B may be continued behind to a
suitable distance for balancing the projectile by its weight; and in order to afford
suitable means for adjustment a ring or rings may be arranged to screw more or
less into it so as to alter the centre of gravity; or instead of or in addition to these
means a "queue or rod may be provided centrally at the back of the charge
chamber, as is usual for other rockets.
"
According to the second part of this Invention the projectile more especially
described in the aforesaid former Patent Specification is simplified and improved as
follows:-
The charge cylinder is by preference of sheet iron, as above stated, and is at the
back fastened to an open-worked disc by means of screws with half-round heads,
which fit easy and well in the ordnance tube.
The rocket tubes are arranged in any desired number behind the charge chamber.
Each rocket is closed in part and behind by means of a metal disc; the rockets are
held by screws screwed into them, and through the said open-worked disc at the
back of the charge cylinder, and the rockets are held together by other screws

page_text: passing through an open-worked disc at the rear; this latter disc forms a guide in
the ordnance tube for the projectile at the rear end..
The said two open-worked dises and the rockets held between them must be made
and fitted together perfectly accurate and true.
The means for causing a rotation of the projectile may be similar to those described
in the aforesaid former Patent Specification, but it has been found by actual experi-
ments that a sufficient accuracy of aim may be obtained without such means if the
projectile is properly balanced.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention I declare
that I claim,
Firstly. The arrangement of rocket tubes equidistantly around a central chamber
charged with an explosive compound, as set forth.
Secondly. The various arrangements and modes of fastening the rocket tubes
relatively to the charge chamber, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TRARD
זוTTAYCD
PET
ETER JENSEN. (L.B.)