An Improvement Connected with Explosive Shells.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec, 1888
Complete Specification Left. 5th Sept, .1889-Accepted, 12th Oct.,. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement Connected with Explosive Shells.
I, WILLIAM SPEIRS SIMPSON, of 49 Battersea Park Road, Surrey, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means for making shells more highly explosive, and with a
certainty of flying into more minute pieces, than is usual under the ordinary charge
of gunpowder, or other explosive agent with which a shell is supplied, and this I
effect by the employment of air, or dead gases, forced into the shell under great
pressure, said air commingling with powder if put in loose, and surrounding and
permeating solid powder, or other explosive agent within the shell, the charge of said
powder, or other explosive agent, being much less in quantity than is usually placed'
within a shell, the object being, that the force and heat of the powder at the time of
the explosion, causes a rapid expansion of the air, or gas within the shell, whereby
great internal force, or pressure is developed, which acting on the shell, breaks it into
fragments.
The shell can be fired with the ordinary fuse, or electrically, and to enable the air,
or gas to be injected into the shell, I form the back end, or some other part of the
shell, with a nozzle, to a branch of which, the tube of an air, or other pump, can be
affixed and by a screw pin, I can at the proper moment, close up the air passage and
so confine the air, or gas within the shell.
If the shell be an elongated one, the nozzle at the back can be shaped to receive the
gas check.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said William Speirs Simpson.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement Connected with Explosive Shells.
I WILLIAM SPEIRS SIMPSON of 49 Battersea Park Road, Surrey, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to means for making shells more highly explosive and with a
certainty of separating or flying into more minute pieces than is usual under the
ordinary charge of gunpowder or other explosive agent with which a shell is supplied
and this 1 effect by the employment of air or dead gases. forced into the shell under
great pressure, said air commingling with powder, if put in loose, and surrounding
and permeating solid powder or other explosive agent within the shell, the charge of
said powder or other explosive agent being preferably much less in quantity than is
usually placed within a shell the object being that the force and heat of the powder at
the time of the explosion causes. a rapid expansion of the air or gas within the shell
whoreby great internal force or pressure is developed which acting on the shell breaks
it into fragments.
The shell can be fired with the ordinary percussion fuse or electrically and to
enable the air or gas to be injected into the shell I form the back end or some
other part of the shell with a nozzle to a branch of which the tube of an air or other
pump can be affixed and by a screw pin I can at the proper moment close up the air
passage and so confine the air or gas within the shell.
If the shell be an elongated one the nozzle at the back can be shaped to receive the
gas check.

page_text: The annexed drawing shew such a shell A with base B screwed into it. This base
has a conical shouldered hole for the nose of a screw pin D to bear against to close
the end of the shell, said pin D being within a larger hole with a clearance around it.
for the passage of air. or dead: gases under greater pressure from a pump; a branch
from which can be screwed into the hole: E to make the necessary connection.
The head of the screw pin D may be of any shape and the base B can have an
ordinary or a special" Gas check" affixed if desired.
I am aware that gases of different kinds have in a compressed state been employed
in shells as an explosive, therefore I make no claim to the use of compressed gases as
such agent except in shells which already, contains a charge of powder for the
combined action thereof, when ignited to obtain a higher development of the
explosive forces.
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
1. The above described invention, viz. an explosive shell with appliances substantially
shewn in the annexed drawing for retaining compressed fluid within it.
2. The employment of highly compressed fluids with the usual explosive within a
shell for the purpose or purposes described.
3. The employment within the chamber of a shell, already charged with powder, of
air or gaseous fluids forced in to the desired pressure to commingle or perineate with
the powder for their combined action when ignited to produce great internal pressure
and the development of high explosive properties.
The 5th day of September 1889.
:
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said W.. S. Simpson.