Apparatus for Distributing Oil over Waves.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Apparatus for Distributing Oil over Waves.
I FERDINAND SILAS of VI Dreihufoisengasse 1 Vienna in the Austrian Empire
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction, firing and operation of shells containing
oil, which are projected and are caused to burst or to open so as to distribute the oil
over waves.
The shells are of olongated form with conoidal heads, preferably made of wood, but
they may be of thin sheet metal, cardboard or other suitable material. Each shell is
provided with a fuso and a charge of explosive which may be situated in a recess of
the head or in the base, and the fuse may either be a time fuse or may be of the
percussion kind exploding when the shell strikes the water. The explosive charge
may be such as to burst the shell, or it may be sufficient only to blow out plugs or
uncover holes provided for outflow of the oil, from the shell. A convenient con-
struction is to make the shell in three parts, a cylindrical hollow body and a
separate base and head, both of these fitting on the ends of the body with sufficient
tightness to hold, but not sufficient to prevent them from being blown off by the
explosion of the charge thus uncovering at each end of the body openings by which
the oil can issue.
When it is desired that a light should be shown where the oil is distributed on
the water, the shell has placed in a recess of its head or of its base a case con-
taining calcium phosphide. Before firing the shell, this case is pricked with a hole
or holes, or it may be arranged so that the explosion of the charge causes openings
to be made admitting water to the calcium phosphide by which flame is produced.
In order to prevent the phosphide from receiving excess of water it may be
surrounded by spongy or porous material, or the passages by which water is
admitted to the case containing the phosphide may be so arranged as to admit the
water slowly. In order to distribute the oil over a considerable surface, a number of
the shells are fired at a time, these being directed so as to spread over a considerable
space in the following manner.
On a horizontal shaft fitted to turn in bearings are fixed a number of tubular arms
projecting from it, at various angles to its axis and. at various degrees of inclination
to one another, so that when the shaft is turned to any particular position these
tubular arms have various directions right and left and various degrees of elevation.
Oil bearing shells, being fired from all the tubes, have different ranges according to
their respective elevations, and are spread to right and left according as the tubes are
inclined to the axis which carries them.
Instead of charging the shells with oil alone, they may be charged with a mixture
of oil and cork dust.
Dated this 28th day of Santambar 1888
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Distributing Oil over Waves.
I FERDINAND SILAS of VI Dreihufeisengasse 1 Vienna in the Austrian Empire
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
'
This Invention relates to the construction, firing, and operation of shells containing

page_text: on, which are projected and are caused to burst or to open so as to distribute the oil
over waves.
The shells are of elongated form with conoidal heads, preferably made of wood, but
they may be of thin sheet metal, cardboard or other suitable material. Each shell is
provided with a fuze and a charge of explosive which may be situated in a recess of
the head or in the base, and the fuze may either be a time fuze or may be of the
percussion kind exploding when the shell strikes the water. The explosive charge
may be such as to burst the shell or it may be sufficient only to blow out plugs or
uncover holes provided for outflow of the oil from the shell. A convenient con-
struction is to make the shell in three parts, a cylindrical hollow body and a separate
base and lead, both of these fitting on the ends of the body with sufficient tightness
to hold but not sufficient to prevent them from being blown off by the explosion of
the charge thus uncovering at each end of the body openings by which the oil
can issue.
When it is desired that a light should be shewn where the oil is distributed on
the water, the shell has placed in a recess of its head or of its baso a case con-
taining calcium phosphide. Before firing the shell this case is pricked with a holė
or holes, or it may be arranged so that the explosion of the charge causes openings
to be made admitting water to the calcium phosphide by which flame is produced.
In order to prevent the phosphide from receiving excess of water it may be
surrounded by spongy or porous material, or the passages by which water is
admitted to the case containing the phosphide may be so arranged as to admit the
water slowly. In order to distribute the oil over a considerable surface, a number of
the shells are fired at a time, these being directed so as to spread over a considerable
space in the following manner.
On a horizontal shaft fitted to turn in bearings are fixed a number of tubular
arms projecting from it, at various angles to its axis and at various degrees of
inclination to one another, so that when the shaft is turned to any particular position
these tubular arms have various directions right and left and various degrees of
elevation. Oil-bearing shells, being fired from all the tubes, have different ranges
according to their respective elevations and are spread to right and left according as
the tubes are inclined to the axis which carries them.
Instead of charging the shells with oil alone they may be charged with a mixture
of oil and cork dust.
Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings shew two vertical sections and an
end view of an oil-shell constructed as above described. The body of the shell is
formed of a number of rings R of wood, cork, compressed peat, or other light
material, such as textile fibres cellulose &c., this body being enclosed in a thin metal
or cardboard casing M. It is fixed at bottom to the base disc and at top to the head
of the projectile by means of screws or nails.
The oil having been enclosed in a thin sheet metal casing H it cannot leak out and
the shells can consequently be kept in a charged condition.
In the head is provided a small case F charged with phosphide of calcium, through
the base of which passes a tube v, Figures 1 and 2. Lateral passages oo open into the
interior of the shell, the outer ends of the passages being closed by soluble plugs or
coverings of woven fabric or blotting paper f..
The base is constructed as follows: a cavity C communicates with the oil receptacle
by means of a tube t fixed in the wood of the base. A ball or half ball B of copper,
lead or other metal, acts as a valve closing the tube, for insuring a liquid-tight fit,
there may be run into the spacos m m round the ball wax, tallow, &c. The cavity C
below the ball is filled with a suitable readily soluble salt, or any substance destroyed
by combustion. In either case the ball will fall by its own weight, and in opening
the tube will allow the water to enter the receptacle at once, so as to drive out the
oil. Numerous substances may be employed for filling the cavity, those that have
a quick action are a mixture of bi-carbonate of soda and tartaric acid, which produce
carbonic acid gas, when brought in contact with water. This gas is developing
rapidly, will open the cavity but it will require a certain time for, disaggregating the

page_text: mass sufficiently to cause the ball to fall. When a rapid action is desired, that is to
say, to effect the opening of the tube during the flight of the projectile, I employ a
combustible material of the nature of a fuze that is ignited on firing the mortar.
This composition is such as to burn in water as in fireworks, so that the recess will be
emptied in a few seconds even if it is immersed in water.
With this composition the heat of the combustion will also assist in melting the
wax surrounding the ball.
The base has a metal disc L fixed to it by screws, which is covered by wire gauze,
which retains the salt or fuze material. When the latter is used a fuze is introduced
between the wire gauze and the composition so as to facilitate the ignition of the
latter on firing. The disc L protects the base against tho shock of firing.
In the above described arrangement the ball valve only has the function of cutting
off the communication between the oil vessel and the filling of the recess C, but the
ball may be dispensed with if melted wax, tallow, or other fusible material, be run
into the tube t or even if it be closed with fusible metal such as lead or tin. In this
case the plug so formed will become melted on the combustion of the charge in C
on firing.
When the shell is thrown by hand, the charge in C is first ignited by a friction
or other fuze.
Figure 4 shews a construction of oil shell, the body of which is made entirely of
wood, n is a cover having a central passage for the tube i. A perforated screw u¹
bears upon the upper end of the tube which has at a two thin washers.
The base C screwed into the shell contains a thin sheet metal box B¹ filled with a
combustible charge. A percussion fuze D is arranged within a central cavity of the
charge.
For filling the shell the head is removed and oil is poured into the body, the
cover n is then replaced. The charge F is then introduced into the head and this is
screwed on to the body again.
When the shell is to be projected the discs. are pierced by a punch introduced
through the hole of the screw ; the tube being then open the sea water can enter
and act upon the phosphide and the signal light will be put in action.
When the projected shell comes in contact with the water, the fuze D ignites the
charge B¹, the shell is burst and the oil is scattered over at large surface of water
in the middle of which the signal light will be situated, the phosphuretted hydrogen
becoming spontaneously ignited.
The shock to which the shell is subjected on falling on the water is all the
greater owing to its being made of a material that will float; in addition to this
circumstance, the oil is kept at the surface of the water and thus spreads rapidly.
When the shell is thrown in the day time, the signal light is suppressed. In
place of the box B¹ there may be introduced into the shell a central tube filled
with explosive compound.
Such a shell may conveniently be adapted to hold 600 Grammes of oil.
Figure 5 shews another arrangement of the shell, which is adapted to contain about
150 Grammes of oil mixed with cork powder or spongy matter. The body N can be
of sheet iron, copper, or other metal, or of wood, cardboard paper &c. The part K,
which is the explosive head, is of wood covered with a thin sheet metal hood a a
secured by screws & the upper part of which is strengthened to receive a screw thread
into which is screwed fuzes E. O. P.
At E is a hole which is opened when the shell is to be fired. The passage is
filled with fuze compound which will burn for a certain duration of time calculated for
a flight of about 200m but this distance may be varied at will, by employing a fuze
charge of longer or shorter duration. In the space P is placed the explosive charge
enclosed by a cork stopper c which is made water proof by varnish.
The wood cone K can be screwed into the body of the shell or it may be simply
fixed on by glueing.
The shell is filled with oil through the hole of the cone K, and the fuze E. O. P is
then screwed in. A water tight closure is insured by a caoutchouc washer at r.

page_text: The charge of powder is varied according as it is desired to explode the shell in the
air above the water, and thus scatter the oil, or otherwise. If it is desired only to
split the cylinder and allow it to float while discharging the oil, or if it is only
desired to force out plugs, such as indicated at s. s¹, or open holes such as n¹ closed.
by mastic or other material, the charge of powder need only be small.
In this case the shell remains intact and the oil passes out gradually.
In the case of bursting the shell, this may either be charged with oil alone, or with
oil mixed with cork powder, this is then dispersed by the explosion, and falls in a
shower on to the surface of the water.
In the arrangement at Figure 6 the base of the projectile carries a block L' of wood
which contains a small box T filled with phosphide of calcium. This box has a cover g
projecting round the edge and fixed by pins to the block L'. The bottom of the box
is formed by a thin sheet metal plate 4, it may however be formed with a solid bottom.
The block is made to fit at y y easily on to the base of the shell. The cover g is.
connected to the base by a cord attached to loops
and 21.
Before firing, the box is pierced so that the water can enter and act on the
phosphide, the perforations being made in the cover g, and also if necessary in the
plate h. The piercing might be effected automatically by attaching the block in
such manner at y to the shell that on firing, it is forced against joints, such as z
fixed to the base.
When the projectile is fired, the block will, after a short time, separate from the
shell, being carried along by the cord j¹ so that if the shell explodes the block will
fall uninjured on to the water, giving a signal light with its charge, even though
it may still have a fragment of the shell attached to it. Its size may be varied so
as to give a light of greater or shorter duration. In day time this signal light may
be detached from the shell.
Figure 7 shews a modification of the shell in which the body N is of wood closed by
a metal head at one end and by a cover G at the other. The mass of metal H¹ serves
to increase the momentum of the shell.
As in Figure 5, the charge P is ignited by a time fuze, or it may be effected by a
percussion fuze on falling on the water. The charge of powder is so adjusted that, on
firing, the metal head H¹ together with the head H2 and the fuze are blown off,
leaving free the opening through which the fuze passed, and the cover G, which
is only held on slightly by frictional contact, and by a water-proofed band 'k, is
also blown off by the force of the explosion exposing the hole t' through which the
oil can issue.
The metal head H₁ is also secured merely by friction, and by a band d.
The cover G might be of thin metal only.
In all these shells having cartridges of phosphide of calcium, in order that too much
water may not have access to the phosphide and the passage leading to the powder
charge, this passage may be replaced by a larger air chamber; the passage might also
be closed at the end by soft wax. Lastly, all the interstices left by the phosphide in
its receptacle can be filled with compressed sponge, which will imbibe sufficient
moisture for producing the phosphoretted hydrogen and cause the ignition of the
powder without fear of the water rushing into the space in front of the passage of the
powder charge.
The above described oil shells are all provided with a base so arranged as to admit
water, to drive out the oil when the shell falls into the sea. But when it is desired
to check the issue of the oil, the base may be entirely without openings so that the
oil will only issue through the openings at the front end if the shell is immersed
to such an extent, that the openings are situated below water line.
Figures 8. 9 and 10 shew respectively a front view, an end view and a plan, of an
apparatus for discharging the oil-shells. The apparatus consists of a base A¹ of wood
carrying two iron supports S. S₁ of which the latter has a socket I¹ in which the
metal tube Q is free to turn with slight friction. On the tube Q are mounted the
mortar tubes pp' &c. which are so arranged that each tube stands at a different angle
to the vertical in both directions; thus assuming the tube på to stand vertical at

page_text: Figure 8, then, by preference, the tubes p' ps are placed at opposite angles of about
10 degrees thereto, while p and p* stand at an angle of 20°.
These tubes are suitable screwed or otherwise fixed in holes in the tube Q which
might also be strongly made of wood. This tube carries a toothed sector R with
which gears a pawl U, kept in gear by a spring so as to hold the tube in the
required position for giving tho necessary inclination to the mortar tubes for pro-
pelling the shells to the desired distances.
The tube may also be held in position by a setting screw V in the socket I'.
The sector may be marked with a scale determining the distances to which the
shells will be propelled when the tubes p are inclined at a certain angle. The mortar
charges are fired by a suitable friction fuze introduced into touch-hole e.
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. Apparatus for distributing oil over waves consisting of a shell formed of wood,
cork, or other suitable light material charged with oil and so arranged as to cause
the oil to be spread over the water, when the shell has been propelled a certain
distance, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a shell charged with oil such as is referred to in the
preceding claim, of a signal light composed of phosphide of calcium which on being
acted upon by the water when the shell falls, will be automatically ignited, sub-
stantially as herein described.
3. Constructing shells charged with oil with a base having a passago communi-
cating with the oil receptacle which passage is temporarily closed by a ball or other
suitable device held in place by a salt or other substance easily soluble in water, or
by a fuze composition, which will burn away, so that the passage will be freed when
the shell reaches the water, allowing the oil to issue, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 3.
4. The construction of oil shell herein described with reference to Figure 4 having
a percussion fuze which, when the shell strikes the water bursts the shell and
discharges the oil.
5. The construction of oil shell herein described with reference to Figure 5 in
which the head carries a time fuze which ignites a charge of powder for either
bursting the shell or for forcing plugs out of holes therein.
6. The combination with an oil shell of a signal light arranged and operating as
described with reference to Figure 6.
7. The construction of shell herein described with reference to Figure 7, the body
being closed at one end by a head which is driven out by the explosion, and at the
other end by a cover which is also driven off by the explosion, thereby freeing holes
at both ends through which the oil can issue.
8. The use for the charge of the shells referred to in the preceding claim of a
mixture of oil and cork dust or other absorbent pulverulent or granular material,
substantially as herein described.
9. The various arrangements herein described for preventing the entrance of too
large a body of water so as to extinguish the signal light.
10. The construction of mortar tubes for firing the oil shells, combined and
operating as herein described with reference to Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings.
both of Tona 1880
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.