Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
I, CORNELIUS EDWARD KELWAY of 71 Shardeloes Road, New Cross, London in
the County of Kent, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to explosive æerial projectiles and has for its object novel
methods of
(1) Prevention of penetration on the projectile first striking a vessel so that the
projectile may fall into the water and by means of a " time,'
,"delay action" or other
suitable fuze, explode under the surface of the water at or near to the submerged side
or bottom of the vessel and so affect its most vulnerable parts.
(2) Prevention of the projectile "breaking up on striking.
(3) Reduction of the shock or concussion on striking to the explosive and other
contents of the projectile.
For the purpose of putting my invention in operation I sometimes make the body
of the projectile of the usual elongated form and of any suitable material. In the
centre of the front part of the projectile and in a line with its axis provide a longi-
tudinal hole or aperture threaded similarly to the usual fuze-holes and into which I
screw a threaded projection from the rear end of the head of the projectile. It will
thus be seen that the body and head are made separately. The head may be made of
one or more materials of a comparatively soft or yielding nature so that it may act as
a buffer between the body of the projectile and the object struck and so absorb some
of the energy developed on impact and at the same time minimize or prevent pene-
tration of the object struck The threaded projection before named may form part of
a pin upon which the head, of one or more suitable materials. is built up or otherwise
securely attached, or the projection and head may be in one piece.
I sometimes make the head of alternate circular or other shaped discs of wood and
india-rubber, or other suitable materials.
Another method of making the head is by the use of a metal spiral or other form
of spring attached to or forming part of the threaded projection before-named, and I
enclose this in a chamber conforming to any desired shape of head.
I sometimes make the head of hollow metal, or other suitable material, having an
air-tight screw-cap at the point or other convenient part to permit of this hollow
chamber being filled with oil, glycerine, spirit, or other liquid, melted india-rubber or
other suitable substance, the attachment to the body being made by the threaded pro-
jection fixed to the rear end of the head, or by a threaded flange screwing on to a
recessed thread cut at the front of the body externally, or by both.
Another plan is that of making the head internally in the form of a cylinder con-
taining a plunger or piston with rod attached projecting at the front and having near
to or at its rear end a screw cap for the admission of oil, glycerine, or other suitable.
liquid or substance. This cylinder I surround with any suitable yielding material and
enclose the whole in a cap of metal or other substance of any desired shape. Instead
of making the head of the projectile with the rear projection attached, I sometimes
place the latter at the front end of the body, and with or without the projection being
bored as a cylinder to receive the plunger or piston and rod aforesaid. In this case
the rear part of the head of the projectile is furnished with an internal or "female"
thread to take the said projection. I sometimes arrange the threaded projection of
such strength that, while sufficient to withstand ordinary usage, in case of partial
penetration the weight and rotation of the rear body of the projectile shall break or
wrench itself away from the head and so fall into the water. I prefer to so cut the
TD 0-7-7

page_text: threads on the projection that should partial penetration take place and the head be
firmly held, the rotation given by rifled ordnance should cause the rear body to
unscrew and disengage itself from the head and so fall into the water.
To prevent
the head from unscrewing before impact is made I secure it by light "set-screws
countersunk partially into the body and head.
"
When applying my invention to spherical projectiles, I make the inner sphere, which
contains the explosive and suitable fuze, of metal or other material, and surround it.
except at the part or parts required to be open for the insertion of the explosive and
application and action of fuze,with a coating of india-rubber or other suitable material
of sufficient thickness, which coating I cover with an outer layer of metal of
sufficient strength to withstand the force of discharge from the projecting piece of
ordnance.
Dated this First day of November 1889.
Improvements in Ordnance Projectiles.
I, CORNELIUS EDWARD KELWAY, of 71, Shardelocs Road, New Cross, London, S.E.
in the County of Kent, Electrical Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawing:
My invention relates to explosive aerial projectiles and it has for its object novel
methods of
(1) Preventing the penetration by the projectile upon its first striking a vessel,
so that the projectile may fall into the water and, by means of a "time."" delay-
action," or other suitable fuze, may explode under the surface of the water at
or near to the submerged side or bottom of the vessel and so affect the most vulnerable
parts of the latter.
(2) Preventing the projectile from "breaking-up" on striking.
(3) Reducing the shock or concussion to the explosive and other contents of the
projectile on striking.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention.
In order to put my invention in operation the body of the projectile may be made
of the usual elongated cylindrical form and of any suitable material, the conical head
being separately attached. In the centre of the front part of the cylindrical body of
the projectile, as shewn at a (Figure 1), and in a line with its axis I provide a hole or
aperture screw-threaded in the same way as the usual fuze hole, and into which I
screw a corresponding screwthreaded stud or projection at the rear end of the conical
head of the projectile. The conical head may be made of one or more materials of a
comparatively soft or yielding nature so that it may act as a buffer between the body
of the projectile and the object struck and so absorb some of the energy developed on
impact and thus minimise or prevent penetration of the object struck.
The screwthreaded projection described may form part of a pin or bar upon which
the head composed of one or more suitable materials is built up or otherwise securely
attached (as illustrated in Figure 1) or the projection c may be in one piece with the
head e.
I sometimes make the head of alternate circular or otherwise shaped discs of wood
and india rubber, or other suitable materials, as illustrated at fin Figure 1.
Another method of making the head is by the use of a metal helical, spiral, or other
form of spring as illustrated at in Figure 2 attached to, or forming part of the
screwthreaded projection c, the spring being enclosed in the conical or other shaped
chamber forming the head of the projectile.
Instead of one, two or more springs or other clastic buffers may be used.
I sometimes make the conical head of hollow metal, or other suitable material
having an air tight screw cap at the point or other convenient part as illustrated at h

page_text: in Figure 3 to permit of this hollow chamber i being filled with oil, glycerine, spirit,
or other liquid, melted india rubber or other suitable substance, the attachment to the
body of the projectile being made by the screwthreaded projection c fixed to the
rear end of the head e, or by a screwthreaded flange at k screwed upon a recessed
thread formed or cut externally at the front of the body a, or by both.
In another form of arrangement illustrated in Figure 4 1 arrange inside the conical
head e a cylinder in which fits a plunger or piston m having a rod n attached to it
and projecting in front, a screw cap being provided in a convenient position for the
introduction of oil, glycerine, or other suitable liquid or substance behind the piston m
in the cylinder. This cylinder I surround with any suitable yielding material at o
and enclose the whole in a cap e of metal or other substance which I attach to the
body of the projectile a in the manner already described.
Instead of the rear projection c being attached to the head of the projectile I
sometimes place it in front of the body a and it may be made of sufficient diameter as
shewn in Figure 4 to form the cylinder which receives the plunger or piston and rod as
just described. In this case the rear part of the head of the projectile is furnished
with an internal screw thread to screw upon the projection on the body or upon the
cylinder as shewn. I sometimes arrange the screwthreaded projection so that it is
of such strength that, while sufficient to withstand ordinary usage, in the case of
partial penetration the weight or momentum or rotation of the rear part of the body a
of the projectile shall be sufficient to break or wrench the latter away from the lead
and so allow it to fall into the water.
I prefer to so arrange the direction of the screw threads upon the projection in
relation to the direction of the rifling of the projecting gun that, should partial
penetration take place and the head be firmly held the rotation of the rear part or
body a of the projectile shall cause it to unscrew and disengage itself from the head
and so fall into the water when freed. In order to prevent the body a from so
unscrewing itself from the head before impact is made I secure them together by
light counter sunk screws, as shewn at p. In Figure 6, the head of the projectile is
shewn entirely filled with a sufficiently soft or yielding material.
Where my invention is to be applied to spherical projectiles, I make the inner
sphere r Figure 5 which contains the explosive and a suitable fuze. of metal or other
suitable material, and I surround it except at the part or parts required to be open for
the insertion of the explosive, and the application and action of the fuse at s, with a
coating of india rubber or other suitable material of sufficient thicknesst which coating
I cover with an outer thickness of metal u of sufficient strength to withstand the force
of discharge from the projecting piece of ordnance.
1 do not confine myself to the precise form arrangement and proportion of the
several parts of my improved projectiles nor to the materials of which they are to be
constructed, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In ordnance projectiles the construction of such projectiles in such manner that
penetration by them of a vessel struck shall not take place but that the explosive part
of the projectile shall fall into the water and explode at or near the submerged side or
bottom of the vessel, substantially as herein described.
2. The method of constructing the head of the projectile with soft yielding or elastic
material for the purpose of preventing or reducing the penetration by it of an object
struck, substantially as described and shewn in the drawing.
3. The use of a cylinder containing a suitable liquid or other substance, and a
plunger or piston in the head of the projectile for the purpose of preventing or
reducing the penetration of the object struck by the latter, substantially as described
and shewn in the drawing.
4. The method of constructing a projectile so that its head is connected to the body
by a screwed projection substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.

page_text: 5. The method of arranging the screw thread upon the projection connecting the
head to the body of the projectile in such manner that if rotation of the head be
arrested by its penetration of the object struck the continued rotation of the body
shall free it from the head and allow it to fall substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of September 1890.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Patentec.