IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH PROJECTILES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Auckland Cochrane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1883.
ARTHUR AUCKLAND COCHRANE of the City of Westminster " IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR CONNECTED WITH PROJECTILES
"
My Invention relates to improvements in shells intended more particularly for
use in naval warfare but applicable also for use on land and it has for its object
to attain greater certainty and efficiency in the action together with increased
lightness and portability and facility for introducing and extracting the explosive
material used therein.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the shells of any desired shape, of
steel or other suitable metal, or of paper by moulding from pulp or otherwise, or
of vulcanite or other suitable light or buoyant material or a combination of metal
and other material.
The said shells may be made in two or more parts connected together so as to
be capable of being opened out or taken apart for the purpose of introducing
or withdrawing the explosive material when desired. The explosive material may
consist of Gun cotton or other suitable high class explosive substance and the
means for exploding the shell may consist of either chemical, percussive or time
fuse or a combination thereof according to the purpose for which the shells are to
be employed. For some purposes the shells when charged with the explosive
material may be of a specific gravity slightly greater than water so as to gradually
sink therein to any desired depth and for other purposes they may be made of less
specific gravity than water so as to float on the surfaces thereof. I also propose in
some cases to introduce into the interior of the shell with the explosive material
oil or other liquid or an elastic medium for the purpose of preventing the
accidental explosion of the shell by the shock produced when projected from
a mortar or other projector. Or in some cases, I may provide the shell with
an outer shell or casing a space being provided between it and the inner shell to
contain liquid or air or other elastic medium to lessen or destroy the shock, the
inner shell or casing containing the explosive material
According to one mode of employing my improved shells when made of slightly
greater specific gravity than water (as herein before described) I connect the shell

page_text: by means of a strong cord of small diameter, and of a length equal to the depth to
which the shell is to be allowed to sink when fired or used, to a tube of
Indiarubber or other material or attachment of sufficient strength and buoyancy
to support the shell when immersed in the water. The shell with the buoyant
attachment connected therewith is projected from a mortar or other projector
say to a position just ahead or near to and in the course of an approachiog hostile
vessel so that should the vessel continue her course she would pass over or in
contact with the shell and be subjected to the effects of its explosion the shell
being provided with a percussion or time or other suitable fuse to cause it to
explode at the proper moment and thus effect considerable damage to or destroy
the hostile vessel.
According to another mode of employing my improved shells whether buoyant
or otherwise I connect two or more of them to a rope or tube (which may be
buoyant or buoyed) and project them simultaneously from a corresponding number
of projectors arranged at such an angle to each other as to cause the shells when
projected therefrom to extend from each other the distance required to extend the
connecting rope or tube across the bows of the hostile vessel so that should
the vessel continue her course she would foul the rope or tube and thereby draw
the shells which are attached to it towards or against her sides. The said shells
may be provided with time fuses or with percussion or other suitable fuses which
will cause the shells to explode when brought near to, or in contact with the
sides of the vessel. Shells connected together by a rope or tube in the manner
herein before described instead of being projected may be dropped into the
water so as to be carried or drifted by the tide or current across a ship, whether
it be at anchor or underweigh, or be carried or drifted against sea defences
or forts built in the Sea, and by exploding effect their destruction or considerable
damage thereto.
Shells constructed and connected together or not in the manner hereinbefore
described may be projected from the shore or from batteries or land, at ships
in rivers, channels and other places. They may also be employed for destroying
land batteries, clearing parapets and the like. When the hereinbefore described
shells are of greater specific gravity than water and are used to explode ground
torpedoes the flexible attachment could be dispensed with. They can also be
used to explode submerged or partially submerged torpedoes of other descriptions.
Mortars employed for projecting these shells may be made in two or more parts
fitted together in such a manner as to be readily taken to pieces to facilitate their
transport for expeditions either by land or water and making them more convenient
for use in boats such as torpedo boats and river boats and in order to diminish
their weight they may be constructed of compressed steel or phosphor bronze or a
combination of steel and phosphor bronze.