IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING TUBES FOR ARTILLERY AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: We JAMES MACNAB of 39 Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer and DANIEL HICKIE, of 23, Queen Anne's Gate Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING TUBES FOR ARTILLERY AND OTHER
PURPOSES to be as follows:—
Our invention relates to improvements on the present method of firing artillery.
or other charges by means of the friction tube including also the materials
employed therein which are of a permanent and safe character and free from all
climatic changes or action, besides ensuring more certainty and reliability through.
the mode of ignition than the said friction tube which as at present constructed is
charged with a composition that is well-known to be affected by atmospheric
action and which deteriorates rapidly besides being unreliable in its action and
possesses other disadvantages which our invention overcomes.
Our improvements consist principally in the combination and use of a percussion
cap actuated by a spring and striker encased in the tube as a reliable substitute
for the usual uncertain friction composition and action for firing artillery or other
charges.
The said action essentially consists of a percussion cap and anvil with a spiral or
other spring and striker for snapping or firing the cap and are placed in the interior
of a tube of uniform diameter. or it may be otherwise shaped and is compressed or
crimped to a reduced diameter at a suitable part of the tube for the purpose of
forming a seat or bearing for the anvil and cap to rest in or a short piece of tubing
may be fixed or soldered in the interior of the tube for this purpose and which cap
is snapped or fired by the striker working in the interior of the tube on being
actuated or pulled up to its full stroke by a lanyard hook when the copper wire
attached to the striker snaps or releases itself the momentum of the striker snaps
or fires the said cap when the latter will thus ignite the powder or composition
charge in the tube and fire the gun or other charge that is now fired by the friction
tube, gun-fuse, electricity, or other appliance.
The actuating copper wire of the striker has a loop formed on its outer extremity
for attaching the lanyard hook to and which may be of a strong single wire to
release itself in the tube or the wire may be made of a small gauge wire and
doubled in two then twisted together and arranged to snap or release itself on the
}

page_text: arrival of the striker at full stroke-The interior spring is held in position by
bending or curving over the head of the tube or the tube may be crimped or
conpressed instead for this purpose and then curved or bent over to admit of the
interior wire being freely drawn up and which works through a small plug of cork
or other substance jammed into the opening of the tube head and the edge of the
tube sett round it to hold it in position, after which it is dipped in shellac or other
varnish to cement it in water-tight and also to prevent oxydation of the copper
wire employed.
The end of the tube containing the firing powder or composition may be closed
or sett in the usual way or crimped and sealed with liquid powder and when dry
closed with shellac varnish or other cement. Instead of the head of the tube being
bent over as above to draw the actuating wire through the tube head it may be
kept straight and a small friction roller or pulley inserted in the head over which
the wire is worked through a hole in the side of the tube or a circular or semi-
circular ratchet wheel or disc or other suitable means may be used for raising and
releasing the striker.
As a further modification the said tube may be made or moulded with two
different diameters and bent to a right angle when the bend or bowed part would
form the seat for the percussion cap and anvil action which in this example is
placed in the large diameter division of the tube, when the spring and striker could
be closed in as already described. .
B
For extra sensitiveness of ignition the percussion cap may be inverted and a
hole pierced through the cap composition and the head of the cap and fired by the
point of the striker which we suitably protect and arrange for this purpose and
thus fire the cap without an anvil. This principle and method of ignition is
applicable to other similar firing compositions besides the usual cap composition.
These improvements are also adapted for other purposes such as firing military
and naval mines and blasting charges, when the tube is fixed in the mine or
tamped in the borehole, in this case the tube could be made of a uniform diameter
for these purposes and bent to an elbow or right angled shape as already stated
and the action enclosed and arranged as described.
Besides being absolutely reliable in its action and not affected by climatic
changes in regard to its composition it also possesses a special and important
advantage over the well-known unreliability of the friction tube method and
consists in being able to fire the gun or charge at any desired distance in
consequence of the principles involved and the great simplicity of its construction
in which the working of the striker is so safe and reliable in its action under any
circumstances that it can be actuated by either a slow or quick motion owing to
the striker being prevented from delivering its blow until it has arrived at full
stroke when it then abruptly releases itself and ignites the percussion cap
composition which in turn fires the charge.
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page_text: improve ing
PUDI
We JAMES MACnab of 39 Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and DANIEL HICKIE of 23 Queen Annes Gato, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
our Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING TUBES FOR ARTILLERY AND OTHER
PURPOSES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to improvements on the present method of firing artillery
or other charges by means of the friction tubo including also the materials employed
therein which are of a permanent and safe character and free from all climatic
changes or action besides ensuring more certainty and reliability through the modo.
of ignition than the said friction tube which as at present, constructed is charged
with a composition that is well-known to be affected by atmospheric action and
which deteriorates rapidly besides being unreliable in its action and possesses other
disadvantages which our invention overcomes.
Our improvements consist principally in the combination and use of a percussion
cap actuated by a spring and striker encased in the tube as a reliable substitute
for the usual uncertain friction composition and action for firing artillery or other
charges.
The said action essentially consists of a percussion cap and anvil with a spiral or
other spring and striker for snapping or firing the cap and are placed in the
interior of a tube of a uniform diameter or it may be otherwise shaped and is
compressed or crimped to a reduced diameter at a suitable part of the tube for
the purpose of forming a seat or bearing for the anvil and cap to rest in or a short
length of tubing may be fixed or soldered in the interior of the tube for this
purpose and which cap is snapped or fired by the striker working in the interior of
the tubo on being actuated or pulled up to its full stroke by a lanyard hook when
the copper wire attached to the striker snaps or releases itself the momentum of
the striker snaps or fires the said cap when the latter will thus ignite the powder
or composition charge in the tube and fire the gun or charge that is now fired by
the friction tube gun-fuse electricity or other appliance.
The actuating copper wire of the striker has a loop formed on its outer extremity
for attaching the lanyard hook to and which may be of a strong single wire to
release itself in the tube or the wire may be made of a small guage and doubled
in two then twisted together and arranged to snap or release itself on the arrival
of the striker at full stroke.
The interior spring is held in position by bending or curving over the head of
the tube or the tube may be crimped or compressed instead for this purpose and
then curved or bent over to admit of the interior wire being freely drawn up and
which works through a small plug of cork or other suitable substance jammed into
the opening of the tube head and the edge of the tube sett round it to hold it in
position after which it is dipped in shellac or other varnish to cement it in water-
tight and also to prevent oxydation of the copper wire employed,

page_text: The end of the tube containing the firing composition or powder may be sett or
closed in the usual way or crimped and sealed with liquid powder and when dry
closed with shellac varnish or other cement.
Instead of the head of the tube being bent over as above to draw the actuating
wire through the tube head it may be kept straight and a small friction roller or
pulley inserted in the head over which the wire is worked through a hole in the
side of the tube or a circular or semi-circular ratchet wheel or disc or other suitable
means may be used for raising and releasing the striker.
As a further modification the said tube may be made or moulded with two
different diameters and bent to a right angle when the bend or bowed part would
form the seat for the percussion cap and anvil action which in this example is.
placed in the large diameter division of the tube when the spring and striker
could be closed in as already described.
For extra sensitiveness of ignition the percussion cap may be inverted and a
holo pierced through the cap composition and the head of the cap and fired by the
point of the striker which we suitably protect and arrange for this purpose and
thus fire the cap without an anvil.
This principle and method of ignition is applicable to other similar firing
composition besides the usual cap composition.
These improvements are also adapted for other purposes such as firing military
and naval mines and blasting charges when the tube is fixed in the mine or tamped
in the borehole when the tube could be made of a uniformn diameter for theso
purposes and bent to an elbow or right angled shape as already described and the
action enclosed and arranged as stated.
Besides being absolutely reliable in its action and not affected by climatic
changes in regard to its composition it also possesses a special and important
advantage over the well-known unreliability of the friction tube method and
consists in being able to fire the gun or charge at any desired distance in consequence 1
of the principles involved and the great simplicity of its construction in which tho
working of the striker is so safe and reliablo in its action under any circumstances
that it can be actuated by either a quick or slow motion owing to the striker being
prevented from delivering its blow until it has arrived at full stroke when it then
abruptly releases itself and ignites the percussion cap composition which in turn
fires the charge.
In order that our said Invention may be most clearly understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed to more fully describe the sheet of drawings
hereunto annexed.
In constructing these firing tubes we prefer for simplicity in working and
convenience in manufacturing to make the striker of a short length of brass rod
of the diameter of the tube interior pointed at one extremity and at the other ond
it is cut down and turned to a smaller diameter to fit the interior of the spiral
spring working in the tube, its extreme end is mado flat and pierced with a hole
or eye into which a small guage wire is twisted on the other extremity for
connecting it to the hooked end of the inain wire of the striker working in the
interior of the spiral spring, the other extremity of the said main wire has a loop.
twisted on it to receive the lanyard hook which actuates it.
If desired the wire hook of the striker may be employed to release itself if
placed in the hole of the striker and actuated without the connecting fino wire.
The tube for holding the action in this modification is compressed or closed at
one end or head for acting as a bearing for the interior spring and has an opening
left at the side lip or other part for the looped main wire to work through. After
the spring and striking action is introduced into its interior the cap and anvil are
placed next to the strikers point and the tube compressed crimped or corrugated
next to the anvil and on which it rests to act as a bearing or collar and thus
resist its displacement by the stroke or blow of the striker and also to keep it
and the action in position.

page_text: In lieu of this method the tube head may be bent over to nearly a right angle
when the collapsed part or curved bend would also act as a bearing. After
placing a few grains of fine dry gunpowder into the muzzle end of the tube the
usual liquid gunpowder or composition may be run in on the top.and when dry
closed with shellac, or fine loose-grained gunpowder may be used entirely or a
piece of instantaneous or other fuso inserted instead, or for certain other purposes,
Buch as the firing of signal rockets, the tube may be elongated at the puzzle to
convey the fire from.the cap when no gunpowder or composition is used whatever.
For mining purposes the tube does not require any other firing powder or
composition than the cap contains as the tube is placed and fastened in the interior
of the explosive charge and tamped or fixed in the borehole, and when the charge:
consists of a high explosive the detonator cap is squeezed on the muzzle of the
tube as in the case of ordinary fuse.
For the latter purpose the loop of the striker wire is attached or looped to the
main firing wire in the borchole and is tamped in position with a hollow pricker
or needle through the centre of which it runs and when tamped the pricker or
needle is withdrawn and leaves the main wire line to work freely in the core
formed in the tamping, after which it is attached to the main wire line and actuated
by pulling the sanic at a safe distance off when it will discharge the firing tube and
ignite the explosive charge in a similar manner to the well-known friction tube
and lanyard system, but on our special method either with an abrupt or slow.
action and fired at any desired distance, and in the case of mining without any,
smoke or danger whatever and thus the disadvantages attending the use of the
treacherous and dangerous smoky fuse of the miner is overcome.
Instead of the releasing hook working the striker as described the wire may be
snapped when a heavier copper wire is employed and the end flattened and pierced
with a hole to twist the smaller, wire into when the pull will snap it.
.-
We also employ a compressed paper tube in lieu of the metallic tube and
operated on or made as already described and closed at one end to act as a bearing
for the spring and interior action, the compressed or corrugated part of the tube
may be effected by tightly twisting a piece of wire and choking or corrugating the
action in at the desired position and may have a small interior ring or collar of
metal to act as a bearing for the cap and anvil if desired. The firing tubo may
also be closed at the head with a plug of wood, paper, or other suitable substance
and corrugated or jammed in position to act as a bearing for the spring and action
when the striker wire could work through a hole perforated in the plug or other-
wise efficiently closed for this purpose.
For holding the firing tube in position in a borehole where tamping cannot bo'
used conveniently or in the case of heavy central fire guns where it is desirable to
place the firing tube in the charge we uso a flat bearing bar of spring steel or other
suitable metal with a hole near one end and through which the looped wire of
the striker works, it is bent slightly so as to partly collapse as it is forced into tho
mining borehole or in the vent-hole of the gun, as the case may be, in the former
case it will take its bearing on the walls of the borehole and in the latter it will
be thrust into the charge and expand in the chamber after it has passed through
the vent-hole when it will resist withdrawl and admit of the striker wire working
through the hole till it releases itself and discharges the firing tube when tho
explosion of the charge will be effected with reliability and instantaneity.

page_text: A³ corrugated or compressed part of tube for spiral spring to bear against and
for forming the head and neck.
Fig. 2-Firing tube modification for mining charges.
A Firing tube or case. B spiral spring. C striker. D cap and anvil.
F wire and loop. J firing wire connection. K Detonator fastened to corrugated
part of firing tube muzzle. A¹ corrugated or compressed part on which the anvil
rests. A corrugated or compressed part of tube for spiral spring to bear against
and for forming the head. H Mining explosive cartridge.
Fig. 3.-Firing tube modification without powder or firing composition in the
muzzle.
A Firing tube or case. B spiral spring. C striker. D cap and anvil.
F wire and loop. G connecting loop of wire. A' corrugated or compressed
muzzle on which the anvil rests. A³ corrugated or compressed part of tube
forming head and neck. A³ corrugated or compressed part of tube for spiral
spring to bear against.
Fig. 4—Section of Rock showing "hollow needle" and "Bearing Bar" in
position in a "Bore Hole" without tamping.
A Firing tube. K Detonator attached to firing tube muzzle. H Mining
explosive cartridge. N Bearing bar for keeping tube and cartridge in position
while firing. L hollow needle. J firing wire line.
Fig. 5.-Section of Rock with "hollow needle" tamped in a "Bore Hole" ready
for withdrawing for firing the charge.
A Firing tube. K. Detonator attached to firing tube muzzle.
H Mining explosive cartridge. J firing wire line. L hollow needle. M tamping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is
First. The use of a tube of metal, compressed paper, or other suitable substanco
operated on or made for holding the striking action and explosive charge in its
interior as arranged for the purposes enumerated substantially as heroin described.
Secondly. The combination of a short striker and linked or looped connecting
wire and releasing hook of the striker main wire working in a spiral spring also
the cap and anvil arrangement without a chamber holder for the purposos aforesaid
substantially as herein described.
Thirdly. The combination of a hollow mining pricker or needle for tamping
the actuating wire line of the striker in the borehole in conjunction with the
firing tube and a bearing bar for the purposes stated substantially as herein
described.
A л
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