Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1889
Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1839
A communication from abroad by GEORGE N. MºKIBBON, of No. 46, West 31st Street'
in the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America, Chemist
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON FCS, M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex Civil
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 :-
This invention relates to means for distributing oil on the surface of rough water, in
order to subdue the power of the waves, and especially in effecting such distribution
from the deck of a vessel. The object of the invention is to provide a means whereby
the oil to be distributed may be thrown on the water at a considerable distance from
the vessel, in order to procure the best results.
In carrying out the invention a projectile is employed to be fired from a gun, either
through the agency of an explosive, compressed gases, or a spring, and it is preferred
to use for the purpose a repeater, such as a Winchester, a Maxim Gun a mitrailleuse,
etcetera, as by this means many small charges may be thrown out in different
directions The oil is enclosed in an oil proof receptacle, which will have, preferably,
the form of a deep cylindrical cup, with a loose cap or cover on its forward end that
will be held in place by the pressure of the atmosphere while the projectile is in
transit, but will drop off when the projectile falls into the water and thus allow the oil
to flow out. The projectile will usually be light, and the projecting force
comparatively feeble, as it is not desirable that the projectile shall be thrown to a very
great distance.
For a better understanding of the details of this invention, reference may be had to
the accompanying drawings, illustrative thereof, wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge for a Winchester Repeating Shot
Gun, embodying the improvements and Figure 1 is a view of the base of the cartridge
shell.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the oil receptacle or holder of the projecule,
showing the base thereof.

page_text: Figure 3 is a similar view of said holder, showing the front end thereof.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the conical cap of the projectile, detached.
Figure 4 is a view illustrating another form of the centreing guide at the base of
the projectile.
Figure is a sectional view, similar to Figure 1, illustrating another form of
entreing guide for the projectile, and another form of cap therefor
Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on a smaller scale, illustrating a modified
construction of the projectile.
a, represents substantially the ordinary form of central-fire shell for a Winchester
Repeating Shot Gun. These shells are too well known to require a more minute
description In Figures 1 and 5, the base of the shell is represented in elevation.
b, represents the powder in the powder chamber, and c, the wad over the powder.
d, is the holder or receptacle for the oil. It is preferred to construct this holder in
the form of a deep cylindrical cup, somewhat less in diameter than the barrel of the
shell a, and provided with a centreing guide at its base, which guide keeps the
holder d, when inserted in the shell a, axially or centrally situated with regard to the
shell In Figures 1 and 2, this guide is represented as formed of two crossed
wires d*, d secured to the base of the holder à, by means of a bit of cloth or paper
placed over them where they intersect and cemented to the holder. In Figure
another form of guide is shown. This consists of a triple branched plate secured in a
manner similar to that described
Any centreing guide of a similar nature may be
employed. The centreing of the holder in the shell of greater diameter leaves an
empty annular space between the two.
The holder d may be made of any suitable material. It is preferred to employ
tough, thick paper, coated with chrome gelatine This chrome gelatine may be.
prepared by dissolving gelatine in the usual way, and then adding to the solution
about ten per cent. of an aqueous saturated solution of bichromate of potash. When
coated with this substance, dried, and exposed to light, the holder is perfectly air,
water and oil tight
When the holder d has been placed in the cavity of the shell a, and filled with oil,
the conical cap e is placed over its open front end This cap may be made of the
same material as the holder d, and, when in place, it closes the open end of the holder
and fits about the exterior margin of its base tightly within the barrel of the shell a.
It will be cemented tightly to the barrel of the shell but will not be fastened or
cemented in any way to the holder d. The object in making the cap e conical, is, that
it may not offer two great a resistance to the air when the projectile is fired.
In order that the holder d, may be slightly heavier at its front end so that it will
be less likely to turn over in its flight, it is preferied to fix in the open mouth of said
holder a metal bridge piece g, seen best in Figure 3; this weight may have almost
any form-so long as it will not materially obstruct the outflow of the oil from the
holder, and will provide a weight equally disposed axially about the holder
The cartridge constructed as above described will be fired from a gun in the usual
manner with projectiles The projectile, comprising the holder d, the oil contained
therein, and the cap e, is thrown or projected out onto the water to a distance corre
sponding, of course, to the projecting force, and the weight of the projectile. The
cap e keeps the holder d closed until the projectile falls on the water, where the cap
drops off and allows the oil to escape and spread itself over the surface of the
water.
It is preferred to employ paper or other light non-metallic material for the projectile
for the sake of economy but metal may be used. The holder should be sufficiently
stiff and strong to prevent its being collapsed or crushed by the force of the explosion
in firing, and the cap should be so loosely fitted that it will drop off readily when the
projectile falls. It is desirable that the oil should escape at once when the projectile
strikes the water.
In Figure 5 is shown a cap e constructed from felt, papier maché, or the like,
with a convex outer face, and recessed on its inner face to receive the outer end of the
holder d. This cap will be rendered oil-proof and be cemented to the shell a as in

page_text: the case of the comical cap before described. There is also shown, in this view,
another form of centreing guide for the holder d. In this case, the wad c, covering
the powder, will have a recess pressed or otherwise formed in it to receive the base of
the holder d and thus keep the latter properly centred in the shell.
Figure 6 shows a form of the cartridge wherein the body of the holder d fits snugly
within the barrel of the shell a, but said holder is slightly contracted at its open end.
The cap e, in this instance, is substantially flat on its outer face, and has a projecting
central portion on its inner face which fits loosely in the mouth of the holder d.
The projectile is shown in connection with a cartridge shell adapted for use with
powder as a projecting agent, but other agents may be employed, as compressed air,
for example.
In Figure 1 is shown the loosely fitting conical cap e, provided with a partition ex,
merely to prevent the oil from flowing into said cap. The cap might be solid if made
from light material It is preferable to fill the holder d full of oil, and to stand the
cartridges on end, base down, in storing them for use.
My correspondent is aware that it is not new to enclose open ended oil receptacles
in a cartridge shell and to keep said receptacle or holder closed and in place by means
of a disk permanently secured to and forming a part of the shell In using such
cartridges, the oil-holder forces or tears through said disk, and the pressure of the air
is relied on to keep the oil from escaping during transit.
The cap e is a part of the oil holder or projectile, and remains intact and goes with
the holder when the cartridge is fired. The margin or edge of the cap breaks loose
from the cartridge shell to which it is cemented when the cartridge is fired
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is .--
1. As a means of distributing oil on rough waters, the combination, with an
enclosing shell, of a projectile containing oil within said shell, said projectile com-
prising an oil holder in the form of a cup and a loosely fitting cap, which closes the
mouth of said holder, and which embraces the forward end of the holder so that it
may not slip off laterally while the same is in transit, said cap being cemented at its
maigin to the enclosing shell to prevent leakage of the oil, as set forth.
2 As a means of distributing oil on rough waters, the combination with a can
tridge
shell containing an explosive charge, of a projectile within said shell containing oil,
said projectile comprising an oil holder in the form of a cup and a loosely hitting cap,
which closes the mouth of said holder and which embraces the forward end of the
holder so that it may not slip off laterally while in transit, said cap being cemented at
its margin to the cartridge shell.
3. As a means of distributing ou on rough waters, the combination, with the
cylindrical cartridge shell, of the projectile consisting of the oil holder having a less
exterior diameter than the interioi diameter of the enclosing shell, said holder being
provided with a centreing guide at its base, and the conical cap which closes said
holder at its forward end and projects over and houses the end of the holder and is
cemented at its margin to the shell, as and for the purposes set forth.
4. An oil projectile, consisting of an elongated cup like holder for the oil, provided
with a weight g, at its front to prevent its turning over in transit and a loosely fitting
comical cape which embraces and encloses the end of said holder, so that it may not
be displaced by lateral movement when the projectile is in transit, as set forth.
.