Improvements in Charging Explosive Shells..
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Charging Explosive Shells..
I, JAMES WEIR GRAYDON of 32, The Avenue, Bedford Park, Chiswick, in
the County of Middlesex, late Lieutenant, United States Navy do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the preparation of the explosive charges for and the
charging of shells with what are known as high explosives containing, or formed
by nitro-glycerine and compounds thereof, and it has for its objects to isolate the
explosive material in small quantities and enable it to be handled in large masses
with comparative safety in the operation of filling the shell, to ensure the stability
of the charge by preventing the exndation and concentration of the nitro-glycerine
in dangerous quantity at any point, to prevent, in long shells, excessive cushioning
or massing of the charge towards the base of the shell by the effect of its own
inertia at the moment of discharge from the gun and the consequent development
of heat, and to obtain the most instantaneous and complete combustion of the
whole mass and the greatest possible volume of gases from the explosion by so
treating the envelope or container of the charge as to render it capable of con-
tributing to the volume of the gases generated, and assisting in the instantaneous
propagation of the combustion throughout the mass of the charge.
With a view to accomplish the above mentioned objects, the explosive material
is either moulded in the form of cubes or pellets, then aggregated in disc like
layers or tiers in the shell, or which are packed into disc like boxes, or the
explosive is packed directly into the disc like boxes without being first moulded
into pellets ail as hereafter described.
According to the first mentioned mode of procedure, the cubes or pellets after
being moulded are wrapped in cartridge paper which has been previously
impregnated with nitric acid. For this purpose the paper is first saturated with a
mixture of nitric acid and water in the proportion of, say, three of the former to
one of the latter. The water, which serves also to wash the acid, also facilitates
the absorption of the acid by the paper, which is then dried to expel the water
and leave the paper thoroughly impregnated with nitric acid and therefore in an
explosive or gas generating condition.
The cubes or pellets of explosive material having been thus separately wrapped,
are dipped for a moment into melted paraffin wax, which on cooling, serves to
hermetically seal up each package and prevent any exudation of nitro-glycerine
therefrom. The cubes or pellets are then packed between perforated metal discs
rivetted or otherwise fixed at intervals apart on the central firing tube, the discs
corresponding in diameter to the bore of the shell, and acting as transverse
partitions dividing up the charge of pellets in the shell, so as to support the pellets
in position and prevent the massing of the charge towards the base of the shell by
the effect of its own inertia and the consequent development of heat on the
discharge of the shell from the gun.
Or the cubes or pellets having been thus separately wrapped and dipped in
melted paraffin, are then packed in flat disc like aunular boxes of a diameter
corresponding to the bore of the shell and made of cartridge paper which has been
impregnated (as above described in respect of the paper wrappers) with nitric acid
to render the material explosive. The annular disc like boxes having been thus
filled and covered are dipped in melted paraffin wax, which on cooling hermetically

page_text: seals them up, and are then slipped onto a central firing tube whereon they may be
separated by intermediate metal discs screwed on the tube, which is threaded
externally to receive them or supported on the tube by shoulders formed thereon
or attached thereto.
Instead of first moulding the explosive material into pellets and separately
wrapping them as above described, the explosive may be made up into packages of
disc like form traversed by numerous holes to give rapid passage to the gases of
explosion and by a central hole to fit on the firing tube. For this purpose the
explosive material is filled into annular disc shaped boxes made of cartridge paper
impregnated with nitric acid, by saturating the paper from which the boxes arc
inade, or the boxes themselves, as above described, and then drying to expel the
*water.
The bottom of the box is made with a central aperture, and with numerous
.other apertures from which rise tubes of paper prepared as above described, these
tubes being cemented to the bottom of the box and fitting at their upper ends in
corresponding apertures in the cover of the box. The space within the walls of
the box, and around the tubes, having been filled with explosive, the cover is
applied and cemented to the sides of the box and to the upper ends of the tubes,
alter which the whole package is dipped in melted paraffin wax, which when cooled,
effectually seals it at all points.
The boxes which are of a diameter to just fit in the bore of the shell, are then
slipped on the central firing tube and should be so placed that the tubular apertures
through the juxtaposed disc like packages coincide and afford an instantaneous
passage for the gases throughout the whole charge. Metal discs correspondingly
apertured may be fixed on the spindle which is threaded or shouldered to receive
them, to form transverse partitions to support the boxes in position and prevent
them massing towards the base of the shell by the effect of their own inertia at the
moment of discharge.
The firing tube is in all cases perforated to give ready passage to the flame and
ensure the instantaneous explosion of the whole charge and may contain any
suitable fuse.
DM 71, 1001
Improvements in Charging Explosive Shells.
I, JAMES WEIR GRAYDON, of 32, The Avenue, Bedford Park, Chiswick, in
the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to charging shells with what are known as high explosives
containing, or formed by, nitro-glycerine and compounds thereof, and it has for its
objects to isolate the explosive material in small quantities and enable it to be
handled in large masses with comparative safety in the operation of filling the
shell, to ensure the stability of the charge by preventing the exudation and
concentration of the nitro-glycerine in dangerous quantity at any point, to prevent,
in long shells, excessive cushioning or massing of the charge towards the base of
the shell by the effect of its own inertia at the moment of discharge from the gun
and the consequent development of heat, and to obtain the most instantaneous and
complete combustion of the whole mass and the greatest possible volume of gases

page_text: from the explosion by so treating the envelope or container of the charge as to
render it capable of contributing to the volume of the gases generated and assisting
in the instantaneous propagation of the combustion throughout the mass of the
charge.
With a view to accomplish the above mentioned objects, the explosive material
is either moulded in the form of cubes or pellets, then aggregated in disc-like
layers or tiers in the shell, or which are packed into disc-like boxes, or the
explosive is packed directly into the disc-like boxes without being first moulded
into pellets, all as hereafter described.
According to the first mentioned mode of procedure, the cubes or pellets after
being moulded are wrapped in cartridge paper which has been previously
impregnated with nitric acid. For this purpose the paper is first saturated with a
mixture of nitric acid and water in the proportion of, say, three of the former to
one of the latter. The paper is then dried, to expel the water and leave the paper
thoroughly impregnated with nitric acid and therefore in an explosive or gas
generating condition.
The cubes or pellets of explosive material having been thus separately wrapped
are dipped for a moment into melted paraffine wax, which, on cooling, serves to
hermetically seal up each package and prevent any exudation of nitro-glycerine
therefrom. The cubes or pellets are then packed between perforated metal discs
rivetted or otherwise fixed at intervals apart on the central firing tube of the shell,
the discs corresponding in diameter to the bore of the shell, and acting as
transverse partitions dividing up the charge of pellets in the shell, so as to support
the pellets in position and prevent the massing of the charge towards the base of
the shell by the effect of its own inertia and the consequent development of heat
when the base of the shell is subjected to the impact of the propulsive agent.
Or the cubes or pellets having been thus separately wrapped and dipped in
melted paraffine, are then packed in flat disc-like annular boxes of a diameter
corresponding to the bore of the shell and made of cartridge paper which has been
impregnated (as above described in respect of the paper wrappers) with nitric acid
to render the material explosive. The, anuular disc-like boxes having been thus
filled and covered, are dipped in melted paraffine wax which, on cooling, hermetically
seals them, and they are then slipped on to a central firing tube whereon they may
be separated by intermediate metal discs which may either be screwed on the tube,
threaded externally to receive them, or supported on the tube by shoulders formed
thereon or attached thereto.
Instead of first moulding the explosive material into pellets and separately
wrapping them as above described, the explosive may be made up into packages of
disc-like form traversed by a central hole to fit on the firing tube and by numerous
other holes parallel thereto to give rapid passage to the gases of explosion. For
this purpose the explosive material is filled into annular disc-shaped boxes made of
cartridge paper impregnated with nitric acid, by saturating the paper from which
the boxes are made, or the boxes themselves, as above described, and then drying
to expel the water.
The bottom of the box is made with a central aperture and with numerous
other apertures from which rise tubes of paper prepared as above described, these
tubes being cemented to the bottom of the box and fitting at their upper ends in
corresponding apertures in the cover of the box. The space within the walls of
the box and around the tubes having been filled with explosive, the cover is
applied and cemented to the sides of the box and to the upper ends of the tubes,
after which the whole package is dipped in melted paraffine wax which, when cooled,
effectually seals it at all points.
The boxes which are of a diameter to just fit in the bore of the shell, are then
slipped on the central firing tube and should be so placed that the tubular apertures
through the juxtaposed disc-like packages coincide and afford an instantaneous
passage for the gases throughout the whole charge. Metal discs correspondingly
apertured may be fixed on the spindle which is threaded or shouldered to receive

page_text: them, to form transverse partitions to support the boxes in position and prevent
them massing towards the base of the shell by the effect of their own inertia at the
moment of discharge.
The firing tube is, in all cases, perforated to give ready passage to the flame and
ensure the instantaneous explosion of the whole charge and may contain any
suitable fuse.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :―
1. An explosive charge for shells, prepared by moulding the explosive in the
form of cubes or pellets, then wrapping the same separately in paper previously
impregnated with nitric acid, as described, then dipping the wrapped cubes or
pellets in paraffine wax, and then arranging them in disc-like layers around the
firing tube and between metal dises fixed thereto, substantially as specified.
2. An explosive charge for shells, prepared by moulding the explosive in the
form of cubes or pellets, then wrapping the same separately in paper previously
impregnated with nitric acid, as described, then dipping the wrapped cubes or
pellets in paraffine wax, then packing the cubes or pellets in annular disc-like
boxes made of paper previously impregnated with nitric acid, as described, then
sealing the boxes with paraffine wax, and finally placing them on the firing tube
and between metal discs fixed thereon, substantially as specified.
3. An explosive charge for shells, prepared by moulding the explosive in the
form of annular perforated discs in boxes made of paper which has been
impregnated as described with nitric acid, said boxes being traversed by a central
and by numerous other passages, then sealing the boxes with paraffine wax, and
placing them on the firing tube between correspondingly apertured discs fixed to
said tube, substantially as specified.
Dated this 20th day of November 1801
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.