Improvements in Pyrotechnic Signals:
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Pyrotechnic Signals:
I, HENRY JOHN PAIN, residing at the Gilsey House, Cor. of Broadway and
29th Street, City and State of New York, United States of America, Pyrotechnist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pyrotechnic devices adapted for use interchangeably for
signalling purposes on land and sea, especially in the military, naval and merchant
marine service and during either day or night.
In carrying out my invention I provide similar separable and interchangeable
holders or shells of suitable material filled with compounds for colored fires, and
these holders or shells are adapted to slip into position in the order desired.
Each shell or holder preferably contains the compound for colored fire of only
one color, and the color is indicated upon the exposed periphery or surface of the
holder, either by the same being colored to correspond, or having a band of color
or letters giving the name of the color. These holders or shells are adapted to be
slipped together and arranged or grouped in any order desired and to any extent,
according to the signal to be given by burning the colors successively or
simultaneously.
The color holders for giving the signals are adapted to use in a rocket in
connection with a parachute, and by which rocket they are carried up high in the.
air, the colored fire compound ignited, and the same, with the parachute, are blown
out of the rocket-head, and where the holders are slipped together the fires burn in
successive colors indicating the signal while supported in air by the parachute.
The group of color holders for burning the colors successively may be ignited and
elevated to a high point upon a flag-staff or the inast head of a vessel, or the same
may be connected upon the end of a stick to be held in the hand while burning.
In connection with the parachute and its strings, and for the simultaneous
burning of the signal colors, I prefer to employ stems, each connected at one end
to the string of the parachute and having a socket upon the other end, and the
shells or holders of the compounds for colored fire are adapted to slip into these
sockets; and I find that the best manner of connecting these parts is to make a
screw socket upon the stem, and a screw-cap connected to the shell or holder for
colored fire, so that the parts may screw together, and I prefer to number the bases
of the sockets and to make the rocket-heal and body separable, so that when the

page_text: head is taken off the sockets and their numbers are visible, and the shells or
holders for colored fire are to be placed in the sockets numerically according to
the numbers thereof, and in the order of color progressively that may be necessary
to give the requisite or pre-arranged signal.
In grouping these numbered stems and sockets, No. 1 is usually placed at the
end of the string distant from the parachute, the numbers being in succession
upward on the string towards the parachute.
The present improvement allows the shells or holders for compounds for colored
fires to be kept separate from the rockets and to be inserted in the desired order
immediately before using, thus avoiding the expense of a stock of completed
signal rockets and making it possible, with a few rockets and a stock of shells
of colored fire compound, to give any desired signal readily and quickly.
Dated this 28th day of February 1898
I, HENRY JOHN PAIN, residing at the Gilsey House, Corner of Broadway & 29th
Street, City and State of New York, United States of America, Pyrotechnist, 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 pyrotechnic devices adapted for use interchangeably for
signalling purposes on land and sea, especially in the military, naval and merchant
marine service and during either the day or night.
In carrying out my invention I provide similar separable and interchangeable
holders or shells of suitable material filled with compounds for colored fires which
latter may be made up in the form of cakes, and these holders or shells are adapted
to slip into position in the order desired.
Each shell or holder preferably contains the compound for colored fire of only
one color and the color is indicated upon the exposed periphery or surface of the
holder, either by the same being colored to correspond, or having a band of color
or letters giving the name of the color. These holders or shells are adapted to be
slipped together and arranged or grouped in any order desired and to any extent,
according to the signal to be given by burning the colors successively or
simultaneously.
The color holders for giving the signals are adapted to use in a rocket in
connection with a parachute, and by which rocket they are carried high in the air,
the colored fire compound ignited, and the same, with the parachute, are blown out
of the rocket head, and where the holders are slipped together, the fires burn in
successive colors indicating the signal while supported in air by the parachute.
The-group-of-color-holders-for-burning-the-colors-successively-may-be-ignited-and
elevated-to-a-high-point-upon-a-Aag-staff-or-the-mast-head-of-a-vessel,-or-the--same
may-be-connected-upon-the-end-of-a-stick-to-be-held-in-the-hand-while-burning.
In connection with the parachute and its strings, and for the simultaneous
burning of the signal colors, I prefer to employ stems, each connected at one end to
the string of the parachute and having a socket upon the other end, and the shells
or holders of the compounds for colored fire are adapted to slip into these sockets;.

page_text: and I find that the best manner of connecting these parts is to make a screw
socket upon the stem, and a screw cap connected to the shell or holder for colored
fire, so that the parts may screw together, and I prefer to number the bases of the.
sockets and to make the rocket-head and body separable, so that when the head is
taken off the sockets and their numbers are visible, and the shells or holders for
colored fire are to be placed in the sockets numerically according to the
numbers thereof, and in the order of color progressively that may be necessary to
give the requisite or pre-arranged signal.
In grouping these numbered stems and sockets, No. 1 is usually placed at
the end of the string distant from the parachute, the numbers being in
succession upward on the string toward the parachute.
The present improvement allows the shells or holders for compounds for
colored fires to be kept separate from the rockets and to be inserted in the
desired order immediately before using, thus avoiding the expense of a stock of
completed signal rockets and making it possible, with a few rockets and a stock of
shells of colored fire compound, to give any desired signal readily and quickly.
In the drawings, Figure 1 represents by an elevation and partial section the
improvement for burning the colors successively, applied to a rocket.
Fig. 2 represents the same as suspended from a parachute and the signal
burning.
Fig-3-represents-the-signal-as-npon-one-end-of-a-stick-to-be-held-in-the-hand.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a group of color holders with screw
cases, and
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the color holders with slip cases.
Figs. 4 and 5 are about full size, and the other figures of smaller scale.
Fig. 6 represents by an elevation and partial section the improvement for burn-
ing the colors simultaneously applied to a rocket.
Fig. 7 represents a parachute and group of holders suspended as at the time of
the signal.
Fig. 8 is an end view of the rocket head showing some numbered sockets and
some shells in place, and
.
Fig. 9 is a partial elevation and longitudinal section of the stem and socket and
removable interchangeable shell of colored fire.
I have shown the rocket body B containing the powder and part of the stick C
as connected therewith, and the head B¹ is removably connected to the body B by
a screw coupling 4.
The rocket-head B¹ receives the parachute D, its strings and the shells or
holders for containing the compounds for colored fires and which are surrounded
by a packing g of suitable material to keep said holders in place and prevent fire
communicating to the parachute or strings, and at the same time the parts are
blown out of the head, the cap B2 giving way easily.
The groups of slip holders for colored fire for burning successively are
represented at A A. These slip holders are preferably made with one end larger
than the other end. The smaller end receives and holds the colored fire and the
larger end receives the smaller end of the next holder having a fire of different
color. The holders are to be all alike, and of corresponding dimensions so as to be
interchangeable, but the size is immaterial.
In Fig. 4 the holders of the group A are represented as sheet metal shells with
screw threads, the ends a being largest and the ends 6 smallest, all the ends a
being the same size so as to be adapted to receive the smaller end 6 of any
other colored fire holder, the parts telescoping or screwing together to bring the
surfaces of the colored fires c into proximity so that one will light from the flame
of the other in succession.
In Fig. 5, the holders of the group A¹ are represented as of paper with ring
centers, the ends a' being largest and the ends 6 smallest, all the ends a' being
the same size and adapted to receive and slip over the smaller end 6' of any other
holder of colored fire c; thus rings of red, white, blue, yellow and green, or white,

page_text: yellow, red, green and blue, or any other arrangement of colors desired may be
brought together for signalling.
I prefer with the paper shells to gum the inner surfaces of the ends and the
outer surfaces of the smaller ends b¹ so that the surfaces may be moistened
previous to connecting them and adhere thereafter so that in use they will not
accidentally become disconnected.
The carrier d, Fig. 4, of sheet metal, is peripherally threaded to connect with
the end of a threaded holder, and it is provided with an eye to which may be
connected the string of a parachute D. The carrier d', Fig. 5, is received into the
end of one of the paper holders and is suitably supported or suspended.
When--the--group--of--colored--fires--is--to--be--used--as--shown--in--Fig.--3,--the
earrier-d¹-is-connected-with-the-stick-or-holder-E, and the first-color-to-burn-is-pre-
ferably-protected-by-an-end-eap-having-a-lighting-fuse.
In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, e represents the shell, preferably of paper, to receive
the colored fire and having at one ond a cap e. f represents the stem tied near
one end to the string depending from the parachute D and having at the other end
a socket f¹. The cap slips within the socket f¹ in connecting the parts, and I
prefer to make said parts of sheet metal to screw together, as shown in the
drawings.
I have shown five stems and sockets, and the end.faces h of the stems within the
sockets are to be numbered consecutively from one up, the numbers being painted
or stencilled on or printed on slips pasted on.
The ends of the sockets are all exposed at the coupling 4 for the reception of
the shells of colored fire and their numbers are visible. If the signal to be given
is red, yellow, white, green and blue, the shell having the red fire is connected
with number one socket, the yellow with number two socket, and so on in rotation.
As these parts are separable and interchangeable, any arrangement of the five
colors can be made according to the signal to be given, and any desired number of
stems and sockets may be connected to the parachute string and be contained in a
rocket or equivalent pyrotechnic device for elevating and delivering the signal
apparatus in air.
These groups of interchangeable colored fires are adapted for use as signals in
times of peace and war, from forts and fields, but particularly from vessels at sea as
a means of comminunicating with one another by a well recognized code of color
signals. They can also be used for pyrotechnic displays.
The shells may each have a stem-or fuse for igniting the colored fire powder, or
the explosion of the rocket may ignite the colored fire composition. The upper
end B2 of the rocket, head B₁ should be only a cap or cover that is easily blown off
when the parachute and fire are projected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is:
First: In combination with a rocket or similar pyrotechnic device for rising in
air, a parachute and its strings and a series of stems and sockets connected there-
with, and a group of similar interchangeable shells for colored fires slipping into
said sockets, substantially as set forth.
Second-In combination with a rocket or similar pyrotechnic device for rising
in air, a parachute and its strings and a series of stems and screw threaded sockets
connected therewith, and a group of similar interchangeable shells for colored fires,
each comprising a stem and screw threaded cap, the caps connecting with the
sockets, substantially as set forth.
Third: In combination with a rocket or similar pyrotechnic device for rising in
air, a parachute and its strings and a series of stems and sockets connected there-
with, the bases of the sockets being numbered consecutively, and a group of
similar interchangeable shells for colored fires, each comprising a stem and cap, the

page_text: caps connecting with the sockets and the parts operating substantially in the
manner and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth In combination-with-means-for-elevating-a-signal-into-the--air,-a-series
of-stems-and-means-for-connecting-them--at--suitable--distances--apart,-and--colored
eonnected-in-any--desired--order-to-the-stems-in--giving-signals;-substantially-as
fire-shells-and-seeket-connections-to-the--stems: whereby--the--colored-fires--ean--be
specified.
Fourth-Fifth:-In combination with the parachute and signal fire holders
a rocket having a separable rocket head and a screw connection from the latter
therefrom to the rocket body to give access to the colored fire holders, and to
securely hold the cap to the body of the rocket, substantially as specified.
Fifth. Sixth-The combination with the combustible signals, devices for
holding such signals in a given order, and a parachute connected to the same,
of a rocket for elevating such signals having a removable head for receiving
and holding the signals and an easily separable cap to the head, and yielding
material in the head between the combustible signals and the parachute to
protect the latter as the signals and parachute are projected from the head,
substantially as specified.
Seventh
A-series-of-signals-combustible-in-different-colors,-each-signal-having
a-surrounding-holder-larger-at-one-end-than-at-the-other,-the-material-or-fire-com-
pound-for-the-colored-signal-being-in-the form of a cake introduced and permanently
held within-the-smaller-end-of-the-holder-and-having-its-ends-exposed--so--that--the
surface-of-one-cake-is-elosely-adjacent-to-the-surface-of-the-next-eake--and--is--fired
thereby-without-the-intervention-of-a-fuse,-substantially-as-set-forth.
Eighth A-series-of-signals-combustible-in-different-colors,-each--signal--having
a-surrounding holder-of-paper-and-a-larger-band-projecting-at-one-end-and--adapted
to-receive-the-smaller-part-of-the-next-holder-and-adhesive-material--for-connecting
the-holders,-the-material-or-fire-compound-for-the-colored-signal-being-in--the--form
of-a-cake-introduced-and-permanently-held-within-the--smaller--end--of--the--holder
and-having-its-ends-exposed-so-that-the-surface-of-one-cake-is--elosely--adjacent--te
the-surface-of-the-next-cake-and-is-fired-thereby-without-the-intervention-of-a-fuse,
substantially-as-set-forth.