IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE CAPTURE OF WHALES, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Welcome Roys, of Southampton, Long
Island, in the State of New York, in the United States of America,
Master Mariner, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE
TO THE CAPTURE OF WHALES, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 26th February 1858, and dated the 2nd September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Welcome Roys
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd September 1857.
I, THOMAS WELCOME Rors, of Southampton, Long Island, in the State of
New York, in the United States of America, Master Mariner, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE
TO THE CAPTURE OF WHALES, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an explosive shell rocket formed with a conical
or other suitably shaped pointed metal head, and which it is preferred to form
with ribs or feathers running longitudinally along its external surface to cause
it more readily to enter the substance against which it is projected. The
explosive charge is contained within a chamber or chambers formed in the
interior of the pointed head. Immediately in the rear of the pointed head
is placed a cylindrical or other conveniently shaped chamber or cartridge
containing the projecting composition. The pointed head and projecting

page_text: composition chamber are mounted upon a shaft, feathered at the rear end to
direct its flight. The head of the rocket is provided with barbs or grains to
prevent it being readily drawn out from the substance into which it is pro-
jected. A stout cord or small chain is attached to the side of the rocket head,
to which is attached a cross bar or other suitable stop to prevent the rocket
entering the whale or other body too far previous to the shell head exploding,
and to which a line or chain can be bent on, when it is desirable to make fast
to the object operated against. It is proposed to aim and ignite the rocket by
means of a cylindrical or other shaped tube, so formed or packed internally
that it will admit the feathers on the rear of the shaft to enter, and at the
same time keep the shaft itself in the centre of the bore, and allow a portion
of the rear end of the head of the rocket to enter the muzzle of the tube a
short distance, so that the rocket will be held steady during the time of taking
aim. This aiming tube is provided with a suitable lock, or other mechanical
or chymical appliances, to ignite the projecting composition, which, in its turn,
ignites the explove compound.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Welcome Roys in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WELCOME ROYS, of Southampton, Long Island, in the State of New York, in
the United States of America, Master Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Welcome Roys, Her special license, that I, the said Thomas
Welcome Roys, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Welcome Roys, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE CAPTURE OF WHALES AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon.
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Welcome Roys, my

page_text: executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office,
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Welcome Roys, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This my said Invention consists of an explosive shell rocket, having a metal
head, formed with a conical or other suitably shaped point, and which I prefer
to form with cutting ribs or feathers running longitudinally along the external
surface of the point, to cause it the more readily to enter the substance against
which it is projected; and in providing the rocket with stops to prevent its
being readily drawn from or entering too far the substance operated against.
The explosive charge is contained within a chamber or chambers, which I form
in the interior of the head of the rocket, and which explosive compound
chamber or chambers have no internal communications with the propelling
charge, as now commonly practised in shell rockets which are exploded by
means of fire communicated from the propelling charge. Immediately in the
rear of the explosive shell head of the rocket, I secure thereto a cylindrical or
other conveniently shaped chamber or cartridge containing the projecting
composition. The explosive pointed head and the propelling composition
chamber attached to its rear end, I mount upon a shaft, which may be
feathered at the rear thereof to direct its flight. The rear end of the head of
the rocket, or the forward portion of the rocket staff, I provide with barbs,
grains, or other suitable stop or stops to prevent it being readily drawn out
from the substance into which it is projected. I also construct a stop at or
near the rear end of the shaft, to prevent it entering the whale or other body
too far, previous to the shell head exploding. I attach a stout cord or small
chain to the staff or to the rear of the rocket head, to which chain or cord I
also affix cross bars, or other suitable stops, for the same purpose, and to which
a line or chain can be bent on when it is desirable to make fast to the whale,
or other object operated against. The fusee of the shell I form in the interior
of the shell, as near the point as convenient, and it is ignited by a quick
match which passes through a side opening (or openings) formed near the

page_text: point, and carried backwards along the side of the rocket head and down the
staff to about a foot from the back of the head. This quick match I enclose
within a suitable tube, by preference made of some material which is not
readily combustible. The quick match is ignited by the fire of the propelling
charge, and which is thence communicated to the fusee in the head of the
shell, in the same way that I have explained in the Specification of my In-
vention for "Improvements applicable to Explosive Shells," for which Her
Gracious Majesty was pleased to grant me Letters Patent, No. 1402, bearing
date the Nineteenth of May, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
I propose to aim and ignite the rocket by means of a cylindrical or other
suitably shaped tube, so formed or packed internally, that it will admit the
feathers on the rear of the shaft (when feathers are used) to enter, and at
the same time keep the rocket in the proper position, and allow a portion of
the rear of the rocket head to enter the muzzle of the tube a short distance,
so that it will be held steadily within the tube, during the time of taking aim.
This aiming tube is provided with a suitable lock, or other mechanical or
chemical appliances, to fire the projecting composition, as will be readily
understood by those acquainted with rocket practice. In further illustration
of this my said Invention, I have hereunto annexed Drawings shewing
several modifications of my improved shell rocket and its appendages; like
letters marked thereon having reference to similar parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my improved shell rockets with
a metal head with three cutting feathers or ridges, and having a stop.in
the staff, to prevent it being readily drawn out from the substance into
which it is drawn, and also a stop to prevent the explosive shell being
driven too far into the whale, or other body against which it is projected;
and has a chain attached to the rocket shaft, which is also provided with
two stops for the same purpose; and Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal
section of the same. Figure 3 is a side view of another modification of
the same, having its head formed with four cutting edges, which terminate
before reaching the body of the shell, and the barbs or stops on the shaft
being formed from two suitably shaped pieces of metal, working on a pin or
hinge joints, formed within the staff. The chain attached to the rocket
staff is also fitted with folding bars or stops; the hinder stop (to prevent the
rocket going too far) can be closed against the cord or chain to which it is
attached, and held in that position during its flight by a rope-yarn, which will
readily break, and allow the stop to open out on the points of the stop meeting
with resistance. Figure 4 is a side view of another modification of my

page_text: improved rocket and stops, having its pointed head formed with four cutting
edges, which extend backwards to the body of the shell. A, the point of the
rocket which contains the fusee, and is screwed into B, the body of the shell;
to the rear of which is fixed C, the propelling composition chamber; D, the
rocket shaft which is fitted with stops; E, swivelling stops which turns trans-
versely across the shaft when drawn backwards from the whale or other body
into which it may be drawn; and F are swivelling stops which turn trans-
versely across the rocket shaft on coming in contact with any substance into
which the rocket may be projected, and are to prevent the rocket head
penetrating too far before exploding; G, a check chain attached to the rocket
staff, and which is provided with H, a holding stop, and I, a check stop; H¹
(Figure Four), is a rigid holding barb on the check line; I¹ (Figure 4), a cross
bar, check, or stop; K (Figure 2), the explosive compound chamber of the
shell; L, the fusee chamber, which is constructed to be loaded from the outer
end in Figures 3 and 4, and from the inner end in Figures 1 and 2, and
which is closed by M, a screw plug; N, a quick match extending through
lateral openings in the side of the fusee chamber into the explosive compound,
to insure the exploding of the shell; O, a quick match which extends from the
fusce chamber through lateral openings to the exterior of the shell, and is
carried backwards along the rocket head, and some distance down the shank,
and is surrounded by a protecting coat preventing it being readily fired, except
from the extreme end. I have found a flexible tube formed of india-rubber
and cloth answer the purpose.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and what I consider the best modes of putting the same into
practice, I wish it to be understood, that I do not confine myself to the
precise details as herein-before described, as it will be readily seen that the
same may be variously modified without departing from the Invention; but
what I do claim as new, and my Invention is,-
First, the use of stops, barbs, or other mechanical equivalents, which are
drawn into the substance operated against, and which will prevent the rocket
staff, or check line or chain to which they are attached, being readily with-
drawn from the whale or other body in which it may be embedded; and the
construction and stops or check, to prevent the shell entering a whale or other
body too far before exploding.
Secondly, the construction of shell rockets in such a way, that there shall be
no internal communication between the chambers containing projecting and
explosive compositions, as herein-before described.

page_text: And, lastly, the construction of explosive shell rockets and their appendages,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Welcome Roys, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
THOMAS WELCOME (L.s.) ROYS.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street, Liverpool.