IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTILES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Henelade Courtenay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1877.
ROBERT HENELADE COURTENAY, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTILES."
This Invention relates to shells to be fired from guns, and consists of improved
methods of constructing and arranging the parts of such shells so that they are
more effective, and embrace a larger area of destructive action than such shells as
heretofore ordinarily constructed and used.
Shells constructed according to my Invention may also be used for illuminating
the neighbourhood of the shells' flight.
The
In the first part of my Invention I take a shell, preferably cylindrical, with a
conical point of cast iron or other suitable material. Across the cylindrical part of
the shell I form at regular intervals a series of transverse holes, each passing
through one side of the shell, but only partly through the opposite side. These
holes are formed through different diameters of the shell (in end view), and into
each I fit a hollow cylindrical chamber (preferably of iron), the lower end of which
is closed and forms a chamber for gunpowder or other explosive material.
inner end fits into the recess formed partly through the inner wall of the shell, as
above described, and the outer end is made level with the outer surface of the shell,
which is recessed or countersunk, and melted lead or other fluid cement is poured
into the countersunk recess, the ends of the chamber being first preferably tinned.
Each chamber is charged with powder or other explosive material, and bullets or
other missiles, and its open end is closed with a plug of lead, hard wood, or other
material. Near the closed end of each chamber, one or more holes are made to
ignite its charge at the proper time; or holes may be made through the base of
each chamber, and through the wall of the shell, and fitted with time fuses, ignited
when the gun is fired, so that the chambers discharge their missiles during the
flight of the shell. The conical head may be fitted with similar chambers. Each
chamber may be formed of two or more parts, which fly to pieces, and the inner
walls of the shell may be weakened by grooves or recesses, so that it more readily
fractures when the explosive material in the shell round the chambers is fired by a
time or other fuse.

page_text: Another part of my Invention consists of fitting inside an ordinary hollow
cylindrical shell with conical point, a second double cylinder shell, separated from
the outer shell by a sufficient space, in which are placed the heads of iron studs
secured by lead plugs or projections poured into countersunk holes or recesses on
the outside of the shell, and round the studs. At the base of the outer shell is a
cup-like cavity, upon which rests the inner shell; this cavity and the space
between the shells being occupied by a first bursting charge of powder or other
explosive material fired by a suitable time fuse. The inner shell is also provided
with a fuse suitably timed. The inner shell is made with double walls, the space
between which is filled with missiles, and with hollow wedged-shaped pieces,
which themselves form missiles when the shell explodes by the firing of the charge
in its inner cylinder.
Another part of my Invention consists of a hollow cylindrical shell with conical
point, which may be used for the purpose of giving illumination during a part of
its flight. I form the body and front of this form of shell of two parts, fitted and
attached together by solder or other convenient means, near which point I form a
plate or division across the shell, the division being connected to the base of the
shell by a hollow cylinder, and through the centre of the shell for its full length I
fit a hollow cylindrical tube (or rocket cylinder) containing a composition giving a
bright light when ignited. Inside this tube is fitted another smaller tube passing
through the division, and to an opening at the point of the shell, and containing in
its upper part (which fits the rocket cylinder) a time fuse; its lower part leading
to the bottom of the first cylinder containing a quick match, communicating above
with the time fuse, and passing to the lower end of the inner tube, which somewhat
resembles in shape a fine funnel. The upper part of the outer tube communicates
with a bursting charge between the wall of the shell and the tube. At a certain
point of the flight of the shell the time fuse fires the quick match which ignites the
lower end of the composition, and the latter discharges a train of light through the
bottom of the shell, and eventually fires the bursting charges which explodes the
latter.
Another part of my Invention consists of a shell to be used for battering, and
formed of four parts, the head of the shell being solid or filled with bullets or
other missiles. This head is fitted over and attached to the body of the shell, which
is formed in two halves longitudinally, each half having one or more transverse discs
or plates cast upon it, the outer edges of which project into the other half, and
between the discs upon the latter. The discs are separated by a sufficient distance,
.and holes are made through them and through the point of the shell, through
which the latter is charged with gunpowder or other explosive material, fired by a
time fuse in the usual way. The base of the shell is fitted over and attached to the
body of the shell in the same way as the head.
The next part of my Invention consists of a shell cast or formed of three parts,
that is to say, the conical head having a diaphragm or division formed or cast
across its interior, the cylindrical base upon which the head is fitted and attached,
and the centre which is fitted inside the shell and consists of a cylinder fitting
into the shell below the diaphragm, and having a cylindrical stem below, fitting a
corresponding hole in the base to which it is attached by a steel or other pin passed
transversely through both. The centre cylinder contains a central cylindrical hole
passing down partly into the stem, and a sufficient number of parallel holes round
it (preferably nine) passing completely through the cylinder from end to end. The
base is formed cup-shaped inside, and is filled with gunpowder or other explosive,
by which bullets or other missiles contained in the tubes which pass through
the cylinders are discharged at the proper time. The head of the shell is fitted
with a time fuse, by which it is exploded and removed; a quick match or fuse
being at the same time fired, which communicates with the gunpowder which
discharges the bullets. A fuse, timed somewhat later, also communicates with the
central chamber filled with a bursting charge, by which the shell is finally blown
to pieces; all these processes taking place in rapid succession.

page_text: Another part of my Invention consists in forming a hollow shell having thick
walls, through which are formed at regular intervals conical holes, having their
larger diameters outside; these holes are plugged with plugs of cast iron or other
material fixed in a suitable cement; the plugs project somewhat into the interior of
the shell, which is filled with a bursting charge of gunpowder or other explosive
material, and fired by a time fuse. The walls of the shell are, preferably, grooved
inside to facililate its fracture on explosion.
The head of the shell may form itself, a small shrapnel filled with bullets or other
missiles, or it may be provided with conical holes and plugs similar to those in the
body of the shell.
The shell may be made in pieces consisting of the head, the base, and the body in
two halves, all fitted and attached together.
Another part of my Invention consists especially in an improved shell for
illuminating any point (within range, assuring darkness on the side from which
the shell is thrown, I form a hollow shell of suitable form and weight; and between
the walls of this shell is placed another smaller shell sufficiently strong to resist the
bursting charge of the outer shell, which is fired by a time fuse. This smaller
shell is formed in several pieces which fall apart when the outer shell bursts,
liberating one or more sufficiently powerful magnesium or other lights, supported in
the air by parachutes or other apparatus, in the way well understood and practised.
The advantage of throwing such lights from rifled guns is that they can be
thrown to windward of any point required to be illuminated, allowance being made
for the strength of the wind to ensure the burning of the lights in the desired
position.