US2430698A - Signal device - Google Patents

Description

D. W. ALLEN SIGNAL DEVICE Filed March 11 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' u m w w INVENTOR: David W. flllen, BY 75 Q TN ESSES M24 ATTORNEYS.

D. W. ALLEN SIGNAL DEVICE Nov. 11, 1947.

Filed March 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; .D id W: flllezz B Y 4 M WITNESSES:

V ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 11, 1947 UNITE ST OFFEC SEGNAL DEVICE David i V. Allen, Rosemont, Pa,

assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Joseph VJ. Van Karner,

New York, N. Y. 7

6 Claims.

ihis invention relates to signal devices useful to aviators in emergencies when forced down either on land or by reason of engine trouble, fuel exhaustion, or for other reasons, and to mariners when cast adrift in life boats after uhip sinkings. More specifically my invention is concerned with daytime signal devices which emit smoke of a definite color for the purpos of ready recognition by rescue or searching parties.

Amongst the bjects or" my invention are to enable quantity production of such signal devices expeditiously from relatively inexpensive materials, and at the same time render them safe against the possibility of accidental firing as well as immune against deterioration in storage.

In signal devices designed more especially for smoke emission, it is a further aim of my invention to make possible the control of the burning of a signal producing material in them so that combustion will take place in the absence of flame,

Another object of my invention is to provide, in connection with signal devices having the above attributes, and designed more especially for marine use, against the entry of water and extinguishment of the signal producing material during the period of their submergence after being fired and thrown overboard.

Gther objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and mainly in axial section, of a signal device conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrows IIII in Fig. 1; and

Fi 3 is a horizontal section viewed as indicated by the angled arrows IIIIII in Fig. 1.

From these illustrations it will be observed that my improved signal device comprises a container preferably of sheet metal having a cylindric body I with a bottom 2 peripherally crimped to the lower edge thereof as at 3 for fluid-tightness, and with a top 4 which is similarly secured to the upper edge of said body as at 5. A pair of vertically-spaced diaphragms E and l subdivide the interior of the container to provide a relatively deep lower compartment 8, a smaller intermediate compartment 9, and a relatively shallow upper or auxiliary compartment It, said diaphragms being formed with peripheralfianges l l which are permanently secured to the body I by soldering or welding, At a level immediately above the upper diaphragm 6, the body I has a relatively narrow soft zone or band I? with a terminal finger grasp l3 by which it can be rolled oii when the upper or cover portion of the container is to be removed. The wall of the lower compartment 8 of the container is lined by a, snug fitting tube id of light thermo-insulatingmaterial which may be of cardboard, and the bottom with heavy insulation it which maybe of asbestos and which. acts as a weight to maintain the device upright when afloat in water. A core tube ll. of smaller diameter and preferably of sheet metal, sets apart within the lower compartment 3, an annular subdivision lS for a charge of combustible material which is conventionally indicated at 19, and an axial duct 23 which serves in a capacity later set forth, The upper end of the tube ll engages an. axial depression 2! in a. reinforcing annulus 22 which may be of wood nd which immediately un-- derlies the lower diaphragm i with its peripheral. edge fitting in the insulating lining l5; and interposed between two centrally apertured disks 23 and 2d of still cardboard, in turn directly below said reinforcing disk, is a packing layer 25 of insulating felt or the like. The core tube I1 is in practice sheathed as at 26 with paper or the like to prevent the combustible material from being forced out of lateral holes 2? at different levels in said tube during initial charging of the container with the material 19 under pressure. The upper diaphragm 6 is provided at the center with a group of five holes 28, see Fig. 2, of which the combined area aggregrates that of a central opening 28 in the lower diaphragm l and the registering opening 3! of the reinforcing annulus 22. During operation of the device, smoke emitted. during burning of the material [9 in the bottom of the container passe-s into the central smoke accumulation duct 2?! formed. by the tube I! and. from thence through the axial openings 29 and 36 in the lower diaphragm l and the reinforcing annulus 22, into the intermediate compartment 9, and'finally from thence escapes through the holes 28 in the upper diaphragm 8'. Secured at its edge by soft solder over the holes 28 in the upper diaphragm E is an upwardly-conceived disk 3i having small perforations 32 in line with said holes. The purpose of this disk 3! will also be explained later.

Lodged Within a conformative recess 35 in the under side of the reinforcing annulus 22 is a conventional form of starter which is comprehensively designated by the numeral 36. As shown in Fig. 3, this starter has a jacket 31' with a plug 38 of phosphorus or the like in one end, and a tail fuse 39 with terminal quick matches ll! and il extending from its opposite ends, the, latter of which matches reaches down. into contact with the combustible material l9 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 through a hole d2 in the annulus 22. Within the front end of the shell 3? of the starter 53 is the spiralized end 53 of a wire M which is chemically treated to effect ignition when drawn through the phosphorus plug 38. The wire id is extended upwardly from the starter 35, passing through aligned clearance holes 35 and id in the lower diaphragm l and the reinforcing annulus E2, thence through the intermediate chamber 9, and. finally through a non-metallic bushing a? in the upper diaphragm 6 auxiliary or top compartment it where it is provided with a pull ring t3, also preferably formed from non-metallic material. 7

When the device is to be used, the soft band i2 is rolled off by pull upon the finger grasp It, with consequent detachment of the cover portion of the container and exposure of the ring 53. With this preparation, the ring 58 is pulled to set off the phosphorus 38 in the starter 35, and the device thereupon thrown overboard. In the. interim, the fuse 39 of the starter 35 is consumed and the combustible composition !9 in the bottom of the container ignited by the time the device strikes the water. Sufficient smoke pressure is thus generated to preclude entry of Water through the small orifices 32 of the shield disk 35 during the brief period of submergence of the device which will immediately right itself by reason of being weighted at the bottom, and which will thereafter float under the buoyant effect of the air trapped within the intermediate compartment 9. As the burning of the material !9 intensifies, the heat and pressure generated will soon cause softening of the solder around the protective disk SE and displacement of the latter, so that the desired full amount of smoke is permitted to escape through the holes 28 in the upper diaphragm 6. As previously pointed out herein, the holes 28 are so proportioned as' to control the rate of smoke emission so that the burning material is maintained in a smoldering condition and flame thus prevented from issuing from the device with the smoke. Obviously, however, if flame is desired with smoke discharge, the holes 23 in the diaphragm 6 may be made relatively larger. Combustion will of course commence at the top of the charge l9 and continue downwardly incident to which the paper sheathing 25 around the core tube ll will be burned away to expose the lateral holes 2'1 in said tube.

The combustible material may be of any of the well known chemical compounds ordinarily employed in signal devices of the kind to which my invenion pertains, wherefrom may be selected one which will emit smoke of the particular color desired for any particular service.

Due to being hermetically sealed, the signal device of my invention will be safe as regards the possibility of accidental firing with assurance against deterioration of the combustible material within it during storage or ordinary handling. On the other hand, when the device is in use, the insulation i5, i6 and 25 will act to prevent any internal moisture condensation formed as a result of contact of the container with the cold water from reaching and contaminating the combustible charge l9.

It will moreover be apparent from the foregoing that my improved signal device lends itself to quick and easy assembling, and, by virtue of being constructed from parts formed from cheap material, can be expeditiously produced in quantity at comparatively low cost.

into the p Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A smoke signal device, operable by a fuse and capable of being set afloat in water, comprising a container with a removable cover and subdivided by spaced diaphragms to provide upper, intermediate and lower compartments; tubular means defining an annular subdivision for reception of suitable combustible material and an axial duct in the lower compartment with communication into the intermediate compartment; means in the upper compartment whereby the fuse is started; a finely perforated element in the upper compartment releasably attached over holes of larger diameter in the upper diaphragm which finely perforated element, when the coveris removed and the combustible material ignited, permits only limited initial escape of the products of combustion, whereby sufiicient pressure is maintained in the intermediate compartment to preclude entry of water during a brief interval of submergence when the device is thrown overboard, the holes in the uppermost diaphragm aggregating a greater area than that of the holes in the perforated element so that, when said element is displaced, a greater quantity of the combustion products, but still restricted in amount to prevent flame formation, is liberated.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the combined area of the holes in the upper diaphragm aggregates that of the outlet opening from the axial duct in the lower compartment; and wherein the perforations through the releasable element are located over the holes in said upper diaphragm.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the perforated element is in the form of an upwardlyconcaved disk having a small perforation or perforations located above and respectively within the confines of the holes in the upper diaphragm; and wherein fusible means attach the concaved disk to the outer face of said upper diaphragm with capacity for yielding to subsequent displacement, under pressure and heat, by the smoke confined in the intermediate compartment incidental to burning of the combustible.

4. The invention according to claim 1, in which the lower compartment is lined at the top, bottom and sides with thermo-insulating material to prevent deterioration of the contained combustible.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein a layer of cushioning material, with associated centrally apertured disks, is interposed between the lower diaphragm and the top of the combustible.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the starter is recessed into the underside of a relative thicknon-metallic reinforcing disk, and said disk is mounted in the signal device container immediately beneath the lower diaphragm.

DAVID W. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 2,328,916 Le Comte Sept. 7, 1943 1,548,724 Mann Aug. 4, 1925 2,119,697 Anderson June 7, 1938 1,557,610 Peters Oct. 20, 1925 1,704,234 Young Mar. 5,1929 2,246,804 Lipschutz June 24, 1941

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