US602092A - Vacuum-protected high-explosive shell - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

R. J. McKEONE. VACUUM PROTECTED HIGH BXPLOSIVBYSHBLL. No. 602,092.

Patented Apr. 12, 1898.

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RICHARD J. MCKEONE, OF SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN.

VACUUM-PROTECTED HIGH-.EXPL'OSIVE SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,092, dated April 12, 1898.

Application filed March 12, 1898. Serial No. 582,985. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, RICHARD J. MoKEoNE,a citizen of the United States, residing at Sault Ste. Marie, in the county of Chippewa and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful High-Explosive Shell, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to high-explosive shells, and particularly to a high-explosive shell capable of being fired from any gun with safety and in which the effects of inertia and concussion are fully obviated and overcome.

The object of the invention is to provide a firing-pin carrying a detonator which is exploded simultaneously with the piercing by the said pin of the shell containing the proj ectile explosive material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shell having a series of cells or compartments, each having a small mass of explosive material which is separated by division-plates and surrounded by a vacuumchamber to prevent explosion from the impact due to inertia without affecting the force of the final explosion.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figurel is a central cross-section of the shell. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the shell. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section at right angles to Fig. 2, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a rear View of the outer shell with breech-piece removed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached elevation of the firing-pin. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of the breech-plate. Fig. 7 is a sectional View of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the flexible locking-ring; Fig. 9 is a cross-section of Fig. 5, taken at A The same letter references denote the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The head-piece A is secured to the outer shell B by a screw-threaded projection K from the head-plate B',which is screw-threaded into the end of the said shell B. The 0pposite end of the shell B is closed by a similar plate 13 and the breech-piece G is secured in this end of the shell andholds the plate B against displacement.

A are soft-metal rings fastened around the end of the shell to take the rifling of the gun cases E are inclosed in the shell D'and are separated by division partitions or plates F.

The shell D is held between rubber cushions G and Gt at each end, said cushions being secured in place by plates 13 and B The said shell D is provided at each end with thin flexible conical collars N, which engage the inner surface of the shell D and hold the shell D in exact alinement with the cushions, leaving the vacuum space or chamber H between the said two shells. The conical shape of the said collars prevents anydirect transverse thrust from the vibration of the outer shell reaching the inner shell, and the said cushions protect the ends of the inner shell. The vacuum-pipe E extends through the plate B andcommunicates with the chamber H.

The plate B has a central thin portion forming a diaphragm B and the cushionG has a central cavity G ,in which the said diaphragm is operated, and corrugations G extendfrom the cavityG into the chamber H. 7

From thediaphragm 133's suspended a U- shaped hanger J, having a lever J pivoted thereon and fulcrumed at H to and between projections]; of a fulcrum-strip h', secured to the outside of the plate B The opposite endofthe lever J 2 is connected to a lever O by a link 0. Oneend of said lever O is se-. cured atg to a post P, projecting from the plate B f The other end of the lever O is con nected by a link Q to the forked lever-indicator O, the lever being pivoted to the post P opposite the post P. The sides of the post P have a graduated scale. When a vacuum is produced in the shell,-the outside air-pres sure will operate the diaphragm and move said levers so that the forked: ends will indi-- cate upon the graduated scale the degree of exhaustion of the inclosed air in the chamber H.

The breech-plate B has lugs A by means of which the plate B is operated to screw it in and out of the shell B.

The firing-pin J has a collar L, a cylindrical IOO portion L and a conical end L provided with notches Z. The pin is inserted in the headpiece A before the latter is screwed to the screw-threaded projection K of the plate B. Then the locking-ring or anvil M, which has an opening K, is sprung open to allow the firing-pin to be pushed down through it until the collar L is past the nut or ring M. The latter then closes upon the pin and holds it in place, leaving detonating passages 19 in the nut. The pin is provided with a detonatingring a, adapted to engage the nut M, which acts as an anvil to explode the detonator, such explosion being communicated to the dynamite (the point of the pin having been driven through the center of the end D through the nut-passages Z) and the pin-notches Z.

The breech-piece O is provided with a small vent V to relieve air-pressure in the space Q, formed between the plate B and the breechpiece 0, said vent being closed by a metal plug or otherwise before firing.

All parts of the shell where not otherwise provided for should be made of steel or other suitable shell metal. The vacuum-pipe A E may be made of flexible metal to permit of being closed by pinching or twisting, or any suitable automatic valve may be used to hold the vacuum when produced, as hereinafter mentioned.

The method of loading and firing the shell may be described as follows: I first put the several parts of the shell together, as indicated in Fig. 2, with the exception of the breech-piece C, and without having loaded the dynamite-cases. Then by means of an air-pump attached to the vacuum-pipe I produce a vacuum in the space H. When the vacuum-gage indicates a vacuum, the pipe may be closed and the shell set aside for a sufficient length of time to allow any possible leak to manifest itself. This is done for the purpose of testing the shell and preparatory to loading. W'hen satisfied that the space H is air-tight, the vacuum-pipe may be again opened and the head-piece, firing-pin, thimble, rubber cushion, and head of inner shell D be removed and the dynamite-cases taken out for loading, the head-plate or forward end of inner shell D being provided with lugs (not shown in drawings, but similar to those in the breech-plate shown at A in Fig. 4) for screwing the head-plate in place. When filled with dynamite, the cases are replaced in the inner shell, with the division-plates between, and the head-plate of the inner shell screwed in place, care being taken to make the joint air-tight. The metal head of the shell, with its firing-pin and other attachments, 'is then replaced and a vacuum produced, as before. The breech-piece may be screwed in place or may be left off until ready to place the shell in the gun, so that any leakage of air into the vacuum may be observed.

The constituents of dynamite may be carried in an unexplosive form and dynamite manufactured and shells loaded only as needed, such a precaution being certain to prevent premature explosions.

"When loaded, the shell is placed in a gun, charged as for firing an ordinary shell, and may be fired without danger, the vacuum preventing any concussion reaching the dynamite in the inner shell, and the rubber cushions at each end of the shell preventing possible explosion through impact from inertia. The locking-ring prevents the firing-pin from dropping out of the head-piece, and the bottom of the thimble prevents it striking the thin center of the head-plate of the inner shell until it strikes the target.

WVhen the shell strikes the target, the point of the firing-pin is driven back through the bottom of the thimble into the dynamite and, the percussion detonator-ring striking the locking-ring or anvil at the same time, the explosion is communicated to the dynamite through the notches cut in the point of the firing-pin, thus exploding the full charge of dynamite.

The same shell without the firing device may be used for the safe storage or transportation of dynamite or other high explosives.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a projectile of the character described, of a perforating firingpin, having notches therein, and a detonatorring upon the pin adapted to be exploded through said notches, said notches affording communication with the explosive material of the projectile, as set forth.

2. A high-explosive projectile comprising two casings, one elastically held within the other to form a Vacuum-chamber between them, the inner one of said casings having a series of separated cells containing explosive material, an anvil having passage Ways therethrough and secured in the head of the projectile, a firing-pin working through said head and through the anvil and having notches or passage-ways therein, and a detonator-ring upon the pin to engage the anvil and explode the material in said cells, as set forth.

3. A high-explosive projectile comprising an outer shell or casing, head and breech plates removably secured in the ends of said casing, an inner casing elastically held between the said two plates to form a vacuumchamber between the shells, the cells or cases secured in the inner shell and adapted to contain explosive material, a firing-pin having a pointed notched end to pierce the end of the inner casing, a detonator-ring secured to the pin, and a flexible nut through which a portion of the pin works, said nut being secured,

in the projectile-head and forming an anvil for the detonator-ring, whereby the latter is exploded, the said nut and the pin-notches affording communication with the cells, as set forth.

4. A high-explosive projectile comprising an outer shell, the head-plate, the breechplate closing the end of the shell and having a thin central portion, an inner shell containing explosive material and elastically held between the said two plates, a removable end upon the inner shell having a thin central portion, a movable firing-pin Workin g through the head-plate and adapted to break the thin portion of said end, and means attached to the breech-plate and actuated by pressure upon the thin portion of the breech-plate to indicate the degree of exhaustion of the inclosed air, as set forth.

5. A firing-pin for high-explosive projectiles comprising a cylindrical body Working through the projectile-head and having a detonator and a pointed notched end to pierce the inclosure containing the projectile explosive material and communicate the explosion of the detonator to said material, as set forth.

6. In an explosive projectile the combination of the outer shell, the head-plate, the breech-plate having a thin portion forming a diaphragm, an inner shell having an end the central portion of which is thinner than the body, a series of cells in the inner shell containing explosive material and separated by partitions, cushions engaging the ends of the inner and outer shells, and means upon the breech-plate, and operated by said diaphragm to indicate the degree of exhaustion of air from a chamber formed by the said two shells, as set forth.

7. The combination of the inner shell containing explosive material, and having an end provided with a thin portion, the outer shell, the head-piece, the head-plate having a screw-threaded extension to which the said and one of the inner shell ends and having a central aperture, a firing-pin working through said aperture and adapted to break the thin portion of the inner shell end, a cushion between the other end of the inner shell and the breech-plate, and havinga spacein which the diaphragm is operated, and a series of levers linked together and connected to the diaphragm to note the degree of exhaustion of air from the chamber formed between the said two shells, as set forth.

8. The combination with a projectile having a vacuum-chamber formed between the outer and inner shells of the projectile, of a Vacuum-gage comprising a diaphragm in the projectile breech-plate, a graduated scale, a series of levers connected together and to the breech-plate and operated by pressure upon the diaphragm to indicate upon the scale the degree of air exhausted from the chamber, as set forth.

9. The combination with a high-explosive projectile, of an anvil secured in the projectile-head, a firing-pin having a notched end, and Working through the anvil and through said head, and having a collar resting against the anvil, anda detonator upon the pin adapted to be exploded by contact with the anvil, said explosion being communicated to the projectile explosive material through said pinnotohes, as set forth.

RICHARD J. MOKEONE.

Witnesses:

FRANK R. WARNER, WILLIAM M. SNELL.

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