US1231451A - Projectile. - Google Patents

Description

A. P. swoonA.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2| 1916.

a .'P. KYOBODR Patented June 26, 1917.

ll'-I n' I lllllllll 35 reference is to be had to the following de- LOIS P. SWOBODA, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROJECTILE.

Application led May 2, 1916.

To all whom t may camera.'

Be it known that I, ALoIs P. SwoBoDA, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Projectile; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en` able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in projectiles, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby a charge of some highly inflammable substance can be carried by the projectile and automatically ignited and scattered upon the object struck by the projectile.

Further objects of the invention are to provide aprojectile of this Character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be fired from the ordinary guns without necessitating any changes therein, which may or may not carry. an explosive charge in addition to the iniiammable substance, and which can be handled with safety.

With these and other objects in view,the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear' as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,

scription and accompanyingv drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a cartridgeloaded with aprojectile constructed in accordance with the invenltion.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modif fied form of the invention.A

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through the outer end of the inflammable substance receiving chamber, showing the details of the valve connecting the infiammable substance chamber and the expansion pocket.

Fig. 4c is a plan view of the valve casing .before the same is formed into a tube.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one possible embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates the body of a projectile which has the base thereof fitted within the mouth of a cartridge shell 2, said shell containing the usual powder charge 3, and having a primer or ignition cap 4 in the head thereof. The nose of-the projectile 1 is tapered, as indicated at la, and has a comparatively fragile chamber 5 fitted thereon, said chamber being adapted to be filled with some highly inflammable liquid or substance, such as the gasolene 6, and having an expansion pocket 7 in one end thereof to provide for the expansion and contraction of the inflammable substance whichwill be incident to the changes of temperature therein. The shell 5 is preferably cylindrical in shape, and the diameter of the shell is considerably less than that of the body portion 1 of the projectile or of the caliber of the gun from which the projectile is to be fired. This chamber 5 will be fitted upon the nose of the projectile in such a manner that the chamber and projectile are coaxial and, owing to the smaller diameter of the chamber 5, the walls thereof will not come into contact withthe bore of the gun, thereby preventing the chamber and the contents thereof from becoming unnecessarily heated by friction and eliminating'any possibility of the walls of the chamber 5 being bent or ruptured by the discharge of the projectile from the f When the projectile strikes against some object, the chamber 5 will be shattered or crushed, thereby causing the charge 6 of inflammable substance to be scattered and some means, such asi: the ignition cap 8, is provided for setting fire to the substance 6 at the same time that it is scattered. The damage which will ordinarily be done by the projectile 1 is thus augmented by the damage which may be done by the burning of the scattered inflammable substance 6. There is thus not only the smashing effect of the projectile to be contended with, but also the possibility of a serious fire or coniagration being brought about by the burning of the inammable substance which is scattered in all directions when the walls of the chamber 5 are shattered by the impact of the projectile against some object. In a naval engagement there would be the possibility of setting fire to the ship of the enemy, as well as that of destroying the ship by the impact or explosion of the projectile itself. The use of the -projectile is not by any means to be lrestricted to naval warfare, however, since it can be used for the purpose of clearing out trenches, breaking down walls, or for any kind of fighting.

The extremity of the chamber 5 is r'preferably pointed, as indicated at 5a, so as to reducejthe resistance of the air to the Hight of the projectile, and the expansion pocket 7 may be conveniently located in the pointed end of the chamber. A transverse partition 9 separates the expansion pocket 7 from the interior of thebody portion of the chamber 5, said partition carrying a`double acting valve 10 which is constructed to admit of a back and forth movement of the inflammable liquid between the chamber 5 and the expansion pocket 7'. This valve 10 may be ofany suitable construction, and may be Y mounted in any suitable manner, although for the purpose ofillustration it is shown as arranged within a tubular member 11 which extends through the partition and. interposed between a pair of springs 12 which bear at their outer ends against flanges 13 projecting inwardly from the extremities of the tubular member. The end portions of the tubular member 11, projecting upon opposite sides of the partition 9, are provided with the respective longitudinal'slots 14, so that when the valve 10 is moved in either direction communication is established between the chamber 5 andv the expansion pocket 7, although when the valve isin an intermediate position the expansion pocket is cut oli' from the chamber 5. The chamber 5 will be heated by the discharge of the projectile and the rapid passage thereof through the air, and this will cause the inflammable substance to become heated and expand, although this expansion is taken care of by the ocket 7.

A suitable opening 15 woul be provided in the chamber 5 preferably at one side thereof, for enabling theA c amber to be readily filled with the inflammable substance 6.' This opening could be closed in any suitable manner, as by means of a plug 16, which is adapted to be screwed tightly into position therein. This plug should leave the exterior of the chamber as smnoth as polble in order that there may be nov :unnecessary air resistance.-

The chamber 5 may be fitted upon the nose -of the projectile 1in any suitable manner. In the present instance the inner end of the chamber -5 telescopes upon and has a threadedl engagement with a reduced cylindrical head 1b at the extremity of the nose 1'* ofthe projectile 1. The rear end of the chamber 5 may be provided with an interior ange17, and a washer orl packing ring 18 may be interposed between this iiange and the end-of the projectile, thereby insuring This projectile is filled with an explosive charge 19, and any conventional means, such as a cap or fuse,

may be provided for discharging the explosive charge 19 at the proper time.

The chamber 5 containing the inammable substance would be simultaneously shattered, and the iniammable substance ignited by the explosion of the projectile. The chamber 5 may thus be applied to either an explosive or a non-explo'- sive projectile, or to any kind of a base for carrying the same, and the destructiveness of any projectile to which it'may be applied is greatly increased.

Having thus described the invention, what Lclaim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. A projectile including a body havingk a contracted nose at one end thereof, a chamber having asmaller diameter than the body and fitted upon the contracted nose thereof, the chamber and body being coaxial, so that the walls of the chamberV will not contact with the bore ofthe gun, a quantity of iniiammable material packed within the chamber and adapted' to be scattered when the chamber is broken by the impact of the projectile with an object, and means for igniting the inflammable material as it is scattered. Y

2. A projectile including a body having a contracted nose at one end thereof, a chamber having a smaller diameter thanthe body and formed with an openY end which is telescoped upon the contracted nose of the body, the chamber and base being co-axial so that the walls of the chamber will not contact with the bore of the gun, an internal flange within the chamber adjacent to the open end thereof, a packing ring interposed between the1 internal flange, and a quantity of inflammable material housed within the chamber and adapted to be scat-V tered when the chamber is shattered by impact of the projectile with an object, and means for ignitmg the inflammable material as it is. scattered.

3. A projectile including a body, a chamthe bodyto insure a tight joint,

no l

having a smaller diameter than the same,.

the chamber and body being co-axial so that the walls of the chamber will not contact with the bore of the gun, a quantity of in? ammable liquid housed within the chamber and adapted .to be scattered when the' chamber 1s shattered by impact of the projectile with an object, a partition providmg an 'expanslon pocket within the chamber, valved means for permitting portions of the inflammable liquid to enterand leave `the expansion pocket as the inflammable liquid expands and contracts due to changes in temperature, and means for igniting the inflammable material as it is scattered.

4. A projectile including a body, a chamber fitted upon the body and containing an inflammable substance adapted to be scattered when the chamber breaks, a partition providing an expansion pocket Within the chamber, valved means permitting portions of the inflammable substance to enter and leave the expansion pocket as the inflammable substance expands and contracts due to changes in temperature, and means for igniting the inflammable material as it 1s scattered.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

A. P. SWOBODA.

Witnesses:

M ABEL WILSON, Rosm SOINE.

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