US1276402A - Incendiary bomb. - Google Patents

Description

N. H. PARKINSON.

INCENDIARY BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTJB. 1917.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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NEWTON H. PABKINSON, OF KENT, ILLINOIS.

INCENDIARY BOMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 191.8.

I Application filed September 28, 1917. Serial No. 193,767.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON H. PARKIN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kent, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incendiary Bombs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ammunition and explosive devices, and more especially to shells; and the object of the same is to PI'0 duce an incendiary bomb.

The invention comprises a shell or bomb which consists of a spherical casing or metal shell, a charge of explosive therein, and a fuse; and a second and larger two-part shell or casing surrounding and spaced from the first and containing an incendiary liquid, preferably itself an explosive but certainly of that character which will be ignited by the explosion of the inner charge at the time when the latter is set oil by the fuse.

The invention also consists of details of structure which will be set forth in the following specification and claims and are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a central vertical section through this bomb with all parts assembled.

Fig. 2 is a similar section with the inner element in elevation and the outer parts slightly removed therefrom and in section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the upper part of the outer element.

The inner element is an ordinary shell which is exploded by a time fuse. It comprises a globular or spherical casing 1 containing a charge 2 of high explosive, a tube 3 tapped into one side of the casing, and a fuse 4. leading from within the charge through the tube to the exterior. The casing may be of cast metal or other material, and the tube surrounding the fuse may be screwed into or through the wall of the easing with which it should make a liquidtight connection, and may have threads at 5 at its outer end.

The outer element includes a globular or spherical casing somewhat larger than the inner casing 1 and made in two parts or halves 10 and 11, which I refer to herein as the upper and lower parts respectively. These are practically duplicates and are complementary of each other, and around their mouths they have interengaging threads 12 and 13 so that they may beconnected in a liquid-tight manner. The lower part has a tapped opening 15 at an appropriate point to receive the threaded end 5 of the tube 3. and when engaged therewith this part of the outer element is held at what we might call the bottom of the inner element. The upper part 10 has a filling opening 16 closed by a plug or cap 17 as seen. Each part has cast within it a number of spacers, formed in the shape of lugs or bars 18 projecting radially inward as perhaps best seen in Fig. 3. The outer element may also be cast of metal or appropriate material, and when in place around the inner element it incloses a jacket wholly surrounding the same as perhaps best seen in Fi 1. This jacket or outer space can be fil ed throu h the opening 16 with a highly inflamma le or incendiary liquid, gas, or chemical in fluid shape, which can be poured in Or pumped in after the metallic casings are assembled, and later the cap or plug 17 is applied. The mouths of the two parts 10 and 11 communicate with each other when they are screwed together, and the spacers hold the outer casing at all points equi-distant from the inner casing as shown in Fig. 1. Thus is produced an incendiary bomb comprising an ordinary explosive shell and its fuse, surrounded by a jacket of incendiary and perhaps explosive fluid. When this bomb is thrown or fired, or even when it is dropped from an aeroplane, we may assume that it falls in a fort or town or crashes its way through the roof of a factory where perhaps munitions are being manufactured. It is my intention that the outer casing, braced by the spacers 18 from the inner casing, shall have suflicient strength to withstand ordinary impact, al though of course it will be shattered if dropped upon or projected against some hard substance such as stone or metal. If so shattered the incendiary, inflammable, or explosive fluid is scattered over all sursounding objects and finds its way into every nook and corner, becomes ignited, and sets fire to the dwelling, factory, or hangar; or

with both the inner-and outer casings so that no portion of the fluid may come in contact with the fuse while the latter is sputtering, which would result in the premature ignition of the explosive fluid. Even should this contingency occur from any cause, no harm is done further than that the scattering or difi'jusing results of the explosion of the shell are lost sight of and the burning fluid will not be spread over so wide an area, When both ends of the tube are threaded, it is possible to screw it first into the inner casing and provide threads within the opening 15 of the lower part 11 of the outer; casing, so that when these two elements are combined one may be screwed into the other and fastened to it by the threads at the ends of the tube; and subsequently the upper part is brought into place and screwed onto the lower part at 12 and 13. The rotation of parts or elements to effect this screwing'necessitates that they shall be cylindrical at least, and in whose axis the tube stands. This I prefer to bring about by making both elements strictly spherical as suggested, although it is of course obvious that they could be cylindrical and concentric or coaxial with said tube, and perhaps even the forward end of the cylinder could be pointed. However, as it is possible that if this projectile were fired from a gun or mortar its outer casing might be prematurely crushed or fractured, l have given it the title of bomb and contemplate dropping it on the enemy from an aeroplane or dirigible, or perhaps throwing it into the enemy ranks if it be made on a smaltscale,

What is claimed as new is 1. In an incendiary bomb, the combination with a shell containing an explosive charge, a time fuse leading therefrom, and a tube proj ecting from the shell and surrounding a portion. of said fuse; of a casing larger than that of the shell and made in two parts, one having an opening to engage said tube and means for connecting the open ends of said halves-when they are brought together.

2, In an incendiary bomb, the combination with a round shell containing an explosive charge, a time fuse leading therefrom, and a tube projecting radially from the shell and surrounding a portion of said fuse; of a round casing larger than that of the shell and made in two separably formed halves, one having an opening to engage the outer end of said tube and the other having a filling opening and cap, and means for connecting the open ends of said halves when they are brought together.

3. In an incendiary bomb, the combination with a round shell containing an explosive charge, a time fuse leading therefrom, and a tube projecting radially from the shell and surrounding a portion of said fuse; of a round casing larger than that of the shell and made in two separably formed halves, one having an opening to engage the outer end of said tube and the other having a fillingropening and cap, screw threads around the mouths of said halves adapted to engage each other when they are brought together, and inwardly projecting spacers in the walls of the halves adapted to contact with the wall of said shell to hold the casings equally spaced throughout.

4-. In an explosive incendiary bomb, the combination with a spherical shell contain= ing an explosive charge, a fuse leading therefrom outward, a tube opening through the wall of the shell surrounding said fuse for a portion of its length, and threads at the outer end of the tube; of a globular outer casing made in two halves threaded around their mouths for interengagement when they are screwed together, one half having a threaded opening for the reception of the threads at the outer end of said tube, spacers within the halves adapted to contact with the exterior of the inner casing when said halves are assembled, and means for filling the outer casing with fluid.

.5. In an explosive incendiary bomb, the combination with a spherical shell containing an explosive charge, a fuse leading therefrom outward, a tube opening through the wall of the shell surrounding said fuse for a 7 portion of its length, and threads at the ice 7 their months for interengagement when they are brought together, one half having a threaded opening for the reception of the threads atthe outer end of said tube, and means for filling the outer casing with fluid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NEWTON H. PARKINSON,

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