US1300195A - Incendiary bullet. - Google Patents

Description

L. W'. ROCKWELL. |NCEND|ARY BULLET. APPLICATLQN FILED MAR.21. 1918 Patented Apr. 8,1919.

flail 3a I N VEN TOR.

' adapted for LEA 'W. ROCKWELL,

OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

nvcmmreny nunnn'r.

I Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Apr. 8-, 1919.

Application filed March 27, 1918. Serial No. 225,112.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEA W. RocKwnLL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Washington, in the District of Colum ia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incendiary Bullets, of which the follow.- ing is a specification.

his invention relates to incendiary 'bullets, and more particularly to that type adapted to be used in combating airplanes and the like.

One of the objects of the present inven tion is toprovide a simple and practical bullet of relativelysmall caliber adapted to. be

used in machine guns, and which will be highly reliable and eflicient in use and operation. A further object is to provide a bullet of the above general character particularly puncturing the specially constructed gasolene tanks of aircraft and insuring the ignition of the contents thereof.

- A further object is to provide an incendiary or explosive bullet of small caliber having relatively few parts which may be inexpensively manufactured and easily assembled.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of gelrsts and the unique relations of the memand in the relative proportionin and disposition thereof; all as more comp etely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to, comprehend the underlyin features thereof that they may embody t e same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, a drawin depicting a preferred form has been annexe as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawin Y The fi re 1s an enlarged longitudinal sectional new of the bullet showing the COD: struction; position and arrangement of the various parts thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 5

denotesanouter hollow shell or jacket of the bullet which is of standard construction, and

of material such as cupro-nickel, to rovide for the desired penetration. Withm this jacket, and located at the forward part thereof is a conically-shaped slug or member 6,

Egeferably of steel, having a longitudinal re 7 within which is positioned a firing pin 8, and, behind the pin, a small cap or det- I onator 10 of fuhninate of mercury. In the rear part of the jacket is a c lindrical plug or member 11, also madepre erabl of steel, havi a hollowed interlor 12 adapted to contain a highly combustible charge 13 of either exploslv'e or inflammable character. I prefer to use thermite or the like. This char e is preferably separated from the member 6 by a thin wall 14 of fibrous material constituting a safety device. It is to be noted that this member 11 has a slightly enlarged rear end or flange 15 adapted to take over the rear end of the jacket 5 whereby on firing of the projectile the member 11 cannot be driven forwardly to explode the detonator, or disturb the relative position of the parts.

When the projectile or bullet is charged with thermite or the like and is fired, no action takes place until the nose'ofthe jacket is crushed in or collapsed on impact with a target. Under such circumstances the firing pin 8 is driven rearwardl to 1gn1te or jacket 5 and the ignition or melting of any surrounding, material.

It should be understood from the above that where desirable, I contemplate using a charge of high explosive material in the chamber 12 in whichcase the bullet, on impact, would have a shattering effect and would not be of incendiary character.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical incendiary :f

or explosive bullet adapted to. accomplish all the objects herein set forth.

Without further analysis; the'foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying, current kriowl 3 edge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the followin claims.

I cliim asmy invention:

1. A projectile comprising a jacket and a body member, of relativel hard metallic composition and substantia y solid in cross sectlon, adapted to impart penetrating power to the projectile, inserted in said jacket, said body member having its for:

ward end cut away to provide a hollow portion ad acent the nose of theprojectile jacent the nose bf the projecti e whereby comprising, a

said nose. is adapted to be pact.

3. ,A device of the character described, fjacket, a conically-shaped member in the, orward interior part thereof provided with a longitudinal bore, a firing pin and cap within said bore adapted to be actuated upon collapse of the nose of the jacket on engagement with the target, a cylindrical member in the rear. part of said bullethavitnfi a combustible charge adapted to be igni by said cap, said cylindrical member being flanged over its rear end to prevent being driven forward when the bulat is fired.

i. A projectile comprising a collapsed on. im-

frusto-o'givalbody member, of relatively. hard metallic composition andvsubstantially 'solid in cross section, adapted to imparttile adjacent the nose thereof, -detonatin penetratin power tosaid projectile, inserted in sai jacket, the upper end of said' frusto-ogiva member and the interior wallsof the jacket definin a hollow portion adjacent the nose of t e projectile, the said frusto-ogival body member being provided with a, longitudinal bore of relatively small diameter, and a firing pin fitted in said bore -and pro ecting therefrom into the hollow portion of the projectile adjacent the nose thereof whereby on impact the nose ofthe projectile is collapsed and the firing'pin actuated;

5. Ajdevice" of -the character described,

comprising a 'jacket a 'conically-shaped' member adapted to be driven into the forward part of said jacket and having a lon-' gitudinal bore therein, firing means projacket, the upper end of said relatively small diameter extendin jccting beyond the front of said member and adapted to be engaged by the head of the jacket on collapse thereof, and a second member behind said first member containing an explosive charge, and means associated with said last mentioned member adapted to coact with the rear of said jacket to prevent said member being driven forwardl as the bullet is fired.

. 6. projectile comprising a jacket and a body member of relatively hard metallic composition and substantially solid in cross sectlon, adapted to impart penetratin power to the rojectile, inserted in sai jacket, said bo y member having its forward end cut away to provide a hollow portion adjacent the nose of the projectile and being provided with a longitudinal bore of relatively small diameter extendin therethrough, a firin .pin fitted in the orward portion of the ore and projecting therefrom into the hollow portlon of the projectile adjacent the nosethereof, and detonating means said bore and to the rear of sa1d firing n- 7. A device of the character described, comprisin a jacket, two members fixed therein, ing means associated with one member and a charge of thermite associated with the other, and firing means ada ted to ignite said thermite when the jac et engages a target,'and means adapted to revent relative movement of sa1d mem rs ower to the rojectile, inserted in sai acket, said b y member having its for ward end cut away to provide a hollow rtion'adjacent the nose of the projectile and being provided with a longitudinal boil-1e of t erethrough, a-firin pinfitted in the orward ortion of the ore and 'projecting therecm into the hollow portion'of the projecmeans in sa d bore and to the rear of sai firing pin, and a highly combustible charge inoperative relation to the detonating means.

9. In combination a bullet casing, a hollow plug in the open rear end of said casing: and having a surface engaging said rear end, a slug in said casing between said plug and-the nose of .said casing, a firing in guided [said sing and terminating un or saidnose, a combustible charge in said plug,

hard metallic pro'ectilecomprising a acket and jacket, said b power to the rojectile, inserted in said 05y member having its forward end cut away to provide a hollow portion adjacent the nose of theprojectile and being provided with a longitudinal bore of relatively small diameter, a firing pin fitted in said bore and projecting therefrom into the hollow portion adjacent the nose'of the I projectile whereby on impact the nose of the projectile is collapsed .and the firing pin 10 actuated.

Signed at Washington, D. C.,'this 15th day of March, 1918.

LEA W. ROCKWELL.

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