US1318074A - Egbert clyde gowdy - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT CLYDE GOW'DY, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

SMOKE-MAKING- GOMPOUND FOR SIGNAL-ROCKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing. Original application flied Nbvember 25, 1918, Serial No. 270,235. Divided and this application filed April 24, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT CLYDE Grower, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Smoke-Making Compound for Signal-Rockets, (Case B,) of which the following is a specification and is a division of m copending'application, Serial #270,235, led November 25, 1918.

This invention relates to pyrotechnic signals and more particularly a smoke making compound for signal rockets such as shown in my above referred to copen'ding application for conveying intelligence generally such, for instance, as the location of an enemy battery, call for a barrage, etc.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved smoke making. compound which will be inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and eflicient in use and operation.

A further object is to provide a composition of the above general character, having a high degree of dispersion of coloring matter upon ignition so that a cloud of the desired visibility is produced by a small weight of coloring material.

A further object is to provide a compound in which the chemical reaction works rapidly and uniformly so that the trail of smoke will be visible for the desired length of time. 7

A further object is to provide a compound of the above general character which will be substantially insensible to shock, thus making it safe to handle.

A further object is to provide a composition which will be stable and will not deteriorate by lon standing.

Other objects will be in (part obvious and in part hereinafter pointe out.

While various colored compounds may be used, the following is set forth as' an; example in obtaining black smoke wherein I preferably employ a mixture composed of anthraeene, magnesium powder, and a compound called hexachlorethane, mlxed in the following proportions, by weight:

' Serial No. 292,853.

The principal action of this composition is between the magnesium and the hexachlorethane, this reaction bein of itself very violent and producing a w ite smoke. The anthracene slows down the reaction and at the same time colors the smoke black. The speed of the reaction may be controlled by varying theanthracene content, but decreasing the anthracene shortens the time of burning and tends to lighten the color of the smoke, while increasing the proportion of anthracene increases the time of burning but does not make the smoke appreciably blacker.

The use of anthracene in this composition to blacken the smoke is particularly advantageous for the reason that upon ignition of the composition, the anthracene, which upon carbonization imparts color to the smoke, .seems to be volatilized, and not merely mechanically dispersed. Since the anthracene probably becomes volatilized a high degree of dispersion of. the coloring material is obtained, so that a cloud of the desired visibility is produced by using a small amount of coloring material. The smoke composition does not deteriorate upon standing, when contained in an air ti ht receptacle, and it is comparatively insensi le to s ock ROBERT CLYDE GOWDY.