Apparatus for electrolytically penetrating shell casings

Claim 1

APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED FOR CUTTING AN EXPLOSIVE FILLED METALLIC SHELL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TANK CONTAINING A QUANTITY OF ELECTROLYTIC FLUID, A PLATFORM MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN SAID TANK ABOUT AN AXIS AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE FLUID, SAID PLATFORM BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SAID SHELL WITH THE AXIS OF THE SHELL SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENT WITH SAID AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE PLATFORM, A PLURALITY OF JET NOZZLES ARRANGED AROUND SAID SHELL AND DISPOSED IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID AXIS OF ROTATION AND DIRECTED TOWARD THE SHELL, A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM INCLUDING A PUMP FOR CONDUCTING FLUID FROM SAID TANK AND FORCING THE SAME THROUGH SAID NOZZLES AS HIGH VELOCITY JETS WHICH IMPINGE UPON SAID SHELL, MEANS ELECTRICALLY INSULATING SAID PLATFORM FROM SAID TANK, AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR APPLYING CONCURRENTLY A POSITIVE VOLTAGE TO SAID PLATFORM AND A NEGATIVE VOLTAGE TO SAID TANK, WHEREBY THE SHELL IS POSITIVELY CHARGED AND THE JETS OF FLUID FORCED FROM THE NOZZLES ARE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AND ELECTROLYTE ACTION OCCURS ALONG A LINE WHERE THE PLANE OF THE JET NOZZLES INTERSECTS THE SURFACE OF THE SHELL AS THE SHELL IS ROTATED TO CUT THROUGH THE SAME WITHOUT FIRING SAID EXPLOSIVE.