Pyrotechnic flare

Claim 1

A FLARE FOR USE IN A TOW TARGET TO FACILITATE TRACKING THEREOF, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATE HOLLOW METAL CASING; AN INNER PLASTIC SHELL LINING SAID CASING; A COMPACTED CHARGE OF HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL ENCLOSED BY SAID INNER SHELL; MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING AT ONE END THEREOF FOR IGNITING THE CONTIGUOUS END OF SAID CHARGE TO CREATE A TRAVELING COMBUSTION ZONE FOR PROGRESSIVELY IGNITING SAID CHARGE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CASING WITH CONSEQUENT PROJECTION OF A FLAME LONGITUDINALLY FROM SAID CASING, SAID CHARGE FITTING SAID INNER PLASTIC SHELL SNUGLY AND THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE INNER SHELL HAVING A LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY TO RETARD IGNITION OF TH PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF THE CHARGE IN ADVANCE OF THE TRAVELING COMBUSTION ZONE, SAID CASING BEING A THIN-WALLED SHELL OF METAL HAVING A RELATIVELY LOW MELTING POINT TO BE MELTED BY SAID FLAME WITH THE MELTING ZONE TRAVELING PROGRESSIVELY LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CASING, THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF SAID INNER SHELL CHARRING AS THE SHELL IN SUBJECTED TO THE FLAME WHEREBY A CHARRED PORTION OF THE INNER SHELL SURVIVES THE HEAT OF THE COMBUSTION ZONE TO CAUSE THE MELTING ZONE TO LAG BEHIND SAID COMBUSTION ZONE FOR CONTINUOUS CONFINEMENT OF THE COMBUSTION ZONE BY THE CASING.