U. S. Schenkl Percussion Fuze, unmarked

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

To all Interested;
      Will someone tell me why Some Schenkl fuzes are unmarked?
Were they being sold clandestinely to a foreign countgry? Please comment.
Best Regards,
John

[Pete George]

  The unmarked ones were manufactured before Mr. Schenkl was awarded a US patent for his Percussion fuze in October 1861.  That is why the unmarked ones are found almost exclusively in shell-types which were produced prior to the patent date, and not in later types.  Examples are the early-model 3" Dyer shells and various early-model Schenkl shells (like the Rifled 6-Pounder shell).  I do not recall ever seeing an unmarked one in a 3" Schenkl shell.

  The unmarked ones have a distinctly rounded lip.  You can't stamp lettering on the rounded lip, so after the patent was issued the lip was made flat-topped, so the patent marking could be stamped on it.

Regards,
Pete

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

That makes sense, thank you Pete.  Is there a reference to that effect?
Best Regards,
John

[Garret]

Pete, is there more detailed information on the circumstances surrounding the accidents that killed Schenkl and Charles James? 

[Pete George]

  John P. Schenkl's widow was granted a US Patent for one of his inventions on January 17th, 1865.  Presumably, he died sometime in 1864.  I cannot find any information about the cause of death.  I have never heard that Schenkl died due to a projectile or fuze related accident.  Where did you read that he did?

  There is detailed information about Charles T. James' death (on October 17, 1862) due to the accidental explosion of one of his shells.  The detailed info is given on page 191 of the 1993 Edition of the Dickey-&-George book.  If you don't have a copy of it, check the less-detailed version at Wikipedia.  It says:
"During the demonstration of a projectile at Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York, a worker attempted to remove a cap from a shell. It exploded killing the man and mortally wounding James, who died the next day."

Regards,
Pete

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Sir:
  According to Jack Bell's Book,  in the introduction to Schenkl, he was killed in 1863 when an experimental fuze exploded.(page 359)
With regard to James,  I read somewhere that the shell was dropped and it detonated killing James.  I just can't remember whre. Perhaps this prompted the installation of the slider safety wire.
Regards,
John

[6lbgun]

     In Ed McCaul's book (page 111) he states that Schenkle died in Germany after an extended illness in March of 1864.
Dan

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Okay Ed give us the straight skinny.
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

to All,
   I realize this post is getting off the main topic.  However since Schenkl's death came up could the following be his wife?
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=SC&GSfn=f&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=21&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GSsr=41&GRid=42912780&df=all&

    If so then we have John's middle name of Paul.
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Bingo!   
  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=SC&GSfn=j&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=21&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GSsr=121&GRid=42912724&df=all&

Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

To All Interested;
     Did you know that the Schenkl Percussion Fuze dated Oct. 16, 1861 was issued for the below fuze and not for the 'unmarked' fuze?
Regards,
John

[CarlS]

Interesting that according to John's link Schenkl was born and died in Germany but was buried in Massachusetts.

[Garret]

Pete,
John's reference to Jack Bell's book is exactly where I read that Schenkl died in an accident.  Just curious since there are usually only a couple of sentences of description to both James' and Schenkl's deaths and I was always wanting in more detail.  John, sorry for hijacking the topic. 
Garret

[mccaul]

Schenkl was a German immigrant and returned to Germany for his health, I assume to recover from an illness, (I believe in 1863 but I do not have my book with me here at work) but died there.  He and his entire family are buried in Boston, there are no living descendents.  His one daughter left a scholarship in his name to MIT.  Interestingly, when I contacted them about the scholarship they knew nothing about Schenkl except that his daughter started the scholarship.  There is a more detailed biography of Schenkl in my book along with a photograph of his grave marker.  The cemetery did not know who Schenkl was even though some Civil War buffs work there.  I have never seen a photograph of Schenkl and my assumption is that when his daughters died all of the family photographs were destroyed.  If anyone does know of a Schenkl photograph or signed document I would be very interested in seeing it.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear Ed,
   I also hit a dead end with the two sisters Johanna Pauline Schenkl and Josephine L. Hanna.  They were both married with no children, either divorced or husbands died. Johanna took back her maiden name.  They were living together when Johanna died in 9/2/1921 .  There seemed to be some sort of relation living in WA state by name of Johann Hans Schenkl born 1931.  Can't make a connection at Ancestry.com
Regards,
John