CA1041833A - Explosive projectile - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention relates to an explosive projectile comprising an explosive charge and a device for firing a detonator outside of the charge, characterized in that the explosive charge comprises a recess in that the projectile comprise a device for priming this explosive charge compris-ing an explosive relay housed at all times at least partially in the recess in the explosive charge and mounted to slide therein between a retracted safety position in the explosive charge for which the relay is kept remote from the detonator and a forward armed position in which this relay is situated in the immediate proximity of the detonator or is in contact therewith, while being partially engaged in the explosive mass, and in that it also comprises a device for locking the explosive relay in its retracted safety position.

Description

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This invention relates to an explosive projectile with a detonator apart from the charge and having a particular-ly simple priming device.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is an explosive projectile comprising an explosive charge and a device for firing a detonator outside o~ the charge, in which the explosive charge comprises a recess, the projectile com-prises a device for priming this explosive charge comprising an explosive relay housed at all times at léast partially in the recess in the explosive charge and`mounted to slide therein between a retracted safety position in the explosive charge for which the relay is kept remote from the detonator and a forward armed position in which this relay is situated in immediate proximity of the detonator or in contact therewith, while being partially engaged in the explosive charge, and ~- ~
a device for locking the explosive relay in its retracted -safety position. The invention is characterized in that the device for locking the relay comprises an occluding means placed in front Or the front end of the relay and means for locking this occluding means and maintaining the reIay in the unarmed position.
According to a preferred embodiment of the inven-tion, the recess made in the explosive charge is of cylin- -drical shape and is disposed axially and the explosive relay -i~ also of cylindrical shape.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, -the explosive relay is mounted to slide within a sheath and a spring is di~posed between the bottom of the sheath and the rear part of the relay. Preferably, the front end of the relay i~ widened in cross-section to constitute a shoulder 1041t~
for positioning and rotatingly d~iving the relay within the sheath.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the occluding means is disposed between the relay and the detonator to form a barrier.
Still according to another embodiment of the inven-tion, the locking device is a clack mounted on a drum pivoting about a lateral axis.
According to yet another embodiment of the inven-tion, the means of locking the occluding device are balls disposed in housings provided ill a fixed element of the fuse ~ -and abutting the front part of the occluding means on the `
one hand and abutting a ring mounted to slide around the fixed element and on a spring on the other hand.
The attached drawings show by way of example a form of embodiment of the explosive projectile according to the invention together with a plurality of alternative forms and details thereof.
Fig. 1 shows a partially sectional view of a projec- - -tile and its fuse according to the invention; ~ -Figs. 2 to 6 show sectional or partially sectional views of five forms of embodiment of the projectile and its fuse; ~ -Fig. 2' shows a detail of an alternative embodiment of Fig. 2; ~ -: - - - .
Fig. 3' is a view showing the projectile locking `device of Fig. 3, which locks it in the armed position; - -Fig. 4' is a view showing a detail of Fig. 4;
Pig. 6' is a view showing the percussion device of Fig. 6, in its armed position;

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~ig. 6'' is a view showing the detail of the per-cussion device in the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 6;
Figs. 7, 8 and lO show partially sectional views of three forms of embodiment of the percussion device of the projectile according to the invention;
Fig. 7' is a view showing a section at right-angles to the axis of the projectile according to the line VII-VII -in Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic sectional view Or an al-ternative embodiment of locking device; .
Fig. ll is a partially sectional view of a form of -~
embodiment of locking device for a hand grenade, in the non-armed position;
Fig. 12 is a partially sectional view of the alter-native embodiment in Fig. ll, in the armed position.
The fuse assembly shown in Fig. l and intended to be ~ixèd on a projectile, comprising a cylindrical body l of steel or cast-iron, containing the explosive mass 2, the ~-explosive mass 2 comprising an axial cylindrical recess to house an explosive relay 3 which in fact constitutes a part of this explosive mass. Screwed onto the upper part of the cylindrical body l of the projectile is a body 4 of the head -5 enclosing the device 6 for locking the relay 3. A body 8 - -~-is screwed onto the body 4 of this head and is provided axially with a fixed detonator 7, and a percussion device 9 comprising a plunger lO. The upper part of the fuse comprises a deformable cap ll or false nose intended to be crushed upon impact of the projectile in order to operate the plunger lO
through a plate 12.
The device 6 for locking the explosive relay 3 ~ 3 -' ~04183~
~omprises an occluding means 13 locked by two balls 14 maintained in housings 15 in a central part 16 on which there is a slidab].e ring 17 which is maintained in abutment against a clip 18 disposed in an annular groove 19 in the upper end of the central part 16, by the action of a spring 20.
The housing bounded by the upper part of the central part 16 may, according to another alternative embodiment, be of conical form, the widened part being in the forwards di-rection of the projectile in order to facilitate, at the time -of fitment, ejection of the occluding lozenge 13 into a position above the relay 3.
~ he percussion device 9 comprises a body 21 of two parts mounted to slide within the chamber 22 formed in the centre of the body 8 and maintained abutting against a mat .. :
23 in the position as shown in Fig. 1. The plunger 10 is mounted to slide in the body 21 and is maintained likewise in ~ -abutment against a mat 24.
When the shot is fired, by virtue of the inertia -:
due to acceleration, the ring 17 slides on the body 16, com-pressing the spring 20. At the end of its stroke, the chamfer 25 causes the elastic ring to enter and become locked in its housing, this ring 26 expanding then in the.annular chamber -27 of the ring 17, in order to hold the ring 17 in the re- ~-tracted position. Under the effect of centrifugal force, the balls 14 then being no longer retained, emerge partially from their housings 15, their eccentric displacement being limited .
by the lateral walls of the annular chamber 28, but sufficing . -~
to produce releasing of the plate or occluding means 13. .
At emergence from the barrel, since acceleràtion is no longer felt~ the occluding means 13 is pushed towards the '~

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~4~833 front Or the projectile (arrow I) on the one hand under the action of the inertia due to deceleration and on the other by the explosive relay 3, disposed inside a sheath 29, itself pushed by the action o~ a spring 30 which is compressed in its retractive position such as is illustrated in Fig. 1.
The fixed sheath 29 is crirnped with the central part 16 with-in the recess provided in the explosive charge 2.
When the occluding means 13 is at least partially out of its housing, its balance is upset by an unbalance and ejected laterally under the effect of centrifugal force in the chamber 31, so that it can flatten itself against the lateral wall of this latter; the passage is thus freed, allow-ing the relay 3 to move forwards (arrow I) until it comes in contact with the detonator 7, into an armed and advanced position. In this form of embodiment, the detonator 7 projects on the inside of the chamber 31; the thickness of the wall at -the bottom of the detonator 7 may increase on a curve from its central axis to a point close to its largest diameter, either on the inside or on the outside of the detonator, in order to avoid the effects referred to as flat or hollow charge in the case of an accidental explosion of this latter.
The percussion device is intended not to operate except upon impact; indeed, if, during the course of handling, -or by accident prior to firing of the shot, the cap ll is crushed in such a way that the body 21 is forced completely in until it touches the abutment 32, that is to say after -having sheared through the mat 23, the point 33 of the plunger 10 can nevertheless not reach the active material 34 of the ~
detonator 7, the stroke not being adequate. In order that ~-SO there may be percussion, it is essential for the plunger 10 ;` 104~t~3;~

to ~hear throu~h the mat 24 hol~ing it inside the body 21;
this shearing occurs when, after the body 21 has been forced into its housing 22, consecutively upon impact of the pro-jectile against the objective reached, this body 21, by inertia, is projected forwards once again; at this moment, the plunger 10, free within the body 21, cannot assume the same speed as this latter and by inertia shears through the mat 24 (relative displacement). Moreover, the percussion device is provided with a steel plate 35 intended to prevent deformation of the housing of the plunger 10 in the body 21 at the moment Or impact.
In the form of embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the envelope containing the explosive relay is provided with an ~
extension 36 on the inside of the spring 30, and compressing :
this latter, in a retractive position until it abuts on a composite shock absorption disc 37 disposed in the bottom of the sheath 29 and formed by two superimposed discs~ a hard metallic disc coming in contact with the lower part of the extension 36, and a sgft and elastic disc in contact with the ~-~ottom of the sheath. The disc 37 rigid with the projectile may be of conical shape and be intended to serve as a kind of clutch for the bottom end of the extension 36, in order to -entrain this latter, and thus the relay 3, rotating simulta- ;
neously with rotation of the projectile; the sheath 29 is crimp-ed in the ~ame way as in the case of the form of embodiment `-shown in Fig. 1, in the central body 38. In the alternative -embodiment shown in Fig. 2', the shea~h 29 is screwed partially within the central body 38; in another form of embodiment : `
(not ~hown) the sheath 29 is simply ~uspended by an upper collar.
The occluding means 13 of the form of embodiment ''.~

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illustrated in Fig. 2 is lockecl above the relay 3, maintain-ing this latter in the retracted position, by means of dogs ~9 mounte~ at right-angles to the ~entral axis of the projec-tile and pushed towards the centre by springs 40. Sealin~;
tightness of the device is provided by an 0-ring 41.
In order to avoid the possible effects Or reaction due to lateral shocks, the dogs 39 may be disposed in such a way that they are inclined ~rom ~ront towards the rear of the projectile in the direction of its axis and not at right-angles thereto; the angle chosen with respect to the axis - :
of` the projectile may for example be approximately 60.
Furthermore, in order to avoid any risk of this occluding means becoming released due to lateral shocks, it is prefer- -, able to provide at least two dogs 39 -and more particularly three or four dogs 39 which are disposed symmetrically on the circumference of the occluding means, that is to say with -angles of respectively 120 and 90 between each dog.
The percussion device ensuring safety against drop- -ping or slow crushing, illustrated in the form of embodiment shown in Fig. 2, comprises a body 42 containing a primer 43 ~ ~ -mounted to slide therein, and a pluhger 10 screwed on the up-per part of this body 42, and the point 33 of which is situated close to the primer 43 but is nevertheless prevented from detonating this latter by appropriate spring 44.
In the case of slow crushing of the cap 11, the body 42 becomes depressed into its cavity 45, shearing the mat 46, ~ -~hi~ latter being provided solely to resist the inertia of the body 42 when the shot is fired, but without causing percussion of the primer 43~ the rate Or indentation not being sufficient S0 lor the rorce of inertia to overcome the strength of the spring lU4183~
4ll. Moreove-~, the lugs ll7 on ~he rnat l~6 are intended to ~eaden the accidental indentation or the body ~
When the shot is fire~, as soon as the projectile has started to rotate at a sufficient speed, the dogs 39 move apart outwardly under the action of centrifugal force, compress-ing their springs 40. The occludin~ means 13 and the relay 3 are then no longer retained in their initial position except by the inertia due to acceleration; when this acceleration has ceased, that is to say at the outlet from the barrel, the ]n relay 3, under the action of the spring 30, pushes the occlud-ing means 13 towards the front of the fuse; as soon as this - -occluding means 13 has emerged from its initial housing, its --balance is upset by an eccentric groove, and it moves aside - -and outwards under the effect of centrifugal force, until it is housed in the chamber 48. The relay 3 can then be brought into the armed position in contact with the detonator 7 or in the immediate proximity thereof. In this form of embodiment, the `
end of the detonator 7 which is directed towards the relay 3 -does not project into the chamber ~l8 but is level with the upper wall thereof.
At the moment of impact, under the effect of deform- ~ -ation of the cap 11, the plate 12 pushes the body 42 back into its housing 45 after shearing of the mat 46, and the almost --~
instantaneous passage to zero speed produces a relative movement which tends to project the plunger 10 and the primer 43 one -against the other, compressing the spring 44, and thus trigger-ing firing of the detonator 7 via the primer 43 and the sensi-tive material 30 in the detonator. The projectile according to the form of embodiment shown in Fig. 3 functions in the same way a~ that shown in Fig. 2 but is distinguished therefrom by 10~1~3~
~he followin~ few details of its fitment.
The explosive relay 3 is provided with an upper shoulder 49 and has no exten~ions such as the extension 36 in ~'ig. 2, towards the bottom Or the recess in the explosive charge 2; this shoulder 49 abuts on a shoulder 50 on the central body 38 and ls intended to position the relay 3 and to prevent it from too strongly compressing the spring 30 upon the marked --acceleration when the ~hot is fired, and is also intended to move this relay 3 in a rotary action simultaneously with the æyration of the projectile.
The occluding means 13 having been released as pre-viously, is brought into the chamber 51, larger than the cham~
ber 48 in the ~orm of embodiment shown in Fig. 2, under the ~;
effect of centrifugal force, into the position as shown in Fig.
3' in order to release the explosive relay 3 and allow this latter to assume its armed position as previously, under the -~
action of the spring 30. -The locking device 6, in the form of embodiment shown in Fig. 4, takes the form of a rotary drum occluding means incorporated between the relay 3 and the detonator 7. This occluding means therefore comprises a cylinder 52 in which there -~
is a cylindrical hole 53, the diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of the relay 3. The axis of the cy-lindrical hole 53 is at right-angles to the axis of the cylinder 52 or shell and in its non-armed position as shown in Fig. 4, the axis of the cylindrical hole is moreover disposed at right- ~ -angles to the axis of the projectile in order to prevent move-ment of the relay 3 in the direction of the detonator (retracted and locked position). Arming can occur only after the cylinder 52 has rotated through 90 , so that the hole 53 is disposed in ~' '.

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~I,e extensiorl ol the explosive rela~ 3. Ilowever, only the force ol` acceleration cause~ by the firing of the shot can result in the cylinder 52 being unlocked `rom its initial and unarmed position.
When the shot is fired, the annular ring 54, under ~he erfect Or inertia due to acceleration, compresses the spring 55 as far as the abutment 56, thus r-eleasillg the balls 57 which are ejected by centrirugal f`orce in~o the chamber 58. When the ef`fect of` the acceleration has ceased, the spring 55 and the inertia due to t~e deceleration push the annular ring 54 in such a way as to release from the groove 59 which it has along an inner generatrix the nipple 60 rigid with the cylinder 52.
The nipple 60 is released in the cylindrical spàce 61 at which the groove 59 terminates. The cylinder 52 is then unlocked and can thus rotate through 90 under the action of the spring 62, the rotary travel of the cylinder 52 being limited by the ~ -abutment 63 so that the hole 53, then in the extension of the ~ -relay 3, allows this latter to pass through it and this, pushed - ~ -~y the spring 30, moves into the advanced armed position in contact with the detonator 7 or in the immediate proximity thereof.
After unlocking, rotation of the cylinder 52 may be moreover retarded in order to produce a delay in arming.
Fig. 4' shows a detail Or the locking device accord-ing to Fig. 4 in section on a plane p-erpendicular to the ; -section as shown in Fig. 4. This Fig. 4~ shows the movement from the lower end of` the groove 59 of the ring 54, from a -position I~ to an advanced position IV', whereby the nipple 60 has become freed from the groove 59, so ~llowing the cylinder ~- -52 to rotate until such time as the housing of the nipple is - 10 - ~, at position 60'.
In the rorm of embodiment illu~trated in Fig. 5, the ~evice ror locking the explosive relay comprises an occluding means 1~ in the form of a disc, in the edge Or which there is an annular groove 64 intended to receive an elastic ring 65, this latter abutting the element 66 locking the occluding disc 15 which thus screens the relay 3.
When the shot is fired and under the efrect of inertia due to acceleration, the elastic ring 55 slides towards the back Or the projectile in order to be brought into its housing 75, thus unlocking the occluding means 13 which is pushed forwards : :
by the relay 3 under the effect of the spring which it compress-ed in the retracted position and, after having emerged from its housing in the body 66, it is ejected laterally into the chamber . - -78 under the effect of centrifugal force, allowing passage for the relay 3 which will thus move into the advanced armed posi-tion. .
The form of embodiment shown in Fig. 6 has a device for locking the explosive relay which is identical to that shown -in Fig. 2 and a double-safe percussion device, the detail of which is illustrated in Fig. 6 " . The plunger 10 is mounted on the upper part of a body 83 via a skirt 84. The body 83 contains in an axial recess a supplementary prim~r 43 which is rigidly ..
disposed beneath the tip 33 of the plunger 10. Moreover, this .
body 83 is mounted to slide in a body 85:and locked within this .: .latter by an elastic ring 86 which counteracts a spring 87. In .
the case of premature slow crushing of the cap 11, t~e plate 12 :;
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~ would abut against the edge 88 o~ the body 85 without touching :.
, . . .
the plunger 10. In the event of the plungèr having been in the :
armed position, that i8 to say above this edge 88, and in the : :-.

10~ 33 event of a slow crushing, the body 83 and the plunger 10 would return to their housing in the body 85, compressing the spring 87 without triggering the primer 43, the skirt 84 being unable to be deformed by such a slow crushing.
When the shot is fired, the force of inertia due to acceleration causes the elastic ring 86 to emerge from its housing provided in the body 83 and it takes up a position in the annular space 89, releasing the body 83. When the force of deceleration is felt on the projectile, this body 83, moreover under the effect of the spring 87, slides and emerges towards the front of the projectile in its housing and until such time -~
as it is arrested by the abutment 90. At this moment, the head -of the plunger 10 is clear of the body 85 and is in the armed position, in proximity of the plate 12, as shown in Fig. 6'.
At the moment of impact, even under quite considerable force, the plunger 10 is forced in by the plate 12, deforming the thin skirt 84 which was keeping it away from the primer 43;
the deformation of this skirt 84 therefore produces percussion of this primer 43 by the tip 33 of the plunger 10.
Fig. 7 shows another alternative embodiment of safety percussion device. A ring 91 is pushed and held in the locking position by the spring 92 against the abutment 93; moreover, ;~
it prevents the balls 94 emerging from their housing, these ~ ;
ball8 projecting on the inside of the housing 95 of the body - -:
96, entering an annular groove 97 provided in the plunger 10, -the effect of which is to lock this latter. Moreover, the -~ ;
strength Or the mat 98 is calculated so that it opposes the inertia Of the plunger and maintains it in position when it is no longer locked after the shot has been fired, in order to increase ~afety.

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When the shot is f~ire~, by :inertia, the ring 91 slides on the body 9~ compressing the spring 92. It remains held in ~his position by the restraining ef'f'ect of` a thin conical skirt 99 which it has in its lower part and which becomes deformed at the end of the stroke, upon contact with the chamfer 100, turn-illg it back towards the centre. This crimping may be facilitated by the fact that the skirt is split according to a certain number Or generatrices in order to constitute an equal number of lugs and retain the ring 91 by the shoulder 101. Since the balls 94 are freed, they emerge from the housing under the action of cen-trifugal force, so freeing the plunger 10 which is then no longer held in its bore except by the abutment 93 at the front and the mat 9~ at the rear; this mat 98 will be sheared at the moment of impact causing a forcing-in of the plunger pushed by the p~ate 12 and causing it to penetrate the active material 34 of the detonator 7. Fig. 7' which is a section on the line VII-VII' of Fig. 7 shows the disposition of the balls 94 which lock the plunger 10 in the ring 96.
Fig. 8 shows a compression percussion device without arming and without a safeguard against dropping. The plunger 12 ~ ' is held at a distance from the active material 34 of the deto-nator 7 by a mat 102. This is sufficiently strong to withstand - '-the inertia due to acceleration when the shot is fired and eman~
ating from the plunger 10 and a pusher ball 103 which is held -'-forwards by an element 104. At the moment of impact, the mat : . -102 is sheared allowing percussion of the active material 34 of the detonator 7 by the tip 33 of the plunger 10, this latter being pu~hed by the plate 12 via the ball 103.
Fig. 9 shGw~ a particular locking device in which the occludin~ plate 13 and plate for locking the relays 3 takes the ... . . . . . .. . . .

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Iorm o~ a clack mounted on a drum 105 adapted to pivot a late-ral axis 106. In its position of rest, t~e clack 13 prevents the relay 3 from moving forwards into the armed position and it is maintained in this position by locking means not shown and which act on the free end of the clack; when the shot is fired, the inert.ia due to acceleration and/or centrifuga] force act on the locking means to free the clack 13; under the action Or the relay 3, and pushed by the sp-ring to whose action it is subject, and under the action of a spring (not shown) provided on the drum 105, the clack 13 moves according to the arrow IX into the position 13', so allowing passage for the relay 3 which can then move into the advanced armed position.
Fig. 10 shows another alternative form of percussion device in which the plunger 10 is mounted on the assembly 107 ~ -which is capable of sliding in the body 18. Retention of the plunger 10 in the direction Or percussion and safety against being dropped, are provided by the dogs 109 which are subject to the action of springs 110. This device which incorporates ~
retention by the dogs 109 functions in a manner which is quite - -similar to that of the locking device of the occluding means 13 and relay 3 by virtue of the dogs 39 according to Figs. 2, 3 ~ -and 6. Locking of the plunger lO at the level of its tip 33 in the case of a crushing of the head of the projectile is thus assured. Retention of the plunger 10 and of its assembly 107 ~^
in the direction opposite to that of percussion is ensured by the tip 111. This tip 111 acts in a complementary fashion and adds its elastic re8istance to the action of the dogs 109 ensuring ~afety if the projectile is dropped. Indeed, when the d~gs 109 are moved apart by the action of centrifugal force and ~o release the pIunger 10, this latter is however still .. . .. .. ..

104~
maintained in the unarmed position by the tip 111 which may undergo a slight deformation which does not exceed its elasti-city limit. The difference in dimensions between the bore 108' in the body 108 and the dia~eter 107' of the assembly 107 allows optimum operation upon impact, the cone 111' of the tip being capable of easy deformation. Indentation is thus ensured even n the case of the head being flattened and widening out on impact. Finally, the annular space 112 constitutes a gas ex-pansion chamber in the case of inopportune operation of the detonator tending to prevent opening or deformation of the body of the fuse and of the detonator, Finally, Figs. 11 and 12 show a form of embodiment of the device for locking the retention means in the case where the projectile is an explosive hand grenade. This latter com-prises a main body 113 containing particularly an explosive ;
charge 2, and a movable relay 3 in a crimped sheath 29, and a firing cap with a detonator as the front part 114 of the grenade.
Between the main body 113 and the firing cap 114 there ---;is a device 6 for locking the movable relay 3 which in this form --of embodiment takes the form of a rotary drum occluding means incorporated between the relay 3 and detonator 7 of the firing device. This occluding means has a cylinder or shell 115 in which there is a cylindrical hole 116 the diameter of which is slight~
ly greater than the diameter of the relay 3. The axis of the cylinder hole 116 is perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder or shell 115 and in its unarmed safe position, as shown in Fig. ;
11, the axis of the cylinder hole 116 is moreover disposed at right-angles to the axis of the projectile in order to prevent the relay 3 moving in the direction of the detonator 7 (retracted ~0 and locked po3ition), Arming can occur only after the cylinder ll'j has been rotated through 90 , so that the hole 116 is dis-posed in the extension of the relay 3 as shown in the Fig. 12 --(forward and armed position). The cylinder or shell 115 accord-ing to this form of embodiment moreover constitutes the pivot-ing axis of a lever 117 (the spoon of the grenade) disposed on the outside of the projectile. This lever 117 is intended to be n~oved under the action of a spring (not shown) according to ~he direction of the arrow XI (see Fig. 11), from the locked posi-tion (cylinder 115 occluding passage for the relay 3) in Fig.
11, to that in Fig. 12 (armed position with the passage hole 117 in the extension o~ the relay 3).
The locking device 6 also comprises a dog 118 mounted at right-angles to the main axis of the projectile and pushed towards the centre by a spring 119. This dog 118 is intended to co-operate with a notch 120 provided in the cylinder 115 in order to lock this latter in the so-called armed position in ~
which the passage hole 116 is in the extension of the relay 3.- - -This arrangement is needed in order to prevent the cylinder -returning to its initial position in which it occludes the ,~
passage, during the trajectory of the grenade.
During storage and before the grenade is launched, the lever 117 is locked in its position shown in Fig. 11, by means of a pin 121. Releasing is performed by pulling the ring on the pin 122, but the lever 117 may still be held manually -in its initial position; finally, once this lever 117 is re-lea8ed, and as this normally occurs with explosive grenades, ~ -the latter is moved until it is in its position æhown in Fig.
12 under the action of its æpring (not shown); in this case, this latter position corresponds to the positioning of the ~0 cylinder 115 so that the passage hole 116 is in the extension -~

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oI t~e relay 3; this latter is then locked in this position by the dog 118 co-operating with the notch 120. The relay 3, under the action o~ a spring (not shown) to which i~ is subject in its sheath 29, and in the same way as in the form of embodiment shown in Fig. 4, for example, moves into the proximity of the detonator 7, into the armed position.
In a manner similar to the cylinder 5~ in the form of enlbodiment shown in Fig. 4, the cylinder or shell 115 of the form of embodiment shown in Figs. 11 and 12 may likewise be provided with brake means intended to produce a delay in arming. --With regard to priming the detonator, the conventional retardation means (pyrotechnic, mechanical, hydraulic, electrical etc.) may be provided i~ the fuse cap. ~
A device with a rotary drum occluding means, such as - -that described above, may likewise be applied to the case of ~- -' grenades having handles, the lever or spoon of the hand grenade ' -being replaced by another device designed to cause the occlud- ' ing cylinder to rotate through 90 by a manipulation carried -~ -out from outside the projectile.
The essential character of this invention, such as has been described by the examples and forms of embodiment above, - theref'ore resides in the original conception of a projectile comprising a nose fuse and a detonator outside of the charge, -'' and more particularly its priming device. This latter is distinct from the known devices in the sense that it comprises an explo-sive relay with no sensitive material which is always disposed at lea~t partially within the explosive charge and which under the effect of the shot being fired, moves from an unarmed retractive position in which it is remote from t'he detonator, - 30 into a f'orward armed position in contact with the detonator or -- 17 -- .

`` ~04i~3~

n the immediate proximity thereof. A device makes it possible to lock the relay in the retractive position until the shot is fired, and constitutes moreover a physical barrier between the relay and the detonator; this is moved away, when the shot is ~ired, under the action Or the inertia of acceleration and centrifugal force or by a manipulation directed from the outside of the projectile to clear the passage for movement Or the relay towards the detonator.
This physical barrier or occluding means may take many and varied forms, some of which are described in the forms of embodiment which are given by way of example. The occluding may therefore in particular consist :
- Of an independent compact lozenge in a single piece or in a plurality of parts and of symmetrical or asymmetrical form, this latter form consisting for example of a lateral groove over half the lozenge which serves as an unbalance to favour eccentricity during ejection into a lateral chamber; the lozenge may likewise have a central conical recess on the -relay side, contact between the occluding lozenge and the relay being effected on a crown; finally, according to cir-cumstances, several lozenges may be placed one above another.
- An independent lozenge comprising an outer jacket enclosing a filling of metallic powder or s~lall balls. :
- A rotary drum in which there is a cylindrical hole the axis ~ ;
of which is at right-angles to the axis of the cylinder which constitutes the drum, and the diameter of which is slightly greater than that of the movable relay.
- A clack, of which one end is f~ixed to a lateral axis about which it can rotate.
- A ball wedged between the movable relay and the detonator. -~

1041~3~
This fuse is also provided with a percussion device which has a safety feature for the detonator so that the explo-sive charge of` the projectile may be fired by the intermediary oI the relay and operating for example by compression on impact.
iiowever, any other firing device may be used to equip a projec-tile having a nose fuse, particularly a piezo-electrical device, or to equip an explosive grenade.
A priming device according to this invention, with a detonator outside of the charge, a movable explosive relay -~ -which can be locked and a protective occluding means ensures that the projectile has a very high degree of safety in use (safety against dropping) with an arming delay (muzzle safety);
it is wor-th noting that the device used allows regulation of the delay at arming, a regulation which is needed for example in the case of certain light infantry weapons requiring rapld arming of the fuse for short-distance firing.
In addition, this invention offers the following -advantages :
- Great flexibility of use since the device with a movable relay may be applied equally well to projectiles fired from tubes or guns and also to hand launched projectiles.
- A device for percussion due to compression on impact rein-forcing handling safety and safety in using the projectile and allowing operation with considerable effects on the target sighted.
~, - .
- General design of the explosive projectile as a whole is of very simple manufacture and assembly, allowing a vast number of ¢ombinations by hanging the head fuse for example, and by virtue of the fact that it ls absolutely fluid-tight, is light in weight and is of low prime cost.
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Moreover, the nose Or the explosive projectile may be made so that in the event of premature or inopportune explo-sion of the detonator outside of the charge, this latter does r~ot open but withstands the effects of the explosion or at lea~t suffers only a slight swelling, the deformation of which does not go beyond the gauge of the main body. In effect, this makes it possible to avoid damaging the barrel of the weapon if the detonator operates within the weapon, and also prevents damage to loaders or other ammunition situated in the vicinity. ~ :;

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Claims (41)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Explosive projectile comprising: in succession from rear to front, an explosive charge having a recess, a detonator and a device for firing the detonator, this latter device being located forwardly away from the explosive device: a device, for priming this explosive charge, comprising an explosive relay housed at all times at least partially in the recess in the explosive charge and mounted to slide therein between a retracted safety po-sition in the explosive charge, wherein the said relay is kept remote from the detonator, and a forward armed position, wherein the said relay is situated in the immediate proximity of the detonator or is in contact therewith while lying partially in the explosive charge; and a device for locking the explosive relay in its retracted safety position, said projectile being characterized in that the device for locking the relay comprises an occluding means placed in front of the forward end of the relay and means for locking this occluding means and maintaining the relay in the safety position.

2. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess made in the explosive charge is of cylindrical shape and is disposed axially, and in that the explosive relay is also of cylindrical form.

3. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the explosive relay is mounted to slide within a sheath fixed in said recess, said sheath having a bottom at the rearward end thereof, and in that resilient means is disposed between the bottom of the sheath and the rearward end of the relay to bias said relay toward said forward armed position.

4. Projectile according to claim 3, characterized in that the rearward end of the relay is widened in cross-section to constitute a shoulder to assist in positioning and rotatingly driving the relay within the sheath.

5. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the occluding means is disposed between the relay and the detonator to form a barrier.

6. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device is a clack mounted on a drum pivoting about a lateral axis.

7. Projectile according to claim 1, wherein said occluding means is a plate-like member and characterized in that said means for locking said plate-like member to hold said relay in said safety position comprises: an element fixed with respect to said explosive charge and having a passage through which said explosive relay slides, said plate-like member extending freely across said passage to block said relay in said safety position; housings formed through said element and balls in said housings of a size suitable to extend in said passage and operatively engage said plate-like member to hold it in said safety position, and a for-wardly resiliently biassed ring mounted to slide outwardly around said fixed element to press and hold said balls in said housings and in said operative engagement whereby retaining said plate-like member in said safety position of said explosive relay.

8. Projectile according to claim 1, wherein said occluding means is a disk-like member formed with a groove around the edge thereof and an elastic ring mounted in said groove and projecting outwardly of said edge, characterized in that said means for locking said disk to hold the relay in said safety position comprises: an element fixed with respect to said explosive charge and having a passage through which said explosive relay slides, said fixed element being formed with a part forwardly of said elastic ring which abuts thereagainst in said safety position of the relay, said part being further formed with a chamber behind said ring into which said elastic ring may move to free said disk upon firing of said projectile.

9. A projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for firing the detonator comprises: a detonator plunger formed with a groove around the edge thereof; an element fixed with respect to and forwardly of said detonator and having a passage through which said plunger slides; housings formed through said element and balls in said housings of a size suitable to extend in said passage and into said groove of said plunger to hold it, and a forwardly resiliently biassed ring mounted to slide outwardly around said fixed element to press and hold said balls in said housings and into said groove thereby retaining said plunger in fixed position in said passage prior to firing.

10. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for firing the detonator comprises: a detonator plunger; an element fixed with respect to and forwardly of said detonator and having a passage through which said plunger slides;
and means preventing movement of said plunger until said projec-tile hits a target, said latter means comprising: mat means on said element adapted to prevent movement of said plunger toward said detonator, said mat means including at least one mat having a shearing strength suitable to resist acceleration inertia of said plunger upon firing of said projectile; a ball in said passage forwardly of said plunger, and means on said fixed element forwardly of said ball to prevent forward movement thereof whereby said ball holds said plunger against movement away from said detonator.

11. Projectile according to claims 9 or 10, characterized in the further provision of a primer charge and means mounting said primer charge in said passage between said detonator plunger and said detonator.

12. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for firing the detonator comprises: an element fixed with respect to and forwardly of said detonator and having a passage extending axially of said relay; a sleeve having a bore coaxial with said passage and mounted therein; means holding said sleeve fixed in said passage including mat means retaining said sleeve against movement toward said detonator and further means retaining it from movement away from said detonator; a detonator plunger fixed to the forward end of said sleeve in said passage; a primer charge loosely held in said passage rearwardly thereof and resilient means holding said detonator plunger and primer charge apart; wherein said mat means includes a mat shearable solely to resist the inertia force of said sleeve upon firing of said projectile and wherein said resilient means is able to prevent accidental contact of said detonator plunger and primer charge.

13. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for firing the detonator comprises: an element fixed with respect to and forwardly of said detonator and having a passage therethrough coaxial with said detonator and said relay;
a sleeve-like assembly, including a detonator plunger, slidably mounted in said passage; dog means including dogs mounted in said fixed element for resiliently biassed lateral movement toward and into said passage and cooperating with the rearward end of said detonator plunger to prevent rearward movement thereof, said elastic means on said fixed element acting on said assembly to retain it against forward movement thereof.

14. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the projectile, the relay, the locking device and means of locking this latter constitute one assembly on which is screwed a fuse head containing a firing device.

15. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized by a housing in a fixed part of the projectile to receive said locking means, said housing being cylindrical.

16. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that a sheath matches the inside shape of the recess provided in the explosive charge.

17. Projectile according to claim 16, characterized in that the sheath is crimped on a fixed element midway between the explosive charge and the detonator situated in front of this explosive charge.

18. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that a sheath is screwed to a fixed element of a fuse situated in front of the explosive charge.

19. Projectile according to claim 18, characterized in that the sheath has an upper collar designed to hold it suspended in the housing provided in the explosive charge.

20. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that a plunger is mounted to slide in a housing provided axially in a body which is likewise mounted to a slide in a fixed element in the projectile and in that the plunger and the sliding body are respectively locked towards the rear of the projectile by mats.

21. Projectile according to claim 20, characterized in that a primer is mounted rigidly inside a body sliding within a fixed element of a nose fuse and on a spring and in that a plunger is mounted in front of this body above the primer through a thin deformable skirt.

22. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the explosive relay is mounted to slide within a sheath fixed in said recess and having a bottom at the rearward end thereof; in that resilient means is disposed between the said bottom and the rear end of said relay to bias said relay toward said armed position; in that said relay has an extension projecting from said rear end of said relay; in that disk means is rigidly mounted on said bottom against which disk means said extension abuts in said retracted position of said relay, and wherein said disk means and said extension cooperate together to entrain said extension and said relay into rotation upon firing of said projectile.

23. Projectile according to claim 22, characterized in that said disk means is formed by superposing a hard metal disk on a soft elastic disk, the metal disk being in contact with the bottom end of the extension and the soft disk being in contact with the bottom of the sheath.

24. Projectile according to claim 23, characterized in that the side of the metal disk of the disk means which comes in contact with the bottom end of the extension is of conical shape to facilitate its functioning as a clutch means for rotary driving of the relay.

25. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the occluding means is a lozenge.

26. Projectile according to claim 25, characterized in that the lozenge is made in one piece.

27. Projectile according to claim 25, characterized in that the lozenge is of symmetrical form.

28. Projectile according to claim 25, characterized in that the lozenge comprises a central conical recess.

29. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the detonator is mounted axially and rigidly on the projectile and in that it has a detonator activating material in its front part.

30. Projectile according to claim 29, characterized in that the detonator has at its rear free end a thickening of its back wall forming a peripheral inner or outer bead.

31. Projectile according to claim 29, characterized in that the rearward end of the detonator is separated from the relay by a chamber into which said detonator projects.

32. Projectile according to claim 29, characterized in that the rearward end of the detonator is separated from the relay by a chamber having a forward wall, said detonator being mounted substantially flush with said forward wall.

33. Projectile according to claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a rotary cylinder the main axis of which is at right angle to the axis of the projectile and which is pierced with an orifice traversing it at right angle to the axis of the cylinder and slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the relay.

34. Projectile according to claim 33, wherein said cylinder is mounted for rotation against the bias of a spring and means lock it in inoperative position with its orifice at right angle to the relay, said last named means comprising a nipple in said cylinder cooperating with a groove in an axially sliding spring-biased element to lock said cylinder means in said inoperative position.

35. Projectile according to claim 33, characterized in that the cylinder is locked in its position in which the orifice is disposed in the extension of the relay by means of a dog cooperating with a notch provided in the cylinder.

36. Projectile according to claim 1, comprising a main body and characterized in that said occluding means comprises a drum mounted in said body for rotation about an axis perpendi-cular to the axis of said relay and at the forward end of said relay, said drum extending outwardly of said body and being formed with a through bore of a size suitable to allow free pas-sage of said relay when said drum is positioned with the bore thereof in axial alignment with said relay, and means outside said main body to rotate said drum and to lock it in position preventing passage of said relay through said drum.

37. Projectile according to claim 33, characterized in that the locking device comprises means for retarding the rota-tion of the cylinder in order to produce a delay in arming.

38. Projectile according to claim 1, wherein said occluding means is a plate-like member and characterized in that said means for locking said plate-like member in said safety position comprises: an element fixed with respect to said explosive charge and having a passage through which said explo-sive relay slides, said plate-like member extending freely across said passage to block said relay in said safety position; dog means including dogs mounted in said fixed element for resiliently biassed lateral movement toward and into said pas-sage and cooperating with the forward face of said plate-like member to hold it in said retracted safety position of said relay.

39. Projectile according to claim 13, characterized in that the dogs are at right angle to the axis of the projectile.

40. Projectile according to claim 38, characterized in that the means of locking the plate-like member are constituted by at least three dogs disposed radially with respect to the axis of the projectile.

41. Projectile according to claim 40, characterized in that the locking means consists of four dogs.