EP0234159B1 - Projectile containing a pyrotechnic charge and means for delayed ignition of this charge - Google Patents

Abstract

A projectile comprises a pyrotechnic charge and a mobile member inside the projectile which rotates between a safe position and an armed position. At least part of a pyrotechnic delay device is accommodated in a passage in this mobile member. The pyrotechnic charge is initiated via this pyrotechnic delay device. The passage is oriented so as to isolate functionally the pyrotechic delay device from the pyrotechnic charge when the mobile member is in the safe position. It functionally couples the pyrotechnic delay device to the pyrotechnic charge when the mobile member is in the armed position. The projectile further comprises an arrangement on the mobile member and on the projectile to guide relative rotation between them about an axis fixed relative to the mobile member and relative to the projectile. A mechanical arming device retains the mobile member in the safe position and against rotation about the aforementioned axis relative to the projectile at least until the projectile is fired. It obliges the mobile member to move to the armed position when the projectile is fired by rotating about the axis relative to the projectile.

Description

The present invention relates to a projectile of the type housing a pyrotechnic charge and means for initiating said pyrotechnic charge by means of a delay pyrotechnic link chain, at least partially housed in a channel of a member movable at the rotation, inside the projectile, between a safety position in which the channel is oriented so that the pyrotechnic link chain is functionally isolated from the pyrotechnic charge and a cocking position in which the channel is oriented in such a way so that the pyrotechnic link chain is functionally connected to the pyrotechnic charge.

Frequently, in the prior art, a spherical rotor is used as a movable member for rotation, mounted freely for rotation around a determined center in a spherical bearing of the projectile, and the aforementioned channel is arranged according to a diameter. of the sphere; mechanical means using, for example pins, retain the rotor in the safety position, in which the channel is angularly offset with respect to other parts of the pyrotechnic link chain, and the transition to the arming position after firing the projectile requires a gyration of the latter around a longitudinal axis defining the firing direction, on the one hand to cause the release of the rotor from rotation relative to the projectile and on the other hand to then cause a nutation movement of the rotor inside the projectile until, thanks to the presence of an unbalance suitably placed on the rotor, the latter reaches the cocking position.

These known arrangements have the drawback of requiring the projectile to turn so that the movable member, namely the rotor, can gain its cocking position; in other words, such provisions are of application limited to the case of projectiles fired by guidance in a rifled barrel, while an application to projectiles fired for example by ejection from a casing, such as this is particularly the case with lighting projectiles or decoy launching projectiles, cannot be envisaged.

In addition, the friction which may occur between the rotor and its bearing has a decisive influence on the time which elapses between the release of the rotor and its arrival in the cocking position, and the difficulty of controlling these friction precisely leads to great imprecision in this time, that is to say in the distance traveled by the projectile from the firing means when the rotor reaches the cocking position; this imprecision is inadmissible in the case of projectiles whose pyrotechnic charge must be initiated at a comparatively small distance from the personnel and firing device because, in practice, one may have to choose to initiate the pyrotechnic charge at a distance from the personnel and firing device of the same order as the imprecision introduced by the absence of control over the time necessary for the rotor to gain the cocking position.

In certain cases, the rotor constituting the movable member for rotation can even come to a standstill relative to the projectile in a position which does not coincide not exactly with the arming position, which can hamper the operation of the pyrotechnic link chain to the point, even, of prohibiting outright the initiation of the pyrotechnic charge.

• une charge pyrotechnique,
• des moyens d'initiation de ladite charge pyrotechnique par l'intermédiaire d'une chaîne de liaison pyrotechnique, comprenant un canal d'un organe guidé à la rotation, à l'intérieur du projectile, autour d'un axe défini fixe par rapport audit organe et par rapport au projectile, entre une position de sécurité dans laquelle le canal est orienté de telle sorte que la chaîne de liaison pyrotechnique soit fonctionnellement isolée de la charge pyrotechnique et une position d'armement dans laquelle le canal est orienté de telle sorte que la chaîne de liaison pyrotechnique soit fonctionnellement reliée à la charge pyrotechnique,
• des moyens de sollicitation élastique permanente dudit organe à la rotation vers la position d'armement autour dudit axe,
• des moyens de retenue dudit organe en position de sécurité, à l'encontre de la sollicitation desdits moyens de sollicitation élastique, au moins jusqu'au tir du projectile,
• des moyens pour détecter le tir du projectile et libérer alors ledit organe vis-à-vis d'une rotation vers la position d'armement,
• des moyens de butée dudit organe à la rotation par rapport au projectile, à l'encontre de ladite sollicitation, en position d'armement,
• des moyens mécaniques pour retarder le passage dudit organe à la position d'armement par rapport au tir du projectile,
     caractérisé en ce que ladite chaîne pyrotechnique comprend des moyens pyrotechniques introduisant un retard dans l'initiation de ladite charge pyrotechnique par rapport au tir du projectile et en ce que les moyens mécaniques pour retarder le passage dudit organe à la position d'armement comportent des moyens d'accouplement dudit organe à des moyens régulateurs de rotation au moins en position de sécurité et pour des positions dudit organe directement voisines de la position de sécurité, pour introduire un retard dans le passage dudit organe à la position d'armement par rapport au tir du projectile, lesdits retards étant tels que ledit organe parvienne à la position d'armement au plus tard avant l'initiation de ladite charge pyrotechnique dans des conditions normales de fonctionnement.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and, to this end, the present invention proposes a projectile of the housing type, as is known from US-A-2 960 037:

• a pyrotechnic charge,
• means for initiating said pyrotechnic charge via a pyrotechnic link chain, comprising a channel of a member guided in rotation, inside the projectile, about a defined axis fixed relative to said organ and relative to the projectile, between a safety position in which the channel is oriented so that the pyrotechnic link chain is functionally isolated from the pyrotechnic charge and a cocking position in which the channel is oriented so that the pyrotechnic link chain is functionally connected to the pyrotechnic charge,
• means of permanent elastic biasing of said member upon rotation towards the arming position around said axis,
• means for retaining said member in the safety position, against the stress of said elastic stress means, at least until the projectile is fired,
• means for detecting the firing of the projectile and then releasing said member from rotation towards the cocking position,
• means for abutting said member against rotation relative to the projectile, against said stress, in the cocking position,
• mechanical means for delaying the passage of said member to the cocking position relative to the firing of the projectile,
  characterized in that said pyrotechnic chain comprises pyrotechnic means introducing a delay in the initiation of said pyrotechnic charge with respect to the firing of the projectile and in that the mechanical means for delaying the passage of said member to the arming position comprise means for coupling said member to means regulating rotation at least in the safety position and for positions of said member directly adjacent to the safety position, for introducing a delay in the passage of said member to the arming position with respect to the firing of the projectile, said delays being such that said member reaches the arming position at the latest before the initiation of said pyrotechnic charge under normal conditions of operation.

Guiding the movable member in rotation about a defined axis, fixed with respect to this member as with respect to the projectile, makes it possible to use mechanical means offering increased reliability to bring about the transition to the arming position. , in terms of time from the safety position to the arming position and in terms of the accuracy of the actual arming position compared to a desired cocking position so that, in particular, the characteristic arrangement of the invention can be adopted even when the pyrotechnic charge must be initiated after a relatively short course of the projectile from the personnel and firing device, taking into account this that the transition to the arming position must occur before the initiation of the pyrotechnic charge under normal operating conditions.

Those skilled in the art will also easily understand that the passage from the safety position to the cocking position is in no way a function of a possible gyration of the projectile when the characteristic arrangement of the invention is adopted, which allows the universal adoption of this provision, whether the projectile is intended to be fired in a rifled barrel or by other means.

In addition, it will be noted that the fact that the movable member inside the projectile is guided in rotation about a perfectly defined axis makes it possible to give the channel a shape other than rectilinear, and for example bent in L or in T, with the certainty, however, that in the arming position, each of the ends of this channel is in alignment with another desired part of the pyrotechnic link chain.

It therefore becomes possible, for example, to provide that the channel has a first branch arranged along said axis and a second branch arranged substantially perpendicular to said axis, the first branch being in functional connection with priming means and the second branch being functionally connected to the pyrotechnic charge in the arming position and functionally isolated from the pyrotechnic charge in the safety position; in such a case, the pyrotechnic charge may comprise two payloads diametrically opposite with respect to said axis, the second branch of the channel passing right through said member perpendicular to said axis, perpendicular to the diametrical alignment of the two payloads in the safety position or following this alignment in the cocking position.

This gives access to general designs of projectiles inaccessible when the movable member in the latter is, as is known, constituted by a rotor gaining the cocking position by nutation, because the channel of such a rotor must necessarily be disposed along a diameter of the latter, without the possibility of bending or branching because the nutation of the rotor would make it impossible to correctly position the different ends of the channel simultaneously as a function of other parts of the pyrotechnic connecting chain in such a case.

• La figure 1 montre une cartouche mettant en oeuvre l'invention au repos, c'est-à-dire telle qu'elle est stockée et montée sur un dispositif lanceur, en coupe par un plan longitudinal médian.
• La figure 2 illustre, en une vue agrandie, un détail repéré en II à la figure 1.
• La figure 3 montre une vue de la cartouche en coupe par deux demi-plans transversaux repérés en III-III à la figure 1.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description below, relating to an example of non-limiting implementation, as well as from the appended drawings which form an integral part of this description; in this example, the projectile according to the invention is associated with a longitudinal socket, in the form of a cartridge, and the firing of the projectile results from an ejection of the latter from the socket, in an ejection direction determining the direction of fire; however, the skilled person will readily understand that the characteristic symmetry of the invention could also be adopted in the case of projectiles intended to be fired by other means, and for example by sliding in a weapon tube or along a launching ramp; the adaptation, in this sense, of the provisions which will be described with reference to the example of a cartridge are in the field of normal skills of this skilled person.

• FIG. 1 shows a cartridge implementing the invention at rest, that is to say as it is stored and mounted on a launcher device, in section through a median longitudinal plane.
• FIG. 2 illustrates, in an enlarged view, a detail identified in II in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 shows a view of the cartridge in section through two transverse half-planes identified in III-III in FIG. 1.

In these three figures, the cartridge implementing the invention has been illustrated in an application in which the pyrotechnic charge is an illuminating charge, and in which the cartridge is intended to be hung under an aircraft in order to eject the projectile vertically downwards in order to illuminate the ground or to dazzle a threat on the ground or in the air, after passing by this projectile, out of the socket, of a sufficient distance to avoid damage to the aircraft by splinters during the ignition of the pyrotechnic charge; however, the characteristic provisions of the invention could be applied to other types of cartridge or projectile without departing from the scope of the present invention; in particular, the illustrated cartridge could be used in other orientations, and the references to relative orientations or levels appearing in the continuation of the description should only be interpreted as language conveniences.

In all of the figures, a longitudinal reference axis, vertical in the example illustrated, has been designated by 1, the longitudinal cartridge case according to the invention by 2, and the projectile housed with longitudinal sliding in the cartridge, by 3 2.

• une paroi tubulaire 4 présentant une face périphérique extérieure 5 cylindrique de révolution autour de l'axe 1, une face périphérique intérieure 6 comportant un tronçon longitudinalement central 7 cylindrique de révolution autour de l'axe 1 avec un diamètre déterminé, et deux tronçons longitudinalement extrêmes 8 et 9 cylindriques de révolution autour de l'axe 1 avec un même diamètre inférieur à celui du tronçon central 7, auquel ces tronçons extrêmes 8 et 9, respectivement supérieur et inférieur dans l'exemple illustré, sont raccordés par des épaulements tronconiques de révolution autour de l'axe 1, respectivement 11 et 12 ; le tronçon d'extrémité 9, ici inférieur, de la face périphérique intérieure 6 de la paroi tubulaire 4 de la douille 2 est relié à la face périphérique extérieure 5 de cette paroi 4 par une face transversale 13, annulaire de révolution autour de l'axe 1, laquelle face 13 définit une extrémité, ici inférieure, intégralement ouverte de la paroi tubulaire 4 ;
• une paroi transversale 14 de fond de douille définissant pour la paroi tubulaire 4, à l'opposé de son extrémité ouverte 15, ici inférieure, une extrémité fermée 16 ici supérieure ; la paroi 14 de fond de douille présente à cet effet une face plane, transversale 17 extérieure à la douille 2 et présentant la forme d'un disque se raccordant à la face périphérique extérieure 5 de la paroi tubulaire 4 dans le sens d'un éloignement radial par rapport à l'axe 1 ; vers l'intérieur de la douille 2, c'est-à-dire vers le bas dans l'exemple illustré, la paroi 14 de fond de douille présente une face plane, transversale 18 présentant une forme annulaire de révolution autour de l'axe 1 ; cette face 18 est située à un niveau intermédiaire du tronçon extrême 8 de la face périphérique intérieure 6 de la paroi tubulaire 4 et présente un diamètre maximal, ou diamètre périphérique extérieur, inférieur à celui de ce tronçon extrême 8 auquel la face 18 se raccorde, dans le sens d'un éloignement radial par rapport à l'axe 1, par l'intermédiaire d'une gorge 19 annulaire de révolution autour de l'axe 1 ; plus précisément, la gorge 19 est définie par une face de fond 20 annulaire, plane, transversale, de même orientation que la face 18 mais située entre cette dernière et la face 17 de la paroi 14, par une face de flanc 21 cylindrique de révolution autour de l'axe 1 et tournée dans le sens d'un éloignement radial vis-à-vis de cet axe pour raccorder la face de fond 20 de la gorge 19 à la face 18 de la paroi 14, avec un diamètre correspondant au diamètre maximal de la face 18, et par une zone du tronçon extrême 8 de la face périphérique intérieure 6 de la paroi tubulaire 4, située radialement en regard de la face 21.

In a manner known per se, the sleeve 2 is formed by an assembly integral with several rigid parts which, together, define:

• a tubular wall 4 having an outer peripheral face 5 cylindrical of revolution around the axis 1, an inner peripheral face 6 having a longitudinally central section 7 cylindrical of revolution around the axis 1 with a determined diameter, and two longitudinally extreme sections 8 and 9 cylindrical of revolution around the axis 1 with the same diameter less than that of the central section 7, to which these end sections 8 and 9, respectively upper and lower in the example illustrated, are connected by frustoconical shoulders of revolution around axis 1, respectively 11 and 12; the end section 9, here lower, of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 of the sleeve 2 is connected to the outer peripheral face 5 of this wall 4 by a transverse face 13, annular of revolution around the axis 1, which face 13 defines an end, here lower, fully open of the tubular wall 4;
• a transverse wall 14 of the socket bottom defining for the tubular wall 4, opposite its open end 15, here lower, a closed end 16 here upper; the wall 14 at the bottom of the sleeve has for this purpose a flat, transverse face 17 external to the sleeve 2 and having the shape of a disc connecting to the external peripheral face 5 of the tubular wall 4 in the direction of a distance radial with respect to axis 1; towards the inside of the socket 2, that is to say downwards in the example illustrated, the wall 14 of the socket bottom has a planar, transverse face 18 having an annular shape of revolution around the axis 1; this face 18 is located at an intermediate level of the end section 8 of the internal peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 and has a maximum diameter, or external peripheral diameter, smaller than that of this end section 8 to which the face 18 is connected, in the direction of a radial distance with respect to the axis 1, by means of an annular groove 19 of revolution around the axis 1; more precisely, the groove 19 is defined by an annular bottom face 20, flat, transverse, with the same orientation as the face 18 but situated between the latter and the face 17 of the wall 14, by a cylindrical side face 21 of revolution around axis 1 and turned in the direction of a radial distance from this axis to connect the bottom face 20 of the groove 19 to the face 18 of the wall 14, with a diameter corresponding to the diameter maximum of the face 18, and by an area of the end section 8 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4, located radially opposite the face 21.

For reasons which will appear later, the side face 21 of the groove 19 is hollowed out, in the direction of a radial approximation with respect to the axis 1, of a continuous annular groove 22, itself of revolution around the axis 1; in the direction of a radial approximation with respect to the axis 1, the face 18 of the wall 14 of the socket bottom is connected to a blind cavity 23 of the wall 14 of the socket bottom; this cavity 23 has a general shape of revolution around the axis 1 and is subdivided by a transverse wall 24 provided with longitudinal perforations 27 and situated at an intermediate level between those of the faces 17 and 18 of the wall 14 of the socket bottom , in a bottom zone 25, relatively closer to the face 16 and forming a bucket for receiving a pyrotechnic ejection composition 26, and in an outlet zone 28 in the face 18, which zone 28 constitutes, with a transverse face of the projectile 3 as will appear below, an expansion chamber for the gases released by the pyrotechnic ejection composition 26 and migrating towards this zone 28, via the perforations 27 of the wall 24, when the composition 26 is initiated; for this purpose, an igniter 29 of any suitable type, for example electric, is provided, housed in a longitudinal bore 30 of the wall 14, which bore 30 opens firstly into the face 17 of the wall 14, to allow actuation of the igniter 29 from a known type of launch vehicle, not shown, carried by the aircraft in the example described, and on the other hand in the bottom zone 25 of the cavity 23, being separated from the pyrotechnic composition ejection 26 by a porous, permeable barrier 31 preventing the migration of the pyrotechnic composition 26 to the igniter 29 while allowing the passage of fire from this igniter 29 to the pyrotechnic composition 26.

It will be noted that the means for ejecting the projectile 3 from the sleeve 2 which have just been described, namely all of the elements described under references 23 to 31, could be replaced by other means of ejection without that this goes beyond the scope of the present invention; the determination of their precise characteristics is within the domain of the normal aptitudes of a person skilled in the art, ejection means similar to those which have just been described or other ejection means being widely used and the nature of the means of ejection not constituting an essential characteristic of the present invention.

It will simply be added that, when gas emission ejection means are used as is the case in the example which has just been described, the sleeve 2 is produced so that the tubular wall 4 and the bottom wall 14 constitute a sealed whole.

The projectile 3 will now be described in more detail.

Like the case 2, this projectile 3 comprises an assembly of parts forming a whole integral, rigid, waterproof, or body 32.

Externally, this body 32 is delimited in the direction of a radial distance with respect to the axis 1 by a longitudinal external peripheral face 33, cylindrical of revolution around the axis 1, with a diameter as close as possible to that of the end sections 8 and 9 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the sleeve 2 and a length, measured parallel to the axis 1, substantially equal to the distance separating the bottom face parallel to this axis of the groove 19 and the transverse face 13 of the end of the sleeve 2, so that the face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile 3 is in contact with the end sections 8 and 9 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 of the sleeve 2, and that this contact establishes a guidance of the projectile 3 to the longitudinal sliding relative to the sleeve 2; opposite respectively the section 8 and the section 9 of the face 6 in radial directions with reference to the axis 1, the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 is hollowed out by two annular grooves 234,235, of revolution around the axis 1 , each of which receives an O-ring 236,237 for sealing with respect to the corresponding corresponding section 8, 9 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4; naturally, the seals 236 and 237 are designed, in a manner easily determinable by a person skilled in the art, in order to oppose only a minimum of obstacle to a longitudinal sliding of the projectile 3 inside the casing 2, and to a complete ejection of the projectile 3 from this socket 2 by such longitudinal sliding, in a longitudinal direction 73 going from the closed end 16 of the socket 2 towards the open end 13 thereof.

Parallel to axis 1, the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 is delimited in the immediate vicinity of the end face 13 of the sleeve 2 by connection with a transverse end face 34, in the form of a flat disc perpendicular to the axis 1 and, in the immediate vicinity of the bottom face 20 of the groove 19, by connection with a transverse end face 35, annular, plane, of revolution around the axis 1 to which this face 35 is perpendicular; the face 35, placed directly opposite the face 20 and in contact with the latter, connects the outer peripheral face 33, in the direction of a radial approximation with respect to the axis 1, to a flank face 36 cylindrical of revolution around the axis 1 towards which it is turned, with a diameter sufficiently close to that of the side face 21 of the groove 19 lest there be established, between the faces 21 and 36, contact with possibility relative longitudinal sliding; the flank face 36 for its part connects the end face 35, in the direction of approximation with respect to the face 34, to an end face 37 of the body 32, which face 37, located at shrinkage with respect to the face 35 but having the same orientation, has the shape of a flat disc perpendicular to the axis 1 and is applied against the internal face 18 of the wall 14 of the socket bottom to delimit in the cavity 23 the aforementioned expansion chamber 28; for this purpose, the side face 36 has parallel to the axis 1 a dimension substantially identical to that which the side face 21 of the groove 19 has parallel to this axis; it will be noted that in the side face 36 is hollowed out an annular groove 38 of revolution about the axis 1 and continuous, which groove 38 is located in the radial alignment of the groove 22, with reference to the axis 1, and encloses together with this groove 22 an annular key 39 whose translation of the projectile 3 longitudinally relative to the sleeve 2 requires breaking by shearing; naturally, the characteristics of the key 39 and of the pyrotechnic ejection composition 26 are calculated, easily determinable by a person skilled in the art, so that correct operation of the pyrotechnic ejection composition 26, causing development in the expansion chamber 28 of a determined gas pressure applying to the projectile 3, in particular by the face 37 of the latter, in the form of a longitudinal force of ejection from the sleeve 2, either capable of causing rupture of the key 39.

Internally, the body 32 is longitudinally subdivided into three sections, on the basis of two longitudinally extreme sections 40 and 41, closer respectively to the face 37 and the face 34, and a longitudinally central section 42.

The two end sections 40 and 41 are hollow and delimit, respectively on either side of the central section 32, two sealed cavities 43, 44 which are strictly symmetrical to each other with respect to a plane 245 perpendicular to the axis 1 and located midway between the faces 34 and 37 (this plane coincides with one of the half-sectional planes identified in III-III in FIG. 1); each of the cavities 43 and 44 also has a form of revolution around the axis 1.

Preferably, as illustrated, the two end sections 40, 41 delimit the cavities 43, 44, along the transverse end faces 37, 34 of the body 32, by respective transverse walls. 262, 263 identical and mechanically weakened in an identical manner, with respect to the walls delimiting these cavities moreover, that is to say along the cylindrical outer peripheral face 33 of the body and along the central section 42; for this purpose, in the example illustrated, each of the walls 262, 263 has a decreasing thickness in the direction of a rapprochement with respect to axis 1, until it reaches its intersection with axis 1 a minimum thickness, measured longitudinally with reference to the respectively corresponding transverse end face 37, 34; this thickness is reduced, in particular in the immediate vicinity of axis 1, to a value less than the thickness of the walls further delimiting the cavities by arrangement, in each of the transverse end faces 37, 34, of several notches identical rectilinear, respectively 260 and 261, preferably at least three in number and for example six or eight in number, oriented radially with respect to the axis on which they compete and regularly distributed angularly around it; parallel to axis 1, each notch has a constant depth over most of its radial extent and in particular near axis 1, and this depth is such that the notches 260, 261 do not cross the walls 262, 263 but constitute for them star tear primers.

The two cavities 43 and 44 thus defined contain useful pyrotechnic charges, respectively 45 and 46, of the same volume, of the same mass, of the same composition, which together constitute the charge. pyrotechnic illuminating the projectile 3, thus symmetrically distributed on either side of the central section 42 so that, during the ignition of this charge, it applies to the central section 42 antagonistic forces which prevent the ejection of 'fragments of this central section 42 towards the launcher aircraft, or any other launcher device as well as towards the launch personnel.

This naturally assumes that the two payloads 45 and 46 are initiated simultaneously.

Initiation means 47 provided for this purpose are housed in the central section 42, which has, for receiving them, an interior cavity 48 sealed with respect to the two cavities 43 and 44.

The central section 42 of the projectile 3 and the means 47 for initiating the payloads 45 and 46 are more particularly visible in FIGS. 2 and 3, to which reference will preferably be made for the remainder of the description.

The cavity 48 of the central section 42 of the projectile 3 is itself subdivided in a sealed manner into two chambers 49 and 50 mutually juxtaposed along an axis 51 intersecting from the axis 1 and located in the plane 245, that is to say perpendicular to axis 1; for this purpose is provided inside the cavity 48 a sealed partition 52 perpendicular to the axis 51 and offset along this axis relative to the axis 1 so that the chamber 50, closed in a sealed manner, is intersecting of this axis and that the chamber 49, sealed vis-à-vis the chamber 50 but not vis-à-vis the outside of the projectile 3, is in turn entirely located on the same side of axis 1 in direction 51; the watertight partition 52 is fixed relative to the rest of the body 32 of the projectile 3.

Along the axis 51, the chamber 49 opens into the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile 3 by a lumen 53 having an oblong shape parallel to the axis 1, with an advantageously rectangular section perpendicular to the axis 51; inside the cavity 48, the chamber 49 is delimited around the lumen 53 by a face 54 facing the axis 1 and having the shape of a part of cylinder of revolution around this axis 1, which face 54 defines a shoulder on average perpendicular to the axis 51, around the lumen 53; the chamber 49 is moreover delimited by a cylindrical face 55 of revolution about the axis 51, which face 55 connects the face 54, in the direction of approximation with respect to the axis 1 parallel to the axis 51, to an annular face 56, of revolution about the axis 51 to which it is perpendicular, that the partition 52 has in the direction of a distance from axis 1 along axis 51; this face 56 itself connects the face 55, in the direction of a radial approximation with respect to the axis 51, to a flange 57, annular of revolution around the axis 51, which the partition 52 has projecting at the interior of the chamber 49, which flange 57 ensures a crimping of a primer 58 inside a housing 59 that the partition 52 has along the axis 51; this housing 59 opens into the chamber 49, inside the rim 57, to allow the initiation of the primer by percussion.

In view of such a percussion, inside the chamber 49 is mounted, sliding along the axis 51, a part 60 grouping, in a one-piece assembly, a flyweight 61 disposed in the chamber 49, a striker 62 disposed on the side of the counterweight 61 turned towards the axis 1 along the axis 51, and a finger 63 disposed on the side of the counterweight 61 turned in the direction of a distance from the axis 1 along the axis 51.

More specifically, the counterweight 61, having a general shape of revolution around the axis 51, is delimited in the direction of a radial distance from it by a cylindrical outer peripheral face 64 of revolution around the axis 51 with a diameter as close as possible to that of the cylindrical face 55 of the chamber 49 so that between the faces 64 and 55 a contact for guiding the part 60 is made to slide along the axis 51 relative to the body 33 of projectile 3; in the direction of approximation with respect to the axis 1, that is to say towards the partition 52, the face 64 of the counterweight 61 is delimited by connection with a plane face 65, perpendicular to the 'axis 51, which face 65 has directly opposite the annular face 56, parallel to the axis 51, a groove 66 of revolution about the axis 51 while this face 65 has projecting along this axis 51, directly in look of the primer 58, the striker 62 for example of hemispherical shape, centered on the axis 51; the groove 66 receives an end turn of a helical compression spring 67, of axis 51, which moreover has another end turn resting against the annular face 56 of the bulkhead 52, so that the spring 67 resiliently retains the whole of the part 60 in a position as distant as possible from the partition 52 and from the axis 1 along the axis 51, c '' i.e. in a position in which the counterweight 61 abuts against the shoulder face 54 of the chamber 49, by a planar annular face 68, perpendicular to the axis 51, turned away from the face 65 and connecting to face 64 in the direction of a radial distance with respect to the axis 51; the finger 63 forms a projection along the axis 51 with respect to this face 68 and has, perpendicularly to the axis 51, a rectangular section inscribed in the section of the lumen 53, so that when the counterweight 61 is supported by the face 68 against the face 54 of the chamber 49, the finger 63 engages freely in the lumen 53; along the axis 51, the finger 63 has a length greater than the distance then separating the face 68 and the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32, so that the finger 63 has opposite its connection to the counterweight 61 according to the axis 51 an end zone 69 projecting from the projectile 3, relative to the outer peripheral face 33 thereof.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the projection thus formed by the end zone 69 of the finger 63 relative to the external peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile 3 has along the axis 51 a value greater than the difference between the respective diameters of the face 33 and of the central section 7 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 of the sleeve 2, although less than the difference between the respective diameters of the face 33 and the outer peripheral face 5 of the above-mentioned tubular wall 4, and the projecting end 69 of the finger 63 is received in a groove rectilinear 70, parallel to the axis 1, arranged in the central section 7 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4, of an area located directly opposite the central section 42 of the body 32 of the projectile 3 up to l 'shoulder 12 for connecting the central section 7 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 with the end section 9 of this face 6; having parallel to an average longitudinal plane coincident with the cutting plane of Figures 1 and 2 of the sides 71 sufficiently spaced to allow free longitudinal sliding of the end 69 of the finger 63 during the sliding of the projectile 3 longitudinally inside the sleeve 2 for example at ejection, the groove 70 is delimited in the direction of a distance from the axis 1 by a bottom 72 plane, parallel to the axis 1 and perpendicular to the mean longitudinal plane of the groove 70 , which bottom 72 is spaced from the axis 1 by a distance corresponding substantially to the maximum distance of the end 69 of the finger 63 from this axis 1, along the axis 51; however, in the longitudinal direction 73 going from the end 16 of the sleeve 2 towards the end 13 thereof, which direction 73 is here descending and constitutes the direction of movement of the projectile 3 relative to the sleeve 2 during of the ejection, the bottom 72 is connected to the shoulder 12 by a facet 74 directly extending this shoulder 12 in the direction of a distance from the axis 1, obliquely relative to it, upstream with reference to direction 73.

The facet 74 and the shoulder 12 together constitute a cam surface which converges with the axis 1 in the direction of ejection 73 and which, when the projectile 3 moves in the direction of ejection 73 relative to the sleeve 2 , with sliding of the end 69 of the finger 63 in the same direction on the bottom 72 of the groove 70, intercepts the end 69 of the finger 63 and, by causing the end 69 of the finger 63 to retract with respect to the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile 3, communicates to the whole of the part 60 a pulse directed towards the axis 1 along the axis 51, with kinetic energy which is all the higher as the speed at which l end 69 of finger 63 crosses the cam path thus formed by facet 74 and the shoulder 12 is raised; naturally, the spring 67 opposes such a movement of the part 60 but it is calibrated so that it allows the movement of this part until the striker 62 strikes the primer 58 and initiates it from a predetermined threshold for the speed of longitudinal crossing of the cam path 12-74 by the end 69 of the finger 63, that is to say from a determined threshold for the speed of ejection of the projectile 3 out of the socket 2.

In an alternative embodiment, the groove 70 would be eliminated, and the difference between the respective diameters of the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile and of the central section 7 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 would be chosen substantially equal to the value of the projection formed by the end 69 of the finger 63 relative to the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile when the flyweight 61 is supported by the face 68 against the face 54; the whole of the recess formed by the central section 7, with respect to the end sections 8 and 9, would then play the same role as the bottom 72 of the groove 70 described above, and the shoulder 12 alone would constitute the cam track whose crossing the end 69 of the finger 63 when the projectile is ejected would give the part 60 the aforementioned impulse.

It will be noted that the percussion mode which has just been described, implementing a pulse which is a function of the speed of ejection and preventing percussion if this speed is insufficient, offers security with respect to initiating charges. useful 45 and 46 while the projectile is too close to the personnel and the launching device due to an insufficient ejection speed.

However, a violent shock applied to the projectile assembly 3 - cartridge case 2 while the entire device is in the illustrated state could accidentally cause percussion, largely counterbalancing the action of the spring 67.

To avoid such an accident, which may occur for example during handling of the cartridge, an inertial lock 75 has been provided preventing the movement of the part 60 from its position released from the primer 58, or position in which the end 69 of the finger 63 is protruding from the peripheral face outside 33 of the body 32 of the projectile, in its percussion position of the primer 58 if the projectile 3 does not otherwise undergo longitudinal acceleration in the direction 73.

To this end, along an axis 76 parallel to the axis 1 and perpendicular to the axis 51 opens into a region of the cylindrical face 55 of the chamber 49 located upstream with reference to the direction 73, that is to say above the axis 51 in the example illustrated, a bore 77 connecting the chamber 49 to another chamber 78 arranged in the body 32 of the projectile 3 upstream of the chamber 49 with reference to the direction of ejection 73, c that is to say above the chamber 49 in the example illustrated; the bore 77 is delimited in the direction of a radial distance with respect to the axis 78 by a cylindrical face 79 of revolution around the axis 76, which face 79 connects the cylindrical face 55 of the chamber 49 to a face planar annular 80, perpendicular to the axis 76 and turned in the direction of a distance from the chamber 49 along this axis 76; the face 80 connects the face 79, in the direction of a radial distance with respect to the face 76, to a peripheral face 81 of the chamber 78, which face 81 is cylindrical of revolution around the axis 76 towards which it is turned, with a diameter greater than that of the face 79 of the bore 77; the face 81 itself connects the face 80, in the direction of a distance from the chamber 49 along the axis 76, to a face 82, in the form of a flat disc perpendicular to the axis 76, opposite face 80.

Inside the chamber 78 is mounted, sliding along the axis 76, a counterweight 83 having for this purpose an outer peripheral face 84 cylindrical of revolution around the axis 76 with a diameter as close as possible to that of the face 81 so that there is established between the faces 81 and 84 a guide contact with relative sliding along the axis 76; the face 84 is delimited, parallel to the axis 76, by connection with two flat annular faces 85 and 86, of revolution about the axis 76 to which they are perpendicular, the face 85 being placed opposite the face 82 while the face 86 is placed opposite the face 80; the distance separating the faces 85 and 86 parallel to the axis 76 is less than the distance separating the faces 82 and 80 parallel to this axis, in order to allow movement of the counterweight 83 along the axis 76 inside room 78; a helical compression spring 87, of axis 76, bearing on the one hand against the face 82 of the chamber 78 and on the other hand in an annular groove 188, of revolution around the axis 76, arranged in the face 85 of the counterweight 83 elastically urges the latter towards a position, illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the counterweight 83 is supported by its face 86 against the face 80 of the chamber 78; in this position, a finger 88 secured to the counterweight 83 and projecting along the axis 76 relative to the face 86 of the counterweight 83, presenting a section perpendicular to the axis 76 with play in that of the face 79 of bore 77, passes through this bore 77 until forming inside of the chamber 49, by an end zone 89, a projection towards the axis 51, along the axis 76, relative to the cylindrical face 55 of the chamber 49; the position of the bore 77 is chosen such that the projection thus formed by the end 89 of the finger 88 is located between the position of the face 65 of the counterweight 61 when the latter bears by the face 68 against the face 54 of the chamber 49 and the position of the annular face 56 of the partition 52, so as to constitute the obstacle sought after the passage of the part 60 to its position of percussion of the primer 58 by the striker 62; the value of this projection, measured parallel to the axis 76, is nevertheless less than the distance separating the faces 85 and 82 parallel to this axis, that is to say the possible travel of the counterweight 83 inside room 78; thus, as soon as the ejection of the projectile 3 from the sleeve 2 begins under a force resulting from the pressure of the gases accumulated in the chamber 28, the counterweight 83 moves upstream, with reference to the direction 73, to come flattened by its face 85 and it retains this position at least for the duration of the longitudinal transit of the projectile 3 inside the sleeve 2 during ejection, which retracts the end 89 of the finger 88 relative to the face 55 and of chamber 49 and thereby frees the passage for part 60 when, if the ejection speed is sufficient, the cam path 74-12 causes the translation of part 60 towards the percussion position of the primer 58 by striker 62; a channel 10 crossing the finger 88 and the counterweight 83 right through along the axis 76 constitutes a vent allowing the evacuation of the chamber 78 towards the chamber 49 during the movement of the counterweight 83 in the direction of a retraction of the end 89 of finger 88.

It will be noted that such a release requires that the counterweight 83 receive a pulse perpendicular to the direction in which the part 60 must itself receive a pulse to gain the percussion position; under these conditions, accidental percussion requires the application to the cartridge of a force having sufficiently energetic components in two directions at 90 °, namely the direction of axis 51 and the direction of axis 1, which makes the probability of an accidental impact extremely low.

To authorize the transmission of fire from the primer 58, assumed to be struck, to the payloads 45 and 46, the housing 59 provided for the primer 58 inside the partition 52 extends towards the axis 1, along the axis 51, by a fire transmission channel 90, opening itself in the direction of approximation with respect to axis 1 in an expansion chamber 91 also arranged in the partition 52; in this expansion chamber 91, which is also closed in leaktight manner, also opens, directly opposite the channel 90 along the axis 51, a fire transmission channel 92, arranged along the axis 51 in the partition 52 and opening out by elsewhere in a face 93 which delimits the partition 52 towards the axis 1 and towards the chamber 50; successively in a direction going from the chamber 91 towards the chamber 50, the channel 92 contains, in a manner integral with the partition 52, a pyrotechnic delay 94, placed directly opposite the primer 58, and a pyrotechnic relay 95 directly adjacent to face 93.

The face 93 is flat, perpendicular to the axis 51, and against it is supported, with the possibility of relative sliding, a face 97, also flat and perpendicular to the axis 51, of a detonator-carrying wheel 96 constituting a additional safety device, which will now be described.

This wheel 96, delimited on the side of the partition 92 by the face 97 of annular shape, planar, essentially of revolution around the axis 51 to which it is perpendicular, is delimited in the direction of a distance from the axis 51 by a face 98 essentially cylindrical of revolution around this axis 51, with a diameter compatible with its housing inside the chamber 50, which face 98 connects the face 97, in the direction of a distance from the partition 52 parallel to the axis 51, to a flat face 99, perpendicular to the axis 51 and of generally annular shape of revolution around this axis 51; this face 99 occupies a position symmetrical to that of the face 97 with respect to a longitudinal plane 100, including the axis 1 and arranged perpendicular to the axis 51; despite its generally cylindrical shape of revolution around the axis 51, the face 98 has two diametrically opposite flats with reference to the axis 51, respectively 101 and 102, which flats are perpendicular to the same axis 103 linked to the wheel 96, perpendicular to the axis 51 and located in the plane 100; in each of the flats 101 and 102 there is a mouth, respectively 103 or 104, of a channel 105 arranged in the detonator wheel 98 and moreover having a mouth 106 in the face 97 of the wheel 98, along the axis 51, that is to say directly opposite the relay 95.

This channel 105 has the general shape of a T when it is seen, as is the case in FIG. 3, in section through a plane including the axes 51 and 103, this shape being defined by a branch 107 penetrating into the mass of the wheel 96 from the mouth 106 in the face 97 thereof, along the axis 51, and by two arms 108 and 109 located in the extension of one another, along the axis 103, respectively on either side of the branch 107 and connecting the latter respectively to the mouth 103 in the flat 101 and to the mouth 104 in the flat 102; in a direction from the branch 107, that is to say from the axis 51, towards its mouth respectively 103 or 104, along the axis 103, each of the branches 108 and 109 successively contains, integral with the detonator-carrying wheel 96, a pyrotechnic relay, respectively 110, 111 connected by branch 107 to relay 95, and a pyrotechnic detonator, respectively 112, 113, directly adjacent to the mouth 103 or 104.

When the projectile 3 is engaged in the socket 2 as shown, the detonator wheel 96 occupies the illustrated orientation, in which the axis 103 is perpendicular to the axis 1, so that the mouths 103 and 104 of the branches 108 and 109 of the channel 105 are as far as possible from the payloads 45 and 46, and mechanical arming means are provided to cause a rotation of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 around the axis 51 relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3, over 90 °, in order to align the axis 103 with the axis 101 and thus place the mouths 103 and 104 of the channel 105 opposite the payload 46 and the payload 45, respectively, as shown schematically by a partial representation, in phantom, of the branches 109 and 108 in FIG. 2, after a predetermined time has elapsed following the total ejection of the projectile 3 from the sleeve 2 .

To this end, the detonator-carrying wheel 96 carries integrally, projecting from its face 99 along the axis 51, a rod 114 having successively, from the face 109 along the axis 51, sections 115, 116 , and 117 each of which is delimited, in the direction of a distance from the axis 51, by a peripheral face, respectively 118, 119, 120, cylindrical of revolution around the axis 51 with a diameter of the face 120 lower than that of face 118, itself lower than that of face 119, itself lower than that of face 98 of the detonator wheel 96; the face 119 is connected by annular, planar faces, of revolution about the axis 51, respectively 121 and 122, to the faces 118 and 120 whereas, opposite to its connection by the face 122 to the next face 119 the axis 51, the face 120 is connected to an end face 123, flat and perpendicular to the axis 51, of the rod 114.

As a complement, the body 32 of the projectile 3 carries integrally, inside the chamber 50, opposite the partition 52 with respect to the axis 1, a partition 124 located approximately halfway between the wheel detonator holder 96 and a face 126 symmetrically disposed on face 54 with respect to axis 1 and delimiting chamber 50 in the direction of a radial distance from this axis 1 along axis 51, which partition 124 is drilled along axis 51 a bore 125; this bore 125 has two sections 126 and 127 delimited towards the axis 51 by internal peripheral faces 128 and 129, one and the other cylindrical of revolution around the axis 51; the face 129, corresponding to the section 127 closest to the axis 1, has a diameter greater than that of the face 119 of the section 116 of the rod 114, while the face 128 of the section 126 farthest from the axis 1 has a diameter as close as possible to that of the face 120 of the section 117 of the rod 114, to ensure with this face 120 a guide contact for the relative rotation of the rod 114 and of the partition 124, that is to say ie rigorous guiding of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 in rotation about the axis 51 relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3; the two faces 128 and 129 are interconnected by an annular face 130, perpendicular to the axis 51 and of revolution around it, which face 130 is located at a distance from the face 93 of the partition 52 as close as possible from the distance separating the face 122 of the rod 114 from the face 97 of the detonator wheel 96, so that a sliding contact is established between the faces 122 and 130 which, with the sliding contact establishing between the face 97 of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 and the face 93 of the partition 52, prevents any translation of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 - rod 114 along the axis 51 relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3.

A hairpin spring 131, wound around the face 118 of the section 115 and of the rod 114 and having a first end 132 secured to the body 32 by fitting into an appropriate housing 133 thereof and a second end 134 secured to the detonator carrier wheel 96 by fitting into a complementary housing 135 provided in the face 99 of this wheel 96, is prestressed when the axis 103 is perpendicular to the axis 101, in order to elastically tend to cause the rotation of the detonator carrier wheel 96 in a position of alignment of the axis 103 with the axis 100; advantageously, the pretension of the hairpin spring 131 is such that the spring remains under stress even when the axis 103 is aligned with the axis 101.

Such a rotation leading to the alignment of the axis 103 with the axis 1 is prevented, as long as a predetermined time has not elapsed after the projectile 3 has left the casing 2, by a clock timer 136 with which the detonator-carrying wheel 96 cooperates by means of a conical pinion 137 which the rod 114 carries integrally, by its section 117, between the partition 124 and the face 126 of the chamber 50; this pinion 137 meshes with another bevel pinion 138 which in turn is mounted for rotation about an axis 139 parallel to the axis 1, relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3, and which itself carries a straight pinion 140 in engagement, by means of a reduction gear train designated by the general reference 141, with an escapement wheel 142 mounted for rotation relative to to the body 32 of the projectile 3, in the chamber 50, around an axis 143 parallel to the axis 1; this wheel 142 cooperates with an anchor 143 also mounted for rotation relative to the body 32, inside the chamber 50, about an axis 144 parallel to the axis 1.

When the projectile 3 is inside the sleeve 2 as illustrated, the anchor 143 is immobilized against a rotation about the axis 144 relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3, by a stud 145 then immobilized relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3, which prevents any rotation of the escape wheel 142 and, by the same, of the detonator-carrying wheel 96.

To allow the release of the anchor 143 by the stud 145 once the projectile 3 has left the socket 3, that is to say the rotation of the escape wheel 142 under the driving effect of the spring 131 being transmitted by the reduction gear 141, with regulation of the rotation by the exhaust anchor 143, when the projectile 3 is released from the sleeve 2, the stud 145 is carried integrally by a finger 146 essentially housed in a blind hole 147 arranged in the body 32 of the projectile 3 in a direction 148 approximately radial with respect to the axis 101, which blind hole 147 opens into the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile; the blind hole 147 is for example arranged in a partition 150 secured to the body 32, in the immediate vicinity of the anchor 143, and has a bottom face 149 plane, perpendicular to the axis 148, and a peripheral face 151 cylindrical of revolution around axis 148; additionally, the finger 146 is delimited by an outer peripheral face 152 which is cylindrical of revolution around the axis 148 with a diameter as close as possible to that of the face 151, in order to establish a guide contact for sliding along the axis 148 between the faces 151 and 152; towards the bottom face 149 of the blind hole 147, the finger 146 is delimited by an end face 153 which is planar, perpendicular to the axis 148, pierced along this axis with a blind hole 154 for receiving and guiding a helical compression spring 155 acting between the bottom face 149 of the blind hole 147 and the finger 146 to elastically urge the latter in the direction of release from the blind hole 147 by the outer peripheral face 33 of the body 32 of the projectile; opposite its face 153 along the axis 148, the finger 146 is delimited by a convex, rounded face 156 by which, urged by the spring 155, it bears against the central section 7 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 of the sleeve 2 when the projectile 3 is engaged in the latter as illustrated in the figures and, during ejection, as long as the blind hole 147 moves opposite the section 7 then the section 9 of the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4; on the other hand, as soon as the section 9 is crossed, during ejection, the released finger 146 migrates out of the blind hole 147, along the axis 148, under the action of the spring 155.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the stud 145 is carried integrally by the finger 146, perpendicular to the axis 148, and passes through the partition 150, from the hole 147 and towards the anchor 143, via a light 157 arranged in the partition 150, with an oblong shape parallel to the axis 148; parallel to this axis, the lumen 157 has sufficient dimensions so that, from its position of immobilization of the anchor 143 illustrated in FIG. 3, corresponding to a pressing of the finger 146 by its face 156 against the central section 7 from the inner peripheral face 6 of the sleeve 2, the stud 145 can perform parallel to the axis 148, jointly with the finger 146 when the latter is released vis-à-vis the inner peripheral face 6 of the sleeve 2, a sufficient stroke to completely release the anchor 143; an appropriate dimensioning is in the domain of the normal aptitudes of a skilled person.

Naturally, as soon as the anchor 143 is released from the stud 145, it authorizes a controlled rotation of the escape wheel 142 around the axis 143 and of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 around the axis 51, under the spring drive 131.

Advantageously, the pinion 140 has a toothing only on a part of its periphery, meshing with the gear train 141 on the one hand when the axis 103 is perpendicular to the axis 1 and, from this orientation, on part of the 90 ° angle of rotation necessary for the passage from this orientation to an alignment orientation of the axis 103 with the axis 1, to establish a rotation regulated by the escapement wheel 142 - anchor 143 assembly during the crossing of this part of angular course, to then release totally the detonator-carrying wheel 96 with respect to the continuation of the rotation around the axis 51 under the action of the spring 131, until the axis 103 is aligned with the axis 1.

The pyrotechnic delay 94 and the clock timer 136 are designed in a manner easily accessible by a person skilled in the art, as to the delays which they must introduce respectively in the initiation of the detonators 112 and 113 via the relays 110 and 111 with respect to percussion of the primer 58 at the crossing of the cam path 12-74 by the end 69 of the finger 63 at a sufficient speed and in alignment with the axis 103 with the axis 1 relative to the clearance of the finger 146 vis-à-vis the wall 4 of the socket 2, so that the alignment of the axis 103 with the axis 1 occurs at the latest before the end of the combustion of the pyrotechnic relay 94, taking into account the tolerances admissible in their manufacture.

The rotation of the detonator-carrying wheel 96 around the axis 51 relative to the body 32 of the projectile 3 when the axis 103 is aligned with the axis 1 can be stopped by means of any stop system, and for example by coming from a stud 157, carried in a solid manner by the detonator-carrying wheel 96, projecting on its face 99 parallel to the axis 51 inside the chamber 50, against a counterpart abutment 158 secured to the body 32 of the projectile 3 inside the chamber 50, in a suitable position that can easily be determined by a person skilled in the art.

The operation of the cartridge which has just been described is as follows.

The state illustrated in the figures will be considered as the initial state, and with reference to which the above description has been made essentially.

In a first phase, the igniter 29 is initiated, which itself initiates the pyrotechnic ejection composition 126, which emits gases which accumulate in the expansion chamber 28 passing through the perforations 27 in the wall 24.

When the pressure of the gases in the chamber 28 becomes sufficient to, on the one hand, overcome the friction which may exist between the body 32 of the projectile 3 and the sleeve 2 and, on the other hand, overcompensate the resistance of the key 39 to shear , the projectile 3 begins to move in the direction 73, along the axis 1, inside the sleeve 2.

During this movement, the end 69 of the finger 63 of the part 60 and the face 156 of the finger 146 slide longitudinally against the groove bottom 72 and against the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 of the sleeve 2.

If the acceleration undergone by the projectile 3 is sufficient, the counterweight 83 causes the end 89 of the finger 88 to retract with respect to the face 55 of the chamber 49 and maintains this retraction at least until the projectile 3 is completely removed from the socket 2.

• l'extrémité 69 du doigt 63 de la pièce 60 reçoit du chemin de came constitué par la face 74 et l'épaulement 12, parcouru dans un sens correspondant à un rapprochement radial vis-à-vis de l'axe 1, une impulsion qui, si la vitesse d'éjection est suffisante, procure à la masselotte 61 une énergie cinétique suffisante pour provoquer le passage de la pièce 60 à la position de percussion de l'amorce 58 par le percuteur 62, naturellement sous réserve que l'extrémité 89 du doigt 88 ait bien été escamotée ; il en résulte l'initiation du retard 94 qui, après un temps prédéterminé, provoque lui-même l'initiation du relais 95 provoquant quant à lui l'initiation des relais 110 et 111 et l'inflammation simultanée des détonateurs 112 et 113 ;
• le doigt 146 échappant à la face périphérique intérieure 6 de la paroi tubulaire 4 libère l'ancre 143, si bien que la roue porte-détonateur 96 entame sa rotation et, après un temps déterminé, parvient dans une position d'alignement de l'axe 103 avec l'axe 1.

When the projectile 3 has traversed approximately half the travel necessary for its total exit from the shell 2, simultaneously or practically simultaneously:

• the end 69 of the finger 63 of the part 60 receives from the cam path constituted by the face 74 and the shoulder 12, traversed in a direction corresponding to a radial approximation with respect to the axis 1, a pulse which , if the ejection speed is sufficient, provides the counterweight 61 with sufficient kinetic energy to cause the passage of the part 60 to the position of percussion of the primer 58 by the striker 62, naturally provided that the end 89 finger 88 has been retracted; this results in the initiation of the delay 94 which, after a predetermined time, itself causes the initiation of the relay 95 causing the initiation of the relays 110 and 111 and the simultaneous ignition of the detonators 112 and 113;
• the finger 146 escaping from the inner peripheral face 6 of the tubular wall 4 releases the anchor 143, so that the detonator wheel 96 begins to rotate and, after a determined time, reaches an alignment position of the axis 103 with axis 1.

Under normal operating conditions, this orientation is reached before ignition of the detonators 112 and 113, and the latter explode directly opposite the payloads 46 and 45, respectively, from which they are separated along the axis 1 only by a thinned partition, that is to say that is to say mechanically weakened, respectively 258, 259 of the body 32; the two partitions 258 and 259 are destroyed by the shock wave and the fire is transmitted to the two payloads 45 and 46 which ignite simultaneously.

If, on the other hand, the two detonators 112 and 113 explode before the alignment of the axis 103 with the axis 1, the shock wave does not pass directly to the weakened partitions 258 and 259, which are calculated so as not to destroying itself in such a case, so that the transmission of fire does not take place towards payloads 45 and 46; this provides protection against a failure of the pyrotechnic delay 94, leading to a too short initiation time of the detonators 112 and 113, assuming that the ejection was carried out with an acceleration and a speed sufficient to cause on the one hand the retraction of the end 89 of the finger 88 and on the other hand the percussion of the primer 58 by the striker 62 of the part 60.

If, on the other hand, the acceleration or the speed of ejection is not sufficient, and even if the clock timer 136 functioning correctly authorizes the alignment of the axis 103 with the axis 1, the percussion cannot be perform so that after the expiration of the alignment time of the axis 103 with the axis 100, there can be no ignition of the payloads 45 and 46.

It is thus completely guaranteed against a conflagration of these charges after the projectile has crossed an insufficient distance from the point of view of safety, outside of the socket 2.

In addition, as mentioned above, as soon as there is a conflagration of the payloads 45 and 46, this conflagration of the two charges arranged symmetrically with respect to the central section 42 applies to this last symmetrical efforts which avoid its projection for example towards the personnel and the launching device.

This effect is reinforced by the mechanical weakening of the walls 262, 263 delimiting the cavities 43, 44 at the level of the transverse end faces 37, 34 of the body 32 of the projectile by the notches 260, 261; in fact, this weakening favors a tearing of these walls 262, 263, in the form of petals, as a priority in comparison with the walls further delimiting the cavities 43 and 44 when the payloads 45 and 46 ignite, and this tearing walls 262 and 263 longitudinally channels the flows resulting from the conflagration of the charges 45, 46, respectively and translates them into symmetrical, antagonistic longitudinal forces, applied to the central section 42.

Naturally, although the mode of implementation which has just been described currently constitutes the preferred mode of implementation of the invention, it would not be departing from the scope thereof by making modifications to this mode of implementation .

In particular, in a less advantageous alternative embodiment, a single payload could be provided, arranged on one side of a projectile section containing initiation means 47 at all points similar to those which have just been described, with the exception that channel 105 would no longer have a T shape, but an L shape; all the advantages which have been mentioned above would then be retained, with the exception of the advantage linked to the symmetry of the device illustrated in the figures.

Claims (13)

1. Projectile of the type accomodating :

   - a pyrotechnic charge (45, 46),

   - means (47) for initiating said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) via a pyrotechnic connection device (90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 105, 110, 111, 112, 113, 152, 159) comprising a passage (105) in a member (96) guided for rotation in said projectile (3) about a given axis (51) fixed with respect to said member (96) and to said projectile (3), between a safe position in which said passage (105) is oriented so as to isolate functionally said pyrotechnic connection device (90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 105, 110, 111, 112, 113, 152, 159) from said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) and an armed position in which said passage (105) is orientated so as to couple functionally said pyrotechnic connection device (90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 105, 110, 111, 112, 113, 152, 159) to said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46),

   - spring means (131) adapted to urge said member (96) continuously to rotate about said axis (51) towards said armed position,

   - retaining means (136 through 147) for holding said member (96) in said safe position against the action of said spring means (131) at least until said projectile (3) is fired,

   - means (146) for sensing when said projectile (3) is fired and then releasing said member (96) for rotation towards said armed position,

   - abutment means for said member (96) on rotation relative to said projectile (3) against the action of said spring means in said armed position,

   - mechanical delay means (136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 142, 143) adapted to delay movement of said member (96) to said armed position relative to firing of said projectile (3),
      characterized in that said pyrotechnic connection device (90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 105, 110, 111, 112, 113, 152, 159) comprises pyrotechnic means (94) for delaying initiation of said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) relative to firing of said projectile (3) and said mechanical delay means (136, 137, 138, 139, 140) for delaying movement of said member (96) to said armed position comprise means (136, 137, 138, 139, 140) for coupling said member (96) to rotation regulating means (142, 143) at least in said safe position and in positions of said member (96) in immediate vicinity of said safe position, for delaying movement of said member (96) to said armed position relative to firing of said projectile (3), wherein said delays are such that said member (96) reaches said armed position at the latest before initiation of said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) under normal operation conditions.
2. Projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulating means (142, 143) are of the clockwork type.
3. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said member (96) is disengaged from said rotation regulating means (142, 143) in said armed position and positions of said member (96) in the immediate vicinity of said armed position.
4. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that said retaining means (136 through 147) for holding said member (96) in said safe position consist in means (145) for locking said rotation regulating means (142, 143).
5. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 4, wherein said projectile (3) is fired by sliding longitudinally in a tubular wall (4), characterized in that said sensing means (146) for sensing when said projectile (3) is fired and then releasing said member (96) for rotation towards said armed position comprise a transverse hole (147) discharging into a longitudinal surface (33) of said projectile (3), a transverse finger (146) adapted to slide transversely in said hole (147), spring means (155) urging said finger (146) towards a position in which it protrudes transversely from said longitudinal surface (33) of said projectile (3) and means functionaly coupling said finger (146) with said retaining means (145) so that said retaining means (145) hold said member (96) in said safe position when said finger (146) is in abutting relationship to said tubular wall (4) and release said member (96) by virtue of transverse sliding of said finger (46) in the direction resulting in it protruding from said longitudinal surface (33) of said projectile (3).
6. Projectile according to claim 5, characterized in that said retaining means (145) comprise a peg fastened to said finger (146).
7. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 6, characterized in that said passage (105) has a first branch (107) on said axis (51) and a second branch (108, 109) substantially perpendicular to said axis (51), wherein said first branch (107) is functionally coupled to fuse means (58) and said second branch (108, 109) is functionally coupled to said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) in said armed position and functionally isolated from said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) in said safe position.
8. Projectile according to claim 7, characterized in that said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) comprises two operational charges (45, 46) in diametrally opposed positions relative to said axis (51), and said second branch (108, 109) of said passage (105) passes through said member (96) perpendicularly to said axis (51), perpendicularly to the diametral alignment of said operational charges (45, 46) in said safe position and along said alignment in said armed position.
9. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 8, characterized in that said axis (51) is transverse to a longitudinal direction (1) in which said projectile (3) is fired.
10. Projectile according to claim 9 in combination with anyone of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) is offset relative to said axis (51) in a longitudinal direction in which said projectile (3) is fired, and said second branch (108, 109) of said passage (105) is transversely oriented in said safe position and longitudinally oriented in said armed position.
11. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 10, characterized in that said passage (105) contains means (112, 113) for detonating said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46).
12. Projectile according to claim 11 in combination with anyone of claims 7, 8 and 10, characterized in that said detonator means (112, 113) are accomodated in said second branch (108, 109) of said passage (105).
13. Projectile according to anyone of claims 1 through 12, characterized in that said pyrotechnic charge (45, 46) is a flare.

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