GB1117949A - Triggering device, in particular for land-mines, e.g. anti-tank mines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,117,949. Land mines. INDUSTRIEWERKE KARLSRUHE, A.G. 4 March, 1966 [27 March, 1965], No. 9714/66. Heading F3A. A triggering device for a land mine, e.g. an anti-tank mine, comprises a striker which when the device is rendered operable is held against the action of means which otherwise would cause the movement of the striker required to effect detonation, two tubes filled with a liquid or gaseous medium and each including a pressure responsive member, and a pair of elements associated with the pressure responsive members and serving individually and together to maintain the hold on the striker, each of such elements being actuatable independently by its respective pressure responsive member to release its holding effect on the striker. Each element is arranged to hold in position a retaining ball adapted to hold the striker until actuated by its respective pressure responsive member. When both tubes are simultaneously loaded, both retaining balls are released and the striker detonates the mine. If only one of the tubes is loaded, only one of the retaining balls is released and the other still holds the striker in the safety position. This ensures that the mine only explodes when a tank passes directly over it and not merely to one side. A safety screw-plug fitted in the head of the detonator housing has a transverse slot in which the ends of the elements, e.g. levers, can move when displaced inwards. By rotating the safety screw-plug through 90 degrees this displacement, and hence the triggering of the mine, is prevented. In this latter position of the safety screw-plug, the ends of the elements enter two shallow grooves in the screw-plug perimeter should the tubes be loaded and so prevent the screw-plug from being rotated into a position to release the striker. If the tubes are not loaded, the ends of the elements are free of the two shallow grooves and the screw-plug can be so rotated.