GB1450406A - Fuse for a projectile and weapon system incorporating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

1450406 Digital electronic time fuzes for projectiles GENERAL ELECTRIC CO 25 Sept 1973 [28 Sept 1972] 44919/73 Heading F3A [Also in Division G4] An electronic digital time fuze for a projectile whose time base may be preset before flight; and which time base may be subsequently changed during a predetermined interval during flight by a radar command link comprises inter alia: a firing circuit 82, Fig. 2A, connected to the output of a counter 14; a mechanical encoder 12 for presetting the counter; and an oscillator 66 for supplying the counter with pulses. A short time after firing a projectile fitted with the fuze, and during an interval T 1 #T 2 determined by a sealer 72, an AND gate 94 is enabled, whereby a random number, transmitted by a ground station and picked up by an antenna 38 and detector 42, is fed to a register 46 and uniquely characterizes the fuze. At a time T 3 , determined by the counter 14, an AND gate 138 is enabled, whereby a correction address is received by a register 52 from the ground station. Should this correction address be identical with the address contained in the register 46, a comparitor 62 will detect this identity and will provide an output signal at a time T 4 , to the counter, forcing the counter, irrespective of the count already therein, to an advanced count in accordance with the desired correction of the firing time. The counter continues to receive pulses from the oscillator and provides an output signal at a time T 5 <SP>1</SP>, which occurs at a fixed interval of time after T 4 but before a firing time T 5 initially set by the encoder 12. The encoder 12 comprises a dielectric tape 126, Figs. 4 and 6, which passes between, and is translatable by concurrent rotation of, outer and inner elements 110 and 106. The tape carries electrical conductors 128 which co-operate with parallel electrical conductors 108 on the inner member 106 to effect presetting of the pulse counter. Numerical indicia on the opposite side 130 of the tape to the conductors 108 can be observed through a frosted portion of the outer member 110 and indicate the setting of the pulse counter. An alternative encoder for presetting the counter, Figs. 7A to 11 (not shown), comprises a plurality of conductors (206) disposed on a dielectric substrate (202) and connected to logic circuitry (204). Various combinations of circuits are obtained by penciling across appropriate pairs of conductors to provide a connecting link of graphite. The power for the fuze is provided by a. battery or an electromagnetic generator.