GB191311394A - Improvements in and pertaining to Ammunition. - Google Patents

Abstract

11,394. Hale, F. M. May 15. Projectiles; projectile fuses.-Relates to shells adapted to be dropped from aircraft and provided with a rotatable fan device adapted to arm the percussion fuse during flight, and consists (1) in adapting the fan, after it has armed the fuse, to become rigid with the shell and thereby to guide its flight; (2) in providing, for additional guidance, fixed helical vanes on the shell; and (3) in adapting the rotatable fan to be normally locked, and to be unlocked automatically on discharge. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the shell comprises a body 1, containing the explosive and shrapnel charges, and a tail 2 containing a fixed firing-pin 8 and a movable detonator 3 which is normally held in the retracted position by balls 4 resting in holes in the sides of the detonator, and pressed into engagement with recesses in the tail 2 by the reduced end of a spindle 6 screwed into the tail 2. This spindle has a pin and slot connexion 12, 13 with a sleeve 11, rotatably secured by pins 14 in the tail 2 and carrying helical windvanes 10. A safety pin 16, which is withdrawn before discharge, prevents rotation of the spindle 6. On discharge, the vanes 10 rotate the spindle 6, which is consequently moved rearwards owing to its screw-thread until it releases the balls 4, and leaves the detonator 3 free to move forward on impact. When the spindle has been withdrawn sufficiently far for the pin 12 to engage the end of its slot, the spindle and therefore also the vanes 10 become rigidly fixed to the projectile so as to guide its passage through the air. A spring catch 9 prevents rebound of the detonator after impact. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the spindle 6 has a screw-threaded engagement with the sleeve 20 carrying the fan 18, and the guiding action of the fan when it becomes fixed is assisted by vanes 17 permanently fixed to the tail 2. The boss 19 carrying the fan 18 has a pin-and-slot connexion with the sleeve 20, which permits it to be forced rearwards against a spring 26 by the pressure of the air on its curved surfaces immediately after discharge, until a recess on its forward end is disengaged from a locking pin 24 in the tail 2, thereby permitting free rotation of the fan.