GB2177482A - A fuze - Google Patents

Abstract

A fuze with a rotor 19 in the detonation chain is to detonate reliably even upon shallow target impact or fuze ogive hit. For this, the rotor 19 is mounted on a carrier 11 which is arranged so as to be axially displaceable by sliding on guide pins 25. In the live position (Figure 2) of the rotor 19, in which a detonator (24) carried by the rotor is aligned with firing pin 23 and detonation transmitters 16, 17, an axial movement of the carrier 11 into recess 22 against firing pin 23 is possible. Radially movable bodies 8 are provided which, upon transverse forces arising, act on the carrier 11 in the axial direction, whereby the detonation is effected. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Afuze The invention rel ates to a fuze general Iy of a kind comprising a rotor which is arranged in a housing, carries a detonating agent, is blocked in the safe position and, after release, rotates into the live position, and comprising a firing pin which punctures the detonating agent uponwtarget impact.

A projectilefuze ofthis kind is described in DE-AS 2330013. In the case of this fuze, a piezoelectric element is provided which, upon target impact, gen erases an electrical charge, by which aflamecapsule is ignited which inflames a gas pressure charge. The pressure generated by this shoots the firing pin onto the detonating agent. Such piezoelectricfuzes are not usable in all instances of use.

Described in DE-PS 2640782 is a fuze in which the detonating agent is ignited in the live position by a flame capsule.

Known impact fuzes have the disadvantage that, in the event of a shallow angle ofimpactandlorafuze ogive hit ofthe projectile, the detonation is uncertain.

The task of the invention is to propose a fuze, ofthe kind mentioned at the beginning hereof,which reliably detonates even upon shallow target impact or fuze ogive hit.

According to the present invention there is generally provided a fuze comprising a rotor mounted on a carrierarranged so asto bedisplaceablealong afuze axis when the rotor is in a live position, and comprising radially movable bodies which, upon being exposed to transverse forces, act on the carrier to displace the latter in the axial direction to causethe detonating agent to strike the firing pin and thereby effect detonation ofthefuze.

In accordance with the invention there is more particularly provided a fuze ofthe kind mentioned at the beginning hereof, which is characterised in that the rotor is mounted on a carrierwhich holds a detona tiontransmitter; in that the carrier is arranged so asto be axially displaceable in the housing, is held in the safe position by the rotor and in the live position of the rotor is released for an axial movement; and in that radially movable bodies are provided which, upon radial movement, urge the carrier, together with the rotor and detonating agent, towards the firing pin.

Upon a target impact a steep angle of impact, the detonating agent, as a result ofthe inertia ofthe carrier and of the rotor, strikes against the firing pin.

In the case of a shallow angle of impact or a fuze ogive hit, the bodies are set into a radial movement as a result oftheir inertia whereby to exert an additional axial pressure on the carrier.

Advantageous and preferred features of the invention are set out in Claims 3to 9 and are disclosed in thefollowing description of an exemplified embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a fuze in the safe position; and Figure2shows a further longitudinal section of the fuze in the live position.

Screwed into a housing lisa base screw 2 which has a collar 3. Screwed onto the base screw 2 is a cup 4which contains a charge 5. A cover disc6 ofthe charge5abutsthecollar3.

The collar 3 is provided with several recesses or countersinkings 7, in which segment-shaped wedge bodies 8 are guided. The wedge bodies 8 are movable in the radial direction R.

On the collar3there stands a supporting part9 which holds a base plate 10 in the housing 1. Fastened to the supporting part 9 are guide pins 25 on which a carrier 11 is guided so asto be displaceable in the axial direction A. By means of hold-back springs 12 an edge 13 ofthe carrier 11 is forced against the collar 3.

The carrier 11 has a slope 1 4which faces sloping surfaces 15 ofthewedge bodies 8.

Fastened to the carrier 11 are a first and a second detonation transmitter 16 and 17. The detonation transmitter 17 engages deeply into the charge 5 (i.e.

extends for at least a major proportion ofthe axial length of the charge). A rotor 19 is mounted rotatably on the carrier 11, by means of a pin 18 which is parallel with butoffsetfrom the central longitudinal axis of the fuze. The rotor is blocked or retained in the safe position (see Figure 1) by a safety shaft 20.

Formed on the rotor 19 is a weight body 21 which, in the safe position, abuts the base plate 11,so that an axial movement ofthe carrier 11 together with the rotor 19 is not possible.

Afiring pin 23 projects into a recess 22 ofthe base plate 10. The rotor 19 carries a detonator 24, which in the safe position is swung away from the firing pin 23.

After the firing, the safety shaft 20 frees the rotor 19.

This then rotates, caused by the position of its centre of gravity, into the live position, in which respectthe weight body 21 stands in front of the recess 22 (see Figure 2). The detonation chain formed by the firing pin 23, the detonator 24 and the detonation transmitters 16 and 17 is now closed i.e. readied fordetonation. The detonator 24 is, by way of the rotor 19 and by way of the carrier 11, held spaced from the firing pin 23 by means of the hold-backsprings 12.

Upon target impact, the carrier 11 together with the rotor 19 is hurled forwardly, in which respectthe carrier 11 slides on guide pins 25. The detonator 24 encounters, in this respect, the firing pin 23. The weight body 21 plunges into the recess 22. The detonation is effected. Since the detonation transmitter 17 engages deep intothe charge 5,the detonation of the charge 5 is not hindered by the movement of the detonation transmitter 17 together with the carrier 11.

If transverse forces occur upon the target impact, more especially upon a target impact in a shallow angle or a fuze ogive hit, then some of the wedge bodies 8 are hurled towards the centre of the fuze, in which respect the sloping surfaces 15 thereof en- counterthe slope 14 and thereby hurl the carrier 11 with the rotor 19 and the detonator 24 in a strengthened manner against the firing pin 23. With increasing mass of the wedge bodies 8, in the case of shallow angles of impact the function of the mechanism improves.

In another development of the invention, instead of the wedge-shaped bodies 8, also spheres or rollers can be used.

The rotor 19can be mounted in some otherwayon the carrier 11. It is importantthatthe axial movement ofthe carrier 11 is transmitted to the rotor 1 9which carries the detonator 24.

Claims (11)

1. Afuze comprising a rotor which carries a detonating agent, is releasably retained in a safe position in a housing and can, after release, rotate into a live position in which a firing pin can, upon target impact, detonate the detonating agent, characterised in thatthe rotor is mounted on a carrier which holds a detonation transmitter; in that the carrier is arranged so as to be axially displaceable in the housing, is held in the safe position by the rotor and, in the live position of the rotor, is released for an axial movement; and in that radially movable bodies are provided which, upon radial movement, urge the carrier, together with the rotor and detonating agent, to wards the firing pin.

2. Afuze comprising a rotor which carries a detonating agent, is releasably retained in a safe position in a housing and can, after release, rotate into a live position inwhich a firing pin can, upontarget impact, detonate the detonating agent, characterised in thatthe rotor is mounted on a carrier which holds a detonation transmitter; in that the carrier is arranged so asto be axially displaceable in the housing, is held in the safe position by the rotor and, in the live position of the rotor, is releasedforan axial movement; and in that radially movable bodies are provided which, upon radial movement, act on the carrier in the axial direction, in which respect the detonating agent of the rotor strikes the firing pin.

3. Afuze asclaimed in Claim 1 or2,characterised in that the detonation transmitter projects deep into a charge.

4. Afuze as claimed in Claim 1,2 or3, characte- rised in that the radially movable bodies have sloping surfaces which confrontthecarrier.

5. Afuze as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims,characterised inthatthe radially movable bodies are distributed in recesses at the periphery of a housing part.

6. Afuze as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that formed on the rotor is a body which in the safe position abuts a base plate and in the live position confronts a recess in the base plate, and in that, upon axial movement out of the live position of the rotor, the body enters into the recess.

7. Afuze as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in thatthe firing pin projects into the recess and the detonating agent is arranged in the body.

8. Afuze as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier is guided on at leastone guide pin parallel tothe axis.

9. A fuze as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier is held by at least one hold-back spring.

10. Afuze comprising a rotor mou nted on a car- rierarrangedsoasto be displaceable along afuze axis when the rotor is in a live position, and comprising radially movable bodies which, upon being exposed to transverse forces, act on the carrier to displace the latter in the axial direction, to causethe detonating agent to strike the firing pin and thereby effect detonation of the fuze.

11. Afuze substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.