GB505338A - Improvements in percussion fuzes for projectiles of guns having rifled barrels - Google Patents

Abstract

505,338. Projectile fuzes. ETUDES FINAXCIERES & INDUSTRIELLES SOC. ANON. EFISA. Aug. 29, 1938, 'No. 25274. Convention date, Sept. 25, 1937. [Class 9 (i)] The striker of a projectile fuze is normally held in a locked position by a member which moves to a releasing position under centrifugal force when the projectile is in flight, and is forcibly urged against the primer by a spring- controlled sliding member which, during flight, is temporarily hold by one or more centrifugally - controlled pivoted detents. The arrangement is that when the centrifugal force has sufficiently diminished, the sliding member, under the action of its spring, frees itself from the detents and actuates the striker. In one form, the striker 7, Fig. 1, is normally locked by a rack 4 which engages beneath a flange 7a formed thereon. The rack is in mesh with a toothed wheel geared to an escapement mechanism which controls the outward speed of the rack to its releasing position. Pivoted levers 5 are arranged to coact with a spring- controlled sleeve 12 slidably mounted on the striker. A rod 9 is slidably mounted in a support 6 in front of the forward end of the . striker and passes into 'a plunger. 8 which is ` held in position by a disruptable ring 10. In operation, the levers 5 move outwardly under centrifugal force, when the projectile is in flight, and engage with the sleeve 12 which is, moved thereby to compress the spring 11, and the rack moves outwardly, under centrifugal force, to a position clear of the collar 7a. Percussion occurs when the force of the spring g overcomes the force exerted by the levers, or upon impact when the rod 9 under the action of the plunger 8 acts upon the striker. In the modification shown in Fig. 7; the striker 17, spring 18, levers 20, and plunger 27 are carried by a member 24 which is slidably mounted in a casing 13. A forked cotter 16 engaging in a radial recess in the member 24 normally holds the striker in the retracted position. On discharge, the member 24 sets back by inertia against the action of a spring 25 and its conical head is thereby moved clear of its conical seating in the casing 13. Thus, the member 24 is temporarily supported only by the spring 25 and does not rotate with the projectile when the latter is accelerating. The cotter 16, in the meantime, is prevented from moving outwardly by the wall of the casing 13. When acceleration ceases, the member 24 returns to its forward position and rotates with the projectile, the cotter moves by centrifugal force into a groove in the casing 13, and the levers 20 coact with the plunger 27. The fuze then functions in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1.