GB938772A - Improvements in and relating to an electric fuze for rockets - Google Patents

Abstract

938,772. Fuzes for self-propelled missiles. HOTCHKISS-BRANDT. July 11, 1961 [July 21, 1960], No. 25048/61. Classes 9 (1) and 9 (2). An electric fuze for self-propelled missiles comprises a body A of non-conducting material and a support B constituted by a cylindrical portion 7 rotatable about a fixed axle 11, a cylindrical portion 8 housing a primer and detonator and a cylindrical portion 9 which houses an auxiliary safety device comprising a bolt 25 which sets-back during acceleration of the missile into a recess 27 (not shown) in the body A. A dash-pot system, with air as the braking medium, comprises a sleeve 30 and piston 33, a pin 36 working in a zig-zag groove 37 also being provided to prevent displacement owing to shock while handling. On acceleration of the missile, piston 33 sets-back to free an opening 32 for the subsequent passage of a heel 29 attached to support B (see Fig. 8) and the piston 33 is locked in its retracted position by the entry of pin 36 in a slot at the end of groove 37. Fig. 1 shows the fuze in the unarmed position which is maintained until acceleration ceases by the operation of bolt 25; thereafter support B rotates under the action of a spring 16 (not shown) to bring axis YY of portion 8 into coincidence with axis XX of the fuze, heel 29 passing through opening 32. The electric input to the fuze is via leads 40, 41 and is preferably derived from a piezo-electric percussion nose fuze. Fig. 9 shows the electric circuit corresponding to the un-armed condition of Fig. 1, where electrodes 17, 18 of the primer-detonator system are short-circuited. On rotation of support B, contactors 50, 51 are separated and the part of contactor 51 around portion 9 meets a contactor 56 fixed to the wall of body A thereby completing the circuit between electrodes 17, 18 and the source of electricity.