US1208105A - Projectile-fuse. - Google Patents

Description

WILLIAM DALTON, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

PBOJECTILE-FUSE.

Application filed July 18, 1916.

To all lwhom fil? 'fr/my cfm/fern Be it known that I, wWILLIAM DALTON, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Projectile-F uses, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention more particularly relates to explosive projectile fuses, in the operation of which a percussion element is caused to fire an explosivel charge when the velocity of the projectile, while in flight, is retarded 'by any obstacle.

The objects of my invention are to provide a flash port in a percussion element, in order to avoid the cost of drilling a long port in the fuse body; to provide a simpler and more effective safety percussion element, which will guard against the accidental firing of the explosive charge, during the loading and transportation of theprojectile; to provide a simpler form of fuse body, by eliminating a long tortuous port, in order to avoidv losses from imperfect workman' ship and porosity of the material;,to provide means for positively arming the percussion element at the instant it starts upon its flight, by the inertia of a reciprocating member; and to provide av `centrifugally actuated member adapted to coperate with the inertia member, for the purpose of positively arming and holding the percussion element in its armed position during flight, and for automatically disarming the percussion element when the projectile rotates at less than a predetermined speed.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set'forth. y

In lthe accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an axial section through a' well known type of projectile fuse, illustrating an embodiment of my invention; Figi '2, a partial section, illustrating the armed position of my improved percussion element, at the instant the projectile is iredfrom the gun', Fig. 3, a section illustrating the firing position of the percussion element, at the instant the projectile is retarded when in flight; Fig. 4,- av detail` plan of the percussion element,partly in section; and, Fig. 5, an axial section, illustrating a modification of structural detail.

Specification of Letters Patent.

tween thepowder in the, closin Serial No. 109,887. 3 .i

Paten te (1 D c;

In the practice of my iinveiition, refr-ir-y y ring descriptive-.ly to the specific embodiment thereof which is herein e,Kemplified,E the body, 1, of the fuse, carries, 'the' powder timing train rings, 2 and 3,-,.whiclfifare'- fas,- tened tothe body by al closing damit, @inthe usual manner. A' concussijo element, 5, which is inclosed by the cap, i1s,"adapted to fire the powder trains, atth instant the projectile starts {f ,r'o i'. a Ygun.

The base powder charge in 'theichambeig i sion chamber, 1, and'. the annular" baise charge powder chamber, 6 'in thenslual'inan'- ner. 'percussion spool, 7, theQ-Qbo'reiof is, adapted to contain a powder-core, 17?', l. is centrally disposed within"the chai-'mber .-12, and is supported and guided at'itfsxbac by the side walls of the'ch-aber, l1;, and at its front end bythe reciprocatinginertia arming sleeve, 9, andby the.'l walls "of the reduced front section of thepereuson' chamber, forming afiringfcav 1 to permit it to slide toward' firing pin, 14.*which proj'eetsinwa I lyLfrorn the front end/of the reduced oh:v nib r sefc onl forming the firing cavity. l ,l The annular seat, 8b,' a"ai Vst wh '"h' spool, 7, abuts, is ofariipl'e crushing when suddenly" impelling the spool, .at the is fired from a gun. fiber disk, 8e, form Japartiti charge of powder, 8f, in the; cli4 and the spool, 7, a smallfintervjening being interposed, as illustrated; closes the outer or back sidejoithe s the usual manner. usual form, and establish''communI the annular chamber, 6; 'The I rocating arming inertia sleev 9,"w slidingly fitted in and guidedfbytep rc spring, 12, abuts against the inertia arming sleeve, and against a flange, 7a,.formed on the. backend of the percussion spool, 7. The flan e, 7*,also provides seats, 7S, for the back or afutting ends of the triggers, when the percussion. element is in its normally locked or disarlnedposition, as shown in Fig. l.

The trigger seats, 7?, are adapted to abut againstthe rear; ends'o'f the triggers, and

` thereby4 to lock the spool when abutting vagainst theclosing screw, 6, and when in fits normal safely locked and disarmed po-I ition. The slots, 9", formed in the recip- I .rocating arming sleeve, are made of such width, measured laterally, that when the lsleeve is positioned at the instant of tiring .the gun, as shown in F ig. 2, the triggers are caused' to'move outwardly, from thei., inwardly inclined locking positions, shown in Fig. 1, to their vertical unlocked and armed positionsagainst the percussion chamber as shown' in Eig. 2. When in this position, the spring, 1,2, is completely compresd, and

incl'osed by an annular 4spring housing, Q, formed inl the arming sleeve. 'Elus-position .iss-bnly'temporarily held ,the sleevefand :thejj'spring as they are being rapidly ad celerated during the brief time which elapses .while leavingr the gun, and until the spring resilience overcomes. the inertia .of the sleeve and equilibrium is 'again establishedbetween fthe forces governingfthemovement of the several parts forming, theV 'percussion ele- 45."

ment, at which -timevthe sleeve pushed fon vvard" by the spring, against`the arms, 10a.

Further" movement thereof is opposed and prevented by centrifugal -force generated .in the-,triggers when the fuse is rotated at or aboire apredetermined arming speed. i This novel and important feature of the percus,-F sion' element provides,l aV positive means of unlocking and arming the several triggers simultaneously, at the instant thegun is fired, and thereby prevents any possibility of'iiring failures .from lnoperation ot an unHA perfect trigger. Furthermore., the centrit ugal force due to the rotative speed ofthe' fuse and triggers, holds, the percussion ele,-4 ment its' armed position until: the speed4 the predetermined armi-ng drops below' speed, after'w percussion el'v h' the several parts 'of the t vautomaticalijv4 return .to

'their normal- Aisi'aufely locked and disarrmed` positionshowninfliigol; This' novelfjcon? and lires the hase charge, 8f,

as to sitions the s pool, 7, and a threaded cup nut,

13, whi'h is screwed upon the front end of the spool, 7, for the purpose of fastening a percussion detona'tor cap, 13a, in such manner as to fairly strike the firing pin, 14,

when the percussion spool, 7, moves forward to its tiring position shown in Fig. 2. f 'l the cap fires the powder core, 7e, and thereoy ruptures the liber disk, i, which closes the hach end of the spool. The fire-flash continues rearwardly, ruptures the dislne,

and, the charge contained 'in the chamber, and, with this added force, iresan explosive charge in the projectile, which isnot shown, as it may be 'of any of the known constructions.

The compressive force of the. spring, 12, isvso proportioned and transmittedto the centrifugal triggers, 10, by the inertia arming' sleeve, 9, andthe projecting arms, 10a, provide a predetermined centripetal force;7 This force only permits an outward unlocking movement of the back ends of the triggers, which` will clear the seats, 75, .and thereby arm the percussion element, at rotative speeds oftheprojectile above 2000 revolutions per minute, or such other predetermined speed of rotation, as may be desire f As illustrated in Fig'.l 1, in the practice of my invention, the percussion element is assembled in the chamber, 1, in its normally locked and disarmerl position. the percussion spool, 7, with the detonator cap, 13a, 4fastened thereto'by the cup nut.; 1,3; and the triggers, 10, which are embraced by the slotted arriving;l sleeve, 9. These triggers are heldA in their inner'disarmed positions by spring pressure, .which is" trans` ioitted to thennt'roin 'the spring, 12, through the arms, 10, vandthe arming sleeve, 9. The' spring, 12, also normally. positions the spool, with itsattaclied parts, against theolosi'ng, screw, 8, ata-safe distance from' the ring pin, 1li, so, as to'permitthe back endsofthe ini'vardly inclined and.- "longitdinally dis posed triggers to abilities-einst the seats-,-7s,

and' thereby locle' the' spuelir the normal dis` armed position, shown; L

It comprises lau ' resilience "of'jtli'spring, as to require, during thejliighto yafprojectile, a fuse arming roet'lrstee orv revolutions@ minute', to 4arm thei'element 'centrifugalfforce developed thereby riggers; This force throws them armed" position ofthe element. lThis fposition is normally occupied during Hight, up

l:tothe instant the vprojectile meets'a retardo spool,' 7,.into arifned:y position before coming to albrief against the flange, 7a. The spo'olfineanyvhile more firmly seats itself agzlinst'thel closing .screw because of its own inertia. VVhen'the' projectile has acquired 4its maximum velocity of flight, and equilibrium is establishedin `the impelling forces acting on'the several related I'parte forming the percussionelement, the spring Slides the sleeve,9, l'forn'fardagainst the trigger arms.

'ing ythe Wallof thechamber.

3.5.', Ati'tlielinstant'the projectile is retarded in its flight,"the"spoolsuddenly slides forwa fd, firing vthel detonator ycap againstthe firing piny andy exploding a projectile powder charge, providingit has not been previously fired by the'timingf'powder trains, 2** and '3a. The leverage'due tothe relative diderence in'flengths between'the centrifugal triggers, 10,' Aafnd'v'their,arms,4 10a, offers suiiicient resistanceand lapse offtime, required by the correspondingv movement of the sleeve, 9,l

tolovercome thecentrifugal trigger resistance, and. permity the spool to clear the triggers before it again locked thereby.

` When applying the improvement in a.

Well known' type of fuse shown in Fig.v 5,

wherein the. detonator cap is fixed in the front end 'ofthe chamber, the iring pin, 14, isv carried by the reciprocating member, here indicatedby 7?, and the spring, 12, is located; outsideof the triggers and adjoin- The operationof the` mechanism is similar to that Vof thel construction 'first'. described.

If, by'alccident, during transportation or othe'rvise,th'ev fuse is rotated at a sufficiently highy speed 4to arm the percussion element,

the 'compressive force' .of `the spring will automatically yreturn the several parts forming'the'; elementi, intov their locked and dis- Yarmed l'iosition` immediately f after the rotation falls lfbelo'vi a? predetermined arming fpproximately two thousand-y l `vthe arming speed. ,fcle'far of kthe flange, and into the speed. 'This is an vimportant and valuable featurev ,which avoids the great dangerlfromhandling an armed fuse or explosive'p'ro--" jectile after it has accidentally been .'rolled" down anincline or otherwiserotatedabove Iclaimas my invention and desire to se#- cure m Letters Patent:

l. T e combination, in an explosive projectile fuse; of a percussion chamber; a firing pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed therein; a reciprocating. member adapted to explode the cap againstv thefiring pin; means fortransmitting fire flash from the cap toa powder charge; one or more centrifugal triggers engaging and normally lockingy the reciprocating member in disarmed position; means for pivotallysupporting and guiding the triggers;.a movable inertia member adapted to unlock the triggers and arm the reciprocating member Whenthe fuse begins its flight; and automatic means opposing the motion of the re-` ciprocating member, the inertia member, and the triggers', for normally holding the reciprocating member in locked disarme'd'v position, releasing it after 'beginning flight, and again lock-ing it at a rotative speed of the fuse' below a predetermined arming speed.

2. The combination, in an explosive projectile fuse,of a percussion chamber; -a lir-v ing pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed therein; a. reciprocating member adapted to explode the cap against the-firing pin; means for transmitting fire flash from v the cap to a powder ,chargeg-one or more centrifugal triggers yengaging and normally locking `the/reciprocating member in disarmed position; means for pivotally supporting and guiding the triggers; laterally projecting arms formed on the triggers; a movable inertia sleeve encircling the reciprocating member, so as to normally bear against said arms, and toslidingly bear against the triggers and unlock the reciprocating memberl when the fuse begins its flight and the sleeve is thereby given a reary Ward motion away from the arms; and a spring opposing the motion of the reciprocating member, the inertia sleeve,y and the triggers, and normally holdingthe latter in locked engagement with the reciprocating member, in disarmed position and releasing them after beginning Hight. l

3. The combination, in anexplosive ,projectile fuse, of a percussion element; a firing pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed therein; a reciprocating member adapted to explode 'the cap against the firing pin;

means for transmitting lire flash from the cap to a. powder charge ;none or more centrifugal trlggers engagingfand'fnormally locking the reciprocating :member 1n: 'disarmed position; .laterally projecting arms `formed on the triggers; a movableV inertia member bearingon thearms and adapted to unlock the" triggers; slots formed in the inertia member, embracing and `positioning the front ends of the triggers; anda spring opposing the motion of the inertia and `reciprocating members, normally ,holding the tiiggers in said vdisarmed locked engagement with the reciprocating member, and

releasing them after beginning flight.

4. The combination, in an explosive projectile fuse, of a percussion chamber; a firing pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed therein; av reciprocating member adapted to explode the cap against the firing pin; means for transmitting fire flash from the'cap to a powder charge; one or more centrifugal triggers engaging and normally locking the reciprocating member in dis* armed position; laterally projecting arms formed on the triggers; a movable inertia member bearing on the arms andvadapted to unlock the triggers; slots formed in the inertia member, embracing yand positioning thefront ends of the triggers; a slotted flange formed on the reciprocating member and oppositely disposed to the inertia member and embracing and positioning the rear ends of the triggers; trigger seatsformed on the reciprocating member normally eni gaging the triggers; and a spring interposed between the inertia member yand slotted flange, for normally holding the reciprocating member in locked disarmed position and releasing it after beginning flight.

5.- Tlie combination, in an explosive projectile fuse; of a percussion chamber; a ring pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed J therein; 'a reciprocating member adapted to explode `the cap against the firing pin; a guiding flange formed o n the rear end thereof; means "for transmitting fire flash from the cap to a powder charge; one or more centrifugal triggers engaging and normally locking the reciprocating member in disarmed position; an inertia sleeve encircling the reciprocating member,so as to slide toward the guidingilange and unlock the vtriggers after beginning flight; and a, spring interposed bety/een the inertia sleeve and the reciprocating" member, to hold them in normal disarmed position until beginning flight.

6. The combination, in an explosive projectilefuse, of a percussion chamber; a seat formed in the front end thereof; a firing cavity encircled b'y the seat; a firing pini and detonator disposed therein ;y a reciprocating,

member disposed within the chamber at the rear of the firing cavity and against the rear end of the chamber, and adapted to explode the cap against the firing pin; a guiding flange formed on the rear end thereof; one

, or more centrifugal.triggers engaging and normally locking `the reciprocating member in disarmed position; an inertia sleeve e117' circling the reciprocating member and unlocking the triggers when sliding rearward after-beginning flight; and a springinterposed between the guiding flange and the in therein; a reciprocating member adapted tov i explode the cap against the firing pin ;.ineans for transmitting fire flash from the cap lto a powder charge; one or more centrifugal triggers engaging and normally locking the reciprocatingmember in disarmed position; 4means'for pivotally supporting and guiding the triggers; a 'movable inertia member adapted to unlock the triggers and arm the reciprocating member when the fuse begins its flight; an annular spring housing and seat formed on the inertia member; and a spring disposed in the housing` opposing the triggers, the reciprocating, andthe inertia members, and normally holding the reciproeating member in locked disarmed position until released and armed by the inertia member after beginning flight.

8. The combination; in an explosive prol jectile fuse, of a .percussion chamber; a firing pin fixed in the front endv thereof; a

percussion spool disposed within the chain-,f

ber and adapted to slide toward and from the firing pin; a detonator cap carried in the front end of the spool; means for transmitting a fire flash therefrom to aA powder charge; one or more centrifugaltriggers normally engaging and locking the spool in disarmed position; means for pivotally supporting and guiding the triggers; a movable inertia sleeve, guided by the chamber and encircling and guiding the detonator cap into contact with the firing pin; and means opposing the motion of the spool, the sleeve, and thetriggers, and normally holding the spool in locked disarnied position, until re* leased and armed by the inertia member at the beginning of flight. Y

9. The combination, in an explosive pro-,

jectile fuse, of a percussion chamber; a fir `ing pin and a detonator cap oppositely disposed therein; an axially disposed longitudinally reciprocating member` adapted to explodethe cap against the ring pin; trigger seats formed on the rear end thereof; trigger seats formed in the front end of the chaniber; means for guiding the reciprocating member; one or more inwardly inclined and lll)V longitudinally disposed centrifuga! triggers l normally interposed between said seats and looting 4the reciprocating member; 'an in ertiav arming sleeve interposed between said reciprocating member and the triggers and in sliding Contact therewith2 so as to unlock until released and armed by the inertia mem?. the triggers and arm the reciprocating member at the beginning of flight. ber when the prejectile begins its flight; and

means opposing' the motion of the i'eeipi'o-` l WILLIAM DALTON' 5 eating member, the inertie sleeve, and the Witnesses:

triggers, and normally holding the reeipro- J. AFPS,

eating membenin disarnied locked position E. J. APPS,

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