US1352543A - Percussion-fuse for projectiles - Google Patents

Description

E. SCHNHDER. l

PERCUSSION FUSE FOR PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION men :uw 21.1920.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

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E. SCHNEIDER.

PERCUSSION FUSE FOR PROJECTILES. APPLICATION men JuLY21. '920.

1 352, 54:3 Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

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EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER & CIE., PARIS,

FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE. i

PERCUSSION-FUSE FOR PRDJ'ECTILES.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Original application filed March 31, 17919, Serial No. 286,489. Renewed July 21, 1920, Serial No. 398,031. Divided and this application filed July 21, 1920.r Serial No. 397,945.

of the striker and the body-part carrying they jjiercussion-cap.v This moving apartis effected under the action of aspring whose tension can be so adjusted that it shall be able to expand, in view of the cooking of the striker, only from the instant when the counteraction of the resistance offered by the air to the progress of the projectile, has become suiciently reduced, which will take place only at a point of the trajectory at which the cooking can take. place without inconvenience.

In other words, according to this invention, a recoil movement of determined extent, has to be performed by the striker before it can make an entering or return movement capable of causing the tiring. For the purpose, segments that constitute a shoulder for the striker and prevent the latter from moving toward't-he percussioncap, are in their turn prevented from moving out of the way because they are held by being situated between the fuse body and the striker body so long as the striker has not made the desired recoil movement. This application is a division of my application filed Mar. 31, 1919, Sr. No. 286,489, renewed July 21, 1920, Sr. No. 398,031, directed to the constructional form shown in Figures 9 to 14, inclusive, of said former application. In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts,-

F ig. l is a partial longitudinal section of the fuse on the line I-I of Fig. 6;

Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, are sections similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts of the fuse in various positions of operation;

the cap-carrier previous -to a recoil move-.-

ment of a determined extentby the striker preliminary to cooking.

To such end the striker C bearsagainst theV displaceable segments F interposed between the shoulder E of the'im'pact head and ther nose A- of the .body-part. Thesefsegments are seated infthe forward reduced part C2 of thestriker-'s'hank and have rearward proections F formin auxiliar retainino'v members, extending into lthe bore of the body-part to be engaged between the strikershank and the -wall of the bore. The segments so arranged are held against displacement until there is suliicient separation be-` tween the shoulder E and the nose A as to permit the clearance of the bore by the auX- iliary retaining extension F. This separation is caused during the flight of the projectile by the recoil of the striker brought about by mechanism actuated by spring, pressure and inertia, the length of the recoilto accomplish the purpose being determined. When' this. recoil takes place, the segments F are djs. placed by the centrifugal action imparted byby the distance H (F ig.

the' rotation of the projectile on its longitudinal axis.

While at rest (Fig. 1), all prematuremovement of the striker C toward the cap-'- carrier B is prevented by the segments F interposed between the shoulder E of the irnpact head and the nose A of the fuse bodypart. Premature forward movement of the striker, with the resulting release of the segments, is prevented by the two opposite bolts I movable in the counter-ring M slidable on the striker-shank in the bore of the bodypart. These bolts are normally pressed inward to engage the intermediate reduced part C3 of the striker-shank by the spring I encircling the bolts and the counter-ring,

' ment of the .two members.

these members having an annular groove m to receive the spring.

4The bolts are held in locked engagement with the striker-shank by the safety sleeve J movable on the striker-shank within the bore of the fuse body-part. This sleeve is normally pressed forward by the spring G compressed between the rear end of the sleeve and the cap-carrier B. With the sleeve pressed forward, its -front end extends over the rear end of the counter-ring M, the contacting faces of the sleeve and counterring being out away to permit such engage- In extending over the counter-ring, the sleeve also extends over the bolts I and the latter are held against outward movement. So arranged, the forward end of the sleeve engages a shoulder on the forward end of the counterring and the forward end of the counterring engages a shoulder on the wall of the bore in the fuse body-part. These several engagements limit the forward movement of Athe sleevel and `counter-ring against the thrust: of--thevs'pring G. f Y

lVith the segments interposed between the shoulder E of the-impact head and with the bolts I in engagement with-the reduced part Ca of the striker-shank and locked in such engagement by the overlapping sleeve J, there can be no premature-rearward movement of the striker to explode the cap on the carrier B, and i there can be vno 'premature forward movement yof the striker to free the displaceable segments F to permit subsequent premature firing.

When the projectile is fired from the gun, the sleeve J, having a' suitably determined f mass for such purpose, by its inertia lags behind in the bore ofthe fuse body-.part to the position shown in Fig. 2 and compresses the spring G. In this relatively rearward movement of the sleeve it slides off the counter-ring M and travels to the rear of the bore. As the sleeve moves rearward, the counter-ring, also by its inertia, tends to follow the sleeve, but is held back by the bolts I engaging the striker-shank. rIhe counter- '1 ring is held until the sleeve clears the bolts and, when this happens, the counter-ring also moves to the rear and forces the bolts I over the 'chamferc (Fig. 2) on the striker-shank. The camming action between the chamfer i and the beveled edges of the bolts forces the latter outward against the action of the spring I and thereby releases the counterring from the striker-shank to follow the sleeve J. As the counter-ring moves rearv ward the bolts register with the reduced part C of the striker-shank and are forced into engagement with the same by the spring I. The length of the reduced part C is such as to provide suiiicient travel for the 'bolts therein and to permit the counter-ring t0r move into engagement with the sleeve J at the rear of the bore, as shown in Fig. 3. So engaged, the sleeve holds the bolts in locked engagement with the reduced part C of the striker-shank.

The position of the sleeve and counterring in the rear end of the bore of the fuse body-part compressing the spring G, as shown in Fig. 3, will be maintained until the 'diminishing acceleration of the discharged projectile is predominated by the force of the spring to overcome the inertia or lagging effect of the sleeve and counterring. lVhen this occurs the spring forces forward the sleeve and engaged counterring until the bolts I bear against the shoulder o' (Fig. ll) on the striker. The bolts cannot ride over this shoulder as they are held against Outward movement by the overlapping sleeve J. By this engagement of the bolts with the shoulder, any further outward movement of `the sleeve and counterring, throu h the action ofthe spring, will be imparte to the. striker. AS the predominance of the spring increases, the inertia of the striker will also be overcome and the en.- gaged parts will Vbe forced -forwardin-the bore ofthe .fuse Abody-,part until the front end of the counter-ring 'engages the shoulder on the wall of Vthe -bore as shown in Fig. 4. This forward or recoil movement of the striker, which is slightly in excess of the distance H (Fig. 3), carries theretainingexf. tension F of the segments F clear of the bore of the fuse body-part and the separation of the shoulder E and the nose A is 100 such as to permit the escape of the segments through the centrifugal action-imparted by the rotation of the projectile. lVith the segments displaced, the striker is cocked, ready for impact with the target, as shown 105 in Fig. 4. When the projectile strikes thetarget, the impact on the head of the striker drives the latter into the bore of the fuse body-part to detonate the percussion cap on the carrier B, the several parts assuming the 110 position shown in Fig. 5.

Vhat I claim is 1. A percussion-fuse comprising a bodypart having an axial bore with a cap-carrier at the'rear end of said bore, a striker hav- 115 ing a shank movable in said axial bore and provided with a shouldered impact head, displaeeable segments interposed between the impact head and the nose of the fuse body-part to prevent premature rearward 120 movement of the striker onto the cap-carrier, and means operated during the flight of the discharged projectile for moving forward the striker to cock the same preliminary to impact on the target, the forward 125 movement of the striker relative to the fuse body-part releasing the segments to be detached by the centrifugal action imparted `by the rotation of the projectile to permit the subsequent rearward movement of the 130 striker onto the cap-carrier resulting' from the-impact of the head on the target.

2. A percussion-fuse comprising a bodypart having an axial bore with a cap-carrier at the rear end of said bore, a striker having a shouldered impact head and a shank movable in said axial vbore, said shank having a reduced part adjacent to said head,-displace able segments interposed between the impact head and the nose of the fuse body-part and seated in the reduced part of the strikershank and having retaining projections extending into the mouth of the axial bore,

said segments operating to prevent prema- -permit thesubsequent lrearward movement of the striker'onto the cap-carrier resulting' from the impact ofthe head on the target.l

3, A percussion-fuse comprising a body-Y part having van axial bore with a leap-carrier at the rear end of said bore,a striker having an impact head and a shank movable in said axialv bore, displaceable segments interposed between the fuse body-part and the/striker to-prevent premature rearward movement of the striker onto the cap-carrier, a

counter-ring slidable on the striker-shank and having a limited forward movement inv the axial bore7 spring-pressed bolts carried by the counter-ring to engage a reduced part of the striker-shank lwith the counter-ring at the forward limit of its movement inthe axial bore and the striker-shank at the rearward limit of its movement as determined by the interposed segments to prevent pre- "mature forward movement of the striker,

said counter-ring by its inertia during the flight of thedischarged projectile moving rearward in the axial bore to release the bolts from the striker-shank, and means op- "erating during the iight of the projectile for moving the strikerforward to ,release the segments to be detached by the centrifugall action imparted by the rotation of the projectile to permit subsequent rearward movement of the striker onto the cap-carrier resulting from impact of the head on the target.

4. A percussion-fuse comprising a bodypart having an axial bore with a cap-carrier at the rear end of said bore, a striker having an impact head and a shank movable in said axial bore, displaceable segments interposed between the fuse body-part and the striker to prevent premature rearward movement of the striker onto the capcarrier7 a counter-ring slidable on the striker-shank and having a limited forward movement the axial bore, spring-pressed bolts carried by the counter-ring to engage a reduced partof the striker-shank with the counter-ring at the forward limit of its movement in the axialbore and the strikershank at the rearward limit of its movement as determined by the interposed segments to prevent premature forward movement of the striker, a sleeve slidable on the strikershank'within the axial bore and at the rear of the counter-ring, and a cocking spring normally pressing the sleeve and counterring forward, said sleeve and counter-ring at the discharge of the prjectile by their inertiafmoving rearward against the action of the-cocking spring7 the counter-ring in its rearward movement disengaging the spring-pressed bolts from the forward reduced part of the striker-shank and'moving them into .engagement-with a rear reduced part of said striker-shank, said spring during-theiiight ofthe projectile and at'the lessening ,acceleration` thereofpredominating the'iinertiaxofrthe: sleeve and counterring `to force lthe .same forward together with. the striker-shank engaged? by the ybolts carried -:by the counter-ring, said forward movement of. the striker-shank operating to cock the striker and to free the segments to permit the displacement v'of the same through the .centrifugal'faction imparted by the ro-v tation-.of-the projectile7 the ldisplacement of the: segments permitting subsequent rearward-movement of the striker onto the capcarrier resulting from the impact of the head on the target.

5. A percussion-fuse comprising a bodypart having an axial bore with aAcap-carrier at' the rear'end of said bore, a striker having an impact head and a shank movable in said axial bore, displaceable segments interposed between the fuse body-part and the striker to prevent premature rearward movement of the striker onto the cap-carrier, a counterring slidableon the striker-shank and having a limited' forward movement in the axial bore, spring-pressed bolts carried by the lcounter-ring toV engage a reduced part of thestriker-shank with the counter-ring at the forward limit of its movement in the axial bore and the striker-shank at the rearward limit of its movement as determined by theinterposed segments to prevent premature forward' movement of the striker, a sleeve slidable on the striker-shank within the axial bore of the fuse body-part and adapted to move into engagement with the counter-ring and to overlap the springpressed bolts to lock the latter in engagement with the striker-shank, and a cooking spring normally pressing the sleeve forward into overlapping engagement with the counter-ring to lock the bolts and to press the counter-ring to the limit of its forward movement, said sleeve at the discharge of the projectile moving rearward by its inertia against the action of the cocking spring to free the counter-ring and to release the bolts, the disengaging counter-ring by its inertia also moving rearward to engage again the sleeve held by the compressed cocking spring, the counter-ring in its rearward movement disengaging the spring-pressed bolts from the reduced part of the strikershank and positioning said bolts to engage a rear reduction of the counter-shank, said cocking spring during the flight of the projectile and the lessening acceleration thereof predominating the inertia of the engaged sleeve and counter-ring to move forward said engaged members with the sleeve overlapping the bolts to hold the latter in locked engagement with the rear reduction of the striker-shankso that the continued predominance of the cocking spring through said intervening mechanism :will also move for-- ward the striker to cocked position, the forward movement of the striker operatingto release the djsplaceable segments to respond to thecentrifugal action imparted by the rotation'of the projectile, the displacement of the segments permitting the striker on impact with the target to be driven into the fuse body-part onto the cap-carrier.

6. A percussion-fuse comprising a bodypart having an axial bore with a cap-carrier at the rear end of said bore, a striker having a-shank movable in the axial bore and a. shouldered impact head projecting beyond the nose of the body-part, said striker-shank having forward, intermediate and rear reductions with the intermediate reduction of restricted length and the rear reduction elongated as compared with the intermediate reduction, displaceable segments interposed between the nose of the body-part and the shoulder of the impact head and seated in the forward reduction of the strikershank to prevent premature rearward movement of the striker in the body-part, said segments having auxiliary retaining projections extending into the bore of the bodypart, a counter-ring movable on the strikershank within said axial bore, the forward movement ofthe counter-ring being limited by a shoulder on the wall of the axial bore, bolts movable in the counter-ring to engage the intermediate and rear reductions in the shank of the striker, a spring normally pressing the bolts toward the shank of the striker, said bolts engaging the intermediate reduction with the counter-ring at the forward limit of its movement and with the striker at the rearward limit of its movement as restricted by said interposed segments to prevent premature forward movement of the striker, a sleeve slidable on the shank of the striker within the axial bore of the bodypart, and a cocking spring normally pressing said sleeve forward to engage the counter-ring to press the latter to the limit of its forward movement, said sleeve in its engaged position with the counter-ring overlapping the bolts to hold the latter in locked engagement with the intermediate reduction of the striker-shank to hold the striker against forward movement, said sleeve at the discharge of the projectile moving rearward by its inertia against the action of the cocking spring to free the counter-ring and to release the bolts, the disengaged counterring by its inertia also moving rearward to engage again the sleeve held by the compressed cocking spring, the counter-ring-in its rearward movement disengaging the spring-pressed bolts from the intermediate reduction of the striker-shank and positioning said bolts to engage the rear reduction of the striker-shank, said cocking Spring during the flight of the projectile and the lessening acceleration thereof predominating the inertia of the engaged sleeve and counter-ring to move forward said engaged members with the sleeve overlapping the bolts to hold the latter in locked engagement with the rear reduction of the strikershank so that the continued predominance of the cocking. spring through said inter-v vening mechanism will also move forward the striker to cocked position, the forward movement of the striker separating the shouldered impact head from the nose of the fuse body-part to free the displaceable segments to permit their escape through the centrifugal action imparted by the rotation of the projectile, the displacement of the segments permitting the striker on impact with the target to be driven into the fusev body-part onto the cap-carrier.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

EUGNE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses ANDR MosTICKnR, CLEMENT EDWARDS.

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