US1508450A - Fuse for projectiles - Google Patents

Description

QR 10 "w" se 'i. 16. 1924.

.1. H. GOSS FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed Aug/12,

\02. AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. G058, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SCOVILL MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF WATERBURYZ, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT.

FUSE FOR PROJECTILES.

Application filed August 12, 1919. Serial No. 317,058.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. Goss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, c'ounty of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuses for Pro jectiles, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fuses for projectiles.

In time fuses, the period of time between the firing of the projectile and its explosion is determined by varying the length of time which the charge of the fuse burns, that is, the burning period of the fuse charge is so calculated that the exploding charge of the projectile will be ignited a certain length of time after the projectile leaves the gun. It will be readily understood that accuracy in this burning period of the fuse is of great importance, particularly where the projectiles with which these fuses are used have high velocity, because obviously slight variations in the length of the burning period of the fuse result in wide variations in the position which the projectile occupies at the time of the explosion.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved time fuse in which the burning time or rate can be determined with a high degree of accuracy, so that uniformity in the time of explosion of the projectile is secured.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain constructions, and in certain parts, improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter fully described and then more fully pointed out.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 illustrates, in side elevation, a Eime fuse embodying the improved construcion.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1, on a somewhat larger scale.

In the concrete embodiment of the invention, which has been selected for illustration, 1 indicates the body of the fuse, the body bemg provided with a chamber in which the exploding charge 3 of the fuse is located,

the chamber being closed by a screw cap 2,

4 by which the fuse is attached to the projectile. The body of the fuse is also provided with a shoulder 5 on which rests a ring 6, this ring containing a powder channel 7, a gasket 8 being interposed between the ring and the shoulder. An opening 10 is provided in the fuse body in which is located a powder plug 11, this opening registering with an opening 12 in the gasket 8. The ring is provided with an opening 13 in which a powder plug is located. Superposed upon the ring 6 is another ring 14 which is also provided with a powder channel 15 and a gasket 16 is located between the two rings, this gasket having an opening 17 which registers with the powder plug in the opening 13 in the lower, or, as it is usually termed, setting ring, this setting ring being provided with setting graduations 18, as shown in Fig. 1'. The ring 6 is free to be rotated around the body of the fuse, but the upper ring 14 is prevented from rotation around the fuse, usually by being pinned to the body of the fuse.

The rings are fashioned to provide gas channels or flues, marked 19 and 19 respectively, these channels or flues being in communication through an opening 20. An opening 21 leads upwardly from the channel 19 in the ring 14:. The rings are held in position by a screw cap 22 which is threaded to the body of the fuse, this cap being provided with flue or gas escape channel 23, which channel has passages 24 leading upwardly therefrom. In the particular fuse shown, the top of the cap 25 is of umbrella or mushroom shape, the openings 24 terminating under the overhang of the top.

The f use is provided with the usual concussion primer 26 supported by a split ring 27, and with the usual firing pin 28.

In the operation of this fuse, which, as so far described, is of well-known construction, when the projectile is fired the set back causes the concussion primer to move back against the firing pin 28. This ignites the concussion primer which, through the opening 29, ignites a powder plug 30 and the plug in turn ignites the charge in the ring 15. This charge burns and ignites the powder plug in the opening 13, the flame passing through the opening 17 in the gasket 16, this ignition taking place earlier or later, according to the setting of the ring 6. This burning powder plug ignites the powder 1n ations.

the channel ring 6 which burns and, through the opening 12 in the gasket 8, ignites the powder plug 10 in the opening 11 which ignites and explodes the charge 3 which causes the explosion of the projectile. As

the charges in the rings burn, the generated gases are supposed to escape into'the flues or channels 19, 19', and through the openings 20 and 21 [into the flue or channel 23 and then out through the fiues 24:. The burning period of the fuse is determined by rotating the settin ring 6 to the desired point, as indicated hy the gradu- This rotation of the setting ring changes the position of the openings through which the flame of the burning charge in the upper ring is communicated to thecharge in the lower ring and the burning of the charge in the lower ring is transmitted to the powder plug 11, and thus lengthens or shortens the amount of powder which must burn before the exploding charge in the fuse is ignited. The position of the setting ring is effected by a suitable tool or wrench at the time when the projectile is loaded in the gun.

In fuses of this type, as heretofore constructed, the top cap 22 has been screwed down on the rings so as to force the rings together as tightly as possible and yet permit the positloning of the setting ring to be effected at the time the projectile is loaded into the gun. The cap, after having been thus screwed down, has been locked in position, as, for instance, by a radial pin which extends through the wall of the cap and into the screw threads by which the "cap was secured to the body.

In using projectiles provided with this fuse in antiaircraft guns, where a very high Velocity of the projectile is attained, Wide variations in the time of explosion were noted. It will be understood, of course, that the various channels or flue openings 4 in the fuse are so designed as to cause the gases developed to set up a certain gas pressure on the burning powder. Inasmuch as in the fuse construction described, the

powder should burn at the determined rate which is,.of course, influenced by the escape of the generated gases, the variations in the time of explosion noted may be attributed to improper or unexpected escape of the burning gases. If, for instance, under the very great forces developed in firing, the rings are forced back against their gaskets, so as to unduly compress the gaskets, and the locked top cap cannot move on account of the look, a crevice or opening would open up between the top of the top ring and the lower edge ofthe top cap. Should this occur, the gases, instead of passing put through the flue openings in the cap 24 provided for them and through whichit is des gned and expected that they will escape, would escape, to some extent, through the opening referred to which would be formed in the manner described between the top ring and the lower edge of the top cap. Should the! generated gases escape other than through the fines or channels provided for them, it will, of course, be understood that the gas pressure on the burning powder will not be that which the fuse is designed to effect, and, therefore, the burning rate of the powder will vary.

According to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein, the top cap, after being screwed down against the rings, as before described, instead of being locked, as by the radial pin referred to, is left free to turn down on the threads on the fuse body. The cap, therefore, under the great forces developed on the I due to the rifiing, is free to turn down and thus follow up any undue setting back of the rings. Crevices or openings between the lower edge of the cap and the top ring or between the ringsv cannot, therefore, be formed and the gases developed by-burning will be compelled to traverse the flue passages provided for them. Nith this construction, therefore, the gas pressure in the fuse, during the burning of the charge, will be that which the fuse is designed to effect. .At all events, it has been found in practical operation that projectiles equipped with the fuse heretofore described and in the rings so tightly that the setting ring can only be moved by the proper wrench or tool, and it is important'that this relative position of the parts be maintained. While, in the improved construction, this may be effected in various ways, in the construction illustrated, the ring 14 is provided with a short recess 31 and the lower edge o-f the cap is provided with an integral projection 32 which engages that recess, this projection being formed by punching down the metal of the cap. The projection and recess are so related that when the parts of the fuse are assembled and the cap is screwed down to hold the rings, as above described, the shoulder 32 will bear against the rear shoulder 33 of the recess 31. With this construction, while the cap is free to turn to move down on the thread. on the fuse 102. AMMUNITION \AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES era-te body, it cannot move in the reverse direction and, therefore, the parts of the fuse cannot loosen after assem lin Constructions which embody the invention include means by which the parts of the fuse can automatically respond to the great forces developed at the time of firing the projectile in such a way as to prevent gas leaks, that is, to prevent the escape of the gases other than through the fines or channels provided for their escape. While this is effectively accomplished in the particular construction which has been heretofore described, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made in this construction and that the invention is not, therefore, to be limited to the specific embodiment heretofore described.

' What is claimed is:

1. A fuse including a body, a charge containing part carried by the body, said part having a flue through which the gases generated during firing may escape, and a cap carried by the body and provided with a gas escape flue, said cap being free to move under the forces developed during firing and by its movement maintain said fiues gas tight throughout their lengt 2. A fuse including a body, a charge containing part carried by the body, said part having a flue through which the gases genduring firin may escape, a cap also carried by the b0 y and provided with a gas esca e flue, said cap being free to move under t e forces developed during firing and by 1ts movement main-tam said fines gas tightthroughout their length, and means for, locking the cap against movement in the reverse direction.

fuse including) a body, charge conainmg rings carrled y the fuse, said rings being provided with gas escape fines, and a cap carried by the body and freeto move toward the rings under the forces developed durin firing.

1:4 fuse including a body, charge contaming rings, and a cap, said rings and cap being provided with flues through which the gases generated durin firing may escape, and said cap being free to move toward the rings under the forces developed during firing and by its movement maintain said fines gas tight throughout their length.

said capbeing free to turn down on its thread toward the charge containing parts under the forces developed during firing, and means for locking the cap against movement in the reverse direction.

7. A fuse including a body, charge containing rin s mounted on the body, one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between the rings, a gasket between one of the rings and the body, and a cap threaded on the body, said cap and rmgs having gas escape lines, and said cap, being threaded to the body and being free to turn down on the body toward the rings under the forces developed during firing.

8. A fuse including a body, charge containing rings mounted on the body, one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between the rings, a gasket between one of the rings and the body, a cap threaded on the body, said cap and rings having gas escape fines, and said cap being threaded to the body and being free to turn down on the body toward the rings under the forces developed during firing, and means for locking the cap against movement in the reverse direction. 9. A fuse including a body having a shoulder, two charge containing rings mounted on the body, one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between the rings, a gasket between one ring and said shoulder, said rings having gas escape fiues, -a mushroom-shaped cap threaded on said body and having gas escape fines terminating under the overhang of the cap, and said cap being free to turn down on the body toward the rings under the forces developed in firing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. GOS'S.

Images