US1596224A

US1596224A - Fuse

Info

Publication number: US1596224A
Application number: US723370A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wiley Samuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-06-30
Filing date: 1924-06-30
Publication date: 1926-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1943-08-17

Description

Aug. 17 9 1926. 3,596,224

S. WILEY FUSE Filed June 30, 1924 I9 24 j; m i f 6 HI 27 /6 26 5 6 I 7 a a fi 6 I e: H 2 ||i| 6 HI 5/ e: 1 a

IN VENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Aug.. 17, 1926.; v

- UNITED STATES SAMUEL WILEY, METUGHEN, NEW'JERSEY.

FUSE.

Application filed June 30, 1924. Serial- No. 723,370.

(GRANTED.UNDER THE ACT E MARCH 3, 1883; 22 STA'LVII. 625.)

The subject of this invention is a fuse. In releasing flares and signals from aircraft. they are usually made to function after a predetermined interval of time by an igniting mechanism associated with their travel earthward. It mayalso be desirable to release incendiary shells and high explosive bombs against hostile aircraft or troops so that a burst may be secured in midair.

Fuses heretofore used with the above classes of material arm the firing mechanism by means of an air propeller which may screw a shaft or spindle into the fuse to prime a primer or unscrew the shaft to release aplunger. In these fuses the friction on the shaft or spindle results in a considerable variation in arming time and renders uncertain the exact distance below the aircraft at which the projectile will ex- T, also, provide a novel .and etficient method a .30 for holding the plunger in retracted posi tion and for releasing the plunger to prime the primer.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims form ing a part of this specification. Y

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my fuse; and F ig.*2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference: a

The fuse body 10 comprises a cylindrical casing forms with an apertured dividing wall 11' for retaining the priming mechanism and also serving to define a chamber 12, carrying an explosive charge 13. The

upper end of the fuse body terminates in. an annular flange 14 to seat upon a pro ec-' tile (not shown) with which the bod is 55 in threaded engagement. The portion 0 the body above the dividing wall 11 is bored and counteredbored, .an inclined surface 15 uniting the two bores.

The flanged terminus 14 is tapped for the reception of a guide plug 16 adapted to be partially inserted within the counterbored portion of the body 10 and also seated on the upper face of the flange 14. The lower end of the plug 16 is formed with a beveled surface 17 spaced a sufiicient distance from the inclined surface 15 when assembled so that it may cooperate therewith in acting as a cam for withdrawing a sear element from the plunger into the counterbored portion of the body. The upper portion of the plug is formed with converging walls and a cap 18 at its smallest diameter to overlap the conical portion of'the plug. The cap 18 is provided with apertures 19 for the reception of locking means to hold a propeller against rotation. The plug is centrally aper-- tured to threadedly receive a shaft or spindle 20, one end of which normally rests upon the wall 11 of the body 10. The outer terminus of the spindle is reduced to form a lug 21 embraced by a washer 22 and a hub 23 formed with propeller blades or vanes 24:. The hub 23 is keyed to the lug 21 so that when revolved by the action of the air on the propeller blades during flight the spindle will be unscrewed and partiallly withdrawn from the plug 16. If desired, the spindle may be formed integrally with the propeller to constitute 1ts shaft.

The spindle 20 ishollowed throu h the greater part of its length to enclosea p unger element formedwith an enlarged head 25 which has a sliding fit in the spindle 20 and which is formed with a firingpin 26. The base 27 of the plunger is embraced by a spring 28 under compression confined within the spindle and abutting the spindle and the base of the enlargedhead 25.

The enlarged head 25 of the plunger is formed with an annular groove 28' adapted to receive a sear element comprising a bolt 29 which extends through an aperture in the spindle and is formed with a beveled head 30 conforming to the curvature of the inner wall of the fuse body 10 .and reciprocable therein until cammed out of engageinent with the plunger by the beveled lower end 17 of the plug 16. Y A plug 31 is threaded into the apertured dividing wall 11 in alignment with the spindle and carries a primer 32 exposed to the firing pin 26. The plug is formed with a port 33 for communicating the flash from the primer to the explosive charge 13 as shown, or it may be made to communicate with a time train element to relay'ignition to the explosive charge after a predetermined interval. 7

During storage and transportation the spindle is held against rotation by a cotter pin 34 passing through apertures in the propeller hub 23, washer 22, and plug cap 18 and is attached to a ring 35 to facilitate removal. The projectile equipped with my fuse is carried by a release mechanism mounted on the plane and is provided with a safety wire 36 suitably connected to the fuse in a manner similar to the cotterpin 34 and which serves to function as a locking means. for the fuse until engaged and withdrawn by a hook forming a part of the releasing mechanism when the projectile is released.

When the safety wire 36 is withdrawn during the releasing operation, the projectile falls earthward and sets in motion the air propellers which rotate to unscrew and partially withdraw the spindle carrying the plunger and sear until the sear is cammed out of engagement with the plunger by the beveled lower end of the plug 16, whereupon the plunger under the influence of the plunger spring 28is forced against the plug 31 and the firing pin strikes the primer a uniform blow. Flash from the primer is communicated to the explosive charge through the port 33. either serve to destroy the.project1le or to eject a flare or-signal.

It will be noted that by virture of the relative length of the enlarged head of the plunger and the distance through which the spindle is withdrawn, the plunger may be released to the primer cup and be guided throughout its entire travel by the spindle, thereby centering the firing pin upon contact wlth the primer.

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred emobdiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize the fact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of-the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A fuse embodying a fuse body having an inclined inner wall portion unitin unequal bores, a guide plug having its ower 'end beveled, partially inserted within the body and spaced from the inclined inner The explosive charge may shaft.

wall, a pro eller shaft within the guide plug and movab e longitudinally thereto, a plunger within the shaft, 9. locking element carried by the shaft and engaging the plunger, said element adapted to be cammed by the guide plug up the inclined inner wall to release the plunger.

2. A fuse embodying a fuse body, a dividing wall formed within the body, a plug carried by the dividing wall and adapted to seat a primer, a guide plug partially inserted within the body, a hollow shaft within the guide plug, an air propeller for rotating the shaft, a plunger within the shaft, a scar rotatable with the shaft vand engaging the plunger, said sear adapted to be disengaged from the plunger by the guide plug.

3. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a shaft associated with the propeller and movable longitudinally of the fuse, a plunger within the shaft, a scar rotatable with the shaft and engaging the plunger, and means carried by the fuse and embracing the shaft for camming the sear out of engagement 8 with the plunger.

4. A fuse embodying an air propellema hollow'shaft rotatable with the" propeller and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plunger within the shaft, a'firing pin formed on the plunger, means carried by' the shaft for preventing independent longitudinal movement of the plunger, means for 'disengaging the aforesaid means, and a primer engageable by the firing pin.

5. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with the propeller and adapted to move longitudinalllf of the fuse, a plunger releaseably carrie by the shaft and means for releasing the plunger, we said plunger adapted to be guided by the shaft throughout its entire independent longitudinal movement.

6. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with the propeller 105 and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plunger within the shaft, a sear for retaining the plunger in unarmed position, and means for arming the plunger.

7 A fuse embodying an air propeller, a' 11 0 hollow shaft rotatable with the propeller and adapted to move longitudinally of the fuse, a plunger within the shaft, means for preventin independent longitudinal move-, ment of t e plunger, and means'for releas- 116 ing said means.

8. A fuse embodying an air propeller, a hollow shaft rotatable with th e propeller and adapted to move Iongoitudinally of the fuse, and a plunger rel'as'a 1y earrie'd by the 120 SAMUEL WILEY.