US1706802A - Means for igniting the bursting charge of projectiles - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1929. N. E. METHLIN 1,706,802 7 MEANS FOR IGNITING THE BURSTING CHARGE OF PRQJECTILES Filed July 20; 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N. E. METHLIN March 26, 1929.

MEANS FOR IGNITING THE BURSTING CHARGE Of PROJECTILBS Filed July 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 5. 1. a e E A B m 2:1 mm

b A W in 2, illustrating a modification in which Patented Mar. 26, 1929. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSICNOR T0 SCHNEIDER & CIE., OF PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

MEANS FOR IGNITING THE BURSTING CHARGE OF PROJEC'I'ILES.

1 Application filed July 20, 1926, Serial No. 123,675,'and in France July 24, 1925.

The present-invention relates to improve ments in means for igniting the bursting charge of projectiles such as shells, explosive arrows or others. The invention consists essentially in a. means combined with a percussion fuse and preventing the return of the flame when the firing is transmitted from the fuse to the charge; in other words the invention consists in a special arrangement of an additional member, combined with the fuse, or formed by one of the members of the fuse, this arrangement being such that the flame from the percussion cap of the fuse or the flame from a detonating percussion cap is wholly and in the most eflicient manner possible transmitted to the explosive charge.

The invention is more particularly adapted to use in explosive arrows combined with a supersensitive fuse operating by driving in and inertia in which the parts of the firing mechanism (striker and percussion cap) are enclosed in a common container retained upon the fuse body or upon the projectile and becoming separated from the latter in order to make an inward movement as soon as the mechanism. encounters an obstacle offering even only a very small amount ofresistance. According. to the inventionthe flame from the percussioh cap igniting the charge is revented from being propagated outwards y a safety disc or gasket which is adapted to be deformed under the effect of the operation of the fuse and may, for example, be made of a metal of high molecular density such as lead, this disc being integral or virtually integral with the striker or associated with the latter in such a way as to form with it a closing member completely preventing any return towards the exterior of the flame or the gases from the igniting percussion cap.

Various examples of employment and construction of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying'drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the invention applied to an. explosive shell, the members being shown at rest.

Figure 2 is an elevation with part in section showing the arrangement formed by the conjugation of the striker and the deformed safety disc preventing, at the moment of ignition, any passage outwards of the gases and the flame from the detonating percussion cap.

Figure 3 is a View similar to the oneshown the closing device is combined with a lodgment and a container or casing of special form for the detonating percussion cap.

Figure 4: is a partial sectional elevation of an explosive arrow constructed to receive a percussion fuse, which comprises the closing device according to the invention; the members in this figure are shown at rest.

Figure 5 is a detail View in plan of the safety disc constructed and formed in such a Way as to form, with the striker, a closing device.

Figure 6 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 4 the members being shown in the position they occupy at the moment the percussion cap is struck following an encounter with an obstacle.

Fig. 7 shows a plurality of arrows provided with a protecting cap for transportation.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A is a fuse body screwed into the nose of a shell B and said fuse body comprises at its lower part a lodgment a for the Support O carrying a detonatin percussion cap G adapted to be ignited by the impact of a striker D guided in a duct a formed in the said fuse body. In order to produce this ignition the'striker is driven back towards the detonating percussion cap v in the known manner, by the pressure of the gases produced by the operation of a percussion or time fuse of any known type. The drawing illustrates, simply by way of example, a super-sensitive fuse such as that disclosed in the patent to L. E. Remondy, No. 1,459,075, dated June 19, 1923, with a movable carriage F, operating by driving in and inertia, that is to say by the driving in of the carriage after a retaining pin f has been sheared through and the displacement of detonator f relatively to the striker b its inertia.

The closing device comprlses a deformable safety diaphragm or disc E which, in this example, is integral with the striker D. .The deformable disc or gasket is combined with a duct a preferably convergent, for example frusto conical, formed in the fuse body in front of the guiding duct a The outer edge thus normally prevented from moving towards the detonating percussion cap. Any

2 moeeoa forward displacement may be prevented, for able carriage containing the mechanism, and example, by small projections a formed by the inertia of the percussion cap entering upon the fuse body,.beneath which the disc is into action when the carriage, liberated from secured. the projectile, is stopped by an obstacle.

When upon striking an obstacle, the opera- The fuse comprises a movable carriage tion of the fuse causes the arrangement D'E comprising a casing F with which the striker to be driven in under, the effect of the pressure D, which is placed in front of it, is integral- .of the gases from the percussion capj the ly formed. Upon the rear end of the casing,

needle D strikes the detonating ercussion cap pierced by an orifice F rests the independent C passing through a plastic joint C which percussion cap C. A deformabledisc E in' may be provided if desired. The disc E in the form of a spherical cup or the like, probecoming deformed takes up the shape of Vided with a small central orifice e, the edge the seating a the arrangement D-E thus of which disc has a diameter equal-t0 that preventing in a perfect manner any commuof the container F and of the duct in which nication between the exploder detonator and the l r ay m Ve, i ecured by two Wings the outside, the arrangement D'E being fur-- E between a shoulder (2- upon the fuse body ther pressed upon its seating by the pressure and G over which the Outer g of Of the gases from the percussion cap P, so the saidfuse bOdXA is bent down. AS exthat the effects of the flame and of the exploplain d 1n (yonnectlon With the embodiment sion of the detonating percussion cap C are ShOWllv in F g 1 and he safety di c an used for igniting and exploding the charge be made strong enough to prevent shearing of the projectile in the best manner possible. due 0 S c 0 1 ir ng the projectile.

Owing to the very light a of th t ike The deformable dlsc in this case performs D and safety disc E, it is possible to make the three. fune n disc of material which will be readily de- 1 By mean of Its locked Wings E against formed as abov d rib d a d y t b fi-" whlch the casing or cover F presses, since the ciently strong to prevent any deformation of apex of the disc bears upon the percussion the same due to set back on firing the projec- Cap, the disc forms a stiffening member betile. tween the'carriage and the fuse body until an Figure 3 shows a detonating percussion obstacle is struck, thus replacing the pin f of cap of special form, combined with a lodgh fuse hown in Fig. ment of corresponding shape, formed for ex- 2- Ulltil the carriage is released he disc ample directly in the fuse body A, as shown forms at the same time a deformable disin the figure, which enables the effects of tance piece between the striker D and the the explosion of the percussion cap to be percussion cap C thus fulfilling the function made use of in a still better manner. The of the arrangement f/" (of the spring f lodgment is divergent towardsthe interior, and the disc 7) in the fuse shown in Fig. 1. that is to say that it has'longitudinal walls 3. When, as the result of an impact with sloping outwards from top to bottom; it may an obstacle even offering a very small amount be in the "form of a cone frustum or ofv a of resistance, the very light carriage i paraboloid, for example, so as to form a sur stopped and the wings E are I sheared off, face for reflecting, parallel to the axis of the the carriage F then becoming independent projectile, all the forces which are exerted of the arrow A-BC. -By its own inertia at right angles to this axis. the percussioncap continues its movementat The flared percussion cap may advantathevelocity of the arrow so that the deform- 11o geously be retained in the fuse body, as shown able disc E, the central aperture 6 of which is 1n the figure, by a retaining socket H which closed by the point of the striker D, is fiatisv easily destroyed by the gases produced by tened between the percussion cap and the fuse the explosion of the percussion cap itself and body, thus forming a perfect wad or packing which'is secured to the said fuse bodyby bereventing any escape between the outer suring crimped in a groove a upon the latter. I ace of the carriage F and the lodgment, as

In the example shown in Figs. 4, 5v and' shown in Fig. 6. 6 A is a fuse body forming the front metal- The free space between the movable carlic end of a tube B, into which it'is fitted by riage and the front edge or face of the arscrewing, as shown in Fig. 4, or simply by row ma he filled with a cork wad or plug 12 being slipped in and crimped, as shown'in I, glue upon the walls of the ring and if Fig. 6, filled with an explosive charge, the desired covered with 'a sheet of tin foil or rear end of this tube being formed by aset other suitable protecting material.

of fins b which are fitted on or produced by Arrows rovided with the super-sensitive deforming the material of the tube. fuse according to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be In this example the deformable safety disc packed in bundles or packets for transport,

or gasket which, in combination with the for example as shown in sectional elevation striker, forms a closing member is formed and in plan, in Figs..7 and 8, in a bucket orby one of the members of a super-sensitive trough ,J of suitable thickness which arfuse operating by the driving in of a movrangement prevents an untimely actuationof 1 0 the firing mechanism and protects the mechanism of the bundle of arrows from being struck by enemy shells.

Claims:

1; In a fuse body having-an opening and a primer and striker mechanism mounted in said opening, gasket means mounted in saidopening comprising a soft, malleable, metal disc adapted to be deformed into fixed flametight engagement with the walls thereof on actuation of said striker to prevent escape of flame in one direction through said opening.

In a fuse body having primer and striker mechanism therein, a gasket adapted to be pressed into fixed tight engagement with said body by the gas pressure generated by detonation of said primer. I 4

3. In a fuse body having an opening therein, fuse mechanism in said opening, and a disk member mounted in said opening, the latter having converging walls adjacent said member, said disk member being deformed into fixed flame-tight engagement with said converging walls by detonation of said primer.

I. In a fuse having an opening therein, a plurality of primer and striker mechanisms therein, and a piston member of soft, malleable material associated with one of said mechanisms, said opening having converging walls adjacent said piston, said member being adapted on actuation of another of said mechanisms to actuate said first named mechanism and to be deformed into fixed engagement with said converging walls of said opening.

5. In a fuse having an opening therein, a plurality of primer and striker mechanisms in said opening, a disc member of soft malleable material mounted in said opening, one of said strikers being connected with said-member, the detonation of one of said mechanisms deforming said member into fixed engagement with a substantial length of the wall of said opening and thereby actuating said last named striker.

6. In a device of the class described, a primer and striker mechanism actuated on impact with an obstacle, a disk member deformed into engagement with the wall of the fuse on detonation of said primer, means for preventing motion of said disk outwardly of the device and a second primer and striker mechanism actuated by deformation of said disk.

7. In a fuse having an opening therein, a pair of primer and striker mechanisms in said opening, one of said mechanisms being actu ated by impact with an obstacle, and a flexible disk member immovably secured in said opening between said mechanisms, the detonation of said mechanism deforming said disk into tight engagement with said wall, the striker of the other of said mechanisms being actuated by such deformation.

8. In a device of the class described, a primer and striker mechanism actuated on impact with an obstacle, a disk member deformed into engagement with the wall of the fuse on detonation of said primer, and a second primer and striker mechanism actuated by deformation of said disk, said second primer being contained in a recess having inwardly diverging walls to direct the flame thereof to the bursting charge of the projectile.

9. In a nose fuse for projectiles, a chambered fuse body open to atmosphere on one side thereof, primer and striker mechanism mounted to slide in said chambered body and driven into the latter on impact with an object to detonate the projectile, a metal disc of soft malleable material deformable into flame-tight engagement with the walls of said chambered body, and means preventing movement of said disc toward the open side of said fuse body.

10. In a nose fuse for projectiles, a fuse body having a chamber therein open to atmosphere at the nose of the projectile, striker mechanism mounted to slide therein and driv on into said chamber on impact with an object, a primer in said chamber to detonate the projectile on driving in said striker mechanism. and a deformable gasket positioned in said chamber between said striker mechanism and said primer and adapted on such impact to be forced into flame-tight engagement with the walls of said chamber to completely close the latter to the passage of gases outwardly of said chamber.

11. In a nose fuse for projectiles, a fuse body having a chamber therein open to atmosphere at the nose of the projectile, striker mechanism in said open end, a detonating primer in said chamber, and a metal disc of soft malleable material in said chamber between said striker mechanism and primer, said disc being deformed on detonatlon of the NICOLAS EMILIEN METI-ILIN.

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