US2339261A - Fuse - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1944. c. s. GIBBONS 2,339,261

FUSE

Filed Jan. 14, 1943 [Sharks G .B'1hhuns 55% aim-warm Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT orries FUSE Charles G. Gibbons, Cambridge, Mass. Application January14, 1943, Serial No. 472,309 seams. (01.10240) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

1 amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757)- The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without thepayment tome of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a delayed action fuse. Its operation as designed depends u on the use of a catalyst or other substance which becomes sufflciently heated in the presence of a suitable gas to ignite the primer charge, which in turn ignites thebooster charge for exploding the main charge.

Among the objects of the invention are the production of a fuse having few parts, and one inexpensive to make, and reliablein operation, safe to handle and one whose delayed action, after impact may be conveniently regulated or controlled by such changes in proportion of the chemical and other materials upon which the action depends, as the exigencies of the case may require.

The invention contemplates the provision of a cylinder of suitable material, such as a plastic that can be readily molded, and which hardens sufficiently to form a substantial support for the parts of the fuse within the cylinder, the fuse proper comprising a body containing a booster charge substantially in contact with the primer charge which in the present embodiment is ignited by a catalyst under the influence of or excited by a vapor that heats the catalyst to the ignition point, and simple means for locking the movable part of the fuse against movement in ordinary handling, the fuse as a whole being adapted to be inserted in the nose of a projectile of the point detonation type.

In the drawing illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section of the fuse, the parts being in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

On the drawing I designates a hollow body in the form of a cylinder, which as stated is preferably made of plastic material readily molded, and which becomes hard enough for supporting in a substantial manner, the parts contained in it. The cylinder is preferably formed in two lateral halves strongly sealed together. Each half of the cylinder has an annular guide shoulder 2 near one end and a similar shoulder 3, about midway of its length. These shoulders, as intimated, serve as guides for a cylindrical carriage 4, convenient- 1y made of a plastic moldable material, which cylinder contains the booster charge 5. The open end of the inner carriage is threaded to receive the threaded portion of a conical head 6, having a chamber 1 to receive the primer charge 8. The head 6 has a duct 9, communicating with the chamber 8, and the head has a comparatively sharp point 6 that serves as a punch to perforate the thin closure H), of a light steel cylindrical receptacle II, closed at its lower end by a flanged disk l2 having therein an aperture I2 for the introduction of air which is compressed in the cylinder to the desired extent, after which the cylinder is sealed.

The numeral l3, indicates a ring of fibrous absorbent material which is saturated with a chemical, such for instance as methanol to combine with the compressed air in the cylinder, to at the proper time, serve as the excitant of a suitable catalyst l3 such as platinum black or other suitable substance contained in the apex of the chamber 1, in immediate contact or substantially so with the primer charge therein.

The carriage 4 has an annular shoulder M, between which and the shoulder 2 of the outer cylinder is interposed a coil spring l5. The shoulder l4, on the inner cylinder is recessed for the reception of the upper free end of a leaf spring [6, whose lower end is secured in a recess in the shoulder 3 of the outer cylinder, the spring serving as a safety device released upon the firing of the projectile in which the fuse is contained, to permit the booster charge cylinder 4 to move forward upon impact of the projectile to establish communication between the catalyst l3 in the primer chamber 8 and the air-methanol cylinder II. This communication is established through the duct 9, when the punch or pointed end 6' of the head 5. punctures the receptacle ii.

The purpose of the spring i5 is to mildly urge the inner cylinder normally forward to keep the safety spring IS in its recess in the shoulder I4 until the projectile is fired.

The operation of the fuse which is, as stated, carried in the nose of a point detonated shell, has probably been sufiiciently outlined in the foregoing nevertheless it can be briefly stated that the completely equipped fuse has a booster charge in the comparatively easily frangible carriage 4, which charge is preferably separated from the primer charge by a membrane-like disk 8'. When the projectile is fired the set-back moves the carriage 4 backward against the pressure of the spring 15 sufiiciently to release the safety spring l6, whose free end springs back against the wall of the outer cylinder, where it ignition of the primer charge, which in turn ignites the booster charge 5 to explode the main-' 7 charge in the shell.

I have described the heat producing substance I3 in the priming charge chamber as a catalyst and defined its excitant as a combination of air and methanol (wood alcohol) but I do not desire to confine myself to this substance or to this gas. black I may use powdered antimony and for the air-methanol I may substitute chlorine gas. In such a case the antimony would be conveniently protected by a suitable envelope to slow the excitant effect of the chlorine gas, and make'the gas of a strength suitable for the purpose.

I claim:

1.'In a delayed action fuse, in combination, a hollow body, a chambered carriage supported and guided in said body, a booster charge in the carr'iage chamber, an apertured punch carried by the carriage and provided with a chamber in communication with the booster charge chamher, a priming charge in the punch chamber, a substance in the priming charge chamber in contact with the priming charge and brought tc ig- For instance instead of using platinumnition point by exposure to a gas, a sealed gas containing receptacle in the hollow body adapted to be punctured by the punch upon the forward movement of the carriage to make the gas therein available to the ignition substance in the priming chamber. through the aperture in the punch to ignite the priming charge, and means for normally preventing forward movement of the carriage.

2. The invention according to claim 1, charaoterized in that the means for normally preventing forward movement of the carriage comprises a shoulder on the carriage, a leaf spring secured to the hollow body and having its free end in ena ement with .the shoulder, so that upon the initial backward movement of the carriage the spring is released and springs out of alignment with the shoulder.

'3. In ,a delayed action fuse, in combination, a hollow body, a chambered carriage supported and guided in said body, a booster charge in the-car riage chamber, an aperture'dpunch carried lay-the carriage and provided with a chamber in communication with the booster charge chamber, a priming charge in the punch cha-mber, a substance in the primingcharge chamber in contactwith the priming charge and brought to ignition point by exposure to a gas, and a sealedgas con-- taining receptacle in the hollow body adapted to be punctured by the punch upon the forward movement of the carriage to make the gas therein available to the ignition substance in the priming chamber through the aperture in the punch to ignite the priming charge.

CHARLES G.GIBBONS.

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