US2436378A - Fuze - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 24, 1948. l. s. vcl-n-:NowE-n-i y 2,436,378

FUZE

Filed Feb. 7, 1946 l Patented F eb. 24, 1948 UNITED A=S"S-I`ATE1S l y 2,436,378

FUZE

Irving' S. :Cl1en0weth,v Eureka,v Ill. ...Application February 7, 1946,'*Serial No. 646390 1fc1aim. (o1. @1oz- 18) (Granted under the act of March 3,'1883,`as amended April 30, 1923; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manuiactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an improvement in fuzes, particularly of the type which is detonated upon impact of a, projectile upon a target.

An important object of the invention is to provide a fuze of the character described for use in explosive small-arms projectiles, in which the arming system becomes operative by the forces set up within the projectile during its ight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuZe of novel construction which is easy to manufacture and assemble, as well as being inexpensive.

A further object is to provide a fuze which contains an elective safety device integral with the body of the fuze and which will remain unarmed despite rough handling, but which is extremely sensitive when armed.

The fuz'e is particularly useful in projectiles of small caliber Where it takes up only a small portion of the limited space within the shell permitting the use of a larger high explosive bursting charge.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, forming part of the specification, wherein similar numbers are used to designate like parts throughout the specification and drawings. InI these drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a projectile embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an exploded view of a fuze of the invention in perspective,

Figures 3, 4 and 5 showing a longitudinal section of an assembled fuze, and illustrate the position of the striker, shown in elevation, before firing, after initial set-back upon ring, and upon impact, respectively;

Figure 6 is a transverse section of a projectile embodying the invention taken on` the line 6-5 of Figure 1, and

Figure '7 is an end view of the uze tube.

The numeral Il! designates a projectile provided with an outer soft metal jacket II, a steel body I2, and a base plug I3. A cavity I4 formed by the Walls of the steel body I2 contains a high explosive bursting charge I5 and the fuze Iii.

The fuze I6 is made up of a thin-gauge brass tube I'I in which a plurality of short longitudinal u slots I3 have been made in one end so that a plurality of projections or teeth I9, are formed around periphery of the tube, said teeth being folded inwardly toward the center of the said tube, as shown in Figure '7, to form an end re-Y tainer for a small metallic primer 2l] inserted into the tube. A primer retainer ring 2i is provided within the tube i1, said ring having a circular opening 22 and being held within the tube Il by a plurality of triangular tongues 23 sheared in the surface of the tube I'land bent inward over the end of the ring 2l.

The cylindrical striker 2d is turned from cast` y slightly smaller diameter that the inner diameter ci the tube il to allow slidable engagement within the said tube While the forward portion of the said striker 213 adjacent the cone-shaped projection is of a smaller diameter than the rearward portion of the striker. The said striker is inserted in the tube il forward of the end opposite that occupied by the primer 23 and is held in place by crimping the said tube I'I into the annular groove 25 of the striker 2d, as shown in Figure 3, thus forming an annular groove or crimp 25 about the periphery of the tube Il, said annular grooves 25 and 25 cooperating to hold the striker 2c in a safe and unarmed position prior to impact upon a target.

In operation, set-back forces set up by the sudden acceleration of the projectile on firing force the striker 2d rearwardly, its forward or smaller diametered portion forcing the crimp 2S from its engagement within the groove 25, and the striker 24 continues its rearward movement until it meets the resistance of the base plug i3 and is stopped thereby. As the projectile meets the resistance of the air during night, the striker 2Q will creep forward until the larger diametered rear portion is stopped by the remaining portion of the crimp 26 since this creeping movement is without sufficient force to push the said crimp from its path. Upon impact, the inertia of the striker 24 during deceleration forces the said striker forward, overcoming the resistance of the crimp 2S, and against the primer 28 bringing about the explosion ofthe charge within the said primer and consequently the projectile.

These successive steps are illustrated in Figures Y eectively as a nose fuze and its sensitivity may be altered and adjusted by varying the diametrical relationship between the forward and rear portions of the striker 24, or by regulating the depth of the crimp 26.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A fuze for explosive shells comprising a cylindrical tube, a. primer in one end of said fuze retained against outward motion by inturned scallops on the end of the tube, and against inward motion by struck portions on the tube, an annular restriction in the tube, and a cylindrical striker having an annular groove mating said constriction, said striker fitting the tube rearward of the groove and having a diameter forward of the groove less than that of the tube and said striker, when engaging said constriction with its groove, being spaced from the end of the tube remote from the primer.

IRVING S. CHENOWE'IH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date 320,210 Bennett --.June 16, 1885 874,282 Aveson Dee. 17, 1907 2,365,718 Moore Dec. 26, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS l5 Number Country Date 17,430 Great Britain 1889

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